Renaissance

My wonderful friend Carrie put it well today.  “I think you’re having a renaissance.”

It does indeed seem that way.  We’ve progressed from looking at changing our eating habits to seriously researching how to have a mini-farm in our backyard.  I found a book called Mini-Farming: Self-sufficiency on 1/4 of an Acre and I am fascinated.  The author gives clear, step by step directions about how to grow 85% of the food for our family on just 1/4 of an acre!  I don’t think we have that much land, but we have a great size backyard, and a nice size front yard!  I’ve seen some pretty gardens done in front yards that still yield good food!

I’ve started brainstorming what I want to grow and am planning a “growing calendar” with a friend.  We’re also going to map out the yard so we can strategically plan.  I want to take into consideration the possibility of a rain catchment system funneling into a drip irrigation system.  My downfall with plants in general is watering them.  For a garden to survive, I think I need a built-in backup system (or primary!) for watering.

I’m going to visit a couple of friends in the next few weeks who have Nigerian dwarf dairy goats and chickens, respectively, and see how they’re faring with their critters.  I’ll let you know what I find out.

My next area of renaissance has to do with home-schooling.  Early on, I felt like one of those parents who would be counting down the days till kindergarten started so I could have some free time back.  I still need my free time, to be sure, but I’m getting more and more intrigued with the idea of home-schooling.  So many of the principles resonate with me.  Socially, I think my tender-hearted red headed boy would be a prime target for bullies and I’d like to avoid that scenario till he’s old enough to fend for himself and respond well.  I also don’t like the “socialization” I see going on in schools on a number of levels – both interpersonal and societal.

From an educational standpoint, Davy is already super-interested in learning to read!!  He knows all of his letters and has started “teaching” them to baby Selah!  He asks me to show him letters that make up different words and we’re starting to link sounds to letters. Whatever will this boy do in kindergarten?  We’ll see what happens – God will put us right where we need to be in terms of schooling, but I’m definitely open to (and leaning way towards) the idea of homeschooling.  If you’re interested, I read a wonderful book this week called So You’re Thinking About Homeschooling by Lisa Whelchel.  It was an easy read and is a composite of profiles of 15 different families who homeschool.

Enough talk, it’s time for some pictures of the kids!

Davy and his good buddy Joshua.  The June bug in Joshua’s cupped hands had quite an afternoon.

Some of my precious friends.