It hardly seemed possible that something as small as man could  kill something as large as a Great Lake. But just in the space of a century or so, we managed it. Thanks to lax factory laws and the triumph of greed over nature in places like Cleveland, Buffalo, Toledo, Sandusky and other bustling centres of soot and grit, Lake Erie was transformed in just three generations from a bowl of blue water into a large toilet. 

-Bill Bryson, “The Lost Continent, Travels in Small America”

This book was written in the late ’80s. I’d love to have him redo the trip now and write it again.

I finally put away the school pile. You know, the pile you collect through the year of all the work your child brings home? Then you add to the pile on the last day with all the kid’s workbooks, duotangs, etc. What to keep?

This year I was better than in previous years. I was ruthless in going through many of his workbooks. I kept unit tests, but threw out all his spelling tests. I kept his writing projects, but threw out his handwriting practise sheets. In then end I still have a good pile of papers and projects though. 

So, I’m curious. What do you keep? All of it? None of it? Do you have a system? Or are you swamped by your child’s work? Share!

I could spend hours at Wordle, I tell you! You can print out the word art and use it for anything you like. Or, save it as a pdf and use it for posters, Tshirts, etc. Serious word fun.

Last night we were treated to a display of the awesome power of nature. We had one of the biggest thunderstorms this area has ever seen. The thunder literally shook the bed and created an unbelievable noise, terrifying Bush Boy in the process. Once he was safely in our room though, he couldn’t help but be fascinated with the lightening display. At times the room lit up as bright as fluorescent lighting, and the mountains were visible as clear as if it were daytime. There were two storm fronts, one to the south and one to the west, both of which passed over us and both of which we could see from our hillside vantage point. The rain was so hard that there is dirt splashed from my garden across the walkway to the front door.

The whole town is buzzing about the late night event, something to be talked about for years to come.

A majority of living Nobel laureates in the sciences recently warned that, “if not checked, many of our current practices … may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner we know.” This is the planetary equivalent of the doctor clearing  his throat and asking you to sit down.

-”Deep Economy” by Bill McKibben

I will have a write up on this book this month.

Have you ever dyed your yarn – on purpose? There are many techniques and schools of thought when it comes to dying yarn, and many people take it very seriously. But if you are just looking to have a little fun, and don’t want to mess around with chemicals that require major safety equipment, then I have just the thing for you.

Koolaid.

Yup, that drink mix that you can pick up for pennies a packet is awesome at dying animal fibre (means it works on hair, too).  Here was a fun dying experiment a couple of days ago:

1. Presoaking the yarn (Scheepjes sock yarn in an oatmeal colour). The yarn is skeined and tied in three places.

2. I mixed the koolaid with just enough water to get a good, dark mix (I used strawberry-kiwi, strawberry and cherry).

3. I poured the dye over the yarn, which was coiled on a plastic bag on top of newspaper.

4. Once the yarn was saturated I put it in a glass dish with a lid and microwaved it in 2 minute increments, letting it rest between bouts (I did this batch three times).

5. I let the yarn cool for about an hour and then rinsed it out in luke-warm water (the water had no dye coming off, although the strawberry-kiwi left a milky residue which rinsed out).

6. I hung the yarn outside to dry.

7. I pulled out my lovely ball winder and voila!

The only thing you have to be careful of is cleaning up any spills as the colouring may dye your counters, etc. I wore gloves as I didn’t really want red fingers, but it won’t hurt you at all.

It’s really addictive, and a lot of fun. I already have more colours planned!

 

July 1st is Canada Day, so in celebration I give you my little corner of Canada and why I feel such a physical connection to my country:

 

Strathcona Park

 

Saratoga Beach

Buttle Lake

 

Nymph Falls Park

Orca Whales off Quadra Island

 

Happy Canada Day!!

I had the opportunity to go to a local (well, next town over) production of Biloxi Blues last night. It was fantastic, and is going to compete in a provincial festival soon. I went with my mum, and driving home I thought of how fortunate I am that my parents both shared their love of theatre with me.

We were encouraged as kids to participate in drama productions. Whether we were on stage or helping in the wings wasn’t important, it was the act of getting involved in the world of drama that mattered. I remember going to both big shows (Mr. Dress-Up) and local shows (Kaleidoscope Theatre) as a child. When I was 12 my dad took me to see The Taming of the Shrew (something to do with the name of the lead character ….) – and it is to this day one of my favourite plays.

My husband and I had our first date at a play my mum was in at the local school theatre. A British comedy, if I remember correctly. He now also enjoys going to shows and locally we have seen some fabulous productions.

The best thing is watching my mum share this love with our son. While we have taken him to shows and greatly enjoy doing so, it is my mum who really makes the effort to take him to any good play or musical or other event she thinks he would enjoy. From the Vienna Boys Choir, to the Wizard of Oz, Wind in the Willows, Annie and more, she has taken him on theatre dates for years now. He loves it, and is always eager to see the next show.

I hope you get the chance to support your local stage. It’s not terribly expensive, and it is so worth it. Whether it be community group plays, children’s theatre musicals, local dance productions or imported shows, a love of the stage will broaden both your and your children’s world. As well, you will ensure that the joy of other worlds and new experiences continues to benefit your community.

We are brought up in the ethic that others, any others, all others, are by definition more interesting than ourselves; taught to be diffident, just this side of self-effacing. … Only the very young and the very old may recount their dreams at breakfast, dwell upon self, interrupt with memories of beach picnics and favourite Liberty lawn dresses and the rainbow trout in a creek near Colorado Springs. The rest of us are expected, rightly, to affect absorption in other people’s favourite dresses, other people’s trout.

-Joan Didion “Slouching Toward Bethlehem”

This was without a doubt how I was raised, and still how members of my family feel. I see it now that my son is getting older, the same shush and sideways glances shot his way when he talks too much about himself, his life, his funny moments. Those sideways glances use to drive me to distraction when they were directed my way, and I deliberately ignored them. Oh I was a rebellious, opinionated child …. and thankfully I’m raising another one! Not to say you shouldn’t be interested in other people or listen to other people; just that you don’t have to play the wallflower, and if you do have something interesting to share you should share it.

Remember the last day of elementary school before summer vacation? The anticipation? The saying good-bye to school friends and teachers? Clearing out your desk and bringing home all the work you’d done through the year?

We are on the last day of school here. Last day of primary as well – Bush Boy starts Grade 4 in September. It will be nice to not have to get moving for school tomorrow morning, but I know there is part of him that will miss the routine, the friends, the life of his own.

I did a gift set of dishcloths for the teacher, and Bush Boy picked out some lovely plants at the nursery. Perennials mind you, as annuals wouldn’t last beyond this year and that was just no good he said. This has been an excellent year, with a teacher who truly connects with each of her students and goes the extra mile to give them each support, both in and out of school. She lives near-by, and the kids all know she keeps freezies on hand for those who stop to say hi.

So now our summer adventures begin, another school year behind us. More than January 1st, the school year is the measure of time passing. I, too, feel both anticipation and a pang of loss.