Homeschool Learnings: The Summer Shift

Homeschool Learnings: The Summer Shift

Recently, we celebrated our last official day of Oak Meadow Kindergarten and Third Grade. Dragon admired his uppercase alphabet marching across the walls. Bean thumbed through her Main Lesson Books and then dominated a game of Jeopardy based on her third grade learnings. It was a true red letter day.

“I have 1000 points!”

“What is next?”

“I am going to do the B column in 100.”

“B100, 50 divided by ten.”

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Homesteading Middles - Painting with Mulch

Homesteading Middles - Painting with Mulch

My grandfather used to tell a story of a professor he had in graduate school. This man loved painting his fence.* His excitement over slopping paint on wood confounded my grandfather - who considered this individual a paragon of intellect and academic achievement. So one day, my grandfather asked him why.

The professor’s response was along these lines. “There are very few projects in life where you know exactly what is needed to succeed. Not only that, but at any point in the project, I know exactly how far I have gone and have much further I need to go. That is why I like painting my fence.”

I feel that way about mulching.

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Letter to my children: When Deep Breathing is not Recommended

Letter to my children: When Deep Breathing is not Recommended

Dearest Beloveds, there are times when being the sandwich generation feels more like being a squashed generation. Global warming seems to be that issue right now.

“Corinna, on the counter container, I want one.”

Where are we? New York? DC?

“You would like me to get you something that lives on a counter.”

“Yes, for drinking.”

For drinking? What the hell lived on the counter for drinking?

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Letter to my children: The Green Glass Doors

Letter to my children: The Green Glass Doors

Dearest Beloveds,

The latest craze in the house is playing the Green Glass Doors. What started out as a riddle to stymie us all has turned into a spelling game that travels with us everywhere.

Bean, you brought the game home from Flying Deer. We were sitting at the dinner table.

“Okay, here is a new game. Tell me the rule for how this works. I can go through the green glass doors. And so can you Momma. But Dragon cannot.”

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