It's back to school for us today and even though we had a nice Christmas break, it's never enough time, is it?A few things we're looking forward to in the second half of the school year is Biology (we have a new microscope-oooohh-can't WAIT to try it out!), preparing for the Education Expo in March, and more field trips!
We never miss the Maple Syrup Festival at Malabar farm State Park. It is usually cold and snowy, but there's nothing like gathering in the sugar shack, with its steaming eaves and sweet smells, to watch the boiling down demonstration of the collected maple syrup. And then we get to try the maple sugar, maple candy, and bring home a little jug of maple syrup. There are Civil War encampments and Pioneer campsite demonstrations as well as displays of the local Native American's hollow log technique of boiling out the water to collect the sweet sugar and syrup. Though our feet slowly freeze and our noses get cold, it's fun and more than that, it's a family tradition!
In spring, we go back to Malabar for Spring Plowing Days. Turning over the soil and thinking of seeds to plant helps us know that the summer days of sunshine and warmth aren't too far ahead, even if we have to shove the snow off the garden to see the soil.
We try to take a weekend in the midst of February or March to get away from home for the weekend and see a change of scenery. It breaks the long boring days of winter into manageable chunks of time...dreary days interspersed with fun days (a heated indoor pool works wonders!).
In the meantime, classes resume and some semblance of order to our days return. The long and happy vacation is all but a memory, but there's only 354 days until NEXT Christmas!
2 comments:
Dee, you are a good teacher. I was the type that didn't like to bother with field trips. It was too much "work" and planning and disturbed my routine. But, as a child, I loved them... because they did take us out of the routine....funny how our perspective changes.
Have fun with that new microscope! Do you have a nice swamp or pond nearby?
Vonnie
Wow, you are like the home school parent I always dreamed I would be. Just love hearing about all the cool things you do. Will be praying for you as you get going again, and also for your health on the journey.
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