A picture of our homeschool

Quite a few requests have come my way for a description of how our homeschooling looks. And I must admit that I'm curious to see our bigger picture too - for the day to day, moment to moment is where I've been for much of our first two weeks of this new learning adventure.

Of course, I have a plan - for the year, each term, and a rough plan for each season's focus and each week. And even if some of these are still in my head and some are down on paper, the intention is there for soul-filled learning.

But what it has actually looked like these last two weeks isn't quite the same as the plan (which was often the case when I was teaching in schools too).

This is a good sign, though. For the ability to adjust a learning program, to 'go with the flow' is an integral part of being a good teacher. And because so much of Rosie's (and Bethany's) formal learning is one-on-one now, a flexible approach that follows their leads and enthusiasm is both sensible and effective.

How can I tell?

Well I could set up elaborate assessment wheels, graphs of daily writing results, compare what we're doing with what school is doing right now....

But I'd only by trying to meet other's standards. And that's not what our homeschooling is about.

I can tell that things are going well in the way a regular Mama can tell if her child is healthy:

- I see smiles more often than before
- I see sisters building a more understanding relationship
- I see ease and grace in the way they play
- I see Rosie taking new risks - a sign of comfort and ease
- I hear her intelligent questions and see her enthusiasm for science and the natural world growing daily.

So I know.

I know with my heart, as well as my head, that its going okay. And that we're right where we need to be.

As for a picture of our homeschool....

We wake with the sun, and then doze some more

We breakfast on homemade goodies and the fruits of our garden

We use our heads in the mornings, but sometimes just get outside and pick berries

We use our hearts in the middle of the day, through art, or music, or helping others

Some days we go on an adventure somewhere - fossil-hunting, visiting a gallery, visiting a chocolate shop!

We lunch and rest and read books, and sometimes watch nature documentaries on iview

We use our hands in the afternoons - we play and cook and craft

Sometimes there is tennis, sometimes little aths, soon there will be horse riding

And as the sun goes down we share dinner, talk, play some more, read more books, clean up.

Another day is done, we wind down, time for rest.

 

Hope you enjoy the pictures. xx

Organising this Mama

The biggest part of organising us is to organise this Mama herself. And I know it sounds a little un-politically-correct and perhaps even arrogant, but in this family at least its the Mama who holds everything together most of the time. Its Mama who organises and prepares and thinks ahead for the family as a whole (as well as most of the parts). And that's how it should be.
And so I've made myself a Home Management Journal (the capital letters make it sound very official and important don't you think?) to help get my thoughts and planning out of my head and into some sort of consistent approach.
I've borrowed this idea from Down to Earth (the book and the blog), which I wrote about here, and sewed the folder cover a while ago to take on our trip to Tasmania at Easter time (you may have seen Rosie with it in some of the photos). Its now nicely repurposed to hold my planning sheets, lists of jobs, garden notes, budget etc...


Watch out world....this Mama is organised...

 

Woolly Wonder Washers

Fancy a little knitting project?

Well I have just the thing for you. Lately I've been knitting up some little dishcloths for the kitchen in between larger projects that take a little more commitment and concentration. A dishcloth is the perfect project for a week or a few days (or one day if you're sitting in the car on the way to somewhere). For this Mama, in between getting our big girl to school and getting our littlest girl to sleep, a week is the perfect amount of time to get one of these done.
I've made up a simple little pattern that suits my needs, but there are plenty of others to suit your needs on ravelry if this isn't your style.

Here's mine:

I use 100% wool in a DK (8 ply) and 4mm needles to get a tight weave (don't use acrylic yarn - it doesn't wash out well and leaves residue on the bench after wiping).

Cast on 40 stitches using your method of choice.
Row 1 and 2: Knit all stitches
Rows 3 to 38: *K2, P2 then repeat from * until 2 stitches remain on your needle. K2.
Row 39 and 40: Knit all stitches
Cast off all stitches.

Maintain your washer in good condition by washing in cold water and air drying - best not to hot wash or tumble dry unless you want to shrink it!)

This makes a square-ish cloth with ribbing in the centre (great for scouring sourdough stuck on the kitchen bench) and a border of garter stitch around the outside. Of course you could add a lovely crocheted border, change colours for a striped effect, or change stitches for a different pattern. But for the moment, for this Mama, this simple pattern is just what I need...

Friday book review: Handmade Home

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little"

Edmund Burke

Aaaahhhhh....I do so love this book (and others by Amanda). Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasuresby Amanda Blake Soule (from my favourite Soulemama blog) is one of my personal favourites for crafty inspiration around our home and in nature.
This is such a lovely book because of her photos of craft with her children, the simplicity of the crafts she describes and the way she uses repurposed materials to create new things. I find it uplifting and freeing to make things from scratch, or from free or secondhand, quality materials and this book changed the way I look at craft and creativity.
I particularly like some of the things she says (because I do so like quotes and sayings):

"Our small actions can improve not only our earth, but also our hearts, our spirits, and our children - and bring about the kind of change that is the most powerful, the most heartfelt, and the most personal" (p. XIII)

"During these simple times of play and creating together we can connect so deeply to each other, build our relationships with one another, and strengthen our family bonds" (p. 116)

"The great outdoors holds so much magic for you to witness and experience together as a family. The woods, the ocean, the mountains..." (p. 149)

Sometimes this book lingers in various places around our home - on my bookstand, near my bed, on the kitchen bench. And sometimes its 'away' on the shelf with my other special books. But always its ideas and sentiments are close by should I need a little inspiration.

Enjoy.

Knitting with friends

Click, clack go the needles. Conversation flows. A slice of sourdough, some homemade pumpkin soup and the sounds of our young girls at play.
Ahhhhh. Such a satisfying day.
My cowl, so dreamed about for so long, has now begun to take shape. And, after looking at several patterns on ravelry, I decided to make up my own pattern. Its not that hard after all, especially if I keep it simple. So....
Cast on 200 or so stitches onto 5mm circular needles (no need to be exact here)
Knit in the round until I use up my two beautiful skeins of Malabrigo 100% Peruvian wool in Purple Mystery...or until wide enough, whichever comes first.
Uncomplicated? Yes, but at the moment I just want to knit without thinking about patterns. Well...without thinking at all really. I want to feel the meditative rhythm of the needles as I guide the wool around them. I want to feel the pure joy of creating something warm and colourful just for me.
*sigh*
So, dreamy interludes aside, this Mama had a lovely day with another special Mama this week. We knitted, we ate, we talked (and we were interrupted by a rude neighbour who didn't appreciate our adventurous chickens in his yard, but that's another story) and we had a lovely, lovely time. Thank-you my special friend - lets do it again soon....

The beginning of my cowl

Yet another sourdough loaf consumed

A special friend knitting a cardy for her daughter

Some interesting knitting techniques were on display

Sunshine, some knitting...what more could you ask for?

Homemade

Homemade has been on the agenda in an increasing way lately for us. Our sourdough loaves continue (and continue to improve methinks), the homemade butter still delights us and our visitors and now we've added homemade pasta to our repertoire.

Ian's spaghetti creations

My oh my, I had never really eaten pasta before Ian's homemade spaghetti noodles. I mean, I'd eaten that stuff that comes in packets, dried from the supermarket of course. But fresh, soft, long pasta made from flour and Henny Penny's eggs. *Mmmmm*.

The colour, texture and taste was truly wonderful - and the girls had seconds. Best of all though? Ian put his love and effort proudly into their creation. Seriously. Awesome. Any man who makes me pasta from scratch gets big ticks in my book.

Ian hard at work

So all this homemade, real food has got this mama thinking - what's so special about homemade? I mean, its trendy (think recycling, upcycling, repurposing etc...) and all that, but that's never been something to drive this mama.

What is it that's driving me and us on this homemade journey?

Firstly its all about connectedness and being more down to earth. My post-natal depression came as a surprise, but looking back I can see the lesson in the challenge - I've been too far from the ground for too long. I've been unanchored and floating. I thought that was the freedom I wanted (and perhaps for a while it was). From trying to be too much to trying to be like others to trying to do everything, I was exhausted even before we brought Rosie into the world. Handmaking things for us brings me closer to who I am and what I have right now.

Homemade is also about valuing the traditions of old, about connecting (again) with our family's past - Nan and Mum both knit, sew and fix cloth. They cook from scratch. They grow fruit and veggies. Pa, who is no longer with us in person, was the first one to be in the garden, growing and sowing, weeding and feeding. This is our heritage and its one that I want to carry on for myself and our little family.

Homemade is also about valuing our individuality. With homemade food, clothes, toys etc... we move away from consumerism, mass marketing and the treadmill urging us to have the same as everyone else. We are all individuals and our homemade approach helps to value and develop our uniqueness.

Focussing on a handmade home also brings balance to this world of technological wizardry and ever-increasing computing speed. Yes, this mama has an iphone, an ipad and blog that she loves, but she doesn't like the feeling of trying to keep up with something new everyday (every hour?). That speed leaves me feeling even more unanchored and increases my anxiety. Our girls deserve a chance to choose what works for them too. In our house we remain relatively unplugged from this world. Making things by hand, knowing where they came from and how they were put together balances the great unknowns of our technology and the system we live in.

This is why I value homemade for our little family of four learners. Most of the time though I don't think about these reasons. I just know that it feels good. That I feel calm and in control when I use my hands as much as my head to make something for us.

Wishing you, dear readers, a lovely, lovely day.

Elsa's cardy

My niece Elsa was the recipent of another knitting project ( I love knitting for children), this time another In Threes cardigan in a size 5.

And though it took a while (and wasn't finished when she came to visit...), it was worth the smile on her face now that she has it in her possession.

Feel-good Laundry Powder

I've made this a few times now, first as a liquid and now as a powder, which is much less time consuming but still effective in the wash. Of course it takes more time than buying a packet of pre-made laundry powder from the shops but I'm not interested in saving time anymore (what am I saving it for?), I'm much more interested in living each moment with meaning and deliberate intent. Making my own laundry powder connects me with one of the larger jobs at home in an organic, authentic way. I feel that I am doing good, being creative AND cleaning my families clothing all at the same time. And that feels good.

Here is my 'Feel-good Laundry Powder' recipe:

2 x bars vegetable-based soap
1 tub Borax
1 cup bicarbonate soda
1 pkt washing soda

Grate the soap bars then mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a large glass jar or two for storage. I usually choose two different soaps and make a double batch in two different jars.
The mixture can separate a little as its poured out - just shake it up before you use it and I find it works out fine.

Happy Washing!

Our 'Favourite thing of the day'

Nature art, guinea pigs, handmade clothes and the golden words...

With Ian away these past two days (running an off-road 42km in Melbourne - he came 4th) I've worked hard to plan some activities away and at home. Between watching a mountain bike race in Bright, a lovely nature walk to collect items for painting with, painting some familiar words and playing with our guinea pigs, I also managed to sew two pairs of pyjama pants (matching of course!) and finish Bethany's Plum Pie vest (another Milo, this time in Sublime baby cashmere merino silk dk).

After these two wonderful days Rosie tells me, during our nightly "What's the best thing that happened today?" (known to us as just 'favourite thing of the day') at dinnertime, that creating artwork from natural materials was her favourite. And it was a real joy for me to see her happiness and engagement as we chose leaves and discussed native and introduced species. My 'favourite thing of the day' was seeing little Bethany in her new vest playing happily alongside her big sister.

It was a special time for all of us.

Recycled flags

Okay, I mentioned these a couple of days ago and here they are - homemade, handmade flags recycled (up cycled?) from retro pillowcases I found at the op shop last week.
I imagined, as I sewed, that an old lady had gone through her linen cupboard and decided that these pillowcases had seen better days and needed to be passed on (who knows - maybe someone more needy than herself could use them?).
Little does she know what they have become! (And what joy and celebration they bring to our house...).