Easter Weekend and since catch up

Easter Saturday was spent visiting the Art Gallery and specifically the Andy Warhol exhibition. Imogen was also booked onto an Art/craft workshop ~ Warhol inspired Mad Hatters. The Warhol inspiration was a little tenuous but we had a great time creating a Mad Hatters hat and adorned it with Warhol inspired art including the famous banana image, big flowers and bugs.

We walked through the City parks on the way there and caught the scent and splendor of this amazing archway of Wisteria, beautiful.

The exhibition was good and there was some lovely works to look at. As we exited one of the exhibition rooms into the main art gallery we saw a piece of art in the style of Rothko (wasn't by him though!) and I remarked something like "I could paint that" to Imogen and asked her what she thought of it and did she think it was a piece of Art? Her response? "It's just colours, not a painting". An art critic already.

 Easter Egg Hunt

 She liked the hiding places

I set up a little Easter egg hunt around the house for Imogen for Easter Sunday, and gave her a felt bag with a note telling her all about it. She had a lot of fun finding the hidden treasures ... and eating a little of it later too. We had also decorated the Seasonal Corner over the week or so with felted eggs and some lovely painted eggs we picked up last year.

Seasonal Corner Easter 2011

Easter Tree

We had a relaxing day Easter Monday - a walk by some nearby Lakes where we saw a lovely family of tiny duckings and sat on a very large bench. We were busy spotting birds, trees and bugs.

 Duck family

 Sitting by the Lake

 On the big bench

I loved the wording on this bench, looking out across the lake:

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, 

but by the moments that take our breath away" Anon

The afternoon was spent in the garden. Imogen had lots of fun with her water table, new scooter (picked up a bargain over the holidays) and other adventures whilst I planted and sowed more seeds. Alex spent some time at the allotment and some time weeding in the garden.

My little daydreaming girl

Back to school for Imogen on Tuesday and greeted by her teacher who had got married over Easter, so a new name to remember. She has had great fun in the few days and on Thursday they had an impromptu "street party" in the playground in the afternoon. Luckily for Alex and I we had offered to come and plant up some plants in the planters outside the classroom (which were looking bare and sad!) and arrived while the party was still on and it was lovely to see all the infant schoolchildren out there on rows of tables wearing handmade crowns and tiaras and waving handmade flags.

They went on to have a play on the play areas, and woodland areas before going back inside to finish the day. We had some interest in what we were planting from the children from all years which was nice to see, and nice to chat to them too. I shall have to try and get a photo of them next week - didn't have the time or opportunity after planting as it was time for Imogen to come out. Her teachers were very pleased with our planting, and promised to get the children to keep them watered.

Dandelion seedheads on the way home

Oh and these are coming into flower too now, beautiful, just waiting for some more and the lovely fragrance and elderflower cordial will be on it's way.

Elder flowers April 2011

So that was this week. With Imogen being interested in the Wedding, she chose to watch some of it on Friday so I saw some of it too - not something I had expected to do, it was quite lovely and I did like Kate's dress. Imogen did spend the day as a pirate princess and around the wedding made many pirate crafts. Can you guess the theme for this half term? Yep, pirates and princesses.

Watching the Royal Wedding

On Saturday we picked up my Mom from the station as she is here to stay for a week. She is coming to help out with picking Imogen up from school next week as I need to return to work (!!), to work my notice. Having taken maternity leave and then extended unpaid leave which I could do where I worked, I needed to return by September this year. Having decided to only return to work my calender month notice I wanted to get it done in May so as not to impact on the Summer. Luckily for me I had accrued annual leave before leaving work so I only have to return for 3 days ... phew! I can't imagine I'll be much use to them but I need to do it.

So I may be a little quiet on here next week if I can't find the time, or anything interesting to blog about. However I will be blogging over on Spinspiration for Woolly Wednesday next week - hope to see some of you there too, the linky will probably be up later in the day when I've got home from work ... wow that sounds strange to say and write.

Have a lovely May Day weekend.