Week 1

We’ve been really busy this past week, doing loads of interesting things, and enjoying Perth.

We started back into school stuff with Willow doing her first block of physics. We’re using ‘Physic’s is Fun’ by Robert Trostli which I’ve found brilliant for helping to set up how to do experiments. I had linked to it on Amazon via this blog, but I’ve noticed that the links aren’t coming up at present, so I’ll have to look into that. Anyway last week we worked on sound, looking at instruments and sound travelling through different mediums. I was hoping that there might be a chladni plate at Scitech, but a brief search didn’t come up with one, so next time we’re there we’ll have to see if we can find one.

Gabriel finished off his man and animal block- with some writing and pictures relating to man. We experimented with some different techniques including straight line drawing.

And using a dry brush to paint with.

Willow is sewing her horse up, which is very exciting, and Gabriel is progressing well through his cross stitch.

Geometry saw us involved in some intense line drawing this past week, but giving a very interesting effect.

Willow’s geometry picture.

My geometry picture.

It’s interesting the difference the colours make, in the feeling of these pictures.

Willow has also recommenced flute lessons this week, which will make us a bit busier again. And Willow and Gabriel and Damien went to the Perth Observatory which they all found interesting, and showed some different aspects to astronomy from our home studies. Whilst they were there, Arden and I ended up watching half the performance of the Ramayana at the Swan Festival of Lights- Arden loved it so much he wanted to stay.

On Sunday we made our way to Whiteman park and rode the vintage trams and Willow and I attended a french cooking class- it was a bit mad on the weekend and will be lovely to have a quiter one this weekend.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been out and about around Perth, done some research in terms of classes and been sick. So generally times have been busy.

Last week Willow went off to try a new choir – Cottage Children’s Choir. She had a great time, and overall their teaching technique appealed to me. It was very active, and fun and made the singing look much less like work. I’ve also been looking into music teachers, and sport classes, but unfortunately this has all been slowed down a bit by Damien and I being unwell.

We’ve now been to City Farm, and although we love the feel of the market, it is very small and really won’t be suitable as a place to do our food shopping every week. So at this stage we’re thinking of alternating between it and Subiaco. City Farm has a fabulous cafe, and also has a circus skills class happening there on the weekends, so overall there’s lots of great stuff on there that really appealled to us. Yesterday we went back to Subiaco, and Willow did some finger knitting, to help with creating some knitted pieces to yarn bomb Subiaco for Christmas. Over the course of the coming months, a local artist is working at the market to get the community involved in the project.

We’ve been getting out to a few homeschool meet ups too, and meeting lots of foreigners that have moved here. It seems Perth is very international- I had no idea prior to moving here, and I do like the way that makes for a more diverse city. We’ve met homeschoolers from Portugal, South Africa, Ireland, Queensland, NSW- it even amused me that most of the Aussies we’ve met here, have been from other parts of Australia. The last homeschooling outing we got to was at Scitech, the kids really enjoyed it there, and they certainly had a diverse range of activities happening. Last week we missed an excursion to Whiteman Park, which I was sorry about, but hopefully we’ll get out there one weekend ourselves. In the coming weeks we’ll be getting to the Observatory, the Bell Tower and the Mint- so it seems there are lots of interesting activities being planned by people.

Just to finish off, we’ve found a french cafe here- Jean Pierre Sancho, which I’m very happy about. Real French bread is so good.