Freezing corn

Pick + husk + blench + cut + pack = a whole year of summer-tasting corn in the freezer.

More on great audio books

We all know the story, have read the books, and have seen multiple versions of R. L. Stevenson's masterwork.... but you have never heard Alfred Molina's narration on audio, you are missing what our family has unanimously named one of the best audio books ever! Superb!

Speaking of audio books

Fun thing about summer is all of the audio listening we have time for!

Husband read this aloud a long time ago... this time we are listening the narration of Rob Iglis, who does the voices like we have never heard them done! Phenomenal. We are listening to this in the car, and there is not a sound from the kids...

New audio drama: The Legend of Squanto

We have been listening to a new Focus on the Family audio drama we found at the library. The production quality is excellent! Little is known about Squanto but the main historical facts are included here. It is refreshing to listen to truthful history, with both white men and Native American shown as people who can be be either good or bad: no generalizations here. What I enjoyed immensely also is the fact that there is no gratuitous anti-Catholic sentiment: the priests and monks who helped Squanto in Spain are described as good, loving Christian men by an English Protestant in the story. Great family listening! Kudos to Focus on the Family.

Garden update

We've been making a lot of Pesto...

Morning Sun, Morning Daughter

A cool summer brings Number Seven, my early riser, towards the front door, on the East side of the house. Nothing feels as nice as the warmth of the morning sun on your back, and a nice book (The Hidden Picture Book of Aesops' Fables) as a companion!

Black? White! Day? Night!, a Book of Opposites

Black? White! Day? Night! A Book of Opposites by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, illustrated by the author, 2006 Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 978-1-59643-185-0

Here's a clever picture book about opposites! We loved it so much, the kids told me this had to be a picture book of the week.

Each page has a one-work question, such as "alike?" Each page has one or more cut-out windows, showing a picture--in this case, several "alike" diamonds. Flip the page and the picture of an opposite concept is shown: the little "alike" diamonds were actually all part of several very differently-shaped snowflakes! Have fun with his colorful and imaginative book of opposites!

Our Potatoes!

They melt in your mouth!

More materials coming in...

Some materials are borrowed from neighbors, such as the senior Math enrichment DVDs for Number Three... and some have to be duly renamed by Number Six, to reflect the name of her small group's Greek teacher this year!

An afternoon at the park

Sewing

One of the very nice things of having Number Two at home was all of the creative sewing I did, mending many of her favorite clothes. I feel so close to Mamae when I sew, her practical hints and joy in my mind as as the machine hums. I made the shirt for Number Two following a pattern of one she brought from Brazil, using material Husband brought from Thailand last semester. The purse I made for Number Five out of a skirt she inherited from her big sister!

Garden Update

A terrible year for tomatoes--everyone I know has tomato blight around here, on account of the unusual amount of rainfall this summer.

But... except for cabbage worms, it has been a good year for just about everything else! The green beans are incredible and we ave frozen many gallon size bags filled with them. The picture is of the kitchen table yesterday after we picked in the garden.


We never had corn this perfect! Yum!

Clouds for Mary Daly

Numbers Three Four and Five are taking Weather from Mary Daly at homeschool co-op this school year, and we all have been looking at clouds to prepare! Mary even talked me into teaching them to draw clouds in my art class! Mary opened a blog just for this class--enjoy!

Au Revoir, Number Two!

Geography-buff Number Four pointed to her new French home on the map for us... and we made a collage of her early morning departure. May she have a wonderful educational European experience! Bon voyage!

Last day with Number Two

...pictured here with good friend Allison.

She added a closing post to her Brazil blog yesterday. I have been making her some good food, and sewing too! We will miss her!

Two special Thanks Yous...

First goes to my dearest sister Nina for sending me via Number Two a local Itaipava ceramics piece and for sending material and European lace from Mother's sewing basket...



...and second goes to Grandma and grandpa Tom for their loving hosting of Number Four, and allowing him to proudly bring home a handsome bowl he crafted himself with grandpa's tools and help!

Our Dance Camp Ball on You Tube!

...or at least three snippets of it! Enjoy!!

At the Zoo!

Hay bales!

Fun with Aunt Sue and Uncle Dave

Pippo the Fool

Pippo the Fool, by Tracey E. Fern, illustrated by Pau Estrada 2009 Charlesbridge Publishing; 48 pages. ISBN: 1570916551

I heard this story long ago... most certainly from my story-telling aunt, who had the power to do exactly what this phenomenal books does: to turn real life stories into a delightful tale for children! But while my good auntie illustrated her stories with words in a way only she could do, this new publication is illustrated by lines and color in a way that will captivate young and old alike. One would be reminded of Tomie De Paola, but a Tomie de Paola turned-to-life with much more realistic, rich-in-detail full page spreads.

The story is one of big dreams, inventiveness, and great doses of courage and perseverance. Half a millennium ago in Florence, the great cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was all built, but for the dome... and a contest was announced for the building of an architectural feat never done before. Little Pippo, called the fool by the people, a goldsmith, dreamed of a plan... and had to undergo quite a bit to accomplish it!

Pictures books are such integral part of our family life... and books such as Pippo the Fool come to entertain, to educate and to delight. Hats off to writer and illustrator. Do not miss this gem!

Dance Camp finale

First order arrived

With our two elementary school (3rd, 5th grades) Geography titles for the year!