Plowing Into Darkness

I've decided this semester-- NO counseling textbooks before bed. Not allowed.
Instead, I've been reading children's literature. It's a really delightful way to end the day. In the past when I was homeschooling, this was one of the parts of the 'job' that I loved-- researching, selecting, and reading really good literature with the girls. And not just for their sake!

So I've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia series. I know this is probably a little overdone in our circles, but I have NEVER read it. I didn't realize until after finishing Lion Witch and Wardrobe with the girls, that it is really the 2nd book in the series. Book 1 really fills in some gaps! Go figure! The girls and I just finished Book 1, but I just finished Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Book 5). Ellie said this week-- "Mommy, stop reading ahead! It's not fair!" Sorry Ellie, mommy is having too much fun. So I leave you today with this excerpt:

Behind them was the sea and the sun, before them, the Darkness.

"Do we go into this?" asked Caspian.
"Not by my advise," said Drinian.
"The Captain's right," said several sailors.
"I almost think he is," said Edmund.
Lucy and Eustace didn't speak but they felt very glad inside at the turn things seemed to be taking. But all at once, the clear voice of Reepicheep broke in upon the silence.

"And why not?" he said. "Will someone explain to me why not.... If I were addressing peasants or slaves, I might suppose that this suggestion proceeded from cowardice. But I hope it will never be told in Narnia that a company of noble and royal persons in the flower of their age turned tail because they were afraid of the dark."

"But what manner of use would it be, plowing through that blackness?" asked Drinian.

"Use? replied Reepicheep. "Use, Captain? If by use you mean filling our bellies or our purses, I confess it will be no use at all. So far as I know we did not set sail to look for things useful but to seek honor and adventure. And here is as great an adventure as ever I hear of, and here, if we turn back, no little impeachment of all our honors."

(And if we are at all honest, we would reply like Caspian)--
"Oh bother you, Reepicheep. I almost wish we'd left you at home. All right! If you put it that way, I suppose we shall have to go on."

Somehow this is comforting, and inspiring, as I take up the charge of plowing through darkness this year-- my own, and the darkness of others. It takes great courage, and I greatly identify with the tentative sailors aboard the the Dawn Treader. Yet there is life and freedom and joy on the other side of it. So you must read to the end of the book!

It's a.... Watermelon!

Back in May, our friend Hudson gave us a watermelon seeding. It sat in the sink for about a week while I was uncertain what to do with it. Jim said-- find a home for it, or it's a goner. So I went out to the back yard and found a spot. Pulled up a bunch of weeds to make room for it. And planted the little thing. Then we left town for 6 weeks. This side of the house gets a TON of sun, and I totally didn't expect it to survive. We came back, and lo and behold, there was a gangly vine running wild!

A few weeks later there were a few little watermelon buds, but only one really developed. We kept checking it, and somehow it kept getting bigger! Can you tell that I continued to be shocked that it made it?

After about 2 weeks of non-growth and cooler temps, we decided it had grown all it would, and had the ceremonial cutting. And it actually tasted SWEET! Not a prize winner by any stretch, but for our first watermelon ever, I was sincerely impressed! Check out our proud lil' gardeners! Thanks Hudson!

Elephant Rock State Park

I have pictures! These were taken on Labor Day when we went with some new friends, the Nye's to Elephant Rock State Park. What a lovely day!





















































Joelle, Kathryn, Corey & Ellie