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We build hedgehog houses. count 2 h

Collected leaves and made jars and lanterns. We also collected horse chestnuts. count 3h

We contacted Man Shed and requested that they craft animal boxes such as birdhouses, bug houses, butterfly houses, bat houses, square feeders, and bird feeders for us. As a sign of appreciation, we allowed each student to select their preferred house and offered jars of jam made by Man. count 3h

And here starts the end of my Award - I've completed the final stitch-and-share projects inspired by John Muir's writing, and they are on their way out into the world, carrying with them the message of the importance of conserving wild places. For these ones I'm focusing on that connection between Scotland and America. The first project was accidental - a blackwork embroidery design that started as unconnected to the Award but the more I did the more it felt related to the spring flowers that were appearing along the John Muir Way and other paths - lesser celandine, daffodils, crocuses, coltsfoot - and to my friend Jeanie who I taught with in America and who has always understood, celebrated, researched, drawn, painted and shared a love of wildflowers. "Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm, new life, new beauty, unfolding, unrolling in glorious exuberant extravagance." - My First Summer in the Sierra

Throughout my Award I've been gathering passages and lines from John Muir's writing and this one reminded me of my friend Dave, who I taught with in America. "Nature will not be likely to disclose any of her secrets to those who are in haste. We must wait and watch, loiter and saunter and be obedient to every attraction she has to offer." When I saw Dave last year he shared with me an Observer's Alphabet that he had developed for mindful walking in nature - each letter giving something to look for or to notice. He and another friend of ours, Jeanie, had created a card pack for it which they gifted to me. This quote stitched to Muir tartan is for him. Another quote brought to mind the positivity of another friend, Katie, from my Minnesota days and has been shared with her. "All the wide world is beautiful, and it matters but little where we go...the spot where we chance to be always seems the best." (Alphabet cards & image ©D Lawrence/J Williams)

My first attempt at freehand embroidery for my American friend Nikki. When I walked the John Muir Way last year and shared some pictures on Facebook, Nikki replied "You know, the John Muir trail goes right by my house. You should come hike it. 😁". The image is from a book called "Little Naturalists: The Adventures Of John Muir" illustrated by Seth Lucas. I hope they won't mind my interpretation. I've also shared a Muir tartan rose with the Environmental Learning Center where Nikki, I and the others all taught, and which instilled in me a love of wild places.

So going paddle on the day where we have some significant snow on the hills, the first of the winter, you could not make it up. After a few dips in the water the feeling in the toes and fingers were lost. The pupils took all that in their stride and showed great enthusiasm and resilience in playing games and team building exercises. Thank you to the staff at Monikie Park providing the kit for the team.