Tales From The Bonny Blue House

Returned and relaxed

We had such a wonderful time. Please feel free to view our album.  I still have more photos to upload.  When we returned I was dismayed to discover that my laptop was totally, irreversibly dead.  I had uploaded photos from the trip onto it during the week and I was frantic about them and all the other stuff I need. Minor things like my calendar, my talk for the upcoming Real Learning Conference, my whole life essentially.

Well, my hero came to my rescue and now I am typing on this sleek, cool, totally up-to-the-minute new laptop. I know it'll be obsolete in a month but I am thrilled.

Now we are going through the long process of transferring the hard drive.  I say "we" as if I have any idea how that is done.  I mean "we" in the sense that "he" says "I'm going to work on your computer." And I say "ok, thanks."

As much fun as it all was and sad as it was to leave, like Dorothy, I feel...

There's no place like home.

Snack food, eating out and groceries for a week        $400

T-shirts for seven kids                                           $100

Sunset view from the cabin

Priceless

Vacation

Blogging will be non existent for a week or so due to lack of internet in Moose Country! Have a blessed week.

Eye Candy

I've been in love with Storybook Woods  for a while now.  It's just a lovely blog, pretty, artsy and articulate. Well today she linked to Velvet Strawberry which is also just beautiful.  Total eye candy there. And some great news.  The lady at Velvet Strawberry authored an article in a new magazine called Artful Blogging .  A magazine about beautiful blogging?  Sign me up!  That's just what I did. 

I can't wait to receive my copy.

Five Things I love About Jesus

I just caught on that Michele tagged me for this Meme about 10 days ago.  Sorry Michele.

Let's review the rules:

Those tagged will share 5 things they “love” about Jesus.
Those tagged will tag 5 other bloggers.
Those tagged will provide a link in the comments section here with their name so that others can read them.

1. His sacrifice. who else would suffer in such an excruciating way just to make heaven available to me.  I am unworthy and totally humbled by that everytime I see a crucifix. It fills me with joy to think He loved me that much.
2. His mom. I know a few people said this but it is too true not to repeat. I love the Holy Virgin and I aspire to her gentleness and wisdom.
3. His friends: A bunch of regular guys who were transformed by His holy presence and love. If Jesus can turn this rowdy bunch of ruffians into the saints upon which He built our Holy Mother Church, think what He could do for me.
4. His parables: He left us these stories that exemplify Our Father's love for us and His desire for us to attain eternal life. The parables are easy to understand and easy to pass down to our children. They teach without preaching.
5. His presence: Everyday, anywhere in the world you can walk into any Catholic Church and be home. The Blessed Sacrament gives us eternal life and is the gift that endures time out of mind. The Church will always prevail because of the loving sacrifice within the tabernacle.  You can't get a better deal anywhere.

I think everyone has bee tagged already so if you haven't and read this consider yourself tagged and let me know!

Have a beautiful day!

Fodder for the blog

Because it's raining and we only have 10,000 toys to play with Kelli was bored.  So she stuck a pony bead up her nose.

 

So I call the pediatrician, they tell me to call an ear, nose and throat doctor.

 

So I call the ENT and they tell me go to the ER before she aspirates it into her lungs.

 

So I call a friend who flies over to watch the kids and I race to the ER.

 

I fill out a bunch of papers.

 

A doctor says to me "she has a bead up her nose" when he looks up there.

 

I refrain from hitting the doctor.

 

The doctor is not challenged and sends a PA over.

 

The PA had me put my mouth over Kelli's making a seal, hold the open nostril and blow. As hard as I can.

 

The bead and the contents of her nose shoot out and land in my hair.

This is unpleasant.

 

Kelli thinks this is hilarious.

 

I am asked for insurance information on the way out. 

I point out that I was the one who actually got the bead out of the nose and will they forward me the check.

 

Hospital billing staff has no sense of humor.

 

Kelli asks for a treat on the way home because she had to go to the hospital.

 

Kelli is disappointed in mummy's response.

 

Mummy needs a glass of wine.

The Plan for Maine

The plans for our Maine state study have changed and evolved a few times.  I started out firmly convinced that a lapbook was the way to go.  I like lapbooks, they are portable, span a variety of age groups and are fairly easy to accomplish.  So we started reading and I began to re-think the lapbook idea. It occurred to me that I would like to make up notebooks for the children to use on our trip and to learn and record our journey. So I started with the Love2learn state by state booklist. This is an amazing resource put together by the homeschooling moms of the Love2learn.net website. I highly recommend checking it out.

I used the books over there in my sidebar and we have read and enjoyed them all except for Calico Bush which we haven't gotten around to yet. I will probably bring it and start it around the bonfire next to the lake in the evenings.  At least that's my idyllic view of what will happen. I'll probably end up in a mucky tide pool looking for crawfish in the evenings.

All of these books have started little rabbit trails that will eventually end up in that lapbook. I decided the lapbook would comprise our literary pursuits and the notebook our actual travels. This might be a bit ambitious but I"m giving it a whirl.

Next I plan to download Newberry: The Life and Times of a Maine Clam onto the iPod for the ride up there. It just looks like fun.

Now for the notebooks.

 

These are in reverse order since I am new to this Photobucket stuff. I downloaded the first page first, silly me. The first page in everyone's binders is a google map of our route, then a satellite picture of the place where we are staying. Next is directions. These are only in the big kids binders and I put them in in order to squash the "are we there yet?" monster. Then there is a timeline of Maine that I culled from a variety of resources. It is very broad and in fact, skips a whole 11,000 years at one point. That's ok because I'm sure nothing too important happened then. (:)). Then there is a Fact Tree and a bunch of cool coloring pages featuring the wildlife, flora and fauna particular to Maine. These I got from Maine's Secretary of State Kids Page. This website was an invaluable resource. It had so many fun facts, ideas, games and history. I wish every state was as accomodating to children with their online information. Not pictured in the binder yet but I will include are a bunch of pages from EdHelper. EdHelper has a fifty states unit and lots of games and puzzles for each state. You can make word searches, math questions, crossword puzzles and download reading comprehension stories. Next will be some stuff from:

State Flag
Map to be labled
Lobster Clams and Crab Book
Moose Info
Lighthouse Coloring Page

Now I am hoping to be able to get the binders all put together along with the accompanying goody bags and get it all up here for you all to see before we leave. Just in case I don't have time I wanted to leave you with the bulk of the project while I had time and then I will fill in all the fun stuff later.

I'll leave you all with a poem from Maine native Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that will be printed on pretty paper and kept in the binders. We will spend the rest of the summer memorizing it.

The Children's Hour

Between the dark and the daylight,
  When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
  The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
  And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,
  Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
  And Edith with golden hair.

A whisper, and then a silence:
  Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
  To take me by surprise.

A sudden rush from the stairway,
  A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
  They enter my castle wall!

They climb up into my turret
  O'er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
  They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,
  Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
  In his Mouse-Tower on the

Rhine

!

Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
  Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
  Is not a match for you all!

I have you fast in my fortress,
  And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
  In the round-tower of my heart.

And there will I keep you forever,
  Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
  And moulder in dust away!

Have a blessed evening!

Kerplink, Kerplank, Kerplunk

Ever since we started our Maine State Study Kelli and Kevin have fallen in love with Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey .  They ask for it several times a day.  Well, of course that led to the request that we go to Blueberry Hill while in Maine and have tin pails that go Kerplink, Kerplank, Kerplunk. 

Unfortunately where we stay in Maine is not farm country but rather logging and hunting country.  There are many, many of the black bears that are featured in the story but no blueberries.

So we made do with a trip out to the east end of Long Island to pick blueberries.  It was a hazy day and a long ride but the children loved it.  Kelli and Kevin both kerplinked everytime they dropped a blueberry into the little cartons. Alas I could not find small metal buckets anywhere.  No one seemed to mind. 

 

We were stuck for a bit on a country road in Jamesport while waiting for a tree to be cut.

               

The view was pleasant though. That's a vineyard.

Walking down the road to the blueberries.                                                               

Finally we arrive at the blueberry patch

Blueberry babies

Kerplink

Kerplank

Kerplunk!

That one was tart!

Early peaches, a huge bunch of lavendar, two enormous tomatoes and two bags of the homemade donuts this farm is famous for. One cinnamon, one plain. Heaven!

From the Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook by Christopher Kimball

Blueberry Boy Bait
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
10 tablespoons cold butter
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed, drained, blotted with paper towels. If you use frozen blueberries make sure they have been thawed and drained.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9 pan with butter and then flour it lightly. Sift together flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into pieces, then work into the flour mixture with a pastry blender (I used my food processor for this step). The flour should take on the texture of coarse meal, with a few pea sized pieces of butter still visible, and turn slightly yellow.  Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture for the topping (I forgot to do this).
2. Add the baking powder, salt, the egg yolks (reserve whites), and the milk to the flour mixture still in the large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. This can also be done by hand with a wooden spoon.
3. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they hold 2 inch peaks. Fold gently into the batter. Spread batter in prepared pan and sprinkle with dry blueberries. Then sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on top. 
4. Bake for 40-50 minuted until the center of the cake bounces back when pressed.. Let cool for 30 minutes and serve as a coffee cake or a dessert with whipped cream.

 
This blueberry muffin recipe is from the Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook as well. Don't they look pretty on my new cake stand?  I bought it from a local vintage/antique shop this past weekend.

Master Recipe for Muffins
These are not the sweet cakey variety of muffin but rather a hearty country style meant to be slathered with butter or jam. Or both!
8 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 cup muffin tin with butter and lightly flour (or if you are lazy like me use the paper muffin cups).
2. whisk together the melted butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together the next 5 ingredients. Gently stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until the batter looks half mixed. Add the buttermilk and sugar and mix gently with a large rubber spatula.  Do not overmix, there should still be streaks of flour and it should still be lumpy.
3. Using a medium ice cream scoop or 1/2 cup measure, divide the mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake about 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Cool for five minutes and then remove from tin

Enjoy!

Six Wives of Henry VIII

Is anyone else enamoured of European history?  I am.  I love all things royal and European history is so full of the pageantry of monarchies. I find it passionately interesting although I am certain I would have hated to be a peasant in 17th century France, England, Russia or Italy.  I am a big fan of religious freedom and indoor plumbing.   

Lately I have been enjoying the PBS series Six Wives of Henry VIII. It is narrated by British historian David Starkey, an acclaimed expert on all things Tudor. Mr. Starkey really manages to bring to life the whole court of Henry VIII with many juicy details about the various machinations and intrigues that seemed to occur constantly.   

Inspired by this series I have begun reading Jean Plaidy's novels again. I read a few as a teenager and at that time I also passionately consumed her gothic romances written under the pseudonym Victoria Holt.

Last week I totally devoured Queen Of This Realm about the Tudor wives. Which was really enthralling. Plaidy wrote meticulously researched fictionalized accounts of the life and times of the British monarchs.  She was an immensely popular and prolific author in the 1950's and 1960's.  Deservedly so.

Since I was then in a Tudor kind of a mood I moved on to Philippa Gregory's The Boylen Inheritance.  This was a really good read focusing on Anne of Cleves,Henry's fourth wife, and Catherine Howard his fifth as well as Jane Rochford sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn. Jane testified against her husband George, Anne Boylen's brother and Anne at their trial. She testified that they had an improper relationship, a fact generally believed to be untrue, in order to preserve her title and estates. The title is a reference to how each of these women paid for Henry's obsession with Anne Boylen and her ultimate downfall.  Gregory really brings to life how completely unhinged Jane Rochford is in a everyday way. She functions and excels in court life but her hatred of so many people, her dead sister-in-law in particular, bespeaks of a severe break in mental health.

Unfortunately for her it does her no good. Like so many women in the court of Henry VIII she loses her unhinged head.

Having had enough mayhem I moved on to the rather stodgy story of Queen Victoria. Victoria Victorious: The Story of Queen Victoria by Jean Plaidy was a great insight into the longest reigning monarch ever to rule England.  Believe it or not she was not always so stodgy but was a fun loving young girl who enjoyed dancing half the night.  Her husband, Prince Albert was the "early to bed, early to rise" type who encouraged her to put away her playful side and consider her duty.  They had a quite a happy marriage and nine children before he died at the rather young age of 37.  The novel is really well written and so interesting.

Can you see why my kitchen floor is dirty?  I've been reading and reading.I took advantage of some time last week when we had no internet or phone, not to clean or organize or plan but to indulge in some enjoyable summer reading.

I ran out to B&N this weekend (all by myself :)) and picked up some books for our vacation beginning on Saturday.  I have enjoyed Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles mystery series for a while now and I found one I had not yet read Lavendar Lies.  Is there anything more pleasurable than discovering a new book in a series you enjoy? Then based upon Elizabeth's recommendation I decided to try her Beatrix Potter mystery series. And since I have been recently wallowing in the Victorian era I picked up one of her books written as Robin Paige with her husband Bill Albert. The series is set in Victorian England, a time period I love to read about, and is a mystery series. Anyone who knows me knows I have been an obsessed fan of the mystery genre since my first Nancy Drew all those many years ago.

Do you think I am going to have a lot of time to read in a cabin in Maine with seven kids and my parents?  With a lake, white water rafting, fishing (stop smirking ~I do fish~even bait my own hook), and hiking. We'll see.

Tomorrow I will be buying batteries for my camera and then I will take some pictures of the Maine notebooks I am putting together for the children to use on our vacation.  I'll include all of the sources and books I've been using.

Have a wonderful evening.

 

                                     

Prayers For A Wee One And A Mom

Dear Helen of Castle of the Immaculate is joyfully and wonderfully expecting a baby. Helen had her first baby thirteen years ago and has since adopted six more of the cutest children you've ever seen.  She was delighted to discover, earlier this summer, that she was again expecting. 

However, she is now in need of prayers. The wee one is in danger of being miscarried and poor Helen is, of course, concerned.

Helen has done such a beautiful job in drawing us all closer to the Blessed Mother through her extraordinary  Mary Vitamin a daily email that draws us closer in prayer to our Mother in Heaven.

In return for her work on our behalf I would like to ask everyone to stop for a moment and pray for her baby and for her own health.  I want so much for her pregnancy to filled with all the joy it should be.

Thank you all.