Freeze Update and Summer School Plans...

First of all, let me update you on the garden after all the freezing rain and such. Everything still looks great...no freeze damage that I can see. This is good news on more than one front. All the precious seeds I planted are not wasted and I can considerably lengthen my growing season now that I know these plants are really hardy enough to stand a light freeze. For years I've waited until ALL danger of frost has passed before planting...even with my handy dandy Farmer's Almanac tool I was apprehensive of planting this early, but I decided to jump in and give it a try. Mission accomplished!

Secondly, I've been looking forward to summer. It really is a fantastic time at our house because mommy gets to be a stay at home mommy for the most part, and I love to enrich their schooling by doing our own version of summer school. I use some ideas from Waldorf Curriculum because it centers around nature and back-to-basics living, but I also do other project-based constructivist learning activities. This year I decided to begin a list of things the girls ask to cover at the OAH Summer School Extravaganza. Here's what we've got so far...

Wee One (she's 4):
How to make "coffee cookies" (I think she is referring to mommy's favorite dip-in-my-coffee treat...biscotti.)

Big Kid (she's 6):
Exercise and bones and muscles
Multiplication (AKA "How to do times...cause A. knows how and I don't.")
Past Presidents
Reading real big words and stuff and short words, too
Cursive
How to cook

Amazingly, it looks like Big Kid has covered all the traditional subject in her initial wish list! We'll keep adding to our list as we discuss the possibilities. I know we'll be doing a bit of food science, mud-pie making, and artistic exploration as well! Man, I love summer!!