Finds

Here in Maine we will have winter-like days till mid April but Spring officially arrives this Friday and we like to celebrate the seasons around here so I'm saying goodbye to winter this week. Farewell. So long. See you next year.

I'm very uninspired today to write much so it seems a good time to pull together a few good links to share with you.

Mama Speak: I really liked this supply list for getting started with sketching/watercolors and knitting found at Handmade Homeschool. I love it when creating art and beauty seems accessible to the common mama, the one who swears "I can't draw to save my life". Maybe I can draw afterall... And maybe I'll even make a watercolor painting as cheery and whimsical as this.

Homeschool: Honestly, it's unlikely that I'll get motivated to do this. By nighttime I'm tired and just want to knit on the bed while our whole family listens to "Lord of The Rings". Ah... talking about it makes me long for 8pm... But let's say I was motivated then this Globe at Night would be a very cool hands-on homeschool activity.

Likewise, Journey North Spring 2009 is a great seasonal science resource. By reporting their observations the kiddos have a chance to be scientists in action, sharing data with kids all over the continent.

Urban Homestead: My raised bed is currently warming up under old window panes because I intend to plant my first crops early April (remember my yard is still covered with snow & ice). Simple Green Frugal Coop Blog has more information on square foot planting in raised beds and succession planting. Man, I can't wait to start gardening next month!

Neighborhood: I wish we had some of these B-cycles in our city. Greener transportation that's better for your health. Of course until our kids are a bit older I'm not comfortable cycling with them on our non-cyclist friendly streets. Bummer since after watching the video the kiddos said "now that's good!" and "I hope they'll do that here too".

Oh, and if you are feeling sorry for yourself and thinking "wouldn't it be nice to earn more money" (who doesn't think that from time to time) you need to check out how rich you really are. Turns out I'm stinking rich. I always feel so burdened by that realization.

Gallery: Someday I too will be on a tropical beach (a girl can dream) and want to take photos like this. More likely I'll be on the side of a mountain and forget all about these instructions.

For some beauty closer to home how about a spool of thread, one of my recent flickr favs.

Mama Speak:. A couple weeks ago I read this post on servant motherhood by Sorta Crunchy. Her blog is veering towards writing a book on Christian attachment parenting your baby so I'm not sure I'll keep subscribing. I'm long through that stage. My personal baby & toddler care philosophy (those years are hazy I can't remember much) was lots of nursing & cuddles, firm boundaries and daily afternoon naps - for little ones and mommy. Also, it behooves (I love that word!) me to say the first AP parent I really got to know was decidedly secular and taught me so much about servanthood. As I parented my colicky baby number two I was indebted to her self-less mothering example. She saved my sanity and changed my mothering paradigm.

But back to Sorta Crunchy, what she says relates to all of motherhood but I'm warning you, they're tough words to read. This is not the usual "find/fufill yourself" stuff that moms often hear from the media & self-help type magazines. This is the die to yourself and serve others message - ouch, ouch, ouch. Sorry if you were looking for something different but these are the words that speak to me.

Homeschool: If you haven't noticed, I love Camp Creek blog, this month is no different. What a great post about choosing the perfect homeschool curriculum. Pst... It doesn't come in a box.

And for some practical inspiration how about Think. Take a bunch of household stuff and make something useful, or not. I'm excited that this will give a little direction to my kiddo's "what can we make today" inquisitiveness.

One more, this time art related. I just found this site called Art Projects for Kids and the recent post on Joan Miro Watercolor Painting is so inspirational. I love that it gives me, an artistically challenged mother, ideas for channeling and developing all that artistic energy my kiddos have. And this tutorial includes art history - I love it!

Urban Homestead: I've never made this spray but if I cared about such things as mostly-germ free counters (when you eliminate animal products you worry less) this would be a good recipe to use.

This recipe I did use last week for making supper and it worked, wonderfully. My friend Cindy in Costa Rica sent the link to The Magic Loaf Studio ages ago and I finally tried it. I'll definitely use this site again. My family loved the custom designed lentil and brown rice loaf I made.

Neighborhood: Again, my SIL is making me think but unfortunately I have no answers to her question Do I Spend Too Much Time with My Family? I know that by giving my best to my family I have less to give to my community, this weighs on me often. But I have no idea how to make a home and raise a family and take care of the needs of those children in my very neighborhood who are unloved. It breaks my heart when I start to think about it, so I don't.

Gallery: Me Ra Koh is having an on-line giveaway (honest to goodness, no commenting, twittering, linking required) for 3 Sony DSLR cameras. Wow, I'll enter that kind of contest.

And I've just learned to knit to this past week so this handknitted scarf photo, for lack of a better word, "spoke" to me. I found the photo on this cool blog, Handmade Homeschool.

You know the story. So many blogs so little time.

Hope you are all cozy this month with a hand knit scarf to keep you warm. If not check out KnittingHelp.com. Ah, stop already... no more finds.

Just a friendly reminder that the Math-U-See CD giveaway ends tomorrow and Laurent's knitting needle giveaway is on-going till Friday. He's tickled at all your comments - thanks!

January milkweed: from the farm last week

Lots of good stuff finding its way to my Google Reader these past couple weeks.

Mama Speak: Last time round I was at a loss, this week it's too hard to choose so I'll post a couple. Firstly, I just read this post of Shawna's on Bella Luna. I need to be more gentle with myself and my family, especially my youngest who easily exasperates me. Thanks for the story and reminder.

And I know I reference Camp Creek Blog a lot and I'm going to do it again, and then again in Homeschool finds (sigh from the peanut gallery), but I LOVED this post on white space. Nope, not white balance, white space. Although the blog is about project based homeschooling, this post spoke directly to me as a mother and creative individual. White space... I'm mulling that one over.

Homeschool: Camp Creek blog, this time encouraging us as we endeavor to give our children freedom and time. In our home that does not mean freedom from responsibilities but creative and intellectual freedom.

Urban Homestead: I'm in de-clutter mode around here. Our front porch has an unsightly corner of giveaway boxs, bags and bins. Please someone come take this junk (some of it's actually nice) off my hands! Understandably the Top Ten Rules of Decluttering from Small Notebook hit the spot in my homestead this week.

And when I'm not de-cluttering or homeschooling or taking photos or cooking I'm trying to make our home healthy by removing chemicals and toxins as much as I can. It's overwhelming sometimes so why bother? My SIL and co-conspirator in healthy eating and living answered this question on her blog recently. You go girl!

Neighborhood: What to do with all that stuff? - find people and places in your community who might need it (hopefully too much doesn't end up in the landfill). Where To Donate All Your Unwanted Stuff posted at the Good Human might help. I'm just tired of stuff. I want less stuff.

Gallery: Oh, I seem to be in love with red these winter days. Red pomegranates, red shoes. Fantastic art, fabulous photos, maybe even a pair of red shoes, we all need a bit of red during these winter days, don't ya think?

On second thought I think this should be the photo for today:

Do you have anything encouraging, inspiring, motivating or challenging to add to these finds?