April’s Poet

Is there a better time than Spring to appreciate the beauty of nature, the nature of our souls, the soul of our world, and our world of love and beauty? Definitely not. Spring brings with it a fountain of poetry that drops us wordies to our knees. poetry [ poh-i-tree ] noun the art of rhythmical…

Best Reads of 2022

For awhile I could not remember some word I was in need of. and then I was bereaved and said: where are you, beloved friend? Oliver, Mary. A Thousand Mornings. Penguin Books, 2012. p. 9. When I look back on my reading list for any given year, I am inspired by the authors who laid…

Playing the Brain Game

“Music is a universal language. It can transport us; help us relive special moments; make us healthier, happier and more connected as family, friends, and as part of a larger community.” – Concord Conservatory of Music The benefits of playing a musical instrument are well-documented and vast. All of our children are piano players. Playing…

Home Sweet (Home) School

It’s a beautiful thing, sitting here, on the other side of fierce and giant and scary risk. I do like to dip my toes in things that scare me, but right now, I am happy to bask in my comfort zone for awhile. Ten years ago we had an idea to try homeschooling so we…

You Go, Girl!

Is Spring a good time to talk about equal rights for girls? One can argue it is always a good time to talk about equal rights. But spring is hopeful, energetic and fresh in a ‘new beginnings’ sort of way. “The standard of courage and intellect and kindness and heart.” – Gloria Steinem, on Ruth…

Brave, Strong, Smart.

“Motherhood is not meant to be done alone,” she said. As I read this in an Instagram post, it hit me like a punch. Though I do have Tony’s help and support always, the homeschool role in our family is largely my responsibility. Where we live, there is not a real homeschool mom group where I can…

What is ‘Normal’ Anyway?

“Your kids will never be normal,” a friend said to me with a smile, as we snacked on fresh guacamole and homemade chips. It was unusually windy that day. We had to stand in a wide stance so each leg could alternate absorbing our weight as the boat swayed from one side to the other; our…

Favorite Books of 2021

Narrowing my annual reading list to just five or six favorites is an enjoyable self-directed task. Oddly, I love that I do this nerdly thing each year because the time spent in reflection is a gift I give myself. So much of what we read serves a purpose: to entertain, inform, learn or improve ourselves….

When Poetry Unites

Embracing current events in real-time is a hallmark of homeschools everywhere. When something happens, we can watch, research, discuss and learn from it as it develops. Today, the Inauguration of our 46th President of the United States is a prime example of just this type of learning. January 20, 2021: We began this slightly snowy…

2020 Reading List and Lynne’s Top 5

Since the early pandemic months of 2020, I knew this would be a good year for reading. One of the gifts of being sequestered, quarantined, or otherwise detained at home is having plenty of quality reading time. I loaded myself up with online book orders this year and spent my grateful-for-everything days and nights tending…