watervole: (Default)
Judith Proctor ([personal profile] watervole) wrote2013-09-01 10:21 am

Dancing on Brownsea Island

 Sleepy today...

Had a very good day yesterday.

Anonymous Morris's charity for this year is the Dorset Wildlife Trust.  As the Trust look after a large chunk of Brownsea Island (which is where the Scout movement began, is a SSSI nature reserve and also in the middle of Poole Harbour), we asked if we could go and dance there.

We had a very good day on the Island. Went over on the National Trust boat at 9:30 and explored part of the island while things were nice and quiet.

Things are changing in the National Trust.  One very welcome change is the existence of purple tree signs.  They mean "You are positively encouraged to climb this tree".

Which several of us promptly did.

Later on, we found supplies of wood stacked wigwam style against tree trunks.  These are also for play.  Build your own shelter and play in it.  Youngest dancer promptly tested one of them out.

Later on, a couple of us had fun with a dug out canoe (on land, but still fun).

There was also wildlife and the obligatory red squirrel sighting.

As our recorder player is the church warden, we also visited St Mary's, the island church.  It has no main electricity and is lit only by candles.  The harmonium, which Janet also plays, is powered by someone hand pumping the bellows.  Callum proved a very good bellows pumper.

We did several dance spots around the island  (good hard standing (and chairs for the audience) outside the National Trust cafe.)  Things were relatively quiet, because it was the day of the Bournemouth Air show, but we still had enough audience to collect over £50  for the Dorset Wildlife Trust.  (One lady, who was really keen on their marine conservation work, put in a ten pound note!)

Richard took everyone round the Nature Reserve while I stayed and looked after all the kit (felt fair as I've had most opportunities to go round it).  I even collected a few extras pounds by playing the concertina while they were gone.

It was a good day out and a nice chance for the side to socialise as well as dance together.

[identity profile] sammason.livejournal.com 2013-09-01 01:36 pm (UTC)(link)
This sounds great. I'm glad the kids had fun and encountered some outdoorsy stuff. Do you ever take the team camping?
ext_15862: (Judith)

[identity profile] watervole.livejournal.com 2013-09-01 05:09 pm (UTC)(link)
We're thinking about a camping trip next summer. There was a fair bit of interest in the idea.

[identity profile] sweetheartwhale.livejournal.com 2013-09-01 04:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Love the "climb this tree" signs. I'll have to look out for these. Usually for me, trees, wherever located, have a "climb me" sign subliminally if they have low sturdy branches, a place within safe jumping down distance for a large-ish 46 year old to perch, proximity to adults who look as if they will disapprove of large-ish 46 year olds climbing trees, especially if they are the sort of people who've just told children loudly not to do so in case they get dirty, accessible apples, or plums, (ideally not on private property) or I have consumed large quantities of alcohol. I haven't done the latter type of tree climbing for a while, I'm glad to say , but was once ejected out of a tree at uni for that sort of activity by a very angry squirrel who threw nuts at me.! One or two scrumped apples to confess also....

[identity profile] vjezkova.livejournal.com 2013-09-01 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
This must have been really a very good day! There is nothing like balancing a "business" side and a relaxing one.
I am glad you managed both! I like that idea of climbing a tree!!!
The Anonymous did very well !!! Your big fan here!:-)
BTW I have tried several key words on Youtube but it is really not so simple...

[identity profile] wibble-puppy.livejournal.com 2013-09-02 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Great stuff, love the climbing-tree signs and the build-your-own-crazy-thing wood :D

[identity profile] decemberleaf.livejournal.com 2013-09-03 11:00 am (UTC)(link)
I love what you're doing (all of it!).