Living Alaska

What REALLY Is Unschooling Anyway?

2011-10-16T22:58:00.000-08:00

Gosh, I can hardly believe it's been so long since I last wrote.

It's been 4 years since we started unschooling... and quite a while since I last updated this blog!

Looking back at the early days of Blake's home education, I realize that my thoughts/practices of unschooling have changed.

In the beginning, I thought the process of unschooling would be completely led by my kids. They would choose what they wanted to do each day and somehow, they would end up with a well-rounded education.

That may be the reality for many other unschoolers, but it's not what it looks like around these parts of the woods.

Yes, my kids do have a lot of input into their education.
But no, they cannot simply "play all day" and call it schooling.

This leads me to the question:

What REALLY is unschooling anyway?

According to Wikipedia:
Unschooling is a range of educational philosophies and practices centered on allowing children to learn through their natural life experiences, including play, game play, household responsibilities, work experience, and social interaction, rather than through a more traditional school curriculum. There are some who find it controversial.^[1] Unschooling encourages exploration of activities, often initiated by the children themselves, facilitated by the adults. Unschooling differs from conventional schooling principally in the thesis that standard curricula and conventional grading methods, as well as other features of traditional schooling, are counterproductive to the goal of maximizing the education of each child.

My feeling is that unschooling is a mindset more than a practice.

Let me explain with an example close to home—my son Blake.

Blake is incredibly skilled when it comes to hands-on activities. He can swing a hammer like a pro, dam any river or creek imaginable, put together complex mechano sets, etc. But when it comes to the "books", he resists.

To me, unschooling means "real life experiences".

Real life experience = ya still do stuff you don't like.

The key lesson and mindset I try to convey to my kids is this:
"Focus on what you love and do that. The things you know you need to do but don't really feel like doing—do them quickly, efficiently and with good energy."

In other words:

Get the drudgery over with by doing it quickly and well. And spend your life doing what you love!

With smiles,
Jenn

Whaddaya Think?

2008-03-11T00:53:00.003-08:00

This is something my husband Zach is working on...a series of totally ridiculous vids. If you like what you see, I suggest you subscribe to the channel and stay tuned for more...(also, if you pass it along, you'll help us create a popular channel on youTube!).

Let me know what you think :)

Stay-At-Home Papa...

2008-03-06T09:24:00.002-09:00

I've been working a lot lately on my businesses and Zach has taken some time off from work to be with Blake and Nate.

It's fun and interesting to watch Zach take over my role (kinda) for this time. He's doing well. The cooking is quite greasy (and yummy mostly!)

Kids are happy - missing me a bit - but mostly enjoying the different pace that Zach provides.

The house is a fair bit messier, but WHO CARES? If my kids are happy...so am I!

No More Banana!

2008-02-26T20:23:00.003-09:00

Here's Nate on his second birthday (January 29th) wearing his brand new "choo-choo" shirt from his Nana.

Couldn't resist including a cute pic to go along with my post...

Ok, today, besides being Blake's 6th birthday!!! Woohoo...snif snif...

Today also marks the first day of my commitment to not purchasing bananas any longer. ...It's been a long time coming.

And to be honest, I may have to start a support group (banana-lovers anonymous) or something like that.

Why the self-deprivation? Why deny myself of my beloved banana smoothies?

Because I've been hearing too much TRUTH about the banana industry and the environmental impact of eating the sweet fruit.

How can I possibly continue eating bananas in Southeast Alaska for goodness sakes, when I know what I do?

I don't know the exact stats (my brain is to sieve-like for that!), but I do know that a ridiculous amount of oil is used to produce bananas and get them to us fresh and yummy.

What's your opinion on this one?

Will you lend a supportive ear when I desperately need my banana fix?

Will you be next?

Funny how things work...

2008-02-19T22:13:00.002-09:00

One of my best friends just started blogging - back in my home town Toronto, Canada.

She wrote an interesting post on green consumerism the exact same time I did! We're on the same wave length.

Check out her new blog, it's fantastic! http://greenistheword.wordpress.com/

Peace,
Jenn

Green Consumerism

2008-02-18T20:37:00.003-09:00

I had an interesting conversation with my father-in-law the other day. We were discussing green products and whether they are in fact better for the environment than conventional brands.

Well, one very good point that Marcel had is best illustrated with a story:

His wife, my mother-in-law Connie, bought some garbage bags made of corn which were designed to be composted when put in the landfill. She felt she was making a good, ecological choice...until she returned home and read that the bags are made in Norway - a country that doesn't even grow corn, not to mention the thousands of miles and fossil fuel it took to get the bags to her.

So, Marcel's take on it was that perhaps green consumerism isn't so good after all.

I'm so glad we had the conversation because it really got me thinking about the issue. And what I came up with is that I still believe green choices are best. Of course NOT using garbage bags at all in the first place would be most ecologically sound, but that's another point.

The reason I think green choices are best is because every time we spend a dollar on a green company that is trying to do better than the conventional brand, we are casting a vote.

How long before there are composting garbage bags being made more locally if we all demand it through our purchases?

I think it's too easy to look at the downfalls of current green choices and forget how powerful our vote is each time we make a purchase.

As always, I welcome all of your thoughts on this one...

Especially yours Marcel! :)

The BIG Snow!

2008-02-13T09:54:00.003-09:00

I know many of you probably think we have snow all winter long here in Alaska.

Up north in Alaska, you're right, but here in Southeast Alaska, when it snows and sticks at sea level, we make the most of it, cause it doesn't last long.

It was fun. Snow almost to our belly buttons in some places :)

Lots of toboganning and shoveling, snow angels...FUN! I like this kid-stuff that's for grown ups too!

Have a good one.

Peace,
Jenn

A Measure of Time.

2008-02-06T23:20:00.000-09:00

We visited our neighbor Sonia today who is snowed-in. She lives on the same forested property as us and hikes 1/4 mile to her home.

She's got a bad knee and isn't able to plough through the deep snow.

So, we've been taking her some groceries and visiting here and there to keep her company and hear her giggle :)

Blake ended up spending 6 hours with her today...talking and talking and talking for hours he tells me.

Eventually, Nate called him on the phone and told him: "Bake, HONE!"

"OK, I'm coming home, Nate" I hear Blake tell Nate through the phone.

45 minutes later Blake shows up covered in snow and excited to share EVERYTHING he learned from Sonia today.

Sonia called later this evening to tell me a funny story:

When she told Blake he'd been at her house for 6 hours, she said he couldn't believe it!! "Really?!!" he asked.

"Really Blake, you have" Sonia replied.

"Wow, that's how long it takes to charge the batteries for my lantern!" Blake exclaimed.

And this is how he measures time...

I came across this on youTube tonight...

2008-02-02T20:50:00.000-09:00

I would have loved to be there and seen people's faces.

Jenn :)

I've been a blog slacker...

2008-01-31T08:39:00.000-09:00

I don't believe in excuses so I won't try to make any here.

I've been busy, period.

Nate's birthday was Tuesday - he turned two which I can hardly believe. The lake in the middle of Sitka is frozen so we played on it and ate cake. Nate smiled the whole day!

I'm working like a mad woman on my home business which is really taking off. I love the work I do which is really all about helping people find the freedom in their lives which allows them to do what they really want to be doing while on this earth.

I won't solicit any of you beautiful blog friends, but really if you are looking for more freedom in your lives and you're passionate about the environment, then you might consider getting in touch with me. I'd love to help any way I can.

We just bought our very first camcorder and I'm going to be doing a lot more youtube videos about homeschooling/unschooling in Alaska. They are going to be kid-centered and I think you guys will like them...since you keep coming back to this blog!!

I continue to appreciate every single one of you. Thanks for taking the time to be here. It's really nice. A community of like-minded parents is a very good thing to have.

Enjoy your day - your SELF, your kids, the earth, and whatever strikes your fancy.

Peace,
Jenn

The Best Song In The World...

2008-01-23T08:07:00.000-09:00

Blake made this one the other day - I love his sense of connectedness...

Tell me what you think.

Peace,
Jenn

Is This One of The Secrets to Eternal Well-Being?

2008-01-18T23:06:00.000-09:00

This is a photo of Grand Master Wong Kiew-Kit. He has practiced the healing, energy art, Shaolin Chi Kung for his entire life.

Zach took a workshop he conducted a little over a year ago in Vegas of all places :) Zach practices Chi Kung regularly (15 - 20 mins each day) and we have watched his health improve dramatically...more energy, improved mental capacity (he's still can't multi-task!), no sickness...

Well, why am I telling you this?

Because I am organizing for one of three authorized instructors of Shaolin Chi Kung to come to Sitka this March. I've been learning a lot about Chi Kung and I want to share it's benefits with all of you - cause I like all of ya!

Take a look at the web page I created for the event - it includes an interview with the instructor (audio recording) and find out if you want to find a workshop near you. OR, use it as an excuse to come to Sitka!!

Here's the link: http://www.chikungsitka.com

Have a beautiful weekend :)

Jenn

Start Packing...

2008-01-15T22:27:00.000-09:00

He, He, He...

Funny, but it would be fun to have some of you unschooling families up here in Sitka with us!

This is the view we look out to from our home :)

Talk soon,
Jenn

Nothing Other Than Super Cute...

2008-01-14T23:44:00.000-09:00

What more can I say?

Nate is being a goof after wrapping a present he made for his buddy Birch.

Tomorrow I will post a picture from our home which will have you gals who teased me by suggesting you would move to Sitka packing your bags :)

Enjoy your kids today.

More tomorrow...

According to my kid...

2008-01-09T17:39:00.000-09:00

I asked Blake today why he likes unschooling. This is what he told me:

"This is why. The reason why I want to homeschool and not be at school is because I don't want to be at school."

Why not?

"Because I don't want to."

What do like most about homeschooling?

"learning from you."

What do you learn?

"nothing."

Nothing at all?

"Yeah, nothing at all...ha, ha, ha..."

OK. Don't tell the authorities... :)

Christine Kane - No Such Thing As Girls Like That

2008-01-05T14:53:00.001-09:00

he, he, he.

Whaddaya think girls?

The Road Less Travelled...

2008-01-03T08:48:00.000-09:00

I’m sure some of you other unschoolers have felt this way too - like you were on a your own road...has it ever felt a wee bit isolating?

It has for me.

I faced this feeling head on a couple months ago. I was struggling with the fact that my vision of how I wanted to homeschool/unschool my children was not matching our daily reality.

I wanted kids dropping by unannounced to run around in the woods with my kids ---reality is that kids are way too busy round here that they need day planners! I know, you are probably shocked - being in Alaska no less :)

But it’s true. The list goes on...if I let it.

You know what? I don’t let it. I have decided that I need to let go of my IMAGE of what I want for my kids and ACCEPT the reality of what is.

Because what is is pretty darn amazing, really.

So what if my children aren’t running around with buddies all day in our woods. They do this once per week most weeks.

So what if they don’t have tonnes of friends their own age to play with. They have friends of all ages across all segments of our diverse community.

I had this realization the other week when we were out at the shipyard visiting Zach at work (he’s working on the interior of a large fishing boat). Blake wandered over to where our friend Mike, a shipwright was steaming some planks for another boat he’s working on. Mike took Blake under his wing, so to speak, and just like he would any friend, he showed him what he was doing and involved Blake in his work for a while.
To me, this is real life. Stuff like this happens all the time in our daily wanderings.

It’s not my fairytale homeschooling (or unschooling) adventure, but I wonder if I would really want that anyway??

Have a wonderful day beautiful people!

This woman has the voice of an ANGEL!

2007-12-26T22:49:00.001-09:00

I absolutely adore Snatam Kaur Khalsa. I was first introduced to her music in 2004 while attending a Kundalini Yoga training in LA. I was immediately hooked.

I play her music often at home and am filled with an overwhelming feeling of JOY.

Besides wanting to share her voice with YOU, I also want to hear who you love and especially if you can recommend your favorite music to get down and boogie to.

I want new music that I can turn up loud and move my body to - Let's hear your favorites!

Happy Solstice!

2007-12-21T22:31:00.000-09:00

Happy Solstice to all of you amazing people!

Our snowman is melting...as I write :)

The Giggle Workout

2007-12-18T19:51:00.000-09:00

Have you ever had the feeling like you're not getting enough exercise being the parent of young children?

I mean, how long can we walk along at kid speed before our muscles atrophy and we turn into jelly-blobs?

I figured out something revolutionary today - something I have known for ages and only put together today!

Giggles + Fun = Aerobic exercise

Look, my kids giggle the most when I'm throwing them into the air, acting like a total idiot, jumping crazy on our trampoline, pulling them through mounds of snow on a sled, chasing them...anywhere, pushing them for hours on the swing, holding them up to chin up bars, swinging them round and round through the air...

the list goes on.

If it burns calories, it brings giggles. And luckily, it's a lot of FUN!

Whaddaya think?

The Story of STUFF!

2007-12-13T22:42:00.000-09:00

Do you ever wonder where all your stuff comes from and goes?

Check out this video: The Story of Stuff

It's 20 minutes long and can be watched in segments. Well worth it :)

Let me know what you think...

Playing around with Technology...

2007-12-10T23:56:00.001-09:00

Enjoy!

Punkie Update

2007-12-09T21:52:00.000-09:00

We had a week or so of below freezing temperatures and now things have thawed. The freeze-thaw really took a toll on our punkie as you can see.

Seems to be introverting. I have those same feelings when the weather gets cold - time to hunker down, turn inward, drink lots of warm drinks (with milk and honey - YUM!).

I betcha can't wait to see the next punkie update! Gotta wait...

Thanks for being here :)

FREEDOM!

2007-12-07T00:01:00.000-09:00

Riding our bikes is one of our all-time favorite things to do. Blake either races his two wheeler or rides attached to Papa’s bike on our Burley Picolo trail-a-bike.

Nate rides behind me in a bike seat.

I wanted to include this pic from a ride we did the other day (back on the pavement on our way home). We have started “mountain-biking” in it’s least knarly form. Sitka has a new off-road trail past two lakes gaining enough elevation to generate a sweat and great views.

Blake feels incredibly powerful and BIG when we cycle the 3 mile loop...and he should!

I hope this isn't too gross...

2007-12-03T21:30:00.000-09:00

We went to Swan Lake today. What seems like overnight, temperatures have dipped to 7 F and the lake is frozen.

Blake and Nate were so excited to walk out onto the lake.

"We're walking on water Mama!"

and then we stumbled upon a dead seagull...

"Wow"

"Poor seagull"

"What do you think happened, Mama?"

I love the opportunity to experience life in it's rawest form. There is sadness and a deep understanding that we are all part of a big cycle called LIFE. It's times like these when I think, "YES, this is what unschooling is all about!"

Are you still with me? I know what you're thinking - I've got this unschooling thing all wrong- it's not all about watching dead and decaying things. Ah well, it's time you get to know my true nature ;)

Back to the seagull...

Our discussion was interrupted when a friend came by, saw the seagull and began reaching for it with a gloved hand.

"I'll put that in the garbage", she says.

"What"?! It had never occurred to me that someone would consider putting a carcass in the garbage. Ofcourse I've seen it done all too often - deer carcasses in dumpsters, etc. But to think of removing this bird from it's habitat (dead or not) seemed unreasonable to us.

So together, we decided to leave the remains for the ravens...it WAS nearly lunch time afterall.

Punkie Update

2007-11-28T13:56:00.000-09:00

Rot is starting to set in as you can see. But holy smokes, it's the end of November and Blake carved this pumpkin mid October! The cool weather is preserving it really well.

Here you can see a bit more decay.

It's fun watching the boys excitement and gasps of "Ewww", etc. as we investigate each day's progress. Stay tuned...

Giving Thanks...

2007-11-24T20:14:00.000-09:00

for the people I love. Here are two of them -

Blake

Nate

As I grow older, Thanksgiving has become so much more about the people I am thankful for, the Earth I appreciate for all her beauty, my own good health and ....all the yummy food I get to gobble :)

I haven't included pictures of all the other important people in my life as this blog post would be a mile long. Thanks to everyone, including YOU dear reader for enriching my life.

PEACE :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2007-11-21T22:50:00.000-09:00

I wish all of you AMAZING people a wonderful day enjoying yourselves and the special people in your lives :)

Peace,
jenn

Who Needs Expensive Toys?

2007-11-19T21:35:00.000-09:00

Especially when you have a Papa who has an eye for FUN!

Zach put together this rocker from a discarded piece of a wood boat. A bit of sanding, a cross-piece for a seat and later, with the help of Blake, a dowel for a footrest.

This is definitely not the first homemade contraption around our tiny home....and surely not the last.

What homemade toys are your kids favorites?

Science 102

2007-11-16T18:52:00.000-09:00

Watching our Hallowe'en pumpkin "go back into the Earth" has become a yearly tradition for us.

Once the heat within our cabin awakens mold and yeast life in our jack'o lantern, outside it goes - next to our trail beneath an old Hemlock tree.

Each day as we wander up our trail, we investigate our pumpkin's decay progress. It is fascinating for all of us...and a good lesson about Ecology to boot!

I will keep you updated with our pumpkin's demise :)

Have a great weekend!

Brute Force

2007-11-11T23:39:00.000-09:00

Nate was working on this puzzle today. When he couldn't get a piece to fit, he got up, went to his tool box and found his hammer. He returned to the puzzle, hammer in hand and started banging away at the unfitted piece.

I thought this was pretty good thinking - and amusing to watch too!

What is your funniest kid story? Share the first one that comes to mind - we can all use a smile :)

Reluctance turns compulsive

2007-11-05T21:08:00.000-09:00

Here are a couple samples of Blake's work today. He started by copying my words 'PEACE" & 'LOVE' and then continued to use over 20 pieces of paper writing these words over and over again.

I titled the post 'Reluctance turns compulsive' because the writing session began:

"Hey Blake, do you want to learn how to write some words?" (my attempt to redirect his attention from pestering Nate)

"NO"

I began to write on paper without speaking...PEACE LOVE (thinking - why can't there be more of this right now??)

Five minutes passed, maybe more and Blake picked up his pen and copied the words...and his reluctance turned into a compulsive hippy machine!

How do I explain...

2007-11-03T20:16:00.000-08:00

that his balloon burst?

It's times like these when I realize the depth of my love for my boys. Nate found his cherished balloon deflated on the ground, picked it up and tried to inflate it by blowing on the sagging remains.

I wish I were a magician and could fix everything...

I know I am not.

Life's lessons can be cold and brutal.

Gotta go find another balloon ... :)

Unschooling Voices :: Blog Carnival

2007-11-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of 'Unschooling Voices' is out! Check it out - great reading on unschooling :)

Back to Alaska

2007-10-31T20:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween Readers! I thought to include some photos of the tigers...but I think you have seen enough of them. I decided instead to include a couple pics from our last day in California playing in the Pacific ocean.

We had a great trip. And it feels good to be home. It's truly amazing that our bodies can adapt to the dramatic climatic changes that plane travel allows. We went from soggy rain forest to desert-like conditions and back to rain forest all within 10 days. Incredible.

Blake is learning numbers and math so quickly. It's fun to watch unhindered, uninterupted or persuaded learning happen so naturally. Much of our day consists of statements such as "Hey Mama, did you know that nine plus six is fifteen?" or "Hey Mama, 2000 is 20 one hundreds..." All this with us never buying a math book, never encouraging him, simply answering his questions.

While on the subject of learning, I would love to hear how you learn best - please share :)

p.s. both boys are in bed, full to the brim with fruit leather (kind neighbors feed them organic fruit leather for Halloween) - last count, Blake ate five packages in a sitting! Nate ate three :)

Fun in the SUN!

2007-10-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

More people are showing up at the hotel we are staying at seeking refuge from the smoke - one woman I met told me her house smells like a barbeque. She was worried about her children's exposure to the smoke and decided to leave her home in search of cleaner air.

Today was actually one of the clearest days since we arrived. I am hopeful that the fires will all be contained over the weekend and people's lives can begin to be pieced together.

Blake and Nate are having such a good time here. They love wearing few clothes, being outdoors and the exciting new environment. I'm having fun too.

But as with all journey's from Alaska, I experience a 'coming out of the cave' feeling. There is a sense of raw awareness of how differently so much of the world is from Alaska. I experience quite a bit of sadness while descending in the airplane, watching the layers of smog and the lack of wild space. I experience the same sadness when I see thousands of brand new cars on the highways, the lack of recycling and the sheer waste which is standard in America.

I know I am risking being labeled a fruit cake or a cynic. That's ok. I do also find beauty all around me. I am meeting lots of wonderful people and experiencing a really feeling of social abundance which is somewhat lacking where I come from.

California is Burning! What are we doing here?

2007-10-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

We have travelled 1800 miles from a soggy rain forest to California - which has not seen rain in over 200 days and is littered with raging fires! We stepped off the plane in Orange County on Sunday and inhaled our first breaths of smoke. We continue to breathe ash and smoke, three days later.

We are here to visit with my mother (who lives in Canada) and for me to attend a ONE Group conference for my organic home business. My conference is not until this weekend so I have plenty of time to visit with my mum...and breathe smoke!

We are staying at a lovely hotel equipped with a hot tub which Blake and Nate adore. It is hard to get them out of it even though the outdoor temperature goes beyond 80 F during the day. Lots of fun :)

Blake enjoys seeing all the different plants and flowers.

I feel a sense of urgency here with the fires. It really feels desperate in the sense that we have got to make real change toward reducing out impact on the Earth, our consumption of oil...global warming. All the locals are commenting how unusual the heat is for this time of year, how the fires are getting worse (the damage from the current ones is still ongoing), etc. When are people going to wake up to the fact that WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGE IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES TO CREATE CHANGE ON A GLOBAL LEVEL?

As always, dear readers, I appreciate your thoughts which enlighten me soooo much :)

Saturday FUN...and off to California tomorrow!

2007-10-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

I love this photo of Blake down on our beach throwing rocks into the ocean. We spend a LOT of time doing this.

Lately there have been plenty of humpback whales feeding in our bay and last night the forest sounded like a tropical jungle with owls hooting. I wish I was more of a birder (one of my life's goals) because I can't tell you what kind of owls they were.

They made a call which has a rhythm much like a ball bouncing - any guesses as to the species?

On our way home from Grandma & Grandpa's today, we picked up a tiger cub outfit from a friend's house. Nate immediately wanted to wear it; and as you can see, fell asleep in it!

I think we will have two tigers for Halloween this year :)

As I mentioned in the title to this post, Blake, Nate and I are flying to California tomorrow.

Traveling is always a bit surreal to me until I am actually on the airplane thousands of feet above the ground.

Honestly, as time goes on, I do not enjoy traveling as much as I once did. I like to think this means I have found contentment where I am.

I'll keep blogging while 'down south' as we Alaskans refer to 'the lower forty-eight' :)

I love this....

2007-10-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

post from a blog I frequent.

In the Woods...and in Town

2007-10-18T21:10:00.000-08:00

Zach snuck a pic of Nate and I walking up the trail. Thought you might enjoy seeing some of our backyard :)

It's amazing how many people comment to me how hard or bothersome it must be to 'HAVE TO' hike throught the forest to get to my car. I have never thought of the hike as anything but magical.

I love that my kids (and I!) get to splash in puddles, kiss trees, cross bridges over creeks, stomp on mushrooms (Nate)....run or dawdle, carry heavey packages until my arms ache, return home late with only the light from a head lamp to guide our way...the list goes on. Our trail shapes our day in more ways than one!

No, it isn't Halloween yet - I mentioned in another post that Blake fancies himself a TIGER....grrrr. He wears his fur uptown, downtown, in the mountains, by the sea....and wouldn't you, if you were a tiger?

Happy Birthday Allison! ...ya Dancing Queen :)

2007-10-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISON, Sweet Sista! I don't know if you can read the sign, it says "Happy Birthday Allison" - Blake thought to make it, I helped with the writing...

Allison is my older sister who lives all the way across the continent on the Atlantic ocean in Prospect, Nova Scotia with her husband and almost two year old daughter (my first niece!) Natasha. We grew up together in Toronto Ontario Canada.

Here's a video clip to make you smile, Allison. Remember all those times we rocked out to Abba in the car on the ole 8 track, danced in our living room and dreamed of being 'dancing queens'?

I hope you are having a great day. I LOVE you lots!!

Global Warming...Alaska

2007-10-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

As part of Blog Action day, I thought to share this video about global warming.

There is a real urgency to the reality of global warming here in Alaska as we daily hear about our glaciers receding, sea level rising and the loss of many Native Villages due to erosion.

What can each of us do TODAY to reduce our carbon emissions?...I think we will ride our bikes, eat organic foods, cook with and heat water using the heat from our woodstove.

3 more days until Blog Action Day...

2007-10-12T20:45:00.000-08:00

If you are a blogger, get involved in this event - over 12 000 bloggers (so far) will be writing about the environment on October 15th. Sign up for Blog Action Day here.

Preparing for Halloween...

2007-10-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

Here's Nate in his bike seat after visiting our local thrift store commonly referred to as "the white E", properly named "The While Elephant". He bought a small basket and a bat shirt - suitable for Halloween.

Blake's been ready for Halloween for over a year. This is his favorite atire - whether hiking in the mountains or running erands he IS a TIGER!

So it's no surprise what Blake is going to be again this Halloween. Not sure about Nate yet - there's talk of him being the tiger's cub...so we'll see.

Thanks for your COMMENTS!!

2007-10-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank all of you who commented on my previous post 'ZOO- Alaska Style'. All of your comments got me thinking and I have realized a new appreciation for our local raptor's center. I now believe it's best for the birds to be captured and rehabilitated since most of the damage has been done to them by humans. And I appreciate the tourism aspect as this is a key component to keeping the center thriving and able to do the work they are doing. Still is hard to see a wild creature caged though...

Keep your comments rolling in... they mean a lot to me :)

p.s. a pic of Blake and Nate painting together. I so cherish the peaceful sharing moments between them these days!!

ZOO - Alaska Style

2007-10-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

We went to our local Raptor's Center the other day....my second visit in the seven years I have lived in Sitka. I never feel truly free as I watch another creature in captivity - regardless of the reason for it being there.

Our Raptor center is all about rehabilitating birds that have been injured, getting them healthy and flying again so they can return to the wild. All but the exceptionally injured birds, like the eagle in the above picture who will spend the rest of his days in the center, heal themselves in the center's flying area - a huge room with a waterfall, zero climate control (it's like being outside), perches for the birds to sit on and one-way mirrors so thousands of cruise ship passengers can watch without bothering the birds.

I have mixed feelings about the place in general. Part of me feels that the birds should be left alone to let nature take it's course - especially when there is the tourism component to it. But most of the birds are injured because of human culture (fish hooks caught in their throats, electrocuted by wires, etc) and thousands of people visit the center each year seeing raptors in close proximity - which goes a long way toward helping preserve their habitat.

Hmmm...I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one

Choosing PEACE...

2007-10-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

I received this in my inbox today from Scott Noelle. If you haven't already, I highly recommend signing up for his daily parenting wisdom - delivered to your inbox Monday-Friday. Find out more by following the link below.

Here's some of what he writes:

Today, pay close attention to how you feel in your body. Resistance is easy to identify: it always feels tense in some way. When you notice resistance, take a deep breath and gently remind yourself, "I could choose peace instead of this....more

Interior of our Cozy Home...as per requests!!

2007-10-03T20:36:00.000-08:00

View from our cabin...
Main living space/shelving...
kids dresser - note the chainsaw Zach made...
Blake's bunk above our king size bed (where Nate, Zach and I sleep)...
and a rather dark picture of our "kitchen"...

And that's as many pics as I could upload for this post. It gives you an idea of our small cozy living space. The ladder leads up to a loft where I have my home office, a washing machine, on-demand hot water heater, toys and storage. It's amazing what can be done in a 16 X 16 ' space :)

BEAR snack!

2007-10-01T20:21:00.000-08:00

We've got a bear in our woods again. The salmon have spawned leaving the bears with little food before they head for the hills to hibernate.

Saturday, we came upon the bear in our parking lot about to take a bit from Zach's truck wheel. An hour or two later as I was preparing dinner, I saw the bear amble down the last of our trail approaching our cabin.

In my excitement (first time I've actually seen a bear this close to our cabin!), I opened our front door a crack and found it coming up the stairs to our deck. Thankfully, I scared it enough that it turned away and started casually up the trail.

I went outside with some pots and pans, banging and calling for it to 'go on'. It did, ever so casually- definitely a bear that has been habituated to people. Not good :(

Today, the bear decided to chew my car!! The nerve...

After Nate's nap mid day today I got a call from my neighbor Sonja. She heard the police were walking through our forest with shot guns looking for a bear that was destroying my car! She wanted to know if I knew anything about this.

WHAT??!! My car? GUNS? YIKES!! I have small children and I happen to like bears!!

I quickly hung up the phone with Sonja and rang the police who informed me that several neighbors had reported seeing the bear. They were looking for the bear and found it eating my car!

Upon seeing the police, the bear ran off. And the police started chasing it with tranquilizing bullets. Great! Now I was scared to go up the trail for fear of a corralled bear running toward us.
I eventually mustered up the courage to walk up our trail to investigate my car.

No sign of the bear nor police en route. Just the stink of fresh bear and a tape worm. And my car, as you can see was not even close to being eaten. A couple munches here and there, but nothing too bad. In actual fact, I kind of like the Alaskana effect :)

It is now approaching 9 pm and I have not heard further word about the bear. I'll let you know when I do.

Our Wee Little Home

2007-09-28T20:55:00.000-08:00

Our cabin's backside. The front looks out to the ocean - the beach is a stone's throw away.

Zach and I moved into this cabin seven years ago after sailing to Sitka in our then 26' sailboat. The cabin was in a state of disrepair when we moved in. There was no running water, no electricity and very little functional (or attractive!) living space inside. We've done many home improvement projects since then. We now have amenities and a cute little living space.

The cabin is surrounded by forest. We walk a 1/4 mile trail down a trail from a road. We are two miles from town. Every day I feel gratitude for living in such a special and unique place.

Our DREAM? ...move the cabin, turn it into a shop and build a small timber frame home in the same spot.

Now you know where I live, share the story of your home (if you like!).

Taking a LOOK at my own RESISTANCE

2007-09-25T22:33:00.001-08:00

It's been raining cats and dogs, or so the saying goes. It's almost October in this Southeast Alaskan RAINforest and this is what it does. I don't mind. REALLY. I'm used to it and have actually grown to love it. It's time to work and play inside more and don our waterproof uniforms wherever we go.

This is Nate in his version of rain gear today. He's buck naked under his coat & boots! How uncomfortable does that sound? YUCK!

My internal (and less often external) reactions to these choices is often that of resistance. An inner voice screams "you need to wear clothes under your rain gear, you will get cold and be uncomfortable"...or "you need to wash your face, it's covered with ketchup!"...the list goes on and the opportunities to become a more relaxed parent are many.

I've learned that my kids generally know what is best for themselves. And if they don't, they learn from their mistakes. I'm also learning to stop myself from reacting and ask myself questions such as:

"what is the worst that can come from my toddler NOT washing his face or wearing appropriate (imo!) clothing?"

If the consequences are not serious, I allow my kids to do as they choose.
And here's a pic of Blake the other day. This was a return visit of ours to a shipwrecked pleasure boat. Blake had been pinning over the horns and decided to gather some tools and get them from the boat.

He did. The horns were no longer functional, but Blake took the end cap off and uses his as a sort of bugle!!

Our Results!

2007-09-22T12:19:00.000-08:00

We tried the experiment shown in my previous post 'Science Experiment' and it WORKED!! ...wonderfully I might add :)

Blake's explanation as to why it worked went something like this:

"well, the egg doesn't fit through the hole so it sits on top. Fire needs oxygen to burn so it sucks oxygen toward it. When we put the fire in the jar and then cover it with the egg, the fire still tries to suck oxygen in through the hole and can't. This creates a vacuum and pulls the egg into the jar, even though it couldn't fit."

I had hard boiled a dozen eggs ahead of time which was a good thing because we went through the whole lot. Then Blake got interested in lighting matches, putting them in the jar, covering the opening with his hand (once the fire was out ofcourse!) and feeling the suction. He claims this is even better than watching the egg :)

Check it out for yourself...and let us know how it goes for you and your kids!

Science Experiment

2007-09-21T12:14:00.001-08:00

Someone turned me on to this and I just have to share it with you. We haven't tried it yet, but plan to soon.

Let's hear your theories as to why this works!

Science 101

2007-09-19T21:40:00.001-08:00

First, I would like to thank those of you who submitted lime recipes in my time of need. I made halibut ceviche and limonade and both were excellent. Maybe we will crank up our wood stove and drink mojitos soon...we still have plenty of limes left!

Today was a typical rainy fall day in Southeast Alaska. We burned a small fire in the wood stove this morning to keep the moisture levels down, ate some apple crisp for breakfast and then decided to do an experiment with yeast.

We put some warm water and maple syrup into a beer bottle, sprinkled in a teaspoon or so of baking yeast and swirled the bottle enough to mix things up. Then, we attached a deflated balloon and sat and watched. Before long, the balloon perked up, eventually swelled and grew quite large.

Blake and Nate were thoroughly excited about the experiment - it's a quick and easy one you may just want to try for yourself :)

If you have a fun experiment to share, please do as we are always keen to learn more about 'how things work'.

Learning to be Self-Sufficient

2007-09-17T11:21:00.001-08:00

How many of us look to others when we get into sticky situations? Driving down the highway and a tire goes flat, flush the toilet and it starts overflowing, the list goes on.

I'm guilty of it. My first reaction when something goes 'wrong' is "AHHH...somebody fix this for me". I feel kinda pathetic when this happens. So I have learned to breathe deeply, assess the situation and ask myself "what is it that is stopping ME from taking care of this?"

Sometimes the answer is years of schooling (in the case of my computer breaking down) and I am happy to turn the job over to an expert. But I am talking about attitude here and a general belief in my ability to take care of myself and to learn how in situations where I am not educated. This is really empowering.

My first awakening to my own resistance to learning came when Zach and I were living remotely for a year caretaking an old cannery in Southeast Alaska (pre-kids!). Our outboard engine broke down from salt water damage. We depended on our skiff to get us out exploring and enjoying our surroundings. We fished, hiked, hunted and visited civilization with our skiff. And there were no outboard shops around.

Neither Zach nor I had any experience repairing outboard engines. The difference in how we handled this situation is what triggered the self-awareness I am sharing here. My mind shut down "I don't know anything about outboards, I don't even know where to start...". Zach was open to the challenge "I don't know what I am doing but if I take a look here, fiddle with this, follow these wires...and work on it for days..."

No surprise who knows more about outboard engines today is it? Zach got our engine working and we were able to enjoy our skiff for the rest of the year.

I learned a lot from that experience, from watching Zach's courage to take on something he knew nothing about. Mostly, I decided to be more like him in these situations. To trust my ability to learn. To set no limits on what I can and can't do.

And when I watch my sons solving their own problems, working with their hands as well as their minds, I feel happy knowing they will be able to draw on the confidence that comes from knowing they can handle any situation.

How do you handle sticky situations? Don't worry, even if you run under the bed to hide, I won't think less of you :)

Secret Hideout

2007-09-14T21:29:00.001-08:00

Well...maybe not so secret, but a hideout nonetheless. Blake and Nate's Grandparents (my in-laws), with the help of Zach, are almost finished building their house. They will live in the house with Connie's 80 yo mother, Zach's grandmother, Blake and Nate's great-grandmother.

OK, have I confused you yet? There are four generations of us here in Sitka. It started with Zach and I moving here in 2000. Blake was born in 2002. By late 2003, Zach's parents, Connie and Marcel, couldn't stand being away from their only grandson any longer and decided to move here from another town in SE Alaska - Ketchikan. Last year, Zach's grandpa died leaving his wife, Millie on her own. Millie decided to move from DRY Colorado to WET Sitka.

Connie and Marcel decided to build a house for Millie. It's no ordinary house, it's a work of art. Zach has been working steadily on it for a year and a half now. And next month, Millie will move in :)

Rather than discuss the topic of aging and caring for one's parents (I'll leave that for another time), let's get back to the 'secret hideout'.

On the second floor of the new house, a special loft has been built for our boys. There is a special ladder, a cozy floorspace, AND...a window that looks out over the living room below. Nobody has spent a night in the loft yet, but it won't be long I'm sure.

Did you have a secret hideout when you were a child? How did you feel being there?

Got LIMES, need RECIPES!!

2007-09-12T21:52:00.000-08:00

The other day a surprise arrived with my organic veggie co-op order. I ordered 1# of limes and received what appears to be more like 20#. They're beautiful organic limes...but what to do with them? I included close to 20 limes in each of my customer's boxes, which still leaves me with TOO MANY LIMES!

So, I'm calling on you, readers, to help me out by sharing your favorite recipe that uses LIMES :)

4 Moves You May Need To Know...

2007-09-11T22:23:00.001-08:00

If you ever find yourself in the turtle position with a VERY heavy bag on your back.

We generally wash our clothes in our cabin with a Staber Washing Machine - made for off-grid living. Ours is currently awaiting parts (and inspiration) for repairs. So, Zach carried our week's laundry 1/4 mile up our forest trail to the road. Off to the laundromat...thought we were done with laundromat days :(

I'm confused...please share your opinion!

2007-09-09T11:53:00.001-08:00

We are currently reading 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe', by C.S. Lewis. As with other books, we generally read a chapter or so each day as a family with the exception of chapter books which we read when Nate is sleeping. Otherwise, Nate's jumping on the book trying to pick up images of what he likes, which annoys Blake (and amuses us!) So, we're reading this one as a threesome.

Yes, I lived a sheltered life as a child. I never did MAD LIBS and I did not read the 'Chronicles of Narnia'. So, I picked up a copy of this one at our local library the other week.

Why am I confused? Because I'm not so sure I understand the benefit of creating such stark definitions of GOOD and EVIL. Feels so rooted in Christianity to me.
Images like this one, scare me. As we read, I am left wondering why we are exposing Blake to this? Other than the obvious, he loves it!

I can see the benefit of a child witnessing 'goodness' overcoming 'evil', but I still struggle with the concept of good vs. evil. Seems to likely that a child goes on to categorize so much of his life like this. "Johnny was mean to me, he needs to be punished", "I fell because Sally left her bag in the hallway and I tripped on it". Help me out here, I'm a confused mama :)
And how about this one?...not so sure I want this image in my head nor my child's -fill me in readers.

The Secret to You..A Gift From The Secret Scrolls.

2007-09-06T21:32:00.001-08:00

A little gift from me to you :)

Unschooling MAD LIB...THE RESULTS!

2007-09-05T21:42:00.000-08:00

Here it is. A combined effort including what I consider to be the most hilarious picks from the three entries. Thanks to those who contributed!

"You haven't enrolled Howard the Duck in preschool yet? my mother asked lazily, then added "He's already two years old, dear. The other little eye booggers were enrolled the day they were brought into the diaper." Indeed, all the other kids on the block had prepared auditions for the Academy of St. Tidoo Preschool for the Gifted and Stinky. Jimmy from up the street was going to play "banana chips" on the piano. Hazel from around the corner was going to dance the ballet Earwax Lake. And Eugene next door was going to show the computer he built out of small butts. Sloppily concerned, I asked my son what he would like to do for his audition, and he responded by sticking a boob up his nose. I think preschool is something we may have to forgo–unless the school is willing to accept a kid who sneezes boobs. I think we will stick with unschooling :)

How Things Work...

2007-09-03T19:49:00.000-08:00

is one of Blake's main passions. He comes by it naturally with a Grandpa who is a machinist, carpenter, mechanic and a jack-of-all trades, a papa who is a builder by trade and a 'papa fix-it' kinda guy, a sailmaking Grandma....and hmmm, not sure where I fit in here:)

Our bike path home from town passes a ma and pa shop called 'Wells Fishing & Art Supplies'. Kooky kind of place with fishing tackle, longline gear, beading and artist's easels sharing the same tiny floor space. I love this kind of shop.

Don Wells works seven days a week morning 'til night. He is the main supplier of the nylon fishing line, gangion, for all of Southeast (read: lots of fishing going on here) as well as Washington State and elsewhere. He makes all of it in the back of his shop!

The other day, we decided to pay Don a visit - something we have been wanting to do for a long time. As expected, Don was more than happy to fire up his machines and give us the lowdown on his operation. Blake and Nate were awestruck!

Here is a picture which doesn't do it justice. These are the spindles with fine nylon spun around them. They rotate and weave amongst themselves at a terrific speed. At the top you can see the line of extremely strong gangion coming out. It then goes to a large cardboard box to later be spun on spools, shrink wrapped, labeled and either sold in-store or shipped off island.

Here is what Don has to say about himself on his web site:
Our braided nylon is manufactured in-house, by myself, Don Wells. I was a longline-fisherman in Southeast Alaska for over 9 years. I fished for halibut, black cod and rock fish using a wide variety of line. The rigorous conditions of Alaska fishing place high demands on longline gear beyond normal duty requirements. Our lives and our livelihood, as fishermen depended on the quality of the equipment that we work with, braided line included.

FINAL REMINDER TO GET YOUR LIST OF WORDS IN FOR THE MAD LIB...I will be posting the hilarious outcome in the next day or so!!

EC Article and...

2007-09-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Interview with Laura Boucke. Check it out! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20464264/

and DONT FORGET to add your list of words to the Unschooling MAD LIB :)

Unschooling MAD LIB, by jenn

2007-09-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I didn't know what MAD LIBS were. Zach couldn't believe I had missed them during my childhood and encouraged me to buy one at our local bookstore, Old Harbor Books. We spent last night creating hilariously funny stories. Rather than describe what they are, I will leave the unknowing in suspense...let's just do one.

Copy and paste the list below into a comment block (link below) and then fill in the blanks. Once we have a number of posts, I will mix and match from your lists and publish a hilarious Unschooling MAD LIB. (hint: they are funnier if you use potty humor!!)

Here's the list:

person (male):
adverb:
plural noun:
noun:
person in room:
adjective:
plural noun:
noun:
plural noun:
adverb:
noun:
same noun (plural):

BTUs, by jenn

2007-08-30T19:30:00.001-08:00

There is very little transition between seasons here in Southeast Alaska. We go to sleep one summer night and wake up to a cool fall morning...or so it seems!

Nate, Blake and I spent a good part of our afternoon stacking fire wood - getting ready for our wood stove to be back in full use. This is one of my favorite jobs in the world. Yup. I love hurling heavy lunks and fitting them together like puzzle pieces. I like the heat that builds in my body and the fatigue in my back after a long session. But the best part of all is standing back and looking at the progress we've made, knowing there will be many cozy nights as a result of our efforts.

Since becoming a mother, I derive extra satisfaction from tasks that offer me a sense of completion upon finishing. I find myself in a state of suspended appreciation as I pause to relish my completed work. Any other parents find this? Could it be that our work as parents reveals no tangible results at the end of the day?!!

Ride ON!, by jenn

2007-08-29T20:41:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday, Sitka's global warming group held a community bike ride. Their goal was to have more than 200 community members participate. We reached that goal with more than 24o participants.

There was mention of Sitka's ride being the largest community ride per capita (population: 8500). I find it a little hard to believe, but what the heck...I'm tooting our horn anyway!!

It was a fun event. I think the all time wackiest riders were a local family who came with a dog team pulling their bike and makeshift cart. I appologize for not having any photos of them, I had to keep my hands on my handlebars to make it through the MASSES!!

What community building events do you have in your home town? I love the warm fuzzy feelings I have being part of Sitka's eclectic community :)

Goodbye Summer, Hello STORMS!, by jenn

2007-08-28T20:46:00.000-08:00

This will likely be the last of the super sunny pics I post for quite some time as we are entering the season of storms and rain in Southeast Alaska.

We went to a local playground the other day for some stationary motorbiking and high-altitude lounging. Lots of fun :)

Besides storms, Autumn also marks the beginning of school for many children. Monday would have been Blake's first day of Kindergarten had we chosen to walk down that road. It's funny, when I think about school, I can't picture Blake there.

I often hear in unschooling circles about how schooled kids who transition to unschooling need 'deschooling' for quite some time. During this 'deschooling' period, the children will often spend long periods doing what appears to be not much of anything (watching endless tv, lying around, sleeping lots, feeling bored, etc.) After some time (many months for some) they rediscover their inner voice which directs them toward learning by following their interests.

What about unschooled kids who go to school? What does that transition typically look like? Anyone have experience with this?

I imagine it really depends on whether the unschooler made the choice to attend school herself or whether the choice was made for her. I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

Food :: Recipe, by jenn

2007-08-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

Zach and I made the transition to whole, organic foods in 1998. We wanted a simple life, eating homemade bread from freshly ground flour, veggies from our own garden, wild fish, meat & seafood. We had no idea how to prepare the grains we purchased in bulk sacks, we had never hunted or fished and we did not have land to grow a garden.

At the time, we lived on our sailboat in the harbor of Ketchikan, Southeast Alaska or we were off exploring, living a nomadic life picking chanterelle mushrooms on the Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada. Life before kids- seems so simple really!

Back to our whole grain subsistence dreams. I recall many days grinding wheat berries with a hand cranked mill, preparing 'pan bread' in a cast iron skillet over a propane burner and hearing Zach exclaim "I need meat!"

We eventually did figure things out. We decided to never eat pan bread again. We bought land in Sitka, dug up a patch of huckleberries and grew ourselves a garden. We learned how to hunt deer and our commercial fishing friends keep us well supplied with wild salmon and rockfish.

Today we eat pretty good food. Darn good. I've been cooking on a three burner RV stove/oven for 7 years now. We grind our grain (in an electric mill now!), bake homemade sourdough bread and cook whole, organic foods. I have plans of building an horno for baking bread in a wood fired oven.

But every so often I find myself in a cooking rut. Not too long ago I was in one bad and was wishing for an organic fast food restaurant with take-out. So to keep me going, I need inspiration and new ideas from others (I'm not much of a cook book person). I would love to hear your current favorite. I dreamed the following up recently - makes a great breakfast :)

Huckleberry Apple Crisp

at least 5 cups red hucks or whatever you have locally
four large apples (we have an apple peeler which the boys love to help with)
3 cups steel cut oats
1 cup whole grain wheat flour (or really whatever flour suits your fancy)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
vanilla extract

like I said, I do not follow cooking instructions very well so the measurements are not exact. In a large lasagna dish, lay the hucks down on the bottom, add the sliced apples & about a quarter cup of water. In a separate bowl, combine all the other ingredients. If it is too dry, you may need to add more maple syrup (oh shucks!) or canola oil. Bake covered for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then take the cover off to let the oats brown. My kids love to eat their huckleberry apple crisp with plain yogurt. YUM!

If you have a favorite recipe to share, lets hear it. And let me know if you try and like the above recipe :)

The Power of Words, by jenn

2007-08-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

Blake's been pointing out lately each time I say "I should..." or "I have to..." or "I've got to...". With all his five years of wisdom he reminds me "Mama, you don't have to do that. You do it if you want to and you don't if you don't want to".

WOW! He's come up with this on his own. I receive his words as a reminder of how clear we can be about our intentions and actions.

Can you imagine a whole day where you only do things you want to? Maybe it's easier if we're clear that we have a choice to take action or not?

Dog Days of Summer, by jenn

2007-08-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

"Summer's almost over" - oh how I hated hearing those words as a child. The end of summer meant I would soon be back in school. I wouldn't be spending my days swimming, running around outdoors or riding my bike all day long...

It's not that I disliked school (at least not at the elementary level). I did not like the end of my summertime freedom.

Now, my family teases me with the same words. The phrase has expanded it's range of application to include any upcoming change that I'm not looking forward to.

I sometimes think of this phrase when I watch my children grow. As their mum, I'm amazed by the bittersweet feelings I have as they transition through their stages of growth. I am happy for their newly accomplished abilities and yet filled with a longing for this beautiful time with them to continue forever.

When I feel a wave of sadness about them growing up, I remember to make the most of our time together, to live more fully and to embrace the present moment.

Does anyone else share these feelings? I'd love to hear your own experiences.

Please :: Thank-you, by jenn

2007-08-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

What do we expect a child to learn when we tell him: "Say thank you to your friend"? Most parents believe that the child will learn to be grateful, and to express her sense of gratitude. But do children learn these things by being told to do them? How did we feel as children when told to say "thank you"? When did we really develop a sincere sense of gratitude? Did saying "thank you" before we had the feeling to match the words make us grateful?
(read Naomi Aldort's full article at http://www.naturalchild.org/naomi_aldort/manners.html)

I'd love to hear what others have to say about the subject of manners.

Years ago while visiting my father with my then 2 year old son Blake, my dad let me know in no uncertain terms that I would need to teach my son manners. My dad believes that children will not learn manners if we do not directly teach and demand them of our children. And if children do not learn manners during childhood, as adults they will not be accepted in some societal circles - and this could be limiting for them. I don't agree.

Now Blake is five years old and does display 'manners' in certain circumstances. If he is feeling appreciative, he will say 'thank you'. But he still eats with his fingers and often requires a bath after eating messy foods like spaghetti.

I'm not too concerned about his lack of niceties -I like that he is genuine. In time, I'm sure he'll figure out what responses and behaviors people expect in society. But hopefully he will always act upon his true feelings and will feel a true sense of gratitude when he says the words 'thank you'.

Learning to TRUST, by jenn

2007-08-19T14:22:00.001-08:00

To me, unschooling is about trusting my kids.

Trusting they will learn what they need to at the right time.
Trusting they will eat enough of the foods they need to stay healthy.
Trusting they will continue to be the amazing individuals they are today when they are adults.
Trusting that I don't need to prevent my kids from making mistakes or exploring behaviors that are considered undesireable by others - such as swearing or picking their noses.
Trusting they will find the balance & set the self-limits they need to remain healthy.

In theory, this seems so easy. In reality, I sometimes find myself cringing when my son Blake yells profanities in public or when my 18 month old son eats nothing but 1/2 a stick of butter for dinner. But when I remember this is their process and they know exactly what is right for them, I am able to move from a place of fear to trust.

I know in my heart that Blake will not always let out strings of swear words at the supermarket with a giant smile on his face. And Nate will expand his diet (thank goodness for breast milk!). I am content to let them explore their expanding worlds, trusting they know what is best.

Fishing : Tourism, by jenn

2007-08-16T12:31:00.000-08:00

I took this photo today while Blake exchanged money with cruise ship passengers for homemade cookies.

Sitka's population is stable at 8500. In the Spring and Summer months we can experience an influx of as many as 4000 tourists in a single day! Our main street is flooded with passengers eager to find mementos to take home with them as a reminder of their Alaskan adventure. Unfortunately, so often this means buying Alaskana trinkets 'Made in China'.

Don't get me wrong, I am not sour. I understand that tourism is vital for a healthy economy in our far off land of magic. I just wish the industry benefited our local economy more than it actually does.

Without going off on a tangent, I want to share this photo with you to contrast two of the main industries in my home town- tourism and fishing.

Cruise ship tourism:

money doesn't stay in the local economy- passengers are fed and entertained on board and don't spend much when they visit shore
environmentally each year cruise ships are caught illegally dumping toxic wastes into pristine waters of Alaska and hitting whales
changes the entire feel of our town between the months of April-October.

Commercial fishing:

locally owned and operated businesses
sustainable fisheries
wild, organic fish
money stays local
continues the fishing history and culture of the area

I do love that people want to visit Alaska. Not only do thousands of people enjoy the beauty and wonder of the Earth in a pristine state, but they are more apt to understand how special and important it is to conserve the last of these wild spaces.

I just wish that more people would explore independent modes of travel here. Why not hop on the state of the art Alaska Marine Highway ferries and have your own cruise at a fraction of the cost. This way you can experience the real Alaska without all the frills- hike endless mountain ridges, explore wild beaches and hey, if you are anything like my sister, find a sympathetic fisherman and hop on a fishing boat for a day of work!

Intrepid Explorer, by jenn

2007-08-15T21:44:00.000-08:00

Whaddaya think? Pretty hunky, eh?

Organically Grown, by jenn

2007-08-14T20:56:00.001-08:00

Every other week, Blake, Nate & I run an organic veggie box co-op. We buy the produce from farmers in the Portland Oregon area and have it barged up here.

Sitka's located in a temperate rain forest which means the growing season is better for mushrooms than exotic fruits. Although we harvest plenty of wild fish, seafood and deer meat from the area, when it comes to fruit, we look South or go without.

We do tend a fine garden with plenty of greens (kale, chard, collards and lettuces) between the months of April and November. I will share a photo in a future post.

It's been fun running this co-op for the past four years. I started with Blake strapped to my back and now I have regular helper.

Nate loves taking stickers off veggies and generally undo the sorting process :)

I love having them be a part of this food gathering endeavor. as modern as it may be, I think it keeps the connection between food and the Earth real.

Parenting : Inspiration, by jenn

2007-08-13T12:51:00.001-08:00

I have come across some amazing resources I would like to share. Both are helping me stay on track with my parenting intent.

For times when I find myself getting caught up in a state of frustration with my son Blake, The Daily Groove's words of wisdom are like magic. Here are today's words:

:: Falling In Love for the First Time... Again ::, by Scott Noelle
Do you remember the moment you fell in love with your child for the first time? For some it happens before birth, for some it's the moment of birth ("love at first sight"), and for some love blossoms much later.

For most parents it's easier to love a newborn unconditionally than an older child, because we have fewer expectations of babies -- their existence alone is a blessing.

Today, take a moment to recall the times your child has inspired your heart to open wider than ever before. Let yourself re-experience that glorious feeling of Pure Love washing over and through you!

The more often you deliberately re-activate that feeling, the easier it'll be to stay centered in your heart -- even under conditions that seem hard to accept.

When you feel your heart closing, simply recall those peak experiences to help you return to your natural state of open-hearted, easy-flowing Love.

Tell yourself often:
"Unconditional Love is my *birth-rite*!"

My other source of inspiration of late is a Yahoo! Group that I have joined- Radical Unschooling. The group's founder is Dayna Martin (see previous post with UTube video by Dayna) who is a regular contributor to discussions. The other amazing parents (mostly mums) share a common vision- to raise our children with ::RESPECT : TRUST : FREEDOM : PEACE : JOY ::

I highly recommend that you check these resources out for yourself! Until next time...

EC ROCKS!, by jenn

2007-08-11T12:48:00.001-08:00

OK, I may be accused of bragging, but I have to share this exciting news.

Here is a photo of Nate (18 mos.), who has been diaper-free since birth. He is dumping his potty after peeing in it. Moments before this photo was taken, he got up from playing with his trucks, walked over to the potty and then, standing up, aimed his stream of pee into the potty, picked the potty up, carried it outside and here you see him dumping it from the porch. This happens to be the very spot big bro likes to relieve themselves now and then :)

Nate has been taking care of his own elimination needs for over a month now. I'm not just bragging here. I am sharing the wonders of this ancient way of caring for our little one's elimination needs. When I imagine how many diapers are used in the average baby and toddler's early years I am stunned (and horrified!).

Yes, Elimination Comunication (or EC) does take effort on the parent's part, but so does changing a three year old's poopy diaper. Having EC'd both my boys (Blake from 8 mos and Nate from birth), I can tell you that it has been a joy and a process.

If you are at all interested in finding out more about EC, there are many resources available. If you Google 'Elimination Communication' you will see what I mean. My favorites have been the books entitled Diaper-Free! and Infant Potty Training. There is also at least one Yahoo! Group dedicated to the cause as well as a forum on the MotheringDotCommune site.

Doin' Nuthin', by jenn

2007-08-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading an excellent chapter from a book entitled In Praise of Slow: how a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed, by Carl Honore. Thank you to my dad's wonderful wife, Terri, who passed this on to me- what does she think? we sit around doing nothing? :)

Well, she is right...at least some of the time. Here's something from the book:

In our turbo charged world, the hurry virus has spread from adulthood into the younger years. These days, children of all ages are growing up faster. Six-year-olds organize their social lives with cellphones, and teenagers launch businesses from their bedrooms [yikes- what would he say about Blake's business?]. Anxiety about body shape, sex, consumer brands and careers starts earlier and earlier. Childhood itself seems to be getting shorter, with more girls now hitting puberty before their teens. Young people today are certainly busier, more scheduled, more rushed than my generation ever was. Recently, a teacher I know approached the parents of a child in her care. She felt the boy was spending too long at school and was enrolled in too many extracurricular activities. Give him a break, she suggested. The father was furious. "He has to learn to do a ten-hour day, just like me," he snapped. The child was four.

I think this speaks for itself.

The other day, my friend, told me that her daughter lays around on the floor "doing nothing" and this drives her crazy. I asked her what about it is bothersome to her and she replied "I just wish she would do something". I'm sure this particular friend would have been completely happy had her daughter been looking at a book or playing with a toy.

Why do we always need to be 'doing' something? And are we really 'doing nothing' when there are no tangible results from our actions?- I hope not or the last 5 1/2 years of my parenting has been a waste of time!

Let's hear what you think. I gotta go find some time to do nuthin'.

Blast off!, by jenn

2007-08-07T19:51:00.001-08:00

We finally got our acts together. Potato cannon, hairspray, ignition, safety glasses & hearing protection.

See the islands to the right of the first picture? Those are the Marshall Islands which our cabin looks out to. Our secret hope was to clear the islands with a potato!!

Did we? NO. But, see the reef behind Blake? We did clear that one. And we also smashed some potatoes on a rock or two.

It was pure Honky Tonk bliss. Kiddos were hooping and hollering...and now that I mention it, so were Zach and I.

There were a few technical difficulties. The spuds were a little small resulting in an incomplete plug now and then. And, the recommended hairspray, Aquanet, was not available at the store I visited. I bought an inferior brand with less of the desired propellant.

We are prepared for next time. We have a sack of very large potatoes and an industrial size can of Aquanet.

I'll let you know if we actually do clear the Marshall Islands :)

Dayna Martin: What is Radical Unschooling?

2007-08-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

I came across this clip today and want to share it with anyone and everyone curious about radical unschooling. I would love to hear your comments :)

My Southeast Cowboy, by jenn

2007-08-04T19:56:00.000-08:00

I thought it was about time to share a photo of my best friend Zach. We've been hanging out together for over ten years now and I feel like the luckiest gal in the world for it.

This photo captures Zach completely in his element- towing a couple logs home behind out skiff today. I call him my 'southeast cowboy'. Instead of a horse, he rides a skiff; rather than cows, he rounds up logs; no lasoo, but a peavey and trap staples instead.

He is like a kid in a candy store when he sees a beach with nice logs- he can hardly contain himself until we beach our skiff. Then, barely ashore, he hops out, Hudson Bay axe in hand and begins chopping little test pieces out of choice looking logs. He'll give the small chunks a sniff and then declare what species of tree it is (often he can tell without the sniff test). We're looking for Hemlock or Fir- when we find them, he shouts with glee.

Why the excitement? Heck, I had no idea when we first started beach logging. But I must confess, I am becoming a cowgirl myself. There is something mighty satisfying about working a log down a beach into 'the drink', knowing that we are going to fill up our wood shed.

Sunny Day SE Alaska Style, by jenn

2007-08-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

The sun was shining when we finished breakfast (huckleberry apple pie!) so we scrapped our plans for the potato shooter and decided to head out in our skiff to a beach we like a mile or so from our home.

By the time we got ourselves ready, Nate needed a nap. As he napped, the sky clouded over...this is typical round here.

I did some work and Blake dry fitted the lengths of PVC to prepare for the chemical weld yet to come.

The main attraction in Camp Coogan Bay are the trolling boats dry docked on a beach.

We hiked through the forest...and found a cool bolete amongst other things :)

Hairspray, by jenn

2007-08-01T20:52:00.000-08:00

If all goes well, we will be fabricating and launching potatoes from a homemade cannon tomorrow :) This is the life of a mum with a 5 1/2 yo unschooling boy who loves to dynamite, blast, explode and generally mutilate non-living things at times.

In our remote community where goods are either barged or flown North from Seattle, retail competition is almost non-existent. This can be good for merchants and NOT SO GOOD for customers.

To put this into perspective, today we went to Spenard Building Supplies, our local hardware store. We need PVC pipe and fittings of various diameter for the potato cannon. Available for sale were 3" pipe without the option to buy 3" fittings. This is typical...

So off we went to the plumbing store where luckily we got what we needed.

A bag of spuds from the grocery store, a sparker from the hunting/sporting store and a can of hairspray!!!

I've named this post 'hairspray' for two reasons:

I still can't believe that a product that people spray into their hair can double as propellant for our homemade cannon

I read the ingredients list (hydrofluorocarbon 152A, octylacrylamide/acrylates/butylaminoethyl, methacrylate, copolymer, VA/crotonates/vinyl neodecanoate coploymer, aminomethyl prpanol, dimethyl stearamine, fragrance). I feel sick to my stomach that I have contributed in a small way to the continuation of such a harmful chemical mess being manufactured and sold so people can have crunchy hair!!

I especially enjoy:
WARNING: FLAMMABLE DO NOT SMOKE UNTIL HAIR IS THOROUGHLY DRY.

Buddies : Berries, by jenn

2007-07-31T20:31:00.001-08:00

Almost every Tuesday since early Spring, we spend our afternoons with Aubrey and Andrea, one of our neighbor's granddaughters.

They are fun gals and I love spending time with them...although it is bittersweet.

Aubrey and Andrea remind me how each of us hold unlimited potential.

Their story is painfully similar to so many children in our country. Disfunctional parents, neglect, harsh punishments and mild(?) abuse.

Each Tuesday is the same. My heart is wrenched and I tell Zach I want to bring them into our home permanently. This IS where they want to be...they tell me as much! For now, this is not an option in our lives. BUT, I do my best to make each Tuesday a special day in these girl's lives. I hope we are making a difference in their lives- they deserve it!

We spent the afternoon picking ripe berries from huckleberry bushes in front of our cabin.

Nate enjoyed eating them :)

Here's a photo of Aubrey pulling in the 'boat' after capsizing down on our beach. She is standing on a yellow cedar log which needs to be bucked, hauled up the beach and split into fire wood for next winter's stash.

Match Rockets : Explosions, by jenn

2007-07-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

Our quick and dirty match rocket set-up. We used a bracket for the launching pad, a bullet shell for the launch and blue tape to hold it together. Not exactly to directions in the book, but it is what we designed with what materials we had on hand.

I know you are anxious to hear the results. Did we launch a teeny match 50 feet into the air???

No we did not...but we will keep trying!

But we did launch them 2-3 feet and heard explosive sounds which sent Nate into a fit of giggles!!

We had fun with it and learned lots. For example, if you try this yourself, make sure to leave enough space in front of the match head for gas to accumulate before exploding the rocket outward.

and WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!!

have fun :)

Sharing a Tub, by jenn

2007-07-29T20:27:00.001-08:00

I set up a tote with water to divert Nate from pouring water from our water glasses onto the floor. For the most part, it worked. Both boys played happily outside the tote for 15 minutes, then Blake decided to hop in....and guess where Nate wanted to be too!

Blake bought the fuel pump he is holding and has learned how to create a siphon with it. His facination with water has become more intricate as he grows, but his passion for the element does not wane. Just had the thought...is it common for Pisces (Blake's sign) to love water? Would make sense...

Tomorrow we are going to build match rockets, as described in 'Backyard Ballistics'. The author, William Gurstelle claims they can reach heights up to 50 feet!! I'll let you know how it turns out :)

Making $$, by jenn

2007-07-27T12:10:00.000-08:00

Yep! Blake and Nate are business men....or at least Blake is; Nate samples the product!

I have been helping Blake run his own business this year. He sells cookies to cruise ship passengers and makes a LOT of money doing so.

We bake 100% organic "raisin oatmeal" cookies and once/week we set up shop under our town bridge. This location is where the cruise ship passengers pass en route to the tendering boat which takes them out to the cruise ship at anchor.

Not only is the money good (he averages $70 each time), but it is a great opportunity for Blake to meet tourist and learn his numbers, making change, etc.

Yesterday after sales, we stopped by the bank and Blake opened his first savings account. He deposited $340. This is only a drop in the bucket from this summer's earnings! He has bought various items such as: a hand powered lantern, a balance scale and a good part of our digital camera!

Besides making money, both Nate and Blake, but especially Nate, are facinated by SLUGS!

We have slugs in our house and everywhere these days. They are super neat creatures and by following my kids interests I am learning a lot about them. For instance, when holding a slug, much slime will adher to Nate's hands. This slime will not wipe or wash off. In fact, adding water will help the slime increase in size and slipperyness. The slime will generally be passed around to a multitude of objects before drying, turning black and only then able to be wiped and rolled off of sticky little fingers :)

Another facination round here are explosives. Blake is a self-controlled pyromaniac with a tendency to burn through boxes of matches at a time. One of his favorite fantasies is to dynamite things...blow them up. So, I inter-library loaned this book. The title is Backyard Ballistics: build potato cannons, paper match rockets, Cincinati fire kites, tennis ball mortars, and more dynamite devices. It's by William Gurstelle. We just picked it up yesterday and haven't had a chance to make any of the devices yet. I will keep you posted :)

Hiking Harbor Mt. - Gavin Hill, by jenn

2007-07-26T11:41:00.001-08:00

Whew! we did a seven hour hike across a beautiful ridge above town yesterday. My shoulders are tight today from carrying Nate in the wrap on my front for a good part of the day.

We ate lunch by the shelter up on the ridge and played in a patch of SNOW!

The avalanche slopes are in full bloom right now. We ate columbine flowers and Nate wanted to feed flowers to the birds!

Blake hiked the whole ridge without complaining! He found a stainless steel bullet casing for a "thirty not six rifle" and spent a good part of the day explaining to us how it was his fuel tank which runs on quarters. His engine is very efficient and "good for the Earth".

Blake is experimenting with cuss words right now which I have decided embrace as part of our unschooling journey. For the most part I am ok with it. But occasionally he will blurt out *@%! in the most inappropriate places and I try my best not to feel embarassed. I have told him that he may offend people and some might get pretty upset with him. He suggested that he limit his habit to our home, but I think in the heat of his excitement about his newfound vocabulary, he forgets :) I'd love to hear your comments on this one!

I thought some of you might enjoy a view of Sitka from high up on the ridge. Look closely and you will see three large cruiseships anchored just outside of town. I'm glad we weren't in town this day because when there are three boats in town it is hard to move downtown. That's five thousand people in a town with a population of 8500!!!....more on cruise ships tomorrow.

Three Entrance Bay, by jenn

2007-07-24T19:13:00.001-08:00

Something I know we take for granted living in Southeast Alaska is our access to wild space. We went to Three Entrance Bay, set the crab pot (the one which has actually caught a negative number of crabs!), and set out for the special sandy beach which is rare along these rocky shores.

Nate immediately wanted all of his clothes off. He is a self-proclaimed nudist. Doesn't matter that the average summer temperature this year has been around 50 F. Blake followed his younger brother's lead, stripping down as well.

We cooked burgers on an open fire, ate lots of sand (thanks to Nate), fed several slugs, hiked the forest, found many campfire sites with beer cans, batteries and such strewn around (nothing like it to ruin the explorers dream). What a great day!

Here is a great pic of Blake after eating handfuls of cherries from the box of 20 lbs of organic cherries I received last week in a food order. He had no idea what his face looked like when I took the photo. Gotta love kids!!

Silver Bay Seafoods, by jenn

2007-07-23T21:28:00.002-08:00

This is the sign above the entrance to the processing plant we visited this afternoon.

Blake, Nate and I cycled a couple miles from our cabin in Thimbleberry Bay to find out ' how things work' at the fish plant.

We especially liked watching the pink salmon vacuumed up a large hose, deposited in a stainless steel tank, diverted onto a conveyor belt to be sorted, heads chopped off, roe extracted (by machine) and then processed. The roe gets frozen and shipped off to Japan, China and wherever the market demands them. The pink salmon's flesh is processed into an unappealing product called 'Chicken of the Sea'- poor salmon...imagine a life of such beauty ending up in a freezer packed plastic pouch advertised as a chicken substitute.

Some of the machines in use on the line were patented as far back as the early 1900's! I am always impressed how some things can not be improved upon.

All of the workers at the plant are from Eastern Block countries with the exception of the office staff who are mostly local Sitkans. It's unfortunate to see that American college students are no longer employed by the fish processing plants as they were several years ago. $7/hour won't cut it.

Here is a photo of Blake (5) standing on the dock. We watched as pink salmon were vacuumed from a large seiner and frozen king salmon were hydraulically lifted from a smaller freezer troller.

I love watching Blake's excitement when he is learning how things work. From a very young age it's been clear how mechanical this young feller is.