Monday, November 27, 2017

november as it looks now

"After the leaves come down, the countryside has an open look. New vistas appear, hills unseen when summer's wealth of green is spread, now stand, blue and hazy, in the distance. In the cropped fields the browns and copper and smoky tan make a sober symphony, not as dramatic as the blaze of October but lovely to look at."
                                          Stillmeadow Daybook  Gladys Taber











Tuesday, November 14, 2017

living notebooks

 Nature Study Notebooks were first introduced to me along with Charlotte Mason and her schooling style many moons back, I immediately assumed an "I'm on board, count me in mentality." Thus, the girls and I began a Nature Study Notebook.  We thoroughly enjoyed our weekly afternoon walks, coming home, gathering our colored pencils and simple sketchbooks, to spending time around the kitchen table drawing what we had seen, heard, and delighted in.


I have always liked keeping diaries, journals, and a variety of notebooks of all sorts whether they were used for simply jotting down things such as vocabulary words, recipes, or sewing instructions. What I did not know then were the so- called names for these different kinds of notebooks.

Travel notebooks are another favorite of ours, and my last one has been helpful in the creation of my Maine scrapbook.


But lately my " I'm on board, count me in mentality" has been broadened and taken to new levels. I am fully persuaded these living notebooks have clout in these last years of Charlotte's education, even as she begins her high school years. She too has a natural propensity for keeping notebooks, journaling, and sketching.



  We are delving into Apologia's Physical Science this year, and as science is not a favorite subject of Charlotte's, I think her brain might possibly go "googly-goo" with all the hydrogen bonding and water polarity and so forth in her daily readings, yet I am instructing her to read the material aloud, find recognition in what she is reading, and then talk about what the lesson material is teaching. Then the idea of a physical science notebook took center stage as an additional learning resource. The wisdom of her drawing the figures presented, recording and drawing the experiments, and writing the facts and explanations around her drawings to help her with understanding all the material better came into focus. It is working beautifully! She might not be my scientist, yet she can learn about the wonders and functions of atoms, molecules and science in the physical realm.


I have found several extremely helpful sites to inspire and encourage us as we intentionally embrace  these living notebooks. After Christmas we will be adding a Commonplace Booka Book of Centuries, and an Enquire Within notebook to her high school studies.




These are just a collections of our journals/notebooks, most in use, others with definite plans attached for future use.

 An after lunch Nature Notebook watercolor drawing session.

Here is very enjoyable site, including Youtube videos, of a Calendar of Firsts Notebook.

Friday, November 10, 2017

hiking Sharp Top

We heard the leaves were at the peak of their color, so we grabbed a free day, escaped the normal routine, and hiked a mountain in Virginia.


It was well worth the hour plus hike. And we were humble enough to admit we were tired when we got to the top!

Thursday, November 9, 2017

and we feasted...

...on apple crisp and the Word of God.


Such a cool and cloudy Wednesday, so after a morning of running to violin and piano lessons, we came home to lunch and I lighted a candle. Then I took an hour to make a most delicious apple crisp to serve to the students that would arrive later in the afternoon for Bible study.

So many ways to feed ourselves. God's Word feeds our souls and spirits with its truth  for eternity, apple crisp feeds our bodies and souls with present moments of delight and memory.


Monday, November 6, 2017

a new, happy project

November is here and I welcome its unique light throughout the day, from sunrise to sunset.

This time of year brings a feeling much like turning a new page with blank spaces to fill. Therefore, inspiration has presently taken hold in a new project, a ripple afghan to crochet. The art of crocheting is being revisited and I am once again drawn into its soothing rhythmic pleasures during these shorter daylight hours.



The afternoon was warm and sunny on the day I sat outside , enjoying the warmth, to plan the color arrangement the yarns would take in this afghan.


Of course, the project travels well, and so I knitted during a recent visit to Rose's house. How well the colors coordinated with my dress that day.  That could be a good sign. Right?


After an initial intention of having a consistent color pattern for the afghan, I decided to place the seven colors randomly. The colors I chose have no definite rhyme or reason for being crocheted into this afghan, just happy colors and happy thoughts of being snuggled under its happiness on chilly days.
Colors and moments rippling together, I like that.

a chickadee

 I have taken to afternoon walks in the fields along the side of the woodlands. Today I carried along a small pair of binoculars hoping to c...