Saturday, April 25, 2009

Only 24,682 stitches left! The shawl is moving along nicely, and I hope to get the edging started today. I can squeeze in two hours of knitting today so I can get to the edging, right?

Yes. Two hours of knitting on a quiet Saturday (the weather is cooperating ... outside work is not calling on this cold, threatening-to-drizzle day) is easily done.

The Latin curriculum we use is Henle. I've seen several, and tried a few of them out on my guinea pigs. I used Latina Christiana and Henle to teach myself Latin (not that I'm proficient, or fluent, you understand), and used the same with my children. We tried Oerberg's Lingua Latina, which is a wonderful book, but becomes a terrible teaching tool in my hands. I am not an inductive teacher, and I do not have inductive children. We all love Familia Romana, though, and highly recommend it for reading. Wheelock's was just too scattered for me after Henle's very sequential presentation of grammar. But it's a good book too. For next year, I should probably join the LatinStudy list and find something fun to translate with a group. I don't know that we'll go on to Henle 3. To do it well will, I think, require less grammar instruction and more discussion of speeches. Talk of discussion makes me run for my knitting and find a cozy corner to sit and listen.

Hmm. What shall I knit after the shawl, if my other knitting doesn't materialize?

Monday, April 20, 2009

April Update

April is here. My blog has not been here.

And I don't have any pictures to show you.

It's called a Shawl. A circular lace in tiny yarn, better known as the Shetland Tea Shawl. It's been on my list to make since I first laid eyes on A Gathering of Lace, and I decided I was going to make it. I should have it finished in a month or so, if other knitting doesn't pop up and bump the STS to the back burner. Other knitting is supposed to pop up .. so don't hold your breath for finished pictures. If my estimates are right, I have 75,600 stitches left.

School is starting to wind down. We've finished Diogenes: Maxim, are working on the review exercises in math, and are close to the end of Logic and Science. Latin ... well, there's always more Latin to learn. Results of the NLE Level 2 show that my Latin Scholars are Magna Cum Laude, which delights my teacher's heart.

Spring is actually springing. The grass is green, the trees are budding, and Filius got in a strawberry bed. He's looking forward to ripe strawberries later this season. I'm looking forward to them too. Fresh asparagus is on my list of delicacies as well, but not his. Yet. I'm not sure if I should tell him how good it is.

Earlier this month a semi pulled up in front of our house with an order of grains, cereals, dried fruit, and nuts. Mmmmm! I have discovered how to make almond milk -- an excellent substitute for milk in creamy soups. Filia loves the almond pulp left over, so there's no waste whatsoever. We all love dried Bing cherries, and fresh ground whole wheat beats store-bought flour any day. We're overflowing in so many good things!!!

And that's it for April.