Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Did I Ever Have It?

I had my friend going for awhile there.  Despite having just turned a year older, I still "have it" I told her:  a guy at work hit on me. Yep, he said if I wouldn't mind sharing my phone number, maybe we could go to a movie some time.  Really? she asked, looking slightly impressed.  I then asked if it diminished my story at all to admit that the gentleman asking was 81 years old?  After all, what's thirty years?


Self Reflection on my birthday

Notes:
"Aunt Mary", a black bantam hen, is broody.  Now why would she want a batch of chicks just as the weather is getting colder?  I know I don't, so I put a golf ball under her and take out any eggs donated by other hens.  See, other hens will come and lay in her nest.  She takes that opportunity to get up and go eat, knowing that the laying hen will keep her golf ball warm.  The laying hen will then get up, and let Aunt Mary have her egg, conserving the collective energy of the flock.  Using a golf ball, I know that all eggs are fresh and can be taken.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

A Crooked Path

Now that I have my red composting worm farm operational, I gathered books at the library and studied up to give William a nice science lesson on worms.  Trying to involve him, I asked him to dump the kitchen scraps in the worm bin.  He took the bag at arms length, and promptly began gagging.  He has, sadly, not learned much from my investment.  Perhaps, I thought, he could handle looking at a shiny, clean red worm under the microscope.  I planned that for today.

While he worked on math problems on the iPad, which has become his new obsession (the iPad, not math problems), I went outside to do my horse chores.  On the way back, I found a puffball and plucked it to show to William.




That's when my lesson plan went off the track.  "Can we go outside and go mushroom hunting?  Can we go down by the creek?"

First, I did some research as he diced the puffball into many little pieces.  (Cutting up things is a favorite pasttime.) Although it is edible, I'm not that hungry yet.  I'll save that knowledge for the end times.  It is of the genus Lycoperdon, I think. "The name comes from lycos meaning wolf and perdon meaning to break wind; thus the name literally means wolf-farts."  Why is it that all study of anything with little boys eventually leads to the word "fart"?

We went out into the yard and found more wolf-farts, and many more types of mushrooms and fungus in the woods and down by the creek.




This is a chicken mushroom or Laetiporus cincinnatus, but again, I'll not be serving this up at dinner even if it does taste like chicken (which I doubt).


On a log that's fallen across the creek


So our learning takes a crooked path and not the one planned.  We follow what lights him up and makes him want to learn.  If only we all could do that.

Notes:
I can feel the winter coming.  Draining the pool today.  :-(
Reading The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn to William, having finished Tom Sawyer.
My favorite treat right now (besides chocolate of course!):  Planters Five Alarm Chili Dry Roasted Peanuts

What is this found on an oak tree?  Answering my own question:  oak apple gall.   Good thing I don't believe in folklore because I found nothing inside it! (See link.)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Today's Homeschool Lesson: Zip On!

Some things just can't be learned in a book.


...The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.  - FDR

Most of the time, what we fear most never happens. 


If you listen well, follow instructions, prepare, ask questions,
and then, have faith in yourself....



...you can achieve things you never thought you could!

"Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement."  - FDR



Thursday, September 08, 2011

Nine Year Old's Dreams

William:  You woke me up in the middle of my best dream.....
Me:  What were you dreaming of?
William:  Eating.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Science Lessons


Red (or White?) Oak Borer


William declared this a smart spider.
She built her web by our front porch light,
where she catches lots of moths and other insects.

Monday, September 05, 2011

Trip to Louisville Stoneware


Clay in process


Watching a potter


Kilns are not fired up until they are full


Chose a bowl to decorate


Intense concentration

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