I Value Climbing Trees

So I can't say I've been climbing that many trees - perhaps I should - but Nykki has really been feeling his own strength lately as he ascends the many walnut trees around our home.



We've been blessed with a few sunny, warm days this week, after a large down pour of rain we had two weeks ago. The golden sunlight as his compass, Nykki has pushed toes into bark, grappled for study limbs, scraped, wedged and vollied himself up into the autumn tree tops.



I've thought about calling him down to do work on his letters or pick up his toys - but ya know what? I truly value his tree climbing, I do. It builds strength, confidence, and self reliance not to mention he is uniting with this ancient earth cousin to join together in a common goal while building a friendship with this living, breathing tree.



Part of homeschooling for our family is knowing when not to interupt the magnificant spiritual bond a child forms with nature. I'm really into not interrupting this week. What are you not interupting, what are you letting form and flow?







(Optional Reading)



The Mormon Witch perspective:



Trees are very dear to our Heavenly parents. In 1 Nephi 11 Nephi wishes to know the meaning of the tree of life seen in his father, Lehi's, vision. The tree of life is a common religious theme. We find spiritual trees and trees related to Gods spanning our bright blue globe from ancient Celtic lore to Japanese folk tales.



The answer Nephi recieves regarding his question as to the meaning of the tree of life is a vision of the Virgin mother holding her infant. Given the fact that the ancient Israelite God El's companion was a Goddess know as Asherah, it's not surprising that the scholar Daniel C. Peterson concluded that the tree of life in the Book of Mormon was associated with the Goddess Asherah - the consort of El and Mother to all.



I don't know what levels are active in Nykki when he climbs his trees. I think his present conciousness probably sees it as fun and invigorating. His racing heart, his moving muscles cry out in health and joy. His lungs take in fresh, clean air but somewhere in his still dreaming state he is climbing the tree of life, he is connectiong in his own way to Asherah - and I value that.

I Value Climbing Trees

So I can't say I've been climbing that many trees - perhaps I should - but Nykki has really been feeling his own strength lately as he ascends the many walnut trees around our home.



We've been blessed with a few sunny, warm days this week, after a large down pour of rain we had two weeks ago. The golden sunlight as his compass, Nykki has pushed toes into bark, grappled for study limbs, scraped, wedged and vollied himself up into the autumn tree tops.



I've thought about calling him down to do work on his letters or pick up his toys - but ya know what? I truly value his tree climbing, I do. It builds strength, confidence, and self reliance not to mention he is uniting with this ancient earth cousin to join together in a common goal while building a friendship with this living, breathing tree.



Part of homeschooling for our family is knowing when not to interupt the magnificant spiritual bond a child forms with nature. I'm really into not interrupting this week. What are you not interupting, what are you letting form and flow?







(Optional Reading)



The Mormon Witch perspective:



Trees are very dear to our Heavenly parents. In 1 Nephi 11 Nephi wishes to know the meaning of the tree of life seen in his father, Lehi's, vision. The tree of life is a common religious theme. We find spiritual trees and trees related to Gods spanning our bright blue globe from ancient Celtic lore to Japanese folk tales.



The answer Nephi recieves regarding his question as to the meaning of the tree of life is a vision of the Virgin mother holding her infant. Given the fact that the ancient Israelite God El's companion was a Goddess know as Asherah, it's not surprising that the scholar Daniel C. Peterson concluded that the tree of life in the Book of Mormon was associated with the Goddess Asherah - the consort of El and Mother to all.



I don't know what levels are active in Nykki when he climbs his trees. I think his present conciousness probably sees it as fun and invigorating. His racing heart, his moving muscles cry out in health and joy. His lungs take in fresh, clean air but somewhere in his still dreaming state he is climbing the tree of life, he is connectiong in his own way to Asherah - and I value that.

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

We are very blessed to be able this year to go to a real pumpkin patch and pick our gorgeous squash right off the vine! Such an enriching experience it is to be able to participate in the fullnes of food. As the sun shone down on us with it's weakened rays we delighted in the colors of the season, plucking hearty squash, just as our ancestors have done, to sustain us through the winter time.







Nykki pulled Ronan in the wagon







We stopped to say hello to the Bee Goddess, working hard to gather pollen, continue our way of life and provide us with sweet treats, thank you Mama Bee!







A glimps of unspoiled earth, invaluable







Best friends choose a pumpkin. These are the memories I hope to instill in my child. When Nykki looks back on his childhood, I want moments like this to be his foundation.







The star of the show!

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

We are very blessed to be able this year to go to a real pumpkin patch and pick our gorgeous squash right off the vine! Such an enriching experience it is to be able to participate in the fullnes of food. As the sun shone down on us with it's weakened rays we delighted in the colors of the season, plucking hearty squash, just as our ancestors have done, to sustain us through the winter time.







Nykki pulled Ronan in the wagon







We stopped to say hello to the Bee Goddess, working hard to gather pollen, continue our way of life and provide us with sweet treats, thank you Mama Bee!







A glimps of unspoiled earth, invaluable







Best friends choose a pumpkin. These are the memories I hope to instill in my child. When Nykki looks back on his childhood, I want moments like this to be his foundation.







The star of the show!

Ahhhh-Choooo!

We caught a virus, a computer virus that is. I'm playing catch up with my online life. I'll be back to posting soon. In the meantime if you live in the Lake or Mendocino county area and you are homeschooling please check out

The Homespun Homeschool Network

Peaceful Monday....

Ahhhh-Choooo!

We caught a virus, a computer virus that is. I'm playing catch up with my online life. I'll be back to posting soon. In the meantime if you live in the Lake or Mendocino county area and you are homeschooling please check out

The Homespun Homeschool Network

Peaceful Monday....

The Little and Big of Life's Dramas...

So if you read my homeschool blog you know that we had to pull Nykki from onsite classes (twice a week) at the homeschool charter school we participate in and switch to strictly at-home only. This means we still use Oak Meadow first grade and we still check in with our educational coordinator every 20 days however Nykki no longer is going twice a week to onsite classes.



The basic drama is that his school is violating a lot of conditions, promises, etc. There are also some legal issues going on. I've decided to put myself out there and fight to save the school and restore it's once solid reputation but during that time I felt like Nykki was taking the brunt of the drama. On Wednesday he developed a really sore mouth and headache from dental work he had done the day before and they sent him to the music room to lay down on pillows - they never even called me! And then one teacher had the nerve to come at me for Nykki's "lack of participation"



*rolling eyes*



It's interesting to me how the seeds we plant don't always come up the way we hoped and fall seems to be the time to deal with them whether positive or negative. Fall for me seems like time of balance, the bad gets worst and the good gets better.



During this time of year, when the wind gets crisp and the light turns golden I can't help but love the good at it's best - sewing Halloween costumes, pumpkin patches, friendships new and old and the taste of the harvest....it's all worth it.

The Little and Big of Life's Dramas...

So if you read my homeschool blog you know that we had to pull Nykki from onsite classes (twice a week) at the homeschool charter school we participate in and switch to strictly at-home only. This means we still use Oak Meadow first grade and we still check in with our educational coordinator every 20 days however Nykki no longer is going twice a week to onsite classes.



The basic drama is that his school is violating a lot of conditions, promises, etc. There are also some legal issues going on. I've decided to put myself out there and fight to save the school and restore it's once solid reputation but during that time I felt like Nykki was taking the brunt of the drama. On Wednesday he developed a really sore mouth and headache from dental work he had done the day before and they sent him to the music room to lay down on pillows - they never even called me! And then one teacher had the nerve to come at me for Nykki's "lack of participation"



*rolling eyes*



It's interesting to me how the seeds we plant don't always come up the way we hoped and fall seems to be the time to deal with them whether positive or negative. Fall for me seems like time of balance, the bad gets worst and the good gets better.



During this time of year, when the wind gets crisp and the light turns golden I can't help but love the good at it's best - sewing Halloween costumes, pumpkin patches, friendships new and old and the taste of the harvest....it's all worth it.

New Camera!

(Yes my hair is red again BTW)







Homeschooling - learning about seeds. Oak Meadow Lesson 4 Science

New Camera!

(Yes my hair is red again BTW)







Homeschooling - learning about seeds. Oak Meadow Lesson 4 Science

Our Nature Table

I thought I would share a pic of our late summer table before we redo a fall one :)

Our Nature Table

I thought I would share a pic of our late summer table before we redo a fall one :)

Crayons

I bought Nykki some new crayons today. Using our old set at the playgroup ate them up rather quickly - still the Stockmar crayons last sooooo much longer than the Crayolas. After most of the old Stockmar crayons were consumed (literally) in playgroup I decided that 22 dollars was too much to pay for crayons, natural or not, and I bought Nyk a huge set of Crayolas, 96 to be exact. And guess what? They practically dissolved after a few uses. They broke, they crumbled, they wore down so quickly. I finally realized that a well guarded set of Stockmar were much cheaper. As long as they aren't eaten or lost they last SOOOOO much longer than the Crayolas - by my count they last 5-6 times longer. They are just sturdier, better made crayons.

That's my observation for what it's worth.

Happy coloring!

Crayons

I bought Nykki some new crayons today. Using our old set at the playgroup ate them up rather quickly - still the Stockmar crayons last sooooo much longer than the Crayolas. After most of the old Stockmar crayons were consumed (literally) in playgroup I decided that 22 dollars was too much to pay for crayons, natural or not, and I bought Nyk a huge set of Crayolas, 96 to be exact. And guess what? They practically dissolved after a few uses. They broke, they crumbled, they wore down so quickly. I finally realized that a well guarded set of Stockmar were much cheaper. As long as they aren't eaten or lost they last SOOOOO much longer than the Crayolas - by my count they last 5-6 times longer. They are just sturdier, better made crayons.

That's my observation for what it's worth.

Happy coloring!

New Post at...

...Peaceful as a River Academy. Knitting crazed boy on the lose!

New Post at...

...Peaceful as a River Academy. Knitting crazed boy on the lose!

Old Fashion Sunday Comics....

Old Fashion Sunday Comics....

Fire Fighter Signs

New post over at Peaceful as a River Academy about making signs for our brave fire fighters!

Fire Fighter Signs

New post over at Peaceful as a River Academy about making signs for our brave fire fighters!