Here's some sites.

kidszone phonics- plus lots of stuff on the rest of the site for older kids as well.

home education resources-  check out the "blends" from middle of the page on down.

and there are many many more out there these are just two that I used. Enjoy!- B

I am mostly blogging at my homestead blog at: Innisfree in Alaska. So check that out but, I have decided to use this blog for homeschooling info. As I do need a "community" to help me out. I am at a crossroads about next years homeschool curriculum. What should I use? I am thinking of My Father's World as a base... Have any of you had any experience with this?- Mrs. B

check out the contest over here: http://lovincomfortknits.blogspot.com/
nifty knit cloths!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
u never know ya might win!!!!!!!!

we are heading back to anchorage next week.... school is chugging along, I am very happy with Calvert considering how up in the air everything is right now. It is my calm in the storm! .... We are planning a trip to MN soon.. and a special shout-out to my dishcloth pal.. I got your package and I am so happy with it!!!!! Thanks so much- B

My middle son was talking to the youngest about our ancestry. I heard him say Jesse is a quarter indian and I am a PENNY INDIAN.

 

I love reading Willa Cather. It makes me feel that I am back on the prairie. Did you know t hat the Willa cather got the name of her book Oh Pioneers from this poem by Walt Whitman? \

"Pioneers! O Pioneers!" --from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass

                                   1
     COME, my tan-faced children,
   Follow well in order, get your weapons ready;
   Have you your pistols? have you your sharp edged axes?
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   2
     For we cannot tarry here,
   We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger,
   We, the youthful sinewy races, all the rest on us depend,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   3
     O you youths, western youths,
   So impatient, full of action, full of manly pride and friendship,  10
   Plain I see you, western youths, see you tramping with the foremost,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   4
     Have the elder races halted?
   Do they droop and end their lesson, wearied, over there beyond the 
         seas?
   We take up the task eternal, and the burden, and the lesson,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   5
     All the past we leave behind;
   We debouch upon a newer, mightier world, varied world,
   Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labor and the march,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!                                      20

			           6
     We detachments steady throwing,
   Down the edges, through the passes, up the mountains steep,
   Conquering, holding, daring, venturing, as we go, the unknown ways,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   7
     We primeval forests felling,
   We the rivers stemming, vexing we, and piercing deep the mines 
         within;
   We the surface broad surveying, we the virgin soil upheaving,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   8
     Colorado men are we,
   From the peaks gigantic, from the great sierras and the high 
         plateaus,                                                    30
   From the mine and from the gully, from the hunting trail we come,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   9
     From Nebraska, from Arkansas,
   Central inland race are we, from Missouri, with the continental blood 
         intervein'd;
   All the hands of comrades clasping, all the Southern, all the 
         Northern,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   10
     O resistless, restless race!
   O beloved race in all! O my breast aches with tender love for all!
   O I mourn and yet exult--I am rapt with love for all,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!                                      40

                                   11
     Raise the mighty mother mistress,
   Waving high the delicate mistress, over all the starry mistress, 
         (bend your heads all,)
   Raise the fang'd and warlike mistress, stern, impassive, weapon'd 
         mistress,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   12
   See, my children, resolute children,
   By those swarms upon our rear, we must never yield or falter,
   Ages back in ghostly millions, frowning there behind us urging,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   13
     On and on, the compact ranks,
   With accessions ever waiting, with the places of the dead quickly 
         fill'd,                                                      50
   Through the battle, through defeat, moving yet and never stopping,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   14
     O to die advancing on!
   Are there some of us to droop and die? has the hour come?
   Then upon the march we fittest die, soon and sure the gap is fill'd,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   15
     All the pulses of the world,
   Falling in, they beat for us, with the western movement beat;
   Holding single or together, steady moving, to the front, all for us,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!                                      60

                                   16
     Life's involv'd and varied pageants,
   All the forms and shows, all the workmen at their work,
   All the seamen and the landsmen, all the masters with their slaves,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   17
     All the hapless silent lovers,
   All the prisoners in the prisons, all the righteous and the wicked,
   All the joyous, all the sorrowing, all the living, all the dying,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   18
     I too with my soul and body,
   We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way,                 70
   Through these shores, amid the shadows, with the apparitions 
         pressing,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   19
     Lo! the darting bowling orb!
   Lo! the brother orbs around! all the clustering suns and planets,
   All the dazzling days, all the mystic nights with dreams,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   20
     These are of us, they are with us,
   All for primal needed work, while the followers there in embryo wait 
         behind,
   We to-day's procession heading, we the route for travel clearing,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!                                      80

                                   21
     O you daughters of the west!
   O you young and elder daughters! O you mothers and you wives!
   Never must you be divided, in our ranks you move united,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   22
     Minstrels latent on the prairies!
   (Shrouded bards of other lands! you may sleep--you have done your 
         work;)
   Soon I hear you coming warbling, soon you rise and tramp amid us,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   23
     Not for delectations sweet;
   Not the cushion and the slipper, not the peaceful and the 
         studious;                                                    90
   Not the riches safe and palling, not for us the tame enjoyment,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   24
     Do the feasters gluttonous feast?
   Do the corpulent sleepers sleep? have they lock'd and bolted doors?
   Still be ours the diet hard, and the blanket on the ground,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!

                                   25
     Has the night descended?
   Was the road of late so toilsome? did we stop discouraged, nodding on 
         our way?
   Yet a passing hour I yield you, in your tracks to pause oblivious,
           Pioneers! O pioneers!                                     100

                                   26
     Till with sound of trumpet,
   Far, far off the day-break call--hark! how loud and clear I hear it 
         wind;
   Swift! to the head of the army!--swift! spring to your places,
          Pioneers! O pioneers.

This and other information can be found at this page: 
willa cather home

When my sons are older I hope to do a whole study on this author. - Briana
...

1.  What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?

a pouch to carry knitting around in.

2.  If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? YES 

If
so, how much and what type of project?

I take something small like dish cloths

3.  Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot?

hmmmm since I have three boys... Southern California

4.  What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? at the moment I don't have any!!! I need to find some new ones

 Do you own it? see above!

5.  Do you listen to podcasts?  Which is your favorite(s)?
no but I want to. maybe someday soon...

From Boy To Man

nuff' said.

I never knew this but I am a:

Your true political self:

You are a Social Liberal (65% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (16% permissive) You are best described as a: Socialist (16e/65s) You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness. loc: (56, -1

what are you? find out here:
The Politics Test

I knew I wansn't a conservative anymore because of the way I feel about the enviroment but I never ever would've thought!!! lol. Now your turn. :0

Well, the boys are all in Anchorage with Dh's mother and father so I am ... at a loss. We are still in Anchor Point. Turns out the bridge probably won't be done until mid September. So we are here til' then. That means that I won't be able to use ambleside because the only place I have internet is the library and I have no printer so I went and ordered the full Calvert curriculum. Since the boys are gone Peter and I are tearing out the RV's ugly ugly icky carpet and replacing it with some cherry laminate flooring. We have about 1/3rd done. Next we are painting over the creepy paint splotchy eighties style walls. - It's pink and aqua. Ughhhhhh. I really miss my boys though. I don't quite know what to do without them. I am reading alot. I am finishing Amy Tan's newest book and also reading a book about the dust bowl of the thirties. The weather is beautiful here and I feel so blessed to be in such a beautiful place. I love love love Homer. What a fun place! I am excited because we are looking at land to purchase to build our cabin on!  I can already see it in my mind!- B

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I really wanna try some recycled silk yarn! I detest fun fur and fad yarns I am happy with good ol' lamb's pride too.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? a ziploc bag for now...

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes I have a wist and an smazon wishlist

5. What's your favorite scent? I like exotic smells and I like the smell of mulberry. I can't stand food scented candles

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? u know it! Favorite candy? I like non-chewy sprees and gobstoppers

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?  I like to write stories, work with clay, scrapbook....  Do you spin? I don't have room to right now

8. What kind of music do you like? I love folk  and acoustical music! Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) yep and I love getting music!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? I like the color red. I love stuff made out of wood. I like the color gray. Any colors you just can't stand? Yes I detest blue.

10. What is your family situation? I have a husband and three boys.  Do you have any pets? Yes my furbaby cockapoo teddy bear.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I live in Alaska. I wear all of thee above!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? hmmm dishcloths and hats.

13. What are you knitting right now? a shawl.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? all of them

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? nope just my hubby

17. How old is your oldest UFO? a sweater from last Christmas

18. What is your favorite holiday? hmmm I like Christmas.

19. Is there anything that you collect? yes strawberry stuff. I love strawberries.  ( they are red u know!)

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? no subscriptions... I would like a book on knitting interlac

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? yes I want to make one of those scarves that looks like a baasketweave.

22. Are you a sock knitter?sometimes What are your foot measurements? size 8 wide and fat ankles

23. When is your birthday? jan 2nd.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? no should I be? I'd better check it out!!!!

1. Do you like loose tea or bags, or both – something you want to try? I would love to learn more about loose teas
   

2. What is your favorite kind of tea (Brand, flavor, variety, etc)? oolong, orange pekoe

3. Favorite color in regards to tea or one you would like to try? (black, green, red, and white) (keeping in mind that this is how this swap is set up). I haven't ever tried red tea. I would like to give it a try.
   

4. Would you say you were a tea pot kind of person or just a hot water heater kind? Definitely a tea pot person.
   

5. What tea accessories would you like but have never purchases for yourself?  hmm a tea ball - loose tea stuff in general
   

6. How do you prefer to be pampered? (examples: mani/pedi, bubble bath, yummy treat, etc). sodium laurel sulfate free soaps.  light nail polishes, and hand cream
   

7. If you were a kind of yarn what would you be and why? a mixed bag! I like to change things up
   

8. If you had to knit/crochet baby booties, a fun fur scarf, or a fair isle sweater, which would you choose and why? umm fair isle. My baby is 6 so he wouldn't need booties and I detest fun fur.
   

9. What other event would make you skip a tea party? (A garden party? A book club meeting? A yoga class? Opening night for a new action thriller? etc?) A date with my hubby!!!
   

10. What treat would you consider essential at your tea party? (Sweet? Salty? Scones? Those petite pastry trays with a couple of all sorts of things? Little crust less sandwiches?)  little cakes
    

11. When buying yarn for a project how do you choose - do you buy the one called for or do you substitute? I try to use what's called for if I can find it up here.
    

12. What do you carry your knitting/crocheting in when on the go? My big purse!
    

13. Favorite movie to watch while knitting/crocheting? anything romantic and funny
    

14. Are you a traditional tea cup kind of person or a mug type of person? Do you care if they match? mugs and bring on the unmatching!
    

15. Favorite childhood birthday party? one where I received some music tapes. We danced all evening!
    

16. Favorite type of scone and jam? berry scone and rhubarb jam
    

17. If you use candles, what is your favorite scent? something musky and exotic
    

18. If you could choose 3 people to have 'tea' with, who would they be and why? (famous or not, living or dead). My Gram Lil because she is in heaven and I miss her so, Louise Erdrich because I really love her writing and Jane my friend because she is in MN and I miss having pickle sandwiches with her!
    

19. You've been invited to a tea party, what 'props' will you wear (formal or casual)? A dress of course with flowers and a little hat.
    

20. Any allergies/preferences you have or are willing to admit to?  I can't stand the color blue. I am allergic to cats and sulpha. I really like the color red and things made out of wood.

21. Anything we missed that you want your pal to know? I have three boys and a dog and I live in an RV full-time so I like small things!- Briana
    

Posted by Devonshire at 8:05 AM

http://knit1tea2.blogspot.com/

I brought my dog to a groomers yesterday with "35 years experience" and when I picked him up and was driving home I noticed his lip was bleeding. When I checked it it was sliced open! maybe from clippers or a dog bite? Then I saw that his eye wa swollen too. I feel like a terrible doggy- mama! I called her and reported what I saw and she said oh he had a sore on his lip and maybe the scab fell off or he scratched his lip with his foot. Yeah right it was a half inch deep slice that was bleeding profusely.... when the powder that was on it wore off. I am so angry. I told her that if it wasn't going to stop bleeding I was taking him to the vet but it did stop. My poor dog! Probably beat up and scared waiting for me all day long!- Briana

We went to the Homer Alaska Public Library for the Harry Potter Book Release Party in costume and we won First Place!  We were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the lil' boys were the twins Fred and George. ( Jesse was at camp). We won 30.00  gift certificate to the Homer Bookstore.  We had a Great time!!!   ( this pic came from the Homer News Website)

I joined up with the dog days of summer discloth swap and here is my  questionaire:

Do you knit, or crochet, or do both? How long have you been knitting\crocheting?  knit it's been about 3 years.

Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before?  Yep

What are your favorite cotton yarns? Is there a cotton or linen you’ve been dying to try but have not? I like yarns trhat are variagated and mix white with a dark color or just all rainbowy (is that a word?)

Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with?  yep slippery kinds. I like a tough washcloth!

What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic) - all but plastic.

What other projects do you enjoy knitting or crocheting?  felting bags, knitting kids sweater vests... umm socks are nice as well.

Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting? Yes I like to read -alot. I like to do needle-point.

What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts?  I like hard candies and slavery-free chocolate.

What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any?  lots of colors!

What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike?  hmm I like purple and gray and brown and green and cherry red and... I don't like blue.

Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages?  Yes I drink coffee and tea and lemonade

Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)? I have three boys and a cockapoo named teddy bear

Do you have any allergies?  yes severe cat allergy SEVERE

Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting.

1. I  headcover and modest dress. ( I am a christian)

2. I don't have a cell phone

3. I love to write snailmail letters.

Our

homeschool

curriculum

will

be

from

( drum roll please)

 

Ambleside Online

Check em' out!

 

I can't believe my eldest son is 12!  One more year and I am the mother to a teenager! Yikes and double yikes! He is very handsome though, isn't he?  ( puffing out my chest)

I made this for my secret pal. It's a purse with a zip pouch -saddle bag style. I was so sick of retrieving my knitting from the bottom of DEEP bags so I created this....  one for her and soon one for me! ( it's bulging because it's full of yarn skeins for my secret pal! happy trails saddle bag!)

1. will not let me take pics of him

2. snuck out of door and down street to sidewalk of very busy street.

He is in BIG trouble.