I never got around to blogging about it, but last fall I built a cute little cold frame. My intention was to try and have spinach growing and harvestable during the winter/early spring. I bought wood for 2 frames, made one (2.5'x2'), and put it into operation. I got the glass from old windows that I asked for on freecycle. (They turned out to be windows that were removed after the 2001 tornado damaged this person's house; they wanted all the windows in the house to match.) I bought the last spinach plants at my local nursery and what I thought was kale. It turned out to be broccoli :-) I stuck them in my cold frame which sat on top of my sheet mulched bed around the young blueberry bushes. They loved it. The broccoli pushed against the glass top until I encouraged it to do something else. The spinach (just 3 plants) was so small until a few weeks ago that I did not want to harvest it for fear of killing it.
But I did finally get brave and harvest some spinach for salads a week or two ago. I was then further inspired. I ordered spring seeds from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. This weekend I built and installed another larger (2'x5') cold frame. I plan on doing a second large one today. Yesterday I planted kale, spinach, swiss chard, and lettuce mix. I am trying to figure out how to track my efforts in the gardening arena so I can figure out what works and what needs tweaked. I'll let you know when I decide!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Vernal Equinox Potluck Party
Join us as we welcome Spring on Saturday March 20, 2010 from 3-7+ pm at our house. It is a potluck, which means we all get to sample lots of yummy (homemade! local food!) dishes that everybody brings. We will provide dishes which show off the delicious pork sausage and salad greens from our local farmer friends. I am sure there will be fresh bread made with our home-ground whole grain flour too.
If you have a favorite or unique game/activity that you'd like to share with us, please do so. We are always looking to experience new things. Who knows, you might spark a new passion for someone at the party!
Many years ago, I understand it was commonplace to bring your own basket with dishes, cups, and cutlery when you went places. I believe they are called picnic baskets ;-) We want to revive this tradition, so please pack up a basket with dishes your family loves to eat off and join us for the feast!
Whether you are a homeschooler, yoga lover, locavore, cyclist, life learner, or none of these - we look forward to celebrating the coming of Spring with you. Do RSVP please so we know to expect you!
If you have a favorite or unique game/activity that you'd like to share with us, please do so. We are always looking to experience new things. Who knows, you might spark a new passion for someone at the party!
Many years ago, I understand it was commonplace to bring your own basket with dishes, cups, and cutlery when you went places. I believe they are called picnic baskets ;-) We want to revive this tradition, so please pack up a basket with dishes your family loves to eat off and join us for the feast!
Whether you are a homeschooler, yoga lover, locavore, cyclist, life learner, or none of these - we look forward to celebrating the coming of Spring with you. Do RSVP please so we know to expect you!
MUGS
Yesterday we enjoyed a fun day with our unschooling friends. We played lasertag and went to the Air and Space Museum Annex by Dulles Airport. We decided to have a monthly get together and rotate where we go and what we do. Want more info? Head over the the MidAtlantic Unschooler GatheringS page.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
A Way Cool Article About Energy Usage
Ok, you have to go read this RIGHT NOW!
How many cyclists does it take to power a hairdryer? The answer's 18, as one family discovered in a unique TV experiment
Ok, now go turn off some energy sucking appliances and lights!
How many cyclists does it take to power a hairdryer? The answer's 18, as one family discovered in a unique TV experiment
Ok, now go turn off some energy sucking appliances and lights!
My Newest Green Project - Cloth TP
Ok, so I have been thinking what new things I can do to reduce my impact on the Earth. I was casually reading over at The Organic Sister and came across the idea of cloth bathroom wipes. Of course! When I had babies, they wore cloth diapers and I washed them. No problem and no trash. I use a Keeper instead of disposable feminine products. No trash created there. So why do I use toilet paper which get flushed, sits in the septic tank, and then goes to the landfill? Because I never thought about it. Now that I have, I am using cloth there too!
Step 1: I got a kick in the rear to begin this new project when someone offered a cloth diaper pail on freecycle. Having given my pail away a while ago, I thought I needed it for my bathroom again. So even though it had been days since the offer was posted, I emailed and got it. Score!
Step 2: I have stacks of old clothing waiting for a new purpose. I had always assumed I would make cleaning rags, but my rag bin is pretty full right now. However, the specific item of unwanted clothing I had sitting around is kids underwear from Hanna Andersson. They were so well worn that I can't pass them on to another user but they cut up into cloth wipes just fine!
Step 3: I cut the fabric into the wipes the size of my hand. They are double or triple layered and serged on the edges (in red for identification). A pretty basket holds them on the vanity right beside the toilet.
I did the sewing and set everything up yesterday. I was so excited to try the cloth wipes out. The next time I had to use the toilet, I forgot! I was so sad. Dear Daughter helped me remember next time by hiding the toilet paper and giving me no choice. By that time rolled around though, she had already pronounced the new goods a success. Yea for us and the Earth!
Step 1: I got a kick in the rear to begin this new project when someone offered a cloth diaper pail on freecycle. Having given my pail away a while ago, I thought I needed it for my bathroom again. So even though it had been days since the offer was posted, I emailed and got it. Score!
Step 2: I have stacks of old clothing waiting for a new purpose. I had always assumed I would make cleaning rags, but my rag bin is pretty full right now. However, the specific item of unwanted clothing I had sitting around is kids underwear from Hanna Andersson. They were so well worn that I can't pass them on to another user but they cut up into cloth wipes just fine!
Step 3: I cut the fabric into the wipes the size of my hand. They are double or triple layered and serged on the edges (in red for identification). A pretty basket holds them on the vanity right beside the toilet.
I did the sewing and set everything up yesterday. I was so excited to try the cloth wipes out. The next time I had to use the toilet, I forgot! I was so sad. Dear Daughter helped me remember next time by hiding the toilet paper and giving me no choice. By that time rolled around though, she had already pronounced the new goods a success. Yea for us and the Earth!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A Cool New Magazine
I love reading what Tara over at The Organic Sister writes. When I visited there today, she was telling us about a cool new online magazine called Rethinking Everything. They are even giving away the first issue to some folks so I wanted to tell you about it too.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Parent Job Description
Your Job as a Parent of an Unschooled Child
The article below was written by Anne Ohman of the Shine With Unschooling group.
We have always unschooled. Unschooling came easily to me and my family, because I learned early on to trust my heart and my children. But for those for whom unschooling does not come easily, I try to give them the guidelines you may be asking for here. If your question is “Please define my role as an unschooling parent,” here’s what I’ve come up with this morning:
I believe that your role as an unschooling parent is to show your children as much of the world as you can, and let them choose from it what they love and want to further explore. You accomplish this by expanding their worlds with interesting objects and places and people and events and tools and books and magazines and television shows and…(this list could go on for quite awhile).
It is your job to answer their questions, without shame or sarcasm, because all questions are valuable. If you don’t know an answer, it is your job to say, “I don’t know,” and offer to look it up with your child (I tend to say, “Hmmm…I *think* it’s this…but I’ll check to make sure…).
It is your job to be interested in the world. It is your job to ask your own questions about the world. I believe it’s an unschooling parent’s job to be excited themselves about learning the incredibly cool stuff there is to learn about the world. Learn from your own children how to be curious, aware and interested.
It is your job to pursue your own passions in life. This has numerous benefits, not only to yourSelf and your Spirit, but to your child as well.
It is your job to know your children and get to know them again and again as they grow and change. Get to know what it is they love, what it is that interests them. A big part of my job involves spending time looking for various resources in the area of my children’s passions – books, tools, people, events, classes, gatherings, websites, lists – and offer them up to my children. This is how I encourage my children to pursue what they love in life, by feeding them things that they may be interested in until they’re not interested in it anymore. (They are also quite capable of *feeding* themselves in the areas of their passions, or anything else that may be new and interesting to them…but right now we re just talking about the unschooling parent’s job…).
It is your job to learn about how children learn, by reading about unschooling, by un-learning everything you once believed to be true about forced learning.
It’s your job to sometimes think out loud, to initiate interesting conversations, and to be open for discussion where you may have just shut the door before. It’s your job to realize that your child will have different opinions and thoughts than you do, and to respect that and perhaps even broaden your own world from it.
It is your job to Trust the Children. Trust that they Love to Learn, and when they have a need and or desire for information, they will get it. Trust that learning isn’t separated into subjects as school would have us believe.
It’s your job to see the world through your child’s eyes. Understand where they’re coming from, and when conflict arises, it’s your job to stop and really think about if the resolve lies within the child, or within yourself. It’s usually within ourselves.
It’s your job to see Learning in places that you’re not used to seeing learning. I was even able to find it in Ed, Edd & Eddy cartoons…it’s there if you look. It’s everywhere if you look. And once you start seeing it, the world will open up to you and your child.
It’s your job to Love your child, and to Learn from your child. It’s your job to go into each day with an open mind and heart, trusting in the fact that you may not know where the day will end up, but that you began it from that magnificent place that is a child’s curiosity.
The article below was written by Anne Ohman of the Shine With Unschooling group.
We have always unschooled. Unschooling came easily to me and my family, because I learned early on to trust my heart and my children. But for those for whom unschooling does not come easily, I try to give them the guidelines you may be asking for here. If your question is “Please define my role as an unschooling parent,” here’s what I’ve come up with this morning:
I believe that your role as an unschooling parent is to show your children as much of the world as you can, and let them choose from it what they love and want to further explore. You accomplish this by expanding their worlds with interesting objects and places and people and events and tools and books and magazines and television shows and…(this list could go on for quite awhile).
It is your job to answer their questions, without shame or sarcasm, because all questions are valuable. If you don’t know an answer, it is your job to say, “I don’t know,” and offer to look it up with your child (I tend to say, “Hmmm…I *think* it’s this…but I’ll check to make sure…).
It is your job to be interested in the world. It is your job to ask your own questions about the world. I believe it’s an unschooling parent’s job to be excited themselves about learning the incredibly cool stuff there is to learn about the world. Learn from your own children how to be curious, aware and interested.
It is your job to pursue your own passions in life. This has numerous benefits, not only to yourSelf and your Spirit, but to your child as well.
It is your job to know your children and get to know them again and again as they grow and change. Get to know what it is they love, what it is that interests them. A big part of my job involves spending time looking for various resources in the area of my children’s passions – books, tools, people, events, classes, gatherings, websites, lists – and offer them up to my children. This is how I encourage my children to pursue what they love in life, by feeding them things that they may be interested in until they’re not interested in it anymore. (They are also quite capable of *feeding* themselves in the areas of their passions, or anything else that may be new and interesting to them…but right now we re just talking about the unschooling parent’s job…).
It is your job to learn about how children learn, by reading about unschooling, by un-learning everything you once believed to be true about forced learning.
It’s your job to sometimes think out loud, to initiate interesting conversations, and to be open for discussion where you may have just shut the door before. It’s your job to realize that your child will have different opinions and thoughts than you do, and to respect that and perhaps even broaden your own world from it.
It is your job to Trust the Children. Trust that they Love to Learn, and when they have a need and or desire for information, they will get it. Trust that learning isn’t separated into subjects as school would have us believe.
It’s your job to see the world through your child’s eyes. Understand where they’re coming from, and when conflict arises, it’s your job to stop and really think about if the resolve lies within the child, or within yourself. It’s usually within ourselves.
It’s your job to see Learning in places that you’re not used to seeing learning. I was even able to find it in Ed, Edd & Eddy cartoons…it’s there if you look. It’s everywhere if you look. And once you start seeing it, the world will open up to you and your child.
It’s your job to Love your child, and to Learn from your child. It’s your job to go into each day with an open mind and heart, trusting in the fact that you may not know where the day will end up, but that you began it from that magnificent place that is a child’s curiosity.
Unschooling Passions Article
Pam Laricchia does a fantastic job of sharing the learning and connections made by her children(s) passions. This article is a great read.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
What's Better Than Public School? The Library...
I adore this commentary about public schools and public libraries. So true.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Free-Range Kids
One of my favorite people right now (that I'm not married to) is Lenore Skenazy. You might know her "America's Worst Mom" because last year, after her 9 year old begged her to, she let him take the NYC subway home by himself. It took some time for her and her husband to both agree with their son that he was ready, but they did. Mom and son went to Bloomingdale's together. She gave him $20, the subway map, and quarters for phone calls then said "see ya at home"!. She did not follow him. She did not ask a friend to go with him. She trusted him to use his brain to get home safely. She also trusted that the world is primarily a good, safe place. It took him one hour to get home with the hugest grin on his face and quite a sense of accomplishment. Yeah for both of them!
But, people around the world world went crazy. They accused her of all sorts of mean things - putting her child in mortal danger, not caring what happened to her child, etc. All a bunch of hogwash. She knew her child so well, trusted in the good in the world, and knew accurate violent crime statistics that she did the right thing by facilitating her son's independence and confidence in himself. To bring a reality check to parents, she started Free-Range Kids. I love it. I also am reading the book right now. Its hilariously fabulous.
The only thing missing from the web site (but on its way I understand) is a way to connect with other free-ranging parents. Care to join me in Southern Maryland Free-Range Kids group?
But, people around the world world went crazy. They accused her of all sorts of mean things - putting her child in mortal danger, not caring what happened to her child, etc. All a bunch of hogwash. She knew her child so well, trusted in the good in the world, and knew accurate violent crime statistics that she did the right thing by facilitating her son's independence and confidence in himself. To bring a reality check to parents, she started Free-Range Kids. I love it. I also am reading the book right now. Its hilariously fabulous.
The only thing missing from the web site (but on its way I understand) is a way to connect with other free-ranging parents. Care to join me in Southern Maryland Free-Range Kids group?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Dangerous Things
My daughter loves to do Dangerous Things. She is referring of course to things that in HER mind are dangerous and crazy. So I loved this TED talk by Gever Tulley about 5 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do.
So how am I doing? Let's see.
1. Play with fire: Son (11) is normally our fire tender. I recently dug a fire pit in our backyard so we could play with fire more often.
2. Own a pocketknife: Son (11) has several and has had one since the age of 6 or 7. Daughter (6) owns and regularly uses two pocketknives and an all-in-one tool.
3. Throw a spear: I am afraid I am deficient in this. I don't own a spear either. So I am going to have to substitute a stick. Oh woe is me.
4. Deconstruct appliances: We can do this more often than once a year ... Kids do a lot of fixing of things but not so much in the taking apart realm. I think the last thing we took apart was a printer. Luckily, I have a CD player and various other electronics waiting patiently in the basement.
5a. Break the Digital Media Copyright Agreement: We've certainly done this but haven't talked about it in terms of breaking laws. That could be fun!
5b. Drive a car: Ok, Son backed our car out of the garage and through the baby trees into the neighbors yard when he was younger. He also loves to drive go karts and other vehicles. But Daughter has never expressed an interest. Hmm. The wheels are turning ...
Ok, I have my homework now!
So how am I doing? Let's see.
1. Play with fire: Son (11) is normally our fire tender. I recently dug a fire pit in our backyard so we could play with fire more often.
2. Own a pocketknife: Son (11) has several and has had one since the age of 6 or 7. Daughter (6) owns and regularly uses two pocketknives and an all-in-one tool.
3. Throw a spear: I am afraid I am deficient in this. I don't own a spear either. So I am going to have to substitute a stick. Oh woe is me.
4. Deconstruct appliances: We can do this more often than once a year ... Kids do a lot of fixing of things but not so much in the taking apart realm. I think the last thing we took apart was a printer. Luckily, I have a CD player and various other electronics waiting patiently in the basement.
5a. Break the Digital Media Copyright Agreement: We've certainly done this but haven't talked about it in terms of breaking laws. That could be fun!
5b. Drive a car: Ok, Son backed our car out of the garage and through the baby trees into the neighbors yard when he was younger. He also loves to drive go karts and other vehicles. But Daughter has never expressed an interest. Hmm. The wheels are turning ...
Ok, I have my homework now!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Places That Fit Me
I am in search of a place that fits me and my current needs. They are not well defined, but I think I'll know it when I see it. So far, I know I am in search of a large-ish town or a small-ish city where there are: a university, a green community, a variety of cultural activities, sustainable farms, a favorable homeschooling culture, and people who strive for friends and community. So far on the list is:
Ithaca, NY
Santa Fe, NM
Asheville, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Serenbe, GA
Brunswick, Portland, and Belfast, ME
Portland, OR
Burlington, VT
Corvallis, OR
Boulder, CO
Tri-Cities area, TN
Durham, NC ?
Morgantown, WV ?
Kingston, RI ?
New Brunswick, NJ ?
Plymouth, NH ?
Princeton, NJ ?
Radford, VA ?
Storrs, CT ?
Fort Collins, CO ?
Logan, UT ?
Boone, NC ?
Chapel Hill, NC ?
Moscow, Idaho ?
Ecovillages
Ithaca, NY
Santa Fe, NM
Asheville, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Serenbe, GA
Brunswick, Portland, and Belfast, ME
Portland, OR
Burlington, VT
Corvallis, OR
Boulder, CO
Tri-Cities area, TN
Durham, NC ?
Morgantown, WV ?
Kingston, RI ?
New Brunswick, NJ ?
Plymouth, NH ?
Princeton, NJ ?
Radford, VA ?
Storrs, CT ?
Fort Collins, CO ?
Logan, UT ?
Boone, NC ?
Chapel Hill, NC ?
Moscow, Idaho ?
Ecovillages
Saturday, November 21, 2009
New Slow Parenting Group
One of my friends posted this link to facebook and I wanted to share it with you. The article is entitled: The Backlash Against Overparenting from Time magazine. I love this article. Especially the last quote about leaving the kids alone.
If you like this article and agree with pretty much everything it says, please join me in a new Slow Parenting group. We can decide the specifics of our group gatherings, but I expect them to involve lots of time for kids to play what they choose together, homemade food, and pleasurable adult conversation time.
If you like this article and agree with pretty much everything it says, please join me in a new Slow Parenting group. We can decide the specifics of our group gatherings, but I expect them to involve lots of time for kids to play what they choose together, homemade food, and pleasurable adult conversation time.
Gratitude List #4
This week's gratitude list (late as always):
1. I am grateful for the stars which light the night and show us the way home.
2. I am grateful for other people who choose to stay with us and become new friends.
3. I am grateful to my local family farmers for providing my family with the yummiest sustenance there is.
4. I appreciate the love of my cat.
5. I appreciate the colorful tree leaves I can see outside my window.
1. I am grateful for the stars which light the night and show us the way home.
2. I am grateful for other people who choose to stay with us and become new friends.
3. I am grateful to my local family farmers for providing my family with the yummiest sustenance there is.
4. I appreciate the love of my cat.
5. I appreciate the colorful tree leaves I can see outside my window.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Gratitude List #3
1. I am grateful for my father's strong push ever forward when I was growing up.
2. I am grateful that I am the only one pushing me forward now.
3. I am grateful for the internet which brings me closer to those far away.
4. I am grateful for this peaceful morning.
5. I am grateful for the cozy sweater that kept me warm most of yesterday.
2. I am grateful that I am the only one pushing me forward now.
3. I am grateful for the internet which brings me closer to those far away.
4. I am grateful for this peaceful morning.
5. I am grateful for the cozy sweater that kept me warm most of yesterday.
Gratitude List #2
Ok, So I forgot about my gratitude list until I was too busy getting ready for ARGH to sit at the computer - and then I was gone for this wednesday. So I have two lists I want to do right now before the kids wake up.
1. I am thankful for the always present love from my dear husband.
2. I am thankful for warm sunshine in the morning.
3. I am thankful for fun people to be around - even if I have to drive many hours to get there!
4. I am thankful for the way the dew looks like glittering diamonds when the sun first hits it.
5. I am thankful that my yoga class has started up again.
1. I am thankful for the always present love from my dear husband.
2. I am thankful for warm sunshine in the morning.
3. I am thankful for fun people to be around - even if I have to drive many hours to get there!
4. I am thankful for the way the dew looks like glittering diamonds when the sun first hits it.
5. I am thankful that my yoga class has started up again.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Gratitude List #1
Another unschooler, Clint, has started posting five thing to be grateful for every wednesday from now until Thanksgiving. I thought I would join him this year.
I am grateful for:
1) the freedom to determine my own path in life
2) my life partner, Walter
3) the infinite love from my children
4) the chance to remake myself as often as I wish
5) my dazzlingly creative mother
Why don't you try now?
I am grateful for:
1) the freedom to determine my own path in life
2) my life partner, Walter
3) the infinite love from my children
4) the chance to remake myself as often as I wish
5) my dazzlingly creative mother
Why don't you try now?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Unschooling newspaper article
Yesterday's local newspaper has a very positive article about our unschooling family. A few parts of it are pretty funny but it overall made me smile. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Reusable Straws
I am always on the hunt for reusable items in order to reduce the trash my family creates. I saw these cool glass straws at another unschooler's blog. At the DC Green Festival last weekend I also saw nifty bamboo straws. I am still not sure that we would use these enough to justify the expense but I sure do like them! Just thought I would share.
Apple Trees
I am researching apple trees since I want a few at my house. I am keeping with heirloom varieties. I start my quest at Edible Landscaping in Afton, VA.
Oh but I want kiwis, persimmons, berries, grapes, blackberries, jujubas, shitake log, and much more!
- Liberty - resistant to mildew, cedar apple rust and fire blight and immune to scab, zones 4-7, self-fertile, crisp apple kind of like a McIntosh
- Enterprise -
- Honey Crisp - (had these at Westmoreland Berry Farm and my kids thought nothing was better than these apples)
Oh but I want kiwis, persimmons, berries, grapes, blackberries, jujubas, shitake log, and much more!
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