George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster

We recently checked this book out of the library.  I immediately fell in love with it and have purchased a used copy which we will use for school this year. 

I learned more about Catherine the Great in an hour of reading at the auto-repair shop this afternoon than I did in all my years of school (including the year of Russian Literature I took in college). At one point a man came in to ask us a question while we were all engrossed in the dramatic tale of the coup d'etat which resulted in her ascending to power shortly followed by her husband Peter III's assassination.  Wow!

I love the drawings in the book and the way Foster weaves together so many historical figures.  It's a brilliant way to create a readable, gripping narrative.  

Happy reading!

Mulching Week 2015

My goal is to weed and mulch for five hours two to three hours (I am so sore!!) every day from today through Saturday--if that means two hours in the morning and three in the evening, so be it!  I am using my watch to keep track, and I'm working around other commitments this week: two art classes, two swimming lessons, a haircut, a massage, dinner with friends, a trip to the zoo, a church meeting, preparing for school, finishing a sewing project, and two different outings with friends.  And oh yes, I babysat a friend's three children this morning, too!

It is so very hot, and today I'm working in full sun.  But I'm plodding along because the end result is always so pleasing.  My husband is working against a major deadline, so this is my first experience with solo-mulching!

 Here's the patio flower bed, which is where my beloved hostas live--this was the fruit of my Saturday labor. I'm about halfway through with this truckload of mulch.....

Getting there!

Simple School Planning (Charlotte Mason-style)

Our school year (Finn in third grade, Annie in kindergarten) starts a week from tomorrow, and my planning is done.  The evolution of planning amuses me: when Finn began kindergarten I created elaborate weekly plans with an equally elaborate filing system. 

Each year I simplify more.  Keeping the end goal in mind is helpful.  So this year after overthinking our schedule to the point of feeling confused this summer, I boiled it all down!  Our daily work is to read the Bible and pray together, sing a hymn, read a poem or read some Shakespeare, narrate from two of four books (2 books on Monday/Wednesday, and 2 different books on Tuesday/Thursday, alternating between history, history tales, literature and nature studies), have Finn read one chapter aloud to me from a biographical book, do copywork, and do math.  I created a booklist for Finn and we just work our way through it.  Annie's 'booklist' is actually just a series, the My Book House set that belonged to my grandmother!

Our daily work also includes chores, piano practice and nighttime read-alouds--Wilder's series for Finn, and Beatrix Potter for Annie.

In addition we'll do gardening, art lessons, swim lessons, nature studies, geography, composer studies, picture studies, poetry, Shakespeare, but not at the same time!  These will be woven into our year as we progress.  I find that I'm a better teacher when I keep my schedule simple and focused, and I don't try to cram in too much at once.  Nancy Kelly wrote that you should "keep cutting back until there is peace in your home," and that's the advice I'm following!  

Sudeley Castle: Garden Inspiration

Ten years ago today we were celebrating my father-in-law's birthday in the Cotswolds! Exploring a castle, enjoying the gardens, dinner in a pub...not a bad way to celebrate a birthday.

Sudeley Castle is romantic and the gardens continue to inspire me.  Every time I look at these photos I am enamored by the lush beauty we encountered around every turn.  

I'm dreaming of beautiful gardens--today I spent five hours spreading mulch in our back patio garden.  The weather is hot.  I hope to weed-n-mulch all week, but am glad that tomorrow is Sunday so that I have an excuse to sit on the patio and sip iced tea.  My goal is a lushness that rivals Sudeley. One of these days.....

This was my favorite garden at the castle. 

Wonderful memories!

Let Them Alone

Finn is heavily into ants these days, spending hours observing their behavior and attempting to create his own ant farms in Mason jars, that I thought of this quote from Home Education by Charlotte Mason:

For the evil is, that children get their knowledge of natural history, like all their knowledge, at second hand.  They are so sated with wonders, that nothing surprises them; and they are so little used to see for themselves, that nothing interests them. The cure for this blase condition is, to let them alone for a bit, and then begin on new lines.

Yesterday at the pool on a rest break he spent 20 minutes intently watching tiny ants carry off bits of his rice chex snack.  A child who is engaged in observing the world is a child who is easily entertained!

An Inspiring Space for Learning

I am currently setting my sights on doing some re-organizing in our schoolroom before we begin a new year, and I just saw this post about a Charlotte Mason-based school in Pennsylvania and how they created a peaceful, inspiring space for learning on a very small budget!  I love that the classroom is not at all institutionalized, but has a homey, natural feel with plenty of character.  I would love to learn in that classroom!

For now I am spending my mornings focusing on de-jungle-ing my flower beds, but soon (and on the first rainy day!) the schoolroom will get my attention. The mailman and UPS man have faithfully delivered new books several times a week for the past couple of weeks.  Exciting!

A Gluten-Free Bridal Shower

Last weekend my mother-in-law and I threw a bridal shower for a dear friend's fiance.




 She is gluten-free, so I had a good time planning a party menu featuring gluten-free foods!  Here's what we had:

Greek cucumber cups

Caprese sticks (drizzled with a balsamic reduction, bien sur!)

Salmon spread

Chicken salad

Gluten-free crackers (or phyllo cups, for the gluten-eaters)

Carved watermelon full of fresh, seasonal fruit (my father-in-law carves these--he even adds the flowers himself; cute)

Instead of a cake we served a smattering of little gluten-free treats--

Dark chocolate-covered almonds

Chocolate truffles

Almond-crusted mini-cheesecakes

Nutella dip

White chocolate-amaretto dip

Strawberries

Gluten-free chocolate graham crackers

My mother-in-law made 'wedding punch' and we also served Pellegrino to the low blood sugar types, like me, who can't drink punch!

My mother-in-law loves an 'around the clock' shower theme so that's what we did.  I assigned myself 9am, and gave the bride a poem plus a few morning treats--two pretty coffee mugs, amaretto coffee, chocolate, nice kitchen linens, a lemongrass candle, and a magnetized pad of paper (for the daily to-do list!).

The bride was beautiful and happy, and it was a treat to throw a party for her.