Pomegranates and Kittens

    Our time in Montenegro is slowly coming to an end. As the days have passed we have slowly transitioned into a wetter wintry season which has limited our beach swim schedule a little bit. Thankfully, the wet  stormy days have been interspersed with fair weather days giving us the chance to explore most of the coastline around kotor by foot and scale its mountains. It is a breathtaking section of coast.  

    The girls have enjoyed getting to spend lots of time with the local cats. Inspired by their enthusiasm, I tailored a two week art module on sketching and drawing cats. Tova, newly interested in cooking, was even tasked to make us cat-themed snacks. My new thinking is that the ideal pet is the domesticated stray. Lots of love and cuddles with no responsibility. Although, at the same time I realise there is a lot of responsibility in tending to the local cat population, it just seems to fall on the shoulders of the slightly stern but organised elderly lady who has taken on the role. Thank you cat lady!  

    In a bid to assist Aurora achieve her reading goals for the year, this month was 'short but important' novel time for the older girls - Animal farm, Bridge of San Luis Rey, Flowers for Algernon - lots to discuss on the colder wetter days! Aurora and Sophia are diligently learning social geography and chemistry. Tova finally joined the book team and decided there isn't enough time in her day for all the reading she wants to do. Zadie seems to finish all the curriculum I give her pretty quickly so I will have to figure out ways to challenge her even more. She doesn't seem to mind though and disappears to read a book or play with marbles. Although her handwriting is still not always legible she has a lot to say on paper and I am always surprised at how quickly she can pick up things like three digit multiplication.  

    And pomegranates. We like having pomegranates dangling from the trees everywhere we walk. The season is slowly ending but we had a great few weeks of ready made walking snacks. Our fruit bowl at home is generally full of the large red crowned fruit. Our breakfasts are liberally laced with the ruby red seeds. Meditation has become seed removal. Zadie has found a new favorite fruit and eats as much as she can - even enjoying the extremely sour unripe fruits. We have had a long summer of foraging and pomegranates was the perfect culmination before we call foraging season over. 

She named them all

awwww

Storms brewing

Coastal walk

Our playground

Half smiles

The well loved baby

Cats