Fiddleheads and Fronds

A cool and breezy morning was a welcomed relief from the hot and humid stickiness of the past few weeks.

After morning mass we snuggled up with our science book for a lesson on ferns, mosses, and algae. I didn't have to ask twice if anyone was up for a nature walk in search of specimens for the classroom. We left the older kids to have some quiet time to goof off study, and took the bikes down to the swampier area of the neighborhood (Yes, we really do live near the swamp). As we rounded the bend the kids were excited to see all of the algae in the water. But closer observation revealed that it was not algae at all. This water plant was the focus of the morning.

The boys examined it carefully with the magnifying glass, before flinging it onto each other. We did manage to bring home a small sample to view under the microscope. Didn't have any luck finding tadpoles, though dear daughter tried her best. But we did find fiddleheads and fronds for the nature books. All in all it was a very pleasant morning if you overlook me yelling like a maniac as the boys recklessly raced down the middle of the road on the way home.

Everyone is looking forward to more beautiful days so we can work in the yard and refresh the garden. For my friends on the East Coast I must clarify: Cooler days and fall-like weather around here really means low 80's with no humidity. I do miss the beautiful fall colors and real change of season- more than a little. But I am still getting tomatoes and peppers from the garden, so I won't complain too much.

Wanderlust

Wouldn't it be fabulous if home educators could receive the same tax payer funding as the public school system? With that kind of money per child, we could go to Egypt, Greece, and Rome while studying Ancient Civilizations. Since it was always more of a daydream than a possibility, we visited those places in our imagination with the help of living books (lots and lots of books) and internet resources. It definitely spurred a wanderlust in all of my children. I think they also an inherited the travel gene from my Dad's side of the family. As a teenager, his father took an unexpected journey as a stowaway on a slow boat to China (literally), which in a VERY roundabout way led to a career in Aruba, where my father was born. As an adult, my dad joined the military and raised his family across the USA, with 4 year stint in Okinawa. Last count I had attended 16 different schools before finishing high school. Don't ask me to recreate that count. My memory isn't what it u...

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Hat tip to Wanda!

Opening Day at Two Fun Camps

After a whirlwind tour of some of Carolina's most beautiful waterfalls, we packed up the teens for a month long stay at Camps Kahdalea and Chosatonga. Dear son was up with the sunrise, so I brought him to the boys' camp first. The counselors had just gathered for breakfast when he surprised them by arriving so early. Luckily his cabin counselor is a friend of the family, and very understanding. Once he picked his bunk and gave his brother a quick tour, we said an unceremonial good-bye.No hugs, no mushy stuff, just "See ya." Then I was off to get the girls moving for opening day at Kahdalea. When we entered Kahdalea, it was like entering the Shire. We were greeted by a babbling brook Passed a vine covered gazebo And fully expected to see Pippin and Meri peak out of this tree, which could walk away at any moment. The girls were especially excited when they were greeted by cheering counselors, like Dear Daughter. Th...

Classically Catholic

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