Camp Fasola

View From Our Cabin

Hayride With A Friend

Friends

Zip Line

Hollie Powell

A Different Kind Of Friend

This is the reason we came South in the first place...Camp Fasola.  We had a WONDERFUL time and learned a lot about Shape Note Singing.

http://campfasola.org/

Happy 11th Birthday To Tullaia!!

Civil Rights Institute/Kelly Ingram Park

The Civil Rights Institute is across the street from the church.  There is a lot to learn about here and worth the time/ money.  On Sunday, it is donation only.  
http://www.bcri.org/

Across the street is Kelly Ingram Park, otherwise known as West Park.

Many demonstrations and rallies took place here as well, including an assembly point for participants in the SCLC's (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) Project C.
Under the direction of SCLC President Martin Luther King, Jr., and Fred Shuttlesworth, department stores were targeted for boycotts and protest marches organized. Dr. King was arrested and held in solitary confinement for three days.  During this time, he wrote, smuggled out of jail, and had his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" printed.  
After so many peaceful adult protesters had been arrested and filled the jails, the SCLC called on children and young people to join the protests.
Under orders from Public Safety Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor, police arrested 600 child picketers (some as young as six years of age) and by the next day, 1,000 children had been jailed. 
In the days that followed, firemen used high-pressure fire hoses to blast the protesters, loosed the attack dogs and beat people with nightsticks.  

I am in awe of the children and parents who were brave enough to be peaceful protesters despite such evil injustice.  

Birmingham, 16th Street Baptist Church

We were fortunate to receive scholarships for Camp Fasola in Alabama.  So the kids and i headed out for a road trip.
On Sunday, we went to church at 16th Street Baptist Church, which was organized in 1873 as the First Colored Baptist Church of Birmingham.
Due to it's important role in the black community, and it's central location in downtown Birmingham, many mass meetings and rallies were held here in the 1960's.  Throughout the turmoil taking place in a city nicknamed "Bombingham", the church provided a safe haven for black men, women and children dedicated to destroy the evils of segregation.  This is also where 4 little girls were killed by a bomb while they attended Sunday School.
I felt very emotional while we worshipped here and i am glad we went.
http://16thstreetbaptist.businesscatalyst.com/index.html

Chicks 3 Weeks Old

Dot

Clover Kids

Bessie(Bossie)

Sweetie

Chip In Front

In these pictures, they are 3 weeks old, and they still look like innocent little fluffballs.   But since then, they have turned into mischief makers.  They have lost nearly all of their down and are covered in real deal feathers.  And they work!  A few times, they have flown right out of their box and onto the toilet or floor.
And they are loud too.  Judy is trying hard to hold it together, but since they are in the bathroom, it is hard for her.  She loves chicken nuggets.
The coop is not done yet, but soon!

Andy Goldsworthy Inspiration

As i was going through the pictures, i found this one.
The kids are sleeping, but i am guessing one of them was inspired by Andy Goldsworthy and ripped the leaves accordingly.
The book was given to me by Helen, for my wedding, and has been cherished by all of us.

I found out recently that she passed away and left 3 kids behind.
I didn't know her well, but think of her often because of this gift.

Free Flower Yard

Bush's Poppy Mallow

Black-Eyed Susan

Bee-Friend On Lamb's Ear

I am excited to have money to buy some different flowers.  But for now, the flowers i brought from our old yard have spread out and are having babies.
I like plants that aren't picky.  Same goes for people.

Chicks

Awake

Asleep

Sweetie Sleeping (Barred Plymouth Rock)

Dot (Golden Buff)

Chip (Golden Laced Wyandotte)

Bessie (Golden Campine)

These little chicks eat, sleep, and poop a lot.  But they grow up fast and are super cute.  Their tail feathers and wings are already popping out.
They think the thermometer is their warm mama.

Art Show 2013

The kids had a fun night at the art show.
They were able to enter 2 pieces each and won the following awards.
Avery
Koala World (pencil, oil pastels)- Honorable Mention
World Of Fireworks (crayon, watercolor, salt)- Honorable Mention
Jasper
Raging Volcano (oil pastels, crayons, markers, watercolor)-3rd
Evening (Watercolor, acrylic)-Artist Choice
Tullaia
White Stallion (pencils)- Honorable Mention
Embroidered Garden (embroidery on linen and silk)- 1st

Thanks to Bill for taking the photos!

Things Found On A Spring Day

Asparagus

Snow Peas

Lined Snake

Midland Brown Snake

Strawberries

On this day, we found several snakes and the kids were delighted to put them in buckets.  There were 3 different kinds represented, Midland Brown, Lined, and Garter.  

Most of the snakes we find are Lined, and they primarily eat slugs.  We have an abundance of slugs, so i love having them in the garden.  

My posts are often months behind, because this week it has been "summer" in regard to temperature.  The snakes are surely in the shadiest place they can find and the peas are turning yellow with fright.  

Mourning Cloak

This may not look like anything spectacular, but it is.  While digging through a pile of rubble, i came across 3 of these.  I assumed they were dead, they looked ragged and moldy.  But a leg moved, so we put them into the bug house.  The kids did some research and found out the name is Mourning Cloak.
They are butterflies that hibernate.  I had no idea there was such a thing.  They are considered winter butterflies because you might see them flying very early in the year.  And one of these flew up and out of our yard that cold day.
The top of the wings act as solar panels.  The bottom camouflage them perfectly.  They are really quite pretty, dark velvety red with blue spots and gold rim.

Parts Of A Volcano

Classical Conversations week 17 Science, Some parts of a volcano are...Magma, Vents, Lava, Crater, Gases.
So we made the baking soda/vinegar model.  The boys did it over and over.

Airt Musaum

This is the "Airt Musaum" in the bathroom.  Justin and I were given voting cards to choose 1st, 2nd, 3rd place for each child.  Then we had to explain why we voted for each picture.

Fossil Cookies

We have been studying rocks lately.
These are very delicious cookies.  We put footprints, shells, toy bugs, and real fossil imprints in them before baking.  They have a lot of butter, so they are really good.

http://www.marthastewart.com/345396/fossil-cookies?czone=food/cookie-of-the-day

Missouri Singing 2013

Full House

Me, Not Taken By Me

Red Door

Red Book

St John's United Church Of Christ 1870

Justin had a load of composted manure in the truck on Friday.  After checking the weather and finding out there was a 1% chance of rain, he put a tarp on it to be safe.
It rained most of the weekend.
Despite the rainy weekend, it was a wonderful time for singing.  Many states/provinces were represented and i enjoyed meeting some new friends.

Age Calculator

As a child, i would ask my Mom and Dad their age.  Sometimes, they would hesitate and i would feel surprised if they didn't know right away.  Now i know.
A few weeks ago, Justin gave his age in a group setting.  It was incorrectly older. And since we are usually the same age, i was astounded that i had aged so fast. The last while has been super hard, so i assumed i had blocked it from memory.  But i needed to dig deeper.   My math skills aren't great, so this calculator is helpful.
http://www.mathcats.com/explore/age/calculator.html
I am the age i thought i was.

Shape Note Singing

The Missouri convention is this weekend.  Here is an article explaining more about it.  If you look at the picture, i am wearing green in the back row.
http://www.emissourian.com/features_people/feature_stories/article_b070b56e-c5ff-5c91-b62e-7865a3157aa7.html

Jasper's Presentation

Last week, Jasper did his class presentation on St. Bernard dogs.  It was supposed to be expository, exposing facts about a topic and all the kids were to repeat it and make it better for this week.  They could memorize it or add props/actions.  But instead, he added a strong opinion on this very personal topic.

Safety Not Guaranteed

is a good movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1862079/

I don't often have such opinion about movies.  (except Film Movement)  So i had to put these on here.  They are produced by the same people...the Duplass brothers. I wrote about Puffy Chair which also happens to be one of theirs a while ago
So, to me, someone who cannot remember much about movies at all, it is something.
.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home

is a good movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588334/

Wind Ridge February 2013

During my time of silence, I saw flocks of purple finches.  I haven't seen a Purple Finch before and seeing so many at one time was exciting.  I also kept seeing a flock of Eastern Bluebirds.  And even though flocks of Juncos aren't particularly new and exciting, they were constant companions with me as well.  

I haven't been too successful taking pictures of birds. I think i need a camera that zooms zooms zooms.  

In Life And Holiness, Thomas Merton says, "There is no spiritual life without persistent struggle and interior conflict...It is hard to continue, to carry on the work begun, and to persevere in it through many years until the end."

Justin was laid off from his job several weeks ago.  It came as a shock and it is a terrible time (it always is).  But we will be fine. 

It is hard to keep on keeping on.  It feels like we can't get ahead.  

But this is one reason why.  

"The most important, the most real, and lasting work of the Christian is accomplished in the depths of his own soul.  It cannot be seen by anyone even by himself. "

But we have this.  

Dulcis Hospes Animae.  

Sweet guest dwelling in our soul.  

What Are Some Parts Of The Earth?

We made play-dough earths last week.
First we made a yellow ball of inner core.  Followed by purple outer core, red mantle, and brown crust.  Each layer was flattened out and wrapped up over the previous layer.  Afterwards, we decorated the outside with continents and oceans.
And the best part is cutting it in half!