There are two little creeks that wind through our property. One was put in to help prevent flooding on the road; the other carries overflow water from the north side of the land. Both empty into a manmade pond on the southwest edge. Okay, the nice man from the co-op extension says that I am… Continue reading Saving the creek
We have been trying for several years to deal with the garden areas on either side of the driveway. The south side is heavily shaded in the summer with maples and pin oaks overhead. The previous owner had filled the large area with azaleas, but I really don’t care for azaleas and they had become… Continue reading A shady garden with beneficials
Many CM educators prefer to maintain the Form structure that Mason used in her programmes because it allows for multi-age classrooms. However, there can be a pretty big developmental difference between grades 4 and 6, especially when some students may have some atypical development. This is a set of lessons that I like to use… Continue reading Introduction into Laboratory Science
Discussion/Composition questions to stimulate thought about the experience of neuroatypical people (read with caution – spoilers ahead!): Retell one of your favorite scenes from the book. Why do you think Mrs. Frisby decided to help Jeremy even though it meant risking her safety and that of her children? How does Mrs. Frisby think about Jeremy… Continue reading A Neuroatypical Study of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Last year we put in a small greenhouse. The hope at the time had been that we could make use of our pond for watering and extend the season for our Roma tomatoes and bell peppers. It is an 8’ x 8’ unit and we filled 3’ x 8’ boxes running down each side with… Continue reading Using a Greenhouse
What have we been doing since we began our adventure on our little homestead? We got the meat rabbits figured out for one thing and we have learned so much. Rabbit breeders usually keep their bunnies in cages and will tell you that they don’t really “breed like rabbits.” We found that to be… Continue reading Lessons on Meat Rabbits
I have been away for a while to pursue some opportunities, like consulting on the science curriculum for the Charlotte Mason Institute’s Alveary and starting the Blue Orchard Bee for Mason caregivers with neuroatypical children. I recently had the chance to hear Amber at Heritage Mom speak on the importance of books in supporting diversity and… Continue reading School Books
The Jesse Tree is an annual bible study to reflect on salvation history, culminating in the birth of Christ. I had been frustrated with our attempts to do the Jesse Tree in the past. This was in part because the number of days in the season is variable and in part because we have family… Continue reading Jesse Tree
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