I haven't intended to become such an irregular blogger. I deeply miss the writing and sharing here in this space, but a few things have happened that have slowed down (paused!) my blogging here.
Journey North Mystery Class and also math-in-the-garden nature journaling.
My joy in blogging has always been two-fold. One is my love of photography. I love capturing what I see and sharing it here. My desire to share hasn't mixed well with my time to upload, look over, delete, and url stamp my photos lately. In addition, I have had to take and choose photos with a different 'lens.' I have been very careful when choosing photos that include my kids or their work because they are becoming more private, probably in part because of age, but also, following my lead and conversations we have had, they are more cautious. And, of course, I admit to having finally joined the world of Instagram last autumn. It is so easy just to share a photo there, without url stamping and with easy editing. It has made me lazy with photo blogging. (You can request to follow me there @nicolacreativelightless )
The second has been the writing piece. As for the writing component of sharing here...well...my thoughts and feelings have run so deep and so muddled, that I have struggled to make sense of them. Writing has always helped, but for me to be comfortable sharing here, the re-writing and editing would take too long. I have struggled with some health challenges which have left me drained at the end of the day. The time after the kids go to bed has always been my quiet writing time, but lately, I have lacked all desire to be on the computer before bed. In fact, right now, it is mid-afternoon, we are all out on the deck and the photo below is my view of the kids as I write. We just visited the library and need nothing more than a good book, a snack, and sunshine to undo some of the tension built from testing the last couple of weeks.
Lala Bug made a thunder cake on her own after reading Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
So much has happened the past couple of months, since I last truly blogged about homeschooling. Nothing hugely significant, but just many little, ordinary, extraordinary, beautiful (and stressful...let's be honest) moments, cobbled together to make a meaningful family life and education. One of our strongest anchors has been nature study this year. It hasn't been what I imagined it would be, but it has been healing and soul-filling. Read-aloud time and hands-on explorations connected with those readings have also been strong roots, along with our charter community and activities.
We have had crazy spring weather. Dime-sized hail!
Family nature journaling
Since my post about worrying about the path ahead, I have attended some homeschool high school discussions, had lots of conversations with other parents, I have listened to a number of homeschool podcasts, 'attended' a couple of online summits (including one for twice exceptional (2e) children...children who are both gifted and have special needs/challenges), visited a couple of alternative middle and high schools, journaled, discussed with M, and thought a lot. We still don't know what we will be doing when the time for 'high school' comes, but my exploration has opened conversations with Lala Bug, has begun warming all of us to the idea that transitions are coming, and I feel significantly less anxious. (For now.)
Knitting pattern writing and drawing
Fibonacci explorations
So, today, I am enjoying the sunshine of spring, sitting here with my computer and my notebook, and dumping ideas down for what is worrying me and what I want most to tackle in our home and homeschool in the coming months. It gives me a place to begin a conversation with the kids and M about what they most want to guide and learn and do. What does your home look like this spring?
Do you ever feel, like you want a change? Like you've been doing the same thing for ten years, and even though the dishes still need to get done, you want to do something else for a while, or forever. This is what I feel like in MY life right now, though the dishes are a metaphor. For you I felt like they are a metaphor for blogging, for me it is a metaphor for being a housewife, and for my half-assed part time jobs. I got issues to work out.
ReplyDeleteYes. Change is good. It keeps us alive. You are in the thick of things with 3 young boys, G. It is hard. It is hard when they need you a ton. It is hard when they need you less. It is hard when the things that need doing have you on a hamster wheel. And it is all tiring. I don't need to change blogging. My root reasons for doing so are still there, but there are other things demanding my attention and time that leave me super tired and of the the things that fuel me, blogging isn't highest on the list, so it hasn't been happening as often as I used to have energy for. Hugs, friend. I got issues too. Don't we all? Quirky. That is what I call it. :)
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