musings from a hammock

Hazelnut Biscuits

2011-06-17T09:22:00.002+10:00

The beauty of this recipe is that it can simultaneously with the Chocolate Kiss biscuits, using up left over egg yolks.

4 egg yolks
150 grams icing sugar
300 grams ground hazelnuts
100 grams grated dark chocolate
100 grams extra whole hazelnuts

Whisk egg yolks and sugar until frothy
Gently fold in ground hazelnuts and grated chocolate
Leave dough to sit for 30 minutes
With two teaspoons, place mounds of mixture on lined tray
Decorate each with a whole hazelnut
Place in oven that has been preheated to 180 degrees Celsius
They should be ready in around 15 minutes
Watch carefully as they tend to burn

Delicious!

Chocolate Kiss Biscuits

2011-06-17T09:18:00.000+10:00

4 egg whites
100 grams raw sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
50 grams grated dark chocolate

Beat egg whites until just stiff
Add sugar, beat
Gently fold in cocoa and chocolate

Using a dessertspoon, place mounds of mixture on lined tray

Bake 25 to 35 minutes 130 to 150 degrees Celsius

No Knead Bread

2011-06-14T15:52:00.002+10:00

3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 and 1/2 cups water

Combine dry ingredients
Add water, stir until blended
Dough will be sticky and shaggy
Cover bowl with plastic wrap
Let dough rest at least 12hrs, preferably 18hrs, at warm room temperature

Dough is ready when the surface is dotted with bubbles, and is a stringy texture
Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it
Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball
Generously coat a tea towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal
Put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal.
Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for around 2 hours
When ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with finger

At least half an hour before dough is ready preheat your oven to 250 degrees Celsius
Put a heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats
When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven
Slide you hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up
It may look at mess, but that is OK
Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes
Then remove lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until loaf is beautifully browned
Cool on rack

Orange Anzac Biscuits

2011-06-14T15:38:00.002+10:00

I tried these recently and they are now our favourite recipe for Anzacs...chewy and with a twist to the traditional recipe...yum!

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup shredded (or dessicated) coconut
1 cup flaked almonds (fine if you don't have these)
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange rind
125 grams butter
2 Tablespoons golden syrup
2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius
Line baking tray
Combine oats, coconut, almonds, sugar and orange rind
Stir butter, golden syrup and water in saucepan until it melts
Stir in bicarb soda
Add to oats mixture
Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls
Place on lined baking tray
Bake around 18 minutes, or until you can gently push them across the paper
Set aside 10 minutes until cool
Transfer to wire rack

Delicious!!

Bookie Monsters Book Club

2011-02-26T11:24:00.008+11:00

Yay! I have just joined a brand new book club, and attended its inaugural meeting...pink champagne, cheeses, crackers, tea and cake...oh yes, and taking time to choose our book list!

We are beginning with:

The Finkler Question

The other titles above will follow.

Child Author

2011-02-17T08:52:00.002+11:00

Now this is inspiring!!!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/16/3140857.htm

Premier's Reading Challenge

2010-12-22T09:42:00.000+11:00

The link for this is as follows:

https://products.schools.nsw.edu.au/prc/rules.html

Introduction to Spalding Webinar

2010-12-22T09:35:00.003+11:00

http://homeschoolblogger.com/webinar/homeschooling-teaching-a-love-of-reading/

This link is purely for my own reference purposes. I would love to teach my six year old the 'Writing Road to Reading' and intend on doing the ten hour online homeschoolers course.

Compare Prices of Books - Great Site!!!

2010-07-09T21:05:00.002+10:00

The designer of this site says:
"Booko is a site with a very simple goal - to find the cheapest place to buy books & DVDs in Australia. This site started out as a personal itch and has slowly grown into a very handy site, slowly adding more shops for comparison and more features to make it easier to use."

Have a look here:

http://www.booko.com.au/

Enjoy!!!

What Captain is Reading

2010-04-02T12:48:00.005+11:00

His growing list:

March 2010
Five Children and It, by Edith Nesbit
The Phoenix and the Carpet, by Edith Nesbit
The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit

April 2010
Astreix Omnibus
Pannikin and Pinta by Colin Thiele
almost the whole series of Geronimo Stilton

May/June 2010
Kingdom series by Chuck Black:
Kingdom's Dawn
Kingdom's Hope
Kingdom's Edge
Kingdom's Call
Kingdom's Quest
Kingdom's Reign

Captain says: I like it because its set in medieval times with many sword battles and its based on bible stories.

The First Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda:
The Forests of Silence
The Lake of Tears
City of the Rats
The Shifting Sands
Dread Mountain
The Maze of the Beast
The Valley of the Lost
Return to Del

Captain says: I like it because they find gems for a belt that keeps
Deltora safe from the Shadow Lord.

Dragons in our Midst series by Bryan Davis:
Raising Dragons book 1
The Candlestone book 2
Circles of Seven book 3
Tears of a Dragon book 4

Captain says: I like the two people that have dragon powers so they are fully dragon and fully human - they call them anthrozils. Billy is able to breathe fire and Bonnie has wings.

The Second Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda:
Cavern of the Fear
The Isle of Illusion
The Shadowlands

Captain says: I like how they go to the Shadowland Arena and they look for the pirran pipe. Pirra is now the Shadowlands.

Captain and his dad want The Deltora Quest to be made into a movie...they love it.

July 2010
Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
Return to Gone-Away by Elizabeth Enright

Captain says: Both books are really exciting because they found lots of old houses and they got to live in one. And then they get to see some people who used to live there when it was a lake - but now its a swamp.

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Captain says so far: I'm enjoying reading it because he goes and lives on an island, and find some murderers.

Fully Rely on God

2010-03-30T14:25:00.004+11:00

I am hoping every day to do this, in everything I do.

I'm so amazed at the way the Lord works all around us.

Looking into a microscope and glimpsing wonders beyond what we normally see, shows me how great God is. He created stuff that the naked eye can't see, for His own sheer pleasure.

How did He create language for instance? After studying phonics and grammar, and seeing some of the 'roots' of our language is again getting out the magnifying glass on what God has created, revealing how intricate and wonderfully it has been put together. WOW. Only God could work out how the giant puzzle of languages fits together.

This gives me hope. It helps me realise that God is interested in our lives and the minute details going on within our hearts and minds. Thank you Lord.

I have just finished reading Treasures of the Snow to my 6yo dd. The author, Patricia M St John prompts the reader to open their door to God - or rather open up their lives to Him. I love the book, as it gets into heart issues and is especially encouraging little ones to make a commitment to the Lord.

My daughter said yesterday that her teacher really cares for her class, because she said if anyone would like to open their hearts to Jesus, who hasn't yet, then please come and see her and she would pray with them. My daughter came home and made a card which has on the cover...

I opin my dor for you Jesus

And on the inside...

Dere God I pray that in wat eva I do I mak you happy amen.
I Love you so much Jesus. I opin my dor for you Jesus.

I am so thankful. I asked her if she had recently opened her 'door' to Jesus, and she said, no, that she did about a year ago, and that she opens it every day to Him.

This same teacher encouraged all the parents to pray for our children, because prayer does work!

And again yesterday, a lovely home schooling mother phoned and reminded me that it was the Lord who was responsible for the children's education. I need to rest in Him, that He has it all worked out down to the intricate details.

Trust and obey Him. And pray. Because prayer DOES work! Pray, pray, and pray some more!

Map Work Idea

2010-03-23T22:55:00.002+11:00

I have this idea from Dianne in Texas...
She uses:
http://www.worksheetworks.com/
Here you can print out a map with labels and also a blank one.
She says:
Right now, we are doing the oceans. I have one world map printed out that labels the oceans only and one map that is blank. I just have them copy the oceans on their blank map by looking at the labeled map. We do that once a week. After a few weeks, I will take away the labeled map and they will have to fill out their blank map from memory. I will continue this with continents, states, countries, etc. and build on what they've already done. So, hopefully, one day they will know the world map from memory!

Artist Study Ideas

2010-03-22T20:49:00.002+11:00

I love this blog about artist study CM way!

http://www.squidoo.com/cmartiststudy

MUST SEE!!!

I must check out this one too:

http://charlottemasonhomeschool.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/art-appreciation/

and this one:

http://charlottemasonhomeschool.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/art-appreciation/

How Do I Choose the Right Children's Book?

2010-03-18T09:05:00.002+11:00

Jeanne has put together a great list for us on the fourth issue of Literacy Lava. Scroll down to page 7 and you will find a great list of resources on the right hand side for your search.
Thanks Jeanne!

http://www.susanstephenson.com.au/Literacy_Lava.html

For example:
Ambleside Online
1000 Good Books List
Simply Charlotte Mason

and more!

Children Learn What They Live

2010-03-17T19:25:00.000+11:00

If a child lives with criticism,
She learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
She learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
She learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
She learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance,
She learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
She learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
She learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
She learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
She learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
She learns to like herself.
If a child lives with acceptance,
and friendship, she learns
to find love in the world.

Author Unknown

Learning the Books of the Bible Made Fun!

2010-03-17T19:14:00.001+11:00

Learning French

2010-01-25T21:13:00.003+11:00

I read a while ago now about some homeschoolers who had been learning French with Rosetta Stone, and were surprised at how little it prepared them for actually living in France. They have since found (whilst living there) a couple of ideas which have really helped them:

http://www.biendire.com

and

http://www.speakalanguage.com/french-speak-in-a-week.html

We may try this out ourselves!

Tea Parties

2010-01-25T21:02:00.002+11:00

I love Juanita's idea (which she posted on a Yahoo group for AmbleRamble or Ambleside Online)-

"We started having "tea time" in the afternoons instead of snack time.

Besides having the tea, talking with each other, and trying extra hard to be polite...I read poetry, and turn on classical music. I am going to add a narration from each of them, and post our artist prints beside the table..."

We'll give this idea a go this term,too! Sounds so lovely.

Senses

2009-12-17T11:04:00.003+11:00

I see the wasps. I hear the bats, yellow tailed black cockatoos, cuckoos and cicadas. I taste the blueberries, watermelon, mangoes and strawberries. I feel the heat, sand and sea. I smell cut grass and smokey skies. Summer.

Paper Dust Covers

2009-12-17T10:11:00.002+11:00

These are worth a look!

http://www.bookcityjackets.com/blog/about/

Have fun!

How to Read Aloud, by Mem Fox

2009-11-25T14:19:00.002+11:00

This is a great section on how to read aloud:

http://www.memfox.net/reading-magic-intro

Most helpful in our reading aloud endeavours!

And this section:

http://www.memfox.net/reading-magic-and-do-it-like-this

and this one:

http://www.memfox.com/ten-read-aloud-commandments.html

Enjoy!

Secret Society (Reading Magic by Mem Fox)

2009-11-25T13:38:00.003+11:00

This is a very interesting read!
So much of what she says strikes a strong chord with me.

"...I'm most passionate when I speak as an ordinary mother. Reading aloud to my daughter was a fabulous experience. We bonded through all sorts of marvelous books. We came to know and love each other better through the variety of stories we shared. I hadn't realised that reading aloud regularly would mean Chloe would learn to read without being taught...

When we take the time to read aloud to the children in our lives, we bond closely with them in a secret society associated with the books we've shared. The fire of literacy is created by the emotional sparks that fly when a child, a book, and the person reading make contact...We have such a rollicking good time, and we relate so warmly to our kids as we read together, that it becomes a delicious 'chocolate' kind of experience...

Reading aloud and talking about what we're reading sharpens children's brains and helps develop their ability to concentrate at length, to solve problems logically, and to express themselves more easily and clearly. The stories they hear provide them with witty phrases, new sentences and words of subtle meaning...

Because words are essential in building the thought connections in the brain, the more language a child experiences - through books and conversation with others, not passively from television - the more advantaged socially and educationally that child will be for the rest of his or her life...

One of the unsung but cozy effects of reading aloud is the private language that develops in families through shared language and shared book experience...We were knitted into the same familial fabric by a book language that meant nothing to people outside our immediate little trio. It was a private 'togetherness' code that connected us all...

So great is the power of reading aloud that Moreen Fielden, headmistress of The Gillespie School, a private elementary school in San Diego, reads aloud to her entire school every Friday..."

There'll be more on this, later.

from Reading Magic by Mem Fox

CS Lewis books

2009-07-31T09:40:00.002+10:00

Earlier this month Captain picked up Prince Caspian off our bookshelf.
I said...'Stop', and purchased the first three in the Narnia series to complete our set.

He has since read
The Magician's Nephew...17-20 July
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe...20-24 July
The Horse and His Boy...25-27 July

and has now begun Prince Caspian.

I also managed to find another book in the Swallows and Amazons series, and he began Pigeon Post yesterday.

Fireproof

2009-07-14T11:03:00.002+10:00

Never Leave Your Partner Behind

A lovely couple from our local church put on a special Candlelight Dinner followed by the movie Fireproof.

A great inspiration for the married couples in our church, with a strong gospel message.

At the same time our latest Challenge newspaper had an article entitled:

Avoid The Top Reason For Marriage Failure

"It has been my experience that the number one reason behind the collapse of marriage is plain, old fashioned selfishness...

Marriage is not so much about finding the right person as it is about being the right person...

As simple as that statement is, it has enormous consequences for you if you decide to put it into practice because it forces you to stop focusing on yourself and to begin focusing on the other person, which is the essence of true love...
I find this kind of wisdom about relationships in the Bible, especially the Proverbs.

Here are just two for you to think about:

"An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones."

Excellent here refers to a virtuous woman - a woman of tremendous class and quality. A woman who is proud of her husband; one who shows him respect and is unashamed to do so. Such a woman has the highest place in a man's life - she crowns it! But a woman who openly despises her husband and is constantly critical of him and his decisions is like an infectious disease. Simply put, a woman can make or break her man. If she is going to "make"him, then she will need to be unselfish.

And husbands are also told "to rejoice in the wife of your youth".

In other words, instead of moaning and complaining about what she does and does not do, remember why you married her in the first place and keep on encouraging those good things in her today. How easy it is for us men to forget all the good things about our wives and only focus on the negatives that we see.

If we want to change our relationship for the better then we must stop focusing on ourselves and begin asking ourselves how we can better serve our partner - this is called unselfishness and it has the power to transform both you and the other person."

(Rob Furlong, from Challenge newspaper, edition 315)

Whittington

2009-07-14T11:01:00.000+10:00

by Alan Armstrong
Captain finished this book last week. He just has to have a book to read.

Brighty of the Grand Canyon

2009-07-14T10:59:00.000+10:00

by Marguerite Henry
Captain has just finished this book.

Getting Organised

2009-07-02T08:53:00.002+10:00

Well I haven't been here for a while, and its for a few reasons. One of them is that I am getting organised. And I have just found the organisational tool that I have always dreamed about. This sounds too good to be true.

I was checking through my Yahoo groups yesterday, and on AmbleRamble found a link to this.

It's called, wait for it....(drum roll) Sue Patrick's Workbox System. One homeschooling mother describes how its going for her on http://www.enduringprize.com/.

This inspired the purchase of the ebook, and 5 minutes later, I had the user's guide on my screen.

I'm up to page 38 of the 122 page manual, and have already learnt an incredible amount of excellent ways to get some order and structure in our homeschool. This is becoming increasingly important with a 4 year old and 20 month old seeking attention as well as Master 8 and Missy 6.

Will post you further on this.

Whack the Word (or phonogram, or whatever!)

2009-06-18T10:16:00.006+10:00

A friend of a friend (FoF)who is a remedial teacher in a local school, and also does private tutoring has taught me a few great tricks of the trade - games. Lots of fun, wild and whacky ones.

She teaches children to read using the original Spalding method. This was introduced by Romalda Bishop Spalding, whose book The Writing Road to Reading I have on my shelf. I remember my mum looking into it when I was little. She completed a Spalding course, but I'm not sure what became of it. It was to help some of us with our reading, I know that much.

Anyway FoF was saying some of the elite schools in Sydney where she used to work would only allow those who utilised the Spalding method were admitted to teach little ones to read. She is so passionate about the phonics system, and sees its benefits over and above the sight word method for both spelling and reading. She has been asked to do remedial work in the school to help those who are struggling with the sight word method.

I use LEM phonics to teach reading, which is based on the Spalding system.
To try to memorise these phonograms, FoF recommended a number of games, one of them being Whack the Phonogram.

Today I stuck the latest four or five phonograms on the wall. Then I grabbed a new, clean fly swot, called out the phonogram, and Possum whacked the correct phonograms.

We love it! What we love, we learn, really well!

Other games she uses are:
Brain Beans (jelly beans for great work)
Tongue Twisting Words
Snakes and Ladders (with phonograms)

The key is to keep the game short, and stop whilst the children are still having a GREAT time. Hey, this sounds familiar! Its a bit like reading only one chapter at a time, and resist the temptation to continue, even when the children are begging for more!

I have found this 'keep it short, keep it fun' method invaluable in the last few weeks in particular.

And from the depths of my memory, I hear my cousin, a wonderful infants and primary school teacher, saying always stop the game while they are having fun.

I find I can't wait for the next chapter of a book, using this method. It works for me. It works for the children, too!

PS I must remember to give the children a five minute warning as to when the game will end, to ease any frustration. It wouldn't be right to finish up without sufficient warning. I suppose it's to prepare them emotionally that the end is near! (Thanks Growing Kids God's Way!)

15 Books That Stuck

2009-06-17T10:08:00.002+10:00

Hey Oh Peaceful Day! I like your idea, and I've posted mine here:

Fifteen books I've read that will always stick with me. First fifteen I can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

Can you do it too??? Post your books here under comments, if you like!

The Bible
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
The Drover's Wife by Henry Lawson (Selected Verse book)
The Decisive Moment by Henri Cartier-Bresson
Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
Return to Gone Away by Elizabeth Enright
The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe by CS Lewis
Farmer Boy by LI Wilder
Wild Swans by Jung Chang
Anne of Green Gables LM Montgomery
My Place by Sally Morgan
Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Outback Women by Melissa McCord

Dragon Breath and Shiver Me Timbers

2009-06-11T13:45:00.006+10:00

Beanies in bed
Electric blanket
Wheat bags
Dry cracked hands
Ugg boots
Dressing gowns
Deck schooling
Hoodies
Dragon Breath*
Porridge
Soup
Hot coffee
More hot coffee

Shiver me timbers, it's COLD.
Pardon the pirate lingo, we're reading Treasure Island.

I don't think we could have done any schooling had it not been for the gorgeous sunshine on our deck today.

*Dragon Breath: The steam coming forth from one's mouth on a chilly day. The children have a great deal of fun puffing around the house!

Teepee Kids

2009-06-11T12:39:00.009+10:00

Captain and Possum spent a delightful sun bathed afternoon with Mrs C. and her two munchkins. Thanks a heap, Mrs C!

I asked the children to tell me all about their adventures:

"First, we went into the bush and made two teepees, and pulled one down. We made them with sticks and paperbark, and then Mrs C. took photos of us. On the way back Captain and our two friends went walking on water, and I was waiting for them on the deck. After that we had an icy pole each. We made mud Easter eggs on the dirt pile. We had green jelly with lollies. When we first came we had a caramel Koala each, then we went home."

Possum

"First we caught a few chickens to hold. Big Foot (ginger coloured) and Princess (shiny blue black) followed us into the bush, so we had to chase them back to the house yard.

We made two teepees. One was about chest height, one was waist height. We dismantled one which we had made last Saturday (it was a bit crooked). This left us with four teepees, one for each of us to shelter from the wind. As well we like pretending to be Indians.

On the way back to the house we chased Big Foot again - this time off the pond. We trod on normal green grass that grew on top of the pond water. It felt like walking on the height of a wave.

Most of us got over the electric fence without touching it, even though we didn't know it was off. Possum stepped onto it with her shoes on, but she was touching the ground without a shock, so it must have been off.

After we came back to the house for our ice blocks, Mrs C. said we could play in their dirt pile. We made little waterfalls with water from the creek and small mud balls.

We all ate some of my mum's lovely jelly. It was time to go home, which was too bad."

Captain (with lots of editing from Mummy!!)

Blurb Books

2009-06-11T12:36:00.003+10:00

I'm so excited to have found Barefoot Voyage blogspot:

http://barefootvoyage.blogspot.com

Recommended on this blogspot is:

www.blurb.com

a very convenient way to make your own books!!
Can't wait to start.

On The Banks of Plum Creek

2009-06-09T06:20:00.001+10:00

We have finished Little House on the Prairie. Sigh. But, we have a great book to continue our read-alouds with! Yay.

Warming Treats continued

2009-06-04T13:44:00.005+10:00

We have a couple of other traditional Dutch recipes, which are particularly delicious in the cooler months.

Here they are:

Boterkoek - creatively decorated by Captain (a non-traditional approach)!

and

Oma's Biscuits (as they are affectionately know to the entire family)

Mmmm

Honey For A Child's Heart

2009-06-04T13:25:00.004+10:00

Thanks to CL, I have a great book to read. Very inspiring, thank you very much! A book by Gladys Hunt.

I'm already practising one of the suggestions:

Quoted from chapter 1. Bequest of Wings:
Well-chosen words need only be few in number, and they help store away the pleasure of the adventure.
We have awakened a small boy at midnight to see the marvel of the northern lights. We have stood on hillsides and described the numerous shades of springtime greens across the landscape. It's a marvelous game of awareness and words.
It's a game that can be played anywhere at odd moments. How do you think a barn in Nebraska looks? One child may answer, "Red, with cows around it." Another may say, "Gray and lonely, with no trees near." A third child may light up and say, "The barn looks gray and tired, weathered from the summer's blast of heat and weary from icy winds that blow across the flat plains in winter."

Each answer is a good one. Yet those who saw less will be pleased by the contributions of those who saw more in their minds. They will sense the living substance of a touch of imagination and try to increase their own awareness. You may be thinking at this point, I handle words so poorly myself. How can I help my children? This game will teach you as well and bind you to your children as you share what we call "imaginings."

Try other questions: How does a summer night sound? How does a rainy day feel? ...each child (can see) the "possibility of words"...it will help train the ear to listen and the heart to feel beauty and emotion as it comes out in stories that the children later read. The benefits work both ways.

End of quote.

I'm having a lot of fun with this!

And what does Captain think of me reading this book?

I'm glad you're reading it, then I'll get more books onto my bookshelf!

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

2009-06-04T13:02:00.003+10:00

Captain is into another book...he began reading this one on Monday.
He has finished the book today...Thursday, 11 June 2009.

Backyard Nature Study

2009-05-29T09:57:00.005+10:00

These are some of the birds we have seen in or from our backyard. We observe the bird for a while, find a photo on the web, and the picture is drawn from a photo on the computer screen. All illustrations by Possum, using aquarelle pencils.

Butterfly Birthday - Joyeux Anniversaire Possum!

2009-05-26T10:30:00.001+10:00

Our little Possum celebrated her 6th birthday by way of a
butterfly/fairy/princess party. We played a few games of Caterpillar, Caterpillar, Butterfly (variation on Duck, Duck, Goose), pass the parcel, pin the wings on the fairy, made a butterfly finger ring, ate caramel butterfly cake and had a tour of a butterfly house. We finished the party with a read aloud - Isabella's Secret by Jane Tanner. Even though Possum knows fairies aren't real, she has a great time imagining they are!

A Lovely Gift for A Little Artist

2009-05-26T08:09:00.000+10:00

We love this birthday gift! These Lyra pencils (made in Germany) are soft, vivid, easy to apply, and great to hold! All of the colours are beautiful. But my favourites are the gold and silver!
When I was little I was the proud owner of a wonderful collection of around 60 Faber Castell Polychromos (also made in Germany). These were truly treasured, and the children are now using them. However, they are down to the last couple of centimetres, so these make a timely addition to our colour pencil collection.
Thankfully these are an affordable luxury, because once you have used really good pencils, you just can't go back to the supermarket brand.

Frontyard Find

2009-05-20T20:01:00.000+10:00

One Autumn Afternoon

2009-05-20T12:52:00.001+10:00

With the school work done, Captain constructed his very first camp fire - in our front yard! He had learnt all the tricks from his dad the day before, and was just aching to try it out for himself. The conditions were perfect - being overcast, a little drizzly, with no breezes, and safe - the platform for the fire, a freshly excavated clay clearing.
I decided to prepare a bread dough, to serve with our chicken soup. The delightful crust just shattered in our mouths. All this reading Little House on The Prairie has gone to our heads. We could smell the smoke in our hair and just imagine the prairie breezes, and truly taste delicious prairie-style cooking. Captain's scones were so golden with cream, butter and glorious free range yellowy yolks.
Another unplanned pleasure was that our next chapter for the bedtime read aloud was A Fire On The Hearth, Little House on The Prairie.
One memorable afternoon.

PS A hose was kept at hand, just in case.

Bits of Inspiration

2009-05-20T12:21:00.000+10:00

I used to carry around bits of inspiration in my pocket, but now its easier just to blog the bits as they come to mind.

To Do

2009-05-20T10:18:00.001+10:00

Must get a timeline and book of centuries going asap.

The Secret of Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work

2009-05-20T09:13:00.000+10:00

I just love this simple bread. A child can make it.

Here's the weblinks:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html

and

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

Enjoy.
This weather is making me think hot bread.
And let the children make it!

This Is What I Like

2009-05-20T08:40:00.000+10:00

When Captain casually takes a J.S. Bach CD off the rack at the library, to take home.

When we are shopping in a home decor shop, and Captain says, "Look mum, la plage" (the beach) pointing to the writing on a deck chair.

When Captain says, "Mum, who was that artist again, who painted on his back?" He was referring to Michelangelo. This was whilst reading the Elizabeth Enright book, When We Were Five, weeks after studying this artist in our Artistic Pursuits book.

When Captain asks, "Mum, can you please put Mozart on? It helps me go to sleep".

Treasure Island by the brilliant Robert Louis Stevenson

2009-05-19T22:13:00.001+10:00

We're about one fifth of the way through this read aloud, and the children keep begging for more.
Some of the dark descriptions contrast sharply with the same author's mostly sunny A Child's Garden of Verses, which we read in the mornings. They beg for more of these poems, too!

We finished reading this book on Saturday 20th June.

Local Annual Showcase

2009-05-18T11:29:00.000+10:00

A dash to the show on Saturday was like taking a child to the world's most wonderful lolly shop, then leave with but one lick!
We had one and a half hours to pack in lunch, view our contributions to the Home Learner's Display, see the Taipan tail end of the reptile show, cuddle a chick, spy the winning show cats, view the puppies from a distance, just miss out on the working dog's workout, and round it off by one revolution on the ferris wheel. All of this fully complemented by the lemonade and sausage roll lunch tumbling in our tummies.

Phew! Glad that's over for a year.

Then it was on the go again, this time for a birthday party!

We were pretty pleased, though, to view the first prize pumpkin (Farmer Boy memories) and have the chance to ride a ferris wheel, reminiscent of our Charlotte's Web read aloud last year.

Captions for Photos:
Top: Possum's Watercolour Paintings, Rain, and Sunrise, on display
Bottom: Captain's first poem, ever, printed out, then framed, on display

Ambleside Books - Our Growing List

2009-05-14T13:45:00.000+10:00

To date we have...most of the AO Year 1 books. I have decided to post some pictures of the covers and inside pages of some of my favourites. I like to fish around for the most beautiful copies I can find.
So here's just a couple I've come up with. If you know of any versions of the AO recommendations which you find particularly lovely, please let me know!

This copy of Aesop's Fables (above) is (text wise) recommended by AO. It doesn't have all the AO fables, but the Don Daily illustrations still make it well worth buying. The remaining fables suggested can be printed off the AO Year 1 Yahoo Group.

A Collection of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories (Walker Books) -is a beautiful version, with different illustrators used for each of the stories, purchased recently from Dymocks.

For more advanced AO years we have purchased thus far:

Bard of Avon
Pagoo
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
The Peterkin Papers
Otto of the Silver Hand
Bulfinch's Mythology
Poor Richard
Abigail Adams
The Story of Inventions
A Wonderbook and Tanglewood Tales
Unknown to History
Madam How and Lady Why
The Door in the Wall
Five Little Peppers
The Children of the New Forest
Men of Iron
The Little White Horse
The Heroes
Thimble Summer
Swallows and Amazons
The Wheel on the School
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
The Four Story Mistake
Then There Were Five
Ralph Moody Series
Little House on the Prairie Series

more to come...

La mer bleue, le sable chaud

2009-05-14T12:05:00.000+10:00

We're enjoying the warm long rays of l'autumne sunshine by the beach. A few hours in the afternoon to soak it all up brightens our whole day.

Enormous Earthworm

2009-05-13T06:44:00.001+10:00

Captain found this one in the front yard today!

Chillies for Sunflowers

2009-05-09T16:34:00.000+10:00

Possum's little friend came over today, bearing a gift... one lovely chilli plant. They really are rather pretty.
Before her little friend left, she returned the favour by way of some sunflower seedlings growing from the spilt rabbit food around Bambi's cage.

Ambleside Friend in the Flesh!!!

2009-05-09T10:10:00.000+10:00

I have met another AO-er in the flesh!! My first one! How exciting to have met you JE!!

Anything Schooling

2009-05-08T19:51:00.000+10:00

Someone once posted on a Yahoo group that they sometimes car-schooled. I'm adding to the list...we hammock-school as well.

Swimming, Toy Library, Sport, Circus

2009-05-08T17:10:00.001+10:00

Had a busy busy day.

The Buster at the Beach

2009-05-08T17:08:00.000+10:00

We had an excursion yesterday to The Buster - a shipwreck that has been recently exposed due to wild weather.
So it was Buster at the beach, ballet, then on to the new kid's choir.

J.S. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

2009-05-07T07:12:00.002+10:00

Will post the Youtube link here soon, a wonderful Celtic woman's version. Thanks Jeanne for the link in the first place!

I've finally worked out how to do this!! YAY!!!

Bible Memory Verses

2009-05-07T06:59:00.000+10:00

We are going through the 24 Family Ways by Clay and Sally Clarkson.
This is forming the basis for our devotions and Bible memory verses at the moment:
Week 1
Family Way No 1
We...
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. This is the first and greatest commandment" Matthew 22V 13-14
Family Way No 2
We read the bible and pray to God every day with an open heart.
"All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God is thoroughly equipped for every good work" 2 Timothy
Family Way No 3
We honour and obey our parents in the Lord with a respectful attitude.
"Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honour and obey your parents for this is the first commandment with a promise, that you may live long and that life may be well for you".....this all needs editing, next time I'm on the computer

The Wonder of Watercolour

2009-05-07T06:53:00.000+10:00

We had a friend visit on Saturday, who helped us with our watercolours - 13 colour set from the Czech Republic, obtained from our local art shop.
The brilliance of colour is amazing, and with her techniques the children were well on the way to some gorgeous pictures.

Her Ideas:
Wet the paper first, if you like
Use a candle to draw on the paper, then watercolour over it
Sprinkle salt over the painting, and little dots appear, where the paint is drawn around the salt
Apply some masking tape to the paper, gently remove, and paint over - the paint bleeds into the torn edges - lovely effect
Methylated Spirits dropped onto the watercolour- need to try this as yet
Scratching into the paper with a fork or other instrument, then paint over
Dab painted areas with a scrunched up paper serviette

Autumn Treats

2009-05-07T06:52:00.000+10:00

Pikelets
Pudding - lemon
Pies
Pancakes
Pumpkin Soup
Scones

Farmer Boy

2009-05-06T13:49:00.000+10:00

Just finished this book, with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. Read it, and you'll know why. The children adored this book. We have only read one chapter per day. It has inspired me to get the children involved with every activity in the home and outside. Almanzo's family are a great inspiration - honest hard workers,their thriftiness, teamwork, bargaining skills, orderliness, and cleanliness (of the mother's housework), promptness and boy, did they know how to cook up a feast!
Pearl of Wisdom
In the chapter Breaking the Calves, young Almanzo "knew you could never teach an animal anything if you struck it, or even shouted at it angrily. He must always be gentle, and quiet, and patient, even when they made mistakes"...

Now we're on to Little House On The Prairie. A lovely Aunty and Uncle gave this entire set to us for our family's birthdays. We can't thank them enough.

Narration Jar

2009-05-06T13:47:00.000+10:00

We are a little tired of narrating every reading from AO Year 1.
So, it has been suggested to try the Narration Jar.
We pick a slip of paper after every reading from the Narration Jar, and narrate using the suggestion on the paper.
We're all set to go.
Printed, laminated and cut up, all we need to do is read, narrate, read, narrate, read, narrate!

Narration Jar Ideas (not mine)

Draw a picture from your reading.

Tell me everything you can remember about the reading.

Tell me the story back in your own words.

Answer questions Mama asks about the reading.

Ask Mama questions about the reading.

Let your animals or dolls act out the story.

Narrate to Mama.

Write down five sentences about what you read.

Play dice narration game - not quite sure what this game is, yet.

Think about another story or even that reminds you of what you just read about. Tell Mama about it.

Write down three sentences about what you read.

If you were giving a test on this reading, what are three questions you would ask?

Skip the narration today.

Model something out of play-dough while you tell me the story.

Write a letter about the story. Pretend you are one of the characters.

Draw and label a map based on the reading.

Copy two important or interesting quotations from the reading.

Draw a portrait and write a short description of a person or character
in the reading.

Write two important facts or events from the reading.

Tell me how someone in the reading behaved.

Find and define two new or important words from the reading.

Mama narrates today!

Wish List

2009-05-06T13:36:00.000+10:00

Home Education Wishlist:
French Learnables CD set from Chariot Press
Weighted Keyboard - a Cassio Privia PX100
Music Lessons - piano
Order Apologia Elementary books
Colour Laser Printer
Tales from Shakespeare Studyguide from Homeschool Favourites
Poetry Primer from Homeschool Favourites
A Child's Garden of Verses ISBN 0877016089 - (looks wonderful with numerous illustrations by noted artists)
Things I Wish I'd Know by Diana Waring
Bach's Goldberg Variations by Anna Harwell Celenza

Personal:
miessence Hand Cream
Insulation
Dryer
Finish Flannel Quilt
Eat du pain in France

Excavations

2009-05-06T13:34:00.001+10:00

They started here on the 17th February. We've put up with mud mud mud for nearly 3 months! The entire front yard is mucky. Since the excavations we have had rain rain rain.

Milly-Mollly-Mandy series

2009-05-06T13:31:00.000+10:00

We managed to pick up the last three books to the series. We now have four.
Captain promptly read the last three and has rated them eight out of ten.

Home to Mother

2009-05-06T13:21:00.000+10:00

by Doris Pilkington Garimara, 2006
Read by Rachel Maza, 1 1/4 hours
Published by Universtiy of Queensland Press, 2006
Possum found this recording particularly interesting and requested it to be played time and time again.

Red Bellied Black Snake

2009-05-05T12:26:00.000+10:00

Possum spotted and heard the juvenile at our front step on Sunday. It then disappeared under the house. It was spotted again sunning itself on the north side of the house. I've just read from Australia's Most Dangerous (by Australian Geographic) that these snakes give birth to about 12 live young in autumn (and other times of the year), but no recorded deaths have been made due to their bite - phew!

Steve Irwin's DVD's have made our children particularly fond of snakes, and they can't comprehend the danger one can bring.They think of them as beautiful! I could never think of them as beautiful!

We have just read a great story from the book The Best of Henry Lawson For Young Australians, called The Drover's Wife. She spent a sleepless night beside her kitchen table, whilst the two boys and two girls - mere babies sleep on top. Thankfully by morning they spot the snake, and their dog Alligator manages to crush the five foot long serpent on the head. A great read which all the children loved.

The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling

2009-05-05T12:02:00.003+10:00

Captain started reading this book yesterday. He's really enjoying it!

This book was completed today (27 May 2009).

"What do you have to say about it Captain?"

"The first thing I want to say about it is that I would like to read some more (of his work). And I am glad it was a long book because I enjoyed it so much. I give it a ten out of ten."

Wikipedia link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudyard_Kipling

Captain's Reading Thimble Summer

2009-04-29T06:56:00.000+10:00

In the hammock, reading Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright. That's his current book.That was yesterday. He finished today and gave it a nine out of ten.

Cats and Dogs

2009-04-27T16:27:00.000+10:00

Possum has had an enduring affection for cats and dogs - ever since she was a toddler - and she's about to turn six. Trouble is she's not allowed one of either as yet. We have settled on a pet worm for the moment.

Swallows and Amazons

2009-04-27T16:10:00.000+10:00

Captain has rated his favourite books to date:

1. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
2. Famous Five by Enid Blyton
3. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
4. The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright

Wobbegong Shark and Port Jackson Shark Egg Cases

2009-04-27T13:45:00.000+10:00

Yesterday the children discovered a Wobbegong Shark resting in the crevice of a local rockpool.
They also found three Port Jackson Shark egg cases with an egg in each one.
Seriously interesting.

A Pair of Red Clogs - Five In A Row

2009-04-27T13:37:00.000+10:00

Today we started hammock homeschooling - reading our current book in the hammock, then getting on with a study from the book.
Reading The Magic School Bus Kicks Up A Storm - A Book About Weather furthered our understanding of how water, air and heat, stirred together, makes the weather.
Next we'll watch the related video.

By the way, we first looked up our local forecast for the week - a truly lovely forecast from weather.com:
MON Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny. Cool. 6 km/h
ESE - 44% 12 23
TUE Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny. Mild. 5 km/h
NNE - 46% 13 24
WED Afternoon Clouds Afternoon Clouds. Cool. 8 km/h
SSE - 74% 13 21
THU Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny. Cool. 6 km/h
WSW - 77% 12 21
FRI Morning Clouds Morning Clouds. Cool. 11 km/h
SSW - 77% 13 22
SAT Scattered Clouds Scattered Clouds. Cool. 9 km/h
WNW - 75% 14 22
SUN Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny. Cool. Breezy. 32 km/h
S - 65% 14 19

2009-04-14T09:40:00.000+10:00

2009-04-11T20:28:00.000+10:00

2009-04-11T20:17:00.000+10:00

Welcome to our brand new blog - a place for us to share our findings from the Lord's creation, with our own photos and interesting information we have gleaned. We hope you will share in our enthusiasm and journeys through our backyard and beyond.