Hey Blog! I’m back to continue tree-ting you to a post about trees!

Birch is another broadleaf, with quite a soft wood. Compared to most trees, birches are quite young – an oak can live for a thousand years, a yew for two thousand or more, but a birch only lasts a little more than one hundred. They are quick colonisers to where trees have recently been allowed to grow, and have small, pointed green leaves. Two main species grow in Britain – Silver Birch and Downy Birch. Silver Birch is striking in a wood, with bright white bark that peels in sheets – excellent for fire lighting, a sort of ‘paper’ and (if you’re very clever) mugs can be made of it. The leaves of the Silver variety are smoother, hairless. Downy Birch has hairy leaves and the bark does not peel in the same way. Associated with femininity, Birch has ties to marriage, birth and fertility rites – apparently!

Elm is now quite rare. Dutch Elm Disease nearly wiped out most Elms in the country, but they are slowly recovering. Elm has crinkly leaves like hazel, with the defining feature being one side is longer than the other, so the leaf curves around at the base. Some Elms grow very straight, making them useful for tasks which require unknotted, uncurved straight stems.

Pine, or more specifically Scots Pine, is another conifer. It produces sticky, resinous sap which, over millennia, can form amber. With a slightly scaly bark, and small cones (which are brilliant missiles!), it grows very tall indeed and, as a softwood, is easily pliable for timber. Very easy to cut, carve and mark, but fast to grow, pine and similar conifers were widely planted by the Forestry Commission for timber.

Chestnut is not a wood I’ve worked with – yet. Horse and Sweet Chestnut are similar, though not closely related; while the shape they grow is broadly the same, their leaves are different, with Sweet having a single leaf and Horse having multiple large leaflets on a single stalk. Sweet Chestnut nuts can be eaten, and are a popular Christmas treat. The trunk of a Sweet Chestnut grows in a spiral, curling upwards, so when you’re near the tree they’re easier to spot. The name suggests it is used in box- and chest-making – yet when I looked it up, it appears it is actually a heavily corrupted form of the place they were first identified. But I still think a chestnut chest would look wonderful, and work well! The main use for the Horse Chestnut is in the game of conkers, where players try to destroy the other’s conker with their own.

Walnut is another nut tree – and the nuts are very tasty! A dye can be made of Walnut, which was reputedly used as a disguise by local gent. Anthony Babington when he tried to extract Mary Queen of Scots from a nearby manor. No one knows if it is true – but it is certainly a good story!

Plane is yet another broadleaf, which is common in cities for clearing the air, and has very flaky bark. I used the bark as a writing surface a few years ago, with a quill pen. The pen worked – the bark didn’t very well. I would like to try working with Plane, to see what it looks like and how I can use it.

Lime is another common tree in cities, like Plane trees. It has pale wood, and the bark peels off well. The bark was used in rope and net making before nylon, and lasts considerably longer than one might expect, if treated well. The leaves are broad, lime green, and rather sticky.

Blackthorn I know a bit better. The berries – sloes – can be made into sloe gin in the autumn, and according to my parents is the perfect thing for a snifter on a winter’s night after I’ve gone to bed! It is in some ways the counterpart of Hawthorn, which is known as Whitethorn; Blackthorn flowers before the leaves are out, as opposed to Hawthorn where the leaves come before the flowers. However, in other ways it is the same – they are both fairy trees, and good for deterring evil spirits! Like hawthorn, it is a twisty and often knotted wood, but I have not had much opportunity to practice with it.

Aspen is next. It resembles Birch with rounded leaves, and a rustling noise is often heard above you when walking near one. It is this tendency to blow in the wind that gives rise to the saying “quaking like an aspen leaf”. However, in the past, it was considered one of the trees that stood at the gate to the world of the dead, and was made into shields to give warriors courage. There is not much aspen near me, and I haven’t used any yet – maybe soon!

Hornbeam comes from horn, meaning hard, and beam, a Saxon word for tree. It is indeed the hardest wood in Europe – and that means it has plenty of applications, all for structural or high-strength purposes. The Romans used it for chariot building. I don’t know where to find one near me so I have to keep looking!

Maple is the second last. Famous on the Canadian flag and for the delicious syrup it produces (oh for maple syrup and pancakes!), there are many Maple species. Field Maple is the most common in the UK; it looks a bit like sycamore and a bit like oak, but is a different tree. There is one at the top of the hill – it should be coming into leaf about now!

Finally, Rowan, or Mountain Ash. This is a slender tree, which grows bright red berries in autumn, green leaves in the spring, and many have slightly silvery trunks. The leaves grow in a similar fashion to Ash, but are serrated on the edge; and they are quite tall – one I got as a seedling grew to almost as tall as I am in a year. A protective tree, they are also associated with the fairies, like Hawthorn, and guard the house.

The best website I’ve found for a tree guide is this: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/. Please don’t think I copied everything from them, even though there are a lot of crossovers – I only found the website after writing all this!

If you learn one lesson from this – DON’T CUT DOWN YOUR TREES!!! Keep them, and if you need to trim them, use the wood wisely – and always plant another one – or better two – every time you are forced to take one out for reasons of your house’s structural integrity. Trees and other plants provide the life on our planet, and they are an ecosystem in and of themselves. I am like the Lorax – I speak for the trees. And I say – love your trees!

Hey Blog! This post is about trees.

Trees – well, they’re tall, woody plants: excellent for use in building and crafting due to their strong wood; amazing for climbing and building treehouses in; and vital for all life because they absorb CO₂ and release O₂ as part of photosynthesis. They have been a part of people’s lives ever since our ancestors became primates, and before, so it is no wonder we have a deep affinity with them. I was inspired to write about them today for three reasons: I was helping in a woodland before the weekend, a tree I care for in our garden was coming into leaf, and we were watching a programme about restoring a woodland. However, enough about trees in general – what about specific (British, as I live there) trees?

Let’s start with the ‘King of Trees’ – the Oak. A tall broadleaf, it has lobed leaves and its nuts are called acorns. This name comes from Aik (Oak) Corn (nut). There are two types – Pedunculate and Sessile. The acorns of the former have long stalks, the leaves have short stalks – but for the latter, it’s the other way round! Prized throughout history for its hard wood, it has been used in almost every circumstance from tool handles to timbers for buildings and dugout boats. It is exceptionally hard, which makes it difficult to work with, but lives a very long time – “three hundred years to grow, three hundred years to live, and three hundred years to die” is a saying describing the life of an Oak, and if you trim it and work the wood cut from a growing tree, it can last for thousands of years and still be relatively strong.

Ash is very different to Oak, but at first glance the shape of the tree is similar. With a pliable, smooth-grained pale wood, it is commonly used in toolmaking, and provides a hard yet easily worked, finely finished surface. The buds are black; and the leaves are arranged in pairs along a stem, with a single leaf pointing out at the tip; they are smooth, and look quite like the generic ‘leaf’ shape. There is a saying “if the Ash is out before the Oak, then you shall expect a soak; if the Oak is out before the Ash, then you shall expect a splash” – referring to the rainfall level determined by which tree comes into leaf first. This year, it looks like we shall expect a splash!

Beech is a strong wood, with a straight grain and is very beautiful if well finished, but I don’t think it lasts well in water. The trees are mostly very tall, and the thick limbs are arranged in the perfect position for treehouses, if you can reach them. Beech leaves are normally green and shiny-smooth, turning brown/gold in autumn, though copper beeches are always a coppery red. The sound of walking under a beech wood in windy weather or autumn is wonderful, as the leaves blow in the branches or crunch on the floor.

Hazel grows well when coppiced – cut back to the ground after a few years of growth to encourage multiple shoots/trunks to grow. The straight stems are perfect for fences, hurdles, and children’s bows and arrows. I have a staff made from hazel, carved and painted when I was ten. Thought of as the tree of intelligence, it is said hazel nuts from the tree of intelligence were eaten by a fish, which was then inadvertently eaten by a boy who became a god of wisdom – or something like that. However, even if you don’t get to be the god of wisdom, the nuts are delicious! Hazel has fluffy leaves and sometimes slightly peeling bark, and lovely greeny-yellow catkins in spring.

Holly is an evergreen – the first on the list – and has dark green leaves all year round. The leaves are very spiky, so don’t blunder into them – you can get scratched! However, far from being an evil tree that scratches you, Holly is seen as a tree of protection, from dark magic and also lightning. Amazingly, it’s true – the spines on the leaves act as tiny electrical conductors, so having a Holly near your house may just help against lightning strikes. The wood of this tree is very pale, almost white, and quite easy to carve.

Yew is another evergreen, this time a conifer – a tree with needles rather than flat leaves. It has a reddish bark, and shadows seem to cling under the tree sometimes. Very common in churchyards, it is sometimes seen as quite a dark tree, full of evil – it is after all highly poisonous and pretty much all of it is deadly, so DO NOT EAT – but it is also a healing tree, as some medicines can be made out of it. The most famous use for Yew is longbows, and the most powerful non-composite bows are still made from this wood. This is because of the remarkable difference in properties between Yew’s heartwood and sapwood – the former resists stretching, and the latter resists compression, so together they form the fierce spring backwards which propels the arrow forwards. It is also a beautiful wood for turning on a lathe – it cuts so smoothly, and sands so prettily, it’s probably my favourite wood to turn!

Elder is more of a shrub than a tree, sometimes – but when it grows into a tree, it is recognisable by deeply grooved, almost cracked-looking bark, and its smooth green leaves which grow in a similar fashion to Ash. The branches are normally hollow, with a pithy inside rather than a woody core, which makes it less useful for substantial working but very useful for breathing tubes if you want to stay hidden underwater (never tried it, but that’s the theory) and musical instruments such as whistles and recorders – even though I never managed to make one sound. Associated with protection and neutral magic, it’s said you must ask the tree three times if you may take a branch before cutting one!

Alder, just to confuse you, is a completely different tree to Elder. Alder grows near water, often with the roots literally in the stream, and has small cones. I’ve never actually used alder wood, but I’ll have to find some to test soon – it reportedly becomes stone hard if submerged in water, which is understandable if it grows around streams!

Willow is another tree that grows near water. There are several species of willow, including Crack Willow, Pussy Willow, and Weeping Willow. Scientifically, there are over 350 different varieties! All willows have long, thin leaves, and some are quite brittle. The best-known application of Willow is in cricket bats, which are traditionally handmade of English willow. Willow bark is also a painkiller, as it contains a similar chemical to aspirin. Willow bark was used for this long before modern painkillers were developed.

Hawthorn is also known as the May Tree. It is a small tree, but has very large thorns, making it hard to push through. They are very knotted trees, but when carved they look beautiful. They are believed to be a fairy tree, under fairy protection, and it is unlucky to cut one down. It’s apparently unlucky to cut them at all, unless you do it on May Day, which is why they’re known as the May Tree. The berries, however, are freely gatherable, and make a delicious hawthorn jelly/jam. Don’t take too many, though – they’re a vital winter food source for birds and other animals!

Apple is a fruit tree, but also has a nice wood. Along with Oak, it is a tree which grows mistletoe, though some others do too. Apple is widely cultivated for its fruit, which are extremely tasty! “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” might not be foolproof, but is a good reminder of how good fruit is for you, and if you eat fruit early in life you might not need to go to the doctor so much later in life.

Cherry, like Apple, is a fruit tree – but the wood is very different. It is a reddish wood, like the fruits; and when polished produces a wonderful, coloured effect. There is no “a cherry a day keeps the doctor away” – but maybe just eating fruit in general will help!

Sycamore is a relatively new tree to Britain, and some particularly zealous conservationists believe it a non-native weed wood. However, it is not invasive, and has become part of the ecosystem to some extent. The wood is frequently spalted – has a fungus in which produces amazing speckly patterns – and is a wood of choice for bowl carvers and spoon carvers – many of my mice have also come from this wood. It is a broadleaf tree, which grows leaves with five pointed lobes, very like maple; and is recognisable by its quite smooth trunk of grey bark and green leaves which turn brown with black spots in autumn.

Here ends part one – look out for part two next post!

Hey Blog! On Saturday, I went to Hampton Court Palace!

Henry VIII – remember him? The rather large bloke in the posh embroidered robes who got through six wives in his lifetime and is most likely the reason why all the rest of English history is so convoluted – first, because he made England a protestant country, so we went to war with the rest of Europe; then, because we never won completely, we wreaked havoc on the rest of the world by building a massive empire. He started all that. Coincidentally, he also looks a lot like a family member, so we may be related – I don’t know quite how to feel about that. However, whichever way you look at him, he is always very impressive.

A Potted History of Henry VIII

This mighty monarch became king after the passing of his father, Henry VII – who had established the Tudor dynasty at the Battle of Bosworth. He was a charismatic individual, with a passion for jousting and tennis, and was mostly on good relations with everybody. People hoped he would be a lively, free-living king, unlike his father who seemed a bit of a miser. Happily married to his brother Arthur’s widow, Catherine of Aragon (Spain), the early part of his reign was rather pleasant. However, after a couple of decades, he turned away from Catherine seeking a male heir. This meant blatantly disregarding the Pope and changing the whole country from Catholic to Protestant – setting the scene for the next few centuries. Anne Bolyn, his next wife, was no more successful than Catherine, and after a short marriage, he changed his mind and had her beheaded. Jane Seymour, his third wife, provided him with a son – and then died. After three more wives – Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr, he finally settled down and died, second of the Tudors, leaving behind a young King, and two daughters, who would cause a great deal of havoc and leave the throne to a Scot by the name of James VI and I. Thus goes the Tudor Dynasty.

Before the period when he broke with Rome, he went through a cabinet reshuffle and attempted to remove one of his ministers. This minister, Thomas Wolsley, was busy building himself a nice house along the Thames at the time – well, the inclinations of the rich and famous haven’t changed in 500 years – and to try and get back into Henry’s good books, gave him the house, Hampton Court. Henry then embelished it, employing hundreds of workers to renovate the house, and it became perhaps the third most famous palace in the country, after Buckingham and Windsor.

Unlike those two, however, Hampton Court is no longer the home of the royal family; George II was the last to live there. Instead, it is a museum, which covers Tudor, Jaccobite and Hannovarian history. And it looks AMAZING! I would not mind a great hall like the one at Hampton Court – though it might be just a tad on the large side to fit in my shed. It took us about six hours to visit, including lunch, and yet there were still things we didn’t get to do – I wish we had had time to attempt the maze, said to be the oldest in the world; and there were dozens of closed off rooms which would have been interesting to explore. To think you have walked the same halls as several monarchs, people from the past who we actually know what they did, is a bit of a cool feeling! I probabaly need to revisit the site at some point. Might have to go at night, as it’s said to be haunted – fancy meeting King Henry, anyone?!

Hey Blog! This week is another book review – of a history book, which is not quite like other history books. It also has a very good name, which describes me quite well – this is HEIAS’s review of Unruly.

Unruly was a birthday present, and evidently the person who sent it knows me very well – I love it! It is the perfect blend of history and hilarity, with fantastic annecdotes and analagies and it actually tells you the history of the period too. Spanning from the Dark Ages after the Roman retreat to the end of the Elizabethen era and the start of the Stuart period, it covers some of the biggest changes in British history: the Anglo-Danish-Norman transition, Battle of Hastings, Wars of the Roses, Hundred Years’ War, and closes on Shakespeare. This is the period where power changed from an Empire, to an anarchy, kingdom, absolute monarchy, and finally to a monarchy tied down by a ruling class – if only there was a sequel, it would cover the fall of the absolute monarchy, imperial power, and finally rise of the constitutional democracy with a monarchy alongside. Gosh, what a lot of changes we’ve seen in a thousand years and a bit more, now you look back on it.

It’s convenient too – two of the units in my GCSE history cover the ‘long second millennium’ and the Norman period, the latter of which is within the timescale covered by this book. While I might not need information such as the fact that two out of the three lions that represent England actually represent parts of France (the Duchies of Normandy and Aquitaine); or the method of murder of Edward II (don’t ask…); they are more likely to stick in your head if you associate them with a funny quip or comparison to a modern occurrence.

The closest thing to it I have read is 1066 And All That – but that is a deliberate spoof, with the focus being the comedy factor not the history factor. This is more subtle – it uses hilarious modern comparisons and amazingly funny details to convey the actual perception of the historical narrative. I was almost incapacitated by laughter at several points! Yet all the way through, it continually tells the (hi)story – and it is always the story which sticks! Perhaps because it focuses on a short time period – relatively speaking – it has the chance to be more in-depth than broad, general histories, which succeed in linking great events but don’t tell you all the fascinating facts. That’s why I love this book!

To conclude, I think the style of the book is impressively clever with the comedic and historical elements. I hope there is a sequel, as I’d definitely get it. Or perhaps I should write one myself… maybe?

Hey Blog! A few weeks ago, I helped out at my group’s annual Beaver sleepover, so I’ll tell you about that this week!

If you know me well or have read some of my past blogs, you likely know I help at a Beavers section in Scouting. This is part of the Young Leaders Scheme, where older sections can volunteer with younger ones for experience and practice working with children, and also works as the volunteering section for DofE. I help with the Beavers of the same group I joined Scouting through, so, though I didn’t participate in Beavers as I was too old when I joined, I have been part of every section of Scouting the unit offers.

As part of their programme, the Beavers do an annual sleepover in one of the cabins at the bottom of the campsite, and since I only joined after last year’s had taken place, this was my first chance to assist. They only go for one night, so I had plenty of experience, having gone with Scouting many times before. Therefore, my task was to help the Beavers learn, play and have fun – besides also having fun myself! Here follows a abbrieviated list of things we did:

• Postbox – this is a game for a very large group in an open space. A number of people (generally leaders) carry cards of different colours, stickers (representing stamps) of different colours, and a elaborately crafted cardboard postbox. The leaders each take a set of cards or stickers, and one carries the postbox. The players are divided into groups, and each group is assigned a colour of card. The aim is for players to race arround, collect a card of their colour, stick one of all colours of stamps on the card, and post the card in the postbox. But… to make it more fun and confusing, the leaders all switch round what they’re carrying, so no one knows who has what! Warning – if you are a leader, you will get out of breath very quickly due to the large group of children running relentlessly after you! It was most fun, however.
• Tracking – this requires substantial preparation and a large space. Some of the other leaders and I layed a trail of cut lengths of wool around the grounds, and then the Beavers followed the trail and colected the treasures hidden along it. Later, we did a variation where each team followed the clues on small packages which each led to another. This sent us all over the campsite, before coming back to the cabin to find the treasure chest in the leader’s bedroom!
• Baking – after dividing the Beavers into groups, they made a batch of cookies and then decorated them. Some chose to keep them for taking home, some ate them immediately! My role was to make sure no one mismeasured the recipe and put the sugar quantity far too high, and show them how to breadcrumb flour and butter. Hopefully, next time I go, one of them will have brought in a tray of cookies as a thank you…

[Ed. : I’ll be expecting a tin full of cookies to be left at home for me, too!]

• To save the best till last – Marshmallows on campfire! The king of all camp foods, smores are a must at any Scout camp, and it is a vital skill to pass on to those who will one day be teaching yet more young Beavers the joys of toasted marsmallow sandwiched between chocolate-coated digestive biscuits. Hot and gooey and probably not the thing to have straight before going to bed, but you’re on a camp, so you’re allowed, right?

I loved the sleepover, and am definitely going back next year! It’s so fun to help the Beavers and I love being a part of this team that passes on learning – it’s rewarding for all parties. Whatever happens, I intend to keep working as part of this fantastic opportunity.

Hey Blog! Back in February, I had one of the best archaeological opportunities ever and so of course I’ll tell you all about it!

No, it wasn’t to be the next presenter/specialist on one of my favourite archaeology TV programmes. It was to go to London to talk to people about what I’ve been doing with the Derbyshire Scouts Archaeology (DSA) team, Youth Committee, and digs. In particular, a find from Willersley that I couldn’t tell you about before, as it had not been identified – the most spectacular thing I’ve ever been present at the finding of. Two members of the Youth Committee were metal detecting when they uncovered an Anglo-Saxon brooch – a Great Square Headed brooch, to be precise, with some of its features indicating a local style of design. During the dig, no one was certain if it was genuine – but later analysis by the Portable Antiquities Scheme proved it was, and luckily the DSA team was able to keep it (the treasure laws are very complicated, but this brooch was not counted as something that needs to be given to the Crown).

Besides being a find of historical interest (perhaps not national importance but still exceptionally interesting and locally significant, if the “local group” similar brooch design theory is correct) and of immense pride for the DSA team, it is also very beautiful – I would wear it, if it wasn’t so delicate and the pin was missing. Remarkably, it has remained mostly untarnished in the ground – the ferrous pin hinge has mild corrosion, but the silver gilt copper alloy brooch part is still bright. Estimated to be made 520-575 AD/CE, it is around 1500 years old, and I am extremely envious – the brooch was found just a few metres away from where I was and I didn’t find it – but it’s a good way for more people to be interested, by a chance find.

Back to what I was doing at this opportunity. The Youth Committee has been funded by an organisation called Youth United – they fund ‘uniformed groups’ and the current project they have been doing is heritage-based – and this was the chance to tell the people from the organisation, as well as other groups funded similarly, what we’ve been doing and why they should continue to give us their support. The brooch, which we had the chance to take to show, was obviously the star attraction; I then had an idea for a timeline. My signature activity, it seems – I’ve done several now! – but this was a timeline of brooches. After borrowing a Roman Fibula brooch, raiding the family jewellery box for one of Nanny’s old brooches, and buying a Victorian/20^th century imitation of a Georgian Cameo brooch, and printing out four images of brooches from other time periods, I had an activity where people who came to my stall could guess the time period as a group. I then prepared a short slideshow presentation, and formulated several topics into a mini speech, which did get reordered with each telling, but worked to catch people’s attention.

We went down to London, spent a few hours in the British Museum looking at other examples of Great Square Headed Brooches from the Anglo-Saxon period, and then Tubed across London to the venue by the Thames. I then changed into Explorer Uniform and set up the table with the timeline, the brooches, and the laptop. Then, all I had to do was wait for the guests to arrive. They soon did – and mine seemed to be a popular stall. Perhaps being the only young person there actually running their own session about the project helped – as did the timeline activity. Everyone loved it. After all, holding a brooch over a millennium old doesn’t happen every day! People were relatively accurate dating the brooches, and I only had to correct a couple of them each time. I might have to steal that activity to run somewhere else, perhaps as an evening activity on the experimental archaeology camp later this year. I think my enthusiasm came across, and Youth United are very keen to help us in the future. In all this was an absolutely wonderful session, and I think taking part confirmed my choice – I definitely want archaeology to be part of my future.

Hey Blog! During February, I went to the British Museum to a home-ed activity day!

The British Museum is a national institution which runs many archaeological & heritage organisations and visitor open days. It is one of the museums London is famous for. When I was younger and fanatical about dinosaurs, I generally focused more on the Natural History Museum – I still do – but now I am perhaps more likely to go to the British Museum, as archaeology has taken the top spot. However, last month, the museum was offering an activity day for home-edders, so it seemed like an opportunity not to be missed!

Included in the activities on offer were:

• The Silk Roads exhibition
• A talk about the Parthenon
• Two workshops, one after the other, of which you could take your pick of Living History, What makes a good Archaeologist, Felt Making, etc.
• An excuse for a day out at the British Museum!

The Silk Roads exhibition was the biggest draw for us – we had not had a chance to see it before, and the silk road, the path/s from Western Europe to East Asia and back again, is to us one of the most fascinating places in the world. It starts in China (or Japan – but you need a boat to start on the ‘road’) and travels along many winding paths through the top of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia, skirting the Middle East, traveling through Europe, reaching its furthest length in Spain or Britain (depending on the path travelled). However, it was not one road with tradesmen who travelled all the distance – merchants might operate along a short distance, before passing their wares on to another who might take them further along the path. Thus, a piece of silk in England that came from China might have passed through hundreds of owners, which is why silk was so expensive and exotic. The sheer amount of cultures the Silk Road interacted with is astonishing, and show that the diversity we think is a modern thing was thriving many centuries ago. The exhibition was so full, I could have spent another hour in there, as it featured the travel, historical events and developments, and some of the fascinating artefacts found along the way – all in so much detail and so many of them, making for an absolutely fascinating display!

Next up, the Parthenon talk. The Parthenon is the famous temple at the top of the Acropolis in Athens (Acro – high, Polis – city), the one in the traditional Greek style with Doric columns, a parade of steps up to the door, and a triangular roof of white marble – a temple to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war who reputedly gave the Athenians olives. However, it is more than “just a Greek temple” – it is probably one of the finest surviving examples in the world, and has inspired countless buildings – including the building the British Museum is housed in! There are also some very interesting stylistic and historical features of the Parthenon that were discussed, for instance the relief carvings around the top, which were brought to Britain in the 19^th century and now housed in the Museum; and how the columns are doric – representing strength; as opposed to ionic (what’s on the Museum) – representing knowledge and learning.

The first workshop I attended was about living history – like reenactment but instead of one event, a scene depicting the lifestyle at the time. It explored the need for time-accurate objects (and perhaps knowledge and behaviourisms) and how people who practice living history learn these things. It also gave us a chance to think about what items we would need to take on the role of a historical trade (needed for living history) and realise it’s hard to decide how much you do to get into the persona – just where do you draw the line at “historical accuracy” when a single sock takes an entire winter of evenings to finish?! It was very enlightening, and useful if I decide to try living history myself.

The second was about the history and archaeology and what was needed to become a good archaeologist. I knew a lot about this, as I am passionately into archaeology and have done it quite a lot! I had to restrain myself on some of the questions, to encourage the other attendees, but since I now know how it is run, I might steal some of the ideas to run with the Scouts.

It was a really enjoyable day, which included a lot of learning and was very inspiring, and I would love to revisit the British Museum again very soon!

Hey Blog! On Thursday last week I ran two workshops for the last part of my Arts Award, which I’d love to tell you about!

As I have recounted previously, I have been working for an Arts Award on the topic of Prehistoric Art. You might think this is a very complicated subject which is a little indefinable – well, in some ways you’d be right. ‘Prehistory’ lasted so long (all the way from the Big Bang to when someone developed writing) that a handprint from 100,000 years ago is rather far away chronologically from a handprint made only 4000 years ago, be it by the same species or with the same materials. If you weren’t thinking that, you might have been wondering if there is even any art at all from this period – either because they were primitive people and didn’t think like that or because we’ve trashed it all before we realised it was art. No and no. While I recognise art is subjective and therefore my views may not be yours, I think the art from the prehistoric period, besides being aesthetically pleasing, stunningly colourful, made in a special place, and having a stupendous amount of history that goes along with it, is some of the purest, most lifelike and moving, with the raw power of the captured image of the subject in it. “After Altamira [one of the caves of art in Spain] all is decadence” Picasso said, and in this I agree.

It is that story I wanted to tell even more than the art. The idea of art always being a story is a notion I learned from my study of Banksy, and have since applied to every artwork and it seems to be true. Drawing on the inspiration from the prehistoric people, I decided to focus on art inspired by nature for the first workshop and then, to include the prehistoric element, art inspired by people for the second. This gave rise to a rough plan, then refined, which included comparing categories of art then and now, a timeline, a large collection of natural materials enough for a museum, a selection of art materials, and a couple of hours for making art. I then added a Powerpoint presentation and quite a few printed photos of art from different times and places, a set of frames, and several very heavy boxes to carry all of this, put an advert for the workshops on the local Home-Ed Facebook page and hired a hall to use. I should be honest; at this point the plan was still barely worked out.

Then it was a week before the workshops. The plan was still more in my head than on paper.

Then it was the weekend, and the plan – you guessed it – still remained largely in pencil and covered in question marks.

[Ed.: By this point, the Home Ed in a Shed finance department was wondering why they had agreed to pay for materials and the room.]

Then it was the last two days before the workshops, and I finally got down to actually pulling all the loose threads together. The plan went down on paper and it seemed like it would work, though I had no time to practice or change anything.

Then, on the day of the workshops, I was finally able to see the hidden meaning of life and solve all the problems of the world bring all the paraphernalia to the hall and have a go.

The first thing I got everybody to do was to listen to a quick recount of the story of my trip to Paris two years ago where I attended the exhibitions. That provided the story for the ‘Art is a Story’ trope I was focusing on. Then, I displayed some of my art that I had prepared and some art from other people; all this was inspired by the natural world – the second crucial concept I wanted to impart being ‘Art from Nature’. Then, indicating the table covered in my nature collection, I set them making art. The brief was to be inspired by either the shape, colour, texture, pattern, or some other factor of the material and then create art from it. Alternatively, they could arrange the objects in a pattern or arrangement to either draw or put in a frame. The story could be how the natural objects were found, or what their backstory was, or who found them and what happened next – or it could just be how you interpreted them, which is another type of story.

The second workshop, in the afternoon, was about the third theme – ‘Art from People’. I started by getting participants to arrange artworks along a timeline to guess when they were made. Overall, it went amazingly – lots of art, lots of discussion, and lots of laughs! Then, when everyone had worked out the dates of the art, I introduced the idea behind the art they would create – take inspiration from the style, subject matter, or some of the motifs used in prehistoric art, and use that inspiration to develop their artwork. When they were starting to finish off their creations, I brought out the final mini-activity of the day – a slate pendant, inspired by both a prehistoric one and one I made when I was messing around in the shed, before I realized it wasn’t my idea. The day rounded off with everyone wearing a pendant, differing only in the design, and admiring each other’s art.

Both workshops went very well, I think. The plan worked, and all participants went home with some beautiful artwork. Next time I run a session, I will make sure to plan in advance, not that morning! Aside from that, I think I did very well and am glad I had the chance to introduce more people to the world of prehistoric art. There remains one final thing to do before I get my Silver Arts Award – evaluate my work on this project and project delivery, and analyse feedback I receive from participants, helpers, and people who see the art in the mini-exhibition online. Hopefully I can do that soon without too much difficulty!

Hey Blog! This post is about an amazing science opportunity in Sheffield I went to a few weeks ago!

Last year, I told you about an initiative called Sparking STEM. Run by Amanda, this project offers in-person science practicals for children from starting learning science through to GCSEs and iGCSEs. If you look at Science Experiments and Food Testing – I wrote about one of the two sessions I attended in that post. However, this year I have done a further five sessions, which are what I will now relate to you.

Microscopy. We used light microscopes to look in more detail at some samples, and learnt how to use a proper microscope. I do not have a proper, high-quality/power one of my own as yet, so this was a good chance to try one out. Light microscopes use lenses to refract and reflect light back into the lens to make the image appear larger – thus making it easier to see small details. It’s astonishing how much detail there is in everything when you start looking! Even in something that looks perfectly smooth, there are tiny scratches and shiny patches. I would love a microscope to test out all sorts of different materials to see what they are made of.

Force and Extension. This is a subject which uses Hooke’s Law – Hooke being a contemporary of Newton and an investigator of how much force applied changes the shape of the object. His law says that F ∝ x, or more accurately, F = k x. Force applied is proportional to the extension of a spring, and is equivalent to the extension times the spring constant (stiffness). However, there is a limit to the law, like when you stretch the slinky too far and it refuses to go back to normal. Yes, we’ve all done that. Most upsetting. That is when the object is irreparably stretched into a shape and Hooke’s Law no longer functions – which makes for interesting graphs!

Respiration. This is one of the most important formulae for all life on earth and together these two make the most important bit of chemistry in biology (which is why you can’t teach science disciplines separately and therefore why I’m trying to do all three sciences!). Glucose (the simplest sugar) plus oxygen makes carbon dioxide plus water or, in its balanced chemical symbol form: C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ = 6CO₂ + 6H₂O, releasing energy in the process, which powers all our functions and our lives. This means the pH value in the test tube changes, and we can measure to what degree it does by a precise pH indicator. By examining the change in colour of the indicator solution, we can see whether the pH changes and thus whether respiration has occurred. Of course, only living things respire – it is one of the categories for a living organism to fulfil – so only the living things in the test tubes changed the pH. In all, a very interesting practical!

Osmosis. This is like diffusion but only with water particles and always across a membrane. Best demonstrated by leaving potato slices in water and seeing them swell with the water that they absorb to try and equalise the water content in and out of the potato. Osmosis must be considered by farmers when they fertilise a crop – if there is an excess of fertiliser, the water in the plant will osmose (is that a word?) out of the plant to balance the water : nutrient ratio inside and outside the plant – potentially causing wilting. This is a universal principle that applies to many things – almost all substances and some forms of energy will try to equalise to their surroundings. Heat behaves this way; electric charge behaves similarly (because there are opposite charges, they try to neutralise); and particles also do this, whether water (therefore making it osmosis) or other molecules (therefore showing diffusion). Even though it can be proved purely scientifically and logically, it belies a great truth about the universe and how all things exist in balance.

Lung dissection. If you don’t like reading about chopping up body parts stop now and skip to the end: this was a real dissection, on sheep lungs. While slightly disturbing, it was important learning: how you breathe. We all need oxygen for respiration to release energy (as seen above) but instead of being a chemical process, breathing is a mechanical one. We physically (but not consciously) pull down our diaphragms, making room in the chest cavity, which pulls air into the lungs. Air rushes down the trachea, into bronchi and then bronchioles (think plumbing) then reaching the alveoli, where different gases for respiration are swapped. This enables us to keep on living. Yay! There is something profound about seeing the last breath of a sheep in the air bubbles in the alveoli, but rather amusing about seeing lung tissue float to the surface of a beaker when all other tissues sink to the bottom (because of the air content). I’m glad I attended; it’s important to know how the body works, even if you need to cut up a sheep to do so, and rounds off the post nicely – biology, or any science, needs practice to understand properly. Who knows what experiments this mad scientist might get up to next?!

Hey Blog! Last weekend, I was on this year’s annual Scouts Chilly Challenge camp, so I thought I’d discuss camping with you!

I should think that most of you like camping. Even if it’s often cold, or always wet, or even snows, or the fire refuses to light until you’ve decided not to bother, it’s still all part of the fun. The basic outline of every Scout or Explorer Scout camp is more or less similar: put up tents, activities, dinner, campfire, supper and bed; then next morning wake up, get the fire going again, tidy up, have breakfast, strike tents, and back to activities or on the march. But every camp is unique, as you never pitch your tent in exactly the same place twice, or lie on the same awkwardly-positioned rocks two nights running. And it is always a fantastic experience.

However, since I have related camping before, today I will be discussing camping more broadly, in terms of equipment, safety and sites. Have a go at listing some camping equipment. The first thing will most likely be “tent”; the second will probably be sleeping bag. The third is usually either food, lighting, or warm clothes. There are actually loads to get ready in preparation for a camp, even if you’re only getting ready personal equipment. I do not have a my own one- or two-man tent, though it is something I would like to get some day. I do however have a sleeping bag – the warmer the better with these things, as you can always take a layer off, but you can’t get more layers if you’re already wearing them. While I didn’t take one this time, a knife is one of the handiest tools to have, as you can carve items like tent pegs that you’ve forgotten besides having multiple attachments for various purposes if you’ve got a good one (a knife is also the ultimate thing to have once you’re shipwrecked on a desert island). A good torch is essential, as you can use it for signalling, games, finding your pyjamas, and locating your tent after coming back from the toilet block. Then of course there’s a bowl/plate for dinner and mug for water and hot chocolate. Depending on how long you’re going for, you could also need a washbag, because you do get very smoky and sweaty by the time you come home. However, it is unlikely you will need one on a one-night camp!

For safety on a camp, the most dangerous things are campfires, cooking knives, and perhaps rivers, if you’re near them. Disclaimer: I do not pretend to be a safety instructor, so please listen to them not me. This is just what I know and some common sense. However, do try to stay uninjured!

For fires, remember: the fire triangle (oxygen, fuel, ignition); what goes on the fire stays on the fire; anything on/in the fire is hot enough to burn you; no pranks, scuffles, or silly antics around the fire; put it out afterwards; and basically just be careful! With knives, the most important thing to know is that you should always cut away from yourself. Besides that, you shouldn’t have too much issue, so long as you are careful and stay clear of anyone else using one. And with water, don’t go close unless you have to, and then be aware of the banks, distance from, and depth and speed of the water. Thankfully that isn’t a problem at the local Scout campsite, but it’s good to know if you go camping elsewhere.

If you do camp on your own or with family, then the places are limited. Only a few locations are available for wild camping nowadays, which is a pity, but does keep you safe. Know your site, pick somewhere uphill of your toilet unless it is plumbed in, and not near water. Ideally, you never go on your own, but if you do, tell someone where you are going and when you will return. In other countries, you might need to keep yourself safe from bears, etc., but in the UK, this is not an issue so don’t worry that one might enter your tent!

I think camping makes you appreciate our Mesolithic ancestors who camped every day of their lives, and brings you closer to the wild you wake up with. This is where we came from – waking with dawn, walking on fresh dew, and watching the birds and the stars. It also is an immensely valuable skill, which has proved lifesaving in the past, and everyone should have the chance to try camping!