Tales of Learning

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to the Musician about her high school classes, and she mentioned that she was only one of two people in her physics class who knew what the definition of "work" was. I thought about it for a few seconds, then gave the definition. Then I laughed, and said the only way I knew the definition was because I remembered it from teaching the Musician science back when I was homeschooling. The Musician said that's how she knew it too, because she remembered our talking about it. A lot of homeschoolers dislike the style of teaching that I was using at the time, which was the usual public schooling method; I was using books that covered a lot of science topics (physics, biology, earth science) that became more complex in presentation each new school year. But obviously, some of it stuck with both her and me!

On the other hand, I tried Exploring Creation with Botany with the Dancer when she was in third grade or so. She didn't strictly remember a lot of what I read to her, but when she studied plant development in the fifth grade in public school, some of what we had talked about came back to her, and helped her digest what she was learning in fifth grade, better.

I used to read the education blog, D-Ed Reckoning, when it was still active, and many of my experiences as a mom of two students taught in various ways over the years reflect what he says in his last post. The kids who are easy to educate will learn. Find what works for you and go with it. In my case, my daughters have learned from a more traditional homeschooling style, from a more Charlotte Mason style, and from the regular public school approach. In fact, although my eldest daughter fought against the "school-at-home" method I tentatively started with as a new homeschooling mom, she told me only last week that she prefers the more rigid style of public school now.

Some of what I taught them didn't "take." They don't remember much from our course on Ancient Egypt besides learning to write their own names in hieroglyphics. I doubt they remember anything from our study of Ancient Israel besides making a model of an ancient Israeli house. Are you sensing a theme here? They also will never forget the carnation and food coloring experiment, and feel sorry for kids who never did that in school. On the other hand, I doubt they remember much of anything from the museums in Chicago to which I, as a dutiful mom, took them when Mr. BTEG was living there as a consultant. But they did learn things, and I think both of them are poised to do whatever they want with their futures.

Garden Woes

The container gardening hasn't been an entire failure, but it hasn't been as successful as I envisioned late this spring. I think we'll get one pepper off of the pepper plant. Anyone know if this is normal? We are getting tomatoes, but due to a failure to stake the plants better as they got taller, we won't get as many tomatoes as we should have. The Dancer is at least enjoying a few tomatoes every few days. The oregano looks rather sad. I suppose we may be able to chop what there is, up. Strawberries failed to materialize.

The problems as I see them were: 1. An especially rainy spring. The plants got overly soggy to the point where they were sitting in water. We did our best to drain the containers and moved the plants in when it rained, but the responsibility of lugging containers around, I think became discouraging.
2. Our patio faces south. This discourages us from spending much time out there, thus kind of forgetting about the plants. I would like to get some kind of large umbrella or other shade, but the cost is rather prohibitive.

Oh, and I planted some lilies-of-the-valley in front, in the shade. There didn't seem to be much to them, just a scrawny bit of root. I have lost all hope of them since the landscaping crew that maintains our development came and dumped a bunch of mulch on top of these little twigs sticking up. I wonder if transplanting some larger plants from someone who has some would work better. I think I mentioned before that I tried lilies before many years ago and got nothing then as well.

The price of food being what it is, I still think it is worth giving container gardening another try next spring. Actually, I would like to get some more containers so that we can grow more food. We'll see where things stand next spring. I will also put some ornamental bulbs in this fall.

Things That Help

Hearing from those of you who helped me assure myself that online schooling is not the end of the world.

Finally getting my new clothes in the washer. When the Dancer is bored, she does laundry, cooks and bakes. I know, isn't it awful. ;) It does mean sometimes I have to "fight" her to get my stuff in the laundry.

Finding out that the budget is not as scary as I thought. Although I just found out that the office where my counselor and psychiatrist are has been handling my billing wrong for a year!! That will mean extra money for us to pay. On the other hand, we just found out that the orthodontist never actually *billed our insurance* for the work we've already had done with the girls. I wish these professionals could hire *professional* record-takers and bookkeepers.

The beautiful warm weather and sunshine. And having the Equestrienne bring some daffodils into the house.

Spring Really Is Coming

There are more birds around. They are dropping berry parts on our car and on our driveway.

Bunnies and deer have been around all winter, but we are starting to see them again now, which I presume is due to sunny days and ever so slightly warmer weather.

Daffodils are in the stores, even if they are not blooming outside!

Update: the Canadian geese are back too. And the Indians' first Cactus League game is today!

Twue Wuv

Look what the delivery man brought me today!
They are from the handsome and charming Mr. BTEG. Thank you, dear! He knows the multi-colored rose bouquets are my favorite.

They came from ProFlowers, with whom we have always had good luck. The flowers really do last a very long time. Sadly, this is an unpaid testimonial. :)

Birthday Fun

Today Wildchild turned 9 years old. Here's a picture of her cake, with the dozen roses her daddy got her. I love that Daddy is setting the standards high for what Wildchild will expect from future boyfriends! :)

I remember my youngest sister was crazy about My Little Pony as a little girl.

We took Wildchild, the Scientist and two friends to Build-a-Bear Workshop. We didn't have a planned party there, but they still sang Happy Birthday to her.

Now we're making homemade pizza, and we'll make homemade milkshakes to go with it. Yum!

I can't wax all poetical like Kate can about her kids, maybe because it's at least six years before one of my little fledglings will be old enough to leave the nest. But I love my girls more than anything, and I am thankful to God for the nine years He has gifted us with having Wildchild. I pray that we may be blessed with many more.

Beautiful Colors

The red food coloring did not show up well, but the rest of the carnations turned out very nicely. The green carnation in the red cup is the one where I had split the stem between red and green. But the half of the stem in green broke off, so now the whole carnation is in red. We'll see what the green carnation does now! The green splatter on one of the yellow carnations is where Wildchild got a little too enthusiastic while painting something else!

A Classic!

When the Scientist was younger, we did the classic experiment of placing white carnations in water dyed with food coloring, to show how water is pulled up through the stem. Wildchild was too young to really remember the experiment, so we are doing it again now that Wildchild is learning about the parts of a plant. I split a stem in half that has two carnations on it, and stuck half a stem each in two separate colors. I will update you on what happens. Science!

Update! The blue and green colors are already starting to show on the carnations. The carnation on half a stem is also showing some green, although not as much as the one where the whole carnation is in the green water. Here's a photo of the blue carnation, as it is the best picture I could get tonight. I'll get more tomorrow, and maybe the red and yellow will be showing up well then also.

It's Been a Bad Week

I don't know why, but I've been down, out of sorts, unhappy, slightly cranky for a number of days now. But my husband knows how to make me feel better.











He assures me that I am a princess too, but the crown cookie went to HRH Princess Wildchild. The Scientist got the flowers. She likes flowers and butterflies.









This was my special cookie. I'm sure at least some of you will like it too. :)









And he also caved and gave me my anniversary gift early. We are terrible about giving each other our gifts early. We can't wait! Did anyone else love Holly Hobbie as a child? I never had the toys back then, but thanks to the miracle of eBay, I do now! Maybe sometime I'll share a pic. But this is modern Holly Hobbie, and her brother Robby. They're very cute.

Love Is

Love is: pulling up a clover plant, roots and all (including a little excess dirt) for the pretty yellow flower, and leaving it on your mommy's laptop. On the mousepad.

Love is: telling your daughter "Thank you" for the lovely flower. And leaving it at that.