Wow, what a busy month. We start our Feeder Watch Project. We are setting up all the supplies next to the window that we use to view the birds. For the most part we have identified all the species we have, we just need to count.
We just launched a new language program, Rosetta Stone, that we are getting free through the Montgomery County Public Library. This is a very expensive software program that we have always wished for but could never fit in the budget. The library received a grant to offer it free. Felt like we won the lotto. Both kids and Mama are learning Spanish. We are going to treat ourselves to a 9 day guided tour of Guatemala in two years. Really. I knew when I left Guatemala I would be back someday, I didn't envision at the time I would be returning with two small children, life is full of surprises.
We are also participating in a virtual quest, The Blue Zone, with National Geographic. We are curently leading a team of investigators around Japan (participants get to vote each day where the team will go the next day) and learning why the resident's of Okinawa,Japan live to be so old and healthy. Today we actually got to attend (virtual) a Buddhist Funeral. It was remarkable. The man that died was 104, he was creamated and then in a sacred Buddhist ceremony they unearthed the cremated remains of his wife, who had preceded him in death. The family lead by a Buddist Monk opened both urns and mixed the remains together so the couple would be together in eternity. It was very moving to observe. Tomorrow we are going to meet with a chef and learn how to cook Tofu. We made a special trip to the store and have Tofu waiting in the frig to try out some recipes.
We are also making books and gathering new and gently used books for the Memory Project and are doing what we can to get theword out about a documentary about Uganda's 17 year Civil War and the children who are the casualities. The documentaryproject is called The Invisible Children. Click here to preview some clips.
We are also sort of revamping the house. We are working on making it a little more cozy for winter. We have set up a "reading nook" in our library room. I am trying to make areas that promote comfort and security and lessen housework as we continue on our life's journey. Loretta is very into dance and theater/dress up so I am making her a stage for her room with a curtain.
I was contacted by NPR and asked to do two more interviews with Bobbi Conner's Parent's Journal Program. They allowed me to choose the topics (which was very cool), so I will be talking 1st about Mother/Daughter journals and secondly about children being natural learners and with just simple, inexpensive things like magnetic alphabet letters on the frig and a 1-100 number poster at eye level,children will teach themselves how to read, spell, count and perform mathematic operations. The interviews will happen next Tuesday, I am not sure of the air dates,when I find out I will post them.
We also have several festivals and special performances that we would like to attend. We will see how the energy holds.
Retta and I did a fun art project last evening. We dribbled bits of paint onto a piece of paper and then placed another piece over the top. Then you roll over the paper with a rolling pin. It is so exciting to pull back the top piece and see what has been created. We had so much fun that we made about twenty of them. We had to string a clotheline in the kitchen and hang them all to dry. Some of them turned out so beautiful we might use them when we make books for the kids in Uganda. I will post the pictures tomorrow.
