Arrows in My Quiver - Homeschool Blogger

A Funny

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:54:00 -0600

Joseph (7)- or 70, depending on who you ask- "Mom, a girlfriend is just a girl you hold ransom until you're ready to marry her." Gabriel replies, "Yeah Joe. You'll be the pirate of love."

The Urn

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:37:00 -0500

We are once again doing repairs and renovations on our old farmhouse. This time, it is my bedroom and future laundry room, which was once the old bathroom. My husband has a friend who restores old houses, so we visited his warehouse, which is filled with antiques, junk and things that his tenants have left behind. The boys were crazed. They love junk! It was like Christmas day for them.

It was Joseph (7) who found the marble box. It was out of his reach, and he asked Mr. Kent what it was. He brought it down and said, "I don't know. A renter left it when he moved out." Joseph said, "It might have a million dollars in it." And Kent said, "If it does, I'll split it with you." He is a kid magnet, and he gleefully took the boys to his work table and began to pry off a bottom piece to see what was inside.

As soon as he began opening the box, a thought flashed through my mind- "It's an urn." I said it out loud and he said, "No, couldn't be an urn." He looked inside and said, "Oh, it looks like concrete." And the boys touched it and said, "It's just concrete, Mom." I said, "Guys, that's not concrete. Those are someone's remains." I will never forget the looks on their faces. Their mouths were on the floor, as was Mr. Kent's. He had poured the remains on the table, and inside the box was a metal tag with the person's date of birth and date of death. It was surreal. He put it all back inside and the boys were just in a state of shock. We have talked and talked and talked about it but they can't get it out of their heads. I have explained that it's just remains. The person's soul is somewhere else (hopefully heaven), etc.

After much thought, I did a search of public records and think I may have actually found the person's Social Security number. I feel burdened to find the person, and tonight, as the boys were falling asleep, a thought occured to me- we were supposed to be there today and find it, if only to return the urn to the family. So we are searching for a home. And a happy ending.

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:01:00 -0500

October has been a busy month thus far. Joseph celebrated his 7th birthday with a Tennessee Volunteers theme. I know, they're not doing so well this season, but he doesn't seem to mind. His favorite present is below:

2 week-old Buff Orpington ducks. We're loving them. They're much easier than baby chicks. Maybe we'll raise ducks. I hear duck eggs go for way more than chicken eggs.

Spent last Sunday in Cumberland Gap, TN. Lots of fun stuff to do there. We hiked and hiked, saw 3 states (TN, VA, and KY), ate delicious country cookin', and saw the Saddle, the area where Daniel Boone (and countless others, including Native Americans) crossed the Cumberland Mountains from Northern Virginia to the present Louisville, KY. Boone blazed the Wilderness Road in 1775, creating new passageways, and some of it was along buffalo and Native American trails. Another route that you can hike is the Tennessee Road, which was used by people who left northeast TN bound for Middle TN. There is a visitor center (Cumberland Gap National Historic Park), a road that takes you to an amazing overlook called The Pinnacle, a cave you can tour, a preserved pioneer village and a number of Civil War places of significance. It was a great "boy" field trip.

From the "Did He Just Say That?" Files

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:09:00 -0500

After months of cajoling, we capitulated and decided to build the boys a treehouse in the woods. Their current swingset/fort seems to no longer be sufficient. I shouldn't really complain too much, because the new fort is about 1/4 mile up the mountain, which will give me more time to clean up their messes. We have spent the afternoon dragging up wood and various supplies and they don't understand why this multi-weekend project is not yet complete.

This guy is by far the hardest worker in the family. He already has dibs on an acre or so of the land, in a flat area that he has claimed as his future home site. I asked him if I could come up for coffee in the mornings, and he said, "No Mom. I hate coffee. We'll drink a "boar." " I said, "What's a boar?" And he replied, "You know, a cold boar." When I finally got it- that he meant "beer," I asked, "Why beer?" And he said, "Because coffee tastes like mud!" He just makes me giggle, ya'll.

He also found this awesome caterpillar the other day. It was in the chicken coop and he rescued it from being eaten. We had a little science lesson on the spot, measuring (almost 4 inches) and fllipping through field guides until we found it- a Pandorus Sphinx. Very cool.

Joseph and Sophie

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:49:00 -0500

Well, learning is actually occurring around here despite big brother's absence. Joseph is loving American History. Since I had planned to cover this with Gabe as well, I asked Joe if he would rather learn about another time period (he loves Ancient Egypt and Rome), but he said, "No, I' ve had enough of that old stuff for now." We are using The Light and the Glory for Children, by Peter Marshall, plus lots of other books from the library. He is immersed in Christopher Columbus and the early explorers. We're also using Sonlight 1, Saxon math, Prima Latina and Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind. Ben again insisted on "official" schoolwork, so he is enjoying Sonlight's PreK currculum. He is also exploring his career options. On the way to co-op yesterday, he announced that he wanted to be "a priest" when he grew up. Since we are not Catholic and our kind Presbyterian minister goes by "Pastor Paul," I wasn't sure where he'd heard that term thrown around, so, in an attempt to not diminish his choice, I gently asked, "So you want to help people know more about God?" And he practically shouted from the backseat, "No, Mom, I want to shoot bad guys!" After a little digging, I realized he had said "police man" instead of "priest." Hey, he's only 4. He still has some speech issues.

Despite the heat, we have been enjoying the land. Took a hike the other day and found 4 Eastern Box Turtles within a few yards of each other. Ever seen turtles mating? Well, we have now.

Awoke to cooler weather (finally) and enjoyed a trip today to the Deer Farm and Petting Zoo in Sevierville with a group of homeschoolers.

Oh, back to the funny pronunciations. I was enjoying a quiet moment on the porch swing yesterday when Ben comes out with a huge sandwich. I asked him what he had and he said he had made a "messipe." Bread, peanut butter, jelly and pimiento cheese. He said, "It's gonna be delicious." He took a huge bite and literally spit it out all over the porch. So much for that.

I've gone to great lengths to teach the boys an appreciation for our local flora and fauna. They love hiking on the land. They always take shovels so they can bring something back from the adventure. Joe frequently reminds me that "wildflowers are not just weeds, Mom."

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Off To School We Go

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0500

Posting on my homeschool blog when I am no longer homeschooling my oldest is tough. I've avoided it all summer because it makes my heart hurt. So there. No excuses. All out in the open. It wasn't my idea, either. Just attempting to be the obedient wife (and not doing such a great job, I might add). Details, details, I'm sure someone wants details. It's been a long time coming, I suppose, but I am a mastermind when it comes to denial. He wasn't enjoying anything, and I found myself angry much of the time. And an angry mom isn't a very good mom. He is now enrolled in 3rd grade in a tiny elementary school around the corner. And he loves it. I'm not saying that just to make myself feel better. He honestly loves it. He actually asked why he couldn't go on Sunday. Of course, his pleasure comes not from academics, but from the social scene that he now reigns. He has been invited to too many playdates to mention, and 2 birthday parties over the past weekend. Is this how it all works now? I found myself at one of the aforementioned parties, babbling about my fears at how he might do academically since he's never been in a classroom setting and never taken a test, and I realized I was just getting blank stares. I had lost them. Does everyone seems a bit distrustful of homeschoolers, or is it just the unknown that freaks them out? No, that 's just my paranoia. And the fact that we are straddling the fence, with one in public school and 2 at home, makes it even tougher for people to get. I know, I know, I have to do what works for my family. But this isn't easy. Not by a long shot. Don't let anyone ever tell ya' otherwise.

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0500

Life on the little farm has been busy, busy, busy. At my husband's insistence, we are now officially registered with U.S.D.A. and have a farm number. I'm not so keen on this, but supposedly we can get matching funds for fencing, etc. It feels a little Big Brotherish to me, but maybe that's just my disdain for all things governmental rearing its head.

The boys have an egg business now that we have more laying hens. At $3/dozen, we are making almost enough to keep them fed. The goats are another story. They are ravenous, voracious, food-devouring machines. I am not exaggerating. They just won't stop eating. One of them is obviously pregnant. She is huge. I think I am reliving my pregnancies with her. She's just getting bigger and bulkier by the hour, and she lays around munching hay, with baby chickens sitting on her back.

We aren't officially taking the summer off from school, but we have taken several weeks off for various camps and a visit from the Texas grandparents. Joseph loved Chess Camp last week, and Gabe enjoyed a week of Drama Camp. In just 3 days, they memorized and presented "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." He was out of his head hysterical the night before, but he remembered all his lines and really proved to himself that acting is definitely an area where he has talent.

Future Bobby Fischers?

Gabriel w/Ms. Rosinna, his acting coach

Gabe as Leroy in "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"

We are spending lots of time in the garden this year. I typically spend hours and hours in the beginning, then just let it get out of control when it gets really hot. But since I started everything from seed and spend months watering and caring for the plants before they even touched the ground, I'm a little attached to them, so I have carefully staked and tied and hoed and strawed and mulched and am eagerly anticipating the fruits of my labors.

Bee Balm

Calla Lillies

Gabe wanted me to be sure I included pics of him enjoying his favorite pasttime- skateboarding. These were taken at the Knoxville Skate Park last week.

Mother of the Year

Sat, 24 May 2008 08:47:00 -0500

Remember this? Things have certainly changed.

Fast forward 9 weeks, and this is what we have. A Mama hen who refuses to give up on parenting duties. I know- we are a encouraging a hopelessly codependent situation. But it's just so cute. The books say these pullets and cockerels (we know at least 3 are boys) are way past the age of being cared for by Mom, but somewhere along the way, she forgot to cut the apron strings. She still tries to sit on them all at night. Pretty hilarious. And some of them let her.

But she shows no desire to give up. So we have christened her "Mom of the Year," and we continue to let her play out the little drama. We know we'll have to get rid of the boys very soon, because they are already play fighting with each other, and attempting to mate the other chickens (boys!). But it's still cute, at least for a few more weeks.

We stopped spraying for bugs this year, due to the chickens and goats eating close to the house, so we once again have lizards and frogs. I never really thought about the connection, but it's true. Stop spraying, and they will come. This guy has taken up residence in the greenhouse. He loves the grow light and the moist soil in the cups.

The boys found this guy resting on a fence pole. I think it's a Luna Moth.

The two goats are doing well. One of them is obviously pregnant, while the other doesn't seem to be. We think we have 3-4 weeks before the baby (or babies) make their appearance, but you can see it moving around. The more I read and research, the more freaked out I am by the whole thing. My husband says I just need to stop reading. Animals have been giving birth for years on their own. But everything around here turns into a dramatic situation, so I am quite confident I'll be forced to play goat midwife at some point.

A friend of my grandmother's gave us 7 hens that needed a new home, and they haven't adjusted very well. They are fiercely independent. I don't think they were handled very much (as opposed to ours, which get carted around like play toys). There is a pitiful looking yellow one that Joseph has named Pollen (because it's the color of pollen). They refuse to stay in the coop at night, instead preferring to roost in trees in the woods. And they sometimes lay their eggs in the woods. The boys enjoy it, because it's like Easter every day, but we can't sell those, because I don't know how old they are.

And why in the world didn't anyone tell me how much work this was gonna be?

Hiking in the Smokies

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:08:00 -0500

Spent an incredible day in the Smokies with a fabulous group of homeschoolers. Our fearless leader took our group of around 17 on the Finley Creek Trail. The purpose of the trip was to explore several sinkholes which were filled with varying amounts of water. They are called "vernal springs," and they were filled with tadpoles and various egg sacs, including frog and salamander. The boys had an amazing time. We also found baby snakes, beetles, spiders and lots of other creepy-crawlies that Joseph adores. Oh, and millipedes. Ugg.

After exploring the area and studying what we might find under rotting logs, we took a lunch break and then hiked a bit on the trail. Spotted lots of wildflowers, including Squaw Root, Longspur Violets, Hepatica, Foam Flower, Smooth Yellow Violet, and Catesby's Trillium.

R.I.P.

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:56:00 -0500

We are by far the wimpiest pseudo-farmers on the planet. After another day of rooster attacks, my husband woke early, took the handgun from the lockbox that was covered in an inch of dust, and put an end to our problem. It was over quickly, at least for the rooster. Emotion inside the house, though, still runs high. Gabriel (8) was absolutely hysterical. Joseph smiled. The hens were frantic. And I have mixed feelings all around.

He served his purpose. He did a fabulous job of taking care of "his girls." He lived a good life. He was well-fed and lived like a king. But he just couldn't help himself when little Benjamin was around. It happened again yesterday. Ben was swinging, and the rooster was in the front of the house. My parents had stopped by, and my father was sitting in a chair near the swingset, watching Ben. From out of nowhere, the rooster runs around the house, straight to the swing and begins to jump at Ben. I heard him screaming from inside the house. My Dad began to kick him away, but he just kept coming. It took several blows with a big stick to run the rooster away. That sealed his fate, I think. We kept hoping he would magically transform into a kinder, gentler rooster, but it just didn't happen.

Oh, and by the way, we couldn't eat him. We were too sad. So we just had a quiet burial. Joe said, "What happens at the end of the world, if we have to kill something to survive. We'll just starve to death." I honestly hope not. I think at some point my survival instinct (and maternal) would kick in.