Feng Shui in the Home

Implementing the basics of Feng Shui in your home can make a difference.  Positive energy flow, de-cluttered space, sacred spots, room color, furniture selection, elemental balance...all of these ideas and more can easily be done to provide an environment for your family that feels safe, peaceful, happy and warm.

Using the "Bagua" is one way to implement Feng Shui.  It is like a map that you can lay down onto the floor plan of your home (or office, homeschooling space, classroom, etc.).  Each area of the Bagua has a special connection to a part of your life.  Taking the time to arrange each area of your home can change the energy flow.

An easy way to learn about the Bagua is through our Bagua Journal, a colorful, easy-to-use eBook written by Rick who is a certified Feng Shui consultant.  It is available in our Etsy Shop for $8.  Rick also enjoys doing in-person and online consultations (email us if interested).  Working with Feng Shui in your home takes just a little bit a time, not a lot of money, and it feels great! 

Here's to a happy, positive, peaceful week in your home....

Music at Home

Music is a large part of our lives.  We often get asked how we infuse music into our home. 

Sing

We do this every day!  We sing when we rise and we sing when we go to sleep.  We sing as we walk around the house.  At times, we sing together with the piano and work on harmony... everything from serious songs to silly stuff!

Learn

Taking lessons on the piano, guitar, harp and wind instruments occurs at certain ages.  The children select wind instruments based on interest, and Jennifer checks their fingers and embouchure.  Piano is learned first which gives a strong basis for understanding music theory and note-reading.  When possible, we perform together and in groups (band, jazz band, ensembles, recitals).  Next up is auditions for honor bands and attending music camp!

Listen

Watching professional performances, listening to CDs, and listening to Mommy and Daddy play and sing occurs regularly.  Sometimes a local symphony offers special shows for families!  We also watch each other perform at recitals and concerts.

Create

Music theory and composition are part of what we learn at home as the children grow older.  Composition can be as simple as making up a song and singing it, to writing out the music for multiple instruments/voices. A basket full of percussion instruments (small drums, claves, afuche, guiro, triangle, bells, shakers, rattles, tambourines) and basic wind instruments (tin whistle, ocarina, kazoo) is a nice way to get everyone involved in music-making... even guests!  Learning the pentatonic and diatonic wood flutes and the lyre also occur and become a part of circle time, ritals and celebrations. 

There is no doubt that surrounding ourselves with music makes life more interesting...and brings us joy!

The Dell - Where We Learn

Our homelearning space is known as the "Dell", short for Syrendell. In our new home, the Dell is located in our dining room. We utilize a bookcase and a table that Daddy made. The dining room opens up with two French doors to a large deck, so when the weather is great, the Dell includes the outdoor space.

We have an easel from Grandma and Grandpa that we cleaned up and refurbished with some new chalkboard paint. This is located on the deck where we often do our form drawing, letter and number formations. We also love doing yoga and circle time on the deck, so we recently added a rug and meditation pillow. Comfy!

The book case has nine "nooks" which rotate. One nook features a nature table.

The other nooks feature math, language arts, fiber arts, science, music and more. The lowest nooks contain blocks, bean bags and other items that are within easy reach for Wilson. Each nook has one of our naturally dyed silks, or one of our woven or crocheted runners. It's nice to feature items that the kids helped make!

A bunch of our naturally dyed silks in different shapes are rolled up in one of our handwoven baskets on the floor. The kids' artwork is displayed in branch picture frames, or on the windows of the doors, or as backgrounds in the nooks.

The kids work and Main Lesson Books are located in our file cabinet within easy reach, and the cabinet features a project that we doing on top (right now there is a bird's nest that we found this summer in a wood bowl). The bookcase also has three cabinets where we keep art supplies, science equipment, reference books, paper. Storage is important!

In one corner, we have a naturally dyed piece of velvet covering some of our supplies (looks like a table!). On top are the library and other books that relate to our social studies for the week, as well as some foreign language books. Sometimes there is a manipulative, such as the Tubespace polydedra that you see in this picture. Also in this corner is a wood container for the recent artwork, kite paper for making window stars, and watercolor paper. Underneath is a sheepskin, making it a nice place to read or play.

Other items, like spinning wheels, small chalkboards, math gnomes, molding beeswax, wood dishes with acorns in them, planters growing herbs, or hands-on projects might be found here and there both inside and out on the deck...it's always a challenge to keep it neat, creative, and usable! Our goal is to make the Dell a space that the kids can use, and easily reach everything that they need. We will redecorate and clean the nooks in about a week when we celebrate the coming of Autumn...

Summer Is....

Playing "castle" using boxes leftover from moving, naturally dyed play silks, crowns and a dragon puppet...

Gardening -- weeding, trimming, planting, harvesting...

Lessons -- fencing, guitar, clarinet, gymnastics, dance, sewing...

Camp -- computer, aquatics, Waldorf, Girl Scouts...

Learning to ride bikes at home, then by the river...

Baking -- bread, zucchini bread, muffins from scratch...

Visiting relatives...

Participating in a fairy and a nature table swap...

Enjoying our new home....