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Friday, 31 May 2013
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Brown sugar
We are starting to prepare for a family get-together and our first task, at Jaelyn's request, was to make chocolate chip cookies. After discovering our handed-down recipe was not where it was supposed to be and a phone call to grandma later, we gathered our ingredients, only to discover we were short of a key ingredient - brown sugar.
Not wanting to make a trip to the grocery store, I mused that we would simply make our own brown sugar. I don't know what caused me to even think such a thing, but once we were off the phone with recipe in hand, I grabbed Homemade Pantry. If I were to find how to make such a thing without turning on the computer, it would be there. And it was! All we needed was sugar and molasses - easy peasy!
As we poured those two humble ingredients into our stand mixer and watched the molasses clump into a gooey blob with the sugar, we talked a bit about where sugar comes from and how it is processed. As we scraped the bowl down, we started to get a glimpse of what our brown sugar would look like. Eyes were glued to its progress, and mouths were anxious for a taste. What patient babes I had in my kitchen this afternoon!
Soon, in not too much time, our brown sugar was ready. It looks just like the store-bought stuff, except it has such a lovely soft, moist quality to it. I don't think I will ever go back to buying store-bought brown sugar again (especially when it costs more for less)!
Just as quickly, our chocolate chip cookies were in and out of the oven. We've solemnly sworn that we will share just one before we hide them away in the freezer until the weekend. Wish us luck on that front!
Not wanting to make a trip to the grocery store, I mused that we would simply make our own brown sugar. I don't know what caused me to even think such a thing, but once we were off the phone with recipe in hand, I grabbed Homemade Pantry. If I were to find how to make such a thing without turning on the computer, it would be there. And it was! All we needed was sugar and molasses - easy peasy!
As we poured those two humble ingredients into our stand mixer and watched the molasses clump into a gooey blob with the sugar, we talked a bit about where sugar comes from and how it is processed. As we scraped the bowl down, we started to get a glimpse of what our brown sugar would look like. Eyes were glued to its progress, and mouths were anxious for a taste. What patient babes I had in my kitchen this afternoon!
Soon, in not too much time, our brown sugar was ready. It looks just like the store-bought stuff, except it has such a lovely soft, moist quality to it. I don't think I will ever go back to buying store-bought brown sugar again (especially when it costs more for less)!
Just as quickly, our chocolate chip cookies were in and out of the oven. We've solemnly sworn that we will share just one before we hide them away in the freezer until the weekend. Wish us luck on that front!
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Circus gardening
The Selinger crew definitely had looks only a mother could love as we pulled up to our community garden plot after a fabulous spring party hosted by one of the families in our homeschool co-op. I was dismayed to see that there were several other gardeners out, but thought they would be far enough away not to really get a good look at our painted faces. I quickly unloaded our gear while the kids hopped out and set to work organizing them with where I wanted them to start digging holes for our tomatillos and Japanese eggplant.
But we must have been noticeable. The community garden coordinator appeared out of nowhere and mentioned he needed to get a look at our scary faces (his exact words, no lie). I simply smiled and told him we were kicking off our first time in the garden this year with a circus act. I think we all had an opportunity to be more child-like and less serious, even if just for a moment. It did my soul good.
After a few more holes were dug, the kids were off to mingle with others they had met last year. The were delighted to see the fellow with his bearded dragon and learned more about where these lizards come from and what they like to eat. They headed off to talk to one of the garden watchdogs and picked some edible weeds (dandelion leaves) under his tutelage. They were still in full conversation mode as I went to gather them up (leaving quite the impression with my neon painted face). At least they left me a bit hopeful that our spindly little tomatoes may do alright in the end, and that it really was okay that not everything was in yet.
There are such wonderful people, of all stripes, at our homeschool co-op and oucommunity garden. It's a blessing to be a part of it all.
But we must have been noticeable. The community garden coordinator appeared out of nowhere and mentioned he needed to get a look at our scary faces (his exact words, no lie). I simply smiled and told him we were kicking off our first time in the garden this year with a circus act. I think we all had an opportunity to be more child-like and less serious, even if just for a moment. It did my soul good.
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| (My facepainting was done by one of our generous hosts this afternoon - I'm a butterfly) |
There are such wonderful people, of all stripes, at our homeschool co-op and oucommunity garden. It's a blessing to be a part of it all.
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Club Day. The Birds of Prey version.
Oh, I am so glad that we had an opportunity to test-drive today's Birds of Prey navigation-themed project before the Club actually showed up.
I've been so excited and pleased with the projects in Tools of Navigation that I had great expectations for the homemade compass project described in the book. It's a dry compass, which I had difficulty finding projects and instructions for making on the Internet. The premise is that a milk carton bottom serves as the box that the compass resides in. A heavy paperclip is magnetized, then sandwiched between two circular pieces of paper (one a cardboard and the other plain printer paper), which forms the compass rose. Lastly, the rose balances on a nail or screw that comes up through the bottom of the milk carton.
Our problems began early during our experiments. The book specified that the nail should be steel and not iron, presumably because the nail should not be attracted to the magnetized paperclip in the rose. As I dug through the containers of nails and screws in our garage, I discovered that they were all attracted to magnets. An internet search revealed that plain old steel will usually be attracted to magnets, but certain types of stainless steel will not. My husband wound up finding five stainless steel screws in the basement, and my dad supplemented our collection.
Then we tried to build the contraption. We found it extremely tricky to balance the rose on the screw, even before trying to sandwich the magnetized paperclip, and I expect that it wouldn't have stayed in place with the slightest movement or gentle breeze. After three attempts, we decided to ditch the dry compass and went with a tried and true do-it-yourself water compass project.
The water compass project is quite easy, and there are may sources on the internet for finding instructions for how to do it. The materials needed were simple - a circular piece of cork, a needle, a magnet, and something to hold water. We cut up a few corks we happened to have handy to serve as our compass rose. Then we magnetized a sewing needle by running a magnet over it for several minutes. Lastly, we used the bottoms of the milk containers that we were planning to use for the dry compasses to hold the water. The magnetized needle was then inserted through the side of the cork, and then the cork and needle was placed in the water.
I read a bit of the history and science of compasses to the Club as they magnetized their needles (from Tools of Navigation). Did you know that while the Chinese invented the first compass (in 210 BCE), they didn't actually use it for navigation? Instead, it was used in feng shui. In fact, the first known recorded use of a compass for navigation in the western culture wasn't until the 1100's CE.
We learn something new every day, don't we?
I've been so excited and pleased with the projects in Tools of Navigation that I had great expectations for the homemade compass project described in the book. It's a dry compass, which I had difficulty finding projects and instructions for making on the Internet. The premise is that a milk carton bottom serves as the box that the compass resides in. A heavy paperclip is magnetized, then sandwiched between two circular pieces of paper (one a cardboard and the other plain printer paper), which forms the compass rose. Lastly, the rose balances on a nail or screw that comes up through the bottom of the milk carton.
Our problems began early during our experiments. The book specified that the nail should be steel and not iron, presumably because the nail should not be attracted to the magnetized paperclip in the rose. As I dug through the containers of nails and screws in our garage, I discovered that they were all attracted to magnets. An internet search revealed that plain old steel will usually be attracted to magnets, but certain types of stainless steel will not. My husband wound up finding five stainless steel screws in the basement, and my dad supplemented our collection.
Then we tried to build the contraption. We found it extremely tricky to balance the rose on the screw, even before trying to sandwich the magnetized paperclip, and I expect that it wouldn't have stayed in place with the slightest movement or gentle breeze. After three attempts, we decided to ditch the dry compass and went with a tried and true do-it-yourself water compass project.
The water compass project is quite easy, and there are may sources on the internet for finding instructions for how to do it. The materials needed were simple - a circular piece of cork, a needle, a magnet, and something to hold water. We cut up a few corks we happened to have handy to serve as our compass rose. Then we magnetized a sewing needle by running a magnet over it for several minutes. Lastly, we used the bottoms of the milk containers that we were planning to use for the dry compasses to hold the water. The magnetized needle was then inserted through the side of the cork, and then the cork and needle was placed in the water.
I read a bit of the history and science of compasses to the Club as they magnetized their needles (from Tools of Navigation). Did you know that while the Chinese invented the first compass (in 210 BCE), they didn't actually use it for navigation? Instead, it was used in feng shui. In fact, the first known recorded use of a compass for navigation in the western culture wasn't until the 1100's CE.
We learn something new every day, don't we?
Monday, 27 May 2013
Reporting in
We are nearing the end of our first year of homeschooling. The calendar, and provincial policy, dictates that I have my plans for next year in soon. And it only makes sense to me "finish" one year before I start thinking about the next. So, late last night after the kids were finally tucked into bed, I started writing up my first "annual progress report".
I have been thinking of what I would write for about a month because it seemed like it would such a complex, detailed task to complete. We've done so much - how could I possibly write about all we've done succinctly! Yet when I sat down and stared at the blank computer screen, it seemed like too much detail would mask what my children have learned. To boil things down to their simplest terms, one of my children has grown into a reader. She's gone from recognizing single digit numbers to adding and subtracting three-digit ones. She knows how to spell her full name and remembers the date on which she entered our earthly world. She's even dabbled in handwriting. These are all things she could not do a year ago.
My son has gone into the business of devouring books (in the open and not on the sly anymore), and he can figure out the sales tax and total cost of a purchase more efficiently. He's gone on fact-finding missions about coins, birds, shrimp, the War of 1812, and outer space, to just the right level of detail for him. While the extent of his growth is harder to see, simply because he came home "equipped" with most of the basics, I do know that he has grown and learned through the projects we've done and experiences we've had together.
They have both learned about caring for a younger sister and how to be more independent. They have learned about the world around them. They've imagined what the past was like, stood solidly with eyes wide open in the present, and dreamt of the future. They are happy.
I think that pretty much sums it up!
I have been thinking of what I would write for about a month because it seemed like it would such a complex, detailed task to complete. We've done so much - how could I possibly write about all we've done succinctly! Yet when I sat down and stared at the blank computer screen, it seemed like too much detail would mask what my children have learned. To boil things down to their simplest terms, one of my children has grown into a reader. She's gone from recognizing single digit numbers to adding and subtracting three-digit ones. She knows how to spell her full name and remembers the date on which she entered our earthly world. She's even dabbled in handwriting. These are all things she could not do a year ago.
My son has gone into the business of devouring books (in the open and not on the sly anymore), and he can figure out the sales tax and total cost of a purchase more efficiently. He's gone on fact-finding missions about coins, birds, shrimp, the War of 1812, and outer space, to just the right level of detail for him. While the extent of his growth is harder to see, simply because he came home "equipped" with most of the basics, I do know that he has grown and learned through the projects we've done and experiences we've had together.
They have both learned about caring for a younger sister and how to be more independent. They have learned about the world around them. They've imagined what the past was like, stood solidly with eyes wide open in the present, and dreamt of the future. They are happy.
I think that pretty much sums it up!
Saturday, 25 May 2013
How we grow
I clearly remember a year ago about this time, and the feeling of dread that would by causing my stomach to turn into a knot as I stared down a weekend with my husband away. The thought of what would essentially be two straight weeks with no help during the daytime left me anxious and panicky. It was not a good place to be.
Fast forward to today. There wasn't a lot of anxiety to be had, save the moment this evening when I remembered that there still could be another activity later on and that I had best get supper on the table sooner than later. I'm sure that a lot of it has to do with each of us having another year of life experience under our belts. The children have had another year to grow their independence muscles. I've had another year to learn how to relax and enjoy the children. And I feel like the past year has been an immersion course (for me, at least) in being comfortable with other people's children too. We truly never stop learning.
It helps when the day is as lovely as today was. We had a full, but flexible, agenda for today. After Jaelyn's ball game this morning, we joined in the wind-up celebration of the Arts Festival. There was too much to see and do, and of course I opted to remember snacks and water instead of the camera, so I can't take you on a visual tour (until after our arrival home). But I can share that faces were painted (independently), goo was made, dancing was done, storytelling was shared, and ice cream was enjoyed. We capped it off with some gardening (potatoes, popcorn, watermelon and onions are in - yay!) and Jaelyn set up a lemonade stand. Astrin dug in the dirt and drew some pictures. We enjoyed an evening of popcorn and a sister bath. Everyone is wiped and the house is quiet.
I go to bed tonight with a happy heart, as I realize how we have all grown.
Fast forward to today. There wasn't a lot of anxiety to be had, save the moment this evening when I remembered that there still could be another activity later on and that I had best get supper on the table sooner than later. I'm sure that a lot of it has to do with each of us having another year of life experience under our belts. The children have had another year to grow their independence muscles. I've had another year to learn how to relax and enjoy the children. And I feel like the past year has been an immersion course (for me, at least) in being comfortable with other people's children too. We truly never stop learning.
It helps when the day is as lovely as today was. We had a full, but flexible, agenda for today. After Jaelyn's ball game this morning, we joined in the wind-up celebration of the Arts Festival. There was too much to see and do, and of course I opted to remember snacks and water instead of the camera, so I can't take you on a visual tour (until after our arrival home). But I can share that faces were painted (independently), goo was made, dancing was done, storytelling was shared, and ice cream was enjoyed. We capped it off with some gardening (potatoes, popcorn, watermelon and onions are in - yay!) and Jaelyn set up a lemonade stand. Astrin dug in the dirt and drew some pictures. We enjoyed an evening of popcorn and a sister bath. Everyone is wiped and the house is quiet.
I go to bed tonight with a happy heart, as I realize how we have all grown.
Friday, 24 May 2013
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