How a Child sets up a New Relation

Quote from Charlotte Mason's, School Education, Volume 3 page 78

This is how a child goes to work to set up a new relation: a little girl of seven was handling an oar for the first time and remarked -- 'What a lot of crab-water there is to-day!' Then the next day -- 'There's not near so much crab-water to-day.' She was asked -- 'How do you know when it's crab-water?' 'Oh! it's so tough and you can't get your oar through, and it knocks you off your seat!' The child was all wrong, of course, but she was getting a scrap of real science and would soon get on the right track. How much better this than to learn out of a text-book, 'the particles which constitute water have no cohesion, and may be readily separated by a solid substance.'

When we consider that the setting up of relations, moral and intellectual, is our chief concern in life, and that the function of education is to put the child in the way of relations proper to him, and to offer the inspiring idea which commonly initiates a relation, we perceive that a little incident like the above may be of more importance than the passing of an examination.

Celebrating the Harvest

Poetry of John Keats (1795-1821)
To Autumn
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.


Julia and James just love the pumpkin patch! They knew it was time for the pumpkins and rides to arrive when just two weeks into September they saw the starts of the empty lot transformation. Last Thursday for nature study we made a visit with our friends. The tickets were a little much for our budget, so five each were allotted on this first day. Some rides cost 1 ticket and others cost 2. It was fun to watch them decide how they were going to use their tickets.

Julia liked this spinning cup ride the best and was pretty dizzy when it was over!

James liked this pirate ride the best. Thank you to our sweet little friend Isaak for sharing his tickets!

Bumper boats were fun too. They were hoping to tip over so they could go for a swim!

There were so many variations of pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn to observe. We drew our favorites in our nature journals and then brought them home to enjoy the harvest inside.

Autumn Color

The City of Falling Leaves, by Amy Lowell, 1874-1925

Leaves fall,
Brown leaves,
Yellow leaves
streaked with brown.
They fall,
Flutter,
Fall again.
The brown leaves,
And the streaked yellow leaves,
Loosen on their branches
And drift slowly downwards.
One,
One, two, three,
One, two, five.
All Venice is a falling
of Autumn leaves--
Brown,
And yellow streaked with brown.


My nature journal drawings of October color discovered at the San Joaquin Marsh this week.

The last time we observed the California Rose and the Freemont Cottonwood tree they were very different being that it was in June. The California Rose was noted as a wild bush with little pink flowers. The Cottonwood tree, with green leaves, was noted to release its white cotton fuzz into the breeze. Now that Autumn has arrived there were no pink petals to be collected and no floating cotton to jump up and capture, just beautiful color to relish in and a little fruity treat for a bird just waiting.

A quote from Tree in the Trail by Holling C. Holling, (a little geography book we are enjoying)

"The boy explored the shores of the pond. Among scattered rocks stood a single Cottonwood sapling, no taller than himself. Once you were a tiny seed -- a papoose wrapped in white down. Your cradleboard swung from a twig. Then a strong Summer Wind came by. He lifted you from your mother's arms and brought you here."

Our friend Naomi captured Mr. Common Green Darner for the children to observe.

Till the dragon fly, in light gauzy armor

burnished bright,

Came tilting down the waters in a wild,

bewildered flight.

Riley

Toyon or Christmas Berry

I would love to make a wreath out of these berries!

Fleabane on the bank of the marsh at San Joaquin...a beautiful wild purple flower.

Our Wedding Day

Thirteen years ago on this day we became man and wife. The day was beautiful and perfect in every way. I remember so vividly the shining sun and gentle breeze that touched the plantation garden as family and friends witnessed our becoming man and wife. I miss Kauai. Julia told us she would like to visit Kauai and go to the garden where we were married. I think that is a wonderful idea as I would love to revisit and walk the steps we took on that special day not so long ago.

I love you my love!

My beloved is mine, and I am his. Song of Solomon 2:16

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:24

Trees

Acorns...a first glimpse of Autumn...
Yesterday we met our friends for a nature walk through the El Dorado Nature Center. James thoroughly enjoyed collecting little long acorns from the ground just before a squirrel could do his gathering.

Virgil sang of the OAK-

Full in the midst of his own strength he

stands

Stretching his brawny arms and leafy

hands,

His shade protects the plains, his head

the hills commands.

The acorns fell from this Coast Live Oak where Julia found herself sitting on its grand arms.

Another tree...

Our day continued with fellowship at our dear friend Kristine's home, sipping lemonade and iced tea on a hot 95 degree afternoon. We just love your tree house!

It was so precious to see the girls tidying up the little tree house. They immediately started sweeping upstairs. Here they gather water and food to bring up to nourish their families.

Me by Walter de la Mare

As long as I live

I shall always be

My Self and no other, just me.

Like a tree.

Like a willow or elder,

An aspen, a thorn,

Or a cypress forlorn.

Like a flower,

For its hour

A primrose, a pink,

Or a violet--

Sunned by the sun,

And with dewdrops wet.

Always just me.

Nature Study

Our little friend Conley found this beautiful sea slug in Huntington Harbor today.

All the children in our Thursday nature study group had so much fun paddling kayaks in the sea. Here Riley and Julia, sweet friends, are enjoying their time together.

First day of homeschool

This morning we were greeted by a friendly little skipper in our garden. This little critter quite enjoyed being held by the children while sucking nectar from his little straw. I clipped fewer Zinnia than I had planned for our morning table arrangement. I just could not take from the skipper that which he was enjoying so.

We had our traditional first day of school breakfast eating on the finest plate and sipping from the daintiest cup, heirlooms from Garrett's Grandmother. Julia chose waffles with berry syrup. James enjoyed his waffles with maple.

After our lessons we walked on the beach, looking for shells and sea glass to add to our collection.

Julia gave narrations from stories she listened to this morning, or a telling back in her own words.

Here is a narration from The Pilgrims Progress after reading pages 10-14:

Christian felt a burden on his back. They thought, "Are you going to leave all your family and friends behind?" He had a bible in his hand. He met Evangelist. He said, "Do you see the wicket gate?" Christian said, "No." "Do you see yonder shining light?" He said, "I think I do." He met Obstinate and Pliable. Obstinate and Pliable came from the City of Destruction. Pliable went with Christian.

Here is a narration from The Little Duke after reading pages 1-7:

A long time ago there was a castle and it was made of stone. The inside was made of tile on the ground. The fireplace didn't have a chimney. The soot on the inside walls made it look darker. The windows did not have any glass. The rain could not come in it. The maidens were putting green plants on the ground. The men were setting up long wooden tables with silver cups. For the person of honor, there were lions carved on the chair. The little boy had a bow and arrow and shot the deer and said, "I hit him, I hit him." He wanted to tell his father. His father was the Duke of Normandy. He didn't live with his father and mother because they wanted him to speak a different language. He saw his father coming with a banner and when he came he hugged and kissed his father.

James made this "A" in the sand with his finger.

My mom taught Julia how to knit almost two weeks ago. Julia started a new yarn today. Here shows 'casting on'.

We had a beautiful day together my loves. A blessing to disciple you in the Lord everyday!