Back to Life

Willow had her final opera performance Saturday, so we are settling back into our normal life here this week. Gabriel, Damien and I attended the opera on Saturday and had a fabulous time. It was amazing seeing Willow up infront of so many people, and so calm and centred throughout it. The story was lovely, and all the children did an amazing job.

This week we’ve been back to our normal school routine which has been nice. Willow is doing some national geography and history. Gabriel is doing some more maths, going over things we’ve already covered, as well as looking at money, and decimals in relation to money.

Story wise we’re reading ‘Playing Beatie Bow‘, which gives a good outlook on what Sydney was like in the 1800’s.

Performance Time

Well Willow had her first Hansel and Gretel performance last night. She had a fabulous time, and has been enjoying the whole process. Over time the rehearsals have moved from the Opera centre at Netley, to the Grainger studios and finally at the Adelaide Festival theatre. Willow’s part is in the choir at the end of the opera, and she is one of the Ballerinas. Last night she brought home the opera booklet, and it was quite exciting to see her name there in the list of children in the choir. Anyhow for the last 6weeks or so this has kept us very busy, so it’s nice to have it coming to an end, though Willow is keen to do more of this sort of stuff.

Otherwise we’ve been discussing fertility, doing gardening around here and celebrating a blended Beltane/Halloween. It’s a bit tricky to be totally seasonal in our Celebrations here, when the non-Seasonal event is pushed so strongly here.

I’ve also booked Willow and Gabriel in for a bow making course next year, sounds fabulous. There are so many interesting things being planned in the local homeschool community at present. I’m organising a group in the Fringe Parade again, someone’s organising a night at the zoo, then there’s a chance to go to see Wicked at the theatre.

We finally went to see the pandas at the Zoo on Thursday. We were having a house inspection, so decided to go out. The Zoo certainly is becoming a nicer place for animals though I’m not very keen on it, overall. The pandas were very cute. We also saw some of the animals being fed-the sealions, the penguins, and the otters. The otters were very funny- squawking at their zookeeper to hurry up with their dinner.

Botany Block Work

Sketches from Nature walks

The Soil

Monocot and Dicot picture

Leaf Diagram

What I am Reading and Have been Reading

Well in my usual style I’m reading too many books at once! Somehow in recent years, I’ve found reading a few books at once very effective for learning more than one thing at once.

Ishmael- Daniel Quinn
This one I have finished- and I would not recommend it at all, except for a section that discuss the bible, and the idea that the story of the fall of Adam was written from the perspective of outsiders viewing it occurring- and that in their view man heading towards an agricultural based existence was a negative thing. The suggestion in the book was that it was written by the Semites.

Living Dolls
I also read this recently. Disturbing and fascinating. I am glad to live a life without the media. But also the more I read things like this, the more I think feminism needs to become a new movement of equality. Where men are embraced and encouraged to be part of a greater change that sees genders treated equally and fairly.

September Holidays and Events

Well Spring is truly here, and this time the rain seems to be staying for a bit- which is nice. We’ve put our strawberries in our front yard this year, and they are much happier. Our back area seems to do ok during winter, but doesn’t get enough sunlight during the summer. Plus with the strawberries out the front, our bulbs all up, and some extra herbs in the garden, it’s starting to feel much cosier. And just for Arden, we put in a little path that loops around the bench!

Over the last month, many things have happened- the most uninteresting bit, was that I was sick last week. And one of the best bits, was that I now have a solution to giving Arden cod liver oil. I bought some of the gummy fish, which he likes, and also the butter oil with CLO, which he also likes- but loves with a bit of honey. So it’s nice to have that sorted out.

We also went away-down south east. We visited friends in Kalangadoo, family near Mt Gambier, and friend and family in Melbourne. Along the way we drove along the Great Ocean Rd, which was stunning! and visited the National Gallery of Victoria to see the European Masters Exhibition. Sadly it all ended a bit too soon, we were hoping to see some of Ballarat, but Willow got a part in the state opera’s Hansel and Gretel, so we had to leave Ballarat very early for her to get to her rehearsal.

What I'm Reading

No Logo- Naomi Klein

Very interesting, but slightly depressing- at least so far. Initially I felt that I should go through all our clothes and cut the labels off!

I have recovered since, and left them all alone. At least there is very little in our house where we are directly ‘branded’.

Spring is in the Air

What a lovely wet winter we’ve had. Even this morning, before a pleasantly mild and sunny day, there was plenty of rain. We planted some strawberries in the front garden last week, and they are looking as they’re settling in well. And we’re starting to have lots of lovely flowers appear amongst our bulbs.

We’re also onto some new blocks. Gabriel has been doing some work on fabrics- with a bit of fabric dying happening. Willow is onto botany. So yesterday we headed out for a walk in our local neighbourhood to do some sketching. I was hoping to see some fungi, but there aren’t many around here at the moment. Hopefully we’ll see some to sketch before the end of the block.

And we’ve also moved onto some new crafts- Willow is doing her second sock. She did the first one last year, and it came out beautifully. Gabriel is now learning to crochet. Just starting simply for now, lots of chains, linking in to make loops.

And below is Willow’s handsewing project that she’s just finished.

Jam Factory and finished work

Last week we headed to the open day of the Jam Factory and had a fabulous time. We were there for most the day, looking round, trying crafts and exploring the place. We arrived fairly early and had a try at the glass blowing whilst it was quiet, and then went to watch some artists blowing glasses for a while whilst Willow, Gabriel and Arden had their faces painted.

Their was also the opportunity to try pottery and using the pottery wheel. So Willow and Gabriel also tried that out. And we got to look around and see some jewellery making, wood being steamed and bent, and then return to the glass blowing to have another go. I must admit the glass blowing was lots of fun, and I would like to try it again.

Meanwhile we all finished our baskets.

Willow’s basket

Gabriel’s Basket

And mine- think maybe I should put it in a tree as a bird’s nest!

Lastest Work

So we’ve been busy with some more craft.

Here’s Willow’s and Gabriel’s marionettes.

Willow’s Emerald in progress.

Gabriel’s King Golden in progress.

And Gabriel’s King Golden finished.

Finally today we’ve been doing some basket making. We walked over to the park at the top of O’Connell St, and collected some pine needles, then we soaked them for an hour, and finally we got into our making.

Here’s today’s results.

Willow’s basket.

My basket.

And Gabriel’s basket.

Hopefully we’ll get them all finished tomorrow.

John Taylor Gatto

I’ve just started reading the history of American Education.
It’s very interesting and as usual John Taylor Gatto, argues some excellent points on why traditional schooling is failing, and more particularly why it was meant to fail.

A homeschool friend recently also forwarded to me an article by John Taylor Gatto, which included this excerpt.
One afternoon when I was
seven I complained to him of boredom, and he batted me hard on the
head. He told me that I was never to use that term in his presence
again, that if I was bored it was my fault and no one else’s. The
obligation to amuse and instruct myself was entirely my own, and
people who didn’t know that were childish people, to be avoided if
possible. Certainty not to be trusted. That episode cured me of
boredom forever, and here and there over the years I was able to
pass on the lesson to some remarkable student. For the most part,
however, I found it futile to challenge the official notion that
boredom and childishness were the natural state of affairs in the
classroom. Often I had to defy custom, and even bend the law, to
help kids break out of this trap.

I wouldn’t have quite worded my thoughts of boredom in that manner, but something in the idea of boredom being an inappropriate behaviour makes sense. When we lived in Scotland the kids never said they were bored, it was not in their mentality. Then when we arrived back in Adelaide, quite a few people we knew started making comments about stuff being boring for them. I found that totally bizarre- why encourage the notion of boredom? So we decided to ban the word ‘bored’ from our house- on the basis that anyone who is bored, must actually be an uninteresting person, who is unable to entertain themselves and find their own interests. Generally speaking no-one even thinks about the idea anymore, fortunately.