We started back to school this week. Just like last year, I decided to begin a week before Labour Day so we can take a week off at Thanksgiving. I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about our school adventures in the coming months. For now here is my farewell to the summer!
Read
I don’t remember where I picked up a paperback of Rainbow’s End many years ago, but when I got home from a vacation (for which I had strategically packed educational reading) I finally read it and found it quite enjoyable. Turns out it’s the last (#13) in Ellis Peters’ Inspector Felse series. I wouldn’t mind going back and reading the first one.
When I had the stomach flu for a few days this month I pulled The Blue Castle off my shelf and took two or three long bubble baths. Perfect.
Have you read Abel’s Island? I finished reading it to my kids this evening. I never thought a book about a stranded mouse would have such vocabulary and such a philosophical tone!
I can’t believe my oldest two kids never read the George and Martha books when they were learning to read. There are seven books (each comprising five short stories) published between 1972 and 1988. Give them a try if you like Frog and Toad.
I thought Eeny Up Above was a cute picture book and it was fun to find Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett, a tall tale about a woman!
Do
Our local library has a low-key LEGO Club (the librarian provides a theme, but you can build whatever you want from the bins of LEGO blocks dumped out on the floor). My girls enjoyed going in August and hope to continue on the third Wednesday every month. (They also went to Wacky Wednesdays at the library throughout August and came home with many crafts.)
We ended up going to Kelso Beach in Owen Sound four times in the past month. It turned out to be sandier, shallower, and warmer than I expected. Maybe we can go again before the weather gets too cold.
Buy
Andrew bought a small secondhand canoe in August! I haven’t gone out yet, but he’s taken the kids around Kelso Beach and down the Sydenham.
Eat
When I saw 25 lb cases of roma tomatoes for sale I decided once and for all to find a go-to salsa recipe so we can stop buying so much at the store. I made three batches and this one was the winner. (More details to come in my next post.) I also made dilly beans after friends let us pick an abundance of green beans in their garden and a batch of peach salsa (you’ll have to email me if you want the recipe!). Last but not least a few jars of chutney (but I haven’t tasted it yet).
For years I’ve put together a flexible monthly meal plan, but now for the first time I created a weekly rotation for all three meals plus afternoon snacks. It’s still versatile (e.g. Monday suppers are anything with rice) and I think I’m going to like using it.
Granola bars or energy bites are the afternoon snack for Thursdays so we made cherry chocolate granola bars from this cookbook and energy bites from a magnet that a realtor sent us. 🙂
Listen
I’ve been listening to The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins podcast and I can’t recommend it highly enough for anyone wanting an overview of a Charlotte Mason education, a better understanding of specifics like nature study and Plutarch, or inspiration to carry on with the big task of homeschooling!
I also was recently introduced to the podcast Truth Seekers: Bible Stories for Kids. I approved of the first two episodes so I decided to start playing them for my kids during lunch. I’m glad that it moves chronologically starting at the beginning of the Bible, since our school Bible reading this year is Joshua, Judges, and Mark and my kids could all use a refresher of Genesis.
I decided to try playing a song for the kids to call them to the table for school in the morning. So far I used this one, but I need something longer (and similarly upbeat). Suggestions?
Meditate
“Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it,
    or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?
As if a rod should wield him who lifts it,
    or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!” – Isaiah 10:15