We're back to school for another two weeks before we begin our winter break (to start back up in January). I'm ready for it! We took Thursday and Friday off this past week and it was nice; made me realize how much I DO need a bit of respite from school. I'm really looking forward to all our Yule activities! The calender for December has really filled up, but without the worry of getting our school work done, I'm happy to be busy with the bustle of the season.
Work-wise we are doing well... on schedule with all of our subjects. The only thing I'm stressing a bit about is science; we haven't done as much as I'd like this semester. With that in mind, I've signed us up for a bunch of fun activities and projects at the Nature Center during the month of December. Though technically we're in the Physics phase, a little nature study will be a welcome change!
I'm almost done with my shopping... since our holiday is a mish-mash of French, Catholic (DH) and pagan (me) traditions, I find myself in the position of getting a few things to be from Santa (stocking and a few under-the-tree gifts), Père Nöel (a couple gifts under the shoe), and me (on the Winter Solstice I give each Peep a small, usually handmade gift). We don't go crazy with the gifts... I mean, it shouldn't be about the STUFF, you know?? In the past it was more difficult... friends and family literally inundated the Peeps with toys and trinkets. After years of gentle persuasion on my part, they've all mellowed considerably in that regard, which I very much appreciate. A few special, well-thought out gifts are much more appreciated these days, as they've learned to value quality over quantity.
At any rate, for now, we will spend our days the next couple of weeks concentrating on school, while visions of sugar plums dance in our dreams at night. 
Herbs are amazing; they just keeping giving and giving! I still have
most of my culinary herbs going strong in the herb bed just outside the
kitchen (most of the medicinal herbs are located out in the garden,
which is a bit of a walk). So, yesterday I gathered a bunch of oregano
and white ceremonial sage. I've been hearing so much about the
wonders of oregano oil, especially as it pertains to flu, so I decided
to make a batch for myself. The white sage I've been growing for a while with the intent
of making my own sage smudges. I finally decided to get around to it!
It was pretty easy, and the result was pretty cool. It's hanging from
a kitchen beam at the moment; I can't wait to be able to use it!
The flu hit Firefly Farm last week. Not sure if it was the dreaded H1N1 or not but I have a feeling it was because of the unusual way it presented: For Peep #1, it was high fever, nasal congestion, and a cough; for Peep #2 the symptoms were high fever, achiness, and a bit of a cough. For me, it was achiness, stomach upset, a very dry cough-- but with NO FEVER. Apparently that is not uncommon with Swine Flu, but it is unheard of in typical flu. So I'm pretty confident that's what we had. Regardless, I started us all on Oscilicoccinum at the start of symptoms. Everyone one got two doses for two days, and I have to say I was amazed at the effect. All of us experienced only one really bad day with it. I also plied everyone with plenty of green tea and garlic, so I think that helped as well.
I really believe in letting a fever burn out the virus, so I will let it go until it gets very high (over 103 is my marker). At that point I will give acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but I am really loathe to do that. For one thing, as I just mentioned-- I want the fever to do it's job, but mostly it's all the extra CRAP they put in children's medications! Red #40, sodium benzoate, ASPARTAME?? Yeah, here's the medicine to fix your main symptom, served up in a bunch of shiite that will poison the rest of you! 
It is so typical of allopathic medicine I want to scream. **deep breath** At any rate... I am very glad to be on the mend and hopefully past this for the season. Now we have a bit of catching up to do with school!
Took the Peeps to see a performance of Macbeth this morning. Let me tell you, eight-thirty is early for Shakespeare, even for the caffeine-fortified! Still, it was an awesome show, put on by a small local theatre group. Afterward the cast and director sat on the stage, talked with us, and answered various questions on the art of acting and in particular performing Shakespeare.
I don't know why, but I feel there is value in being well-versed (or even partially-versed) in Shakespeare. The stories are timeless, the writing lyrical, and the characters compelling. Fortunately for me there are so many wonderful adaptations to gently introduce younger students to the world of the great Bard of Avon. Even when the Peeps were little I remember reading them a fantastically illustrated version of a Midsummer Night's Dream that they absolutely loved. Hopefully, I am instilling a life-long love of his work, if not outright bardolotry. 
ETA: My favorite quote of the play, spoken by Lady Macbeth to her husband after he has made a scene of seeing Banquo's ghost at his dinner party: "You have displac'd the mirth." LOL
Last week the honey was extracted and bottled-- almost 60 pounds worth from a single hive! Not bad for a first honey harvest. I also have a bunch of wax to melt down and use for candles, but I'm saving that for a rainy day project. I splurged and got some labels printed up, too. Pretty cool!
The house has been spook-ified for Halloween since the beginning of the month. I didn't go as crazy as in past years; I just love decorating for Halloween! On the actually day we will do our annual visit to the cemetery to lay special stones and fall flowers on the graves of loved ones who have passed on, set up our ancestor table (one of my favorite things!), light candles in the windows, and put out the jack-o-lanterns. Anyway, just wanted to share a few pics of some of the spooky/fallish embellishments I managed to get around to this year:
This guy DH bought last year and it freaks me out! I don't like it one bit. I'm convinced one night I'm going to wake up to find those eyes peering at me from the side of the bed. **shiver**
Meanwhile, the last of the summer herbs are drying in the kitchen rafters. Lemon Balm, Verbena and a little mint (not pictured)-- that is all. Though I do still have some huge bunches of raspberry leaves (still on the stalk) hanging in the barn. I'm going to move them to the green house this weekend but I'm not sure when I'm going to get around to jarring the leaves... it's been a busy October! But, since I have a bunch all ready put up I'm not really in any rush.
I've been knitting like a mad woman lately. 
I finished a poncho for my sister for her birthday, a beret to use as a stool cover, a pair of fingerless gloves (my first!), am working on a scarf for Peep #1 for his birthday and a pair of socks for my SIL for hers. I love knitting socks and try to have a pair going at all times. Below left is a picture of SIL's sock, though I have made quite a bit of progress on it since this was taken. I'm on the foot now, about to start the toe decreases.
Poor Peep #2 has had the worst luck with the socks I've knit for him! He's growing too fast... by the time I finish
. I also knit a beret to use as a stool cover that came out really cool. I used a really thick yarn (Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in "Spice") and size 13 circulars so it knit up in a few hours. It's perfect!
Thumbs! I've mastered the thumb... it's a huge knitting hurdle for me and you have no idea how exciting this is! (Unless, possibly, you're a knitter and have experienced a similar thrill). I've been wanting to knit mittens and fingerless mitts for eons but was always intimidated by the thought of doing a thumb. I felt like knitting it flat and sewing it up was cheating. I was going to knit it in the round, dammit! LOL Anyway, I found a really easy pattern in Interveave Knits that I was able to modify. I used super chunky yarn (Sirdar Stampada) and size 10 DNPs. These knit up quickly as well-- also in a couple of hours. Now I can't wait to start whipping up a bunch of them to give as gifts at Yule. Peep #2 has been asking me for pair for the longest time (which is why I knit the "finger" area so short--see photo below), and I am just busting to give these to her! Her birthday is next month so I'm going to be patient, and in the meantime I'm going to start up a pair for myself on the sly....
Peep#2 made student of the month for October at karate! I'm so proud of her!
So our homeschool Co-op is going really well. I wasn't sure what to expect but so far we are having a blast. Friday mornings we arrive at a few minutes before 10 a.m. (not a little slap dash of dress, let me tell you... we're so not good at having clothes ready, packing up lunches and assorted accoutrements the night before...why do that when you can you experience that searing adrenaline rush in the morning?) Anyway-- they go into their first class: Writing Workshop. They are LOVING this. I hope it keeps their creative juices flowing. As I mentioned in a previous entry, we have struggled with writing, especially of the creative kind, so I am very happy. After Writing Workshop Peep#1 goes into Chess, and Peep#2 into Fun with Fractions. I sit in on that class so it's been interesting to see how she's progressing. Peep #2 is actually quite good in math, but it doesn't come naturally; she's not a "numbers" gal like Peep #1 (she gets that from me). The mom teaching the class was actually a math teacher B.K. (Before Kids) so that is cool. At noon we break for lunch, which as long as the weather holds we are enjoying outside on the picnic tables beside the playground. The Peeps wolf down a quick bite and then it's off to climb or swing or play a game of kickball while I eat and chat with some of the other moms. It's a good group. I normally feel so out of place with other moms.... oh who am I kidding, I feel that way with everyone!... sigh... but I digress... These moms are awesome. It's an eclectic bunch but similarities definitely outweigh the more obvious differences, and I really enjoy spending time with them.
Sometimes we do Drama Games at 1p.m., and sometimes we just head home. Last week was their once-a-month Monopoly and More class but that wasn't a big hit. I don't think they'll do that one again next semester.
So, we have dipped our toe into the Co-op pool so to speak, dabbling with a few classes; but I think next semester we will go whole-hog and sign up for as much as we can. There are some really interesting offerings and I'm looking forward to seeing what will be available on the next go-round. Pretty impressive for a Co-op in its infancy!
