SL Core 100 Week 7 Feb. 25 - Mar.3rd, 2018

SL Core 100 Week 7 

Feb. 25 - Mar. 3rd, 2018

Dd's chicken watercolor

Hello, Friends!

Dd's watercolor from this week

We had another preview of spring this week; although next week is set to back to winter again we sure did enjoy the sunshine.  It was very nice to see the sunshine again.  One of the things that have been hardest to get used to in Michigan is the number of cloudy days; only Seattle, Washington has more cloudy days in the U.S.  Whereas Indiana has abundant sunshine and a much warmer climate.  I'm finally noticing the spring sunsets this year and am enjoying the pastel colors tremendously.  The only other state, that I've lived in, that had better sunsets was Virginia--the Blue Ridge Mountain area had such beautiful sunsets.  

Festival Preparation:

Last Friday night Dd spent the night with her duet partner, Olivia, and so we had her over here this week.  We actually had Olivia, her sister, and Lexi---like they did last week.  I must not have been as motivating b/c the time dedicated to practicing wasn't very intense, they practiced, just not very long.  Next Saturday is the "Festival," where Dd and Olivia will perform their Alto Sax duet: Menuetto by Haydn.  

Opportunities to Learn:

 This is one area that Dd and I always have difficulty with--- I tell her she will never regret practicing too much, and yet that doesn't motivate her to practice any longer than she does.  It is the same with learning from her academics.  I always pray for her to 'take ownership' over her education, and to have a toolbox (her brain) with as many good tools as she can (learned skills), as she prepares for adulthood.  But, all my original parables and metaphors do not inspire her to dig deeper.   So, I just try to give her as many opportunities to learn and grow as I can and accept that it is her decision how to react to that---the best-known metaphor for this concept is the 'You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.'  I provide as much water, in as many ways as I can, and provide numerous opportunities for her as I can.  I have always provided as many things to make art (clay, paints, wire, fabric, papers, tapes, glues, wood, cardboard.....) and left her to do what she wanted with those materials.  Sort of like having bookshelves packed with good books; she can pick and chose what she is interested in, though the local library usually wins out!  I guess it is important to me to continue to share that we are not those over-achieving homeschoolers and that I really hope that what achievements we have aren't ones that make other hs'ers feel 'less-than.'  I honestly do NOT do Facebook for that very reason!!!  there are so much smoke-and-mirrors, those posts do not uplift me, nope! not at all! 

Dickens has fallen off this ledge repeatedly...

Sandhill Cranes: spring!
I love Sandhill Cranes and was so delighted that I heard them at least four mornings this week.  We also saw Red-Winged Blackbirds this week and thought I heard Robins this week too.  These are highlights of the year; sure signs of spring getting closer!  Not to mention the bulbs and hostas have green shoots coming up too!  Then, lastly, we left February behind and welcomed March in with open arms!



Chickens:
Our chickens had a pretty good week; they got to be outside a lot.  I'm sure they wished they could get out of the small run but I'm not going to let them out until I figure out how to enclose the top so birds can't fly in and eat them. 



 I'm still cooking eggs for Ms. Lemon and the other birds that are looking pitiful.  



I did figure out the problem with the two bare-backed Black Sex Link hens...Venus, another big beautiful Black S.L. likes to get up on the top rung with those pitiful girls on each side and then she picks at their feathers!!!!  At least now I know to get Venus away from those girls at night, and maybe they can grow their feathers back.  I hate to think of Venus doing that to them---seems like a slow torture to me! Yikes.  I'm trying to think up ideas on how to stop this from happening--maybe I should make them a little coat? Chelle--any suggestions?



Tree-down/Windstorm Sunday:



Sunday (Feb. 25) after church, we all got our work clothes on and chainsawed the big dead tree that had fallen during the stormy night.  

We had to use the truck to pull out one of the big trees that had fallen but got stuck on a spruce tree precariously.  It took about 20 tries, but we finally got it down.

The storm was so vicious it kept waking me up.




 I thought we would surely lose our power, but thankfully our lines stayed good.  



In the spring, the electric company came out to our street and cut down a lot of trees that were growing up under our lines.  



They spray painted a blue dot, for trim, or a blue "x" to cut down many trees on our property, but oddly they skipped our property and just did all the neighbors.  I was hesitant but actually glad that they were going to trim the trees that were growing around the lines, so I was a tad disappointed they skipped us.  We normally have very lazy Sunday afternoons, but since the tree fell across our driveway, and Dh has been working 6 days a week, we didn't have much choice.  It was nice to be outside, all three of us, enjoying each other's company.



Home: Dh is still having to work Saturdays and late each evening...prayers appreciated.  Dd's health is doing better, but I still have not rallied and am stubbornly not going to the doctor

Academics of the Week:





Bible:
Bible Study Sampler: pg's 39-43
Why Pray? by John F. DeVries: Day 31-35
Church, Sunday School, Youth Program, Volunteer at Olympians program

Even more than endless greens, the chickens miss their dirt baths the most.  As soon as I let them out they start scratching and making a hole to get into.

Math: 
Through Grace HS
Saxon Geometry: TEST, lesson 71-74, and class



Science: 
Apologia Biology: Module 3
Text: pg 198-222
Student Notebook: 7.2-7.16
We watched the DVD for Module 3: "Exploring Creation with Biology Second Edition Video Instruction DVD" 






Writing:
IEW: Lesson 9: Completed
Completed the DVD for Lesson 10, but Dd hasn't written the report yet.  Her first report was on Charles Dickens and this report will be on her hometown hero, Gus Grissom, the astronaut.  

Art:



Drawing - white on black drawing paper



Watercolor - lots of flowers this week





Art Classes: 
through Grace Academy at Homeschool Building



Painting Studio: 2:00 hours



Botany Art: 1:30 hours



She is *loving* these classes!  She has the same teacher for the back to back classes.  

Cooking:



Stir Fry 2x



Egg Salad, from 2 1/2 dozen eggs



History:
A History of US, Book 3: 
Preface-Ch. 5
(was scheduled to read through chapter 14, but didn't get there)



History Literature:
Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison- In Process
Foreward-chapter V
(also one chapter behind this week)



Music Classes:
Intermediate Orchestra: Violin: 1:30
Intermediate Band: Alto Sax 1:30



Music Lessons:
Piano Lesson with Wendy: 30 min
Piano Theory book this week

Violin Lesson with Christie: 30 min



Practice:
2:30 hours per instrument is the goal, and close to being met this week.  Olivia spent Friday night so they could work on their duet together.  They practiced Friday night and Saturday morning.

I've made a new drawing for the church's bulletin board, I used white chalk on brown utility paper.

..................... 

SL Core 100 Week 6Feb.18-24, 2018

SL Core 100 Week 6 
(High School American History Year)
Feb.18-24, 2018
Our local county was declared "state of emergency" this week,
and Dd working on sax duet with Olivia



Hello, Friends!

We had rain and rain and rain here in Michigan; so much that flooding has been a huge problem locally.  So glad we chose to live up on a hill, on a hill!  We've had to take alternate routes into our town, to go to the library and other shops, because the flooding has covered roads.

This is normally a green field, under the water is another white fence!  In the summer it is part of the 4H grounds.

Doc's Office/Illness:
Dd's swollen tonsils were still bothering her, so on Thursday, I took her in again to have them looked at.  We didn't get the same person, but, the RN that we saw was very clear that Dd was out of the woods.  Dd asked to get her flu shot as she is so tired of being sick!  Hopefully, she will be healthy for a while!

Lots of flooding in our area.

Friday Night Sleep-Over:
Dd spent the night with her friends on Friday night---the goal was to practice for a competition coming up, but they also had a lot of fun!

This is another green field that flooded so much it cut off the main road to our house; luckily there is a second way back to our home.

Chickens:
Happy to report with the warmer weather, although wet, I've had the chickens outside in their safe, small, Inner Sanctum coop.  The chickens mostly look horrible; especially the  Black Sex Link girls---they really have been molting a lot and their feathers look poor.  I'm still hand feeding Ms. Lemon and the other weak looking girls.  Zeus, is still being a bugger, but, I still somehow like him too much to do anything than keep trying to let him know I'm the boss to his attacks, but he seems to have too small of a brain to remember for more than a few days.  I'm impressed with how well all the girls have laid all winter long!  The man we use to buy eggs from, when we had to live in the apartment,  has a flock that decided to stop laying in late fall.  He is still having to buy eggs.

They actually look great on!

Satyr horns:
Dd and her two band friends are wanting to make satyr costumes, for fun.  Dd has already made one set of horns, and had a *great* time making them!!!  How fun!

German Shepherd Puppies:
Friday, Dd spent Friday night with Olivia, to practice their duet that is coming up.  Meanwhile, her church buddy texted asking to borrow a nose syringe; their dog was in labor!  She asked if I could go over and help deliver since her mother was home alone and not an animal person.  Well, I had the best time!  As I approached the door, two feet came out!  After the second was delivered the rest of the family came home.  I wasn't sure if I was needed anymore or not, and decided it was probably better to not wear out my welcome and left at that.  It was a great experience!!!



Barred Owls back:

Can you see him above the fence?  He, the owl, is in the middle of the picture and up a tad.

I refilled the neglected bird feeder this week and by Friday we had a Barred Owl perched 10-20 feet away from it---hunting our friendly friends.  I enjoyed watching it and think that it might not have been lucky, as I didn't see any attack.  I *think* I heard a robin this week; which would be a wonderful sign of the upcoming spring.



Academic Accomplishments this Week:

Look how much snow has melted in one week!

Bible:
Bible Study Sampler:
pg 34-37

Why Pray?
Day 26-30

Church, Sunday School, Volunteering/Games for Olympians, and Strings Group at church



Math:
Saxon Geometry through Grace HS Academy:
Lessons 67-70 and class

Writing:
IEW Continuation B:
Lesson 8 and 9: Report on Charles Dickens completed

Fun Reading:
Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose



Art:
Home Art:
Made a pair of satyr horns--cardboard, glue, paint, wire for head-wear.

Art Classes: Through Grace Academy



Painting Studio: 2:00 hours (finished watercolor, barn & winter deciduous trees)
Botany Art Class: 1:00 hour



History:

A History of US, Book 2 by Joy Hakim
ch.'s  29-42

(Already Finished Week 6th History Reader: Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold)



Literature:
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates: Completed

Science: 
Apologia Biology:

 Apologia Module 3, Text and Student Notebook: In Process
Completed the DVD sections for Module 3 this week

Music: 
Private Lessons: A VERY Musical Week!
Piano Lesson with Wendy: 30 min
Continuing to perfect The Entertainer, theme song from The Sting

Violin Lesson with Christie

Music Classes:
Intermediate Orchestra: violin: 1:30 hours
Intermediate Band: alto sax 1:30

Fun:
Strings Group at Church: Ukulele: 1:30 hours



Practice:
"Festival" Competition is coming up next month, so Dd and her sax buddy Olivia have begun practising for their duet again this year.  Dd spent Friday night at her house to get some good practice in--they practiced 1:30 hours Fri. and 1:30 hours Sat. morning.  Off to a great start!

Dd managed a lot of piano, sax, and violin practice this week!  Only 7 more classes in her band and orchestra classes for this year!