Occasionally I look back at something and wonder how I managed it - the three peaks challenge for example, or staying awake after midnight. Today I am having similarly incredulous thoughts about achieving a whole 90 minutes in the garden on Saturday despite being accompanied by two of my children.
Admittedly Ava and Oscar weren't gardening the entire time, although they did manage to complete a few jobs including some quite effective cutting back of perennials. I didn't actually arm them with secateurs you understand, as to call them a bit clumsy is like calling Tiger Woods a tad flirtatious. Instead they used their round-ended craft scissors which are not only a whole deal safer but have the added bonus of being in dayglo bright colours so are easier to find when misplaced again, and again, and again.
We also heeled in five Bird Cherry trees (Prunus padus) destined for the new village playground next month, spread some compost and even cleared away the dead leaves from their gardens to spot the bulbs appearing below. Of course, this did lead to the inevitable fight over who had the most snowdrops, but what can I say? My kids are kind of competitive.
And then, just when I thought they would say they had had enough and want to go inside, they found a new entertainment - namely sand gardens. This apparently involves nicking all the materials I have just cut down - from grasses and dogwood stems to coppiced Eucalyptus - and replanting them in the sandpit.
This kept them busy for a good half-an-hour which thankfully is at least 20 minutes longer than it will take me to tidy up after them (the classic distraction to mayhem ratio needed for all child-based activities).
And it didn't stop there - we also had the trampoline bouncing game, the seeing shapes in clouds game and even the twirling swing game. Unfortunately this was followed by the smash each other in the head with space hopper game which lasted about 10 seconds until Ava started complaining that Oscar was, well... smashing a space hopper into her head.
Still, 90 minutes! It's almost worth the head trauma...
90 minutes is certainly not to be sniffed at and their sand gardens game sounds really artistic. What creative children you have! It is great when they get into a groove of being outside and stop asking for stuff for a while.
Posted by: Lia Leendertz | February 22, 2010 at 02:30 PM
This post is so me, it sounds just like our time in the garden :-) You garden a bit, supervise your mini gardners, referee the odd game etc etc. Oh and sand pits, what is it about sand, magical stuff for entertaining the kiddies, I still remember loving the stuff when I was little :-)
Posted by: Scented Sweetpeas | February 22, 2010 at 08:23 PM
That's 90 minutes more than I managed, and I don't have littlies.
Posted by: Jo | February 22, 2010 at 10:09 PM
you blog is so informative and full of fun ideas. I just cannot get enough of it. Looking forward to your next post
Posted by: miniature golf in nj | February 23, 2010 at 01:09 PM
I dont miss thedays when I tried to find a way of getting time in the garden. Now I find myself wondering when I will see my eldest - treasure the time with them while you have it
Posted by: Helen | February 23, 2010 at 06:19 PM
Lia - their creativity knows no bounds - especially when it comes to excuses
SS - I too love a sandpit - if I'm honest this one was built for my nostalgia as much as it was built for the children
Jo - it was definitely an aberration - I don't expect it to be repeated much
MiniGolfNJ - Thanks so much for dropping by - and the kind words
Helen - 'treasure it' is very much on my 'to do' list. I do try!
Posted by: Dawn/LittleGreenFingers | February 24, 2010 at 04:27 PM
Sand gardens is just the beginning.
Just think how much longer it would keep them amused (and educated) if they buried other things in the sandpit.
Perhaps some non-recyclable rubbish - they could then learn about landfill.
Or any passing domestic pets - they would then be fully au fait with wriggling, sharp clawed creatures.
Or perhaps their mother's wine supply - just so they can experience rage and, perhaps, desperation.
Maybe an entire room's worth of furniture - just in case they need to excavate and equip a nuclear bunker at some point.
So many opportunities: you must be terribly pleased that I am here to point you in the right direction.
Posted by: JamesA-S | February 24, 2010 at 09:04 PM
James - that was very amusing - until you mentioned the wine. You are not allowed to talk to my children - EVER!
Posted by: Dawn/LittleGreenFingers | February 26, 2010 at 05:45 PM
90 minutes? they are getting old!
Posted by: elizabethm | March 01, 2010 at 10:28 PM