Day Thirty Four

As more and more days pass in lockdown (although I think some people are now re-defining what this means) I wonder if we start to see the world differently and I wonder if our deeper, more habitual behaviours are starting to change? I wonder if there are any changes we have had to make in how we live our lives at the moment that we realise are for the better? Does a cathartic event of this nature challenge and change our value systems in any way? I wonder if any of these changes are permanent or will most of us return to ‘the same old same old?

If there are any things you do at the moment or have stopped doing and you intend to keep it that way, I’d be very interested to know what they are (even if it’s we prefer to keep our kids at home!).

I bet there aren’t many children who can say they’ve got ‘beetle home learning. That’s so cool.

Hello Mr Wildman and Miss French I just wanted to email you about the compost bin me, my dad and my brother made with left over wood from me and my dad pulling up my decking with chisels and hammers. There's some photos of the compost bin. We are hoping it will attract lots of beetles and this covers part of my Year 6 beetle home learning. I also wanted to tell you what I've been up to on a routine. I wake up at 40 past 8 or earlier to do Joe Wicks for my PE and then I do some maths then English and after that I read and I have finished a few books. In the afternoon I do TT Rockstars and sometimes baking and poetry. I've also done a few things of the pack that Wicor sent me. From Jack Harrison 6F

1. Removing old decking

2. Power tool lesson

3. Over to you, son

4. Pretend it’s IKEA

5. Check it all fits

6. Job’s a good ‘un

What a great day’s work. What did you do

with the body buried under the decking, cos

there is always one?

An oak tree stands by the riverside a thousand years old, maybe more

dominant elder iconic

His Majesty of the forest

An oak tree stands by the riverside antlers piercing the canopy

home to innumerable creatures beetles burrowing in his bark

caterpillars crawling on his leaves a nursery for worm and moth eggs

a nesting site for all

An oak tree stands by the riverside an autotroph

his roots gold mines assisted by mycorrhizal fungi drilling for water

a photosynthetic battery of energy lies at his core powered by his green solar panels

An oak tree stands by the riverside

cloaked in magnificence; reds, golds, oranges nestled inside, an abundance of acorns craving liberation from their cupules

yearning to establish a new generation inside each one, a builder with a master-plan

the signal is sent - the bombs drop they must flee their parent to survive

royalty dependant on his subjects

An oak tree stands by the riverside tall and still

steadfast do not doubt his humbleness

he is king of nature his brothers princes

do not doubt his value worship cherish

An oak tree stands by the riverside

the lungs of the world our very breath

next time you see an oak tree think of that

An oak tree stands by the riverside

for how long is up to you…

Toby Glithro (aged 10)

Thank you to Toby for this most beautiful poem. I have read it and re-read it several times as it’s hard to take in the power and imagery woven into the lines. This is writing of the highest quality Toby and I can tell you for certain there will be a very large number of grown- ups saying to themselves, ‘I could not have written such a wonderful poem as this’ and I am one of those grown-ups. It’s so heartening to know that you have drawn on all your learning over the year in your natural history lessons and our poetry sessions and I know that much of this will also be as a result of your own research too. Toby has written this for his entry in the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival poetry competition. Best of luck to you sir. Thank you to the Wallis family for the following email. But before this, apologies to the Riddells – I called you the Lacey family yesterday. Aah! I will try and redress matters if the Lacey family ever sends something in, I’ll call them the Riddells. Sorted. Ummm, you asked me if I clapped for the NHS on Thursday. I have to be honest and say I didn’t. Why not you ask? Are you a heartless brute Mr W? Are so blind to the work they are doing? Have you no soul? I do have a soul but like me it was fast asleep. So let’s look at some lovely pictures of life in lockdown.

Hi Mr Wildman.

A few little updates from us both.

We went butterfly hunting and although we saw lots, only saw two different types. We also looked

for wild flowers to sketch for Elijah's homework from Mrs Clark. Jonah baked cupcakes and they

were yummy. He has also been practising his catching skills with Daddy and also played tennis. He is

getting very good and nearly caught the ball with one hand!

We are very excited to tell you that a lovely walk with Daddy ended up with us bringing home some

tadpoles to watch grow into frogs. I don’t think Mummy is all that keen but we can’t wait to see

them grow. When they are big we will put them back into the pond we found them in, as I don’t

think Mummy will be happy if lots of frogs are hopping around the house. I’ll keep you updated.

Both our beans are growing well and our sweet peas and we are working on telling the time and our

frog cycle today. (How you get on a frog cycle? You hop on. Couldn’t resist - soz)

Hope you are all keeping safe and miss you all. We did the NHS clap last night, did you?

Love Jonah (1B) and Elijah (3C)

I hope you are keeping careful scientific notes of your beans boys – noting when things happen, drawing each stage and measuring the growth. I love your nature pictures. The butterfly is a peacock butterfly and the blossom looks to be an apple tree. Mrs Parker has decided to broaden her interests in lockdown and become a scrubber. She does have all the right qualifications to be fair…i.e. she’s a bloomin good sewer (that’s someone who does sewing, not a pipe that carries effluent!) I think Mrs Nash is waiting to see how it’s done - being a scrubber that is.

Cheek of it. No

tadpole should

have to swim

with a golf ball in

its tank

Wicor scrubbers

We have recently been in touch with a local group who are making scrubs for key workers and we

wanted to see if there are any more of our Wicor community who would like to help. You would need

your own sewing machine and be quite proficient with sewing as the quality of the scrubs must be good

for hygiene purposes. The group provide the material and pattern (but no instructions) for the scrubs

which meet the requirements of the local health authority. They also need draw-string bags (similar to

PE bags) for the scrubs to go in. If you would like to join us, then please contact Bethany Louise of Team

Scrubbers serving Southampton/Portsmouth area on messenger (can be found on FB with a profile

picture sitting on a horse) as she is the Fareham contact and moderator of the group, and tell her you

are from the Wicor community. Mrs Parker is making the first set of 3 scrubs for Rowan’s Hospice at the

moment to make sure we know what we are doing! If you have any problems finding Beth, then please

email Alison Nash on a.nash@wicor.hants.sch.uk and I will be able to put you in touch.

Life in lockdown is clearly pushing individuals to the limit and affecting brain chemistry. Let’s just listen in on the Keeling household. “Oooh mummy, put down your Aperol Spritz and Waitrose Cheese Straws and come and help me open my activity pack.” “Ok, little treasure, mummy is on her way.” They tip the contents out. “Mummy, do put your glass down and help me sort through these amazing Wicor things your wonderful colleagues have popped in here.” “Oo, what’s this little lozenge-shaped item?” “I’m not sure mummy – it looks like a sweet.” “Oh that silly Mr Wildman – always eating sweets. I bet he was scoffing jelly beans whilst packing these envelopes and dropped one in without noticing. Such a brute. Bet he doesn’t even clap for the NHS.” “Neither do you mummy.” “Ssh child. Hand me that sweet. Let’s put it up here out of the way and you can get on with those activities, whilst mummy has a lie down after all this excitement.” **** Sometime later, the power of a social media chat reveals all. **** “Mummy, put your glass down and listen.” “What is it my child?” (Getting a bit fairy-taleish here) “You know that sweet you confiscated. Well, that sweet was actually the bean we have to grow.” Tumbleweed silence. Honestly, that Mr Wildman, he does like to write a spoof and pull people’s legs. Er, dear readers…this wasn’t a spoof and I had no grip on anyone’s lower limb. Ok, I did embellish some of the detail – they weren’t Waitrose cheese straws they were Sainsbury’s but the rest is true as Mrs Mapp is my witness.

I’m lost for

words – even

the sweary type.

Thanks to Katelyn’s mum for the answers to yesterday’s puzzle. Silly me, I’d forgotten Boris Johnson. A final picture of the day from 2010. Recognise it? What’s there now that wasn’t in this photo?

The Wicor Man

1 NHS

2 Teachers

3 Police

4 Ambulance

5 Armed forces

6 Farmers

7 Shop workers

8 The Queen

9 Boris Johnson

10 Refuse collectors

11 Royal Mail

12 Care workers

13 Captain Tom Moore