return to homeschooling

When I started this blog, I considered it to be an unschooling blog, but it really was always a what-our-family-is-up-to kind of blog, with my random thoughts and ramblings thrown in from time to time.  When Camille started school this year, I felt odd about letting go of that title of unschooling for some reason, but I continued to focus on the relationships in the family and the happiness and learning that can arise from a life lived with open eyes.

 waiting for the Merrimac Ferry 

I haven't written much about Camille's schooling recently, but she was becoming increasingly unhappy in school.  We had already decided that she would return to homeschooling for next year, but it became harder and harder to see her so unhappy with herself and her daily situation, even though she wanted to finish out the school year.  Well, over the weekend she decided that seeking out a more fulfilling and inspirational way of life is very worth quitting school for, and Monday was her last day!  Her last day was sweet.  She got lots of hugs and we'll-miss-you's, but she couldn't be more satisfied with her decision.  She's been very up and down emotionally, but I think we have a bit of deschooling going on.

This girl wants structure and a curriculum.  She wants planned out activities.  (We won't be calling ourselves unschoolers just yet :)  What she doesn't want is bullies, 3rd-grade-girl social politics, and endless repetition of already-learned information.

Sunday, we went into the city, just the two of us.  It was perfect!  Monday, after her last day of school, we all went thrift-storing, and out to eat, followed by Camille playing at the park with Sylvia, while Ayla napped in the car, and I was able to sit and daydream and kick my feet up and out the car window.  Tuesday, we all went into the city, and played at an indoor play area as well as picking up some supplies and meeting with friends at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center.  Yesterday, the library, Whitakers Farm Fresh Market, and an Animal Encyclopedia sticker book.  Right now, it's Jimmy Neutron and The Fairly Odd Parents.  Later today, driving out to another homeschooler's farm for a wildflower hike and craft (after cleaning the chicken coop and showering ;).  It promises not to be dull around here!!!

 journal writing at a cafe

 jump!

  play

 goslings

 fort-building at Aldo Leopold Nature Center

 Mama by the Wisconsin River

happiness!

placentas and rooster feet

*If you are vegan or squeamish, you might prefer to skip this post, though it's not actually gory.

Our modern culture seems to shy away from the decidedly un-pretty aspects of life.  For all of the celebration of beginning a new life, birth is almost as unseen and separated from our daily existence as death.  But when we decide to hide away these unsightly aspects of life in hospitals and factories (human birth and death and animal birth and death), what connections are we missing out on?

I have been vegan (previously, for about half of my adult life) and omnivorous.  I have had home births and a hospital birth.  Life is not tidy and sterile, with a one-size-fits-all right way to live.

This weekend for the first time after nearly nine years, I don't have any placentas in my freezer.  After the births of each of my children, I had kept the placenta intending to bury it and plant a special bush or tree over it when we owned some land.  So we planted placentas this weekend.

Camille still talks about seeing Sylvia being born and how she she touched the still pulsing umbilical cord attached to her baby sister.

On the same day, we butchered our first animal ever.  I say we, but really it was Papa, bless him, while I was conveniently distracted with a phone conversation with my mom (Thanks, Ma!).  Our rooster had become increasingly aggressive about attacking the children.  He had been known to jump on their backs and peck at them, and even on occasion, draw blood.  Well, he had fertilized many eggs that we are currently incubating, but we couldn't keep him around anymore as the children were scared to go outside.

Camille and Sylvia were excited to see him go, and also fascinated by the process.  For my part, I made a stew with wild ramps and potatoes and broth and white meat from the rooster.  Eating an animal that you have known is a completely different experience than purchasing chicken from the grocery store.  The mere idea makes most people squeamish, but there is no more locally, sustainably, ecological, ethical meat than from animals that you have respectfully cared for on your own land.  Why does this freak most people out?  I'm not asking this judgmentally.  It kind of freaks me out and I'm part of it.  I just honestly wonder how we got so removed from our food sources that this seems crazy.

I grew up in the suburbs, I'm sure farm folk don't feel this way.  I'm sure I won't always feel this way.  And, well, this rooster tasted much more chicken-y than any (even free-range, organic) chicken from the store.  Camille thinks it tastes gross, Sylvia is indifferent, and Ayla eagerly asks for "more roostah".  I think it might become an acquired taste for me.

Sylvia peeling a rooster foot for the chicken stock / broth.

Now, I'm really excited to see those little chickies start hatching soon...

So, here we are, taking one tentative step closer to the source.  The messy, glorious, scary, uplifting cycle of life and death that supports us (and really all life) on this planet.

Do you have any experience with placentas or connection to your food source that you'd like to share?  Feel free to leave me a comment even if your opinions are very different from mine :)

Happy Earth Day

photos from the last three days:

 growing

 choosing

 digging 

 

 planting

fire with friends

Happy Earth Day from our little pin point of a spot on the globe.  May you find greenness wherever you are.

Ayla turns 2!

We celebrated Ayla's second birthday this week.  Sylvia and I baked her a berry buttermilk cake with freshly whipped cream.  It was yummy, and it used up the buttermilk we had left over from making our own butter.

Ayla was happy with her gift basket from the family, a simple mix of homemade and store-boughten gifts,

and the leg warmers fit her just right!

We went to a restaurant with a Country-western / train theme.  Ayla was properly impressed and thrilled :)

While we waited for our food, the girls tried out the kitschy rides and Camille even had her fortune told by 'Gina the Gypsy' machine.

The food was delivered by train, and we got a free ride pass for everyone in the family from the waiter.  Can't turn that down!

wheeeee!

Thanks to family who sent birthday cards with 'a little somethin', Ayla is kitted out in new rainboots, a sturdy, but girly shovel, gardening gloves and a matching hat.  She helped pick these out and loves them!

The dolly that I knit for her was a couple days late for a birthday present, but I don't think she minded a bit.  She named her Doot Doo.

I think she likes her.

This two-year-old girl is so caring and loving, quick with a kiss or a cheek rub if someone is feeling low.  She is also determined and headstrong and even with fewer words than her big sisters, she can make her point quite clearly.  I am grateful for Ayla, her sparkle, her personality.  I love the way she is sooooo excited to nurse to sleep that she wants to share with her dolly.  The way she says ye-es to every question.  The way she offers me a turn at everything she does, whether it's using the toilet or eating ice cream.

I love you, Miss Ayla Cakes!

weekend projects

The apple trees were bravely blooming after the hard frost we saw this week.  I think we may have lost many of the potential apples, but the new blossoms still look pretty promising.

*photo by Papa

 Sylvia and I painted the aluminum that we are going to use for siding the chicken coop.  Papa has been cutting these siding tiles out of scrap aluminum in his spare time and we are going to paint them three different colors to make a pattern on the coop.  This is just the first batch.  It's a bit time consuming, but we're reusing materials and I'm excited to see what it's going to look like.  Right now the coop looks like a tar paper shack.

 Sylvia and Ayla helped me spread compost to enrich the soil where we are extending our garden space.

Since we can't have all work and no play, we went out for dinner while Camille enjoyed her second sleepover in two nights.  The waitresses kept commenting on how well-behaved and patient the girls were and brought us free dessert to-go.  Ha, ha, I guess they got us on a good night.

 The next day, treasures were divvied in the sand, while Papa tilled a much-enlarged garden for us.  The chickens were happily following close behind.

 Sylvia was "Queen of the Cherry Tree" while Camille built a bird house / feeder.

*photo by Sylvia

 Ayla and I built up compost walls with materials on the property, so that we don't keep losing our compost down the hill.

 My masonry skills may be laughable, but it's chicken-approved.

 Carly enjoyed watching us all work.

 Camille and Sylvia made butter by shaking organic cream in jars while watching Phinneas and Ferb on netflix.  It was so cool to see the butter and buttermilk separated in the jars after all of their hard work.  All that was left was to squeeze out the rest of the buttermilk, and rinse and lightly salt it.  Best butter ever!

And a very satisfying weekend!  Hope yours was as well.

I'm joining Stephanie again this week for Saturday's Artist over at Ordinary Life Magic.