Every chance we get, our afternoons are spent outdoors, often for at least four hours or more. With homeschooling, we try and get most of our work finished by lunchtime so the time after lunch is unstructured...in more ways than just activities. I have found our grade 3 year is so very much about farming and building and "doing"...one day Huckley found Papa's stash of hand-made cedar shingles and constructed the walls of a fort. When his older brother returned home, he added a roof with a big hole to allow smoke to waft upwards. I was always nearby, clearing the new pasture land, so I admit to a few dashes over to the fort to encourage smaller fires...afterall, it was built of dry wooden boards.
The three of them have played in there nearly every day for a week straight. When I peeked in, I realized how they are making it as "homey" as they can. Some essentials have included...utensils and bowls for eating snacks, a make-shift bench, books, a change of clothes (?), and two paint sets. I guess you just never know what you might want to do in your fort on a sunny afternoon. And all of this is good prep work for the tree fort planned for summer building.
With Josh away so much this winter doing his mountain work, I felt quite ready to take a break from all the activities the kids participate in. So we cleared our schedules as best we could for the month of March so we could just stay home and be outdoors...in the midst of our early spring melt.
Although, there was a visit to a horse stable to meet the Icelandic pony that Sunshine will begin her riding lessons with...
We have already started five flats of seeds indoors, and some basics outdoors, too. Sunshine insisted on planting some catnip for her furry friends in her own garden bed...she has been waiting for this thaw for months now just for the catnip. Lucky kitties...happy girl.
And Huckley transforms from cowboy to dragon slayer to pirate, all in the space of an hour. Oh, I love four year olds and their ability to step into a new identity with a simple change of a hat. I am constantly reminded of all I learn from my children and their ability to live so fully engaged in the present moment.
Happy weekending, friends! May the March melt come soon to all of you. xo
