Spring is very late this year. I’ve been looking out for celandines for weeks. They face the sun and only open their flowers when it shines, brightening up the last days of winter and marking the first days of spring.
At last I’ve found some, on a bank on the side of the road that winds its way up to the cottages I’m staying in. I had to stop the car and leap out quickly to take the picture, mainly to show my Mum who also looks out for celandines… she usually sees them well before me.
If I thought Cwmaman was at the top of the valley yesterday, I was mistaken. Way up high, much further on is Glynhafod Junior School, where I was today. A couple of hundred yards further on the village stops and the mountains continue – wild and empty.
Year Five and six came up with a new idea for how Viking Vik invented football. Another school I went to suggested that he made a ball from a pig’s bladder, today we had a leather bag full of leaves and sheep’s wool, which was a more satisfying plot. One girl went on to improve the story by bringing in a bit of enmity between Vik and his half brother, Wulf. In her story they invent dodgeball!
With year four, we got into a quite deep conversation about what the children would take from Earth to an alien classroom on show and tell day, as Ricky Rocket has to do in A present from Earth. One boy suggested a gun, which made us question what this would say about Humans!
Year three came up with a great idea for Monster Boy. An giant Electric Eel is living in a pond in the Forest and is electrocuting things. Monster Boy puts it’s power to good use, lighting up a fairy light walk through the Forest that brings in the tourists in their droves – great!
The school is almost 100 years old. In the staffroom is a wonderful push-button control panel, which I guess once rang bells in different classes. One button is marked, Master. Is this to call up a previous, frightening, overpowering headmaster or just a master button that rings all the bells at the same time? I’d like to think it is the former!
Thanks everyone for a great day.
The days are getting longer and longer and the sun was shining this afternoon so, having got the lie of the land yesterday, I went for a walk up the the mountain above Cwmbach this afternoon. I think it’s called Tyle Robert. Either way it provides stunning views across the Cynon Valley. I can see all the schools I’m visiting this week from up there.
I think I’m falling in love with Lichen. It’s something you don’t normally take any notice of – it’s just there – but it’s much more interesting and beautiful when you look closely.
I was surprised by a vista that appeared through an avenue cut through the trees. I really was on the top as the view is of Merthyr Tydfil on the other side of the mountain!