While I Was Away

When I left town to help someone, Len took time off from work and held down the fort for a week. What a wonderful man/husband/father!

And when Dad is in charge of the homeschool, something interesting is bound to happen . . .

Hmm . . .  What could be in the plastic bag?

 Len found this recently dead lizard while mowing the lawn.

 Waste not, want not . . .

 The stereoscope enlarges 3-D objects (vs. slides under a microscope) to 20X and 40X.  It's been one of our best school investments.  (Skip the next few pictures if you're squeamish!)

 Marianna took most of these photos.  There are plenty more!

 Len  walked me through the pictures, pointing out the heart (they could see the ventricles under the stereoscope), lungs, spinal cord, kidneys, trachea (which opened near the tip of the tongue), etc.

Having a veterinarian for a dad can certainly be fascinating.  He's brought home baby bunnies and squirrels for visits, and dissected a still-warm chipmunk on the kitchen table.

Sew Fun

Learning to sew is a big item on this year's school agenda.  I've blocked off two mornings a week, which means that even if I slack off we'll still accomplish something.

The girls and I are working through Stitch by Stitch (thanks, Elizabeth, for the inspiration!).  We started in September, creating a stitch sampler to see just what our old machine can do.

Next up  was another mini-project (not even at lesson one yet!):  machine appliqueing on a t-shirt.  Knowing the anxiety level/perfectionistic attitude of some members of the crew, I gave a pep talk about process vs. product, we're all learning together, etc. etc.  I also decided we would work on a sample together, using a discarded shirt, before making the ones that mattered.

After shopping trips to aquire t-shirts, fusible webbing, and iron-on stabilizer, we were ready to begin.  BTW, the shopping isn't easy for me.  I am so not in my element at the fabric store.  The folks there are helpful, but sometimes I'm so hazy about what I want/need that it's hard for them to answer my questions.  Anyway . . .

 Ta da!  What we thought would be a throw-away is now a night shirt!

Then it was on to the real appliques.  BTW, Deborah specifically recommended hearts so we could practice straight lines (we sewed them first), corner pivots, and curved lines.

The appliques are ironed onto the stablized t-shirts, then the edges are stitched to prevent unraveling.

Since then, we've completed lesson one (napkins) and bought our supplies for lesson two (a variation on a placemat with pockets).  More pictures to come . . .

Summer's Gone

But not forgotten . . .

 Our early October harvest

We call it home ec      :-)

I've had trouble keeping my pesto beautifully green.  I've tried "Ever Fresh" and crushed vitamin C tablets, which only seem to work until the sauce contacts the hot pasta.

This summer I got a tip from my sister's friend:  briefly blanch the basil in boiling water (say that five times fast!), shock in ice water, and proceed.  I blanched our entire harvest, tossing handfuls into the 8 quart pot and scooping leaves out with a strainer before depositing them in a sink full of ice water.  Dried in the salad spinner, the basil remained a gorgeous green (see above). 

An added bonus:  much more wilted basil fits in my food processor at once.  (I measured the leaves before blanching.)  I was able to make a 6 X batch instead of the usual double.  A quicker way to get a dozen bags of summer into the deep freeze!

In This Storm

My life has been challenging lately, with some distressing situations taking up mental, emotional, and spiritual energy.  As much as I enjoy my blog,  posts take some focus-time, and I have been too preoccupied to concentrate.

One issue recently resolved, at least enough to move on, leaving it on a back burner.  Another is still up and down; I don't know when peace will come.

A few songs bring me comfort, including this one by Casting Crowns.  An excerpt:

I was sure by now
God, you would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say, "Amen," and it's still raining
And as the thunder rolls
I barely hear your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
. . .
Every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side

Listen to it all:

Grandma to the Rescue

Becca reassuring her Build-a-Bear as I wielded the vacuum:  "Don't worry.  Grandma's gonna get that spider out of the grocery cart."

Just like my mother--another transition for our 50th year.   ;-)

The Conflagration

"Apricot Dream" (with white chocolate cream cheese icing) from Victoria's Cakery.

Milestones

Yesterday my first baby turned 21!

Today I'm 50!

What else is there to say?

Let's go out to lunch instead . . .

 

Gazpacho at our favorite tapas restaurant

 Amazing olive oil

 Not so pretty, but creamy and earthy rice with mushrooms

 Some kind of grilled bread with roasted eggplant, red pepper, onion, and salt-cured anchovy...

Lauren let me eat just half of mine before declaring, "It looks like a slug."

Thanks, honey!

 Fried baby artichoke hearts with an intense black olive (and anchovy?) sauce/paste underneath

Also delicious mixed with the olive oil and bread

A classic Spanish tortilla:  omelet with potatoes and onions.

This big birthday has been a mix of mundane and extraordinary: 

• an early morning dog walk followed by gifts (a Kindle! . . . a fuse bead picture frame . . . a crystal bowl . . . handmade cards . . . my baby book! etc.)
• a heartwarming note from Len and carpool emails
• school driving, airport driving, soccer driving, and a gourmet lunch
• cards and calls and cards and calls
• sipping from my daughter's wineglass
• organizing a main level cleanup, but not helping with the dishes (actually, I hardly ever do)
• a heart full of gratitude for all the wonderful people in my life--THANK YOU!

Emptying Nest

Thursday was surreal.

Lauren was nannying.
David worked at the bike shop.
Daniel is still in Spain at World Youth Day.
Joseph was at camp.
Marianna spent the day with her best friend and Lauren.
Rebecca was in MD, visiting her favorite cousin.

Okay, a few of the kids were home for dinner, but it was strange to be in such an empty house for so long.  At least my chores were still family oriented--grocery shopping, school planning, organizing, etc.

Some quiet and uninterrupted time is refreshing, but I'm going to miss this crowd when they're gone!

The Garage

Apparently, I'm not the only one with the urge to reorganize.  Len will be moving some items to the shed and disposing of others while he changes the garage set-up.  Everything on the right-hand side will move to the left so we can pull the van more easily in and out.

And along the lines of giving a mouse a cookie:  if you're going to move a boatload from one side to the other, you might as well remove all the shelves, sand some spots, and paint the whole place!

Harvest

Not so big, but this is the first melon we've EVER harvested!  Usually bugs or critters ruin them before we can enjoy the fruit.  It was delicious.

For some refreshing summer ideas, check out the recipes for bubble tea

 and real lemonade

over at my cooking blog.

Progress

 Setting up the sewing center

 Sew pretty     ;-)

Although the transition is a bit messy . . .
And yes, that rug is at my front door.  This is definitely a public undertaking!

Hope Falls Eternal

It's not about New Year's resolutions.  The freshness of spring doesn't do it, either.  For me, autumn is the time of new beginnings.

As I get ready for the latest academic year, I am filled with hope.  Although years of experience have shown that I won't (don't?  can't?) get everything done, I still make a plan.  Maybe this time . . .

I could get discouraged and consider these efforts a waste.  But I don't.  It's good to have a vision, a goal.

This year I want to concentrate on fewer subjects, but with more depth.  Botany will include more time outdoors than usual, with nature notebooks and drawing (an old habit renewed).  The girls will write with structure and style all year.  We'll learn to draw.  How to keep all that going?  I'm back in a co-op.  Accountability works!

Of course, there will be traditional studies (math, spelling, etc.) too.  And inspired by Elizabeth I'm going to try for the third time to teach daughters (and myself) to sew.  How to stick with it?  That's a good question, and I have a few ideas. 

On sewing days, we'll start right after prayer and Bible time.  We won't cover math or piano first.  We won't start after lunch.  We won't skip it while we finish other subjects.  Sewing will be the priority, not the good idea we don't have time for.

I'm hoping that having a dedicated sewing center will also help the three of us continue.  My house isn't small, but I still had trouble finding enough room to set up shop.  Then I thought outside the box and came up with . . . our schoolroom!

This is the open (with only 2 1/2 walls) dining room just off the front door, and as such is a visual part of the entire main level.  For my own sanity, it must be tidiable.  We can't just toss piles of supplies in there and walk away.  Besides, right now the classroom is full!

So I'm in the process of packing away books we won't use this year.  I'll declutter a bit, too, and use the table for the sewing machine.  With desks elsewhere plus the kitchen table, there are other spaces where my girls can do their seatwork.

So far this is just a great idea.  Will I persevere?  I pray.  For now I'm looking forward to fall (even though I'm so not ready)!  :-)