Periwinkles and Pine

{ year of the dragon }

2012-01-26T07:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated the Chinese New Year with friends in our homeschool group. There were masks, envelopes, lanterns and kites to make, dioramas to explore and yummy food to taste. Learning and having
fun doing it......

They always do this at least once when they are together....

{ ancestral baking }

2012-01-19T08:56:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was explore your family ancestry day at our homeschooling group. Owen did some research online into our Scottish family roots, exploring the McIntyre name on my mother's side. The original McIntyre{MacIntyre } clan can be traced to the Isle of Skye in Scotland - one of the inner Hebrides islands, and means son of the carpenter, in Gaelic. The boy was delighted to find out that building is in the blood. The perfect snack to share was a batch of cranberry scones, which he baked himself.

Lang may yer lum reek! - May you live long and stay well.

a wee Scottish saying...

{ noticing...}

2012-01-13T09:35:00.000-05:00

{ bunny trails }

2012-01-09T10:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday an impromptu hike out across the beaver bog revealed all kinds of bunny trails. Nearly four years here and I have yet to get a good look at the rabbits that are hopping about a mere 100 yards from the house. We got an up close look at the beaver lodge though and when my husband told Owen that the beaver were just underneath where we were standing on the ice, he got a little nervous.

The pond is cleared off and ready for skating.....

{ good books }

2012-01-07T17:34:00.000-05:00

This will be the year of the sci - fi novel I think. After reading non-fiction almost exclusively, the boy has found that fiction does indeed have something to offer. Here are some titles we recommend that cover both bases.

The Rendering ~ A creative sci-fi romp complete with talking cyber skunks, Owen's favorite part and favorite book of the new year.

Pirate Penguin vs. Ninja Chicken ~ A funny, wackadoodle graphic novel.

My Life As A Stuntboy ~ In the vein of the Wimpy Kid series. A funny story with hand drawn cartoons.

Stickman Odyssey ~ A quirky graphic novel based on Greek mythology. Number two comes out in May I think, and Owen is looking forward to it.

Talk, Talk, Squawk ~ I adore Nicola Davies' books and this one is no exception. Information delivered with a heaping helping of whimsy - all about animal communication.

Just A Second ~ Another favorite author - Steve Jenkins delivers with this beautifully crafted picture book about time, and scale. Yes, a picture book. We dig them here and I think they are under utilized with older kiddos.

Happy reading !

{ forty degrees }

2012-01-03T07:47:00.002-05:00

Sunday showed up warm and bright so the boy and I headed across the brook for a stroll. Winter this year is suffering from an identity crisis of sorts. One day forty degrees, the next day we drop into the teens or even single digits. It's keeping things interesting.

Some snow is going to have to show up soon though because I feel the need for a sledding party!

{ welcome 2012 }

2012-01-01T10:29:00.000-05:00

“For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice.”

T.S. Eliot

We had a lovely Christmas.... relaxed and removed from the hustle bustle of travel. I'm pretty sure I stayed in my pajamas all day as did the boy. The food was plentiful and delicious and the gifts well received. It even snowed a few inches which delighted Owen and infused all of us with just a bit more Christmas spirit.

Which brings us to the new year ~ 2012. I couldn't be more ready.

I hope a bit of magic lights your way this year......

{ this moment }

2011-12-22T11:27:00.002-05:00

I wish all of you many blessings in this moment and in the days to come. See you early next year!

{ clear, cold and bright }

2011-12-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

Owen just walked past me to look out the front door and asked, " Did it snow?" Nope, just really cold with lots of sparkly frost everywhere. There is a chance we make get some snow on Wednesday and he will have the white Christmas he is hoping for.

{ hybrid heroes }

2011-12-13T08:09:00.000-05:00

While I was busy making Nissua bread in the kitchen yesterday, Owen busied himself designing hybrids of Lego Hero Factory and Bionicle. I didn't know they had discontinued Bionicle ~ guess I'm behind on the Lego news of the day. Anyway, after spending some time on this site - it seems the die hard fans of long lost themes can petition to have them resurrected. It also featured new content for review by Lego. There may even be a Minecraft/Lego collaboration in the works in the future !

Here are the "awesome sauce" ~ { Owen's new favorite saying } ~ creations.....

{ ice }

2011-12-09T10:33:00.001-05:00

What little snow we have gotten so far has surrendered to the mild temperatures this week. The real show is the ice that forms every morning in the shallow puddles. Nature's geometry...

{ holiday making }

2011-12-03T07:40:00.001-05:00

Just about this time of year Owen gets a hankering for one of his favorite holiday foods ~ latkes. He took over the grating potato duties this year { notice the band aid } and decided after reading some of
the library books we picked up that dreidel making was in order as well. I found a template for a paper one online and he used that as a guide to fashion one out of Sculpey.

Christmas tags that had been drying were ready for painting so we tackled that item on the to do list, and I tucked some Saint Lucia bread into the freezer in preparation for Dec. 13th. Now I'm researching and gathering supplies for solstice gifts and crafts..... busy, busy!

Hope your holiday merry making is in full swing !!

{ thanksgiving 2011 }

2011-11-26T07:28:00.001-05:00

We had a lovely Thanksgiving celebration at my sister's complete with a scenic view of the mountains

from her dining room. There is just always so much food to taste and enjoy and good company as well.

Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone....

{ eleven, eleven, eleven }

2011-11-22T10:07:00.001-05:00

We celebrated our own bit of eleven/eleven magic here as Owen turned eleven, in the eleventh month of 2011. It was a quiet, family celebration as he requested, with lunch at his favorite restaurant, a shopping trip for new video games and plenty of time to build with Lego ~ old and new. A devil's food cake and espresso ice cream ended the day on a very sweet note, for a very sweet boy.

{ monday mash-up }

2011-11-15T09:25:00.001-05:00

We are still finding plenty of interesting things to make at Looledo, like this compass.

Drawing is so much nicer with a bit of chocolate. The boy tried out his magnetic poetry for geeks yesterday as well... { Shh...... an early birthday present from his Aunt.}

My husband who is home this week on vacation brought in the eggs from the coop and look at the itsy bitsy, wee egg that he found next to the usual lunkers.

Here are two sites that we have been enjoying this week:

Amazing collection of interesting videos at The Kid Should see This

and

for all you Lego lovers ~ A Lego a Day

{ sunday walk in the woods }

2011-11-13T16:06:00.001-05:00

* For the locals who may be reading, yes... we realize there is no hunting in Maine on Sundays - Ron often carries a firearm in the woods for protection and yes... we were all decked out in the blaze orange of the season for safety. We even made a vest for the dog so he can be seen clearly on our morning walks.

{ he is happiest building things }

2011-11-08T10:56:00.001-05:00

The crane design as well as many other fantastic building projects can be found at Looledo.

{ where art and science unite for the greater fun }

2011-11-07T07:26:00.000-05:00

This little activity from Art and Creativity combines science facts with a colorful foray into sculpting with ice, color and light.

Although it is probably more dramatic done outside on a warm summer day, we made do inside at the kitchen table. It's too brrr in Maine right now for holding blocks of ice up to the sun..... she says sheepishly, nestled in next to the wood stove.

{ lollies }

2011-11-04T09:42:00.000-04:00

Good friends + homemade Jolly Rancher lollipops + marathon Minecraft = a very good day.

{ the alien and bigfoot }

2011-11-02T09:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was just one of those days. The boy and I were having trouble hitching horses and
learning was labored at best. So.... out came the tin foil and the Sharpie markers. I found the idea
from a teacher's blog here.

I think one resembles Bigfoot and the other a skinny alien. The shadows add an element of coolness, don't you think?

{ snow in october }

2011-10-30T12:10:00.000-04:00

Late October snowstorms ~ a new tradition it seems. Nine or so inches fell last night and continued into the early morning. The boy and his dog were all too happy to dive in.......

{ popsicle stick bracelets }

2011-10-25T10:58:00.000-04:00

When I first saw this activity on Pinterest I was intrigued and a bit skeptical but it works! You basically boil the popsicle sticks for 30 minutes, bend them to fit inside cups or glasses and when they are dry you embellish them as you like. I made fall leaves and dinosaur teeth and Owen chose his favorite bad guy figures from Minecraft. The tutorial is here.

There are lots of neat crafts using paint samples and Owen used them yesterday to make another Minecraft figure and to illustrate the difference in types of angles.

Tomorrow our homeschool group is hosting a Roman feast - togas are optional - should be fun!

{ draw }

2011-10-21T09:21:00.001-04:00

{ melted crayons }

2011-10-14T09:50:00.000-04:00

We gave this melted crayon rainbow craft a try which has been very popular, circulating the web.
Of course Owen chose to leave in the brown and black crayons and arrange the colors differently so we got a bit more muddled result but very expressive, melty and fun just the same. A word of caution ~ the wax does tend to fly around a bit depending on the angle of your blow dryer. I'm still finding little islands of it on my floor :)

The boy finished his bit of crayon expressionism with a piraha plant and mushroom a la Mario & Luigi.

{ balance }

2011-10-13T08:39:00.000-04:00

It has been a week of shifts and corrections, ying and yang, good and not so good. We have bathed ourselves in the golden light of autumn, accomplished lots of outdoor projects ~ { a new rain gutter and storm door} and snacked on mini apple pies. Owen discovered all the fun to be had on Lego Universe which you can now play for free.

We also lost our first chicken and have navigated the loss of a pet for the first time with Owen. He's fine and the rough edges of grief are softening now. We buried her across the brook, on Rabbit Ridge and the boy made a marker with stones he had collected. He says he wants to build a small brick house in her honor someday which makes my eyes well up a little.

Husband's off to the mechanic this morning, holding his breath that the oil pump makes it to the garage for repairs before expiring. Life's little challenges. Keeps things interesting doesn't it?

{ fabulous baker boy }

2011-10-09T12:09:00.001-04:00

From Friday's bread baking class....

{ egg shell geodes }

2011-10-04T12:01:00.000-04:00

With the rain has come some sniffles for my boy and a general slowing down with long forays on the couch spent reading or watching some science t.v. He did manage to rouse himself for this simple activity though which yields some pretty crystals in just three hours and can be done with only a handful of household ingredients. All the details from The Happy Scientist can be found here.

{ opt art }

2011-09-29T08:40:00.000-04:00

This is a simple drawing activity that yields a pretty cool optical illusion. Get all the details here.

{ ration cakes and minecraft }

2011-09-27T09:21:00.000-04:00

We settled on another project from Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself. Owen gathered the ingredients together for baking a batch of ration cakes. Two of the first items rationed during the war were coffee and sugar so families had to substitute things like molasses, honey and maple syrup for baking. Butter was often in short supply as well so margarine, shortening and drippings from meat were used. Our recipe called for honey and no butter,eggs, milk or white sugar.

The texture of the cakes was a bit spongy and they tasted nicely of cinnamon but were otherwise rather flat. Still, if I had to manage without many of the ingredients I have come to depend on - they would have been a welcome snack!

When not in the kitchen Owen has been immersing himself happily in the world of Minecraft ~ a
cool kind of building/crafting game with scary monsters that come out at night!

{ night light }

2011-09-22T09:02:00.000-04:00

The directions for your own glow stick lanterns can be found here.

{ busy }

2011-09-19T12:44:00.000-04:00

When I loaded some of my pictures onto the computer this morning I had forgotten just how busy Owen has been this past week. On Saturday we attended an event that showcased different drums and included performances by a steel drum band. The boy was kind of not so impressed and that's okay cuz you never know till you go and hear it for yourself!

He worked on making a Japanese fighter plane from World War II using this very cool project book below...

There was a bit of art as well ~ Owen used a bleach pen to draw out the pyrus Bakugan symbol onto a colored t-shirt. He was happy with it but the bleach is thick and can be difficult to control if you are attempting an intricate design. After we let the bleach set for 20 minutes, I rinsed the t-shirt under cold water and popped it in the wash. When it dried the design was pretty clear and most of the red dye was gone.

I can hear Ron and Owen discussing "tomato guts" in the kitchen so I guess the marinara making is in full swing. Happy Monday friends ....

{ pumpkin time }

2011-09-13T09:52:00.000-04:00

Its fun to see all the wonderful pumpkin varieties at the farm stand but the ones you grew yourself

are pretty special too....

{ full circle }

2011-09-09T08:32:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I watched my son demonstrate a tsunami in the mud puddle. The always faithful dog kept an eye on both of us as I wondered around the backyard, swept up in the golden show of late summer color. I can't help but feel the shift that a fully formed season brings as I await the new face of Fall.

{ megaman}

2011-09-06T13:38:00.000-04:00

{ the fair }

2011-09-01T16:56:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming to a close so we found ourselves at our favorite agricultural fair today. There was the tour of livestock barns followed by fried dough and french fries, bumper cars and at least one scary ride

which Owen insists had a g force of about 100. He has sworn off all twirling, swirling rides for life, and no...

the midway snacks did not make a second appearance, thankfully.

We call this photo a whole bunch o' bull!

I finally stopped to take a picture of this sign which we encounter regularly on road trips. See.... all the

exotic locations of the world reside here in the state of Maine!

{ irene }

2011-08-30T14:45:00.000-04:00

Irene blew in and back out fairly quickly on Sunday leaving us relatively unscathed but without power until
just a few hours ago. In the interim we enjoyed dinner by candlelight, played loads of board games and
Owen became acquainted with the joy of solitaire ~ his new favorite card game.

I'm knee deep in laundry and dishes right now and couldn't be happier.

Stay well everyone. Be back soon...

{ summer fades }

2011-08-23T09:27:00.000-04:00

As August winds down we find ourselves outside in the evening , poking around for critters near the woodpile, assessing whether or not the tomatoes will ever begin to ripen, and breathing in the last bits of
summer soaked air, while the crickets serenade us......

Owen is delighted that the apples have turned red...

{ experiential learning }

2011-08-21T15:43:00.000-04:00

Using the impact driver for the first time and examining the process of small engine repair. Our

lawn mower will never be the same.

{ bots, beans and bakugan }

2011-08-14T09:02:00.000-04:00

My husband takes care of most of the canning at our house so he's been putting up some dilly beans this week while the boy has been drawing robots and immersing himself in the finer points of playing Bakugan.

I've been scouting the Internet for homeschool resources and organizing book shelves and game cabinets. Suprisingly I am kind of in love with some of the unit studies from Currclick ~ many of which are free or on sale this month.

Oh, and I'm in charge of figuring out if you can freeze fresh potatoes from the garden successfully and if so,
how you prepare them. We have a deep freeze, but no root cellar so I appreciate any suggestions from you folks....

The cooler mornings and rain showers are whispering that autumn is on its way......

{ august time }

2011-08-07T10:47:00.000-04:00

There was dirt and the hose and then mud...... oh yeah, never too old for mud pies.

Big, bodacious blackberries have been found.... and eaten....

And the battle lines have been drawn after finding huge cutworms munching away on our prized

heirloom roma tomatoes. Yep.... tossed them over in the direction of the chooks for lunch.

Circle of life, baby. Hopefully we will have some ripened tomatoes to enjoy in a few weeks.

What's growin' on in your neck of the woods????

{ coastal maine botanical gardens }

2011-08-01T11:37:00.000-04:00

It was warm and sunny and eighty degrees as we made our way slowly through the well groomed paths at
the botanical gardens in Boothbay yesterday. So many beautiful plants and blossoms to marvel at. Here are some views from the day......

{ the garden }

2011-07-21T08:50:00.000-04:00

"Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden."

Robert Brault

For some extraordinary garden goodness head on over here and here.

{ summer eats }

2011-07-20T10:01:00.001-04:00

This is our first year attempting to put in a full, but humble sized garden. Owen is so fond of basil that we planted loads of it and it just exploded with growth this week so a big batch of pesto was in order.

Husband promises green beans and cucumbers in the near future. Summer squash and zucchini have already been harvested once and enjoyed sauteed with some onion, olive oil and fresh herbs.

Rounding out last night's dinner was a blueberry cobbler which I found rather satisfying this morning for breakfast!

As we watered our potato and tomato plants this morning my favorite tiny bird flew overhead, continuously feeding and fending off the male hummingbird that dared drop by the feeder for a snack.

I apologize for the rather abundant hummingbird pics of late but I am in love with them and can't stop clicking away on the camera.....

{ living gem }

2011-07-17T08:27:00.000-04:00

Have you ever observed a humming-bird moving about in an aerial dance among the flowers - a living prismatic gem.... it is a creature of such fairy-like loveliness as to mock all description.

~W.H. Hudson, Green Mansions ~

This year I am making my own hummingbird food with no red dye - apparently they don't need it and it can be harmful. I used this recipe.

{ retreat }

2011-07-15T08:50:00.000-04:00

It is surprising to me how many people I have encountered whose job it is to work with kids all day but who really don't seem to enjoy the experience. These folks have jobs that clearly require them to interact, guide and nurture children and they come off as detached, annoyed and bothered. I just don't get it. Owen didn't get it either, but muddled through his robot camp this week anyway. Overall he had a good time but could have used more support, less criticism from the instructor.

I am chalking it up to more information. How does the saying go? When people show you who they are, believe them. This is ringing so true for us this week, on many levels.

Ah well..... one thing that never disappoints? The magic of droplets on the pepper plants just watered and the fuzzy daisies hanging out under the apple tree. Oh and the lilies are blooming!

{ sum.. sum.. summertime }

2011-07-07T07:47:00.000-04:00

And so it begins.... the sway into summer. Cold lemonade, swimming in the lake at the cottage, afternoon thunderstorms and the evening lit up with sparklers...

{ aging gracefully }

2011-06-27T08:09:00.000-04:00

Two of my roadside treasures found on our Sunday drive......

{ best laid plans }

2011-06-24T09:45:00.000-04:00

Sometimes things just don't work out the way you expect. Kind of like drinking out of a water hose, hoping to quench your thirst but you really only get completely soaked by the spray of water and end up just as thirsty as when you began...... Or... kind of like replacing a blown video card on your computer, deciding to upgrade to a new operating system ( Windows 7 ) and realizing the two don't like each other very much. Mucho crashes and lost data. Many bad words from me and finally a surrender until my computer literate husband gets home, spends hours sequestered in the computer room, troubleshooting, brainstorming and patiently figuring things out.

Exhale. Things appear to be working fine this morning. I have abandoned { for now } thoughts of my life without technology, happily reading by lamplight and sending snail mail letters to friends using a fountain pen. It could happpen.

Best weekend wishes to you friends. Keep the faith.

{ finger puppets }

2011-06-21T09:06:00.000-04:00

When I picked up The Star Wars Craft Book at the library I thought maybe Owen and I would try out one or two of the crafts inside and that would be the end of it. Crafting for my ten year old boy has lost some of it's allure lately.

He chose the C-3PO finger puppet first which was a smashing success.....

That led to the more challenging General Grievous design...

Also a stunning likeness if I do say so myself. The finger puppet spark was lit and soon Darth Vader was added to the mix. My boy became a finger puppet making machine!

Enter Yoda and the dastardly Emperor Palpatine.

There have been two more additions to the gang. R2-D2 and a storm trooper.

The author provides some templates to get started. We just modified the outlines to better represent the features of the Star Wars characters Owen wanted to make. Some of the other projects in the book include a Jabba the Hutt body pillow, Chewbacca tissue box cover and AT-T herb garden.

I can't imagine a better way to spend the afternoon. Good geeky fun!

{ snake day }

2011-06-09T07:47:00.000-04:00

One of the Dads from our homeschool group raises Ball Pythons and yesterday the kids got to experience what amazing and gentle creatures these snakes are. Many of the kids were happy to hold the snakes and most wrapped them around their necks in true snake wrangling fashion.

{ in the dark }

2011-06-07T07:52:00.000-04:00

We've been plagued recently by power outages. Folks seem to be unable to steer around those pesky telephone poles.

Fine by us though. Owen learned how to play blackjack by lamplight with his Dad.

I just love the soft warm glow from the oil lamp.

In related news, today is my anniversary and I'm happy to announce I will be renewing my husband's contract for another year..... { smirk } I love you honey.

{ blooms }

2011-06-04T09:45:00.000-04:00

My mom came for a visit this week and we were able to take a nice long walk, admiring all the colorful blossoms that have seemingly appeared overnight. I found our first lady slipper in the woods and hope I have identified wild mustard correctly.

The wild iris along the edge of the pond are the real show stoppers this year...

{ pretty pretty }

2011-05-31T10:48:00.000-04:00

There is just so much lovely to drink in this week.

My sweet boy is catching the first frogs of the season, enjoying Harry Potter movies, badmitton and his new squirt gun.

My darling hubby is planting the garden and weed wacking like a demon.

I'm going about my mama business and trying to notice all the good bits....

{ celebration }

2011-05-26T08:24:00.000-04:00

The sun is back. I'm a year older and all the official days of our home school year are counted up and finished. So much to celebrate... and we did! All day long.

{ on the mend }

2011-05-22T09:35:00.000-04:00

It seems we are inextricably caught in a web of rain and illness. My flu has morphed into allergies triggered by high mold counts and I'm annoying my sweet husband with coughing every night. I did dig around and find my trusty neti pot this morning though and after only one use I feel like relief is on the way. Still it seems there are some things only sunshine can mend.

My lovely martha washington geraniums have had more blooms
rot than blossom but I am determined to get them planted tomorrow.

The potato plants are not complaining ~ they are
pushing up from the soil, green and proud.

And this tawny colored fungi is pretty happy with the wet and damp climate.

I know many people across the country are suffering with more than mere inconvenience where the weather is concerned. There is much loveliness to be grateful for and I shall try and see the beauty beyond the raindrops.... and be patient for the return of the healing sun.

{ balance }

2011-05-10T12:36:00.000-04:00

I thought I was keeping all the balls in the air just fine and that my life was in balance... then on Friday morning a fever hit me and was unrelenting until just this morning. Yes, sadly Mother's Day was spent in bed with what seems to be some kind on flu.

No to worry though since my dear husband took great care to keep me well fed and rested and hydrated. He roasted a chicken, made soup and even even made Perogi for his Mom as well as all of us. I had no appetite until today but all these goodies await me in the freezer and I look forward to a proper dinner with my two favorite guys this evening.

Hope all of you Moms enjoyed your special day.

Be back soon.

{ merry month of may }

2011-05-02T09:29:00.000-04:00

Every morning there is some new, natural discovery to find ~
some bright blossom or bud. I really don't care to be anywhere but here, watching all of this unfold.

{ weekend view }

2011-04-25T07:53:00.000-04:00

We've set ourselves on the path to Spring now. Here are some views from our weekend...

{ hello world }

2011-04-22T08:49:00.000-04:00

With sunshine days sandwiched between cold and rain,
and my sweet boy down with a nasty cold, it seemed the
perfect time to try out the computer programming book he had asked for. I admit there are not a plentiful amount of titles to choose from when you go hunting for programming books geared to kids but I did find one and it was well recommended. After I downloaded the free Python language he was off on his own independent study.....

Serving as inspiration for instruction to the computer, aka code, was Gir from Invader Zim. I don't know what took us so long to find this hilarious show.

{ rock hound }

2011-04-18T17:08:00.000-04:00

So today it was off to our local natural history museum for family rock day, complete with up close peeks at mineral samples, the use of a black light, soil sampling and some smashing of geodes.

All good fun and the rain held off to boot.

Owen offered to help hold a large chunk of petrified wood underneath the black light. Although you can't see it in the second photo, a green glow appeared.

The kids compared soil from a sandy area vs. an area with lots of clay. They then observed how both samples reacted with water.

The geode smashing was a bit of a bust.... no pun intended. The museum volunteer tried several and they were just too hard to crack open.

The boy picked up some new samples in the gift shop to add to his rock collection on the way out. He chose some quartz, amethyst and his favorite.... bismuth.

{ the woo }

2011-04-17T10:30:00.001-04:00

Out with the cold, in with the woo. ~E. Marshall, "Spring Thought"

The woodlot road has finally cleared itself of snow and so the morning walks in the woods have resumed. This golden Spring sunlight is so welcome.

Yesterday I found enormous deer tracks and husband says he is sure that droppings he discovered belong to a moose. I'll believe it when I see it.

{ graphic novels }

2011-04-15T07:25:00.000-04:00

I don't want anyone to think all we do around here is soak up sunshine, wade in the brook and follow butterflies around.... No, there has been a bunch of reading too and much of it has been graphic novels.

The popularity of these books is growing and not just with reluctant readers. It seems there are more and more juicy titles to consider each time I browse the library or bookstore.

One of our favorites from this week is Thoreau at Walden by John Porcellino. He uses Thoreau's own words from Walden to accompany his simple line drawings and captures the spirit of a more deliberate life quite beautifully. For the younger reader it serves as a nice introduction to Thoreau.

Here are some other titles that Owen gives two thumbs up!

Return of The Dapper Men

The Amulet Of Samarkand ~ { A Bartimaeus Graphic Novel }

Beanworld

Brody's Ghost

Trickster: Native American Tales

Korgi

The Shocking World of Electricity with Max Axiom

Rapunzel's Revenge

Owly

{ whisper }

2011-04-12T07:49:00.000-04:00

I felt myself whisper a small thank you as I stepped outside into the sunshine and the warm breeze this weekend. All things wonderful and wild were happening outside and so that is where we all spent our time.

{ old friend }

2011-04-07T15:59:00.000-04:00

It was time to check in on the pond's progress today.

There was just enough water on the thawed edge to wade into, and reflect on all the good to come.

{ reptile show }

2011-04-03T20:43:00.000-04:00

We were very happy to be invited to tag along to a reptile exposition in New Hampshire this weekend. There were lots of species to see and lots of people admiring these wonderful creatures.

Owen's favorites were the bearded dragons and geckos.

I enjoyed the little tortoises and there were even some frogs to see!

This was a very cool way to spend the afternoon and now my boy has lots more pet options to consider.

{ the joke's on me }

2011-04-02T14:20:00.000-04:00

This was our little corner of the world a mere four days ago.....

Owen and his best bud were playing outside in their shirtsleeves, splashing in the brook and having a ball. I could here them from the kitchen since the windows were open.

The sun was shining, and a gentle breeze blew. I found a wooly bear caterpillar on the deck. Spring had sprung.

This is the view from our little corner of the world today.....

Twelve inches of the wettest, heaviest snow you've ever had to lift with a shovel. This April Fool's storm is no joke. I was hoping for rain or a perhaps a dusting of snow. Yeah right.

I wouldn't be so grumpy about it if the snow blower hadn't sucked up a rock and stopped working or if we hadn't lost power. Still.... I did see my first goldfinch at the feeder today.

I'm taking it as a harbinger of good things to come.

Like green grass, daffodils and butterflies... please.

{ maine maple weekend }

2011-03-28T09:08:00.000-04:00

March winds were gusting wildly as we made our way to the sugaring barn. When the big wide doors slid open the sweet smell of maple hung in the air and wafted past our noses.

Owen like the maple cotton candy best. It seemed to dissolve on your tongue faster than the bright pink, county fair candy.

I had my eye on some other goodies....

On the way out we saw some of the sugar maples they tap for syrup.

This is one Spring tradition I appreciate and will look forward to every year.

{ poor man's fertilizer }

2011-03-22T09:27:00.000-04:00

I admit to being disarmed by the lure of sunshine, mud and the songs of Spring birds so I asked my husband to put the clothesline back up this weekend. Obviously this was a bit premature. However, I did caution him against putting the last snow shovel away which I needed this morning to clear the deck, to get to the firewood. Oy.

I don't think having a sense of humor is necessary to live in Maine although it helps. Patience..... definitely necessary. I'm working on mine.

The boy has been working on Kudo ~ a free video game programming software by Microsoft. This is designed specifically for kids and offers a simple, icon based interface. Owen has designed five games so far.

Also this week, we enjoyed a nice review of the rock cycle.

My word for the day?

Thaw.

{ hello spring }

2011-03-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.

Rainer Maria Rilke

{ venus flytrap }

2011-03-17T10:09:00.000-04:00

Okay.... so he has a long way to go before he achieves something as gnarly as Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors. Owen hasn't watched the movie just yet, we may wait until he's a teensy bit older but he's always wanted a carnivorous plant of his own and so he is happy for now, watching for the unsuspecting fly to land and be munched by his new pet.... er.... I mean, plant.

This is what we know so far: Venus flytraps are indiginous to only two areas in the U.S. - North and South Carolina. They prefer wet boggy areas to grow in and the reason there are spaces between
the fronds on their pods is so less than juicy insects can make a speedy exit. Only the plump survive.

We have placed out little darling near a warm window with indirect
light and she's staying well hydrated. It's only a matter of time before the dinner bell rings......

{ cold comfort }

2011-03-14T08:36:00.000-04:00

The return of Spring brings little comfort to those suffering in Japan. May they be blessed with strength and resolve for the challenges ahead.

{ putty party }

2011-03-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

* 1/2 cup all purpose glue {Elmers}

* 1/4 cup liquid starch

* stir vigorously and let the party begin.... I mean ooze.

This slippery, squishy stuff provided hours of entertainment yesterday afternoon. P.S. - it will stick to clothing but
I'm pretty sure it washes out easily.

[ march soup }

2011-03-08T08:56:00.000-05:00

Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while. ~Kin Hubbard

Rain, freezing rain, gusts of wind.... March put on quite a show yesterday.

There were minor inconveniences... intermittent power outages and spotty satellite internet connections but the gift was worth it. Our landscape revealed itself again, the brook is running, the snowbanks diminished. Much of winter has washed away.

We even had two, unexpected, but very welcome visitors......

{ weekend }

2011-03-06T09:45:00.000-05:00

How much fun can two friends have making popcorn ??

Quite a bit apparently....:)

These two will now be sharing a karate class as well.

Owen in his new gi.... He's very excited!

{ march forth....}

2011-03-04T09:55:00.000-05:00

{ change of scenery }

2011-03-01T20:05:00.000-05:00

With all the snowfall this winter many afternoons have been spent inside, involved in
quiet pursuits like building and reading and board games. Today we were blessed with some sunshine and clear skies ~ a perfect recipe for a road trip. Owen really wanted to see some hamsters, rats and guinea pigs in person since he has been reading so much about them and considering owning one for a pet so a trip to the pet store seemed like a good way to spend the afternoon. Into the car and off to the family pet center we went with unschooler friends in tow!

First we checked out the fancy rats, gerbils and bunnies....

I confess to being in the no rodents as pets camp but this little face is weakening my reserve.

There was only one guinea pig to see and he was feeling less than social - comfortably hidden in his little wooden house so we moved on to birds and fish....

After seeing these beautiful fish I'm remembering how much fun it was to have a tropical tank a few years before we moved.

Other critters were considered by the boy including hermit crabs, turtles and geckos.

Satisfied that everything has been considered the boys found a quiet corner to continue reading up on petkeeping....

{ catapult }

2011-02-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

Owen really wants to build a catapult big enough for chucking pumpkins but this smaller ping pong variety will have to do for now....

We didn't have any ping pong balls so we launched little rubber ones for kitty to run after. Directions for this project here.

New interests this week include learning the rules of Pokeman after discovering some

abandoned cards in the back of his closet. Owen and a friend researched the rules

to the game and took a tutorial so that they could begin playing - all with no help or interference from me.

Favorite new show is Petkeeping With Marc Morrone which has spawned research into the care and feeding of both hamsters and guinea pigs. He's on the couch reading some pocket pet books now :)

{ fog }

2011-02-20T10:20:00.000-05:00

" Let us go in; the fog is rising."

Emily Dickinson

my father told me,

nothing eats up snow,

like fog.

I saw for myself,

two bare patches of ground

with withered grass and mud.

staying wrapped up,

in the mysterious mist until Spring.

{ roses }

2011-02-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

We don't usually go in for the traditional show of candy hearts and roses for Valentine's but husband surprised me with a dozen of these lovelies......

There was a carefully selected bottle of Pinot Grigio as well...... yum.

We had a nice dinner, the three of us, settled in around the table with candlelight and roses as our centerpiece. Then the conversation turned to Owen's newest interest, gleaned from a new Roblox game; that of the unique nature of zombies. Yes, zombies.... very romantic. He said, and I quote...." You know Mom, they are all individual, just like snowflakes..... no two alike."

Smile.

That's my boy.

{ happy valentine's day }

2011-02-13T17:19:00.000-05:00

{ so far, so good }

2011-02-10T09:46:00.000-05:00

A little week in review so far, post.....

Farkle,

My Life Is A Zoo,

and

lots of Roblox.

We also had a mini power outage. The boy didn't miss a beat, grabbed the flashlight and kept on reading.

For those so inclined ~ a talk by Astra Taylor on her unschooled life and the

importance of trusting your children. She begins about 3 and half minutes in. The Q & A at the end is pretty interesting too.

{ endless ocean }

2011-02-05T15:24:00.000-05:00

The boy has been busy watching manatees, parrot fish and whale sharks,
training his dolphin to do new tricks,
and exploring an underwater castle on a midnight dive.......

I'm not sure I have ever used beautiful to describe a video game but Wii's Endless Ocean - Blue World is..... well.... lovely and mesmerizing and one of the most relaxing
games I've ever witnessed. Yup, I said relaxing.

Owen is enchanted.

I wish they made more games like this.

{ 100 days }

2011-02-03T10:14:00.000-05:00

We celebrate our 100th day this week and while we've never bothered with marking the day before - 100 Ways To Celebrate 100 Days helped us find some fun ways to honor this milestone in our home school year. Owen stuck 100 toothpicks into his clay caterpillar and built a Lego tree with 100 bricks.

Snowzilla arrived yesterday, a day earlier than I had originally thought. We've got another storm scheduled for Saturday and then another on Tuesday. Frankly, I'm so over winter right now but at least someone is happy about it..... someone who gets to try out their new super massive, mega snow terminator, complete with light and shroud........

{ halfway }

2011-01-31T10:21:00.000-05:00

I consider us to be halfway through winter and the Artic chill has returned to remind me. Lots of inside time here coupled with lots of creativity.... we have Mindstorms bar code scanners, paperclip sculptures, hexbugs, and the introduction of Lego's newest theme - Ninjago. {Who knew the boy would develop an interest in ninjas and Japan just in time for this release.?? }

it beeps just like at the grocery store...

showing burt the snow...

owen is jazzed about the cards, and the spinjitzu point system adding to the mongo amounts of fun to be had.... :)

Big snow due Thursday!

{ elephant toothpaste }

2011-01-27T08:53:00.000-05:00

The best experiments combine fun and hard facts and elephant toothpaste does just that with an exothermic, catalyzed and decomposition reaction trifecta! All the details for this messy
activity are here.

We used too large a container and the reaction was smaller, but owen is game to try the experiment again - this time with 6% hydrogen peroxide from the beauty supply store. Woo Hoo!

{ twelve below }

2011-01-24T10:20:00.000-05:00

this is from the inside of owen's bedroom window~
yes, we need to replace some windows in our humble abode.

our handy, dandy digital thermometer refuses to display the outside temp. so i'm going with the local news that says 12-14 below~ a.k.a. damn cold.

luckily we don't have to stray far from the woodstove today.
only one outing this afternoon for the boy's fitness class.
it's a ten week class and they give you a free pair of New Balance
sneakers around the 8 week mark. owen's are green and snazzy.

homemade beef stew for dinner - thank you husband.
thank you also for getting up three times last night to stoke the wood stove and keep your family warm :)

three snowstorms schedule for the next week.
ugh.

{ out to sea }

2011-01-21T10:13:00.000-05:00

The weather reports say the storm is headed out to sea,
then we wake up to full blown storms that follow a different path.

Oh well, kitty likes to watch the snow fall.

Yesterday Owen and I watched Between The Folds ~ an extraordinary film about origami and paper folding. Visually stunning and way beyond the kind of origami i have ever seen.

I bought Owen, Naruto volumes 1 through 7, used~ through Amazon.
He kept telling me he needed to start from the beginning when he got the next volume in the series. Does anyone else's kiddos do that?? He read 1, 2 and 3 yesterday. This morning he is re-reading 1,2&3 before he moves on to 4,5,6 & 7. The storyline will no doubt be burned into his brain. I should mention there are over 50 volumes in this series and they all average about 200 pgs.

Me thinks I need to make some soup for the upcoming weekend...
temps. are due to be 10-15 degrees below zero. Oh, and it's going to be blowing a gale.

Stay safe and warm everyone!

{ meditations on sledding }

2011-01-18T07:30:00.000-05:00

I think I've mentioned Owen's new interest in Naruto, Japan and martial arts. This is the pose he struck each time he descended the snowbank yesterday......

{ occupied }

2011-01-17T07:58:00.000-05:00

Such cold temperatures have us occupied with inside things like flying Lego tops, bird bingo and puzzles.

Sledding is on tap for this afternoon though ~ a chance to get outside in this bright winter sunshine.

This weekend Owen watched creature features with his Dad and I enjoyed Masterpiece Theatre's newest series ~ Downton Abbey.

Two math discoveries worth mentioning that my boy really enjoyed. The first ~ Vi Hart's blog, full of irreverent, creative math doodle videos that explore all kinds of concepts including fractals, Pascal's triangle and Ulam's spiral. My boy smiled, he giggled and decided that sometimes math can be fun. That's a huge revelation friends.

Also, not as super but still good ~ Math Live. This site offers up short videos covering a variety of concepts. There are a few questions at the end to solidify the info. but are completely optional.

Now, I must go dig out the sled!

{ letters from the heart }

2011-01-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

there is just something so irresistible about the click, click, click, ping! of a manual typewriter.
i think every one of owen's friends gave it a try at some point yesterday afternoon.
one boy wrote his mom a very sweet little letter.
the boys all were busy with light saber battles, catapult building and wii.

today the world is white and windy ~ a brand new snowstorm has landed.
so i get to indulge my need for a slower, measured rhythm.
read, rest, bake.
sit by the fire, dream, breathe, be still.

{ independent study }

2011-01-07T10:21:00.000-05:00

hanging out at home ~ resting and recovering from his cold ~ following his head and heart ~ learning in his own way

{ handmade shurikens, or throwing stars}

{ sampling the chocolate chips }

i caught his cold just in time for the weekend ~ oh well. naps and hot tea will be the order of the day.

enjoy your friday friends.

{ blueberry ginger }

2011-01-05T10:46:00.000-05:00

the boy is down with a nasty cold
he's been resting, watching old episodes of Our Gang, and Naruto
all things having to do with ninjas and Japanese martial arts are forming the basis of my library book list

i made blueberry ginger jam ~ it didn't set up right ~ never does
also worked on my photography ~ { i'm doing an online workshop}
catching up on laundry....
how is your week going??

{ the games people play }

2011-01-03T09:51:00.000-05:00

meant purely in the literal sense ~ as in board games, card games and strategy games. my new fondness for games has come out of my adventure with homeschooling. i was the kid who got easily discouraged and walked away grumpy when i was losing a game.... yup ~ that was me. my sweet boy loves his new christmas games and guess what? he's a good loser and a good winner.

we begin the tour with pass the pigs. you get a different amount of points based on how the little piggies land. you just roll em' out on the table like dice. pretty fun, although not our favorite.

then there is mancala. strangely enough i had never played this game and i just love it. we all do. simple yet fun. and i love hearing the little glass stones fall into the wooden trays.

owen's new favorite game would have to be pentago. it is kind of a twist on tic-tac-toe. just as you think you've placed five marbles in a row, your opponent turns the tables on you! definitely think ahead strategy here. the boy has beat me five times.

happy playing!

{ livingroom light sabers }

2010-12-30T10:49:00.000-05:00

" Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is."

Yoda

I'm not exactly sure how two light sabers found there way into my shopping cart. It may have been a magical, unseen force that was drawing on the fun that my boy had with his pals, dueling with light sabers after swim class. If you are going to build an alliance of Jedi fighters, one needs more light sabers, yes??

The light saber battle moves out into the dark, winter's night........

Happy New Year friends.... and may the force be with you ~ always.

{ snow play }

2010-12-29T08:28:00.000-05:00

Snow pretty ~ Snow play

{ big snow }

2010-12-28T09:21:00.000-05:00

Winter has made itself at home.......

Twas a wild storm yesterday and not fit for man nor beast, as my father is fond of saying. Walking down to the end of the road to shovel, I could feel the sting of cold
snow across my face and it felt like my eyelashes were freezing.

We continue the digging out today with paths to the chook coop and the woodpile. Our area got well over a foot of snow ~ but it's the drifts that are the challenge.

I keep reminding myself how good shoveling is for the soul ......

{ the most wonderful time of the year...}

2010-12-26T14:55:00.000-05:00

A glimpse of our quiet holiday at home.

I do hope all of your celebrations went well. We're bracing for a big winter storm tonight and spent the day stacking wood, replenishing supplies and cooking up some warming soul food. Hubby just brought me in a cup of roasted vegetable soup :0)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend friends.

{ holiday blessings }

2010-12-20T10:53:00.000-05:00

To all of you kind enough to stop by and spend some time here this year, I wish you

many blessings of the season.

Let your heart be light......

{ december }

2010-12-16T10:25:00.000-05:00

The rhythm of cloudy, dark skies and snowfall, giving way to bright, clear blue days- has begun.

{ making and baking }

2010-12-11T11:00:00.000-05:00

Making and baking, merry magic here......