My sweet, thoughtful, fun-loving 16 year old boy spent considerable time last year studying the audio speeches of Sir Winston Churchill so that he could imitate his cigar-chopped voice speaking great lines.

Right now I hear him in the other room playing around with the voice and the speeches with his sister. They are laughing in a wonderful sibling way as they wash dishes.

My heart is full of joy.

Food

My life often seems to revolve around food.

I spend a lot of time cooking, planning to cook, cooking some more, eating and cleaning up. I read food blogs for fun. I also read cookbooks for fun. Sometimes it's not fun and I'm reading out of desperation for something to match my cupboard's ingredients for dinner that everyone expects in half an hour. During the past five years I have transitioned my diet to wheat free, dairy free and low on corn products. I try to eat local, organic foods. I also have an athletic husband and family of teenagers. I'm broke. But when I'm not racing the timer I know that everyone is thriving and I like this way we are choosing to live. 

Which brings me to the point of this blog post: a chance to talk about food. 

Yesterday, I made this cake for my youngest's 15th birthday. If you're not a car person, I'll tell you this is a Maserati wheel. I was told it's cool. I was also told by said 15 year old that he's never seen the badge close up since the car always whizzes past too quickly. The chocolate cake underneath all that fondant and icing is our go-to for everything cake. 

Before the cake we went for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant that Pieman and I had enjoyed for our anniversary. K2 is also a foodie so it was a good opportunity to introduce the kids to a new cuisine. My mom and dad came too and BTG, who had been told what to expect in terms of beans, stews and lentils, actually seemed to enjoy what she tried. Yes! CTM wasn't too keen on the injera, which is the bread used to sop up the beautiful food but he still ate his 16 year old full. 

After the meal we had coffee served in individual pots and espresso sized cups. The waiter/owner brought out a cast iron pan in which he had roasted the beans for us to see, smell and hear before he went on to prepare the coffee. We've not had the whole coffee ceremony but one of these days I'd love to.

Because cake and coffee and celebration is important.

A recent walk

I love the colour of late afternoon sun at this time of year; it's golden and rich and adds depth to the view. 

We live in prime agricultural land. This tends to be in direct opposition to birds, butterflies and wildlife.

About 20 years ago a group of people got together and decided to fight for the return of marshland and the birds that had been disappearing from the area. Our town's water treatment plant was decommissioning some of its cells and the group acquired permission and funding to create a wetlands area. There are now three good sized ponds of varying depths surrounded with trees and bushes to attract birds. The water levels are monitored and adjusted depending on rainfall or the migration patterns of the birds: shore birds, for example, need mud flats instead of the deeper water of the great blue heron's preference. Our wetlands now account for 50% of our county's marshland. 

We are a hot spot on the birders' route. This is migration time and a visit to the ponds last week revealed lots of really big scopes and cameras and a man doing a happy dance over a sora rail. He was thrilled to share the sighting with everyone in his group and did a happy dance for each one who saw the shy little bird.

When I stand on the edge of the easternmost pond I can see the 150 year old red maple trees of my house. If I were a crow I could fly straight here in less than two minutes, but must instead skirt the 100 acres of crops in between us and take four to make it to the parking lot. 

It's a happy place.

Glimmers of glory

Every day God wakes the world with glory.

Today I looked and marvelled.

Epic Homeschoolers

Last weekend I attended the Living Education Retreat in Frontenac, Minnesota and learned that phenology is

1. the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.

This is a good description of what we do in our regular nature study activity. I love that it has a scientific name.

My youngest calls it "epic homeschooling."

I think he's got the best definition.

Yes!

An example: writing clarifies thought

Fro the first time in our home school career, we have fallen off the rails enough that we are having a hard time getting back on. You understand this is not the first time we've derailed! It's the getting back up that is the problem.

I know that ideas sustain, that true learning is hard and is done by the students as they interact with the ideas found in the great books, tell those ideas back in some way, think deeply. This is what we do. I know that to get outside is science that will not lead one astray even if the science pursued later becomes more specific and detailed. We have learned to see nature so that it is just a part of our life. We are in no way complete in this work. I just mean that we have done well.

And now, we are in the later of "do this later, when they are older". My children are all in high school and one is nearly finished.*  The habits we have laid down have depended on the starting point in our day. And this starting point seems elusive now. I'm floundering to understand what has happened....no, not true. I'm floundering because the habit has been blown apart and my feet are seeking the solid ground of a new habit. A new starting point.

Ah, this is what I need. Thank you, dear Words, for helping me see and understand. To know now the point that has me struggling will give me the momentum to start afresh. Please continue to listen and work this out with me.**



*Except we both know that she isn't really finished--she has much more she wants to learn before leaving home. She is just finding her feet in a sense. And the thought that she has ideas gives me encouragement that we have done the right thing through the years.

**perhaps you wanted to know how I think? Peek into this little window....

A regular Wednesday made special with sushi for dinner.

Socks

I have spent months working and reworking my first knitted sock ever. Finally I begin the second. Perhaps this one will go ahead with fewer mistakes and I can wear these before winter is over.

18 Years Ago

I was woken this morning by my dear Pieman wishing me a happy birthing day. Eighteen years ago I put in a long day's work for the best reward. 

It's been 18 years. How can such a long time be so short? My reward has been a treasure that I've always known I will send on its way "one day". While that day is not imminent it is closer somehow with this new number. 

She's no longer a child. But she's still a treasure. And she's still my baby. 

I'm so proud of BTG!

A couple years ago or more, my friend Nancy tagged me in a homeschool meme. At the time I was not able to get to it and have, if you're still paying attention, not written much at all. I don't blame you in the least for not paying attention to the blank screen here. But, today I will answer these questions.

1. One homeschooling book you have enjoyed -
      Charlotte Mason's 6 volume set but I got started on these way back when through For The Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay.

2. One resource you wouldn't be without -
      Again, Mason's 6 volumes. Also, my Mason community; so much inspiration comes from them.

3. One resource you wish you had never bought -
      Mapping the World by Heart. We just never used it and it was more expensive than it is now. It took me a while to sell since I kept thinking we'd try it 'next year'.

4. One resource you enjoyed last year -
      While I didn't make it last year, I try my hardest to attend the Charlotte Mason Institute conference, the Living Education Retreat, and (I did make this one) the L'HaRMaS retreat.

5. One resource you will be using next year -
      Definitely the Truth Quest History guides. Alongside our history readings we use Laurie Bestvater's Book of Centuries.

6. One resource you would like to buy -
      Just more living books. Just a couple more....

7. One resource you wish existed -
      A teleportation device. We do a lot of driving. My youngest keeps promising to make it so we better up the science work.

8. One homeschool catalog you enjoy reading -
      I don't read these really.

9. One homeschool website you use regularly -
      I really spend too much time as it is online...

10. Tag six other homeschoolers -
      So. It's taken me 4 years to answer this meme. If you want to do this, consider yourself tagged!