CM West :: Conference at Puget Sound 2017 Recap

All ready to go!  I am so glad I checked the carseat and suitcase instead of trying to drag everything through the airport.  It was so worth the extra money!

At the end of September I traveled with my 5 week old daughter to Seattle to attend CM West :: Conference at Puget Sound, the second Charlotte Mason conference in the Seattle area.  I had attended the first one two years ago, and I was glad to be going back, although a nervous at the idea of traveling with a baby.  I have traveled a fair amount, and I certainly have a lot of baby experience, but I don't have much experience traveling with babies.  Thankfully she traveled very well, and was not the screaming baby on a plane that all parents and passengers fear to the depths of their hearts.

At the conference, we had arranged for Nancy Kelly to give the majority of our talks, and I didn't have many responsibilities other than to help make announcements, answer questions, and keep the conference moving a long as near as possible to the schedule.  Having such an experienced speaker certainly made that last job a lot easier!  When we first began planning the conference 18 months ago, I had no idea I would be bringing a newborn with me and I was very thankful I wasn't also trying to speak and lead any discussions or other activities. 

Having a baby along at a conference was a new experience for me, and not one I'm particularly eager to repeat.  Charlotte did wonderfully at the conference, given the circumstances, but I found it just about impossible to immerse myself in the talks, take notes, and participate to the degree that I am accustomed.  I also found myself needing to retreat to my room with a cranky baby at the unheard of hour of 9 p.m., missing out on all that wonderful late night conversation time.

Lake Washington - After reading The Boys in the Boat, I wanted to see the lake if I could get a chance.  I got to take a lovely walk here after the conference with a few of the ladies who had later flights out, as well as a friend who lives locally

As I've considered my conference experience, I've tried to tease out what I took away from it.  I have a couple handouts, a slide deck from the wonderful Audubon presenter, a few scrawled and scattered notes taken while either standing or trying to balance a baby and a notepad on my lap, and a few photos.  I have the example of how one master Mason educator listens attentively to narrations and gently encourages more responses by a quiet, "What else?"  I also have memories of wonderful conversations at meals with people who live far from me but who have become dear through internet connections and seeing each other at conferences.  I have new acquaintances and friends, found through time spent in nature together, at meals, and by trying to narrate to each other during the sessions. I was able to visit my husband's aunt and uncle, people I enjoy very much and don't get to see very often. 

I'm so thankful for this chance to go to the conference, to enjoy the beauty of the Puget Sound area, and spend a little time with friends and family.  I'm looking forward to going back a third time for another conference... but perhaps in a couple years, when my youngest is old enough to leave at home.

Joy in Living

Last month, Celeste and I had the pleasure of seeing the first Charlotte Mason conference in Northern California come to fruition.  Thankfully, CM West :: Conference in the Redwoods was a definite success, as we've had many positive comments both during and after the conference.  I hope and pray that it will continue to be a positive influence and help for all the attendees into the future as well.

I wanted to share an expanded version of opening remarks for the conference, as I think they show what was (and is!) on my heart as I planned this conference, and as I move into planning other Charlotte Mason conferences as well.  I am considering a post on what goes into planning a conference, one that is a little more nuts and bolts focused, but I think it is vital to share the living idea behind the work of details.

My first experience meeting another CM educator in person was when Celeste and I met at a park about two and a half years ago.  We had a delightful visit, full of great conversation and watching our children joyfully romp together.  My next opportunity was about a year later, when I was able to attend the first Charlotte Mason conference on the West Coast, in Seattle, Washington.  This experience was an absolute delight, and I felt so encouraged by being around so many thoughtful, intelligent, and interesting women who shared my passion for Mason's Philosophy of Education.

I came home from this conference a changed person.  Being around this group of people who take Mason seriously encouraged me to take my role as a home educator, and particularly as a Mason educator, more seriously as well.  I realized that I, with two (now three!) children who aren't even school age yet, still have time to get good at this.  I also found a clear path forward in this, largely comprised of my own keeping (largely in my nature journal, commonplace, and Book of Centuries) and a commitment to the regular study of Mason's books (the Delectable Education podcast has also been a huge help, but obviously that came along a little later!).  I also saw how galvanizing it is to be around people who are trying to do the same thing I am, and it encouraged me to try to both find people at least somewhat near where I live, as well as work to create more of these conferences.

I find it challenging to be the only one who is educating in a model that is different from everyone else around.  Not only am I homeschooling, I am home educating in a way that is foreign to those around me.  I've been invited a few times over the years to get together at someone's house so we can "do school" together.  This seems to largely to consist of sitting the kids around a large table with their workbooks while the mothers visit and occasionally help a child who has a problem.  It is a welcome change for the kids and moms, but it is not something that is going to be successful for a Mason educator.  I've also had experiences where I've seen a little interest in Mason's ideas, only to have someone who has many years of homeschooling experience as well as graduates say, "oh, you don't need all those extras!  Just stick to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as learning about the faith, and your kids will be just fine."  And confronted with that sort of voice of wisdom and experience, what little interest there was quickly withers.

But as Mason said in her preface to her sixth volume, “we have no axe to grind”.  A little before this in her preface, she puts her finger on the difference between her method and the standard way of doing things.  “No doubt children are well taught and happy in their lessons as things are, and this was specially true of the school in question; yet both teachers and children find an immeasurable difference between the casual interest roused by marks, pleasing oral lessons and other school devices, and the sort of steady avidity for knowledge that comes with the awakened soul.”  (CM, Vol. 6, Preface)

Mason goes on to say just a little later in the Introduction to Vol. 6 -

But the people themselves begin to understand and to clamour for an education which shall qualify their children for life rather than for earning a living. As a matter of fact, it is the man who has read and thought on many subjects who is, with the necessary training, the most capable whether in handling tools, drawing plans, or keeping books. The more of a person we succeed in making a child, the better will he both fulfil his own life and serve society.

I think the fact that we had a full conference is a testimony to this!  When Celeste and I were first planning this conference, I was worried about getting 20 people - instead we sold almost 50 places in three weeks, and we ended up with another thirty plus people on the wait list.

Celeste and I wanted to offer a leading thought for the conference, and as I considered this, the phrase “opportunities for joy” came to mind.  As far as I know, it isn’t a phrase Mason uses, but I became curious how Mason used the word joy.  One phrase she does use is “joy in living” and I wanted share a quote where she uses that phrase.

We launch children upon too arid and confined a life. Now personal delight, joy in living, is a chief object of education; Socrates conceived that knowledge is for pleasure, in the sense, not that knowledge is one source, but is the source of pleasure. It is for their own sakes that children should get knowledge. (CM, Vol. 6, Section 3, Ch. 4)

We have the opportunity to help our children and ourselves discover this joy in living through the rich feast Mason helps us to place before our families. My hope is this is a phrase is one that is memorable to us all not only at a conference, but also that we can take this phrase into the day to day, to help us remember what we are doing in this educational journey we are offering our families and ourselves.

I originally wrote this a couple weeks ago, but hadn't been able to edit and post it until now.  I am glad though, because this reminder about why I work on these conferences is very timely!  Planning next year's conference became far more daunting last week when we found out that Presentation Center, the lovely location where we held the conference, is closing as of June 30th.  We were really looking forward to going back there, as well as not having to go through all the effort of finding a location.  We have started looking for another location, however, and we hope to find something soon.

From My Commonplace, Selections from 2016

In 2016, I used my Commonplace notebook, but not as often as I would like.  I spent a little time this afternoon reading through what I did write, and that little review was an encouraging reminder of the value of this practice.

I thought I'd share a selection of quotes from my Commonplace and finally join Celeste's Keeping Company link up.  In the new year I hope to return to blogging regularly and I want the Keeping Company posts to be a monthly occurrence.

"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your freedom!  I hope you will make good use of it."   John Adams, in a letter to Abigail Adams, as quoted by Natalie S. Bober in Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution

"'What species is that?' is one of the first questions many people ask of nature. [...] The name is not the thing.  Identifying a species is only the tip of the iceberg of inquiry.  It is not necessary to know something's name to ask an interesting question or make a discovery about it. "  John Muir Laws, Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling

"Relationships with the land that are intensely metaphorical, like Kent's, are a lofty achievement of the human mind. They are a sophisticated response, like the creation of maps, or the development of a language that grows out of a certain landscape.  The mind can imagine beauty and conjure intimacy. It can find solace where literal analysis finds only trees and rocks and grass."   Barry Lopez, Arctic Dreams

"The goal of science is to make the most useful and accurate explanations possible, based on the available evidence.  To have scientific integrity is to approach this process with humility and with the awareness that it is possible, even quite likely, you will be wrong. " John Muir Laws,  Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling

"Tears often release us from a great internal burden. Our weeping releases the grop we are trying to hold on ourselves by remaining 'strong', not letting ourselves feel some pain, not admitting our powerlessness and brokenness in face of some terrible loss or suffering."  Fr. Sylvester Kwiatkowski, church bulletin

"The key here is finding the glory of God within the practice or work and not only in the final product." Megan Hoyt, A Touch of the Infinite

"What distinguishes the work of someone like Vivaldi from another who, perhaps, remains lost forever?  The goodness of God? The patronage of other composers or benefactors? History can be brutal, and the quest for fame can be an enormous wild goose chase. I think we can safely say that any artistic endeavor is best performed to the glory of God, and not in pursuit of fame and fortune. History may forget your contribution, but God never forgets." Megan Hoyt, A Touch of the Infinite

"How imperishable are all the impressions that vibrate one's life! We cannot forget anything. Memories may escape the action of will, may sleep a long time, but when stirred by the right influence, though that influence be light as a shadow, they flash into full stature and life with everything in place." John Muir, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf, excerpted in the Wild Muir by Lee Stetson

"The Psalter is the vicarious prayer of Christ for his Church.  Now that Christ is with the Father, the new humanity of Christ, the Body of Christ on earth, continues to pray his prayer to the end of time. This prayer belongs, not to the individual member, but to the whole Body of Christ. Only in the whole Christ does the whole Psalter become a reality, a whole which the individual can never fully comprehend and call his own. That is why the prayer of the psalms belongs in a peculiar way to the fellowship.  Even if a verse or psalm is not one's own prayer, it is nevertheless the prayer of another member of the fellowship; so it is quite certain the prayer of the true Man Jesus Christ and his body on earth."  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

"The person who comes into a fellowship because he is running away from himself is misusing it for the sake of diversion no matter how spiritual this diversion may appear. He is really not seeking community at all, but only distraction which will allow him to forget his loneliness for a brief time, the very alienation that creates the deadly isolation of man."  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

"The prayer of the morning will determine the day."  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

"Whenever escape is necessary, there is a great necessity for prayer." St. Augustine, Catena Aurea, St. John's Gospel 

"Personal sanctity, after which he had striven with such desperation ever since his sojourn in the Irish monastery, was not enough.  He had been regarding it as an end in itself instead of that which determines the quality of what a man can do for his fellow men." Elizabeth Goudge, Gentian Hill 

Charlotte Mason's 20 Principles Live Online Discussion

I recently joined Brandy Vencel of Afterthoughts for a conversation about Virtual Scholé Sisters Groups and Technology Tools on the new Scholé Sisters podcast.  As part of our conversation, I discussed how I led a short online study of Sarah Mackenzie's Teaching from Rest, using Zoom.us as our live online video/voice discussion platform.  

The technology worked well for the discussion, and I think this idea has a lot of potential for bringing us together to discuss books and ideas, even when we are spread out or have circumstances that limit our ability to get out of the house.  We can take part in a stimulating and helpful discussion without the hassle of driving, travel time, or arranging childcare.  

The next online video/voice discussion I'm starting is of Brandy Vencel's Start Here: A Journey Through Charlotte Mason’s 20 Principles.  This study is an excellent way to learn about Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education or to deepen your understanding of ideas behind the methods you may already be using.  

In order to participate in the study, you'll need to purchase Brandy's study guide and For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macauley.  We will also have readings from Charlotte Mason's volumes and other articles, but they are linked in the study guide and available online for free.

This study will start in June and last 15 months.  Each session will last around an hour, although the first session will be a little longer to allow time for introductions.  I’d like for participants to contribute $1 per month for a total of $15 to help cover the cost of the online meeting room.  If I subscribe to the service, we won’t have to interrupt our conversation halfway through to change meeting rooms.

Please only sign up if you intend to do the readings and participate in the online sessions.  After all, we can't have a discussion if no one comes!  I am happy to help if you need assistance to get set up, test your video or voice connection, or if you have questions.

Also, I should note that signing up is not a guarantee that you will be able to participate in a discussion.  Session time(s) will be determined by schedule overlap between participants.

I would like to be the group contact for one discussion group of 6-8 participants, and if other people indicate on the form that they are willing to act as a group contact, then we can have more groups.  You don't need to be an expert to lead a group, all you need is a willingness to learn alongside others and the organizational ability to send a few emails at appropriate times.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if many groups could come together from this, and families all over could have their lives and homeschools enriched by studying Charlotte Mason's 20 Principles?

Sign Ups are open until May 30th June 2nd and I will email information about the group(s) to everyone who fills out the form by June 4th.

Sign Up Here!

Questions?  Comment below or send me an email.

CM West :: Retreat at the Beach Impressions

I recently wrote a post about the CM West :: Retreat at the Beach over at Charlotte Mason West where I shared some pictures and discussed our schedule and talks.  However, I wanted to also write a post here to share a little more about what the retreat meant to me.

One of the real highlights of the retreat was the wonderful group of women who got together for it.  Women who talked about books and ideas, who are interested in lifelong learning, and who are passionate about educating their children using life giving methods.  It was such a delight to be around such enjoyable people!

During the retreat, we spent a fair amount of time on our nature journals.  Ever since the Seattle conference, I've been diligently working away at my nature journal, and it has become a fairly established part of my life.  I'm averaging an entry a week, which is right where I want to be.  However, as I looked at other women's journals, I realized how text heavy my journals are.  The writing is a good thing, and the cataloguing and descriptions are certainly useful endeavors.  My observation skills are growing and I am learning more about what I am seeing around me.  However, I realized I would be encouraged to look even more closely and carefully if I was also challenging myself to draw more often.

It isn't that I didn't already know that my nature journaling would be enriched by more drawing.  After all, I own The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling, a couple books by Clare Walker Leslie, and a few others that I've reviewed and then passed along.  I've even spent some time paging through them and reading them.  But it always seemed a little too challenging, a little too daunting.  

However, as I watched some of the women I had come to know work with their journals, I was challenged in a new way.  And this time the challenge seemed within reach.  Because I knew these women a little bit, and because I could see how their journals had progressed over time, I had a sense of what could happen if I made the effort to do a little more.  I had a sense that I could improve over time, and that the time spent practicing and drawing would be enjoyable and enriching.  

So I tried to stretch myself at this retreat.  I did a more involved sketch at the retreat, and with encouragement and some tips, tried some watercolor as well.  The result certainly wasn't amazing, but really, it isn't about the results.  It is about the process, the observations, the willingness to try, and the time spent in focused attention.  And I enjoyed the process, and as I drew I was encouraged to look at the object in front of me in a way that I wouldn't have if I was simply cataloguing it or writing about it.

This is the best I could do with a photo, so I knew I would have to make close observations if I was going to try and sketch them.

I had so much fun stalking these curlews - err... Marbled godwits (oops!) trying to observe them enough that I could sit and sketch them.

Oooh, watercolor!

Since the retreat I've finished reading and commonplacing through the first section of The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling, and rather than flipping through the various sections, getting overwhelmed, and putting it on the shelf, I opened to the wildflower section and started working on his first pages for drawing simple flowers. And then I went outside, found some basic five petaled wildflowers, and sketched them.  And you know what?  It was great fun.  I noticed so many new things by trying to sketch as well as catalogue.  And by pairing my sketching with some instruction, I was much more satisfied with the process and the results.  

Drawing practice in my drawing sketchbook

Practicing the techniques I learned in my nature journal

Even though I'm only one step ahead of my kids, I introduced these techniques to them as well.  First during one of our drawing instruction times I introduced the basic methods, then during our nature journaling time we worked on using those methods to draw buttercups.  I was so encouraged to see how much more they enjoyed their nature journaling and the greater confidence they had just from this little bit of knowledge passed along.  

Working with Nathan on sketching a buttercup and also introducing him to watercolor.

One further note:  If you're interested in going to a retreat like this, I would encourage you to seek one out.  Or consider planning one yourself and putting it out there.  There is a strong interest in retreats like this, and I think they are well worthwhile.  They also aren't all that hard to organize and arrange.  If you'd like to know more about how we did it, please contact me and I'd be happy to answer questions via email or a Skype call.  

A Mother's Morning Walk, Redux

Yesterday, due to a cold my children so kindly gave me, I didn't take my morning walk.  It was the first school day where I didn't get my 20 minute morning respite from the noise and commotion of family life in weeks, and as I reflected on the day, I realized what a difference that little 20 minutes makes in my life, attitude, and the atmosphere of my home.

In January I wrote about a new part of my day, my morning walk.  It seems like such a little thing, these twenty minutes or so outside by myself.  I'm not covering any great distance, only walking down the road or perhaps to the creek and back, but it lightens my mood, gives me more patience, and vastly helps me to tackle the challenges of the day with good, or at least better, humor than I would have otherwise.  Even in the few months I've been doing this, it has created deep and beneficial change in myself and my children.

Every day, I challenge myself to notice something in particular. It might be an observation about something I've been watching for awhile, like finally spotting the spider responsible for the web over the little roadside puddle.  Or it might be something entirely new, like a wildflower that has suddenly come into bloom or catching a glimpse of a bird I hadn't seen before.  I also challenge myself to remember things I've seen before and to check them on them periodically.  Is the crab apple in bloom yet?  Are the Pileated Woodpeckers in any of the dead pines above the road?  How are the oaks progressing in their leafing out?  Do I see any new dying pines?  Can I remember the names of the different wildflowers I've been trying to learn and identify?

These walks remind me that that very little is learned quickly.  It takes time to see how many batches of frog eggs will be laid in that roadside puddle, how long it will take before the tadpoles will finally get legs (months, in the case of these leisurely tadpoles).  It takes time and days of watching to finally catch the spider in action or finally get a good look at a bird I've seen and heard many times.  And in this I grow, slowly, in my patience with my children, as they struggle to master the mechanics of long division or the pronunciation of a word.

My observations spill into my family as I bring home news of my sightings.  Sometimes my children will say, "oh, Mom, we noticed the western buttercups blooming below the house days ago!" and sometimes I'm able to share something they haven't yet noticed.  Because of my sharing, they have been much more observant when they are playing outside, as well as more forthcoming in sharing their finds with me and with each other.

I also find that my walks help me to be in a better frame of mind for our morning time.  Rather than rushing through the breakfast clean-up and dressing the young ones or waiting impatiently for my older children to finish up so we can get going on our morning, I come back in invigorated, cheerful, and filled with a peaceful readiness to take on what the day holds.

Mother Culture - Handicrafts and Making Baskets

My daughter is a handicrafts extraordinaire.  At 13, she's won best of show for a sweater she knitted for her sister, made numerous crocheted items, sewn, sculpted, beaded, and started a Etsy shop to sell her popular earrings.  We recently joined the local fibers guild because I wanted to give her opportunities to learn about other creative endeavors and help to connect her with people in the community who are doing wonderful work.  As members of the guild, we can attend monthly meetings where we can learn about all sorts of amazing things and we can attend events and workshops at a discounted rate.  It also gives us a way to find out about events and workshops where we can learn new things.

Weaving the base of the basket

I must admit that I largely joined for my daughter's sake.  I can knit, sew and crochet reasonably well, but I haven't the skill, interest, or dedication that my daughter has.  But I'm always interested in learning, and I want to support my daughter in an area where she is gifted.

The basket with finished sides

When a class came up for a introductory basketmaking class, I was intrigued.  We had never tried anything like that, and my daughter was interested as well.  So I signed both of us up, and we spent a very rainy Saturday and Sunday afternoon in a former church sanctuary learning to weave and shape baskets.

Adding the false rim and trimming the spokes (this one is actually Emma's - hers has a dark blue in it instead of brown)

And you know what?  I loved it.  I love how tactile it is, how little you have to rely on tools to do the work that needs to be done.  I love how as I worked with the pattern, I could start to see the pattern in the basket and anticipate what I would need to do next, no longer needing the pattern so intensely.  And I appreciate making something useful as well as decorative.  I am excited about starting a new basket in a way that I've never been with other handicraft projects.

The rim is on, and I'm almost halfway through the lashing

And now I present, my first basket!

And if I had to find a moral to this little story, I think it would be to keep trying different handicrafts. You might end up finding something you really enjoy doing, and are willing to do for more than the sake of setting a good example for your kids and keeping your hands busy when you're listening to children practicing their reading.

A New Keeping Habit for a New Year

Let us observe, notebook in hand, the orderly and progressive sequence, the penetrating quality, the irresistible appeal, the unique content of Divine teaching [...] Let us read, not for our profiting, though that will come, but for love of that knowledge which is better than thousands of gold and silver. - Charlotte Mason, Towards a Philosophy of Education

This year I've begun a new way of keeping.  In the morning I sit with The Gospel of John and The Catena Aurea and copy a small section of the Gospel.  Then I read the commentary and write a short narration of what I read.  The Catena Aurea (The Golden Chain), was complied by St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th Century then translated into English by Blessed John Henry Newman in 1841.  It contains excerpts from the writings of over eighty church fathers, and arranged such that it feels like I am eavesdropping on a learned discourse in Heaven.  I by no means understand everything I am reading, but it is a marvelous gift to sit with the Church Fathers in the morning and slowly contemplate the Gospel.  

A Mother's Morning Walk

I made a few little changes to my Average Daily Chart at the beginning of the year.  I didn't make any drastic changes, just a few little adjustments to the flow of our day to try and make things even better.  But with kids being sick and a few days out of town, we've had a rough start to the year, and I'm still in the testing and adjusting stage with most of the changes.

Heading to the trail

One change, however, has been wonderful.  I've started taking a 15-20 minute walk by myself each morning before Morning Time begins.

The trail

I can vividly remember a time when I heard a mom with older kids remark that she was taking a walk by herself each day after lunch, leaving her kids home to clean up after the meal.  At the time I couldn't imagine being able to do that...  and now, here I am, almost ten years later, leaving the breakfast clean-up in Emma (13) and Nathan's (7) capable hands.  Emma is also tasked with dressing her two year old sister, and Justin, my 4 year old, is supposed to get dressed, play quietly, and not be a nuisance while I'm gone.  Gregory (10) does some independent work like practicing the piano and typing, and reviewing geography.

The trail junction.  This tree dropped in a early snow storm a few years ago and we left it there to discourage people exploring with ATVs.

There's a not insignificant part of me that feels guilty for not taking the kids with me, and feels guilty for enjoying the solitude and the beauty of the woods without making the effort to bring them with me.

Our recent rain have turned this portion of the trail into a small seasonal creek.

A good mom would take everyone, wouldn't she?  Everyone needs some fresh air and exercise to start off the day!

And then swells into a large puddle that requires some cross country travel or wading.  The sign on the tree says, "No Prospecting, Panning, Sluicing, Dredging, Sniping, or Metal Detecting"  This is gold country, after all, and this section of the creek is claimed and occasionally worked.

But if I bring everyone, the walk balloons into an expedition.  The two minutes it takes me to change my shoes and grab a jacket becomes at least 10, if not 15.  Someone doesn't want to wear that jacket.  Someone wants to bring a large stick and accidentally whacks someone else with it.  Someone starts crying.  Someone wants to be held.  Someone doesn't want to go in the stroller.  Someone else does want to go into the stroller, which makes the first child want to go in too.

Amazing to think this was the dry creek bed of late September!  I wonder what happened to all the banana slugs.

Much of the child-wrangling energy I have is expended getting out the door, getting everyone pointed in the same direction, and then getting everyone home again.  What was supposed to be short, restful, and invigorating becomes long, exhausting, and draining.  Most of the children will come home in good spirits, but there will be one or two who will not be, and will require additional soothing and care before they are ready to be content again.  I'm willing to do it once a week for our nature walk, but every day?

In a few months, this meadow will be a wonderful place to find wildflowers.

And so I go by myself.

The shortcut back to our property, can you see the house just peeking through the trees?

And I come back refreshed and invigorated and I'm much more able to be present and cheerful all day long.

Home!

But I still feel a little guilty.

2015 Northwest Charlotte Mason Educators Conference

I had the enormous privilege to attend the Northwest Charlotte Mason Educators Conference in Seattle this last weekend.  I believe it was the first one west of the Rockies, but definitely not the last!  The retreat center was amazing - the location was gorgeous, the staff was friendly and helpful, the rooms were comfortable, the food was tasty, the chapel was lovely...  it was everything you could possibly want for an event like this.  I am so grateful to the organizers of the event that they did this.  Is was such a wonderful gift to the Charlotte Mason Community.

I didn't take many pictures of the conference as it was happening, because I feel uncomfortable about taking and posting pictures of people without their direct consent.  But I would like to share some of my nature pictures as well as comment a little (ok, more than a little!) on the talks and events.

Many bedrooms (including mine!), the dining area and one of the conference rooms looked out over Puget Sound

After a delicious dinner and some wonderful conversation, we kicked off the formal part of the conference with Brandy's talk, "What's Love Got to Do With It?  Cultivating Your Child's Affinities", which you can get from her web store if you're interested.  I highly recommend it - it was a fantastic talk, full of both wisdom and practicality.   I thought her discussion about how we cultivate affinities was excellent and extremely helpful.

A nearby nature sanctuary on Saturday morning.  The sun did come out on Saturday, but not until the afternoon.

We also had the option to listen to Catherine Levison discuss contemplative prayer after Brandy's talk.  I ended up staying after the talk and listening and discussing the subject further - as well as hearing many wonderful and fascinating stories.  This late evening really helped solidify some things I've been trying to work through for some time, and I felt so much peace coming out of it.  I hesitate a bit to say this so close to that night, but I think it was a life-changing experience.

The same location, but Sunday afternoon.  We had a blue sky all day on Sunday and it was gorgeous!

I started Saturday morning early, as I'm used to getting up at about 5:45.  It was so lovely to have time to pray, read the Bible, shower, take a walk, pray the rosary...  and then go into the dining room and have a wonderful breakfast all ready for me.  And there was no whining or crying or complaining or anything! (Mornings can be a little tough around here, as you might guess)

Catherine Levison gave the first talk of the morning, discussing "How Do You Want to Be Remembered?" It was a talk full of wisdom and encouragement.  Her list of key things to remember are things I think I need to post prominently, because even though I know them, I have to keep reminding myself how very important they are. 

I have no idea what kind of fungus this is, but it was sizable, and I was fascinated by how it had swallowed up this leaf you can see in the middle of the picture.  I tried tugging on it, but the fungus was holding it so firmly that the leaf didn't budge at all.

Brandy's next talk was about how "The Principles are Practical" which I think she plans to make available on her site as well.  It has a slide deck, so I imagine that's what makes it a little more complicated to put online.  Again, a fabulous talk (and her handout with her organization of the principles is priceless) and it is really making me want to go through Start Here, Brandy's Principles Study.     

The Retreat Center's nature trail

After lunch we had the opportunity to go on a nature walk with Naomi Goegan, then spent some time doing handicrafts.  Again, both were great opportunities.  And I haven't even mentioned all the great conversations I had with the lovely and interesting women who attended this conference with me!  I met so many wonderful people with great stories to share.  And there were so much wisdom to be had from everyone.

Then there was tea, which I actually bailed on because I was feeling a little overstimulated at that point.  I had finished up my nature notebook entry a little late in the handicrafts time period (I was knitting and then crocheting, then decided to draw), and by the time I went into the dining room for tea everyone was in full conversation and it just felt like a bit too much.  My introvertedness kicked in and I felt that dull roaring in my ears which is my clue that I need to spend a little time outside and away from the hubbub of everything.  I added more to my nature notebook, stared at the water for a bit, then was ready for the scheduling discussion at 4.

This discussion was very helpful and encouraging, and showed just how important it is to have some connections with people who are trying to do what you are doing around to bounce ideas off of and to help troubleshoot.  I wish the discussion could have been twice as long!  (And I wish all these incredible women lived, oh, within an hour's drive of me so we could do this every month - or more!!)

Someone on the nature walk identified these as Chanterelle mushrooms.  Aren't they gorgeous?

The next talk was Kathy Wickward's talk about Charlotte Mason's methods and special needs children.  I wish everyone could have heard this talk, because as Kathy pointed out, "special needs are regular issues on steroids".  Also, I think it was so helpful to hear a bit about what it is like to educate a child with special needs and so encouraging to hear how CM's methods and ideas are appropriate for all children.  I wonder if they are perhaps even more important for children with special needs because they are so much more likely to be given limited exposure to truth, beauty and goodness.  Her discussion about accommodating and how to build skills while also continuing that exposure to great ideas was particularly helpful.

And then it was time for dinner, with another talk and a book discussion after that in the evening.  (Yes, Saturday was a long and full day, but an excellent one!)  Naomi Goegan's Nature Study Through the Ages talk was very helpful and encouraging, and I especially like how she emphasized that we have to be willing to open our own eyes for nature study to work.  We also have to be patient - nature study is not a short term endeavor.  

I had hoped to go the The Nature Study Idea book discussion, but since I only managed to finish about a third of the book, I decided to attend the Living Page discussion instead.  I think most of the attendees attended this discussion, as it was a very full room!  But we had a good discussion, and I was encouraged especially to consider creating a child's personal history chart after hearing one woman describe how she did it with her children.  Attending this talk really made me realize how much more I could appreciate a book if I had the opportunity to discuss it with other people.

And now we're (finally!) at Sunday.  I didn't realize this write-up would get quite so long, but I think it is good for me to get a chance to record some of my impressions.  I hope perhaps it will be encouraging for some of you out there who didn't get to go, but have considered attending a conference like this.  If you have the opportunity, or even sort of have the opportunity - do it!

On Sunday morning I again took a walk, then went to Mass at the chapel at the retreat center.  The Mass was lovely, and I had the opportunity to serve as an Eucharistic Minister for the first time.  It was incredibly moving, and I felt so privileged to do so.  It is something I've been scared to do in the past, but now I hope to have the opportunity to do it again.

And after breakfast, we had a west coast organizational meeting.  After talking briefly with the one other woman from Northern California (hi, Helen!) we decided to join the Southern California table.  We had some ideas about how to build the CM community in California, which is exciting, and I enjoyed hearing what other women have done to build community in their areas.  And then we discussed the next West Coast Charlotte Mason Conference - and guess what, it will be in Northern California next year, and I'm going to be taking a substantial role in making this happen!  I'm very excited, and I feel complete peace about it.  (now at least!)  There are several other wonderful women who are also going to be working on the next conference, and I'm very glad to have to opportunity to work with them and get to know them better.   

And then it was time for our last talk of the conference, Brandy's talk on the famous (well, in CM circles at least) fresco with St. Thomas Aquinas in the center and all the virtues and areas of study.  Her talk was very informative, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to get to stare at the painting more closely and understand who all the figures in it are.  I'm looking forward to Brandy putting this one online, because I quickly realized that I could either stare and consider or I could take notes...  and I decided to stare and consider.  But I'd like to have the notes too, because there is a lot of information embedded in that fresco!

And then after lunch it was time for the conference to end and for everyone to head out.  I did have a chance to chat a bit more with some of the women I met, and then I met up with my husband's Aunt and Uncle to visit and take a walk.  We walked back to the nature sanctuary and had a great visit in the lovely September sunshine.  Then it was to the rental car return, to the airport, to the plane, to the Sacramento airport, to the economy parking (where I thought I had lost my parking ticket and ended up finding it on the ground outside my car!), then to my mom's house to return her car and pick up my mother-in-law's car, then to my in-law's to return her car, then I walked home (owning one car can sometimes be challenging, logistically speaking!).  My daughter had waited up for me, and we eagerly swapped stories while I ate a late dinner and wound down a bit from the drive and walk.  

Mount Rainier - I have never flown so close to it before!

And now I'm really looking forward to the West Coast Charlotte Mason Conference next Fall!!

What We're Reading: Beginning of May Edition

I enjoy reading other people's posts about what is being read in their families, and I thought I'd try to do this once a month or so as well.

Me:
About two months ago, I decided to start a reading plan of sorts for myself.  I was tired of having a long list of books I was trying to read, and I was frustrated when I realized that while I am always reading good and worthwhile books, I wasn't always getting to books I really felt I should read.

I decided to resolve the following:

• Create a list of categories of books, and to either read the book through or decide definitively not to finish a book before moving onto another book in that category
• Read twice from each category each week
• In each session, to read in each category for at least 10 minutes, but no more than 30
• To review and update my commonplace book twice a week
• To write notes about my reading in several categories 
• To participate in Weekends with Chesterton (which I'm obviously not doing well on as of late!)

So far this has gone well for me.  I have a note in Evernote to track my reading each week and I'm enjoying continuing to make progress through a variety of books.  I'm thinking about the books more as I'm not gulping them down over a short period of time, and my commonplace is filling with interesting and thought provoking quotes.  It has also encouraged me to stick with a book if I get to a point where I feel the book is dragging, rather than consigning it to the "oh, I'll get back to it later" pile where it seldom gets picked up again.

So, with that explanation out of the way, here's my current list of categories and what I'm reading in each.

Bible:  2 Timothy - I'm following this plan, which encourages the reader to read through each book twenty times before moving to the next.  I doubt Charlotte Mason would approve but I'm finding it an interesting discipline as I feel like it is allowing me to get a good feel for the themes and rhythms of each book I'm reading.
Fiction:  Waverley, by Sir Walter Scott
Poetry:  I recently finished Goblin Market, The Prince's Progress and Other Poems by Christina Rossetti and now I'm reading First Fig and Other Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Spiritual Reading:  Learning the Virtues by Romano Guardini
General Non-fiction:  The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal Ph.D. - The research is fascinating, the willpower challenges are useful and helpful, but the way the book is written is occasionally obnoxious.
Self-education:  The Abolition of Man, by C.S. Lewis - This category is for all those books I see referenced and quoted, but haven't actually read.
Chesterton:  I finished The Ball and The Cross last week, and I'm going to start The Trees of Pride next.  I like reading obscure Chesterton.
History:  I recently finished A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander (a great WWII story largely about a German fighter pilot) and now I'm reading Killing Jesus, which was lent to me.  The tone of the book leaves a lot to be desired, and I think the book is poorly edited.  Every time I read it I find myself annoyed, which probably means I should stop.
Charlotte Mason:  The Living Page - The book discussion for this book was cancelled by request of the author, so I won't be posting on it anymore.  It is an excellent book, however, and it has helped me grow in my understanding of Mason's methods and of my role in my children's education.

Emma (age 12):
April was largely a re-reading month for Emma.  She re-read several of the later Anne books, the Mitchells series, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  Right now she's reading The Secret Garden.

Gregory (age 8):
Gregory has been enjoying the Tales of the RAF series about a boy who lives near an airfield in England during WWII.  He recently finished On the Edge of the Fjord and he's currently reading The Story of D-Day by Bruce Bliven.

Nathan (age 5) and Justin (age 2):
My two non-independent readers are bringing me a motley collection of books from around the house.  Nathan doesn't tend to find favorites that we read over and over, but Justin is currently enamored with several books.  Right now I'm frequently reading The Best Place to Read, several Eric Carle books, and Snowmen books (Snowmen at Work, Snowmen at Night).  He also has a soft spot for Otis, and I haven't had the heart to put away An Otis Christmas because he's so attached to it.

The Well-Read Mom

I opened up my new issue of Mater et Magistra (a great Catholic homeschooling magazine, by the way!) and my eyes immediately fell on an attractive ad for something called "The Well-Read Mom".  It is, as the ad explains, "a network of book clubs to encourage, equip, and educate women through literature from the Western and Catholic Tradition.  These groups are a way for women to reclaim time to read the best."

Marcie Stokman, the creator of The Well-Read Mom, adds this on the website:

Many women understand the value of quality literature for their children’s moral growth, yet they lack a seriousness when it comes to the education of their own hearts. What does a woman’s commitment to her own growth have to do with Pope John Paul’s prophetic charge, “Women will increasingly play a part in the solution of the serious problems of the future…in a way which favors the processes of humanization which mark the ‘civilization of love”? Through personal stories and gentle humor, women will be encouraged to see their pivotal cultural responsibility and be encouraged to read more and read well.

I find it amazing how often I come across women who are so concerned about what their children are reading, but pay little to no attention to what they are reading - if they read anything at all!  How often do mothers perpetuate the "do as I say, not as I do" sort of attitude by insisting that children read good books, but then read bubble-gum for the brain magazines and books themselves? Yes, perhaps it sounds like just one more thing we need to do, but yet the rewards are so rich and invigorating.  And the gains are not just for ourselves, they are for our children too.

I feel pretty certain that it would be hopeless to try and start this around here, but I hope Marcie's idea catches on and spreads widely.  

20 Minutes and a Field Guide

 I am trying valiantly to carve out a little time here and there to do things that aren't just trying to get stuff done.  On Friday I took a little ramble around our property with a field guide and tried to identify a few of the common plants we have growing in abundance.  I decided I'd like to know that those oaks are California Black Oaks, that the little oak shrub is a Curl-Leaf Shrub Oak (according to one source, but Google doesn't seem to agree - need to do some more searching about that one.  And what a creative name!), and the evergreen oaks are Interior Live Oaks.  Knowing these names is deeply satisfying.

I did get into a bit of a quandary though when I tried to identify the two types of wild blackberries we have growing on our property.  I believe the one below on the right is the native Californian blackberry, and the one on the left is cutleaf evergreen blackberry, an invasive species from Europe.  I took a little walk this evening (see, trying!) and I was able to sample both types of berries.  I think I like the cutleaf ones better - the flavor is a little more complex and interesting, even if they are tarter and smaller.  And do you see the spider on the gaillardia flower above?  Thanks to Google, I think that's a flower spider (another creative name!), also known as a crab spider or banana spider.  They camouflage with the flower to lie in wait for pollinators.  Given how many bees visit those flowers, I think they have found excellent hunting grounds!

The Personal Touch

I am so looking forward to listening to this!  I'd love to say that I'm going to sit out on the veranda with a glass of ice tea and enjoy, but alas I think it is far more likely to be my laundry folding companion.  I don't even have a veranda (although I love how the word sounds - do people have verandas in California though?  Or are they just covered decks out west?  The word doesn't sound like it belongs with this part of the country.)

Mother Culture

This year I have been contemplating "Mother Culture".  As Karen Andreola quotes, "Mothers should cultivate their souls so that in turn they may cultivate the souls of their children." I desperately need this, but yet it so very difficult to make the time for it.  At the beginning of the year I started my own nature journal with a vow to update it at least weekly...  but this summer that has tailed off to perhaps every other week.  I try to steal away for little nature walks on my own, and that too has fallen away in the activities of summer.  Handicrafts too are an infrequent companion as I try to plan the next school year, reorganize the study, take care of the house and garden, and try to do a few fun activities with the children.

When a dedicated, hard-working home teacher takes part in Mother Culture she safeguards her enthusiasm. She will be better able to cope with her responsibilities. To take part in Mother Culture is to feed herself with the Word of God, with ideas from books, nature, art, music, etc., taking care to keep growing spiritually and mentally.  Karen Andreola, What Is Mother Culture?

I need to reclaim these moments of "Mother Culture" so I will be infused and ready to do the work set before me.  I had hoped to steal away for a little nature walk and journaling today, but last night was a rough night with the 10 month old, so I wasn't up for it.  But I did take a stroll around the garden with my camera, and I spent a lovely afternoon with my children on our extremely makeshift patio.  I helped my six year old weave his first pot holder, chatted with my daughter, watched my 4 year old water our few patio plants, and tried mightily to keep the baby entertained.  It was perhaps a bit chaotic at times, but still extremely rewarding to just be with my children, listening to them and enjoying them.

(As an aside, I see that Karen Andreola's CD on Mother Culture is on sale right now - $5.00, including domestic shipping.  I am sending out my order tomorrow!)