I continue to underestimate the inspiration factor of a good picture book. “The Noisy Paintbox” is about Kandinsky, his invention of abstract art, and probability that he had synesthesia (he heard sound when he saw color). Islarose and NinaBeana had to go paint immediately after I read it to them
@noisypaintbox
Today our nature walk got no further than the driveway, but looking at stuff through magnifying glasses is very exciting.
#cmialveary #charlottemasonmethod #twinboys #homeschoolisthebest
We LOVE this story we checked out from the library. It is based on the true story of the author’s grandmother who, when she was 6 years old, moved with her mother and 7 brothers and sisters into a little shack deep in the woods of Wisconsin. (It was 1932, they were evicted from their home and their father died of cancer before he finished moving them into the shack.). We loved reading about the treasures they found in the woods and the games they invented to make their hard work fun. Also the pictures are beautiful.
Results of combining my early morning walks with the BirdNET app. I actually know what birds I’m hearing now. 🥰🥰🐦#naturejournal #watercolorpencils #charlottemasonirl #birdwatcher
“The flowers, it is true, are not new; but the children are; and it is the fault of their elders if every new flower they come upon is not to them a Picciola, a mystery of beauty to be watched from day to day with unspeakable awe and delight.” Charlotte Mason (Vol. 1 p. 53)
I was talking on the phone to a new friend, and she told me that she was her parent’s “wild Irish girl.” Such an image flashed through my mind that I had to try and draw it. I’ve always loved the illustrations of Trisha Schart Hyman, and drew inspiration from her work. I borrowed a body position from one of her illustrations from “Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins” because balance and weight of figures is something I struggle with. I am so pleased with how my drawing turned out.
February 5: We got enough snow to make several snowmen! They didn’t even look very muddy at first.
At Homeschool Co-op I taught a lesson on drawing sea turtles from Deep Space Sparkle Art. The kids really loved this one, each eager to explain to me what their turtle was doing, and why they chose the colors they chose.
February 7: We had a family dance at our church. Apple Pie was my partner for the whole dance. (The resident Captain being gone to Guard Drill.) I loved the atmosphere of fun togetherness of the whole night. I guess I got pretty carried away because I snapped the underwire in my bra while dancing…actually that probably can be blamed on my having to tote a huge four-year-old around the whole night.
Saturday, February 8: The weather was sunny and warm, so I took the little kids to the park. I won the “You must wear Shoes” battle and the “You must wear a Jacket” battle, and caved on the “You must wear long pants” battle.
Wednesday February 14:
For Homeschool art we used chalk and oil pastels to create dancers inspired by Degas.
Fancy family dinner with my true loves is my favorite way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Saturday February 15 we begin our new gardening attempt. This will be patterned after the “Back to Eden” gardening method using compost and wood chips. We put down cardboard, which I stole obtained without permission from various recycling dumpsters around town, to kill the lawn grass. Our plan is to turn all the lawn between our house and the road into a glorious food forest of fruit trees, berry bushes, asparagus beds, and tomatoes.
The Man of the House drove all the way to Miami, Oklahoma, to get 4 cubic yards of mushroom compost. This is our “dirt” to grow the plants.
In-between the garden beds we are mulching with wood chips to keep the weeds away.
Thursday February 20: Key Lime Pie has been studying bacteria, so today she learned to make yogurt (because it is bacteria that turn milk into yogurt.) She also learned how to read an analog thermometer…bonus!
Friday February 21: Homeschool Co-op was canceled today due to our host family having the respiratory flu, so we did a last minute field trip to the Rogers Arkansas City Museum. It was a great place for a group with a broad range of ages like ours.
Monday February 24: Mother’s Tea Party at the Scooter Pie’s Preschool. Their teachers are amazing. My boys sang “I’m a Little Tea Pot” and they had learned such careful gentlemanly manners.
My passion for collecting math manipulative is only slightly eclipsed by my passion for collecting books.
Banana Cream Pie’s narration of the death of Vortigern (ancient British history)
Today’s art lesson is inspired by Edgar Degas and his Dancer in Green.
Also we read and loved the book “I Dreamed I was a Ballerina” by Anna Pavlova illustrated with art by Edgar Degas
Marvelous Pigs in Satin 