Kitty Friends

Lovin' on the kitties with Friend Sissy.

Fruit Salads

Pomegranate season. We LOVE pomegranates. We make this simple salad with pomegranates and bananas to stretch the pomegranates into a couple of meals. We had these cut apples in our favorite blue bowl for lunch this week. They looked so pretty.

Todays Postcard

Today's postcard from God. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

Photo by L.

Dance Party

The temps have dropped outside and dance fever has hit again. Every year, the girls switch from heavy-duty outdoor trampoline play to indoor dance shows. Last night there were a couple of new sale dresses to be spun, so the party was intense!

Big Weekend

We started out with a work day on my brother's roof. The church and community helped with a re-shingling.

After BBQ's, chips and bars, the girls and I headed off for a baby shower in town. I made some little "lovie" blankets as part of the gift. I made up this design myself for optimum "lovie-ness." They are just small for easy carrying. The shower was for Jennifer, the wife of Daniel H. who has been a friend of our sons' since childhood. Our families spent many happy hours together during our older kids's school years.

W. likes to play with Daniel's little sister E. It's almost like a "second generation" of our families playing together.

Illuminated Letters

This is the second week we worked on illuminated lettering in my art classes. During the Middle Ages, illuminated art was used by the rich or educated in decorated books and texts. It was first called "illuminated" because gold was used to highlight it and so "lit up" the art. The letters were also highly decorated. Over time any highly decorated lettering with or without gilding was called illuminated.

We talked about the history of illuminated lettering and looked at examples. We looked at two modern illuminators, Mary Engelbreit and Graeme Base.We did this project on watercolor paper, but it could be done with other media on other types of paper. I feel that watercolor paper is worth the extra cost when you are using watercolors. It is good for the kids to learn about different weights and types of paper.

I made a couple of practice letters this week to try out techniques. The first one I drew I used black color to outline, and then water colored it in. (See J.-click pictures to enlarge) This worked well, but was still too difficult to manage for my aged classes. (4/5/6th). On my second practice version (See S.) I outlined with black permanent marker, and colored in with watercolor pencil. This gave a lot more control for painting. Note: Do not use washable markers if you will be painting over it, it will smear. I had never used watercolor pencils before last year, but find they work well for some projects. I do think it is good for kids to learn to use watercolors, but sometimes in a classroom situation it can be overwhelming to try for certain projects. There are also watercolor colors, which work well too. Basically you color the area in and then go over the pigment with a wet brush to "melt" the color into watercolor.

Here are some of this week's letters. All of these happen to be A's. I think it is interesting to see the same letter done in a variety of ways. We will finish these next week and I will probably post some finished project pictures then.

Monday Birthday

Sunday we went out for lunch at Pizza Ranch for Daughter A's 22nd birthday.

Proud parents.

Friend Marissa O. came along to make it more festive!

This is the "real" birthday with the sisters on Monday morning.

And this is a shot of our cat, Uncle Emily, because it was so nice outside, and we have thousands of pictures of cats that should be used in some way. The weather has been in the high 60's and so lovely for November. Today is a little "spitty" and overcast though.

Friday Coop Day

7:30 AM A deer wanders through the yard. We saw them everywhere this week while the corn came out of the fields.

Got to co-op at 8:15-the two "big" girls went to their pre-co-op women's singing group. 8:30 Everyone goes to class.

9:15-10:45 Taught my two art classes. This week we learned about illuminations. We started drawing illuminated letters. We will finish and put color on them next week.

Sarah F. brought this pretty guy to show all the classes. She has a breeding pair and raised this one from hatching. He was very popular.

The jr. high and high school art classes did self portraits and finished off their mosaic projects to take home. Daughter L.'s on right.


The Senior choir's director/pianist had to be gone, so they taught themselves. I. (15) and C. (16) directed and accompanied the choir.

12:00 Classes done, lunch at B.'s house with others who need to stay in town for afternoon extended classes. Much eating, playing and talking among kids and moms. After lunch, took a few shots of friend A's kids who wanted "school pictures." They have 7 great kids but are down to 4 at home now.


A few "fashion shots" of I.

Her friends helped with the shoot. Photog's assistants. They provided shade in the midday light, and smiles on the subject. It was BRIGHT! But we are not complaining about this weather in early November.


How'd these two get in here? The are not Friend A's kids?( That's C.K. and C. B.) Oh well, they're cute. Sometimes the camera gets a little carried away.

1:00-3:00 M and L. have Logic, World Geography and Shakespeare at Extended Co-op, then M. is off to an overnight birthday and L. is off to a friend's until ballroom dancing lessons in the evening. A. will pick her up after work/supper out/movie with a friend. Husband is home in the field doing tillage. W. and I head home through the great fall weather, savoring our blessings. Fridays are a marathon, but one well worth participating in.