Handicrafts

From one to two hours, according to age and class, are given in the afternoons to handicrafts, field-work, drawing, etc.; and the evenings are absolutely free, so that the children have leisure for hobbies, family reading, and the like. We are able to get through a greater variety of subjects, and through more work in each subject, in a shorter time than is usually allowed, because children taught in this way get the habit of close attention and are carried on by steady interest. Vol. 3 p. 240 , Charlotte Mason

Daddy’s and Daughters

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
— Wendell Berry

Welcoming Strangers

In 2012 many friends and strangers opened their home to our family of seven as we journeyed across the US for our Group Hug America tour. We were so warmly received and welcomed on our 3 month journey, that when I saw that Bre was going to be making a similar pilgrimage I knew we had to be one of her stops. My good friend joked that I had invited a STRANGER to my home and hinted that she thought I may be completely CRAZY. I retorted that Bre “presented well online” so surely she was fine and crossed my fingers hoping my instinct was right.

Bre came on Saturday with her daughters Bailey and Eleanor. And what a gift and blessing it was to our family to receive them in all their cuteness! We spent the weekend trying to keep the baby safe from Constance and were mostly successful, except for the time Constance picked up Eleanor, and when we told her to put her down, she did. Dropped her right down onto the hardwood floors. Our 6 year-olds hit it off splendidly, and spent most of their time pretending, giggling and running through the house (Dear winter, you can go now). And we even got in some thrifting time.

It was much too short and we’ve already offered them to come again soon. In a world where we are scared to trust it feels so good to do beautiful, spontaneous things.  To welcome strangers and see such lovely fruit come from it. I’m glad you came, Bre.