Big milestone, a proud mom, and a note on homeschooling

From the UNCA website:

Cromer graduated first in scholarship as the university’s 2017 Manly E. Wright Award winner and is headed next to Cornell University where he has earned a full scholarship. He will pursue a doctorate in theoretical astronomy, having had the goal to be a research scientist since arriving at UNC Asheville. “I had in mind becoming a research scientist so that I could spend my time studying a subject I love,” said Cromer speaking to his fellow graduates. “But at UNC Asheville, through all the people around me and the experiences I’ve had, I learned that this isn’t all I want to do. I want to have a meaningful social impact on the world.”

My note:

We homeschooled both our children their entire lives, and by homeschooling, I mean we provided resources, spent time exploring the world, and gave them the freedom to explore their interests and develop passions. My mantra was First Do No Harm; children have a natural curiosity and love of discovery and learning that begins at birth and gradually develops. Having worked as a research assistant in child development studies, and later with many children who were not successful in school when I was a psychotherapist in the public sector, I developed my own theories about what might keep this love of learning intact. Again, it was mostly choosing NOT TO DO THINGS TO THWART IT. 

I am so very proud of my son for all his hard work and achievement as an undergraduate. And I'm glad I trusted my own instincts and did not cave in when it was hinted at and sometimes bluntly stated that I was "ruining" my children by homeschooling them. I didn't do a perfect job and there were times I failed miserably, but I managed to avoid the very deep pit of making learning dull. 

Baloo settles in

He's the easiest pup I've ever known. He and Bear are best buddies and he is winning over the cats one by one. Pixie has been the tough customer but here he is, showing her that he won't chase her but he'll definitely play if she agrees. We adore him!

Gorgeous! Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer: The Mushroom Hunters

Neil Gaiman's feminist poem about the dawn of science, from the wonderful Maria Popova's Brain Pickings today:

THE MUSHROOM HUNTERS

Science, as you know, my little one, is the study
of the nature and behaviour of the universe.
It’s based on observation, on experiment, and measurement,
and the formulation of laws to describe the facts revealed.

In the old times, they say, the men came already fitted with brains
designed to follow flesh-beasts at a run,
to hurdle blindly into the unknown,
and then to find their way back home when lost
with a slain antelope to carry between them.
Or, on bad hunting days, nothing.

The women, who did not need to run down prey,
had brains that spotted landmarks and made paths between them
left at the thorn bush and across the scree
and look down in the bole of the half-fallen tree,
because sometimes there are mushrooms.

Before the flint club, or flint butcher’s tools,
The first tool of all was a sling for the baby
to keep our hands free
and something to put the berries and the mushrooms in,
the roots and the good leaves, the seeds and the crawlers.
Then a flint pestle to smash, to crush, to grind or break.

And sometimes men chased the beasts
into the deep woods,
and never came back.

Some mushrooms will kill you,
while some will show you gods
and some will feed the hunger in our bellies. Identify.
Others will kill us if we eat them raw,
and kill us again if we cook them once,
but if we boil them up in spring water, and pour the water away,
and then boil them once more, and pour the water away,
only then can we eat them safely. Observe.

Observe childbirth, measure the swell of bellies and the shape of breasts,
and through experience discover how to bring babies safely into the world.

Observe everything.

And the mushroom hunters walk the ways they walk
and watch the world, and see what they observe.
And some of them would thrive and lick their lips,
While others clutched their stomachs and expired.
So laws are made and handed down on what is safe. Formulate.

The tools we make to build our lives:
our clothes, our food, our path home…
all these things we base on observation,
on experiment, on measurement, on truth.

And science, you remember, is the study
of the nature and behaviour of the universe,
based on observation, experiment, and measurement,
and the formulation of laws to describe these facts.

The race continues. An early scientist
drew beasts upon the walls of caves
to show her children, now all fat on mushrooms
and on berries, what would be safe to hunt.

The men go running on after beasts.

The scientists walk more slowly, over to the brow of the hill
and down to the water’s edge and past the place where the red clay runs.
They are carrying their babies in the slings they made,
freeing their hands to pick the mushrooms.

Here Amanda Palmer read it here.

Meet Blue Baloo!

Ears taped for support, relaxing on the front porch. He arrived last night and has settled in like a total champ. Bear loves him, one cat has laid down the law, the other three are pretty miffed. I think they'll come around. He is an absolute doll. Sweet and playful, curious and loving. It is so nice to see two Corgis gallivanting about again.

He's a blue merle Cardigan Welsh Corgi and his tail is a work of art!

It's so much fun having a puppy in the house again. Especially when there is a big brother to show him the ropes. More and better photos on the way. I'm "blogging from iPad Pro" challenged again.

November Hill farm journal, 29

The past few weeks have been crazy busy. My son has accepted a very generous offer from Cornell University to its PhD program in astrophysics beginning this fall, and this past week learned he has been awarded UNC-Asheville's Manly E. Wright Award as the graduating student deemed "first in scholarship" by faculty across all departments. He has also been invited to speak at commencement! I'm so very proud of him and happy that his homeschooling journey with us led him to find his way to studying physics and the stars. I am so excited to see where his studies in graduate school take him.

My daughter is equally engaged in her own studies as an undergrad majoring in integrative physiology and neurobiology. She's been busy wrapping up a good semester and will be moving into her sophomore year, which seems unbelievable.

These two have been the human heartbeats of November Hill ever since we moved to the farm. With all the animals we live with there are many heartbeats - but I feel a marked shift in the landscape of November Hill itself as these two move into different life stages, where their interests lead them away from home and its focus.

This week on the farm I'm seeing the intense leafing out of trees and the greening of our property. The lane is no longer visible from the house, nor are the homes across the lane. Our neighbors to the side are much less prominent in our vista. As spring fully takes hold I feel the shift into the time of year when November Hill feels like a jungle, complete with all the little critters one might expect to thrive in such a climate. Ticks, ants, flies, bees, wood roaches, butterflies, moths. The night sounds are huge and symphonic. Bunnies, deer, birds. We are teeming with life.

The arena has taken on a definite green tone, which means it's time to start dragging. I am composting madly and finding the process speeding up. As usual, I feel like I'm about 156 items behind on the to do list, but things will get done.

Bear Corgi and I are still working on his canine good citizen skills. The certification test conflicts with my son's graduation so we'll be taking it at a later date. Stay tuned for the results of that as well as a possible new addition to the family!

I've been remiss with birthdays this month. Apache Moon is turning 17 in a few days, and Keil Bay is officially 28 years old. I cannot believe it. These two were the original equines who made the move with us to the farm and I still remember with clarity the morning they arrived. We led them to stalls filled with shavings and new water buckets and gave them hay and time to settle in. They turned out to the dirt paddock first and then to the back field and then the front. I think we followed them step by step that entire day, monitoring every moment as they explored their new home. They paved the way for Cody and Salina, and then Rafer Johnson and Redford. They have helped make November Hill the haven it is for all of us.

So, spring is here. And I have projects to finish, start, work on. Riding to do. Waters to keep clean and full. Bugs to battle. Plants to keep in line. Before you know it we'll be into summer and those many-shower days.