Favorite Photo Friday

Playing Hooky

 

It’s been an intense and challenging couple of weeks.  For Boston in general, for our family in particular.   So today I called off all our varied plans and activities and instead we took a day-off, a mental-health day.  We played hooky J.    We rarely do this, and I think that there is something about homeschooling that makes it more difficult for me to call the day off then it would be if my children were in school.  Perhaps it’s that our activities and social opportunities seem particularly precious because they don’t automatically exist, but instead need to be planned and executed by me.  Perhaps we rarely cancel our day because what we have planned is so lovely – and our planned activities for today were quite wonderful (a play date with Homeschool Co-op friends, a hike and building project with others).   But isn’t playing hooky in part the very reason to Homeschool?   We Homeschool so that we can have the flexibility, the time, to really listen and respond to the needs of our children.

The beautiful spring afternoon, my children’s need for time just with me, and my need for a view of the horizon led us to Singing Beach on the North Shore.  And there we were, soaking up the sun and the beauty.  Me, writing and taking photographs.  While my two boys completely engaged themselves in the creation of waterways, dams, pyramids, spillways, and mud farms.  For three solid hours.

Really this is a post about gratitude.  I am so thankful for my beautiful, creative children.  For a spring afternoon at the beach.  For my life, my safety, my family, my friends.  For the sun’s return, the flowers in bloom, the constant changing of the ocean, the expanse of blue sky.   I’m grateful that I listened to the true needs of my children and my heart.  And that we played hooky today.  

Favorite Photo Friday

Favorite Photo Friday

Favorite Photo Friday

Favorite Photo Friday

Some of you have already seen this photo, but most of you haven't.  In honor of Gryffin's upcoming birthday I'm posting HIS favorite picture of himself.   He says "My eye is looking right into the frog's eye!"   

Three Sisters Soup

This post is in honor of my two sister, with whom I usually celebrate this turn of the wheel. Due to scheduling conflicts we won't all be together this Equinox :( --- miss you!

I thought I'd share with you a recipe for Three Sister Soup.  This is the soup I make every Autumnal Equinox, to celebrate Mabon or 'The Second Harvest'.  (Lammas - August 1st -being the first harvest, and Samhain - Halloween - being the 3rd or final harvest).  The Three Sisters are corn, beans and squash, all traditionally grown together in a wonderfully symbiotic relationship.  The corn becomes a support for the beans; the beans add nitrogen to the soil to fertilize the corn and squash; the squash acts as mulch for the corn and beans, shading the soil and base of the other plants.  These three are harvested at the same time (right now!), and eaten together form a complete protein.  (Well, really the corn & beans are a complete protein, but I couldn't leave out sister squash & all her yummy vitamins).  

Like any recipe I create, it's all very loose.  So if you try it out - get creative, season as you like...but don't forget to say a spell, a prayer, or a blessing as the soup is simmering.

Three Sisters Soup
1 cup dry aduki beans (soaked overnight)
1 large onion
Lots of veggie broth OR 2 bullion cubes & water
1-2 strips kombu or wakame (seaweed)

BOIL until the beans are fairly soft, then chop and ADD

4 (approx) large carrots
2 sweet potatoes, peeled
2 delicata squash, peeled

SIMMER for a bit, then ADD spices

lots of cumin & cardomom
some basil, thyme, cayenne (a pinch!), salt, pepper
1-2 cups cooked corn

SIMMER a bit more, until the flavors come together.  Serve hot with homemade bread and really good quality butter.  Yum!

From this stew of sisters three,

all shall eat in harmony,

and may this warmth stay in the heart,

as we return to home and hearth!

Blessed be



My sisters!  Equinox camping trip 2009