Mental exercises

Recently I joined a group of friends in the adventure of tackling The Well-Educated Mind and the reading lists contained therein. Wheee! I bought this book when it was first published (2003) but I had no reading partners to keep me motivated and I soon gave up. I’ve now read the first 10 chapters of Don Quixote and I have to say–it’s funny. It’s very long, but it is funny.

I’m looking forward to reading some of the great books that I didn’t come across on the road to a B.A. in English. More than that, I’m looking forward to reading them through my own eyes, rather than the eyes of a professor who will mark down papers that don’t reflect his views. I’ve read a few of the books that we will be tackling, but most of them are new to me. As a confirmed bookworm, I’m very excited about this adventure. As a homeschool mom, I’m hoping this adventure will rub off on my children: both encouraging them to read new and harder books, and also better equipping me to talk to them about what they’ve read.

Scotland the Brave

I believe I’ve already mentioned it, but after our study of New Zealand we moved on to Scotland. As before, we started with the Around the World study from Knowledge Quest before heading to the library for more books. Thankfully this time the selection was much better. Phew!

Baby Boy is excited about breakfast!

We started with a couple of picture books, Little Toot and the Loch Ness Monster (Hardie Gramatky) and The Magic Bagpipe (Gerry & George Armstrong). From there we moved on to Macbeth (Shakespeare, retold by Adam McKeown), but I’ve already told you about that. At the same time we slowly picked our way through Scotland (Enchantment of the World series): dull in spots, but a decent overview of the history and culture. I also picked up The Illustrated History of Scotland (Chris Tabraham) for my own reading, so I was able to share interesting facts and gorgeous pictures from this book as I was reading the other book aloud. Our final read aloud was Girl in a Cage (Jane Yolen & Robert Harris) which is a historical fiction account of Marjorie, daughter of Robert the Bruce. I found it fascinating–as for the boys, let’s just say that they didn’t complain about listening. At least. . .not much.

Boy Genius and Silly Boy are ready for lunch.

We were very lucky–as in, I couldn’t have planned this one if I tried! You see, during our study, the Celtic folk duo Men of Worth performed in our area. You can read more about them at their website, or you can watch this short promotional video: Men of Worth. After enjoying the concert, we spent quite a bit of time listening to other Scottish folk music on YouTube. We also watched videos of the Highland Fling, of Scottish sword dancing (ah–now that got the boys’ attention!), and of bagpipes. We ordered a couple movies from Netflix. Twirly Girl enjoyed Brigadoon; the boys did not. Greyfriars Bobby went over better but still was not a favorite; with hindsight I wonder if I should have gotten the newer movie rather than the 1960ish Sunday night Disney version.

Toad-in-the-Hole

I didn’t give a writing assignment this time, but all five students spent a morning labeling a blank map of Scotland. The younger boys labeled seas and island groups and large cities; the older kids also labeled lochs and firths and more cities. The older three also added Scottish dates to their timelines, choosing those that interested them from the timeline included in The Illustrated History of Scotland.

Twirly Girl loves her tea.

Finally, as you may have guessed from today’s pictures, we wrapped up our unit yesterday with the foods of Scotland. I don’t know that we had traditional Scottish meals, but rather we chose Scottish foods that appealed to us. . .and there were enough that we spread them out through the day instead of a single meal. Nearly all the recipes came from this index, with only two exceptions: I used my own almond flour scone recipe, and my first batch of bannocks fell apart so I had to Google for help in a hurry.

The kids vetoed porridge for breakfast in favor of a traditional Scottish breakfast, albeit a very simplified version. I only added bannocks/oatcakes to a breakfast of bacon and fried eggs (farm fresh–yummy!). Our lunch menu gave me some problems–Drama Boy had chosen a salmon dish with a whiskey sauce, but the grocery only had smoked salmon. I simply sliced it and served it alongside the rumbledethumps (a potato-cabbage dish). I’m sure it’s no surprise that caramel (millionaire’s) shortbread was the dessert of choice! We opted for high tea in the early evening–although most of the boys drank water. For our hot dish I made toad-in-the-hole and also served scones (and the leftover bannocks) with butter and jam.

Macbeth

Yes, I’m fully aware that Macbeth is not the standard first exposure to Shakespeare for children–although my older children have already run into the Bard once or thrice. Nonetheless we are currently studying Scotland and so I thought it would be a good opportunity to read aloud Macbeth. What can I say? I’ve been a Shakespeare fan from the very first line; the play’s the thing.

I started by downloading the Lambs’ Tales from Shakespeare to my Kindle (it’s free, by the way). Hmmm. I’ll probably point Twirly Girl toward the book at some point, but I have a sneaking suspicion it would not hold the attention of my rowdy boys. So I turned to the local library. I expected to be disappointed but was pleasantly surprised. The children’s section actually yielded two different editions of Macbeth. Wow! The first one looked to be very dry prose so I put it back.

But! I decided to check out the second book, which was from the Young Reader’s Shakespeare series by Adam McKeown. I’m very glad I did, as in “I’ll be looking for more of these” glad. Even (or perhaps especially) the little boys have been following the story and asking questions or talking about what we’ve read. I am especially impressed at Mr. McKeown’s ability to retell the play in modern kid-friendly prose while retaining the style of the original. In fact, in many places–especially in the dialogue–he makes use of the original words. After all, what fun would there be in reading Macbeth aloud if I didn’t get to say Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble? Or how about Out, damned spot! out, I say! And Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? They’re all there.

Does it get any better than this? Books like this make my day.

Wordless Wednesday

Current reads

Sometimes I read books one at a time; sometimes I suddenly realize I’ve got my finger in a whole stack of books. At the moment, well. . .I’m writing this blog post because I need to figure what, exactly, I am reading.

• A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage. One of those Kindle deals I can’t resist–I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read so far, but as you will see I have a too many books/too little time issue and haven’t gotten very far.
• My Lady Ludlow by Elizabeth Gaskell. The only fiction in my current reading, and I’m finding it more tedious than Cranford. I am this >< close to moving on to a different Gaskell novel or taking a break with Jeeves.
• Last month I reread Mother Styles by Janet Penley; it’s still upstairs in my basket but its bookmark has been moved to Nurture by Nature by Paul Tieger & Barbara Barron-Tieger. I wrote more about both books here and here, but I hadn’t looked at them for a few years and a refresher seemed in order. The kids keep growing (and their personalities show in different ways); plus, I’m not even sure I correctly identified my own personality type last time. So–for now the books stay beside my chair and I take them out to read and think as time allows.
• The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. I can only handle this one in very small doses. His nutritional advice may be sound, but his obsession with the caveman makes him hard to take seriously.
• The book of Genesis. I don’t really like reading the Bible on someone else’s plan. Charts, boxes, and dates make me feel like I’m behind before I begin. I stick with it much longer if I choose a book of the Bible, read about a chapter each day (not every day, though I try), and when it’s finished I choose another book and continue from there. I started my current reading with the Psalms last Christmas; from there I moved to Romans and now Genesis. I suspect I’ll get caught up in the chronology and read Exodus next, but don’t hold me to that. Okay?
• Book of Concord. I know some of you are reading this too, or were; it started as a Facebook group (maybe it still is–I haven’t checked Facebook lately). I am using the reader’s guide but only as far as what order to read the various sections. In general, if no one is fainting for want of breakfast after I read a chapter of the Bible, I go on to read a page from the BOC.
• Or not. I haven’t actually read the BOC since Larry brought home a copy of Rev. Harrison’s Little Book on Joy. Now I read a chapter of that after my morning chapter of Genesis–again, unless someone (usually Silly Boy or Baby Boy) is on the verge of fainting. Sometimes I read the same chapter two or three days in a row to let it soak in. . .to say I needed this book is putting it mildly.
• Free Range Learning: How Homeschooling Changes Everything by Laura Grace Weldon. I’ve alternated between devouring and scouring this book in the past week, all the while texting quotes to Gina. . .I’ve made more use of the underlining feature in this book than in all other books I’ve read on my Kindle. I’ll leave it there for now; I suspect this book will get its own blog post once I’ve finished reading and digesting it.
• Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone. Yes–again. This time it was Silly Boy who asked me to read it to him. I just hope this time I’ll get to read the next (and the next. . .) book aloud as well! Then I can get lost in the story while spending time with my kids.

I think that’s everything (for now). It’s a good thing half of those are on my Kindle, or I’d be running out of bookmarks. . .

Recent reads

I’ve found myself spending more spare moments reading since getting my Kindle. A wide variety of reading material is available at my fingertips–though I have bought a few ebooks, there are more free books than can be found at our local library (and without the overdue fines). A funny side effect, though, is that the more I read the more I want to travel. . .but lacking the means to do so, I return to my reading. Some recent reads, in somewhat chronological order of my reading them (and by recent I really rather mean “since buying my Kindle in May” ):

• Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott. It always amuses me when an Alcott book reads as if written by Jo March, and this one certainly does.
  
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. I’m fairly certain I tried to read this over Christmas break in high school and didn’t get far. This time, I couldn’t put it down.
• Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. A quick and enjoyable read, but I got bogged down in Through the Looking Glass and haven’t gotten back to it yet.
• My Man Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse. I have a couple other Jeeves volumes waiting to be read; I enjoyed the watching A&E version and am enjoying the reading just as much.
• Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. I think I fall in with the readers who enjoy Gaskell more than Austen (shocking I know!) and eventually plan to read the rest of her works.
• Journey to the Well by Diana Wallis Taylor. Of the assorted free “inspirational fiction” I’ve read on my Kindle, this is the only book worth mentioning.
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. I kind of-sort of knew the basic plot from high school French class, but this book is incredibly rich in plot. . .even when it’s sometimes incredibly dry in its descriptions of Paris and her architecture. I persevered, but I also took a number of breaks to read “something else.”
• To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell. Yes, sometimes I read fluff! I have the “Kindle with Special Offers” and find it hard to pass up the $1 book offers. This was in the romance section but I was able to read it without blushing (and would read this author again given the opportunity).
• The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan. My understanding of recent Middle Eastern history is abysmal, but this book was a fascinating introduction to the people and the area. Read it–if you have a Kindle, you can borrow my copy.
• Sufferings in Africa: The Incredible True Story of a Shipwreck, Enslavement, and Survival on the Sahara by Captain James Riley. Another $1 offering, biography this time. . .endorsed by Abraham Lincoln, this Illinois native could not let it pass by and I was not disappointed. I’m pretty sure all my boys (and maybe my girl) will find it on their high school reading list when they are studying the early 1800s.
• A Room with a View by E. M. Forster is my current read. A friend recommended the movie and I found it hard to follow, but I am enjoying the book very much.

Re-

While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying something just once, it seems to me that the best things in life are usually worth repeating. Some of my favorites to. . .

Re-read, finding different words to enjoy each time:

• the Bible, especially Psalms and Isaiah
• Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
• Little Women  by Louisa May Alcott
• Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace

Re-sing until I know the words by heart, and then keep on singing:

• We Praise You and Acknowledge You (LSB 941)
• Jerusalem the Golden (TLH 613)
• All Depends on Our Possessing (TLH 425)

Re-watch until I can quote (and sing) along:

• 1776
• The Great Race
• Fiddler on the Roof
• The Sound of Music

Re-runs worth watching and laughing again:

• As Time Goes By
• M*A*S*H
• Home Improvement

What are some of your favorite things to enjoy over and over (and over) again?

Hundred Acre Woods

I haven’t had very much time to read on my Kindle yet. . .but I did find time to sew a case for it. After all, I had the perfect fabric!

I did read a few online tutorials for Kindle covers before I started, but ended up more-or-less winging it. The Pooh fabric is from JoAnn Fabrics, several years ago; the green binding is a scrap of linen-cotton blend.The lining is a fat quarter of quilting cotton, and I used a scrap of Warm & Natural batting for padding. . .in other words, I used what I had on hand.

I couldn’t decide what sort of closure to use and so I left that decision to the end. I figured there was always velcro if I couldn’t think of anything else. I liked the idea of a button but I didn’t like the way it looked on my print. I thought about some sort of ribbon or other tie, but then I finally hit on the idea of an elastic loop. So far–so good!

Squeee!

I did it. . .last night I actually ordered a Kindle. I debated Kindle vs. Nook for some time, studying their respective web pages, reading reviews, thinking out loud (poor Larry!), and so forth. I’ve also played with the iPod app for both e-readers. I’m sure I would have been happy with either one, but the recent introduction of a $114 version of Kindle definitely tipped the scales. Reviewers seemed more pleased, on average, with customer service from Amazon than Barnes and Noble, and it has thus far been easier for me to browse titles in the Kindle store than Nook. I’m also not that fond of using a touch screen for navigation. It is nice that sometime this year Kindle users will be able to check out ebooks from their libraries, but that was not a selling point for me: no surprise, that’s not available in my zip code.

In case you are wondering how excited I am: I almost paid money for shipping instead of using the free super saver option. Almost.

Not exactly books, again

My apologies to those who are uninterested, but this time I didn’t want my replies buried in the comments.

Thanks to those of you who took time to give your input. I admit, I do like the idea of an iPad. But these old eyes just can’t do it. In fact, that is the main reason why I had no interest in an e-book reader until I had the opportunity to actually see both a Kindle and a Nook in real life. The fact that their black and white models are a price I can afford this year rather than three years from now only increases the appeal.

Gina asked where I find free OOP books online. I would say the majority have come from the Homeschool Freebie of the Day blog. I subscribe to their email list because it lets me know what’s scheduled for the whole week at a glance–and often this includes special offers for subscribers only. Some freebies are hosted at their own site; some are links to outside sites such as An Old-Fashioned Education. Some of the outside links are free only on the given day, as the self-hosted freebies are; others are always free but are typically sites I never would have found on my own. You’re welcome.