Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Today's Weather


We suspect Spring is around the corner with the arrival of the "funny weather."
Today we enjoyed a dramatic array of weather...
from sun to clouds, from very bright to very dark (dark enough to need lights at noon),
from rain to snow to hail (!!!),
and then a dramatic finish of lightning and thunder with a splash of large and hard rain drops.
Very interesting.






Pioneer Clothing


Last Saturday we took the kids to an indoor Living History Fair and Trade Show.
Apparently there is an entire culture of lovely American people who work hard to keep history alive. 
They carefully make their own period-correct clothing and tools,
and maintain an authentic historical way of life.
Many of them participate in the Civil War and Revolutionary War reenactment events,
work at historical museums and societies,
and live as historical re-enactors at various historic sites, old world sites, forts, etc.
The show we went to on Saturday is a place where these people gather to sell
their own home-made things and buy the supplies they need to make more.
We saw piles of animal hides used for making leather clothes and moccasins and satchels.
We saw men carding wool and women spinning it into yarns and knitting it.
We saw a lady making lace and several others weaving on looms.
We watched men playing hand made wood flutes and old guitars.
We even saw some amazingly authentic and scary-looking Native Americans!
(Shaved heads and red skin and animal skulls on their belts.)
There were tables loaded with hand made bows and arrows, hatchets, wood flutes, looms,
hand woven fabrics, knitting, wools, clothing and shoes and hats...you name it.
This made the history stories my kids have read come alive.
And you guessed it...now they want pioneer and settler clothing and animal skins and prairie bonnets and moccasins.
So, the research and the making has begun!
The girls and I made settler style dresses from old sheets.
Shawn plans to make prairie bonnets with them too.
Miles will eventually get his own chemise style shirt and breeches.
They will learn to make their own moccasins.
And the future historical events we attend will be so much more fun with their outfits!







Around Here Lately

Daddy caught the two little boys hiding behind coats playing video games on Mommy's phone

Enjoying the last snow fall


Eli got a shiner

Miles was proud of it and took pictures 

Celene's photo of a cardinal

Miles' photo of the hamster stuffing himself in a button jar

Theo trying to figure out the Mancala game

Miles and Eli making suet with Dad's saved-up bacon grease

Hannah's latest reading list finished

a short break in the cold weather gave the kids some extra outside play time

pretty sun set color on our barn

exploring making yummy kombucha flavors

Videos of Miles' TKD Test



Two short videos of Miles' testing.
His board break required a flying side kick, which was really awesome to watch!
He broke it on the first try!



Miles Tae Kwon Do Test for Blue Belt


Miles tested last Saturday for his blue belt!
He did a great job.

Splits! 




he's a blur!


Getting his new belt and certificate