My children are studying ancient history this year, and as part of that—and as part of my Cavalcade of Classics—we read The Odyssey aloud together. Emily Wilson’s translation of Homer’s … Continue reading Playtime is Over: The Odyssey, Emily Wilson translation
Tangent: Gettysburg Address “‘But in a larger sense,’” I read, “‘we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground.’” In our history studies we’d gotten back around to the Gettysburg Address. … Continue reading TBR List Declutter, Issue 50
The past several lunchtimes, my kids and I have been listening to Plato’s The Last Days of Socrates, with varying levels of attention. Today, my son and I had this conversation: son: … Continue reading Junior Philosopher
A week or so ago, I wrote about how my spouse and I accidentally created a Reading Culture at our house, and then accidentally inculcated our children into it. Today, I wanted to … Continue reading Raising Readers: Selecting Books
I was sitting and reading one afternoon last fall when the cat got up from my lap and, wakened from the world of the novel on my lap, I realized … Continue reading Raising Readers: Reading Culture
This morning while I was peeling and chopping and tossing things into the slow cooker, my six-year-old told me about something in a book he was reading. “It says ‘Anakin’ and … Continue reading Fruit Punctuation
“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin … Continue reading To Drink Deeply
To complement our study of ancient Egypt, we built a pyramid. In order to be as authentic as possible, each of these LEGO bricks weighs three tons. Next we need … Continue reading Studying Ancient Egypt
Wednesday before last, I went out to check the mail and discovered a Priority Mail package from Pennsylvania. It held the ten swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) plants and one dozen live … Continue reading Mothering Monarchs
“Mom, did you say eighty thousand people died in one moment?” asked my daughter. This afternoon, my children and I sat under the Tree of Knowledge, and they accepted with trust the apple … Continue reading Pandora’s Homeschool
My kids love crafts, but for the past couple of years, my eight-year-old has been very resistant to anything labeled “art,” especially drawing. I think it has to do with … Continue reading The Starry Afternoon: An Artistic Victory
Yesterday, my kids attended the first in a series of homeschooling classes about trees. This one was called, “What Makes a Tree a Tree?” They discussed the differences between trees … Continue reading Xylem, Heartwood, and Unscheduled Haircuts
