Encomium to the Public Library

Encomium to the Public Library

“Momma, I love the smell of the library.”

“Me too, my love, me too.”

Michelle told us as we checked out, “Corinna, I think this might be the most books you have ever checked out at once.”

Dragon pipes up, “both of our bags are bursting!”

56 books does seem like a lot of books for a woman who avoided public libraries for years.

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Homesteading Middles: The Marvel of Growth

Homesteading Middles: The Marvel of Growth

This seems apparent to note - but plants, like children, change.

Like well cared for children, well cared for plants grow with vigor and joy.

Like curious courageous children, plants do not like staying within lines, following other’s ideas of decorum and placement.

In other words, my new favorite toy is an electric hedge trimmer.

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Letter to my children: Making Hay While the Sun Shines

Letter to my children: Making Hay While the Sun Shines

We pulled into the road. Three large metal contraptions faced us. Equipment I would have not been able to identify 10 years ago. Next to the tractor with the forklift front was a round baler and a rake.

The field was marked with the pattern from a mower. Thick threads of dark green wove between the stubbed brown of shorn stalks.

And rain fell onto the windshield.

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Letter to my children: Yes, Your Mother is a Hypocrite. We all are.

Letter to my children: Yes, Your Mother is a Hypocrite. We all are.

“Why did that man leave his truck running?” The Bean looked affronted.

“I asked him if he could not idle his engine while he talks to your father - he told me that otherwise he cooks like a sardine in there and he needs the air conditioning.”

“Why doesn’t he open a window? His engine hurts the earth.” Outrage and disbelief sharpened her tone and her eyes.

Oh no, Corinna, own this.

“Beloved, I hear that, but you know what else hurts the earth? Cheese that we have in our refrigerator. It is from France. It came over on a big boat and used lots of food miles to get here.”

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Letter to my children: Pocket Peas, Black Caps, and Baby Chickens

Letter to my children: Pocket Peas, Black Caps, and Baby Chickens

“Didn’t you pick peas for dinner?”

“OOOOoohhhhh, right.” Dragon reached into his pocket and started pulling out handfuls. “I did pick them, and I forgot.”

3 peas were palmed onto the counter. 4 more peas were placed on top. Handful by grubby handful, peas appeared.

I looked at our dinner guests and started laughing, “would anyone like some pocket peas?”

Surprisingly, everyone but the family declined to eat pocket peas. Ah well.

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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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