what we are up to

last week we attended a felting workshop--thoroughly enjoyable. the atmosphere was great, i felt comfortable nursing G at the table while i worked, and M enjoyed creating several original pieces.

i was impressed with how confident and polite she was, how easily she asked other adults for help, and how protective and proud she was of her brother.

at one point she disappeared with some other girls into a painting workshop, and soon emerged with a painting of a whale that made everyone's jaws drop, including mine. someone even asked us whether she could show the painting to her friends. the whale looked a bit like a fish, but the colours--yellows, orange, and reds, with a black outline--and the expression were phenomenal. it was acrylic on plastic board.

now even more strongly than before i wish we were closer to a cultural center. observing M in such an environment was a joy, and i could see her confidence, creativity, and social skills blossoming amongst supportive and open-minded adults, in an environment where she and our entire family was welcomed.

she was very vocal about being homeschooled, and explained with a delightful smile that she learned whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, even when a well intended lady kept pestering her with questions about math.

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we planted some herbs and veggies in the greenhouse, and we are expecting something to sprout in 3-4 days. G watered too many plots that weren't ours, but i don't think he managed to do any real damage.


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on our to do list:

1. to look up reproduction process of the mosquitoes. M has been asking me for days, but every time we get home other activities become more urgent. she knows already knows that mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water, but i think she imagines miniature chicken eggs, as she asked me whether we could break them by tossing rocks into a puddle. mosquitoes are starting to emerge, so we are quite mosquito centered. yesterday she asked whether they pee, and whether they pee blood.

2. too find a good site / book about the human brain. M has started expressing herself in terms of her brain's wants and needs, and she normally relates how her body responds to her brain's directions. i explained to her about neural pathways, and how the brain interprets the signals that neurons send to it. we also talked about drugs impairing the brain-body connection, and other instance when the brain might not receive the signals. i need a refresher course myself.

projects:

1. sewing / finishing another "baby" out of felt and finishing her felt bag (from the felt that she felted herself).

2. deciding whether we want a corner of our living room to be filled with a plastic container garden--growing herbs. we have sprouts at home too, and we are not sure whether we want to transplant and devote more time and money to our indoors garden.