sunflowers at sunset

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Summer evenings have been exceptionally sweet this year. The temperature drops, dinner dishes are abandoned long enough for a few more passes of the football or jumps off the bike ramp. The sun, dropping slowly into the mountains, eases in intensity and instead of washing everything out, it bathes the countryside in gentle golden light. The pull is irresistible. The dirt road beckons me and I walk and walk, no car in sight.

It is me and the wild sunflowers towering overhead along the roadsides and fences. They are not beautiful, as flowers go, but they are strong.

They are not daunted by prairie winds, nor hail, nor drought. They are briefly beaten down with the roadside mower when they threaten to overtake the road, only to return again to journey east to west daily in pursuit of the sun.

I don't walk as far as I used to these days. I am hoping to build up my strength again. Still, long or short, these walks are stolen moments of quiet reflection. They are over all too soon.

Our pasture approaches and a half dozen or more laughing voices and barking dogs meet me at the drive.

We linger outside in the dusky darkness for a few moments longer and
then drop into bed with that very satisfying fatigue which only comes
after time outside. It is good to be home.

"Keep your face to the sunshine

and you cannot see the shadow.

It's what sunflowers do."

– Helen Keller

Reading for life

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Rebecca recently shared her list of the essentials for a simple school year. Included was "a plethora of good books on a variety of topics from which to choose, both fiction and non fiction, which can be from the library or your own family collection." While I spent a considerable amount of time agonizing over different programs, both purchased and mom-designed, it was this plethora of good books that stayed with our older boys. A chance visit to one son's facebook page last week drove home just how significant some of those books have been. One son tagged his brothers to list the 15 books which will always stick with you. Here are two of their unedited lists:

1. The Road – Cormac McCarthy
2. Anthem – Ayn Rand
3. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell – Susanna Clarke
4. Lord Of The Rings – J.R.R Tolkien
5. The Chronicles Of Narnia – C.S. Lewis
6. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
7. The Art Of Astonishment – Paul Harris
8. Ariel – Sylvia Plath
9. Angela's Ashes – Frank McCourt
10. The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Anne Catherine Emmerich
11. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
12. The Screwtape Letters – C.S. Lewis
13. The Diary Of Anne Frank – Anne Frank
14. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
15. Inferno – Dante Alighieri

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
3. Father Elijah by Michael D. O'Brien
4. Inferno by Dante
5. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
6. The Giver by Lois Lowry
7. The Autobiography of Malcolm X told to Alex Haley
8. The Histories by Herodotus
9. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein
10. Fatherhood by Bill Cosby
11. The Bolivian Diary of Ernesto Che Guevara
12. Blue Rage, Black Redemption by Tookie Williams
13. I Can't Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence
14. The Lombardi Rules by Vince Lombardi
15. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

None of these were really "assigned" in the sense that they did many school projects around them. Many were on the list of things I wanted them to read. The differences reflect both their different personalities as well as where we were and what things we were thinking and talking about when each boy was a teenager at home. Their siblings will likely have very different lists.

Some of these titles are considered classics. Some are deeply spiritual. Some heighten social awareness. Some are edgier than I would probably suggest to others. All were influential. Together they likely amount to a substantial portfolio of lit study spanning ancient to modern eras and most genres and they do not contain the sum total of their reading at that.

It was a good exercise, for them and for me. They say life is what happens while we are making plans. In homeschooling, I would say reading is what happens when we are writing plans. : ) And that is a very good thing.

you say tomato, I say…

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Me: Brendan, let's go now. Go get your jammies.

Brendan: You know the B_______'s (insert our favorite Buckeye family's name ; )) say pa-JAH-mas, Mom. Like they get on their paJAAAHma's at nighttime.

Me: Yes, Brendan you've mentioned that. (about two dozen times since we visited them!)

We miss you Rebecca!

awesome

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Asher shared this video with me last night. I am not a big youtube-er so the rest of the planet may have already seen it. If you haven't however it is beautiful. Reminds me of both Waldorf chalkboard artists and Waldorf figure drawing methods in a way since she had to create the forms in the negative – something I could not master.

Simple Woman’s Daybook August 10, 2009

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Monday December 29, 2008

(Please visit Peggy's site to participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook project. She is on sabbatical this week)

Outside
my window…. Sunny and hazy today but this summer has been cooler than usual. By the wee morning hours the breeze ruffles the bedroom curtains causing us to bury a little deeper into the comforters. Perfect sleeping weather! What else? There are some giggling children under the tree watching their sister try to build a swing. They have a bird feeder they are hanging next. Asher's car is disappearing down the dirt road taking little boys to the bookmobile – highlight of our week I tell you. God bless the bookmobile.

I
am thinking….about how different life is these days from those gone by. Still busy, still full. Perhaps more of both of those things. But it is peaceful. Husband says it is that margin and he wants to zealously guard that this school year. He is right. We have no meetings, no outside commitments besides piano, no compelling interests outside these walls and each other and it has been sheer bliss.

I am thankful for… home improvement. And it is vastly improved this summer! Dh fixed the cheapie sewing machine so we can zig zag and sew knits again. (old machine does not like to do that) He also got the printer up and running again at least in grayscale so Montessori cards and file games are in the works. We have a new roof. The children and I painted the outside trim. We ripped up nasty bedroom carpeting. Allen and the boys tore down an ancient metal shed. I am thankful for the stamina to participate. It is a gift.

I am thankful we got to watch Aidan serve his first mass. It has been a year of preparation. Lots and lots of latin memorization. Lots of reverent watching from the front pew. Lots of anticipation. Grace all over.

From
the learning room… Its quiet back there lol! There are signs of the new year approaching however. We have grade level boxes coming together. I am removing the grade level books from the shelves and getting them all collected. This leaves more room for the things we use daily.

The Montessori books are dusted off and new supply lists are in progress. Tess is the Montessori poster child. She and Brendan have been enjoying lots of practical life work this summer. Table setting is a hit and they are carefully transferring glasses and plates and napkins each evening.

Kieran has finished a test run of the first chapter of his new history program. He is accelerated though he has not skipped a subject or grade. I was not certain he was ready for the next level of history. It involves completing outline summaries and mapmaking. The whole finding data from the text thing seemed like it would be over his head. He was so excited though so we had him complete the first chapter as a trial run. He loved every bit of it and had no trouble at all and told his dad all about the people and places he read about at dinner. So much for dead textbooks.

Aidan picked up a Dover coloring book – Rocky Mountain Animals and Plants – at Garden of the Gods last week along with a new box of colored pencils. I wish I could afford some nicer pencils but little people have a tendency to let them drop or to pound on invisible drums with them. For that reason Crayola and I are tight. : ) This is the time of year to stock up on school supplies even if you homeschool. You can't pass up 28cent crayon boxes and stacks of composition books.

From the kitchen… It's quiet in here too! Iced tea and homemade spaghetti sauce are in the fridge. The last of the oatmeal cookies were finished last night. A cooler is ready to pack for piano lessons.

I am wearing… Christopher and Banks denim skirt. (thrifted – woo hoo!) Rose colored tee. Silver knot earrings. Sandals.

I am creating…a home. The downstairs is in the pink again – literally. I touched up all the walls in the kitchen, dining room and hall. After much thought about repainting another color we decided it was much easier to just go over in the same color since the ceilings are all 9-10 ft and they are painted the same color. So its all very, very rosy pink. But not smudged or chipped.

I am creating skirts and dresses for daughters.

I
am going… to take four children to piano lessons and hopefully to pick up yet more fabric. Groceries must happen. Lunch at the park in between if we are lucky.

I am reading… I finished The Masterful Monk and was sorry to see it end. So sorry we bought Colin the entire set of the series and he promised me I can borrow them. : ) The Shadow on the Earth required some fortitude to get through the early chapters due to the British lingo and the metaphorical style. This second title went much more smoothly. I was totally drawn in to the characters and their struggle with the big issues.

I
am hoping… my husband loves his new local job. We are so grateful to him for making that move!

I am hearing… Beautiful Dreamer on the piano in the other room. I never tire of hearing that piano.

One of my favorite things… a baby who is crawling with record speed, cutting top teeth, and experimenting with new gurgly, growly sounds. She is a momma's girl and that is just fine by me. : )

A
few plans for the rest of the week… empty school crates and begin to refill them. Make file folder games for Brendan and Kieran. I have a new dress/top pattern for the little girls and a skirt pattern Moira wants to try. Weekend Sewing is on my kitchen island….

Here is a picture thought I am sharing…

Family and reunion

Posted on August 7, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

The past few weeks have been such a blessing to our family. The day after Allen and the boys returned from camp we drove to Denver to pick up Zach and Anna, whom he had brought home to meet the family. They had a whirlwind week which included a 13 mile hike to the top of Pike's Peak.

Anna discovered there is always something fun, fast, loud, and/or messy happening around here, although none of it phased her in the least.

not even wet dog chasing along

shared flowers were delightful, even if shared stomach virus was not : /

little people lingering, just to be close by, fighting off sleepiness at the end of day so as not to miss one minute

beside themselves when he brought them treats from town

bigger kids game for a little football…..or soccer

baby watching, always watching

birthday songs sung badly but with gusto, birthday cakes (which must sometimes be relit if the camera shutter doesn't fire the first time….) and brothers to help blow out candles

This is home. This is summer. This is family. It is good. Very good. But it is fleeting.

All too soon we were in Denver again saying goodbye. All too soon. They are preparing for the new school year. Before long we will begin our own preparation in that regard. But not today. Today we spend with Jesus. It is First Friday and we will spend it in adoration and thanksgiving because we are indeed thankful for the gift that this summer has been, for the gift these children always will be.

Way of the Cross

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Allen and the little boys were blessed to participate in a father/son camp in the mountains with the men of our church and two of our wonderful priests last week. The highlight of their week was a living stations of the cross which culminated at the summit of the mountain where they erected three crosses.

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Taming the Homeschool Overload – free today

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

I didn't plan to post again today since we are in home improvement overdrive. However when I saw the Homeschool Freebie of the Day was titled Taming the Homeschool Information Overload I stopped to read, since this is a topic near and dear to my heart. After offering audible cheers to the screen I thought I would link here in case anyone missed it. This is a must read for homeschoolers.

In this day and age we are bombarded with resources vying for our wallets and attention. For many of us it is easy enough to resist the pricey items. It is far more challenging to pass up FREE however. This article reminds us of the very real cost of FREE however in terms of time, distraction, and disorganization. They warn,

"You see, there IS a very real price for the multitude of "free" homeschool

resources you can find on the internet. It is the cost of your time, mental energy and

focus. YOU ARE PAYING MORE DEARLY FOR THAT RESOURCE THAN YOU REALIZE. "

It is tempting to amass materials and methodology information but far more challenging to really incorporate them. In fact if you look critically you may well discover there is no possible way to incorporate all you have amassed in a coherent manner. For that reason they advise,

"Don't be caught in an “Information Hoarding” mentality

Information Overload can sometimes be a sign of laziness. Lots of us tend to be

information custodians instead of users. It is a lot easier to just sit down and keep

feeding yourself information without thinking of how to implement it.

If you sense you are just spending your time accumulating but not applying, give

yourself permission to let things pass you by. "

The other especially important advice,

"Stay Away From “Pretty, Shiny Things” that sidetrack you from your current

homeschool plans.

If you take the time to develop a “game plan” for your homeschool year,

and can stick to your plan and avoid the “pretty shiny objects” that are constantly

coming at you, you’ll get further along than you ever thought possible. "

When you have made a plan, selected time-tested ideas and materials, then just run with it. There are new things available every day. As Jessica Hulcy once said,

"If there are creative ideas, they will be replaced. If there are great curricula, they will be superseded. If there are effective techniques, they will be improved."

That is no reflection on what you own and use today because in the end methods and materials are simply tools which will be more or less effective in your hands based on your focus and your attitude. Therefore,

"Focus on your plan, buy only those products which help you do it better, faster,

cheaper, or easier and you’ll prevent information overload."

Stay the course, keep it simple, start with the core work, and then do no more than you can do with great tenderness. As to all the wonderful things you may be missing? Let them go. Put on your blinders, smile at those beautiful children in front of you and marvel at a freshly wiped table and dishes drying on the rack. Leave the resources on the computer, walk away from the catalogs, and get outside for some real life. It passes by faster than you can know.

treadle adventures

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

This is the summer of 'give it a try' to be sure. I have had more than a few crazy ideas and most of them have been successful. We have done a good amount of sewing and altering and were just about finished with a skirt for Moira when my Brother sewing machine got stuck in reverse. Sorta. The stitches are trying to go one way and the feed is going the other way and oh, it's just bad. What is worse is that it was a cheapie machine – less than a hundred dollars. The local sewing machine repair places start their tune up and repairs at $30. Hardly worth even fixing it when a cheapie replacement is $79.

I was very motivated to finish that skirt however. Wracking my brain, it occurred to me to look at the sewing machine I had brought home a couple years ago. It was a vintage treadle Kenmore model that I was told was functional. It came housed in a lovely wood cabinet which was doing a tour of duty in my living room under a very nice vintage lamp. <g>

We began to clear off the table and set up the machine and sure enough, it worked! Only catch was that it wasn't threaded. Surfing some time netted directions that went something like, "Pull the thread through the top thing, then bring it down around the circle part and up through the part that goes up and down…" I kid you not. Undaunted and armed with that info I proceeded to wind thread up and over and around the parts 'til something sewed.

Once we got off and running I was amazed. The quality of this machine, all steel and cast iron, far surpasses the plastic disaster running backwards in the craft room. As the owner of Sew Vintage explains, this is because,

"These machines were built to last not years, not decades, but generations. A quality, vintage machine is an heirloom piece to be enjoyed and used well after that new, computerized machine and it’s technology has become outdated and obsolete. You can realistically expect a new machine to provide about 10 to 25 years of service under normal conditions, but when it has died and gone to the landfill, the quality vintage machine will still be sewing along."

I hope so! I figure it's a good sign that it is still running, considering it has lived through eras where home sewing was a daily reality, not a trendy hobby. I can see how much easier it must have been to learn to sew on such a machine. The treadle mechanism gives far greater control over stitch speed than the foot pedal of my newer model – a big perk for budding seamstresses. You can sew at a snail's pace with a treadle if need be but it is capable of humming right along as well.

We finished our project but we are stuck for now until I can locate more bobbins and figure out how to load them. (Unless we only sew things that require black thread.) It is a thoroughly delightful rabbit trail.

Cathedral Peak pt 2

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Kim Halloran-Fry

If we have any more fun I may never have time to blog. <g> I will be back to update on all that has happened around the ranch (promises promises) but I wanted to finish up the trip pics at least before it's time to upload the new ones Allen and the boys are taking at church camp!

The new keltie backback (thank you Barb!) is working well. We tried it out on our second trip out to Cathedral Peak and it was a great improvement. We explored by foot with the babies one warm evening while the babysitters got to venture out for a bit.

All too soon it was time to pack out and head for home. We stopped for lunch at Monarch Pass this time just as a hailstorm hit. Within minutes there was over an inch of hail covering the ground.

We were all shocked for a bit and ventured out in disbelief. The ski runs looked more like they do in March!

We reached the basin early afternoon when the light does not do it justice. It is far more dramatic earlier and later in the day. Unfortunately the very best views are further down the road however it is unwise to stop in the middle of a road with no shoulder to attempt to capture them!

I wanted at least to get a shot of the highway winding around below and beyond us, the road that lead down the mountain and home. I stood there thinking of Woody Guthrie….

"As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway...

I saw below me a golden valley

This land was made for you and me."

Starry Sky Journal

Reflections from Starry Sky Ranch