We had our school Harvest festival this week. It’s always held at the village church and never fails to amuse. It’s the first time, the parents see the whole school together. From the very littlest to the older ones. The younger ones nervously take to the front to sing their song. Quieter than they ever sang it in the classroom.
The younger ones of yesteryear are now the older ones. They comfortably belt out their few lines of harvest wisdom. We all sit attentively, not wanting to miss a word.
So it repeats each year.
Except this year it was different.
This year it was our last Harvest festival. My twelfth and final. The first of many “lasts” we’ll tally up over this year, as the Youngest is in his final year at the school. Somehow this event seemed to kick start the clock and initiate the countdown. Next school doesn’t include such festivities.
I was also struck how only the newer parents fished out their phones and captured the moment. When did the rest of us stop?
Youngest also had his first parent’s evening of the year. He’s settling well into his final year. Nothing new. I’ll miss the quick “pop in for 10 minutes and home again” meetings. I’ll miss his lovely teacher. (Sixth and final year she has had one of my children in her class) Next year, his parent’s evenings will live up to their name and take all evening, as we navigate around corridors and classrooms to find each of his teachers.
The countdown is on.
(Apologies to any one who finds photos of spiders unsettling. There is one coming up. She is guarding our front door at the moment. I love her beautiful markings. Can’t resist talking to her every time I pass)
I’ve started my Halloween planning. I am so excited. I’ve been testing a few ideas out. My autumn wreath idea wasn’t working, so I’m back to plan B. My ghost biscuits need a bit of tweaking, but my first batch has mysteriously vanished, which I take as a good sign. Although I suspect it was less to do with thin air and everything to do with being munched.
I have lists of crafts to do with the children over the half term break. Just a week to go until they break up. Then two weeks to go until Halloween. Our whiteboard has a countdown going on. Not by me. I’m not the only one looking forward to seasonal fun. ( I think they have forgiven me about the whole no Trick or Treating this year)
(toadstool made over the weekend)
Joining in with #wotw with my word countdown.
I love those toadstools and that spider is so pretty. I do like to see them on their webs in the garden – we have one very fat one on the hedge in the front garden whose web is absolutely full of flies – no wonder she is so big with all those to feast on! I can imagine how the last harvest festival must feel very much like the end of the era and start the countdown to all the last times. I couldn’t make the harvest festival this year and I really missed it. It is lovely to have those little events in the school year. #WotW
It will be strange next year when there are no more of these events appearing on my calendar.
The countdown at school must be bittersweet. Time flies by so quickly and our little ones grow up so fast, don’t they? We have our first parents evening for our son next week, though I know it’ll be ‘lasts’ in the blink of an eye. I like seeing the spiders about at this time of year, though there was one in my bed last week which I wasn’t quite as keen on! have fun over Halloween x Thanks for sharing with #WotW
Bittersweet indeed.
Ahh! Our harvest festival is next week and it will be my girls last one too. The secondary schools don’t have them open to parents…We have parents evening next week too. hehehe
I really don’t like spiders but that one is beautiful x
Hope you enjoy your festival.
Hi Cheryl, one minute they are babes in arms and the next they are little fish in a big pond and in the blink of an eye they are the big fish. My youngest is in her last year at school, so it is a year of lasts for us too, but believe me when I say I don’t think I’ll miss anything about having a child at school. She is going on to study higher, but then she’ll be out in the big wide world – a little fish again…. That spider did give me the willies, never turn your back on it!… Your toadstool biscuits look far too nice to eat. I’d end up hanging them on the wall or something!
Thank you for linking up with the #MMBC.
xx
That’s interesting. Hadn’t thought how I’ll feel when they finally leave school.
I haven’t been to a harvest festival in years, my kids school doesn’t do them. I sometimes think about my last year of of school for my youngest, I still have 8 years to go!! I’ll be 60 😯 You don’t think about these things when you have kids late in life. I have a spider on the outside of my kitchen window that I have become attached to. I won’t be so attached if she comes inside though!
I’m glad our school does have one. Time does tick on. I won’t be many years off that then when my youngest finally finishes. I love seeing the spiders. This time every year, there always seems to be at least one by our doorways. Must be a good spot.
Ah the biscuits are so cute and looks so tasty, I have to say I scrolled by the spider I am not a fan at all. I had a year of lasts last year in primary and high school and at times it felt so sad and the end of an era, this year however is all firsts and very exciting x
That is a positive way of thinking about it. I do enjoy the firsts too.
I am glad to hear that all is good with settling in. The spider is beautiful and in their element X #wotw
She is beautiful.
Wow you have really managed to capture the markings and colouring on that spider, the toadstool biscuits look lovely. It is sad when you know a stage of your children’s life is over, time goes so quickly but then again there will come many more different sorts of first in their lives for them to share with you and for you to enjoy.
So positive. Yes. Lots of firsts to look forward to.
It’s quite poignant when you realist that something will be for the last time isn’t it. I always find that last year of primary school quite bittersweet as they make so many lovely memories at that age. I love those toadstool biscuits, very Autumnal indeed. I’ve been planning crafts for the half term too, I do like to spend the holidays creatively. Have a lovely weekend x
It is a great way to spend the holidays. More relaxed environment for them to try out new things.
I love the idea of a village church. Sounds like a community where everyone knows each other. Sorry to hear that these school starts are ending at the Village church, we all need outings that bring community together moron this day and age.
Too true. There are events at the next school, but so far I’ve not been able to go along. One day.