4-H Club
4-H club will meet on March 11 and March 25 this month.
We missed meeting on February 17. We liked the idea of doing some
simple physics with string and spoils or gears. Please collect a
small shoebox of junk like spools, coils, thread, board, knobs and springs
and we will have a meeting to build things like pulleys or moving objects.
We will call around one fine day and meet soon when we can all be together.
We expect some relatives to come visit and this seems to be happening in
other households. They are invited to come, too.
March 11
Planting sunflowers, melon and pumpkins for a contest to see which one
of us can grow the biggest. Sunflowers should be planted directly in
the ground. We still have freezing and beat the squirrel to the sunflower
if we put them in peat cups. Please bring some cups, small potting
soil and seeds. We have some green bean seeds, too.
We changed the date of this meeting from the fourth. Snow was
piled high on the curb and we couldn't park easily.
March 25
Veronica wanted to do some fresh air watercolors. We can meet at
Grist Mill Park and paint pictures of the younger children playing.
If we bring a duck or too we can paint the ducks or paint a landscape.
Watercolor, brushes, water in a sealed container and paper. If the
weather is bad, we will paint at my house. We will call on the phone
the night before. Usually, we would go to a scene like the mill on
Old Mount Vernon and do a bit of landscape. If you have a picture
of a perfect place in mind let me know and we will go there. With the
younger children it is hard to manage a street scene.
Back to Grist Mill Park
March 19
We can try the park if the weather agrees. Not soggy, not rainy,
not uncomfortable.We are fair weather friends for playing in the park.
This is also prime time for the cherry blossoms and it might be fun
to walk along the tidal basin. We can park at Potomac Park and stroll.
I do have allergy problems in the spring. We know spring is sprung
with the nose, and other symptoms which are already happening. Trust
me something is going on and if the snow ever melts the snow drops and
crocus will be up. My nose is already pinging.
Movie date? Please e-mail if there is a convenient time for the
teens to have a movie and popcorn at my house in the afternoon. Or, go
the mall. There are some new exciting movies.
Play Group at Lee Recreation Center on Wednesdays
Paul will have his family at Lee Recreation for a warm swim on March
5 If you would like to join in the fun come at 1:00 or 1:30 P.M. Get
acqainted.
March 17th is St. Patricks Day. Don't forget to wear green!
Baseball
Baseball with Woodlawn Little League Sport
for boys and girls age 5-16. Parents make a commitment to bring their
child to practice and games. My boys loved this. They learn a lot and
meet a lot of people. Contact
Charlene.
Support Group forming
You are my support group here. But, Loraine Hitchcock is forming a
group for support and they will meet at Sherwood Library. They will
offer some things to help people. Lorraine has been at some of our
meetings and you can find information on the VaEclectic site about this
new group called "Gotcha". Those of us with younger children may find more
friends.
Note:
The children are interested in the Minerals at the Smithsonian and going
to the mint to see coins and money made. Volunteer Dads requested.
Could we plan for a Saturday adventure?
News
Zainy Brainy is closing. The Woodbridge store is nearly empty.
Zoom by fast for markdowns. We used to find art supplies and paper
and books on the subjects we were interested in and they will be missed.
By the time this is read, they will be gone. The 8 was the closing date.
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March 9 YOPW Concert at Gar-Field High School. 4:00
March 9 YOPW Concert at Gar-Field High School. 4:00
The youth have practiced many hours and sound great. Please come out
and buy your ticket at the door.
We will be there with our
first violinist in the back row since everyone gets a chance to sit up front.
Been attending rehearsal and it will be good. Fine Irish music.
Art
We have been making a lot of collages. They are quite interesting.
Youngest son can't stop and we have given him the crown for working with
cut paper. The youngest can make alphabet pictures and we had a Weird Pizza
made on cake cardboard and nobody stops with just one. You can find
out what people are thinking when they choose their theme. Poster Board,
glue, scissors, and dangerous knives for the daring. Lots of old magazines.
Cut up and paste up some
art and what you are thinking will come out subliminal.
Civil war studies
Began the studies with the 1927 movie, silent no less, "Uncle Tom's
Cabin." Have to read the sub-titles. The children were riveted to
the screen. Most hadn't experience black and white or non-talking movies.
The score of music was the best. It showed a glorified south but the
treatment of the slaves was revealing. It polarized our small community.
Some were angry and some were hurt to see the movie. We talked a long
time about this book and the movie. The book stopped and the movie
showed Sherman marching to the sea burning everything behind him.
The teens thought that was a bad idea because the people would be homeless
and the crops would be destroyed. After reading the Art of War and
playing the game Risk, they didn't feel it was right to take the war that
far.
Ken Burns series has been offered and they watch the tapes although
they think they are boring.. The library has so many stories about
the Civil War. We read from them about the people in the war.
Branched into the naval part of the war. Submarines. Jules Verne
stories. Then, we spent some days with the children assigned jobs, the boys
to pick cotton, the youngest to be lady's maid and the teens to cook.We
pretended. We had to feed the cracked corn to the birds and nobody wanted
to cook the hominy. Cornbread is not as good as spoonbread. We
will cook okra and I expect a rebellion.
We spent time talking about General Lee and if we can get out of the
house and into Arlington Cemetery Parking Lot with a group we will visit
his home. And, we have some admiration of President Lincoln. We found
by study of genealogy that we had some of the family in the south and some
in the north. We have spent days discussing how we would have reacted to
the division in our present family. We looked at photocopies of Great-grandfather's
pay vouchers and found links to relatives. Thanks to the genealogy worked
on by my father before his death.
Unschooling Note
On VaEclectic there was some conversation about what would you do if
you unschool. I confessed to Fairfax that we unchooled last year.
They will write me back. Also, told them I retained one of the children
at a grade level because the child wasn't reading or co-operating. Expect
to be hog tied. I was unwilling to not tell the truth and never sent
my portfolio this year. Letter asking for it twice and finally answered.
So, I will keep you all informed about this operatic plot.
Cuddly Dog News
We found out today that Cuddly has gone blind. He can't see anymore.
So, I know you would all want to know how we will deal with this.
The vet suggests that we never move the furniture, speak to Cuddly
to let him know who is there, and help him on the stairs and talk to him when
you come in the house. Hold out a closed fist and say hello. He can't
see you so we will need to not walk on him. His hearing is strong and
his nose works But he is walking in the dark. Things happen.We deal
with it. We can only support and help him to enjoy life with a limit. When
you walk by, be aware of where he is. He doesn't see you anymore, but
he knows you are there.
Shakespeare in the Park
Ft. Hunt park at the theater, we read three acts
of King Lear. Next Friday, we will read and film more of King Lear.
The younger children had a wonderful time at the park swinging while the
play was read. The prose was riveting. Already thinking about
more plays on a weekly basis or bi-weekly. Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet,
and Kathy wants Oedipus Rex. Let me know if you need additional information.
We will present videos to the families involved at the end of the performances
so the teens and children can see themselves. We will meet at Lee Park at
the amphitheater. Please bring water or drinks and a snack to keep the audience
happy. And, the performers from becoming Thirsty. We brought peanuts
for the peanut gallery.
The play is the thing. Bring a copy of the play. You take the
stage around one.
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