Monday 25 February 2013

Observations from a Home Schooling Mama

So, we're 3/4 of the way into our first homeschooling year, and by all accounts, I think it's going well, though I really have no "measure", other than how my children are feeling & acting and how I am feeling & acting.

I can tell you, I feel much freer, not being tied to the public school schedule, and I am pretty sure my daughter feels the same way.  She has been able to try so many new things this year, partly because our "school", Self Design, gives her a learning investment (read: loaded Visa card of a set amount) on which to spend on educational pursuits; and partly because she is not tied to being in school and "busy" for 30 hours a week, which frees up lots of time she wouldn't have had otherwise.  For example, last year, when she attended public school, we usually opted to stay home on the weekends and any other time she didn't have dance or soccer, which were the 2 extra-curriculars that she was involved in.  Instead, this year, we have done several field trips (museums, guided nature walks, art galleries, the local science center, a bee farm, and several out-of-town play dates with like-minded families); she has dabbled in Kung Fu and gymnastics; and volunteered to be a patient for medical students!  She reads at least a novel a week because she wants to and is raising a batch of Buff Orpington chicks all on her own (she bought the eggs to incubate with her own money).  We do insist that she does some math and English several times a week, to keep her mind learning and current with the BC Grade 4 curriculum , though we do this via several different tools.  Math might consist of workbook exercises, puzzles, or books like the "Life of Fred"; English could also be a workbook, but also includes things like mapping out her plans for the chicks or writing to friends.

Now, in contrast, my boy has never been to school.  Not even preschool.  I wasn't working so I didn't see any point in sending him off when I could hang out with him.  How he learns is SO different from his sister.  He will pick up a workbook or puzzle book at any time of the day (but enjoys bedtime best) and practice his letters (he's just turned 6 so would be in Kindergarten this year), does word searches or sudoku puzzles - because it's fun.  He is totally fine with deconstructing something shortly after he's built it, which tells me he's enjoying the process and not just the end result.  His sister, by contrast, is almost completely focused on the end result and needs to keep the thing around for a while.  She can get down-right irate if someone wants to use some pieces from her lego building to make a new thing, even if it's been around for a few days.

This could just be personality style or something more.  The boy was allowed to finish his projects as he was home in his youngest years.  The girl, well, she was in preschool, Kindergarten, and public school to grade 3 where the children are told when they are done, so then don't get to gauge that for themselves.

Hmmm.

Interesting.

Something I'll keep watching, for sure.


Sunday 17 February 2013

Fresh Knits, Fresh Eggs


Ok, this time I'm absolutely and shamelessly coping Soule Mama's picture of a couple of weeks ago.  It was just So Cool, I couldn't help myself.

My first knits are fingerless gloves, much like hers, only for me.  My first knit from wool that I washed, carded and spun myself.  Only difference is it's not from my sheep.  I don't have woolies yet.  But I did buy the fleece straight from the shepherdess, so pretty close.  Hers were for the guy who does most of the farm chores, and is out in the elements several times over the course of the day.  Well, over here, that's Me.  And the eggs?  Well, the blue is an ameraucana, the green is from Banana, an Easter Egger, and the brown, one of our faithful cross-breed layers.

Two of my favorite things, in one picture.


Thursday 14 February 2013

The Buff Babies are Here!

We hatched some Buff Orpington chicks in our new Brinsea incubator last week...


These were all daughter's idea.  We had a beautiful Buff Orpington hen when she was about 4 years old; she had named it Lightening.  One morning, a couple of coyotes devastated our entire flock, and my little girl never forgot Lightning and has wanted Buff Orpingtons ever since.


So, when she was gifted a bunch of moolah for her birthday in January, she decided she wanted to buy chickens.  She paid for the eggs herself, contributed $50 to the cost of the new incubator, and is now caring for these 6 little cuties on her own.


Buff Orpingtons (or the Orpington breed in general) are a wonderful, beautiful golden dual-purpose bird that lays lovely brown eggs.  They have a gentle, laid-back personality and are described as being perfect for children.



We even grew some wheatgrass for them to peck at.


I know it's only February, but it feels like Spring!

Sunday 10 February 2013

To Spin a Yarn...

I've been debating about this post for over a week now.  I was all set to post something more on spinning and yarn and sheep... but then my favorite blogger Amanda Blake Soule posted something SO similar I just couldn't bare to mirror her... even though I totally am, but not by design.  We just happen to be very interested in the same things.  Probably why I enjoy her blog so much.  Hmmmm.


I may have mentioned, I bought an entire unwashed fleece from Margaret at Ranfurly Farms last March.  I washed it, carded it, and now, spun it...

plyed it (with itself)




And ...

Ta-Dah!  My first "real" skein!


 I have a few before this one, but THIS one really felt like I knew what I was doing, though I'm still not totally consistent with the gauge. Yet.

I have rented a spinning wheel for the month of February, as one whole fleece actually gets one a whole lot of wool.  I'd like to try dying some of it, but I'll hopefully spin it all first.  I haven't knitted anything with it yet, as my priority right now is getting something done for my little man whose birthday is fast approaching.  And, with a deadline of the end of February, I want to get as much spun as possible.  I figure that after I return the wheel, I'll have plenty of time while waiting for lambs to arrive to knit.  And ya, I'll probably copy Mrs Soule again and knit some fingerless gloves with the first skein... very practical for spring time and lambing time on the farm.

Wait. Did I say Lambing Time???

Yes.  Yes I did :)

Sunday 3 February 2013

Weekend Reading


More real life reading for me.   "Trauma Farm"  is written by Salt Spring Island (BC) farmer Brian Brett and covers 18 years in a single day.  Hmmm.  How?  Well, he starts off in the morning, and tells several stories about that time of day, though the stories can span his 18 years on what is affectionately known as Trauma Farm.  And he continues like this.  He is funny, but real, exploring the harshness of factory farming vs small rural farms, the humorous anecdotes and heart-felt connections that inevitably occur when humans and animals co-habitate, the cycle of life and death,  and the importance - and necessity - of community.  Great book, and I especially loved that it's Canadian (printed and bound as well!)

Happy Reading!