First unofficial day of school

Well, we begin our homeschooling journey, officially, next week. But, yesterday was kind of the beginning...like a kickoff. Or, like school photos and new clothes. But certainly better than sitting at a desk. Hiking Tumbledown Mt. (one of our favorites) was such a reaffirmation of why we have chosen this path. We get to use the entirety of nature as our classroom. How magnificent!

From the garden, with love.

Today is...fairytale beautiful. Dry, and cool, with warm sun. It's like fall, but without that little bit of anxiousness that comes with knowing how few days are left in the summer. What a gift.

Yesterday, we went to Popham beach with Lulu. It was so beautiful, and very few people because it was not a hot day. Then the storm blew in, which was fantastic to witness. We stood watching on the sand until the lifeguard blew the horn letting everyone know that there was lightening and we needed to clear the beach. There was amazing energy in the air...electric. I become very animated when a storm is approaching... I think I could have been a storm chaser in another life. There is something about violent weather that makes me feel very alive.

We've been spending a lot of time in the garden, lately. Both gardens are producing beautifully, and it's nearly more than I can keep up with. Having to drive 25 minutes to our bigger family garden is not easy to time with a younger child that still needs a nap. But, it's where our bees are too, and we really love it out there, especially on days like today.

We have more basil than we can keep up with, hundreds of cucumbers, lots of broccoli, dill, carrots, beets, tomatoes, zucchini, beans, cabbage and other veggies. I have been canning pickles and making pesto daily, which I know I will appreciate in the dark of winter.

 

Cora found this guy in the Brussels Sprouts. She was about a foot away, talking to him.

Staycation 2013 - Part IIIII

Okay, I promise this is it. One of my favorite days included Stonington, the touch tank at Penobscot East resource center (the folks there are so incredibly helpful and love to answer  5-year-old- questions!), a visit to Four Seasons Farm (which included a nice chat with Elliot Coleman himself about meat chickens...also found out he's a closet Tour de France addict...who knew?) and beautiful stroll around my dream farm, and picked wild organic blueberries on the hillside where "Blueberries for Sal" was written (yes, we have connections.).

What an amazing week!