A Generation of Leaves

"As is the generation of leaves, so it that of humanity. The wind scatters the leaves on the ground, but the live timber burgeons with leaves again in the season of spring returning. So one generation of men will grow will another dies." The Iliad Book 6 line 146-149

A generation of leaves. As Homer points out in book six of the Iliad we are but a generation that will be blown by the winds of time. Leaves line my yard like packing peanuts in a box. My son and my dog run through them stirring them, wafting them into the house. They crunch underneath foot, they crack and break into pieces. They are dead remnants of life, a reminder to the trees that even as the new blooms open, that death is a part of life.





I wonder if, as the leaves fall they bemoan their fate. I wonder if they lie underneath their former habitat of life and sneer upon the new growth as it happens. Knowing full well that new growth shall someday sit beside that fallen leaf. Perhaps they are happy for the new leaves sprung forth with the emergence of the singing birds. Perhaps they sit in somber recollection of those very songs, the songs of the morning birds, and wish upon the new leaves all the joy those melodies proclaim.





Perhaps the look upon new life as they sit upon the earth. A life where a child may pile them and play, a life where they may regenerate the earth itself even as they pass from this moment in time.



I do not believe I have ever pondered the leaves as I have this night. My yard full of tall stately trees reaching to the sky is but a nursery and a cemetery all in one. New life sprung forth each season, the frogs are out, the birds are starting to sing, the mosquitoes swarming, and the baby lizards are venturing out from the shed. Yet the leaves of old sit still upon the ground only moving as we bustle through them. The story of life right outside my own back door.

Alex Rider: A Conclusion

I feel quite sad today. We have finished with the Alex Rider series. We started Stormbreaker as a read-aloud last fall, before school even started. We would read an Alex Rider book then go to something historical or educational then rush back to Alex. Snakehead is the final chapter, so far, in the series. Z and I have traveled the world through Alex's eyes. We have watched him save the world multiple times, with help from friends and misc gadgets along the way.

I'm not sure who enjoyed the series more, me or Z. I've never been much of a girly-girl, so Alex's adventures were right up my alley. James Bond is also a big hit in our house, so it was nice to find a series with that feel, yet tame enough for Z.

We have watched Alex, the character, change and grow as he has gone through various bumps and bruises along the way. With a little bit of foresight I would have written an entire geography curriculum centered around the series to use this year. IMO it would be a great series to form a geography unit study around.

So I have sadly shelved the final Alex Rider book. Z's first words after we finished were "Are there going to be anymore?" I don't know. I would think not as it seems the author has come to a nice crisp ending. Perhaps in a few years Alex will grow up and we shall see what he does for his future.

Lucky clovers?

My new header photo is a patch of clover from my back yard. St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and that's my blog decoration. ;) I love St. Patrick's Day, the one day of the year everyone is just like my family, IRISH!

A New Year, Our New Arrangement

I have been known to rearrange the classroom on a whim. Now that I have three new bookcases (yippee!) I'm finally getting some real organization in place.



The bookcase on the left holds mostly my items, the one on the right for Z. The middle one holds extra science and math books, one I'm working on for self-ed and ones found as bargains too good to pass up.

I found these bookcases at Target. I spent a few hours putting them together and find them to be of good quality for the furniture you have to assemble.

This is the great window we look out (get distracted with) during school. Z has to sit with his back toward the window otherwise, well we'd never get anything accomplishated.


This is my working file. It hold my school planner, a few books and a whole bunch of papers I will eventually go through. My papers, not Z's.

The floor is still a work in progress, but it's on the list.

An Interview with Dr. Campbell

The following is a link to a wonderful interview with Dr. Campbell himself. He discusses his new book Living Memory, which I heartily recommend. He also talks about some of his philosophy on classical education.

Click here to read the interview.

The Professor vs Poison Ivy

Z has developed poison ivy. Saturday he was fine, Sunday he had a rash. He also had a sore throat so we weren't sure if it was strep or poison ivy. Monday it proved to be poison ivy. Poor guy, it is on his face and arm.

The benadryl is making him tired, so we've done a short day of school for yesterday and today. Today the poison ivy has won the battle, but Z shall win the war I'm sure.

So what's on the teacher's desk?

Here are a few of the things on my desk. The fierce and nasty looking dragon is a new addition as of yesterday. Yes, I know I'm weird. I try to have something tangible (something I can fidget with) for each of the stories I am working on. The dragon is perfect for my story Hunting Dragons. Personally I think he has a sinus issue hence the reason for the open mouth. He's only trying to breathe, not breathe fire.

Plus he looks as if he is about to devour the Jeep in the below picture. You can barely see it, it's the yellow gold thing. There's my planner, my phone, part of the lamp, and the little silver cup that holds my mp3 player (I'm using it right now, so it's not in the picture) and my usb drive. Oh and next to the planner is a plastic spider. He has a name, which I forget, and Z and I pass him back him back and forth. Sometimes he winds up in one of my dresser drawers. He's supposed to help me get over my fear of spiders, not working. I am not afraid of dragons however.



On the other side of my desk is the other silver cup that holds the obvious. Than an empty cup, my mouse pad and my cup holder (it says DREAM). The cup is empty, it's not half full, half empty, it is completely empty. It had cranberry juice, bitter but good for you. (come up with any allegory you want about a completely empty glass that was filled with bitter drink :)



Last picture is of my stuffed hippo. He's been here before, he sits on a shelf above my desk. He's to help with my story Post 452. There is an actual stuffed hippo in that story, plus he's more friendly than the dragon.





Aside from the computer, which is a HP laptop, that is what's on my desk. Thanks for peering into my life today.