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A Net in Time

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Beyond The Sunset

December 11, 2020 By Annette1 16 Comments

Oh, that was funny.  I mentioned the word Beyond, and then said “I like that word, it’s a good prompt”.  Anyways, my tenant started singing “Beyond the sunset”.   Made me smile.  So here’s a link so you can smile too. 

Beyond the Sunset

Beyond the Sunset
I heard those words
Picked through youtube videos
Finding one for others to enjoy.

I got to thinking
What does it mean?
Beyond the sunset?
What could the author be thinking.

I did this of course
Not really knowing the song
Not having looked at the words.
Just wondering.

So what is just beyond the sunset?
A dark, starlit night?
The close of a day?
Perhaps the end of a life?

What is beyond the sunset?
Perhaps, just perhaps
It’s a brand new day.
A whole new start!

Imagine it for a moment.
The end of a life lived
in Service to God.
A glorious start of praising God.

Oh, the glory of that eh?
The wonder of being
able to praise God
Perfectly, as holy beings.

Imagine for a moment
a dark night, followed
by a brand new day.
A chance to start anew.

To leave behind the
brokenness and sorrow
of yesterday.
Possibilities run wild.

Imagine now
the end of a day.
A time of reflection,
A chance to consider well.

The course of a day.
Time to think, to
Plan change based on
Looking well at life lived.

Beyond the sunset.
Glory in heaven?
A brand new start?
Time of reflection and change?

What is beyond your sunset?

I do hope you’ll join in with us on Miss Kate’s Five-Minute-Friday word prompt.  Five minutes of consideration on a word prompt.  Five minutes to simply write for the joy of writing.  It’s a lovely thing to do.  Come on, Join in won’t you?

Filed Under: Uncategorized

AstroNuts Mission two

October 21, 2020 By Annette1 2 Comments

Do you remember the review I did for AstroNuts Mission one?  Yes, these crazy misfits have been upgraded and they are back for their second mission, this time to a Water Planet.  What can we learn about taking care of our own planet as we follow along with AstroNuts Mission Two?

astronuts mission two

What I am Reviewing

Jon Scieszka and Steven Weinberg are back with AstroNuts Mission Two: The Water Planet.   I am reviewing an Advanced Readers Copy, only a few of the pages were done in full-colour.  228 pages, geared to youth 8-12 years old, a graphic novel that uses humour throughout.  Published by Chronicle Books. 

From the cover: The book follows a new mission, where AstroWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk, and StinkBug must find a planet fit for human life after we’ve finally made Earth unlivable.

After they splash-land on the Water Planet, they find power-hungry clams, a rebellious underwater force, and a world full of too-good-to-be-true. Can this aquatic world really be humans’ new home? And why are these clams so eager to swap planets?

The Details for AstroNuts Misson Two

Take a moment to imagine this team: AstroWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk, and StinkBug. Bioengineered and intelligent they have a number of unique skills.  BUT they have much to learn about working together and how to function well as a team for the good of Earth.   

Author Jon Scieszka uses humour to make this adventure comic a good read for middle school youth.  While Steven Weinberg includes lots of colour to convey the wonder of The Water Planet. 

You’ll find good use of math and science throughout. Isn’t that a great way to encourage the love of these sciences?  

Each of the characters has lessons to learn with teamwork being a big part of it.  How do you set aside your own agenda to do what is good and right for others? 

Easy to read, with intrigue and danger.  The question is… could the AstroNuts figure out what was going on before it was too late? 

Should you get Astronuts Mission Two?

I personally find AstroNuts Mission Two to be a bit odd.  The four main characters are so unique it was hard to take them seriously. But I could see their appeal to readers on the lower end of the middle school grades.   

From an environmental, political treatise…it’s worth a second look.   It’s good to think through the implications of some of the actions we take.  It is very good to consider how we can take care of our planet better. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Book Review, Books for Middle School, Raincoast

Breathe

October 2, 2020 By Annette1 20 Comments

Hey hey hey!  It’s that time of day!  Five Minute Friday, with a word from Miss Kate.  This week we are to focus in on the word Breathe.  This isn’t the first time we’ve done this word, back three years ago I did Breathe in … out. 

This week I’ve been getting things in order after having been camping for a week.  Three days of doing laundry, and taking time to put stuff away again, as well as getting caught up with things not done while I was away.  After a busy week like that, taking a moment to breathe the busyness away would be good eh?

breathe

Breathe

It took longer than
I thought it would.
Walking to the office and
Then deciding to take what
Should be a half hour walk.

A beautiful day
I took a wrong turn
and….
instead of doing the smart thing
and retracing my steps.

I decided to explore.
Follow an unmarked trail.
Walk up a steep sloop.
I’m sure there’s a lake
Over the rise.

Stop, breathe.
Tall trees surround.
Catch your breathe,
Consider retracing steps but
Up ahead…do you see water?

Two small ponds
Side by side
A treacherous pathway
Is in betide
Breathe, another uphill climb.

Climb, pace it
Step by Step
A tower seen!
Human habitation
YES! My guess correct!

See a blue marker
Realize a trail.
Now to find
where I am
without fail.

A scene of beauty
Rolls out before my eyes.
Blue lake against light sky
God’s creation steals
My breath away.

Careful now
Steep path ahead
don’t fall down
and knock your head.

God at work
places tree
Just where one
needs to be!

By and By
Way grows more clear
I know I’ll get back
A way home from here
Blue markers blaze.

Two hours later
Trailer ahead
My fellows waiting
Wondering where’d I’d been
Snack wrappers lay.

While I was gone.
My boys awake are.
Wondering where Mom is
She’s gone rather far.
Explanation given.

“Mom, don’t follow
strange Trails!
My darling son rails.
Just turn around, and
retrace steps!

Do this without fail!
Laughing he added
We’re glad you’re home safe!
Breathing in laughter and
a bit of concern.

I’m glad that I was
Back, a lad’s concern
made clear.
Two hours it took.
T’was a glorious tour.

God’s creation explored.
A path made clear.
Time to think.
Time to breathe.
It was vacation week.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #fmfparty, Five Minute Friday, Poem, poetry, Vacation

Summer Edition Browser Tabs

September 3, 2020 By Annette1 2 Comments

My son had to do something with my laptop the other day, and complained that “mom, you have too many tabs open!” Since I had almost 50 open I thought it was about time for me to share them with you.  So here’s the summer edition browser tabs.  Close up those tabs and yet have a way to remember them!  🙂 

Schooling Related

Did you know the Knowledge House has a whole list of possible high school courses?   What a fantastic list to look through to see what intrigues our students.   Wouldn’t it give a great way to pursue their interests? 

Tree of Life has this logic course that I have been considering. I just wish the lad had room in his schedule for everything I’d like to see him do. 

Captivating Compass posted about the top 10 high school electives. 

I like looking through lists of free resources for homeschooling.  This one from Table Life had a couple I hadn’t heard of before. 

I keep being intrigued by Hebrew classes.  I have yet to sign up for them, but I am intrigued none-the-less. 

Communications101 from Powerline Productions I wonder about getting for the lad.  He doesn’t have room for it in his schedule this year.  

The Career and Technical courses in Acellus high school courses I am curious about, but wonder about them because they are US-based, and I wonder how they would transmit to Canadian regulations. 

I’m working on a college and careers half-credit course for the lad and consider options such as on this page. I haven’t really explored the seven options listed, but wanted to remember them for later use. 

I’ve been considering this art appreciation course for grade 11 for the lad next year.  Keeping his options open as he’s not sure what his future holds. 

Beyond Personal Finance I am suspecting more and more is a needed course for my lad.  He forgets that $5 earned for 20 minutes work is a good investment of time, particularly if it’s something you were going to do anyways.  It’s not worth my time though…. so I think about making him pay some of his own bills…..  🙂 

Cover Shakespeare with free plays!  Courtesy of Bob Jones University. 

I need to remember these Algebra and Geometry helpers for the lad. 

Fascinating Tidbits

Sometimes as I am browsing the internet I come across interesting things I want to follow up on.  For instance I’ve run across these items. 

  • Walnut-sized octopus. 
  • Barrel-eyed fish. 
  • Sourdough Starter. I keep meaning to do this. 
  • I really enjoy curiosity stream, so I wonder about doing great courses. 
  • Free Reference binders.  I like this idea.  Need to do something with it yet.  Just haven’t quite figured it. 

Stuff Just for Me

Alison.  I’ve finished my carpentry course, so I’ve decided to move on to an architecture course.   It’s rather interesting looking at buildings from of old and learning more about how they were built. 

Though this technically isn’t JUST for me, I’ve been having fun with some the experiements/labs on the ChemCollective. I’m wondering if they might stimulate my lad’s interest. 

Ever want to visit the Sistine Chapel?  How about this virtual one? 

Need some books to read?  Check out the Open Library.  You’ll need an account but it’s free, so worth looking through. I’ve borrowed the book thief and a couple of others over time. 

I’ve been browsing through My Teaching Library.  There’s a review coming, so far we’ve done some poetry, and I’m looking into the French cooking book!  Expand my repertoire a bit!

Others in this series.

  • Browser tabs open. 
  • Tabs open in my browser. 
  • Sharing open tabs. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

When things go wrong

June 19, 2020 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

What to do when things go wrong …  because things WILL go wrong.   You will buy the wrong curriculum, your children will make errors in judgement, a subject will prove too difficult to master (at least in the format used), and/or you will make your own mistakes.  Sometimes life intervenes with sickness in the household, or COVID will threaten the doors, or….  

You get the picture… sometimes the unforeseen threatens all our plans, and the question before us is this: What will you do when things go wrong?

what todo when things go wrong

Something has gone wrong

We don’t always see it at first, but eventually it will become evident that something is not right.  This wrongness may be in your student’s world or in your own.  Infrequently events outside the home will set events into motion that grind education to a halt. 

We’ve seen this recently with COVID affecting the world.  Even though, as homeschoolers, our lives haven’t necessarily been affected much, the affects on others trickles down into the home.  The lack of activities and outside interests stifled plays a role in our outlook on life.  This can and will play a disruption in the educational lives of our children. 

Our students might make errors in judgement with how they manage their time and need to face the consequences.

We might order the wrong materials, or thing that something “will do” because we want it to, but it doesn’t work well for this particular student.

Or you could find yourself out of a job and that disrupts the balance in your household upsetting how everything runs. 

LIFE HAPPENS.  It does’  We cannot plan for everything or have everything worked out perfectly. 

What to do?

What do we do when things go wrong?   

  1. Talk.  Seriously, just sit down and talk. Offer grace to your student if they’ve made an error in judgement and then move forward.  If you have made an error… admit it, move forward. 
  2. Figure out what to do. Don’t wallow in the error, use it as a change to learn something new and then move forward with a plan that you have worked out together. 
  3. Stop school if you have to.  Sometimes it’s necessary even if it’s only for a week, or even if it’s for longer.  As homeschoolers we have the option to school as we need to, not as we HAVE to, so use our freedom wisely. 
  4. Remember education happens, even if we aren’t using books. Life skills, learning to cope with stress, the importance of helping family, hands-on learning, and more. Just change how learning happens. 
  5. Change your perspective.  Often that’s all we need to do.  See the problem as an opportunity for conversation and change. 

Blogger List

blog hop giveaway

Summer is almost here and let’s just celebrate now with the homeschool year wrapping up.

I’ve gotten together with 7 other bloggers to bring you this wonderful giveaway so that you can enjoy planning for your next homeschool year.

We are giving away 3 $100 giftcards from the place of your choice. You can choose from:

  • Amazon
  • Rainbow Resource
  • Hobby Lobby
  • Christian Books
Entry-Form

The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize or else another winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you will be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers. Read the terms and conditions for more details.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Angst and Birth

May 29, 2020 By Annette1 8 Comments

The topic for this five minute Friday post centres around the provided word born.  Miss Kate puts up a word challenge for us weekly, it’s rather fun to participate, you should join us!  🙂   Anyways, I’ve entitled this post angst and birth as it rather fits my day.  🙂 

angst and birth

Angst and Birth

Taxes and the filing
I hate it don’t you see.
Not the easy T4’s but
All the business end that be.

In many ways so sweet
the government delay.
I thought twas til the end of June
Imagine my surpise the other day.

Hubby says NO June 1st
The deadline darling one.
Panic and angst
Came with the setting sun.

My job it is you see
The taxes so to do
I don’t begrudge the needfulness
The money must accrue.

The government needs it
To care for citizens
The need to save a dollar
Makes me want antihistamines!

When all is said in one
Delight fills my soul
It’s almost like how I feel
like being on Parole!

A duty done
Some hairloss felt!
and hopefully nothing I did
Will ever be misspelt.

Please no audits
My little heart cries.
Let me have made no mistakes
Made no inadvertant lies.

So this year
Midst angst and pain
Birth of newness
Fills my windowpanes

The rain falls down
Watering the earth.
Bringing life to my flowers
Giving them birth.

Pinks, yellows,
even some black.
Hopefully in a month
Bare earth will lack.

Angst and Birth

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #fmfparty, Five Minute Friday, Poem, poetry

Refrain

May 8, 2020 By Annette1 14 Comments

When I saw the word up at Miss Kate’s was refrain I wondered which refrain was meant. 

Refrain as in stop doing something, or to prevent from doing something. 

or 

Refrain as in a musical chorus?

Well, let’s see what comes of it shall we? 

Refrain

Darkness rolled across the land,
Bringing with it the scent of man.
Fear arose, tension tight.
What was that rose up in the night?
Nightmares

STOP, Be alert.
Pay attention!
Ease the impulse.

Growls low and fierce
Shattering yowls hurt my ears
Hackles raised, Tempers rising
Now it’s just a matter of timing
Cat Fight

STOP, Be alert.
Pay attention!
Ease the impulse.

Speaking quickly, thoughtlessly spoken
Wounded hearts, fast now broken
Stubbornness embrace it now,
Is there anything to disallow?
Conversation

STOP, Be alert.
Pay attention!
Ease the impulse.

Question asked in forum hard
People suddenly bombard,
Demanding change on something seen
Suddenly create a scene.
Deleted post?

STOP, Be alert.
Pay attention!
Ease the impulse.

What we say matters much,
Perhaps sometimes should ride the clutch?
Tongues like rudders steer the course
Like a bit upon a horse
James Speaks

STOP, Be alert.
Pay attention!
Ease the impulse.

Consider biblical principles
Lots of fine examples
Mind your actions fully well
Would be absolutely swell.

STOP, Be alert.
Pay attention!
Ease the impulse.

Refrain.

Filed Under: Poetry, Uncategorized

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