Filling the Gap - Docudrama of the African American Experience during the Ante-Bellum period

I have been to a museum here in town that has a couple people dress up as civil war soldiers and answer questions about what the time period was like. That was pretty neat, the kids thought it was cool. They had one old white guy, one teenage white guy, a teenage white girl and a regular black guy. (Regular would denote my age that I am now ... we'll just leave it there). Now, my thought was, wow ... that guys is pretty old, I wonder how old the older guys were that went off to war. But, at my right, another mom hissed that it was disgusting that they made an African American be there. Those kinds of people, the white reenactors, shouldn't be allowed in the park. I was surprised, and mumbled something about needing to study history. Did she really think that the white guy FORCED him to buy period clothing, a tent, a bag of peanuts (which he explained were called goobers) and then come set up and answer history related questions? I mean, to be realistic wouldn't it be odd to not have any African Americans around?

Back to the present, at this Olustee Reenactment, they have tents with displays, lots and lots of shops and recreated war tents. One of the tents was a display of the making of the movie "Filling the Gap". It is a movie made to fill in the gap of civil war history taught that ignores African Americans during that time aside from the stereotype of Uncle Ben's Cabin. Thank you, Ms. Fears and Mr. Young. There was an entire war that was fought with the freedom of enslaved Africans Americans the highest profile reason, and certainly the best result of it.

The film's website is http://www.essenceofhistory.com/ and they have clips, photos, and the film available for purchase.

Valentines Day Preparations

Ah, L'Amour ... or maybe that's how the author is spelled.

Either way, we are gearing up for St. Valentines Day! I have three ziplocks bags that contain taco shells, taco mix and taco sauce. The only way I could get three identical boxes that were empty and have a white inside. My second favorite part of the process was pulling off the thin plastic liner ... think sunburns.

My first favorite part of getting ready for St. Valentines Day is testing the candies in the little packages. Otherwise, we don't know if the candy is good or not. I know this sounds self serving, but after some trully AWFUL teachers gifts, I have found this is a necessary step in the process.

Piano Scales and Dropped Pencils

Oh, wait! I dropped my pencil!

For some reason, in this house, we have a mystical force that causes pencils to unexplicably drop from very secure locations and pencil lead to become more fragile than glass. Instead of a smooth 5 minutes on a worksheet, there is a three intruptions of a pencil rolling along the floor, and at least as many pencil leads breaking all without a culprit. I was encouraged to read a blog from homeschoolers and teachers that this phenomenon is not unique to our home, but of children and indeed even adults everywhere. What I have not been able to find is a solution. I will continue to search and update any finding I come across.

Christmas Memory 2009

One day I will need to put this into my book. This Christmas, we looked for the stockings to hang for Santa. They did not materialize anywhere, and I was NOT going to purchase yet another inferior stocking to get us through. So, knowing Santa was a inventive sort of fellow (and jolly of course) we found one stocking filled, and two boots still bearing dirt from outside stuffed with the boys' stocking offerings. We found the stockings the next day. I think the kids were a little miffed that Santa could find the boots, but not the missing stockings.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - Completed

My little boy finished the entire book. Yeah! It took us longer than the 100 days, but we didn't do it every day. Some days we stopped, others he wanted to do a second lesson. The only thing I would change is the writing. We didn't do it, but if I was starting again, I would at least out a sheet of paper and do a letter or two each time.

I have heard from other moms that the pages were too boring, no color, not enough pictures. Not sure what the difference is, some of the children were ADHD/ADD diagnosed, some where quiet girls that had recommended the book to me. (By the mother, not the student). Other children, with similar traits it didn't work for. Go figure. The only one I KNOW why it didn't work for is a dear friend who left it in her car until the yellow faded to white and never opened it.

We have really enjoyed the book, and it was a nice quiet moment together. My 3 year old isn't quiet ready yet. We are still working on the first 3 lessons, but he loves saying "mmmmmmmm" and "ssssssss".

Blooming Right Now - Northeast Florida

My camilla is blooming it's little heart out. I wacked it to nothing two years ago, and now it is a perfectly behaved little treat at my garage door.



Carolina jessamine is starting to flash yellow mini-trumpets on the arbor.

Hyacinth is poking it's green head up, but no flowering yet. Sleepy little thing.

February is the Coldest Day of Winter

But wait, you cry! February is a Month, not merely a Day!

Yes, it is, but it is so dismal and dreery that I maintain it is one continuous rotation that wobbles and does little to distinguish that the night is over, a grey wisp of hope, then it is eclipsed again by the night. I am left wondering if I actually was present for that grey wisp or if I dreamt it.

Ugh. Not one to wish time away, but I really wish the sun would come back out. Just a little even.