Speaking into the Silence

moving things around

2011-04-01T12:07:00.001-04:00

I'm sort of blog happy lately.

In order to try and get some actual "gigs" I'm making a blog just for my music. You can find it here.

How Death and Dying is Like Labor and Birth (an assignment for my doula course)

2011-03-19T18:12:00.001-04:00

My Grandmother died almost exactly one year after my first vaginal birth after cesarean. She was the most accepting and loving member of my entire family. I do believe that she chose to die the way she did in order to give us all time to accept her death and to say goodbye. She spent three weeks hooked up to machines before she passed. It was probably quite a harrowing experience for her but it gave us, as her family watching her, so much peace to be able to see her and hold her hand and say goodbye.

My birth with the Explorer, my second born and my first vaginal birth, was very similar. It took three days of labor to birth him. I feel like I needed those three days, as difficult as they were, to come to terms with what was happening in my own body. When the Explorer was born, I was so tired and so happy to be done. Obviously I was happy about my new baby, but the prevailing thought in my mind was relief that the pain and exertion were over.

I feel like my Grandmother, when she finally passed, felt some relief. She had rheumatoid arthritis since age 13 as well as lupus. Most of her life was spent in pain, ever increasing until she died. I was living in San Diego at the time, 2000 miles away. I flew out to spend the three weeks watching her in the hospital and finally flew home after that three weeks. She died while I was on the plane to San Diego. I was very sad at her going. I still miss her every day. But the part of me that worried about her being in pain, or being sick, or being unhappy, that part of me is glad for her. Just as I felt relief when the Explorer was born, I feel relief that my Grandmother is no longer suffering.

It was a struggle for my Grandmother to live and it was a struggle for her to die. She had to labor, there in the intensive care unit, we all had to watch her and know that we were powerless to stop it all. In the same way, my birth team at the Explorer's labor and birth could only watch and support and know that it all had to happen. I had a team of family, neighbors, midwife, and doula to support me. My Grandmother had a team of family, neighbors, doctors, and nurses to support her. I got a baby at the end of my struggle. My Grandmother got peace. We both got a reprieve from pain and suffering. We both got to rest.

Video 18

2011-03-18T00:07:00.000-04:00

a million wondrous things...

2011-03-17T12:16:00.005-04:00

Wonderful things are happening here in my life. Career wise things are blooming profusely. Bet you didn't know I had a career. Well, turns out I do. For many years , since the Artist was a wee babe, I've dreamed of one day becoming a doula. I even attended doula training (with DONA) back in 2000 when we lived in San Diego. I had the hardest time finding clients and babysitting so I never did become certified. I attended Birthing from Within mentor training in 2002. Still, could not find clients. Then we moved to Indiana. I briefly toyed with the thought of putting myself out there and planned two birth art workshops. No one came. But I had two beautiful baby girls and felt pretty busy as a mother of four. We moved to Wales where I spent my time getting used to having a house full of children and enjoying the beautiful Welsh countryside. (I wake in the night still with a deep longing for it.)

So then we wind up here. The last place on earth I wanted to move to. Maybe not the last place, but certainly toward the bottom of my list. When I had been here about 8 weeks I met a woman, a doula, who had also been here about 8 weeks and had attended 8 births! She supported her family doing birth work! She said all the doulas she knew were way overbooked and it would be very easy to find work in this town. This information inspired me. Months later when recounting this story to my best friend, Candy, she suggested I just call this doula up and offer to do paperwork and filing for her so I could kind of get to know how to start my own doula business up. So I did. It has been an eye opening experience for me. I feel like my doula mentor (because really that is what she has become to me) is getting the short end of the stick! So I told myself, once I find suitable childcare, then I will pursue training. Suitable childcare has been found! So I told myself again, once I find funding then I'll begin training. I was awarded a scholarship through Birth Arts International and am now training with them.

So I'm seeking doula clients (if you know anyone). I've also put together a six week course for parents planning a vaginal birth after cesarean. I'll not post the links here because I feel a little weird putting my location out there for anyone to see. Those who know me are free to contact me for more information if you want.

I'm sure you've noticed all the singing videos I've put up. I'm putting myself out there for sure. I brought a demo cd to a local coffee shop yesterday and have been singing open mics here and there when I get the chance.

Things are looking good. I am deeply grateful for that.

Video 41

2011-02-26T00:04:00.000-05:00

Video 43

2011-02-25T23:20:00.000-05:00

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (with a rice free option)

2011-02-13T14:32:00.005-05:00

Seems like some folks have multiple allergies, not just issues with gluten, but also with other grains. This recipe takes that into account. So far I have only used rice and sorghum flour, but I imagine one could use others as well. I'm also going to mess around and see if I can come up with an egg free version. Right now I have a batch in the oven for a Valentine's Day party at the Artist's play rehearsal tomorrow, so I'm reluctant to do too much experimenting for this batch.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup rice or sorghum flour (or a blend)
1/2 cup corn starch
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 tsp Kahlua (or vanilla extract, I keep Kahlua around to use in baking as I prefer it sometimes.)
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Mix the butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Add the xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt. Add the rice/sorghum flour. Add the cornstarch. Add the chocolate chips. Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 F until it just barely shows a little brown on the edges. You do not want to overcook these!

Alternately, you can make a sort of log out of the dough and freeze it for later. I brought a plate full of these made from frozen dough to a playdate and it was promptly gobbled up. (And nobody noticed that it was gluten free.) If you want to bring a plate of these somewhere but hope to have a few left over for midnight snacking, you'd better just leave a few at home because you are unlikely to bring home anything but an empty plate.

Working with the Place Value Apartments

2011-02-02T12:57:00.004-05:00

Place Value Apartments

2011-02-02T12:37:00.007-05:00

Last night I made this big posterboard creation to help cement the idea of place value for the Explorer. He's been doing this type of math for some time now but still often needs prompting to begin the addition or subtraction in the ones place.

It should be pretty self explanatory how I made the apartments, but if you have any questions, just post them in the comments and I can explain further.

Because it is so large, I'll have to post it in three sections.

First we have the Billions house:

Next, the Million house:

Now the Thousand House:

And finally, the Hundreds House:

I'm having problems with Blogger, so I'm going to put some photos of the work we did in a separate post.

Blizzard!

2011-02-01T19:16:00.003-05:00

No pics of the blizzard but we are all well. We spent the day with some lovely friends sledding and chatting and playing. Turns out my sled from when I was a little girl is very very fast. Growing up in the American south I didn't get to use it much.

Now we are cozy inside watching the snow. A chicken is in the oven, a bowl of "jacket potatoes" (British for baked potatoes) waiting on the table, a hearty salad, and baked fish for the non-chicken eaters and after dinner we will have hot cocoa with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Bring it on, Mother Nature, bring it on!

75 years

2011-01-22T21:10:00.003-05:00

This year is the 75th anniversary of our local Quaker meeting. Tonight there was a sort of kick off celebration. I was, of course, late (with very good reason and totally worth it!) but I arrived in time to hear a song written about our meeting.

Now some background. For those of y'all that haven't moved around a lot, let me just explain things to you. In my experience at about the six month mark of being in a new place you begin to miss the old place very very much. It sort of, well, eats your soul this deep longing for the old place. Now add, I don't know 3 or 4 old places and one begins to feel a bit chewed up inside. To say the least it is unsettling. I miss Wales like you wouldn't believe. Seriously. After the Arizona shootings I spent the day crying in the bathroom wondering what kind of messed up country I had moved my family back to. (Ok, now hormones did play a small part in this day of bathroom weepiness. Not to mention the 2 hour podcast on the subject I kept listening to.) Before that we had traveled down south to see family and to Indiana to see chosen family. So I was in a bit of a post holiday meltdown of missing people and places. (I'm also, strangely enough, homesick for Ireland a place where I spent just a week. And that week we were mildly ill with mono!)

But I digress, tonight at the 75th Anniversary kickoff, this wonderful singer songwriter sang a song about our local meeting. When in the first verse he mentioned the name of our town a bit of warm hometown pride started spreading in my heart and by the last verse I was weeping happy tears. You see, now I do feel like I've found a new home. Does this make Memphis, California, Wales, or Indiana any less home? Nope. But it does add a new home to the list.

Soon as I got home, I did what I tend to do when a musician inspires me, I pulled out my guitar and sang. I sang and sang. I sang the songs that made my mind visit the lands I longed for, songs I had kind of shelved for a while. Below you'll find one of those songs. I am forever grateful to the members of my community for bearing with my homesick longing for Anywhere but Here. And with love I offer this song, from a land I've yet to visit (but is at the top of my list), to all of you.

Diolch yn fawr i bawb

Now Westlin Winds

2011-01-22T21:01:00.000-05:00

Technology mishaps

2011-01-16T11:19:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure if I've mentioned here about the death of my iPod touch. It actually happened twice, only the first time was my fault and I got it repaired. But the second time, well I just figured it's not the right time in my life for a tiny gadget that costs over $100. The little girls dropped it in a bucket of apple cider vinegar. Now, granted, there are plenty of times when I wish I still had that iPod touch, but overall I think it's one of the best things to happen to me. I no longer have that constant temptation to just "real quick" check email or facebook or whatever.

I do have an iPod now. I use it for music and podcasts. It's one of the earlier nanos. As for all the notebooking and stuff I did on my old iPod, well now I use a notebook. Yep, I've gone old school. I have a notebook and calendar. If I need to remember something, I just write it down.

One of these days, perhaps I will do a long notebook post.

Then more recently my laptop bit the dust. It's salvagable. I mean, we are pretty sure the info stored on it can be retrieved, but it will need a new hard drive. We don't have the extra funds at the moment to do this, but we will do it eventually. For now I'm on the Lord of Sound's computer in the evenings or on weekends, and those aren't the most convenient times for being online so my online time has really gone down. This is a very good thing! If I need to "look up" something, I just write a note and do it later. This has also cut back the boys' computer time. They think this is a bad thing but I think it's good. It means more time outside or reading a book or playing legos together.

I'm rethinking my usage of technology and trying to find a balance that fits my life better.

I did get a nook for Christmas (comes with insurance so if another Apple Cider Vinegar Incident occurs, I'm covered) and I'm LOVING it. I'm finding myself reading more. That's always a good thing. The Artist has been reading a bit on my nook, too. I think he may need to get one next Christmas.

Fairy doors and Winter Wonderland...

2010-12-13T22:24:00.010-05:00

Last week the little girls and I went to a fairy tea at a local bookstore/coffee shop. We drank tea, ate biscuits (when you have them with tea, you call them biscuits not cookies), read fairy stories, and saw a very funny magic show. It was very fun, but would have been more fun with friends. We will be sure to bring friends next time.

On the way back to our car, a shopkeeper told us about these little fairy doors all over downtown. Here is one we found.

And now, after much anticipation, we have snow! Lots of it! Of course, since we are homeschoolers, I can't make the boys walk uphill both ways to school in the snow like I had to, but they did walk uphill in the snow to go sledding on Sunday afternoon.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-08T21:34:00.004-05:00

This is our house in Indiana. Those little boys are ours. I forgot how little they once were.

Too bad it doesn't snow in Michigan. At least it doesn't stick.

Why Quakers don't celebrate Hannukah

2010-12-07T08:31:00.002-05:00

To conclude our Hannukah study last night, the boys and I planned on making latkes. Since I had forgotten (what with sick kids in the house and all) to light our menorah the past few days, yesterday afternoon I thought I'd light it to get the candles all lined up how they are supposed to be. Thing is, I forgot about it and the whole thing went up in flames!

So then we have our traditional type meal we have when we decorate our Christmas tree: cheeses, meats, vegetarian meats, crackers (Corn Thins actually), and lox. I serve the latkes with this. Since the Explorer won't eat lox and barely touches cheese I let him choose his meat earlier that day in the grocery. True to form, he chose ham. It didn't dawn on me, the whole ham is not kosher thing, until after we ate. Not that I was going for kosher, but it still seems sort of wrong somehow to serve ham with latkes the same evening after you set fire to a menorah.

We did play dreidel, only without the gambling aspect.

So, it was a sort of Hannukah study that would be unrecognizable to any truly devout Jewish family. But we still learned a lot and had fun.

(And the advent wreath still stands!)

my friend is giving away something!

2010-12-03T20:04:00.001-05:00

My friend is hosting a giveaway on her blog. It's a lovely blog, it is. I have enjoyed it for years and frequently (as you can probably tell if you read both) "borrow" ideas from her.

Advent and Hannukah (and some learning room pics)

2010-12-01T20:44:00.017-05:00

I know that I promised long ago a post on our new educational methods. Basically we've moved from and eclectic classical lite to a Steiner inspired / Waldorf approach.

Now, before you start asking questions, let me tell you that I'm not qualified to answer them. Basically I'm not an anthoposophist by any means, but Steiner's educational methods seem to work well with our family dynamics. I don't have the time or energy to explain it all right now so I'm going to assume that you, my beloved handful of readers (ok so two that I know of) either are familiar with Waldorf methods or have googled Rudolf Steiner and Waldorf education.

But next year, well, I'm going with a pre made curriculum, still going to stay on with the Waldorf method for sure as we all seem to enjoy it and the children seem to be really thriving, but I'm tired of coming up with everything on my own.

So, with that in mind, I'm going to share what we've been doing this week. For years I've been a member of an email group (via yahoo) called Waldorf Home Educators. The list owner, the lovely Mrs. M, is a Waldorf teacher who loves Waldorf philosophy so much that she shares her wildly creative lesson plans and musings for free with those of us on the list. Can't thank her enough for that! She recently posted lesson plans for a four week block called "December 2010 Stories of Light" It's lovely, really it is. We started this week learning about Hanukkah. Now, as this block is geared for grades 2 to 3 I had to kind of ramp it up a bit for the Artist. So tomorrow he will be writing a detailed report about Hanukkah. We have other bits we do every day as well as all of this, you know your regular reading, 'riting, and 'rithmitic. As well as whatever interesting thing we happen upon.Here is a picture of the menorah that the Explorer made. Tonight at dinner we said a little poem and lit the first candle. I'm not sure if the center one is supposed to stay lit or not. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Here is a photo of our chalkboard. Ideally I'd like a real honest to goodness blackboard but as I can't find one in my price range (ahem, as close to free as possible), these adhesive blocks of chalkboard material will have to do. Below and above are the cursive handwriting alphabet I put up just this week. We (the boys and I) are all learning a new kind of cursive. I thought it might be good to learn together and sort of help each other along and it's been great. The Artist has been able to write and read cursive for quite some time now but prefers to write print. The Explorer has been begging to learn cursive since last school year and the Artist decided he'd give it another go if we all did it together. We've not learned all the alphabet yet (I had to consult the book for the wall chart) but we are enjoying learning together. I think the boys like that I have to practice, too. Also, you'll notice that the letters are in purple just like the chalkboard. The poem on the chalkboard was written by the Explorer and I wrote it up on the board in both cursive and print so that he can decide which "font" to use tomorrow when he copies it onto the "good paper" we will make his "Stories of Light" main lesson book from.

I know I promised some advent information and I will. I found this site and decided it might be nice to do a Jesse tree. I have fond memories of having a Jesse tree at church when I was little as well as fond memories of advent (both at church and at home) and so I decided this was the year I'd actually do it. (Ok, a few days late, but still I did it!) Now, Quakers don't tend to do a lot of these kind of rituals. Our services are quite simple, and I like it that way obviously otherwise I wouldn't call myself a Quaker. But this is home and I thought a bit of holiday focus was in order and it wouldn't hurt to brush up on our Bible literacy. I don't know that we will make all the ornaments as listed in the chart on the website, in fact I know for a fact a few of them I will skip, but still it's a nice tradition and we are "having fun playing with the pencils and filling out the forms on the bench." Plus there is a lovely lovely red twigged bush in our back garden / yard that made a lovely filling for a vase.You see a dove, a symbol for peace. We did those on Monday. Yesterday, Tuesday, I was feeling bad and so we did not very much and nothing on this project. Today we were really feeling creative and we did the apple (cardstock covered with bits of tissue paper) which symbolized the Garden of Eden story. Now, mind you, I'm no new earth creationist. But I find the whole apple and snake story riveting anyway. (And yes, it's totally possible to believe in both God and evolution. Really!) Then the rainbow symbolizes the promise God made to Noah after the Big Flood never to flood the earth again. (Noah and the Ark being hands down the Explorer's favorite Bible story, though he prefers the animal parts to the part about the rainbow.)

Now our advent wreath is only a wreath in the symbolic sense since there is no greenery involved and barely a hint of even a circular shape. As it happens most years round about the week after Thanksgiving, people like me who are-definitely-going-to-do-advent-this-year, find it hard to find the required pink and purple candles in the shops. So, I got a brilliant flash of insight (though to be honest, could be that I read this somewhere) to decoupage tissue paper onto clear glass votive candle holders and use them instead of a wreath. So that is what we did. The pack of tissue paper I bought at the dollar store did not come with purple so we layered red and blue. Also we are using tealights instead of votives. Now, granted, you don't get the cool uneven candles that you get with a real wreath with tapers, but it's less messy in the long run and we had fun with the glue. Also, turns out, if you give the tiny goddess some glue, a q-tip, and tissue paper, she will quietly occupy herself for hours. Seriously. This girl had some fun gluing today. She did the pink (of course) votive holder you see below as well as a giant apple of her own (not pictured).
Earlier this week we went to the dollar store (which is where I got the "silver" tray and the aforementioned tissue paper) and the Explorer found this grow your own crystal tree. Basically it's salt crystals that he grew. But it looked so festive in our window and was very fun to watch as we watched the snow come down for the first time since we arrived in Michigan. Here is a photo:

And since I know you are dying to see more, here is a blurry photo of the big alphabet display on the opposite wall of the purple chalkboard.

You may be wondering why there is no mention of Miss Mousie in this post. That would be because she has been sick all week. The tiny Goddess only today started feeling better. Miss Mousie on the other hand just kind of slept and cried and nursed. Basically lots of, "I want to hold you, Mama!" or "Please can I nurse, Mama? Please can I?" So pitiful. I finally gave her some ibuprofen this afternoon and she's been terrorizing her sister for the past hour so I reckon she is feeling better. I didn't give it earlier as she was just running such a low grade fever that I didn't want to interfere. I don't tend to medicate for fevers unless they are high or unless that person is prone to night terrors and sleepwalking when fevers hit, and in that case that kid never runs a fever on my watch!

Oh, would you look at this! We did do something educational on Tuesday!

And I'll leave you now to ponder how the mini fig got into the jello.

Happy Hanukkah, Nadolig Llawen, Feliz Navidad, and Buon Natale!

Wordless Wednesday (yes, it's been a while)

2010-11-24T17:03:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T21:15:00.005-05:00

As you can tell from my last post, we have much to be thankful for.

This years' Thanksgiving started out as a quiet one. Well, as quiet as one can get with our rowdy crew. But then the Accident happened (see my last post) and now we are joining with that family for Thanksgiving. So we will be serving ten children and four adults. But, I serve a crowd that size quiet often since, as my friend B says, "We hang with a big crowd."

However, if you happen to be in the British section of our local Hiller's grocery store and hear mournful moaning, that would be me. Because as much as I am thankful for friends and friends-who-are-family here, I long for a traditional Welsh Thanksgiving.

Yes, my dear readers, you read that correctly.

A traditional Welsh Thanksgiving is very fun and I suggest everyone try it.

First, you must have at least five countries represented. Our five were: Spain, USA, England, Scotland, and of course Wales...and please don't make me give you the Wales-is-not-a-part-of-England speech!

Then you have the traditional food: turkey (brined a la Nigella Lawson), candied sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, vegetarian lasagne, mashed potatoes, southern cornbread dressing, cake with candy corns on top, tortilla (Spanish not Mexican, it's basically a sort of potato omelet, It's lush, it is!), tea (naturally!) and lots of friends and children. I think we had 15 children and 15 adults. It was so much fun! It was my first year making a turkey and one friend of ours, a vegetarian for years, was overheard saying "I see why people would want to eat turkey, that looks good." and a few months after his wife told me that she wished he had eaten some of that turkey because he talked about it so much afterwards! The children played football (that's soccer in American) and well, I'm not sure what else they did. I think there were light sabers involved at some point but I can't be sure.

And obviously the traditional Thanksgiving caroling. (Ok, so nobody sang along but me, still we did play the song!)

It was lovely. Thanksgiving always is for me. But this year should be much quieter.

Happy Thanksgiving! (Wonder how one would say that in Welsh?)

because sometimes bad things happen to good people, too.

2010-11-17T20:45:00.003-05:00

It's been a hard week here. Not so much for me, but for people I love very much.

See, on Sunday, it was a sad anniversary. A life was cut short some years ago. It was a horrible tragedy and I just can't, even now after years have past, make even the least bit of sense about it. Some tiny part of me clings to the impossible wish that one day we'll find out it was all some kind of cruel hoax and it had never happened.

Then this Sunday we almost had a repeat tragedy. One of my oldest and best friends was in a very bad car accident. I saw a photo of the vehicle today and would give anything to un-see it. It is truly a miracle that she survived and that she will recover. But the road to recovery will be long and hard for her and for her six children and her husband.

So tonight I ask for your prayers. I ask you to hold this family in the Light. I don't care who you pray to, but I ask you to pray.

And hold your loved ones tight and whisper a prayer of gratitude while you are at it.

Joan Baez, Diamonds and Rust - Live, 1975

2010-10-14T13:35:00.000-04:00

Sooo...

2010-10-08T16:34:00.003-04:00

Sorry, I've neglected this place lately. I don't know why. Just haven't felt motivated I guess.

Repatriation is Hard. I think it is, in many ways, more difficult than originally leaving the states for Wales. This move we have six people "homesick" for the old place. Yes, even Miss Mousie and the Tiny Goddess have mentioned wanting our "old house" and our "old car".

But life goes on. We are settling in here and starting to build a community. And before you say, "Oh but you are so outgoing, you're good at that sort of thing." Sure, being outgoing helps (and don't think I don't force myself to be outgoing. I have to force myself to put myself out there.) I'll repeat it here again, community building is a skill not a talent. Yes, like any skill it comes easier to some but it is still work and hard work at that.

The children are doing well. The boys still would "rather be in Wales" (their words). But they do like it here and are making friends. We live in a nice neighborhood where we can bike to the library and walk to parks and shops. Near our house, in our neighborhood, is a great nature preserve and wetlands. We consistently see blue herons, swans, ducks, seagulls, and cranes there. I've also seen bats and deer.

We found a lovely homeschool group and enjoy our local Quaker meeting. I'm even teaching the Explorer and the Tiny Goddess' First Day School class this month.

The leaves are changing colors, the weather is bright and sunny and cooling off. I'm enjoying the autumn breezes and sights and trying very hard not to think about winter.

David Mitchell Writes - Dear America...

2010-09-28T09:32:00.000-04:00

PETE SEEGER ~ Barbara Allen ~

2010-09-01T21:29:00.000-04:00

This moment...

2010-09-01T21:21:00.006-04:00

What I'm hearing: Pete Seegar on the Artist's iPod as he sings along and washes dishes. The little girls chatting in the tub to Sweet Benny.

What I'm smelling: the lovely lavendar chamomile bubble bath

What I'm thinking/feeling: It's not so bad, this life I live. Not bad at all.

Much better than the way I felt earlier this week. I'm glad of that.

Hello there!

2010-08-03T11:28:00.004-04:00

Lots has changed for us.

For starters we moved. We are now in the Great Lakes Region of the United States.

I've completely changed directions with our home education. I'm hesitant to post too much about that until we are into the school year somewhat.

My iPod has been raised from the dead once, traveled halfway across the world only to be again, dead and I'm fine with it. Personally I think it is a Good Thing.

Those aren't even the major points and since a full recap is too overwhelming to me right now, I'll just say hello and sut mae to you all. I'll be posting more herbal stuff the next few posts as I've joined a blog party and I'll be posting a recipe for my fertility chai and some info about a weed I've grown quite fond of.

Also, this morning I fought off the songbirds and mosquitoes (really? mosquitoes at 9 am, I mean, come on! That is absurd!) to pick a quart jar full of ripe elderberries with three out of four children. Just imagine me like Snow White, only shooing the birds away and slapping mosquitoes.

I'll tell you what I'm going to do with it later.

But for now, I'm recovering from an illness that reminds me way too much of mononucleosis/glandular fever but is definitely not strep throat (I had it checked) and I feel the need to rest a bit.

Thanks for hanging in there to this poor neglected space.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-23T20:20:00.003-04:00

more letter friends

2010-03-18T10:34:00.003-04:00

Here we have l, th, and qu.

l is the Explorer's letter. Easy.

th is tricky. See, what happened was this boy stole Terrible the sword (see him holding it) and Mr. h's hat. He's so proud of himself that he's teasing the knight and Mr. h and saying, "Thhhh!" (A battle did ensue between the knight and th interuppting our party planning.)

and the queen, qu. Obviously she has a long ponytail, but she also usually carries around an upside down umbrella. We aren't sure why.

d is a dog curled up asleep with his long tail sticking straight up

v is a vet

and n is a guy with a big nose who likes to look up

Word Family Town part 1b

2010-03-18T06:53:00.005-04:00

For some reason, blogger isn't cooperating with me so I'm breaking this post up into more than one post. More letters to introduce:

m is a mountain man

r is a rat

f is the Tiny Goddess (her real name starts with F)

w is a walrus

p is a pretty princess with a ponytail

j is jumping (see it even jumps for the photo!)

b is a boy with a baseball

h is a man with a funny hat

and t is a knight with "terrible the sword"

Then we planned parties for the various homes. In order to attend a party at a house, the letter had to be able to make a word with the family. So we went through them all and I made a list. We will probably review it today and tomorrow and then make another village with some more houses next week, maybe even add a few new letter friends.

Word Family Town part 1

2010-03-18T06:27:00.006-04:00

First of all, I got the idea from my wonderful friend who did a similar project with her children. Here and here are their villages. So we began ours this week. We kept it small, more of a village really. The picture is self explanatory. To populate our town, we had a select group of letters. Each one had its own character and personality.

c is a cat.

g is a girl with a curl

s is a ssssnake

Dancing girls

2010-03-12T08:08:00.000-05:00

It's true! All of it! I do eat rice! I did vote for Obama!

2010-03-12T06:32:00.000-05:00

Glenn Beck

Ta-DA!!!

2010-03-05T15:13:00.003-05:00

Finally figured out how to convert a wav file to an mp3. So I'm announcing the birth of my MySpace Musician page.

Now, this is a rough recording. Now that I know how to do it, I'll put some more polished stuff up there. But, I'm psyched all the same.

Jo Brown Music

Enjoy and stay tuned!

In my celtic folk music self education I found the following.

2010-03-04T17:53:00.005-05:00

Still glad I voted for O'bama!

Poetry Friday

2010-02-05T09:17:00.000-05:00

Homage to my Hips
by Lucille Clifton

these hips are big hips.
they need space to
move around in.
they don't fit into little
petty places. these hips
are free hips.
they don't like to be held back.
these hips have never been enslaved,
they go where they want to go
they do what they want to do.
these hips are mighty hips.
these hips are magic hips.
i have known them
to put a spell on a man and
spin him like a top

Lucille Clifton

Thank you, Dr. King

2010-01-18T04:41:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-13T07:16:00.001-05:00

something hilarious

2010-01-08T07:14:00.002-05:00

http://

How I use my iPod in our homeschool

2010-01-06T13:54:00.002-05:00

Have I blogged about this yet?

I don't know and I only have a bit of time so I am just going to blog here (no time to search and see if I'm repeating myself).

My first thing I use in our homeschool is this app. It's called Notebooks.

When I think of something to do for a certain "subject" I put it in a notebook file under that subject. By now I have a collection of little snippets of ideas for many subjects.

When it comes time to plan for the week I write out a document on my laptop with a list of what I want to do for the week. I then email it to myself, copy the email, and paste it on a notebook page.

It comes out looking sort of like this:

01-04-10 to 01-08-09
Circle Time
Opening Song: 'Tis a Gift to be Simple
Opening verse:“January brings the snow, makes the feet and fingers glow”
Father Abraham
Memory Work:
the Explorer:
Outside the Door
(by Annette Wynne)
Outside the door the bare tree stands
And catches snowflakes in its hands,
And holds them well and holds them high,
Until a puffing wind comes by.
The Artist:
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
(by Robert Frost)
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
There are Seven Days in a Week
Days of the Month Song
100 Things You Should Know about Knights and Castles
The Story of Painting
Poetry for Winter poem of the day:
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
Listen to week one classics for kids
Listen to Peter and the Wolf
Tell the story of Peter and the Wolf
A: Read Global Highlights Europe worksheet and answer questions
L: Peter and the Wolf Sequencing Story Strips (Put these in a book leaving room to illustrate.)
Draw cover for Peter and the Wolf book
Artist: Degas
UCBA pgs 26-27
Piece: Dancer on the Stage
Science:
Weather Changes Worksheet
Weather Lab #1 Thermometer Explorations
Weather Lab #2 Make a Rain Gauge
History:
Read UILEWH pgs 202-203
Read SOTW2 chapter 4
L: Narration drawing
A: Narration writing
Complete Map
A: Use one or more of the Codes of Justinian as copywork
Foreign Languages:
Spanish introductions (Maite style)
Nature Walk
Draw / Write for Nature Journals
Look up one plant / animal we see
Physical Education
Biking
Football (soccer)
Literature
Mary Poppins
The Artist:
Language Arts:
write a journal entry about Christmas vacation
write a personal letter
grammar worksheets
Maths:
Math Mystery on Monday
Practice problems
MM Fractions
Multiplication Mazes
the Explorer:
Sensory:
WH Questions using Aesop's Fables (he chooses the fable) OOSCHF 174
Slimy Shapes OOSCHF 28
Rubbing SSIT 10
Rowboat OOSCHF 69
Wheelbarrow Walk OOSCHF 72
Language Arts:
Practice letters during Slimy Shapes activity
Wh Questions
Word Family Town (-at and -an)
starfall.com
Peter and the Wolf sequencing
write a personal letter
draw a picture of what he did over Christmas break
FLL
Maths:
Addition practice
introduce subtraction
Math story about addition and subtraction
Make addition and subtraction math gnomes
the Tiny Goddess:
Make Weather Wheel
SSGMR 190 Circle and Square
SSGMR 74 My New House
Work on Ballet moves from her book
find some Ballet to watch on youtube
Miss Mousie:
SSGMR 74 My New House
SSGMR 84 Drop Small Objects in a Bottle

Obviously I use abbreviations for the books (which I can fill in later if there is interest). I don't expect to get all this done, and often have other things that wind up happening in the day. Anything that happens in the day including page numbers or names of poems, I write on the back of the page. Then I make a document on my laptop where I cut and paste what happened that day and add what else happened and email it to myself where I cut and paste into the Notebooks app. So basically I have a list of waht we did each day on my laptop and on my ipod. At the end of the year, I can, if I want to, print it all otu. I doubt I'll do that, though.

I list things for the little girls, but I don't usually do them all. I just have a few ideas for them in case they need an activity.

Now I'm being called for. I can elaborate if there are questions.

Winter Solstice Celebrations

2009-12-21T07:05:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we followed a horse's skull around some pubs. Today friends are coming over and we are going to stay up late eating and decorating cookies, watching movies, playing games, and hopefully welcoming the sun in the morning. It's the longest night of the year and after this, the nights are shorter and shorter. Thank goodness for that!

I will post some pictures and recipes of the gluten free adaptations of favorite goodies.

There is a thin layer of icy snow on the ground outside and the sun is shining. When our friends get here, I think we may take a nice walk down to the castle and the beach. Can't do that in Indiana.

The snow helps with my homesick-for-Indiana feelings.

Poor Benny has to go to work tomorrow!

Oh, and there are presents for the children, homemade. A bog baby for the Tiny Goddess, a purse for Miss Mousie, and pen cases for the boys and our guest child filled with glitter pens.

The adults won't open gifts, didn't have it together for that. Oh well.

Christmas is coming!
The goose is getting fat!
Please put a penny in an old man's hat.
If you no penny,
a ha'penny will do,
If you have no ha'penny then God bless you!

(and if I can talk the group into it maybe we can go caroling!)

quote from James Naylor

2009-12-01T10:15:00.001-05:00

There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention, and to weary out all exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations. As it bears no evil in itself, so it conceives none in thoughts to any other. If it be betrayed, it bears it, for its ground and spring is the mercies and forgiveness of God. Its crown is meekness, its life is everlasting love unfeigned; it takes its kingdom with entreaty and not with contention, and keeps it by lowliness of mind. In God alone it can rejoice, though none else regard it, or can own its life. It’s conceived in sorrow, and brought forth without any to pity it, nor doth it murmur at grief and oppression. It never rejoiceth but through sufferings; for with the world’s joy it is murdered. I found it alone, being forsaken. I have fellowship therein with them who lived in dens and desolate places in the earth, who through death obtained this resurrection and eternal holy life.

2009-11-16T09:10:00.001-05:00

Because I needed another blog to neglect...

2009-11-12T03:56:00.004-05:00

I've started a gratitude blog here.

It's just for lists of things I am grateful for. I know I've neglected this blog. I'll try to get here more often.

Current projects:

Knitting for the holidays
NaNoWriMo
Finding support locally for some educational stuff.

oh, and a little one,

Figuring out what we as a family want for our future and helping that future come to pass.

How it is going (the 101 things)

2009-11-03T12:15:00.003-05:00

Well, I failed my third attempt at the UK driving liscense and to save my sanity I have given up on that list item. I haven't decided for sure what to replace it with yet. I'll let you know when I do.

But, I am working on numerous list items. In no particular order they are:

learning to crochet
learning to spin wool (with a drop spindle) I have the basic idea, I just need a spindle and some
roving so I can get the technique down.
recording an album of ballads
learning Alice's Restaurant (I don't know if I will ever get this perfect, but I will at least get it
enough to play it)
learning to speak a foriegn language (Spanish)
knitting sweaters for everyone in my immediate family (working on sweater number one)
Reading Jane Austen (halfway through Emma)
Participating in NaNoWriMo

And already I have done a few items to completion. I have my etsy shop up (though I haven't sold anything yet) and I am now a sock knitter. Miss Mousie is very pleased with her socks. She keeps looking down at her feet but falls over because of her Dunlap's Disease (her belly dun lapped over her belt).

Wordless Wednesday (sort of)

2009-10-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T00:06:00.001-04:00

Conwy Castle
Conwy, Wales

2009-10-01T09:18:00.003-04:00

2009-10-01T09:04:00.004-04:00

Shameless Self Promotion

2009-10-01T08:40:00.005-04:00

Buttercup Yellow

Sloe Blue

My etsy shop is up! www.wildflowerfibers.etsy.com . The kids helped with this project and learned some place value in the process.

Miss Mousie Sings the Blues

2009-09-30T15:29:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-29T14:19:00.002-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-23T18:27:00.002-04:00

Composer and Artist study

2009-09-23T18:18:00.004-04:00

This is something I've tried to work into our "school" for a while and haven't been able to do for some reason.

But, now, well we are doing alright in that department. Basically my plan is this: We study one artist for 4 or 5 weeks looking at one piece a week. We are using a book called Discovering Great Artists to do one or two projects for each artist. Every morning during circle time (more on that later) we look at the piece of the week and each of us tells one thing we notice about it.

For the composer studies, we are using a fabulous website called Classics for Kids. We study each composer for 4 or 5 weeks. We listen to one show from the site a week and have one piece a week that we listen to.

It's quick, it's painless, it's easy.

And did you know that Bach had 20 children? Most of them were musicians also. That blows my mind for some reason.

Wordless Wednesday (on Thursday)

2009-09-17T05:06:00.003-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-09T11:57:00.003-04:00

101 Things in 1001 days....The big list!

2009-09-08T14:52:00.003-04:00

Ok, so now remember that I reserve the right to change any of these at any moment. It is after all my list. I think I will have an official start date later. The Artist has mentioned joining me in this quest so I have to wait for him, plus I want to do something cool to mark the date.

Also, thanks to Handmade Homeschool for the idea. I have sort of stolen a lot from that lady's blog. Sorry and thanks.

So here it is.....TARANTARA!

101 in 1001
1. Knit Mrs. Beton (learn to use beads w/knitting)
2. Knit a cardigan for me
3. Learn to crochet
4. Illustrate a copy of the Tao te Ching
5. Crochet or Knit a blanket
6. Spin my own yarn
7. Make wine
8. Dye wool/yarn w/natural dye
9. Learn Welsh national anthem...in Welsh
10. Record a cd of ballads
11. Record a cd of hymns
12. Record a cd of my stuff
13. Put first 2 CDs on iTunes
14. Play one gig
15. Sweater for me
16. Sweater for the Lord of Sound
17. Sweater for the Artist
18. Sweater for the Explorer
19. Sweater for the Tiny Goddess
20. Sweater for Miss Mousie
21. Learn a new language
22. Bake gluten free sourdough bread
23. Read something by Jane Austen
24. Read something by one of the Bronte sisters
25. Read The Scarlett Letter
26. Read one Redwall book
27. Read entire Harry Potter series
28. Read one Shakespeare play
29. Learn Cable Knitting
30. Learn Fair Aisle or Intarsia knitting
31. Learn to darn socks
32. Read Oliver Twist
33. Throw an awesome Christmas party inviting people from the LoS' work
34. Read (or listen to via audio book) everything written by Maeve Binchy
35. Learn to play and sing Alice's Restaurant
36. Learn to play and sing Joni Mitchell's California
37. Sing in London (A Foggy Day in London Town)
38. Sing in Paris (either Joni's California or Free Man in Paris)
39. Read something by Charlotte Mason
40. Learn to needle felt
41. Bind a book that is already printed
42. Drive in UK
43. Learn a new instrument
44. Complete the Lively Latin course
45. Make a Mei Tai
46. Make a sling for our local home ed group
47. Learn a new type of dance
48. Take a bike tour of London or Paris
49. Learn to felt something I've knit
50. NaNIMo
51. yoga goal: create a daily sequence and do it for 30 days
52. walk a 20 min mile
53. Knit lace
54. Knit pants or diaper cover
55. Surf standing up
56. Ride a horse on the beach
57. Make DVD of home videos
58. Knit or crochet 20 hats for preemies
59. Knit or sew a doll forMiss Mousie
60. Have an entire Handmade Holiday (directly stolen from Handmade Homeschool)
61. Don't buy anything for a month
62. See 100 castles
63. Take a road trip alone with kids
64. Read everything by L.M. Montgomery
65. Go camping alone with kids
66. Put a video of me singing on YouTube
67. Knit w/plastic bags
68. Make fabric from plastic bags
69. Set up my Etsy shop
70. Do print making
71. Go Letter boxing
72. Record a book for librivox
73. Busk
74. Reread The Once and Future King
75. Socks for my family and myself
76. Go kayacking or canoeing
77. Read at least part of the Lord of The Rings Trilogy or the Hobbit
78. 100 miles (walking or biking)
79. Reread the Narnia series
80. Make 10 hats for chemo patients
81. Put a pattern on Ravelry
82. Knit fingered gloves
83. Pet a sheep
84. swim in the ocean in winter
85. Listen to and learn all the vocabulary from all the Learn Welsh podcast
86. Make a 100% up/recycled journal
87. See puffins
88. Sew a bonnet for each of my girls
89. Participate in British pub quiz
90. Read a book in a foreign language
91. Record a song for librivox
92. Memorize 10 poems
93. Read Terry Jones' Medieval Lives
94. Walk part of Offa's Dyke Trail
95. Memorize states in order of statehood
96. Project 365
97. Read a book on the History of Wales
98. Read Walden
99. Record a Christmas cd (myself)
100. Adeste Fideles in Latin
101. Family Christmas cd

TA-DA!

She moves in mysterious ways...

2009-08-23T06:36:00.004-04:00

I've always thought this song could be describing God in a way. So maybe some might say my theology is off. I tend to view the gender of the Creator as more fluid than just male or female. If that offends you then go on and stop reading here.

Last night I had a spiritual experience at a concert along with hundreds of thousands of other people. Last night the Lord of Sound and I went to the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff and saw U2. Now, if you know me at all, you know that I tend to like the female folk singer genre with a bit of crooner type big band jazz and old time music thrown in there. So to say that I had a spiritual experience at say a Joni Mitchell concert would not be surprising. But to say it happened at a U2 show? Well, that is what I tend to call "boy music" and usually not something I'd choose to turn on.

But then again, I like U2 alright, I like a lot of their songs. You read my last poetry Friday post, and the title of this one. (Note: In our family, it is a rule that when we hear someone sing or say Memphis in a song we cheer. The only exception is Pride (in the name of Love) since it is an inappropriate place to cheer. Instead I raised my hand and thought of home. I have to admit, negative context or not, there is something warm about someone saying the name of your hometown when you are so far away. I bet we were the only Memphians in the crowd.)

During Sunday, Bloody, Sunday there was a feeling in the air. A sort of happy solemnity. Having been to Ireland myself now (and like I told the LofS last night, in my heart I'm American, Welsh, and Irish. Maybe a little Italian, but I certainly have a soft spot for the Celtic nations) It only dawned on my last night that this song was about the Easter Rising. (Remember I'm not a U2 fan particularly, or wasn't before last night.) A good bit of the time, Bono was very fond of turning the mic to the crowd and letting us sing. (Who can blame him, I'd love to have just one person sing along to one of my songs, I can't imagine the rush he felt.) This song was no exception. The audience chanted "Sunday, Bloody, Sunday" and I could feel something welling up inside me. The next song was of course, Pride (in the name of Love). Same kind of thing as the previous song. It was very moving. (And it really hit home when it dawned on me that now we have a black president! However you feel about him, it is historical and something Dr. King worked for.) At that point a normal diva rock star would have focused in on himself. Not our band. The next song was dedicated to Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi. People had masks on, there were pictures on the screen of her. It was like a giant prayer.

He then moved on to more "fun" songs. Until he left (without singing With or Without you!). Of course he came back for two encores. One of them began with a message from Nelson Mandela with (get this) Welsh subtitles! That was huge! How much trouble he must have gone through for that, only to use it at only one show where everyone spoke English anyway! (With or Without you was one of the encores by the way, the last one. Bono came out wearing a jacket with laser lights swinging around on this haning microphone.)

Another sort of holy moment, at the end of this one song, Bad, it says, "Let it go, and so to fade away." and for a good five minutes after the song ended and the cheers faded the stadium glowed with the sound of hundreds of thousands of people singing those lines like a choir. (and thousands of cell phones lit up like stars)

Which brings me to this:
Colossians 3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

When I was a teenager, I used to think that verse meant that it was only ok for me to listen to Christian music. I was so sure of this that if a "secular" song got stuck in my head (even something harmless like Stop in the Name of Love), then it was my duty to drown it out with a Christian song.

Now I know that God is bigger than that. (Personally I know there is a lot about God that we just don't know.) God is everywhere, a part of it all.

George Fox (founder of the Quakers) said, “The Lord showed me, so that I did see clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men had commanded and set up, but in people's hearts . . . his people were his temple, and he dwelt in them.”

I think that is where God was last night.

At least in my heart.

Poetry Friday

2009-08-21T13:54:00.001-04:00

Since tomorrow night the Lord of Sound and I are going to see U2 in Cardiff, and since I hail from Memphis, Tennessee.

Pride (In the Name of Love)

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come here to justify
One man to overthrow
In the name of love!
One man in the name of love
In the name of love!
What more? In the name of love!

One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resists
One man washed on an empty beach
One man betrayed with a kiss

In the name of love!
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love!
What more? In the name of love!

...nobody like you...there's nobody like you...

Mmm...mmm...mmm...
Early morning, April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride

In the name of love!
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love!
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love!
What more in the name of love...

planning..

2009-08-19T17:23:00.002-04:00

I'm in full on planning mode right now. I'm planning our home ed year, knitting Christmas gifts, planning a class on herbal something or other, planning our vacation to Cornwall, and visits from both my parents and a friend. Whew! But it's all going well. It's nice to have stuff to be excited about.

So, no blog posts yet. I am working on one about how I use my iPod for our homeschool. Until then, check out how this mama does it.

Poetry Friday

2009-08-14T06:55:00.005-04:00

When I was in high school, we sang this poem. It was so beautiful. I wish I could find a recorded version of it.

Plus, has anyone seen that documentary on the BBC that Rupert Everett does on Lord Byron? Whoa!

I'm so often shocked by what I see on the BBC.

She walks in beauty

by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent.

Joan Baez

2009-08-13T05:36:00.002-04:00

Here is one reason I think she is so amazing.

The Long and Winding Road...

2009-08-09T16:49:00.002-04:00

The Artist went with me tonight on my evening walk. We started down the path that leads along the cliff towards Llantwit Beach only to decide we wanted to turn back so I could show him the World's Greatest Climbing Tree. He wasn't impressed. But we carried on and wound up at St. Donat's Castle. I suggested that we take the trail through the woods instead of going up the hill by St. Donat's church (usual path back). So we took off through the woods, randomly taking this path and that one and we wound up between a huge wheat field and the ocean with the Nash Point lighthouses in the distance. We carried on walking towards the lighthouses, then up the road until we arrived at the Horseshoe Pub. From there we called the Lord of Sound (aka Papa) to come pick us up. I convinced the Artist to see if we could make it home before they found us and reluctantly he pressed on. We didn't quite make it home, but we almost did. (Locals will appreciate how far we walked.) We were gone well over two hours and walking the whole time at a rather brisk pace. It was great. When we got home I made pasta with marinara for the children (since it is quick and everyone likes it) and tofu paella for the grown ups. I'm eating some paella now. It's so good and so low fat and healthy. I will have a second bowl and probably have it for breakfast in the morning.

Birthday Party

2009-08-08T15:26:00.002-04:00

Poetry Friday (one day late)

2009-08-08T14:36:00.000-04:00

all which isn't singing is mere talking
and all talking's talking to oneself
(whether that oneself be sought or seeking
master or disciple sheep or wolf)

gush to it as diety or devil
-toss in sobs and reasons threats and smiles
name it cruel fair or blessed evil-
it is you (ne i)nobody else

drive dumb mankind dizzy with haranguing
-you are deafened every mother's son-
all is merely talk which isn't singing
and all talking's to oneself alone

but the very song of(as mountains
feel and lovers)singing is silence

e.e. cummings

101 Things in 1001 days...

2009-08-08T05:38:00.002-04:00

I'm still working on my list. So far here is a taster:

Knitting:
Knit a large cardigan for me
Knit or crochet a full sized sweater for every person in my family (will most likely make this separate list items for each person)
Knit Mrs. Beeton
Learn to knit socks
Learn to Crochet
Dye yarn with natural dye
Spin yarn from roving

Music:
Record myself singing in every country I visit (so this means I have to go back to Ireland, oh darn)
Record three cds and put them up on cdbaby.com (One of hymns, one of my own stuff, and one of old songs in the public domain)
Play at least one gig in a pub or coffee shop or something while I live in Wales

Participate in project 365 for a year then print out photos into a book.
get my driver's license here in the UK

.

2009-08-06T17:25:00.001-04:00

The Tiny Goddess turns 3

2009-08-06T16:14:00.004-04:00

After over six hours of Norah Jones' Come Away With Me (and some hours without her), and after she "waited 'till I saw the sun". Our little girl was born, at home in beautiful Indiana. I couldn't believe I could actually grow a girl.

...

2009-08-05T17:20:00.001-04:00

Exactly.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-05T07:36:00.005-04:00

failed

2009-08-04T16:31:00.002-04:00

Of course.

Ug.

Driving lesson scheduled for Friday afternoon (after cupcakes) and as often after that as I can manage.

It's much easier to remain zen about the outcome of a situation when that outcome is in my favor.

Om

in my mind now...

2009-08-04T06:40:00.003-04:00

Today I take my driving test. I am very nervous. I plan on passing and that will go a long way towards making things Better around here. But, I'm trying not to put too much into whether I pass or not and to remain zen about it all.

The tiny Goddess turns three in two days. How can that be? She is all about attention and touch these days. As in tight tight hugs and kisses that often involve teeth. Ouch. We are having a party for her on Saturday. Now British birthday parties and American ones seem a little different (though honestly parties are different in California versus Indiana as well). Seems like here, there is often some sort of hired entertainment, which is very fun and sweet but not so much my style. Also here the gifts aren't opened at the party and sometimes the cake isn't eaten there either. At our party we are having gluten free, vegan cupcakes which the kids will decorate themselves and we will open presents at the party.

My neighbor is coming over on Friday afternoon to help me bake a zillion cupcakes. If I have extra, I can freeze them.

I've been also enjoying this blog. It's my homepage now as I explore it more. I'm thinking of doing a 101 things in 1001 days list like her. I just like her attitude and how honest she is. I also find a lot of inspiration there. Sorry it's not much of a review. I don't feel up to writing a lot right now, but it is worth checking out. I also like this idea. I think I will give it some more thought as well.

But first things first, on to the driving exam.

Knit, Knit like the Wind!

2009-07-31T07:52:00.005-04:00

I love this podcast. Probably my favorite one (and remember that I also listen to This American Life which is a timeless classic, ok Cast On and This American Life are tied for my favorite...along with Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me). The reasons I love it are these:
1. It's about knitting which is my preferred form of meditation.
2. She is an American ex-pat living in Wales.
3. It's entertaining, good music, interesting topics, even my non knitting partner likes it. (The Artist is also a fan.)

Right now I'm listening to old episodes and I just heard that she doesn't have a Stitch and... group in her area. I'm going to invite her to ours.

Anyway, please do check it out:

Poetry Friday

2009-07-31T07:47:00.002-04:00

~God Says Yes to Me~

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic

and she said yes

I asked her if it was okay to be short

and she said it sure is

I asked her if I could wear nail polish

or not wear nail polish

and she said honey

she calls me that sometimes

she said you can do just exactly

what you want to

Thanks God I said

And is it even okay if I don't paragraph

my letters

Sweetcakes God said

who knows where she picked that up

what I'm telling you is

Yes Yes Yes

- Kaylin Haught

I know it's been a while...

2009-07-30T11:01:00.002-04:00

The children of this household have been singing this....constantly.

Poetry Friday

2009-07-02T19:00:00.002-04:00

Making Jam in July

by Inna Kabysh

A woman who's making jam in July

is resighned to living with her husband.

She won't escape with her lover, secretly.

Otherwise, why boil up fruit with sugar?

And observe, how willingly she does it,

as a labour of lov,

even though space is at a premium

and there's nowhere to store the jars.

A woman who's making jam in July

is preparing to be around for a while.

She intends to soldier on, to hibernate

through the discomforts of winter.

Otherwise, for what reason, and notice,

not out of any feeling of duty,

should she be spending the short summer

skimming residue off jam?

A woman who's making jam in July

in all the chaos of a steamy kitchen,

isn't going to be absconding to the West

or buying a ticket to the States.

That woman will be scrambling out of snowdrifts,

buoyed up by the savour of the fruit.

Whoever's making jam in Russia

knows there isn't any way out.

Translated by Fay Marshall and Jay Marshall

Poetry Friday

2009-06-26T10:22:00.001-04:00

Teddy Bear Poem

Judith Viorst

I threw away my Teddy Bear,

The one that lost his eye.

I threw him in the garbage pail

(I thought I heard him cry.)

I've had that little Teddy Bear

Since I was only two.

But I'm much bigger now and

I've better things to do

Then play with silly Teddy Bears

And so I said good-bye

And threw him in the garbage pail

(Who's crying~ he or I?)

For my next trick....(Wordless Wednesday)

2009-06-24T03:30:00.002-04:00

a mouse turns one

2009-06-23T10:10:00.004-04:00

Happy Birthday, Miss Mousie!

Gluten Free Granola Bars

2009-06-22T12:00:00.003-04:00

This is based on the recipe I found here.

Ingredients:
Group One:
1 cup liquid sweetener (maple syrup would be good but you can use anything from honey to agave nectar to rice syrup...)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar

Group Two:
3 cups gluten free granola (recipe to follow)
2 1/2 cup puffed rice cereal
1 cup almonds (or any nut)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Bring group one ingredients to a slow boil. While you do wait mix group two ingredients.
After the first group boils, mix together and place in buttered casserole dish. Bake until crispy.
Cut into bars and enjoy.

As soon as I get another free moment, I'll post the gluten free crock pot granola recipe.

Happy Summer Solstice!

2009-06-21T12:11:00.008-04:00

Now, what I really wanted to do was stay up all night in order to arrive here at sunrise. Now the sun currently rises around 4:30 am here in Wales, and you will remember our four children (including two under age three). Plus it's like a 3 to 4 hour drive from here. Next year maybe.

Instead we are hanging around the house and relaxing. I have done some solstice-y things, though.

I finished a second batch of elderflower cordial (this time it was a double batch) and made a couple of pitchers up for the family. (That pitcher is half full not half empty by the way.)

The Artist and I also made a cake. I found the recipe on the back of a bag of Dove's Farm Gluten and Wheat Free White Self-Raising Flour Blend. I'll work on translating the recipe back into American (sorry sis!). I did replace the eggs with 2 tablespoons corn flour (aka corn starch) and 2 tablespoons water. But then I made 2 cakes and put lemon curd and clotted cream in the middle of them. Kind of defeated the purpose of an egg and dairy free cake. (I ended up using goat butter in it, too since that was all we had in the house. But margarine would be a simple substitute.)

So, with that disclaimer, here is the recipe:

Lemon and Poppy Seed Sponge

Ingredients:

10 ounces Self Raising Flour

8 ounces Butter

10 ounces sugar

4 eggs (or 8 tbsp water and 8 tbsp corn flour/corn starch)

6 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp grated lemon rind

2 tbsp poppy seeds

icing sugar (aka powdered sugar)

lemon curd

clotted cream

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. Mix dry with wet and put into 2 greased and floured circular pans. Bake at 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 - 45 minutes.

When cool, pop the cakes out of the pans and put them into the refrigerator. When completely cool, spread lemon curd and then clotted cream on top of one of them and place the other one on top of it. Sprinkle with icing/ powdered sugar.

Now I'm off as we are fixing to go either to the beach or some ancient burial site. Depends on what the rest of the family wants to do.

Oh, and Happy Father's Day!

Elderflower Cordial

2009-06-15T10:12:00.004-04:00

(My lovely neighbor gave me the recipe as well as a container of tartaric acid.)

Ingredients:
24 elderflower heads
4 oranges
1 lemon
2 ounces tartaric acid
3 pints cold water
3 lbs sugar

Place flowers in a bowl, slice fruit and add with all other ingredients. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Leave for 48 hours. Sieve and strain through a muslin. Store in bottles or in plastic tubs in the freezer. Dilute to taste.

See, it all started when my neighbor had American guests at her house over the holidays. One of the Americans was very excited to meet my spouse "the Lord of Sound" since he (my spouse) is basically a loudspeaker genius. So, on Christmas eve, we came over, ate various British treats and goodies including elderflower cordial. She said she'd tell me how to make it when the time came to make it and now is the time.

Funny Thing Thursday

2009-06-11T07:21:00.002-04:00

I know it's dated. I know I've shown a bunch of people this.

Check out this guy's other stuff, too. He is funny.

"..and there's nothing young people think is as cool as Star Trek."

Wordless Wednesday (from almost a year ago)

2009-06-10T05:33:00.002-04:00

yarn

2009-06-04T13:14:00.008-04:00

Last night's yarn is the blue with green. It was first dyed green (easter egg dye) and then half of it was dyed blue (again easter egg dye).
Here is the yellow/orange after I added the orange. Actually the Artist did a lot of this. We used food coloring this time. First we dyed it yellow and then red over that.

Funny Thing Thursday

2009-06-03T20:25:00.003-04:00

Considering that our carseat got left in Amsterdam both the trip over to America and the trip back, this is timely. The fact that the guy is Welsh is just a coincidence.

Up at all hours....

2009-06-03T19:44:00.001-04:00

Dyeing yarn with easter egg dye! Pictures and results to follow. Keep your fingers crossed that I don't felt it!

Back in Wales: Wordy Wednesday

2009-06-03T05:21:00.002-04:00

And the jet lag is minimal. Thank goodness for that. No wordless Wednesday with this post, though I may post a photo or two (or more) later.

Today's plans:

Laugh a lot
Watch a lot of The Office season four (American not British)
Play Star Wars
Fold Laundry
Unpack
yoga
Wash Clothes and hang them outside (only because it is so beautiful today!)
Go outside (hopefully search for nettles that haven't flowered yet. I really should take a photo of the nettles drying on my kitchen table for y'all. I think I am due to post about nettles soon. I do love them and have missed them. There is nettle tea infusing in my kitchen as we speak.)
Recieve all the daisies the Tiny Goddess will inevitably pick for me (technically buttercups now)
Photograph the rose that is busting out in our garden
smell the lavender in the garden
Clean out part of the Fridge
Knit
Play guitar and sing
clean up after ourselves

Oh, and I have a short math page for the Artist and will work with the Explorer on reading. If I can convince the Tiny Goddess, we will go for a walk but she wants to "Stay Here with Mama."

Yesterday when we arrived, we had to wake her up to get her out of the taxi. She ran around the yard and picked flowers and was so happy to be home. I asked her if she wanted to get on the plane again tomorrow and she laughed and said, "NO!" and started squeezing my arm and kissing it.

It's nice to be back.

Hello from America

2009-05-30T17:11:00.003-04:00

We are having a nice visitation here in the states, but we are very very tired. It's hard to fit it all in and I still didn't get to see my Indiana People and I didn't get to take the Tiny Goddess to the Peabody Hotel to see the ducks. We did get to feed ducks with my Grandma, that was cool. We also got a lot of face time with my nephew, the Little Tornado.

We got most of our shopping done, I want to go to Barnes and Noble and to a grocery store to stock up on BBQ sauce. Yes, I've been told there is BBQ sauce in the UK, but I have to tell you that is a myth. It is so not the same.

I'm planning a little American dinner party for some of my friends from knitting group and home ed group. It will be very fun.

Funny Thing Thursday (forgive me for this one)

2009-05-27T20:15:00.000-04:00

Compliments of the Artist and the Explorer.

Poetry Friday

2009-05-21T20:18:00.003-04:00

Ha! Bet you thought I wouldn't post one today. I am that awesome. (Plus blogger has a feature where you can schedule your posts to publish later. But I am a little awesome, too.)

One, Two, Buckle my shoe;
Three, Four, Shut the door;
Five, Six, Pick up sticks;
Seven, Eight, Lay them straight;
Nine, Ten, A big, fat hen;
Eleven, Twelve, Dig and delve;
Thirteen, Fourteen, Maids a-courting; Fifteen, Sixteen, Maids in the kitchen; Seventeen, Eighteen, Maids in awaiting; Nineteen, Twenty, My plate's empty.

Funny Thing Thursday Part Dau

2009-05-21T16:31:00.001-04:00

Scroll down and read the reviews. I promise it's worth it.

Wolf shirt

All gone to look for America...

2009-05-20T19:48:00.001-04:00

I have a lot I still want to post about, but very little time to put my thoughts into words these days. We are leaving for America tomorrow, as in very early. We leave the house at 4:30 am British time. Can I say that we are not morning people. Not at all. We fly from Cardiff to Amsterdam (ok, side note, who can tell me the rest of the song I learned at camp that goes, "Amster, Amster, shh shh shh!" Seriously, you give me the lyrics and I will send you a present.) We will spend five and a half hours in the Amsterdam airport. Yikes! Luckily, it is a large airport with a museum in it even. I hope that it's not too stressful. It was either that or have an extra plane to take. As it stands, we will arrive in America at 6 pm their time. Please don't ask me to decipher how long we'll be in the air, those kind of temporal discussions give me a headache. (I feel a bit like a time traveler, though. It brings out my inner Trekkie.) So our plan is to keep the kids awake for two hours at least once we land and get to bed by eight. We'll see. I'm not looking forward to the flight. I still have nightmares about the one we took over here during the Big Move. So we are packing 3 outfits a piece and bringing extra luggage in our suitcases to fill with Things We Cannot Get Over Here. I'll give a list once we fill them. I'm also bringing over things like gluten free goodies for my sister, lemon curd, and hot cocoa (Cadbury makes this fabulous hot cocoa!), as well as various gifts we've accumulated for people. We will be dressed in our traveling clothes, aka tie dyed t-shirts. No, it's not very Duggar family of us. (Not that we don't love the Duggars! We are certainly not dissing them one bit and wearing matching shirts in public with a large family is brilliant. That's why we do it.) Think traveling clothes like in the Sound of Music! Let me tell you that the tie dye t-shirts in a busy airport are a Good Thing.

So I know both of my readers are asking themselves, "What about Funny Thing Thursday? I can't live without it!" Not to worry. I am going to set up my blog to automatically post it for next week and here is today's Funny Thing Thursday:

Breaking the silence for a moment....

2009-05-20T09:27:00.000-04:00

Sorry, but I wanted to mention something cool about nettles. "Something cool about nettles?" you say. Why yes. Nettles are our friend.

Now I could wax poetic about their lovely mating dance (I've yet to see it but have heard tell of it). I could talk about how their sting is simply an energy transfer from a very powerful plant. I could tell about how I believe nettles prevented me from post partum hemoragging and a resulting trip to the hospital after Miss Mousie was born. But instead, I will talk about my latest nettles discovery ( as I drink from my second pot of nettles infusion today).

On April 1, I remember the day, it was a lovely lovely day with one of my kindred spirits here in Wales, I fell while wearing Miss Mousie at a castle. Boom! My body, twisted to protect the baby, onto an ancient stone floor. Ouch! Seems like I have done something Bad to my shoulder. It still hurts, only worse. I've tried a variety of things: chiropractic, massage, heat, ice, ibuprofen. Nothing touches it. But then I got the desperately brilliant idea to let dear nettles heal me. I took a piece of nettles and lightly touched the affected area. Wow! It was so much better, and still three days later, is much better. It does hurt today and I plan on giving myself another treatment as soon as I post here. But wow!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-20T04:34:00.011-04:00

Poetry Friday

2009-05-15T04:19:00.000-04:00

The Four Friends (by A. A. Milne from When We Were Very Young)

Ernest was an elephant, a great big fellow,
Leonard was a lion with a six foot tail,
George was a goat, and his beard was yellow,
And James was a very small snail.

Leonard had a stall, and a great big strong one,
Earnest had a manger, and its walls were thick,
George found a pen, but I think it was the wrong one,
And James sat down on a brick

Earnest started trumpeting, and cracked his manger,
Leonard started roaring, and shivered his stall,
James gave a huffle of a snail in danger
And nobody heard him at all.

Earnest started trumpeting and raised such a rumpus,
Leonard started roaring and trying to kick,
James went on a journey with the goats new compass
And he reached the end of his brick.

Ernest was an elephant and very well intentioned,
Leonard was a lion with a brave new tail,
George was a goat, as I think I have mentioned,
but James was only a snail.

What's up with the dates on this thing?

2009-05-14T16:41:00.000-04:00

Today is Thursday and I put the video up this morning. Is this blog still on American time?

Funny Thing Thursday

2009-05-13T13:29:00.001-04:00

Ok, so this is very old. But the Artist and I cracked up over this while we were getting ready for the Big Move. We listened to it a few times a day.

I spent election night watching the results and finalizing my decisions about what to store for 2 years and what to bring with us to Wales. I made some mistakes, but overall I think we did a good job making those decisions. Still, it was stressful and this video helped. Many tears were shed in our home that night and not all of them were happy ones. Though I did cry at Obama's acceptance speech and kissed my husband and sleeping children.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-12T15:13:00.001-04:00

Wonder if the same applies to cows?

2009-05-11T14:47:00.000-04:00

Question Number 74 (of 963) of the Theory test practice book from the UK Driving Standards Agency: A person herding sheep asks you to stop. You should:
A. ignore them as they have no authority
B. stop and switch off your engine
C. continue on but drive slowly
D. try and get past quickly

There are three sheep to every one person here and I've been here since December and still take pictures of them. (They are so peaceful and pleasant!)