This week’s offering is a little later than usual. I had planned to tell you all about the completion of the goat paddock fencing, the setting up of The Homestead Pool, the settling in of The Tiny Housers and our celebratory firepit
but, as these things are prone to do, that all turned to custard. The raging nor’ wester put paid to both the firepit and putting up the pool, moving in is taking The Tiny Housers a little longer than they expected, and the fencing lengths we managed to get hold of were a little short for the job.
Luckily, one of us had quite an adventurous week – one worth telling y’all about.
Farm Girl is incredibly loyal to her place of education; she trundles along their each weekday with relative enthusiasm (I mean, the girl’s not a saint) and wholeheartedly welcomes all the opportunities that come her way. While some tasks (writing essays for example) are not what she lives for, the pain they evoke is quickly soothed by a gnarly maths question or, best of all, a science class requiring the igniting of bunsen burners. There’s always something happening at school but, this past week, Darfield High School utterly over-guilded the lily.
On Tuesday, the senior school had their last day of the 2022 school year (they’re off on exam leave – next year this will be Farm Girl) and the school marked this occasion with an afternoon of tabloid sports, dressing in your house colours, and Bring Your Tractor to School Day, the latter which made the newspapers.
Then she had one day back in the classroom before she was off to Onuku Marae for an overnight field trip. She had a blast! She got to sleep in a Wharenui (Maori meeting house), took part in a powhiri (welcome) and poroporoaki (farewell),and got have a go at taiaha (a form of martial arts), a variety of flax weaving, and even got to paddle a waka (canoe). She came home very tired, full of stories and with her eyes and mind widened by happenings that took place relatively right on our doorstep at Takapuneke.
She loved watching the sun set over the harbour
I’d call that a week of meaningful education.
Union Homestead 
What a wonderful time your daughter had, well done her school. Sorry your other projects are still not accomplished but with kinder weather I hope all will soon be finished.
Im very impressed with how her school seems to allow her to voice her opinions, be herself, and learn in her own way. As for the other projects…tomorrow is another day 😊
A really good field trip: fun and educational.
Not being the hugest fan of conventional schooling, I was very impressed
Yes, tomorrow is another day with, I hope, better weather. Wonderful to read about Farm Girl’s guilded lily experience. Sounds great! The way school should be.
She’s really enjoying the whole school experience. And, yes, the sun will come out tomorrow…in fact, it has 😊
That sounds like a really good school. I am sorry to hear about the delays to your many projects.
That sounds like a wonderful end of year field trip, so glad she enjoys adventuring. A tractor day sounds terrific! We too are having unhelpful weather…snow about a month earlier than usual…par for the course with all of our seasons this year.
The weather is keeping us all guessing. The experts tell us we’re in for a hotter than usual summer which is a nice thought but then my mind starts wandering down the whole “increased risk of fire” path. I need to remind myself that only one thing is for certain: there will be weather. One day at a time and all that.
Hi, I am glad Farm Girl enjoyed her bumper week. Does she have any plans to drive a tractor to school next year?
Sadly we don’t own one. The closest we gave is a ride on mower 😁