Color, Color, Everywhere.

Just some random pics taken around the yard to show you the colors that are *exploding* around here. So intense and beautiful. I am always thankful for autumn. I would love to see what fall looks like where you are too.

Oh, and we have a winner for the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom book ... "Sweet Tumblebeans". (Please send me your name and address!) We have another giveaway coming soon in celebration of the new movie, "Where the Wild Things Are" - please stay tuned.

Enjoy your day.

Love,

Jodi

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Looking for Love.

It seems that the lovely, sweet, little girl goats that I just bottle fed this spring are now all grown up and 'looking for love' ... in order to start 'families' of their own. I knew this day would come soon ... as all my goat books told me so ... but I was a bit caught of guard when I let them out to play yesterday and they began 'mounting' each other. My goat books tell me that when this happens (and after they reach 100 lbs) ... that it is time to find them a mate (usually in the fall) ... in order to have spring kids.

So, it is now time to search for a handsome Nubian buck for my sweet Emily & Me. I have never done such a thing before. I have a few ideas ... but this is totally new territory. I plan to 'rent' said buck for as long as needed ... but have no intention of keeping one. Male goats are far too much work for me. But what a concept eh? To rent a male for the purposes of breeding? Gives me a chuckle really!

I am thinking that I will plan a trip today to a local Nubian farmer and see if I can rent a buck. And not just any buck ... he will have to be the Prince Charming of goats for my sweet girls.

And here is their honeymoon suite ...

Wish me luck!

Love,
Jodi

P.S. If you happen to know some Nubian Farms in the Bangor, Maine area ... please pass their names along. Thank you!

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A Walk in the Woods on an Autumn Afternoon.

Can't you just smell it? The autumn scents that are conveyed in these pics? So yummy.

Or do you feel the cool, musty breeze?

What does fall look, feel and smell like in your neck of the woods?

Love,

Jodi

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This Morning.

I stepped outside at sunrise this morning --- for the first time in years (I am not a morning person) --- and here is the beauty I encountered:

One-Eyed Jack crowed to the morning sunshine.

I greeted my sweet goat "Me" --- and when I went to feed her --- I noticed ---

--- that the newest batch of chicks has taken up residence in the goat barn ---

and --- a mouse has taken up residence in the feed bin.

I took a little walk and enjoyed seeing the morning dew sprinkled along all the wildflowers.

And I spied a spider grabbing its first meal of the day.

As I ended my morning exploration of our small farm --- making my way to the front door --- this creature (my Mom's cat) came underfoot --- trying to get friendly with me. (Keep dreaming kitty.)

Aside from the unwanted kitty (though she did make for a great photo op) --- it was a pleasure to explore a simple morning on our simple farm.

I will try to do it again --- at least for the photo opportunites that such a venture provides.

Enjoy your day!

Love,

Jodi

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This Past Week on the Farm.

* the new chicks grew ...

(tree)

(teeko)

* the even newer chicks grew too ...

* our dog fought with this unexpected visitor and lost ...

* the goats ate, ate and ate ...

* Daddy cut some falling trees ...

* and Mama got to read outside ...

Not a bad week. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Love,

Jodi

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Signs of Impending Spring ... in Maine.

The indoor seeds have sprouted:

The chickens are venturing outdoors and laying again:

Critters are coming out of hibernation:

Mud is everywhere:

The canoe is finally peeking out from behind a mound of snow:

I am waking up a little bit happier each day.

The sun is sticking around longer.

Isaac and I venture further into the woods each day.

And I am finding Halis sexier every day ... as the spring air brings with it that natural urge to procreate (I bet you wish I hadn't said that).

So - are you feeling "Spring"?

Love,

Jodi

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Hanging Out in Bed ... till whenever.

The bed seems to be our hang out spot for the past few days. So much snow ... so much wind ... keeps us inside - cuddling, reading, playing make-believe, and watching the Smurfs - all from the bed. So yummy.

Occasionally we head out into the world, with lots of winter gear, and that feels good too. But there really is nothing like a day or two in bed ... bodies pressed up against one another ... enjoying all the goodness of one-on-one time together. Oh ... and the reading ... well let me tell you ...

My new favorite book is Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown. Wow. I couldn't put it down. The writing is rich and beautiful. The story is so engaging. And the heroine is so complex that I felt I knew her personally by the end of the book --- and longed to learn more about her next adventures. Sadly, there is no "Part 2" to this great book. However, there is a book that McKinley wrote, The Blue Sword, that is set in the same city ... 500 years after the reign of Aerin (the heroine of The Hero and the Crown). So, immediately after completing the first book, I drove straight to Borders to pick up The Blue Sword ... with which I am already having a hard time putting down.

As for Isaac, he is having a great time reading some Robert Munsch books. Hilarious stuff. We keep several Munsch books here because they are truly funny ... but also because the characters involved are often non-traditional families. For instance, in Andrew's Loose Tooth the main character, Andrew, is a young white boy ... while his sisters are both black ... his Mommy is brown skinned and his Daddy is white. Nothing is said of their differences ... they are just your everyday average family going through a loose tooth crisis. And that is so good for Isaac to see.

Well, I better go read more of The Blue Sword. I also purchased some back-up books in case the weather continues to keep us inside. Here is hoping for spring ... but I fear it is still a long way off.

Even the dogs are keeping to the indoors ...

Hoping you have warm & lovely weather where you are. Or that you at least have a great book.

Love,

Jodi

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A Typical Unschooled Day.

Yesterday was lovely in so many ways. The weather was wonderful. And how we made our way through the day felt so right. Here is how it went (more or less):

* We woke up when we felt like it.

* We ate fresh, hot brownies for breakfast.

* We put together a few puzzles on the floor.

* We went for a walk outside to "check things out" (as Isaac says).

Fall foliage, a plane jetting across the sky, various bees on a fall bloom.

* We visited with Bobo and Poppy on their back porch - and were showered with even more chocolaty goodness.

* We counted the chickens and chased our dogs.

* We played a long game of soccer and a quick game of baseball.

* We came in - I did laundry and other chores while Isaac watched "Max and Ruby".

* We worked on our counting skills and color recognition with visual aides.

* We made supper for Daddy ... and chatted with him about our day over the dinner table. (Baked Beans for Isaac and Beefy Cheesy Pasta Casserole for Mommy and Daddy).

* Lastly, we read lots and lots of books --- long into the night.

This is how I like to spend our days ... to ebb and flow in whichever ways feel good ... to have Isaac learn from life itself (I taught him how to pat Bees in the fall ... as they are so tired and cold that they just sun themselves on the flowers ... and you can pat them without getting stung. He thought it was amazing!) ... and to find the time to fully appreciate every action that we take (from soccer to reading). Sometimes we share our days with friends. Sometimes we spend much of it in the car. But a day like yesterday is my favorite - spent at home - learning, loving, playing and sharing. Good stuff!

I hope you are enjoying your favorite kind of day :)

Love,

Jodi

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Savoring the Last Moments of Summer.

Isaac and I ... laying on our lastest thrift store quilt (just $5!) ... in the backyard ... reading our books ... enjoying the gentle breezes ... listening to the birds ... watching the planes fly overhead ... receiving the occasional whoopie pie from our neighbor (Grandma) ... talking about the people, places and things we love ... savoring the last moments of summer.

We hope you are too.

Love,

Jodi

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The Indoor Pond.

When I began this "unschooling" adventure with my son ... which essentially began the moment he came home to me ... (see You Are Your Child's First Teacher) ... I thought of all sorts of ways that we could keep wonder, creativity and opportunities for self-learning within our home. We keep lots of musical instruments, books, blocks, puzzles, rocks, seashells, crayons, and oh so much more ... scattered in baskets throughout our home. But something was missing ... we needed a habitat ... something where we could house living things ... and watch them for a little while before setting them free and replacing them with another local pond find. So, we searched yard sales and found this $1 aquarium. Auntie found some aquarium goodies at another yard sale for $1. Voila! ... throw in some pond water and plants, a few pond snails and we created an instant indoor pond for viewing the occassional frog, turtle, or fish that we capture from our "outdoor" pond.

You might wonder how my three-year-old is able to part with these creatures after we watch them for a while ... Well, at this age it is fairly simple ... you just tell them that the frog/fish/mermaid really misses their Mommy and Daddy and so we have to put them back where their parents can find them. Isaac totally gets that, and would never want to keep a creature from its Mommy.

Anyway, friends of ours have started their own "unschooling observatory river tanks" as well. Their tanks were also yard sale finds ... and are currently housing several river fish.

This is such an inexpensive and fun learning experience. No filters or other tank gadgets. Just a tank, some river/pond water and fauna & a bubbling do-dad thingy (for circulating the water). You can feed your fish with commercial fish flakes (as my friends do) or you can just keep replenishing the water and animals so that feeding isn't necessary (what we do).

Let us know if you give this a try.

Enjoy your day.

Love,

Jodi

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Back in the Saddle.

I have begun sewing again ... finally. It has been over 2 months ... and I was starting to twitch. But after some brief sorting of some sewing supplies, I sat down to make a new bag. This sweet bag is made from vintage fabric squares that I inherited from my Mother-in-Law, some rick-rack from a yard sale, some vintage buttons from an estate sale, new denim, and some retro fabric that I picked up at Mardens. I love it! And though I originally made it with intentions of placing it in my Etsy store, I am not so sure now. It looks so "me". But who knows....?

Let's hope my sewing streak continues ... and if it does ... that I make some fun goodies for Etsy. I am long over due.

Love,

Jodi

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Defending the Rights of Cows.

Scene: driving through the city - on our way to visit Auntie

Isaac: "Mama, where are the cows?"

Mama: "They aren't here babe. We are in the city now. The cows are in the country."

Isaac: "Cows aren't allowed in the city?"

Mama: (stunned that he understand the word 'allowed') "No, Cows aren't allowed in the city. Only in the country. We live in the country."

Isaac: "Mama, I wanna go home now."

Well, I guess if cows can't be in the city - then Isaac doesn' t want to be either. Poor Isaac is going to have to get used to the idea that cows will no longer be part of our everyday lives in the city ... OR ... we will just have to do as Daddy has suggested, and keep our country home as a weekend get-away. Best of both worlds :)

Love,
Jodi

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