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Eight Legs

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• Art at the Platform
  Date 08/12/2009

  The talented teenagers of Mistley and Manningtree are displaying their huge visual creations at Essex Record Office.  The large collage canvases are called postcards, but it would be a brave postie who lumbered one of these around.  ERO's foyer is a rather a bland place when the walls are bare, and the collages make an impact on the white and grey, and use a mixture of materials.  You can see them whenever ERO is open, which is most days, and it's totally free.

• Spinning glitterballs
  Date 25/11/2009

  The recent grim weather has meant that the Eight Legs Machine has not been hanging out in Chelmsford's parks quite as much as it normally would.  And this has fortunately coincided with the re-opening of some of Chelmsford Museum's refurbished exhibition rooms.  The little Leggers adore this museum for its stuffed animals (I don' t think they have worked out how the animals got there yet) and the Friday Fives sessions based on nursery rhymes.  However, the local history gallery on music is a new attraction for them.  They danced and span to the piped music, and watched the light flicker across the floor from the glitterball.  For older visitors, there are some great personal reminiscences to listen to.  We will be returning regularly.

• Things that go bang in the day
  Venue: Jaywick Martello Tower
  Event:
  Date 09/09/2009

  The weather was kind to us for the Goose Trail in Gosfield this week, and the trail was a big success for the EightLegs family.  There were decorated geese all over the village including several Gooseberries, Geese-laying-golden-eggs, and even Grease Geese.  My son took a particular shine to one goose amidst the large flock at Gosfield County Primary School, and had to be promised another go on the swings before he would release the spotted creature from his devoted hugs and kisses.  Inevitably, we were there for some time, and it was geat to see so many children showing the geese that they had each painted and decorated to their families and friends.  We took a walk up the hill to Gosfied School , where we found a huge goose made of orange Sainsburys bags, fluttering in the breeze like feathers, and a flock of geese, painted in the style of Van Gogh, Gaugin and other well-known artists.  It was an unusual, and unexpectedly heart-warming way to spend an afternooon.

  My thoughts are already turning to what we might get up to this weekend, and there's plenty to choose from.  Jaywick Martello Tower marks its 200th birthday this year, and the celebrations begin with Taking the Tower on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, a re-enactment of what might have happened if Napoleon's French army had succeeded in invading Jaywick in 1809.  Historic re-enactments aren't usually my thing, but the combination of Jaywick's beach, the Tower's history, dressing-up and explosions could be enough to persuade my son to transfer his affections from a spotted goose.

• Goose bumps all over
  Venue: Gosfield
  Event: Gosfield Goose Trail
  Date 01/09/2009

  After a weekend out of the county, my young children are going to be delighted by a visit to Gosfield Goose Trail this weekend. The 1,500 colourful geese have been created by local children, families, artists and students, and will be wandering (in a stationary fashion) all over the village, with huge flocks at its three primary schools.  There are also art exhibitions, refereshments, competitions and open gardens, which should keep everyone entertained and well-fed.