Pond Project - Day 1

Unschoolers with time on their hands - it's a beautiful thing.

Several years ago Brady and our neighbor Ben decided to build an underground fort. They grabbed spades and set off for the wild area of our land, staked out a spot, and started digging. We adults doubted they'd last - digging is difficult work. But day after day they worked on the hole. Some days they dug for hours, other days only for a short while. But they dug almost every day. The days turned into weeks. The hole got so deep they could barely get out, and they'd leave a 2"x4" across the top so they could swing their way out, high bar-style. Then one day, they really couldn't get out and had to etch steps into the sides. Grandma worried about the walls caving in and urged reinforcement. I suggested they build a roof for it soon lest the rains come and fill it up. And one day, when the hole was about 4' x 10' and over 6' deep, the rains did come and suddenly the fort was a giant make-shift puddle and the project was abandoned.

The hole is still there. "Dat's where we hide da bodies" has become the joke, and I sometimes think I should mark it with police tape or something. Not only because it would be funny, but because the thing is a serious hazard, a very deep hole shaded by weeds and long grasses, lying in wait for some unsuspecting dog, hiker, or small child.

So it wasn't entirely astonishing when these same two boys, now 14, with stubbly facial hair and deep voices, to come to me late yesterday afternoon and tell me they are bored, need a project, and want to dig a pond for me.

Cool. I'll fetch the shovels.

I'd talked of wanting a pond, but never too seriously. Rob and I aren't very good Do-It-Yourself-ers, and while I'd checked out several library books on the subject and stared longingly at the pond kits at Menards a few times, that's as far as I'd ever gotten. I'd really love a big pond, one that isn't landscaped and looks like it's been there forever. But alas, we live high on a hilltop and it would be something of an expensive feat to do that.

We walked the yard in search of a good spot. It has to be close enough for us to enjoy, but not in the way of any traffic pattern. It needs access to electricity for the pump, but we can't disturb any existing gas lines. We settled for a spot right next to the front porch which will nestle in nicely with my other somewhat-purty landscaping, and will provide a nice view from the screened-in porch we hope to build someday.

They boys asked what shape I wanted and I told them to surprise me. They wondered about size and I told them to be sure I could get one swipe of the lawnmower on either side. And they set about digging. They worked for about 2 hours, listening to music and laughing and talking. They grumbled about my picture-taking, but then got excited about having photo documentation for every stage.

I don't know how I got lucky enough to have a kid who likes to dig holes, but I'm pretty happy I did.

Our new pond will go here! ----->

**This post is one of many linked from Unschooling Voices, where a new unschooling topic is discussed each month. Thanks to Joanne for compiling the information and for the Thinking Blogger Award! Cool.

Fun Quiz

You're To Kill a Mockingbird!

by Harper Lee

Perceived as a revolutionary and groundbreaking person, you have
changed the minds of many people. While questioning the authority around you, you've
also taken a significant amount of flack. But you've had the admirable guts to
persevere. There's a weird guy in the neighborhood using dubious means to protect you,
but you're pretty sure it's worth it in the end. In the end, it remains unclear to you
whether finches and mockingbirds get along in real life.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Celeb Sighting

Kristin and I heard Alfie Kohn speak at Rockford College a few weeks ago, and surprised him when we asked to take a photo with him! Alfie writes and speaks widely about what's wrong with school, and is very vocal about the evils of testing, No-Child-Left-Behind, and the use of grades and rewards. He is a very charismatic and dynamic speaker, and had us laughing when we weren't shaking our heads in dismay at the state of things. I have a few of his books, including Punished By Rewards and What Does It Mean to be Well Educated? and while I agree with his arguments and find him incredibly insightful, where I get hung up is in asking the obvious question... can it be fixed? I commend him for taking it on and campaigning for educators and administrators to rethink what they're doing and why they're doing it, but talk about pushing sh*t up a hill... I'm still not willing to lose my kids for 12 years to a system that isn't going to change any time soon, if ever. Is it the worst place in the world? Not usually. (*grin*) But just because it isn't the worst place doesn't mean one ought to spend 12 years there and not seek the best path to learning what you want to learn and doing what you want to do. Once again, would've loved to steal him away for a cup of coffee and some intense conversation, but at the risk of being a celebrity stalker, we decided to get our books signed and leave it at that.

ANTHONY BOURDAIN!!!

Look! Damn! Anthony Bourdain spoke in Rockford, and I went to see him with Gina, Judy, and Joan, three wickedly fun grrrlfriends. But in our giddy fluster I got my digital camera stuck on some strange mode and half my pictures came out blurry! Shoot, Sh*t, Triple Shat. I am SO going to have Brady photoshop him out of Gina's pic and paste him into some photo of me where I'm doing the Oh-Anthony-really-now pose and flash it around like we're old pals. You wait - it'll appear here one of these days.

Notice Joan with the tuck-of-the-hair move, and Gina with the smile so bright we had to hose her off afterward. And notice Judy, of the "He ain't all that" shrug, is conspicuously absent in the twittery line-up. If you haven't read his book Kitchen Confidential yet, it is a hoot. He tells of his life as a chef in New York City, and doesn't go light on the debauchery and survival-of-the-fittest-and-least-sane details. It's not for the fainthearted - it's at times lewd and crass and shocking and no-way-that-doesn't-really-happen-does-it?!? kind of storytelling that reminds one that her life is way too mauve-colored, berber-carpeted, cul-de-sac-located, pre-fabbed, cookie-cuttered, and mac-and-cheesed to stand in the presence of one who has really lived and came out the other side to tell about it.

After the talk and book signing, we tried out Kuma, the new Asian Bistro downtown, and had a delightful meal even if it was served by an adorable automaton waitress whose description of menu items resembled a ticker tape of figures being systematically spewed forth from an adding machine. THAT was strange. But we told stories of getting noses pierced in India and daughters showing up for school pictures in lacy girly dresses and hot pink cowboy boots and irritable bowel symptoms and the babbling alley guy who didn't scare Judy. We don't do this enough - 'twas way too fun.

Happy Boy

Holy bat-jackpot! There was a blizzard on the last night of our annual InHome homeschooling conference, so our plans to stay overnight and veg out with friends new and old were stymied. Most bolted home. We-of-many-winters stayed put, thinking it better to let the plows do their magic in the morning. After two days of intense workshops, the last place I wanted to be was the hotel arcade. But Jonathan is a persuasive little bugger. We put $10 on a gaming credit card, and

I followed behind him, swooning with tiredness, while he used it. When he had only enough for one more game, we wandered to the Wheel of Fortune game where all you do is press a button and see what you win. Well, he won the jackpot - 500 tickets! He was the center of attention as the machine took about five minutes to churn out the pile. I might have been bone-tired, but the smile on my child's face was worth it.

OhMyYummyCrustlessQuiche

What would I do without you? Here's an easy fix for those I-so-badly-crave-good-food-but-please-make-it-fast-and-easy-or-I-might-scream kinda nights. Clean our your produce drawer and don't forget to nab some roots from the pantry floor and some frozen niblets from the freezer. Anything goes - think frozen corn, or swiss chard, or shaved carrot. Or if you must, add some diced deli ham. Toss into a skillet with some oil, and saute. Add some crushed red pepper flakes or some cayenne for a kick. Whisk 4-6 eggs in a separate bowl, removing half or all of the yolks if you're not too bloody tired to do so. Oil a pie plate, flop the sauteed mixture into the bottom, pour the eggs on, and grate a bit-o-cheese on top if'n you have it. Bake at the same-old 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until set. Dig in. Deeeelish.

Art Start

What is more satisfying than dipping fingers in goo and smearing it all around? Well, ok, Brady was less than enamored with this mask-making project. The sloppy and slippery paste nearly covered the kitchen at co-op. I continually remind hostess Joan she has the patience of a lap cat.

A Quilt for Olive!

Gemma had a baby - Baby Olive! Yippee!

We haven't even seen her yet, but we're smitten anyway. So Sisters in Circle - my amazing women's circle of very cool grrrls - decided to make a quilt for Olive. And here 'tis. Is it lovely or what? Marcy was the artistic inspiration for the fabric and pattern, and the rest of us happily learned from her. Pretty impressive we got it finished during our weekend retreat, as usually the heavy chatting keeps us from several of our planned activities.