Nature Therapy, Part Deux

Since we have left Egypt behind and finished The Red Pyramid, and because we've been spending so much time in the park, I decided to read My Side of the Mountain as our next read-aloud.  Boy1 and I read it together a few years ago, but he was more than willing to hear it again.  It was a big hit and very timely.  We ripped through it in a week because the Boys wouldn't let me stop reading.  We had to take turns reading when my voice got tired.  They are already begging for the next book in the series.  There is something about My Side of the Mountain that really speaks to this age - I know it did to me.  We also have a companion guide to the series that is full of project ideas.  I'm just not sure how we're going to fit it all in!

So now, in addition to birdwatching, the Boys have begun a new backyard project.  A tree that fell up against our swing set is now being turned into a new fort. Hmmm...I guess we're just going to have to live with the dead tree for a while.  They would kill me if I had it removed!

The Boys are collecting vines and sticks to weave through the branches of the fallen tree to enclose the space under it.  And they are working on carving some furniture for it.  The neighborhood boys have been over in the afternoon all this week to help work on it, even in the rain. Yes, there is mud all over my house.  No, I don't care.

Our volunteering at the nature park is going very well.  This past week, the Boys cleaned and refilled the bird feeders and got to help clean out the aquarium in the visitor's center.  I've already told the education person there that we are available for any projects she needs help on.  We also went back to the park the next day with two other homeschooling families for a hike and a picnic lunch up at the observation platform.

And, we hiked the trails and took the dog out for a good run.

We have finished up our Chemistry unit and for our final project, the Boys are going to do a stop-motion animation film to explain some of the concepts they learned.  We are also getting started on Ancient Greece.  I see more Rick Riordan books and plaster art projects in our future. 

 I downloaded a retelling of The Odyssey and some Herculean tales by Odds Bodkin.  I just can't say enough good things about Odds Bodkin.  If you have kids, you need to get some of his stories.  The Boys have been listening to him since they were in preschool.  His Little Proto tales, stories about a little protoceratops and his dinosaur friends and his Paul Bunyan stories are still favorites around here.  You can download his stories directly from his website now.  I highly recommend them.