Farm Girl Sisterhood, Complete with Merit Badges

Last year I mentioned finding a great book called MaryJane's Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook for the Farmgirl in All of Us. that celebrated the farmgirl in every woman. I've been getting FarmGirl Magazine here and there. The other day, I picked one up and visited the website.

Imagine my joy when I discovered the FarmGirl Sisterhood is going strong, and now offers Merit Badges. My inner farmgirl and my nostalgic Girl Scout unite! I perused the offerings, and am estatic. This is exactly what we are needing around here.

Today will be Honey's 20th day of illness. I've tried to downplay it, as it is just been such a negative. It started with swine, and then strep on top if that. She didn't respond to the antibiotics, and on one of our myriad of office visits picked up a cold on top. That moved quickly into bronchitis, and it's complications. She finally rounding the corner, but our days are filled with breathing treatments and a third round of yet stronger antibiotics. Ugh!

With all of this, she has been struggling to do anything resembling school work. Frankly, she's had days where she is struggling to stay awake for three hours at a time. Asking her to do algebra is ridiculous, as she will forget any lesson we might happen to muddle through. She's been keeping up with her history and German, surpisingly, and is still acing her Plato Science (that is still fun!). I've had to bag a lot of the dynamic literary analysis in lieu of easy grammar review that she can handle in bite size chunks. And all those added academic courses like philosophy, journalism, and sociology are now moving to multi-year status.

She is still facing at least another week of this, and who knows how long until she is mentally recovered. We've already faced the reality that we will be doing math long into the summer to ensure she's gotten it. Her evaluator is right on board with us with these changes. We know that her resisitence is very slow recovering, and are already looking for nesting type projects that keep us close to home.

Honey, however, is mentioning that she likes mini-goals. These badges will become for us a real way to add a little direction. And the variety offers not just hobbies like needle arts, but environmental concerns, horticulture, cooking and community service. How fun!

My Organized Office Space!

Just thought I'd share my wonderful new bookcase, and how nicely it allows me to organize my office space. It doesn't even clash too badly with the toile wallpaper and stenciling...so I am thrilled!

Not bad for a Friday project!

All Kinds of Stinky Goin' On!

Poor HoneyGirl is really struggling to get better. Another trip to the doctor, a higher potency antibiotic for seconday infections. After, of course, a 20 hour battle with the pharmacy, insurance company and office staff to finally discover that the new Dr. had created her own abbreviation for Zithromax, also known as a Zpak. Her creation, however, is the actual name for another medication, used for heart patients. Grrr!

We are spending all our time at home, other than going out for some fresh air on the patio. After more than a week of doing little school, she claimed utter boredom and has started on her own. She's got a system down of waking really early, having some lemon tea, and doing some reading. She takes a nap early, then wakes again around 11am. She can usually manage about 2 hours of school work, then pops in a movie which she promptly naps through. When she wakes, she does another subject, then we play a game or watch a movie together.

Her slow recovery isn't the only stinky here, I must sadly report. Last night around 1am our dog Bear went out and came running through the dog door like a crazed banshee, rubbing his face on the carpet and wimpering. He'd finally met the skunk that has been creeping around the neighborhood. It seemed to be just a warning shot and not full blast, but it got him right in the eye. We flushed the eye, then did tomato baths . He's smelling better than the carpet! Had to throw out the dog bed and living room pillows, which he rubbed his face on in his initial frenzy. Thank goodness for leather furniture that washes so easily!

I sit now, with windows open and candles aflame, waiting for the reek to leave us. What a time to be home sick. It seems that he is now afraid to go out without someone, so I have been making the trek out with them (and loudly announcing my arrival!) Got out my old 22 to clean today, and I am planning on staying up a bit later at night. I'm goin' on a skunk hunt (insert Elmer Fudd voice here), and I am thanking my Daddy today for teaching me how to take care of varmints like this!

Thank God for Lazy friends!

A college girlfriend asked me a few weeks ago if I had any use for two new bookcases. It seems she purchased them from IKEA in the summer, and her husband has not taken the time to put them together. Having waited what she thought was more than patiently, she took his credit card to Ethan Allan and bought herself pre-made bookcases and had them delivered. Snarky girl!

She knew that I have rarely met a book I didn't like or want to keep and could easily whip the bad boys together myself, she offered. I jumped at them, and thanked her profusely! The timing is perfect, as I have a real need for them in my office.

My office, or rather, my corner of the dining room in our quaint Cape Cod, needs bookcases. I am someone who needs organization to function, and a place for all the lesson plans and ideas and books for homeschooling. With the co-op, I need a place to keep all that information as well. And while a file cabinet works for most of it, there is just no way to use one for the plethora of books I use and reference while teaching a class.

Imagine the dreamy way I can now picture my room, with everything in it's space, and no milk crates piled in front of the windows. I'll be able to see the quarter-sawn oak of my dining room table instead of multiple piles of files. DH, having given me cash for our anniversary to clothes shop, will not be surprised when I spend it on adorable organizing bins and boxes that I will stack and label to my heart's delight. I shall splurge on extras, for those future classes, so that as I come across articles or ideas, I can merely pop them into a box that I will one day open like a gift. I'm just giddy thinking about it.

Honeygirl, while not fully recovered, is dying to get out of the house. The hour car ride to my girlfriend's house will be great for her. Since she was unable to take off work to coordinate a visit, I don't have to worry about spreading germs. It even stopped raining so my new bookcases won't get wet.

How exicted I am, then, to get them home and built, and start the transition. Now, if I can only find a sound proofing device to block out television noise from the living room whenever I wish, I'd be estatic!

Through illnessComes an Unexpected Gift

Illness has been a real problem at the Hive for the last month. First we all had our annual fall sinus to chest cold. At the same time, poor Honey was having severe stomach issues, which we quickly diagnosed to a new lactose intolerance. We had just begun getting her dairy free diet on track with substitutions, which no small issue for the milk & butter girl that she has always been.

She found a nearby farm where we can buy goat's milk, and I've been substituting soy products when cooking. A nice side is that I am feeling a lot better, which is leading me to cut out more and more dairy for myself as well. We've been introducing food source calcium in foods such as pumpkin and other squash, and becoming creative with her favority broccoli.

So it really seemed unfair when she came down with the some flu-like symptoms last week. A trip to the doctor and a nasal swab later, she was diagnosed wtih H1-N1. She spend the weekend in bed, enjoying the luxury of limitless movie watching and sleeping, but her symptoms continued to get worse. We returned to the doctor Monday morning, and a throat swab later, we were told she also has strep throat. Holy Cow!

Now my girl is taking antibiotics and is doing her best to rest and recover. We're filling the week with low-key activities (puzzles, reading) in between lots of chicken soup and soft slippery foods . I am grateful to slow down a while, and just "BE" with her. We've had some great conversations, albeit her end sounds quite froggy. Between her naps, I have been also able to catch up with a few friends via telephone, a luxury I haven't had time for lately.

It was in one of these conversations with a dear friend that I received the unexpected gift. This woman is a wonderful person, HOneygirl's art teacher, and someone who has grown to be a good friend. She herself is dyslexic, and is such a great resource for me as I try to teach Honey. She is also a homeschooling mother, and always has such great insights.

In talking about our children's school year so far, I mentioned that it seems that Honey is not applying herself to her Algebra, and that we have been arguing a bit. She stopped me midstream. "I know your daughter, and I think you have forgotten how hard she works for everything. You are off base, and need to remember just how much her dyslexia effects her learning. "

It was like she shook me by my shoulders to set me straight. Honey has come so far that at times, I tend to think that her learning issues have disappeared. Yet each year, I find myself so rushed for time that I try to press her into my schedule. And then we both get frustrated when it isn't owrking. Sigh!

Thank goodness then, for the gift of a few words that remind me to take the time to teach my child, not according to my schedule, but hers. I may have to reevaluate and limit some of my outside commitments, which would probably be a good thing. We will spend the days of recovery moving into a slower pace, and a more joyful lifestyle will certainly result.

As much as I thought I'd love teaching history....

I have realized that I enjoy teaching literature and writing so much more. I love ancient history and find all if it fascinating, but the problem is that no matter how much I try, the kids just don't share that passion. I am having much more luck with my younger class, as we are doing a lot of mapwork and hands on activities (mock mummifications, cunniform tablets,etc).


But my high school class is a bit of a struggle. It seems that those very same students that were such prolific writers in my creative writing class last year are SORELY lacking in their expository writing skills. You can definitely tell those who have been writing essays and reports since they were young to those who are now 8/9th graders and have never done any writing that isn't for pleasure.

I'm having to rework the wheel, so to speak, and it it drudgery for me and those who can write a five-paragraph essay in their sleep. I'm having to spend all the class time I had set aside for fun activities to teach basic writing and research skills. The odd thing is how difficult it is for them to step away from the creative style. Their time-line essays are full of side notes and references to themselves. I remind them over and over that neither they nor I were around in ancient mesopotamia nor were part of building the pyramids, but they cannot grasp how to share information without creative opinion. SIgh....

Which is why I find myself working on lesson plans for next year's high school English class when I can't sleep. I cannot wait to do this literature and writing class on Science fiction and fantasy. I have already selected our six books: TIme Machine by H.G. Wells, Complete Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone, and The Princess Bride by William Goldman. While not all are true classics, they are perfect for teaching the various elements, and will be excellent springboards for the student's writing assignments.

However, until then, I shall return to working on timelines and teaching the essay. I feel such a duty to have all of these kids leave my class balanced writers, even if that means I will not have the time to nurture the love of history as I wished. Double sigh....

The Feathering the Nest...

There is something about autumn that focuses my natural rhythms toward nesting. I scheduled a day off work on Saturday just to really clean the bedrooms, doing the under and behind places where litters of dust puppies lie. Honey and I switched out the summer and winter closets and drawers, airing out the woolen and down. We also donated at car load of outdated or too small clothing that I have determined none of us will wear again.

The guys did nesting chores as well, cleaning and emptying the fireplace and ash pit. THey restacked firewood to prepare for the next load. They prepped the cars, refilling washer fluid and checking oil and batteries.

We all spent some time cleaning one assigned areas; this week it was the bedrooms. For years now, I have done the opposite of spring cleaning. It just makes sense to have a newly cleaned and organized home just before you are going to be spending so much more time inside. This week we will tackle the kitchen, dining and living rooms, and the kids will do the bathrooms. A friend is remodeling her office, and offered me her three-yr old IKEA furniture, so if I can make it fit, I will also be setting up a new office for myself.

Our big project will come the last week of October, when we tackle the basement. The need to have a family room again has become overwhelming with two teenagers. We are getting rid of the weight bench that is used only to air dry comforters of late, as well as excess office furniture from when my DH hasa large office at home. We've been saving up, and will hit Craigs list to shop for some used furniture, and get the kids set for winter as well.

To get all this done, of course, we are stepping away from field trips for a few weeks. We wake and focus on getting school and office work done at a leisurely pace during the day. We've taken to using the evenings to do errands, something we had gotten out of the habit of doing when the kids had nighttime activities. The dogs are even enjoying the change of scenery by walking at dusk, and we are sleeping better for the fresh evening air.

Life is good, and this hectic pace will slow down in November as we turn inward to home and hearth. Which is a very, very good thing!