A Week, Briefly (7/6/20)

We are cultivating boredom.

The days are long to the young ones.

We have several routines and requirements to our days, but there are still many open hours for them to fill on their own.

We're still working on our state study.  This week we read about The Pony Express and Daniel Boone.

They often drift aimlessly.
They often pester me for suggestions. ("You can do dishes!")
They often bicker.
They often flop onto the couch sighing or groaning loudly.

Little Princess took this picture of the lettuce we're letting to to seed during an afternoon of a thousand pictures.  There's something about the contrast between the focused and blurred areas that I like.

But . . .

they also eventually find their way.

They take art supplies out to the patio table and draw in the shade.
They sculpt with clay.
They read . . . Oh!  They read so much!
They play games.
They mix giant bubble solution.
They build sand castles and fairy villages.
They swirl water in tubs to make whirlpools.
They examine the garden.
They explore photography.
They practice languages.
They write stories.
They build with Legos . . . or rocks.
They help Dad with the septic work (only 4 leach lines left!).
They process fruits and vegetables with me in the kitchen.

And suddenly it is time for bedtime stories, songs, prayers, kisses goodnight.

We do it all again the next day.

Nature Angel sculpted this fairy this week.  Her hands are arranged so that she can hold a single fresh blossom.

A few particulars about the week:

The splash pads opened up again, and we enjoyed one very much on Monday afternoon.

Beowulf finished Arithmetic Grade 1!!!

Belle finished Third Form Latin!!!  (But she escaped getting her picture taken by being gone at a camp out this weekend)  She's officially finished with 10th grade.

We're now eating zucchini and tomatoes from our garden, pickling cucumbers, and trying to find seeds to plant in the empty pea and spinach beds . . . without spending a fortune.