DIY: Magnetic & Black Board Paint

The school room is coming along! The center stage of our new school room is the new black board. Our school room is graced with a sliding glass door and a huge set of windows on two walls, so now the third (and last) wall is covered in a blackboard.

Step One: I pondered and pondered again whether I want a white or black board. Black boards just look so neat. Charming. But then there is chalk dust.

White boards are a big WHITE board, but the markers are simple to wipe off. But then there are those nasty marker odors. Could those be bad for myself and my kiddos to sniff all day??

Step Two: No decision on that yet, but for sure I need to measure out my painting spot on the wall. Then sand, sand, sand that texture off the wall. I wish I would have sanded even more!

Step Three: Buy Magnetic paint. Save yourself a trip and buy two cans. I painted on 8 thin coats of the magnetic paint (2 cans), trying the magnetic force in between each coat. It takes a lot of this paint to get a good hold, and I don't think you'll ever get a fridge-force hold.
This isn't too long of a process. You only have to let the coat dry 20 minutes between layers. The paint smell was so strong. I advise doing this project when you can open windows. We did this, and got a big, fat fire going too keep the house warm.

So paint, dry, paint, dry.... ( don't forget that old jammies inside-out are great painting gear)

Step Four: Finally decide that black board paint will work best, as magnetic paint is black. I wondered if all the "white" coats it would take to cover the magnetic paint would cause me to loose the magnet? So chalkboard paint will do the trick.

Step Five: Call a dear friend and invite her over for coffee, painting and lunch. Then set her to work while you admire her careful paint job. It's good to share work. :) I wish I had thought to take photos of Jen painting my chalk board wall!!

Step Six: Get approval all around (especially little ones) and wait a few days while the paint cures. This is the cleanest the board will ever, ever be!

Step Seven: Using chalk, treat the board to it's first, most important rubdown. Rub chalk all over the board for it's first use. Then wipe the chalk off and hand the chalk to your anxious kiddos to draw away!!

Step Eight: After the initial fun has worn off, (and when you need to school again) set up the board for use!

The Results: I simply love having the teaching space on the wall. We hang our timeline cards here and have schedules and calendar and math problems and penmanship.

I am still not sure about the chalk. I have to use a wet cloth to clean the chalk off and even then there is a fine layer of chalk on the board, smeary residual. I'm pretty committed now so I'll be working on how to perfect the cleaning of the board and the best types of chalk/eraser to use.

Fun! Fun stuff!

November Homeschool

October School

December is always a full month. I have set out to keep it as simple as I can over the last years, but no matter how I try it's full. Events and gifts, cards , decluttering, and school.

Yes, school is just about last on the list. And it's good, we do light school. A few more reading aloud, a little less seat work. It's kind for all of us, peaceful December.

My most recent excitement is deciding that we need a school room. It is not an easy interruption, clearing the table for meals or any other thing that needs to take place on the kitchen table. Not only that, but I think it would be lovely to have walls on which to pin my maps and other school wall-art. Mostly, I'd love to have a chalk or white board.

I started dreaming on moving school to the basement. We have a large playroom down there, it seemed the logical place to have school and tables, posters and pencils. However I've since changed my mind, and decided to put school in the room that has no name. It's a small room off our family room. Right now it's a Lego room, home to a large collection of toys sprawled across the floor. A bookshelf, a drying rack, a file cabinet. Nothing much in there but space and window and WALLS. So I'm excited to begin the changes this room needs to work school out of the kitchen. Oh, can you tell I'm excited? I can't stop rambling about it.

The other wonderful part is that my grandmother has asked if I want her old teaching table. My grandmother got her teaching certificate when she was 16 years old. Must have been about 1930. She worked in a one-room school house in Nebraska for 6 years, running the school and the furnace to keep them warm. What a lovely story! Years later after my father was born, she held a Kindergarten in a finished garage off of their home. In these days Kindergarten was optional. So in this Kindergarten she had four large tables for her students, my grandfather made each of quality Walnut. And she would like to know if I want the table! Oh joy! I cannot wait!

I did go to visit my grandparents over the weekend, a very, very sweet time. I wasn't able to bring the truck to move the table though, the roads were snowy and I drove my car.

I will be posting photos of the new school room as it develops.

Reviewing the month of November goes like this;

We stuck to our plan of Unschooling Fridays. We had a lovely time focusing on Nature Studies but also spending time on Autumn crafts and then, snow play!

For all of my three students;

I'm using Start Write to work on Penmanship. I usually copy of the memory verse the boys are working on for Awana and they copy them daily. The boys need plenty of work on Penmanship, all three. We also read through their Awana books for Bible stories and conversation.

The boys continue to practice Classical Conversations memory work as usual, and Joey is doing extra practice work. Joey will try for Memory Master this year, which will require him to have memorized 100% of the facts we've learned this year; English, World History Timeline, Geography, Latin, Science, History, Math. This is a lot of work but memorizing seems to come easily to him and he gets better.

Our Classical Conversations has spurred topics and mini studies in the solar system and constellations, and we follow up with Story of the World learning about Islam and other Medieval Middle Eastern History.

We continue with Nature Studies, Art, and have practiced Tin Whistle in Novemember.

Eldest, Third Grade, turned 9 in November! What a fun month for him.

Saxon Math

For his Essentials Writing Class, we're reading through First Language Lessons. He's been writing about Knights and the Middle Ages, and Honey Pot Ants.

For Spelling we've used SpellingCity.com (too fun!) and practice. Luckily, Spelling comes easily to Joe.

Middlest , First Grade

Saxon Math

We keep personal Calendars to discuss the format & work on the concepts of time and planning.

Nate is working through Teaching Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lesson and improving on his reading daily. He likes to read Bob books and I am working through Writing With Ease with he and Eli.

Littlest, Kinderyear

Eli has been working through various workbooks for Math. Numbers, addition and subtraction seem to come quickly to Eli.

He is also doing daily reading lessons in 100 Easy Lessons. Eli has read a few books, but I think this book is a good place for him to start.

Other Thoughts:

My husband suggested that I begin to create monthly report to keep record of what we're doing, what materials we're using, etc. Truthfully, I'm a little miserable at keeping track elsewhere. In doing this, I'm also seeing some weak areas I'd like to improve upon.

I haven't really taken time to set goals in our work. Perhaps I'll set some sort of calendar to create goals. I'd like to work through our read alouds more quickly, and work more quickly through our Math books too. I will start Eli on Saxon 1, and probably begin 1/4 into the book, and take Nate there with us. Going back a little will reinforce the work that he has done and he and Eli can do the work together. Nate is ready to begin spelling, and it's just time to make some changes. I'll post my plan one day. :)

The Watched Pot Will Someday Boil

It's the task that you hammer away at.

Day after day you water, feed, give light and wait...

wait...

wait...

wait for the little synapses to connect. Wait for that seed you planted to take root and grow fruit.

And most days it feels like waiting for that pot, watching and waiting.

Then one day you wake up and the day feels normal. Climb out of bed and pray for wisdom in the day with a 5 year old wrapped around your legs under a blanket on the couch. Breakfast and books & pages of numbers. A doctor's appointment and stop at the local office store.

Then come home to snuggle up to some reading work. Always start with the littlest student. His work usually takes the least time, and the biggers can work quietly while the little one gets some mama-teach-time. And you open that book and talk about sounds and then it happens.

He reads a word. Mama squeals and bursts into laughter and tickles that sweet 5 year old because he just learned the best tool he'll learn in life. He read a word. His first word was "at." And maybe he was a little more excited about "ax" because that's a word that means something to a boy.

And more importantly, he learned that learning is a delight. It's fun. It's important. And sometimes you get a squeal out of your teacher.

Then the day shifts into one of those days where the water is boiling and I can't imagine any job that's more important, any job that I'd rather be doing today.

And tomorrow, when I'll be watching the pot again.

...post script~ I wrote this post a week ago. From his first time reading on, each time he sounds out a new road, Eli cries, "Tickle me Mama! Tickle me!!"

We have recently taken up "Teaching Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." It's been very helpful for my younger boys, and includes "games" & short lessons that keep our work fun.

The Echo of Summer

Sometimes school is just huge, tangled pile.

When you think of school, say elementary school, do you think of neat rows of desks, kids filing down the hall in order, pencils with the names of their owners printed neatly on, and a tidy little box of crayons smelling like the first day of school? I might say the teachers' glimpse would say hers is a day that is a pile, as well.

But let me say it again. Somedays school, it's just a fantastic tangled pile of kids, apple slices, books, paper, frustration, pencils without erasers, explantations, noise & numbers. It's not neat. Hardly ever, ever does our lesson go according to plan when the phone rings three times in the middle of a book and paper cuts and strewn out bandaids sit in a puddle on the floor next to the table and little boys stand on their heads because that's what little boys like to do during math.

Meanwhile the sun is screaming in the windows and the middle one hears it beckoning the most loudly and pleads to go out and discover something that waits and calls to him over even the school. So after 20 more "please put all four on the floor, son" and 12 times of practicing my lamaze that never came in too handy until today I say;

"Okay" and I scoop up the books in a big pile and grab my Handbook of Nature Study, a towel, a camera. Some water and sunscreen and a long, long leash for my doggie and I. I slip on my salt water sandals because they work in the river water too.

We drive to the river bank and kick off shoes and run full force down, down to the water where the river has been waiting. The boys run and kick and push their whole bodies down into the water.
The water washes away all the silliness & antsy-ness that comes from too much recirculated air. We spy a snake and capture him for an attempt at identification. The boys choose their favorite rock and then leave it right where they found it, or toss it as far as they can to be swept downstream. I open that big fat book and read about garter snakes and water snakes. The boys dig holes and pile rocks while we determine that this snake is a water loving garter snake. The river, oh it's cool on my feet and ankles and I wish I could stay all day.

But there is still work to be done at home. Lunch break, for little boys who must complete their job of school work because this is their job while they are young. So now it's back to the table and books and end-of-summer-sighs. Back to the pile.

But we will keep our ears open wide for the call of the river again....

our homeschool on sick days

When you've got a sicko household, the days can run into each other. One kiddo feels better & the next one is down, on the couch, sniffing and moaning. Mom and dad stumble around bleary-eyed hoping they don't catch the junk.

And we've been lying around for 2, maybe 3 days watching cartoons, napping, snoozing in the park and drinking, drinking, hydrating. Laundry rolling again to be sure we have sanitized towels and sheets 'cause it makes this mama feel like she can do something to help comfort her family...

So today is a back-to-school day and I'll take a shower because I feel better lying around nursing this sore throat if I'm clean. Then I'll pull up some books and do what I can with the healthy, busy-minded kiddos, I'll turn off that offensive noise that comes at me from the blaring-box-in-the-corner. I'll pick up Farmer Boy, Almanzo has been waiting for us for such a day as this to breathe the corn fields and county fair into our apartment of little boys stranded inside.

I'll just do my best. Perhaps if I can muster it I'll haul all these boys and a pouting puppy to the river or dog park to let that puppy run off his crazies. I'm quietly thanking him for his mellow temperament this morning, grateful he's content to run outside to sniff and go in two minutes' time.

Doing my best, taking pause because life demands it, and grateful we can do what we can, no one has to be pushed onto a school bus feeling even 65%.

Off to the shower....

Slow Start

We're not launching into our school this year, we're sneaking into it.

I'd read it in a book, the suggestion to start just one thing at a time with your school year. And I LOVE it. This week we started our school back up. Having nearly two months off was plenty of unstructured sleep-in-hanging-around-in-jammies-way-too-long time. So we're back to work, but we're getting in our groove gently.

We started Math this week, and it was just right. Just doing math gave me time to get a feel for how much time it's going to take each day. It gave me time to work with each of my three boys and evaluate whether I had the right books to start with and where to start with each of them. The boys got to ease into the idea of sitting down to sit down and do some hard work with me again. We're getting into our groove. Simply.

The new school year can be really overwhelming. And I have a tenancy to start out the year with too much on the agenda, trying to fill in all the gaps with school work. I am hoping this slow start will help me to get a feel for how much work is enough.

This next week we're going to fall into penmanship, reading for the littles and spelling for the bigger. Again, it gives me time to figure out what these topics will look like for us this year, plan them carefully and figure out what kind of prep I'm needing to do.

And so I'm planning to add a little each week, a new topic. How are you starting your school year?

Outdoor Hour: Snakes & Why We're Making the Hour

This week for our outdoor hour the boys and I checked out snakes. We brought home a handful of books from our local libraries and read some interesting facts about snakes. We looked at dozens of photos in those books and those of the snakes that are listed as native.

Snakes that are native to the area are;

1. Rattlesnakes. Enough said. For that very snake we did not go poking around in the Canyon to find snakes. We leave rattlers alone.
2. Gopher snakes. Gopher snakes gain much respect too, as they have a mock rattle to scare away predators. It works.
3. Rubber snakes...the boys & I found these to be quite interesting b/c they really look rubbery.

There are a few more, but on to a bit of what we've learned about snakes in our reading and research.

• Snakes are cold blooded, which means they have no control over their internal temperature. So in order to keep warm they lie in the sun or on sun-warmed rocks. Snakes have to get warm enough just to eat or move.
• Snakes shed their skin as they grow. The shedding starts at their mouth, the skin peels off over their body and they wriggle out of their old skin.
• Snakes are carnivorous. Meat eaters. Some snakes are egg eaters. They eat the eggs, crack them and eat the nutritious meat of the egg. Then they spit out the shell.

We read billions of new things, then the next day we took a field trip to our local pet shop to get a better look at some real live snakes. This proved to be an interesting visit. Both the gals that were working in the shop were happy to let us look at the snakes but not interested (loathed & hated) in snakes, therefore, our list of questions that we brought went unanswered. They were, however, willing to unlock the cage so I pulled out a ball python for the boys to touch and hold. I didn't get any photos, as I was doing the handling. :)

The most interesting things we learned in the pet shop were;

• "I thought that snakes weren't slimy!" Joey said. Snakes are so soft and smooth that they can feel and appear slimy. But they aren't. They're smooth and dry.
• Pythons, even babies that are a a foot long, squeeze their prey to kill it before they unlock their jaws to swallow their food in a single "bite."

The boys have had a wonderful time reading about and checking out the snakes, I'm hoping we'll see some on our hikes in the future...or at least be looking.

LOOKING. Why we're looking.....



I'm starting to see why it's important for us to be doing this hour. The art of observation.

Little boys, little sweet-two year old boys are incredible observers. I think it has much to do with their inquisitive nature, and the fact that they're down low to the ground and not moving too fast. But big kids...they move so fast. Teaching these bigger ones to slow down and observe...and what to look for is so important. Now that we've been taking some time to observe, the boys are naturally starting to slow down and observe nature themselves, pointing out lichens and birds, identifying flowers and types of rock. I love when a boy comes screaming in the door, "Mom! We found a bumble bee! I know it was a bumble bee because it had little pollen pockets on his legs!"

Today life has a hard pull on people to stay indoors. This is the other great part of the Outdoor Hour for us. We are encouraged to get outside for just a bit, and it usually leads to more time outside. Being outdoors is so important. Connecting with God through His creation never gets old and He reveals Himself through nature. Creating competition with technology and lethargy is the work that this hour can accomplish. I'd encourage you to join us with Barb at Handbook of Nature Study for her Outdoor Hour.

School Scheduling & Reading Aloud

As much as I try to schedule out my days, weeks and years for school I usually work pretty loosely with what I've planned. I am, by nature a bit spontaneous and work best when I can comfortably make changes that keep school interesting.

So most days the plan is scratched or dented. Some days we focus more on math and do less reading. Some days math all comes out in play and science I just let them practice math without touching their normal curricula. Lately I'm pulling out other books &

workbooks so that we can keep it interesting for this last stretch. Some days we just go on a hike instead of paper school, or head out for a field trip.

It's become pretty standard that every few months our schooldays shift drastically. Whether I'm working with all three boys together or individually, whether I'm starting school at 9 a.m. and pushing through until it's done or starting school when I get a few things done and working through a subject then taking recess. I make changes to keep school interesting to myself and the boys, to work best with our ever changing family-life.

Going into this school year, I'd planned to follow the public school year as we have in years past. School starts in September, ends in early June. But after Spring break I realized that I really, really love the structure that even a little school does for our family.

But "year round" just ain't going to cut it around here. My boys are totally put out with the idea that they'd be doing school while they're public school friends are at home, playing the summer away. So I've come up with some sort of a compromise. We're going to take a summer break, I've just shortened it. We'll run school through most of June to make up for days of Spring that we couldn't stand to be inside for paper school & sick days. Then in August when the boredom sets in we'll start up again bit by bit.

Of course we have camping trips and a vacation planned, and that time will be off. I think we'll take off nearly two months of play time. When we're not camping or off playing I hope to continue reading aloud to the kids. I will also be buying a cursive handwriting curriculum for the boys to try out. I'm hearing more and more about teachers that are starting with cursive rather than printing because the flow of the letters is easier to start with. Now, I've heard opposing views on this, but I'll give it a shot. With 4, 6 & 8 year old boys trying can't hurt.
Maybe they can work on this while I read to them sometimes.

This brings up another good topic. How on earth does one read aloud to three wiggly-pants-different-aged little boys.

Reading Aloud To My Boys

Well, it's not as romantic as it may sound. Sometimes I read while the boys are eating. This of course, keeps them seated & satisfied, but doesn't last that long. Mostly I read to them in the living room where we all can get comfy. Sometimes I have a boy or two next to me, but mostly they're posted in different spots around the room, one drawing at the kitchen table, two on the floor building with legos or blocks. This keeps their little hands busy while I read and allows them to imagine what they will of the story we're reading. Maybe my favorite way to read to the boys is up on our bed. The boys will pick out story books to flip through while I read, or I give them beeswax to work their little fingers while they listen. It's so cozy that way.

It's taken time and practice for me to be able to read to the boys, with them all busy and quiet. They still interrupt to ask me questions about the story, but that's okay. I'm oftentimes reading over their heads a bit (especially little Eli) so their understanding needs to be clarified.

So tell me about you....will you take a summer break? Year round school? And what are your favorite stories to read and of reading with your family?

COMMENTS WORTH READING:

One summer we took a complete academic break - but our walls of routine fell as well. We suffered physically, mentally and spiritually. Then, in the fall, I suffered along with my oldest son, who had to re-learn his entire math knowledge base. The 1-2 months it took to get us back on track did not seem to be worth it - to be completely learning free in the summer.
We will continue our normal routine this summer, Handbook of Nature Study, Journal Sketches, and a page or so of math every other day. I will not go out of my way to assign academic work, but I will keep our daily routine the same. :)
Angie, over at Petra School

Our Homeschool Journey

I'm not sure when or why I started thinking about home schooling my boys.

Maybe it was the sweet teenage girl I met when my oldest was just a baby. Something about her was so genuine and interested. She conversed easily and looked me in the eye...she was home schoooled. I took note.

Maybe it was the books that we read & the early childhood experience I had, proving that sending your little ones to school when they're little isn't always beneficial. That boys especially need extra time to let their little person bloom close to home before they're put into school.

Maybe it was simply an extension of the attachment parents we'd become...it seemed to me that it was just the next natural step, teaching my kiddos at home where they could be close and I wouldn't miss out on a thing.

At any rate I would say our journey began with the birth of our first son. Moms and dads are teachers from the start. We read to our babies, held them, talked and sang to them. We coaxed and coached our toddlers into walking and babbling first words, we watched them 'read' their books and sing to their babies. We were modeling how to share, how to speak kindly, how to make a friend.

So counting each raisin and sounding out the letters in the grocery store came naturally with our 3 or4 year old. Teaching comes naturally. I remember asking myself, why should I be "relieved" of the duty of teaching my boys about book work, character, mannerisms, social life? Why should I turn over this work to someone else? This work that is so very important to me?

There was also the hope that somehow we could impart Christ and a real relationship with God to our boys in a way that they just couldn't experience anywhere else.

So we launched into preschool, my 4 year old and I. In kindergarten I seriously considered enrolling him in school. Truthfully, I felt overwhelmed. Now I had two more little boys, a three year old and a one year old. Sending Joe to school for several hours a day sounded like it would simplify life. I agonized an entire summer about what to do. At last I came to the conclusion I didn't yet want to be relieved of the duty of teaching my son. I wanted to be with him. I wanted him to be with us.

We pressed on. We moved through Kindergarten and school became a sweet rhythm to our family.

Now my youngest son is the preschooler. I have a kindergartner and a second grader, not that grades much count. They work at their own customized level. Their own customized style of school.

There is the traditional student who works text books like they're candy. He devours books and loves to bake.

I have a boy-shaped-student who would prefer to be in a tree and learns best on the fly & with hands on studies. He loves nature and begs to just hike.

And the preschool boy, well, he's a quick learner but I think what he loves the most is my time and the opportunity to learn like the big kids. He learns as they learn, sometimes more quickly.

Our days are routine; chores, school and activity or play. The boys have tons of free time and for that I'm so grateful. They get a great kid/student ratio....something like 80/20. They are involved up to their eyeballs too, music classes, art, reading group and field trips.

Our months, however, are not routine. I find that there really aren't more than two or three months a like. Change is the variable that is consistent when it comes to the seasons of school. I'm constantly trying new things to keep school fresh and interesting to all of us. But I don't mind that, it's a rhythm within itself that steps things up and keeps us loving our work, all four of us.

It is, truthfully, not always easy or fun to school at home. Some days are hard...when I'm struggling with motivation. My house will never be as clean and tidy as the other empty-all-day-homes. Finding the curriculum and social groups that best add to your students' experiences can be grueling work. Lesson planning and laundry somehow overlap leaving little time for structured planning and tasking. Having your kids at home so that you can teach them about a relationship with God goes hand in hand of allowing them to see your weaknesses & faults. They're home all the time so I have no time to hide on the bad days or wait until they leave to fall apart. The lines of home and school blur and some school days are overcome by sick kids or mom crisis. I remind myself that these, or others, are challenges that most any job or career gifts you with. I will take the challenges that come with the blessings of getting the time and experiences of learning with my kids, and all the learning I do while teaching them.

I started homeschooling the boys for the purpose of giving them an extended childhood at home. More time to build character, to learn to surf the social waves of life outside home. I continued schooling because I saw learned just how different my little ones are and how their needs are. And I started to fall in love with having them home.

Now I'd have to say that I have them home because of the rich relationships our family has. The boys have very special friendships with their brothers and I feel that my husband and I know them in a way I'd never get the chance to if they were away from home for hours a day. There are so many things I love about homeschooling, but this stands far above the rest, the sweet relationship I get to have with them. After all, they're only around for awhile.

Outdoor School Week

This week has been one of those weeks. One of those I-am-not-wanting-to-sit-down-to-schoolwork weeks and quite frankly, neither do the kids.

Do you ever have those weeks? Just those days when school seems to be the last thing on the list.

However, this is the job. So I got up Monday and pushed through,not yet hearing my instincts to change things up. I can be slow that way. I was pulling teeth all around the table, my own included. Tuesday started the same way. I let up mid-school and finally shifted gears to be the teacher I want to be.

So I dug through some old books and pulled out new material. Then I took school outside. The best move I've made in awhile.

With a lot of encouragement from a blogging friend Barb, I've been teaching my boys just about enjoying nature through observation and art. So I was thrilled today, the boys and I took a hike into the canyon. Every few minutes the boys were excitedly calling out "Mom! Look, it's yellow lichen! And red!" They identified dandelions by their leaves alone and we observed that the dandy's we saw in the canyon weren't blooming, in fact there weren't flowers at all, just leaves. We looked for wildflowers (tough to come by in the desert) and treasured each tiny bloom.


So we'll get past this funk (would-rather-do-anything-but-paper-school) yet. In the meantime we'll hike, we'll read, we'll play games and learn...away from the desk.

And I really, really want to hear....what do you do when you just don't want to do paper school? School proper?

Yet Another Reason I Love to Teach my boys at home

Oh, you all know why I love to homeschool right? I'm needing to post that story, but for tonight you'll get this reason.

Reason #289 that I love to homeschool:

Keeping up with the brains.

Tonight the boys and I played Pictionary together. They thought of their own words, and we had a wonderful time guessing what Eli's circles and lines together were- various dinosaurs, of course. But I was floored when Joe drew a man with a NASA shirt...then insisted that I had to keep guessing after "astronaut." What? I'm thinking? So I guessed a "Neil Armstrong." Yup, he said.

Ok, so that may not sound like much.
THEN he drew an octopus and a snail and a line connecting the two. "Invertebrates" I knew to guess...remember, I went to school this year too. But alas, I was still not close enough. "Mollusks, Mom!" Oh good gravy! Seriously!

Then it was Babe Ruth and on and on....and I decided I will not stop teaching my boys lest they pass me up and I'm out of the game, entirely.

Joe has his Encyclopedia Brown series sorted out on his bookshelf in his room. Piles sorted by "read," "partly read," and to be read. This is the eight-year old who totally fooled me on April 1st by telling me some random fact whilst reading his encyclopedia. I absolutely believed him.

I'd better read those books too, quick.

Dandy, just Dandy

The boys and I went out today in spite of the rain and cumulonimbus-coated skies. We went out in search for dandelions. Thanks to some neighbors, we have the perfect yard in the neighborhood for studying a variety of dandys.

Nate had spotted the yard full of flowers earlier this week so we hopped down there with tape measure, ruler & observation skills in hand.

The boys took turns measuring to find the tallest dandelion. Nate won (because it's all a competition amongst boys) with a whopping 15" flower. Because it's just too hard not to win, we also measured the diameter of the flowers, and Joe found a flower with a 2" diameter, no small flower.

Then we looked at the flowers in their different stages. Some of the flowers were in the first stage, just a bud. We looked at the blooming flowers, then at the seeding flowers (the fun part).

My boys did their part in spreading the dandelion love.

Something we found that I didn't know is that the flowers fold into a bud while they change from flower to seed. At home we opened these buds to find the seeds, green and wet preparing to open and let the seeds loose.

The boys observered that the stems of the dandelions are hollow, therefore making great little straws. They also observed that the stems tasted awful and proceeded to do a lot of spitting in the yard.

At home we did a little sketching in our Nature Journals, seeds and flowers, leaves and the like.
Join us on our nature adventures over at the Handbook of Nature Study for weekly nature challenges.

Lichen it.

Saturday morning, sleep in.
Get up, putz around a little...
exercise,
shower,
eat,
throw in a load of laundry and pick up the house a little. Now it's decision time: should I clean the bathrooms or should I take my boys for a little exploration hike on this beautiful spring day.

Hike wins.


The boys and I had a wonderful time on our hike. I planned this hike as an exploration type...lots of times Ralph and I have destination in mind over exploration. We like to get where we're going and really, the boys just want to look at every.little. thing they see on the ground, climb every rock, every tree they can. So for this hike I took a book of poetry, a camera and plants to have fun with photography. Joey brought a book too. Well, he doesn't really go anywhere without one these days. Nate brought his little notebook to sketch the nature around him, a favorite past time for him.


We walked about 100 yards into the canyon and found a nice spot to flop.

Upon my sister, Hazel's suggestion I decided to check out the lichen in the area. The boys and I made our lichen observations:

• lichen is very colorful. It can be bright, bright in color. Also, it can be plain old black, brown or white
• lichen has many textures. It all feels different. Some is as hard as the rock it's on, some soft enough to sleep on.
• some lichens are flat like paint, some bumpy enough to pick up and carry it home
• lichen seems to live well on rocks & trees both
• lichen faces North, South, East and West. It lives in the shade and full sun.

I took a gazillion photos of lichen, I have a few to share. I've come home, now that I'm "seeing" lichen I'm finding it in the backyard too.

When we got home we did a little homework. We found that lichen:

• is very pollution sensitive. Lichen is liken' clean air.
  
• people used to use colorful lichen to dye wool.
• at times people have eaten lichen or fed it to pets when times were tough and no other food was available. But some lichens are poisonous.
• is created when a certain fungus meets up with alga. When the two meet, lichen grows. No alga, no fungus. It has been compared to a marriage relationship.

It's interesting little stuff, and it sure colors up our canyon. I have noticed that the colors brighten seasonally, so I'm sure we'll be watching it more closely from now on.

Otherwise, we also saw a couple of horses with their people riding in the canyon, a sly little lizard who hid in a crack until we got oh-so-quiet. The most fun was seeing a killdeer (Eli calls it a dead deer, or killed dear) which is a bird. She was nesting on the ground. When Juneau got close she flew away, looking wounded and low to the ground. The first time this happened I just called Juneau off her trail so he wouldn't injure her futher. The second time, I suddenly remembered about the bird that would fly off looking wounded in order to distract a predator from her nest. The boys and I poked around for a minute trying to spot a nest of eggs but then we just tip toed away hanging out the do-not-disturb sign lest we squash the eggies with one of our 12 feet.

All in all, it was a wonderful time. We enjoyed our exploratory time, and I love the we-finally-get-to-get-out-in-the-Central-Oregon-spring feeling. Horray!


Learn some interesting facts and take a short quiz to help you identify lichens here in Lichenland.