Free-Range Fowl on the Foredeck

The chickens have been free-ranging - on the deck! They seem to like it. 

Inspired by the kids

Homeschooling

Pages and pages
Chanting at tables
Ages and ages
Not learning labels

Pride in my eyes
Gazing at two
So young but so wise
Giving to you

Independence in bloom
Not afraid to assert
Self esteem fills the room
Both hard at work

Schedules

While the kids are away - yes again! -  I have been creating a new schedule for the next month.  I am trying to integrate our lessons so they spend less time working alone and we spend more time learning together.  Last week we all read a book aloud together after dinner each night and they loved it!  I thought if I can translate this enthusiasm to regular school there will be no stopping them.  So . . .  I am going to deviate from the lesson plans this month and just make sure we cover the material in our own way, with lots of music, spanish and latin too.  The next set of exams will tell the story!  I now have a schedule for each of us and I can't wait until next week when the kids return.  Marco is in Chile with his mother and Madison is visiting her dad in Marsh Harbour.  I assigned lapbooks for while they are away, so when they return we will all be learning about Chile and Chickens :)

New Additions

We have three new additions - chicks!  No, our hens did not suddenly become very prolific.  The kids caught some chicks in Green Turtle Cay.  The locals informed them that they were welcome to any they could catch, and after that there was no stopping them!  The chicks have been christened Star, Moon and Sunny and we are all praying they turn out to be hens not roosters :)  They are surprisingly demanding.  They want sunshine, food, then darkness - no deviating from that pattern.  This morning their cheeps woke me.  They were pretty indignant since I had overslept and their sunshine was an hour late! 

Marshmallow Moment

A fire on the beach, lunch with friends, hotdogs and marshmallow roasting = pure bliss :)

Christmas, Caterpillars and Chips

Christmas has come and gone, along with Santa, leaving two very happy kids behind.

 

We found a Christmas caterpillar too :) Actually we found many!  They love frangipani leaves.

And . . . our final discovery . . . kale chips!  A friend made these as hors d'oeuvres and the kids could not stop eating them :)  Healthy "junk food" grown in the garden!

Kale Chips


Ingredients


Kale
Sea Salt
Pepper
Olive oil


Instructions


Tear up the kale into bite size pieces.  
Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  
Spread out into a thin layer on a baking pan
Bake at 350 C for 15 minutes
Enjoy!