The Start of School

The first week of school has come and gone. It was a busy week but a really good one. Our little school now has students in 5th, 7th, 8th, and 10th grades. Pretty soon we won't have any elementary students--what a thought!

This year we are participating in a co-op PE class. Connor is an assitant coach while the others simply play to learn and have fun. So far it's been great. We have a wonderful private field to play on and a gym to use for the winter thanks to the cooperation of a local church who supports homeschoolers. Our local homeschool groups offers us many opportunities like fellowship, field trips, classes and events, teacher support, and other programs. It's quite the blessing. We jumped right into a class this first week. Outdoor learning was on the docket and tree and snake identification were the focus. The children learned how to identify trees using leaves and bark as key indicators. They made a nature notebook and vowed to continue to fill it up because they were so intrigued. Snakes are a real interest in our area of the country. We see them quite often actually and have croseed paths with them more frequently here than anywhere else we've lived. With 6 of hte 10 most poisonous snakes in North America living in our state, it's pretty important to know how ot recognize species and know if they are poisonous or not, The children soaked up the information and enjoyed the opportunity to meet a couple of snakes that they could touch without worry--a boa and a python. We are signed up for another nature class in October and we can't wait to attend it. :-)

Since it is September, apple season is officially upon us, and we were in the area, we made a trip a little further up the highway to visit an old fashioned farm market before we headed home. The place had everything from fresh veggies and fruits, canned foods and jams, syrups, butters and sauces, homemade breads and pies, ice cream, candies and old fashioned drinks, and even giftables. The children decided to get old fashioned sodas--rootbeer, cream soda, sasparilla, and birch beer (new to me! It was reported that it tasted like cherry rootbeer and that it was really good). We bought two big bags of apples. Between eating them fresh and dehydrating some of them, these apples will be gone in no time! :-) It's not officially Fall yet, but with the stat of school and the weather cooling a bit it sure feels like it. We've even noted leaves falling regularly in our backyard. When it does officially begin, we'll be ready, :-) Welcme to the 2022-2023 school year!