Reading, Thinking, Planning

I had my usual tough-to-get-back-into-a-good-routine spell after we traveled over the 4th of July, and it seems life just hasn't slowed down since then. One thing that has kept me from writing here is that I discovered Christian agrarian essayist Wendell Berry, and couldn't bear to do anything but read as much as I could in whatever free time I've had. Then thinking, pondering and discussing with Tom about all that I'd read. These books provided much food for thought:

The Art of the Common Place: The Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry, edited by Normal Wirzba

Another Turn of the Crank by Wendell Berry

Then, not Wendell Berry, but still fascinating:
The Transformation of Rural Life: Southern Illinois, 1890-1990 by Jane Adams

After all the agrarian reading, I got on a homeschool researching and planning kick. Millie turns 6 in August, and I think we're finally ready to embark on some first grade work. So while things will still stay quite relaxed around here as far as school is concerned, I am going to make myself write out a plan in the hopes of introducing certain subjects and reading particular books. So I read through these three books for some additional research and planning purposes:

More Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levinson

Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp

A Biblical Home Education by Ruth Beechick

On the topic of homeschooling, these are a couple of very good links:

I loved this article at Pioneer Woman about teaching creative writing.

Then my sister passed along this link which has lots of free printable planning resources, with everything from lesson planning sheets, to grocery lists, to handwriting pages.

As for the kids' reading, Millie has listened to Anne of Green Gables on audiobook twice in the past couple of weeks. Now I'm looking forward to watching the movie with her. And a really wonderful treat for our whole family was reading through Little Pear and His Friends by Eleanor Frances Lattimore. This chapter book is set in early 20th century China, and was pure delight, even for Silas. At this rate we'll be finishing up our summer reading logs in no time!

Growing Along

Here's some of the latest from our backyard garden...

The first zinnia bloom. Zinnias are surely one of my favorites, for being so easy to grow and making such a nice cut flower.

The kids are still loving the blue-podded peas for a quick snack.

My mom was here last weekend and said that from the pictures I've posted you can't tell how tall the pea plants have grown. So here's a bit of perspective:

First zucchini! Which Tom picked and promptly ate raw. I do like to catch them at this baby stage before they get lots of big seeds inside.

I don't think that I've mentioned this little spot where I have beans, corn, and sunflowers growing. The sunflowers all came up volunteer, but I moved them over to this spot. The corn is actually field corn, not sweet corn. The kids got the seeds from the Museum of Science and Industry. We planted them just for fun, but we may try to catch the ears when they're young and see how they taste.

And finally, lots of blossoms on the tomatoes!
I'm hoping for a good harvest of tomatoes, and have lately been thinking about trying to can some salsa. I've never done any canning, but I think it's about time I learn how.

We're off to my hometown for the 4th of July weekend. Hope you have a fun holiday!

Wordless Wednesday - Nap

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

7 Quick Takes Friday - vol. 2

- 1 -

Both Millie and Silas are playing T-ball this summer. It's a very informal little group from our church. The kids play every Monday night, and I love that it's so relaxed and laid-back. Millie is enjoying just getting to hang out with all the other kids. But Silas? He is all about the T-ball. I don't think think I've ever seen such a focused 3-year-old. Even in the outfield he pays close attention to every pitch, watching wherever the ball goes, hoping that it will come his way. Meanwhile Millie is distributing hugs. But we're having fun!

- 2 -

That hot weather I've been hoping for is here! And despite the mugginess, I really, truly am happy that it's finally HOT. I spend too much of the year layered to try to stay warm, so I'm thankful for these real summer days. And I love seeing the peppers and eggplants in the garden thriving, rather than struggling along as they had been.

- 3 -

We currently have a pet frog at our house, though I suppose I should clarify that this is a temporary pet. While I was shopping at our local Salvation Army last week, (finding some great deals on clothes for the kids!) Tom and the kids found a tiny frog in the parking lot. I don't know what possessed Tom to decide to keep it, but they came into the Salvation Army to find some sort of container for the frog, and settled on a gravy separator. We've named the little guy "Salvy" in honor of where we found him, and we've told the kids that we'll take him back to the field behind the store once he's bigger. But for now he seems to be doing okay eating bugs from the garden and living in his "mobile home", pictured here:

- 4 -

The other day we met up with friends at this splash park. The kids had so much fun, and it was free! Hard to beat that on a hot day.

- 5 -

I'm still getting out and running, and it is feeling good again. The first couple of weeks I had a lot of pain in my knees and ankles, which was different than anything I'd experienced during all the years I ran competitively. Seems I just needed to get those joint muscles strong again, as everything is feeling fine now, and I'm glad to be getting some good exercise.

- 6 -

Once again, I've checked out more books from the library than I can possibly get around to reading. Gardening is the main focus these days. I've especially been enjoying Eliot Coleman's Four-Season Harvest, which has me scheming about getting Tom to build some cold frames. The prospect of harvesting fresh kale and spinach all winter long is awfully enticing.

- 7 -

And on the subject of reading, it is finally starting to "click" for Millie! We're working on it a little bit everyday, and we are seeing some good progress. It has helped tremendously that she is finally motivated to work on it, and it is often her asking me if we can work on reading. She still has to work hard at consciously sounding out nearly every word, but it's coming along and she and I are both feeling encouraged.

This post is linked to Conversion Diary.

Pomegranate Muesli

It is finally feeling like summer where we are! With these higher temperatures, a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal doesn't hold much appeal in the mornings. So I was eager to try out a recipe for muesli, in which you soak oats overnight in liquid. I got this recipe from the book Eat for Health by Joel Fuhrman, and I've adapted it slightly. You could certainly substitute any fruits according to preference or what you have available.

Pomegranate Muesli
Serves 4

1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup oats, steel cut or old fashioned (not quick or instant)
1 apple, peeled and chopped
handful of raw cashews, chopped
1/2 cup halved grapes
1/2 cup cubed cantaloupe
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
handful of dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, currants)
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)

Soak oats in pomegranate juice overnight in refrigerator. Oats will absorb the liquid.
In the morning, combine oats with remaining ingredients.

This post is linked to:
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Strawberries and More

Our strawberries are ripe! Though we've had to share a few with some of the wildlife in our backyard, we've been picking a bowlful each day this week. The berries this year are big and sweet. Much improved over last year, though I'm not entirely sure why since these are the same plants.

Here are the lovely pods on our pea plants. I checked the seed packet and these are actually called "Blue Podded Shelling" peas. They're a dutch strain that I got through Seed Savers Exchange. I have really enjoyed them because they're just beautiful. The kids have enjoyed being able to snatch some peas for a snack.

The zucchini plants are getting bigger, and I'm sure will be crowding everything else in no time.

Tomatoes are showing promise.

And my lettuce continues to grow even with all the salad we are eating. We can't keep up, despite sending some along with a friend. Who else wants some lettuce?

And here's my favorite non-edible in the yard right now. Tom bought me this tiger lily last spring, and it came back even more beautiful this year.

The weather here is still cool and rainy. The peppers and eggplants are continuing to straggle along, as we wait for an increase in temperatures.

This post is linked to
A High and Noble Calling

Radish Snack

Radishes are certainly a kid-pleasing vegetable to grow. Usually the first to germinate, first to ripen, and easy to pick. We've never done anything besides throw sliced radishes in with our typical salads at suppertime. But the other day I tried something a little bit different. Simply spread a bit of cream cheese on sliced radishes, then top with sliced olives. And there you have it: a fancy radish hors d'oeuvre!
I would describe my relationship with radishes as amicable, as opposed to, say, passionate. And now that I think of it, I feel the same way about olives. So I will admit that I didn't find these terribly exciting. 5-year-old Millie, however, found this new take on radishes to be far preferable to their presence in a salad, and Tom thought that the cream cheese nicely offset the bite of the radish. This left them both wishing for a few more radishes in the garden.

This post is linked to
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday