An editing comment

I just re-read the caption on the photo of the burrs and wild cucumbers fro January 22: "pictures of dead things". What an abrupt sounding comment! Dried plants, or "these images of summer bravely standing through the cold of winter to remind us that the world will reawaken in due time." Something more poetic would have been nice. But no. I had to call them dead things. I guess there is something to be said for draft copies and reworking.

Over the last two days, I've had two people tell me that I should keep a journal and write some memoirs some day. Keeping a journal is something I have always enjoyed doing but have done less and less of these past years. Not from lack of desire. At first I had little babies and less time. But then, I got out of the habit of taking the time and of using a pen. I much prefer to journal in a journal as opposed to the computer. Somehow I want to carve out the time to create anew the habit of writing my thoughts. Can't say I'll ever write memoirs. But then, what do I know about the future?


Pictures taken near our house.

I am not the only one in my family to take pictures of dead things. I come by it honestly--my father took these.

Cold, cold, cold

We are thrilled here to find good things about the weather: the air is clear and crisp, the drafty old windows have beautiful stars and swirls from Jack Frost's visits, we enjoy reading our books with warm tea and hot chocolates at hand.

Back to academic vs non-academic learning.

One child found a banana box and pulled apart lid and bottom. He was just being goofy with it, showing off to me and his sister. Within minutes, the two of them had the beginnings of a market, selling flour and apples. Only a few minutes later the last sibling caught on. Now, there is a full-blown market being set up in the kitchen. They have the stalls set up, with fruit nicely displayed and jams, jellies and pickles priced and lined up attractively. The third sibling will be a 'peddler' and carry his highly varied goods with him. They are now making money to use. How can this not count as a business class?

I will not break this up. But at what point will we start 'real school' today?

There is an interesting article written on this topic. I can only believe that the source of today's market world comes from our normal schoolday habits.

On a completely different note, I have started knitting. Nothing much--at all. I only know how to knit. I can't even purl yet. However, I've been enjoying reading this blog and I think my next project will be socks.

So, sometimes, despite those good intentions, school takes on a somewhat less academic tone.

Today started with a late night yesterday. As a result we were eating breakfast with bleary eyes just when we normally are starting school. Although Teacher feels better than she has in days, the jitters in the students foretold a challenging morning. Teacher consulted Principal who agreed that an hour outside in the snow would work wonders. Teacher was actually hugged as a result of the announcement. Within scant minutes she was alone in the house, free to make banana muffins to bless her family and tea to renew her own spirits and body. Principal joined the students outside to split wood for next year's heating supply.

The course of the study during the day has included of a game of chess followed quickly by a 'variation' on the game complete with white army and black army fighting (gently against a backboard so as to not lose the pieces) and the white army losing. Thoughtfully though the black army gave up three prisoners of war so as to even the odds. Next time I looked the game and pieces are tidied and put away. Wow!

Detailed craft projects followed, inspired, designed, planned out and executed by the students themselves. There was even a dictionary pulled out for reference.

Principal initiated a quick football (soccer) game in between his various phone calls and duties. Lunch was accompanied by the engaging sound of Jim Weiss reading out G.A.Henty's Cat of Bubastes, a story that has been currently continued.

I am quite certain that a good deal of learning has happened today, however unacademic it may have looked.

With Christmas and New Year behind us--already--we have settled back into our school routine. Admittedly re-entry has been a little bumpy. It's not helped by my fuzzy cold and sinusy head. A good nap this afternoon was welcome while Pieman took over teaching. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

As for Christmas, well, with the whole family here I was thrilled. A little noisier than is normal at our home but certainly a beautiful time for me. Thank you for coming! BTG wondered why the pappaenate lasted longer than the jam-jams when we had made them first. She hadn't realized I had frozen half of them. She did request new year's cookies today even though new year's is past.

The best part of our school day is by far the read-aloud time. I sit down with a cup of tea or other warm drink, the children grab their 'yarn work' (knitting mostly--it's the year to learn how) and I read. Currently we're reading Walk In My Woods by Margaret Epp (this is the reason BTG requested those new year's cookies) and The Fellowship of the Ring by Tolkien. We read the Hobbit earlier in the school year and the kidlets loved it. I wasn't ready to start the trilogy but I tell you, when my 9-year old begs me to read a book, it's hard to say no!

We finished up our Christmas holidays with a get-together with 3 other families. They came for supper, each bringing more than enough for their portion! They stayed for toboganning, coffee and tea, dessert and more coffee and tea. Much later than is usual at our home on a Saturday evening, the lights were on and the children playing.

I learned much about myself over these holidays. I learned that having a crowd of people here brings me joy. And it really isn't that hard to plan. I learned that our house is much warmer with a crowd of people in it! Another good reason to have parties. I learned that an adult woman is still a daughter and sister but she can 'grow up' and change those habitual ways of relating to family members. I learned that brussel sprouts aren't so bad. (Speaking of growing up.)

But chocolate is still better.