Salty Sam’s Fun Blog for Children
Number 481
Commons
Hello Everyone
ln most big towns, you will find parks for people to spend recreational time in. And this is just the time of year, after the winter, when people are desperate to go outside to get some fresh air.
Some parks are wide and flat and are suitable for people to play football and cricket in. Some parks have lots of flower beds and seats in and are suitable for people to sit and rest and enjoy some time outside.
Some have lots of trees and some have children’s playgrounds.
They each have their own character.
lf a large city has grown by lots of villages growing larger and joining together like London, town planners will have left parts of the countryside between the buildings to allow people living in the city to have green spaces to walk in.
lf a city was built from scratch like Milton Keynes, then the city planners will have put parks into the plans of the city along with the streets and houses.
Each area of the country will have a parks and garden department which is responsible for maintaining parks and green spaces. The grass is cut from time to time in the summer and the trees are maintained too.
lf you live in a little village, you are unlikely to have a park. You are more likely to have a village green which is like a mini park. But you will have lots of country side to walk in instead. There are public footpaths for people to walk on and these can be found signposted and marked on a map.
There are also places called commons too.
Some are quite famous like Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common and of course Wimbledon Common where the Wombles live.
Have you ever wondered what a common is?
‘Commons’ means cultural and natural resources open to and shared by all members of society.
Common land is owned by a person or a number of people but others have rights to access it.
Traditionally, people would have used this land to graze animals like goats, cattle, sheep and geese (yes, geese eat grass) and take firewood.
This is where the saying ‘by hook or by crook’ comes from. People could grab onto and take wood for fuel from above them or below them – dead branches brought down by high winds and left on the ground. Gorse bushes were good to harvest as well. Fireplaces would have been the only source of heating at the time.
ln some places turf could be cut for fuel.
Pigs would have eaten acorns from oak trees and masts from beech trees as well as nuts from other kinds of trees as they fell to the ground in the autumn. The pigs’ snouts would plough into the earth for other things they might like to eat like fungi.
Rivers could be fished.
A person who has a right to use common land is called a commoner. There were rules of use enforced so that the common land would not become overused and depleted of resources.
Nowadays, on common land in towns you will find more people walking their dog than grazing their pigs!
ln the countryside, commons can be used for climbing as well as rambling.
You can’t camp or light fires though.
There were millions of acres of common land until the 1600s. Although much of this has been taken into the hands of private landowners and farmers there are still thousands of commons left. A lot of these are owned and managed by local government, the National Trust or the crown (monarch) and modern laws have further defined how the land can be used. Sometimes there are park keepers to look after a park and sometimes there are common keepers that can look after a common.
The concept is found in other European countries and was also taken to the New World and there are also commons that have been set up there too.
A big area of common land is to be found in the New Forest where many ponies roam free. Car drivers need to be very careful driving along unfenced roads where animals could be crossing at any time.
Food can be collected for humans from wild sources; this is called foraging. Fodder for animals like hay can be collected too.
Greens are small areas of common land where livestock could be kept overnight, maybe as they were on route to be sold at a big market some miles away. Markets could be held there too. ln modern times, it is more likely that a fete or funfair could be held in this central place where people can meet up. Public events have to gain permission to be staged.
ln towns, community gardens and orchards and allotments can provide places for urban-dwellers to grow fresh provisions and congregate in a community in outdoor spaces. Some very small city community gardens only have shrubs and benches. All of these places have become enormously beneficial to the mental health of people living a modern fast-paced and often stressful life.
Some commons are on moorland or salt marshes on the coast. Some have quite rich grassland and some are scrubby heath.
A lot of them nowadays are managed to encourage and sustain wildlife like certain species of bird or butterfly. This land has not ever been used for industrial purposes; it has been untouched by human development for hundreds of years.
Thus the concept of common ownership is extended to all forms of life; not just people.
lf you like my blog, please support it by telling all your friends and followers about it.
Thank you!
And see you again next Fun Friday!
Love and kisses
Salty Sam
www.christina-sinclair.com
Bill and Bob’s Joke of the Week
Bill: Why did the gardener quit his job?
Bob: l don’t know. Why did the gardener quit his job?
Bill: Because his celery wasn’t high enough!
Salty Sam © Christina Sinclair 2015
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material from this blog without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner is strictly prohibited.
Links may be used to www.christina-sinclair.com
Picture Gallery
A shepherd’s crook
Woodworking
The Wombles collect rubbish on Wimbledon Common
Pooh Bear lived in the Ashdown Forest
The AshdownForest
where Winnie the Pooh lived
THE SALTY SAM NEWS DESK
This week, Miss Pringle gave her class a puzzle to do. She wanted her children to explain what these phrases meant. Can you do the puzzle?
If you learn all these phrases, you are on the road to improving your English!
- In a rut
- There is no way out
- To not know whether one is coming or going
- Going round the bend
- To get side-tracked
- On a bumpy road
- There is light at the end of the tunnel
- To go our separate ways
- On the road to recovery
- A clear road
- A short cut to success
- Free-wheeling
*********************
TO ADVERTISE ON THIS BLOG
PLEASE CONTACT:
christina.sinclair.ads@aol.co.uk
*********************
Quick Quiz
When you are out in the park or on a common, how many breeds of dog do you recognize?
Do you know these breeds of dog?
- The name is the same meaning as a pugilist
- This dog is like a small greyhound
- A very dark-coloured dog often used as a guard dog
- This dog sometimes has its fur cut into bobbles
- The name of this dog describes how it likes collecting things and carrying it in its mouth
- A white dog with black spots on it
- Another name for a sausage dog
- This cartoon dog is called Fred
- This dog has ears shaped like a butterfly
- This dog has a very flat face
lt’s the Weekend!
GOLDlLOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
You often find cottages on common land. One you come across may belong to three bears. 
GOLDILOCKS FRONT (KNIT ONE)
Using 4mm knitting needles and white dk yarn cast on 8 stitches
Knit 4 rows of stocking stitch
Change to pink dk yarn
Knit 8 rows of stocking stitch
Change to white dk yarn
Knit 6 rows of stocking stitch
Change to yellow dk yarn
Knit 2 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
GOLDILOCKS BACK (KNIT ONE)
Using 4mm knitting needles and white dk yarn cast on 8 stitches
Knit 4 rows of stocking stitch
Change to pink dk yarn
Knit 8 rows of stocking stitch
Change to white dk yarn
Knit 2 rows of stocking stitch
Change to yellow dk yarn
Knit 6 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
GOLDILOCKS LEGS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and white dk yarn cast on 8 stitches
Knit 8 rows of stocking stitch
Change to pink dk yarn
Knit 2 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
GOLDILOCKS ARMS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and pink dk yarn cast on 6 stitches
Knit 6 rows of stocking stitch
Change to white dk yarn
Knit 2 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
GOLDILOCKS SKIRT (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and pink dk yarn cast on 12 stitches
Knit 2 rows of garter stitch
Knit 8 rows of stocking stitch
Knit 4 rows of garter stitch
Cast off
GOLDILOCKS SKIRT STRAPS (MAKE TWO)
Crochet 14 chains into a length of pink yarn
GOLDILOCKS PLAITS (MAKE TWO)
Crochet 10 chains into a length of yellow yarn
TO MAKE UP
- Using over-sew stitching and with right sides together sew side seams of head and body and also the arms and legs using appropriate colours
- Turn right sides out and pull tops of head, feet and hands in tight
- Stuff the body and legs with some stuffing and the ends of the yarn
- Stuff the arms with the ends of the yarn
- Bind a length of white yarn around the neck and pull in tight then secure ends and push inside the stuffing
- Bind a length of white yarn around the wrists and pull in tight then secure ends and push inside the arms
- Bind a length of pink yarn around the ankles and pull in tight then secure ends and push inside the stuffing
- Sew the tops of the legs to the bottom of the body and the tops of the arms to the sides of the body from behind
- Sew the sides of the skirt using over-sew stitching and right sides together
- Attach the straps to the skirt crossing them at the back
- Weave a length of white yarn through the top of the skirt – pull in the top of the skirt when it is on the doll and tie the ends of the yarn into a bow then tuck the ends into the top of the skirt
- Sew a few stitches of yellow yarn onto the top corners of the face to improve the hairline contours and attach the plaits into place then neaten the ends
- Add the blue French knot eyes before or after sewing up – wrap the yarn around your yarn needle twice
DADDY BEAR BODY (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 12 stitches
Knit 24 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
DADDY BEAR LEGS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 12 stitches
Knit 14 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
DADDY BEAR ARMS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 10 stitches
Knit 12 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
DADDY BEAR EARS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 6 stitches
Knit 2 rows of garter stitch
Decrease 1 stitch at the beginning of each row of garter stitch until 2 stitches remain
Knit 2 together
Cast off
MUMMY BEAR BODY (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 10 stitches
Knit 22 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
MUMMY BEAR LEGS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 10 stitches
Knit 12 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
MUMMY BEAR ARMS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 8 stitches
Knit 10 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
MUMMY BEAR EARS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 5 stitches
Knit 2 rows of garter stitch
Decrease 1 stitch at the beginning of each row of garter stitch until 2 stitches remain
Knit 2 together
Cast off
BABY BEAR BODY (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 8 stitches
Knit 18 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
BABY BEAR LEGS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 8 stitches
Knit 10 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
BABY BEAR ARMS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 6 stitches
Knit 8 rows of stocking stitch
Don’t cast off – leave a length of yarn for sewing up when you cut off your yarn and leave your stitches on this yarn
BABY BEAR EARS (KNIT TWO)
Using 4mm knitting needles and brown dk yarn cast on 4 stitches
Knit 2 rows of garter stitch
Decrease 1 stitch at the beginning of each row of garter stitch until 2 stitches remain
Knit 2 together
Cast off
TO MAKE UP
- Using over-sew stitching and with right sides together sew side seams of head and body and also the arms and legs
- Turn right sides out and pull tops of head, feet and hands in tight
- Stuff the body and legs with some stuffing and the ends of the yarn
- Stuff the arms with stuffing and the ends of the yarn – but only the ends of the yarn on the baby bear
- Bind a length of brown yarn around the neck and pull in tight then secure ends and push inside the stuffing
- Bind a length of brown yarn around the wrists and pull in tight then secure ends and push inside the arms
- Bind a length of brown yarn around the ankles and pull in tight then secure ends and push inside the stuffing
- Sew the tops of the legs to the bottom of the body and the tops of the arms to the sides of the body from behind
- Attach the ears to the tops of the head
- Add the black French knot eyes and nose before or after sewing up – wrap the yarn around your yarn needle twice
Please note that the material on this blog is for personal use and for use in classrooms only.
It is a copyright infringement and, therefore, illegal under international law to sell items made with these patterns.
Use of the toys and projects is at your own risk.
©Christina Sinclair Designs 2015
Answers to the News Desk Quiz
- In a rut – when your life has become too repetitive and you are bored and lethargic
- There is no way out – no solution can be seen
- To not know whether one is coming or going – confused
- Going round the bend – going mad
- To get side-tracked – get distracted from what you planned to do
- On a bumpy road – difficult times
- There is light at the end of the tunnel – you can see signs that your life is getting better after tough times
- To go our separate ways – friends part
- On the road to recovery – getting better after an illness
- A clear road – being able to move forward with a project with no obstacles in the way
- A short cut to success – a simple way to find success
- Free-wheeling – progressing without blocks and problems getting in the way
Quick Quiz Answers
- The name is the same meaning as a pugilist – boxer
- This dog is like a small greyhound – whippet
- A very dark-coloured dog often used as a guard dog – Doberman
- This dog sometimes has its fur cut into bobbles – poodle
- The name of this dog describes how it likes collecting things and carrying it in its mouth – retriever
- A white dog with black spots on it – Dalmatian
- Another name for a sausage dog – dachshund
- This cartoon dog is called Fred – basset
- This dog has ears shaped like a butterfly – papillon
- This dog has a very flat face – pug
Embroidery Stitches
