Shaker Village

I always try to squeeze in a field trip the first week public school kids head back to school. Usually the weather is great, museums are still open and are practically empty.  How lovely it was to have this Shaker Village in Canterbury, New Hampshire nearly to ourselves!

Home

Just a day home, doing what we do.  It is my hope that when they are all grown up, that they will remember these days best.

Monarchs

I think we have watched the transformation of 10 monarchs thus far, more will be coming. Such an amazing experience to witness-from egg to caterpillar to butterfly. Then an open window, fresh breeze and south they fly.  It's so amazing how the monarchs emerge knowing exactly what direction to go. May we all have such confidence in knowing the exact direction we should head.

 As for your science lesson of the day, above is female, below is male. Those back dots on the bottom of the wings are what clues you in.

What if?

I see random rocks, he sees possibilities.  

 I need to follow his lead in life-be a little less rock brained, ask myself "What if?" and dive in with confidence. Keep teaching me, Adrian. I could use the lessons.

Enjoying the process

Up too late, planning the next class I'm teaching. It's a busy time of year, bouncing from work to homeschooling my own kids to teaching/leading meetings at homeschool co-op, Sunday School and 4-H.  If you would have told me 20 years ago that I'd be up late planning on what I was going to do to lead a physics 4-H meeting, I would have laughed at that notion. Here I am stepping out of my comfort zone, an old dog learning new tricks.  You'd think it would be exhausting, all this planning, teaching and leading...but I tell you it's much more fulfilling when I'd doing it for these kids and their friends instead of the end goal of acing the final exam and getting that regents diploma. May learning for all go back to enjoying the process instead of striving to achieve the best test scores.

8th Birthday Recap

 Dinner of choice: Hot dogs (again), Mac n Cheese from the box (again), corn and peas frozen (again) and fruit salad.  All this kid wants for his birthday dinner each year is prepackaged. I guess I'm thankful they are 'treats', but he doesn't know how lucky he is to have all this homegrown food.

 He didn't want cake, but instead apple-strawberry-rhubarb crisp.  I made an apple and a strawberry rhubarb and told him that he could mix them if he wanted that combo. 

 And the gifts? Farming stuff. Still.

 A few of his favorite people...

 And his new wheelbarrow...which has already gotten quite a workout.

 Here he is with his loot. A happy 8 year old farmer right here.