Monday, June 13, 2016

May blur

This is going to be a ridiculously long post. If you think you may experience 'reader's regret', (a truly horrible condition) at any point during this post, please stop yourself now. You have been gently and lovingly warned.

Table setting for our local CM study group.

Apple, pecan, raisin tossed with maple syrup, baked cinnamon tortilla crisps, butter and cinnamon only


Possible 'Mourning Cloak' butterfly
Unidentified bird wing found exactly like this on ground.
Possible 'Map' turtle




Homemade 'checkers' game.




A kind mama letting Kate comb her newborn's hair. ♥

Another beautiful letter from my penpal Bonnie.























May brought a flurry of activity after many months of hibernating at home. Seth resumed indoor soccer with his homeschool friends, he also participated in several sessions of a Lego robotics course with some of those same homeschool friends which also led us to resume our book club with those friends. And he also participated in the University of Waterloo's math contest with these same friends. In summary: he has seen his friends a lot after not seeing them all winter.

We welcomed spring for real by beginning our nature walks, planting the peas and watching every green and living thing emerge from its winter hideaway. We fed and petted our friends' chickens and watched the cockerel's combs emerge week-by-week from their heads. The amount of knowledge out there to know and delight in never ceases to amaze me. I learn so much mostly when I least expect it. As my grammar-conscious mother would say, ain't that the truth.

We have enjoyed many wonderful times with various families that are in our church life circle. The freedom and delight to come and go and be in each other's homes is a gift that we re-discover with every visit. We have welcomed several new babies and more are on the way. Many eager arms pass these dear little ones along as tiny heads are kissed and soft little hands and feet are admired. The bigger little people get carried around on backs and hips and find spots on laps that are empty. My children are loved by all these wonderful people that we share this life with.

Victoria Day weekend brought Star Wars Movie Marathon Day hosted by our neighbor, a surprise visit from traveling friends and a pool party hosted by a church family. May finished with a wedding of a young couple from church and by our main family vehicle signaling it's departure time with transmission trouble.
We also resumed our bi-weekly Charlotte Mason Mom's Study Group which I host here at our home. We have discussed many topics, read aloud poetry, sang Psalms together, shared prayer requests and a time of prayer. We also have eaten yummy food, drank hot and cold drinks, pored over books and laughed a lot together. We hope to meet two more time before taking a break for summer.

We are now a week into June and have just completed some of the busiest days I can remember. Sunday brought our last Sunday morning children's classes which happen before Morning Worship. We planned a fun morning of singing, playing and special snacks outside. But with thankful hearts for the heavy rain which soaked our parched city that morning, we stayed inside and modified our activities a little. We read a Bible story, sang while we played with the funchute, ate cupcakes and apple slices, looked at Peter Spier's book Rain and then ended with playdough time. We have had a wonderful year together and look forward to resuming classes in September.

The week rolled on. We participated in a homeschool Track and Field Day with over a hundred other homeschooled children. We purchased another vehicle, finished Lego Robotics and Book Club, finished Small Group meetings with a potluck dinner with all our families and children together, including the newest member, a brand new baby girl.  And squeezing in annual eye check-ups, a dentist visit and therapy session, we ended Friday with some Pioneer Days with friends where we learned about railway history, horsemanship, maple syrup production, sheep shearing and other farming practices.

We are mostly done our lesson work and will finish up a few loose ends this coming week. Then I plan to prepare for Seth's birthday, a visit from my parents, and then a visit from all of Shane's family in early July.

Possible 'Red Lily' beetle




Building a Funicular (cable railway)




















































If you made it this far, you are a loyal and dedicated reader whose endurance has been proven and probably unnecessarily tested. Thank you.

11 comments:

  1. I love your teatime photos! Pretty cups and Milton. Have a great summer!

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  2. Thank you, Mama Squirrel! The various table settings are from the recent Charlotte Mason Mom's Study Group gatherings I host. I also hope you have a wonderful summer, thanks for reading here. :)

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  3. The more words and pictures, the better! At least that's true in your case. Wonderful May - thankful I was a part of some of it :)

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    1. V, thanks for you kind words, you are very dear to me and I treasure every moment we manage to find together. xoxo

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  4. I love the pictures of the bee! And that purple flower tea set is so pretty! :)

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    1. Thanks Catie! That tea set was a bridal gift from my mom so it's extra special. I still can't believe myself that the photos for the bee came out so clear! LOL

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  5. Lovely photos and abundant beauty abounds in the far north! I could feel the warmth of the summer sunshine. Loved seeing your life!

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    1. Thanks so much Bonnie, God has created a beautiful world and we are so pleased to be part of it, even if we moan and groan about freezing temperatures and pesky mosquitoes. :)

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    2. Very HOT here and it is like your COLD winters. We stay in or go where water is to keep cool. Longer days help!

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  6. What a feast of glimpses into your life! I want to comment on everything, but you have already given thanks, the best response.... I love your bee photos - just stunning... but then most of these are!

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  7. I didn't have to read much as I scrolled down through many delicious photos to discover the most brilliant BEE pictures! Wow. The "other" pictures are so loaded with love and family, I do get a little, but sweetly, overwhelmed ;-)

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I enjoy reading your comments and try to reply as much as I can. Thanks for reading here.