Recent Anglo Saxon Gold Find

Fabulous find in England by an unemployed treasure hunter! Some 500 pieces of Anglo Saxon battle field gold dated between 675 and 725AD, the time of Beowulf – the great Anglo-Saxon poem. The link has some historical background information(maps, history, illustrations of Anglo-Saxon villages, etc.) - great for homeschoolers.

Read more here.

The inscription is thought to be from the Book of Numbers, Chapter 10 verse 35. The translation reads: 'Rise up, o Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee be driven from thy face.'

The story of Beowolf for children from European Hero Stories by Eva March Tappan. Free and in public domain.

HT to Elena for news article.

Potato Crop Failure

I harvested my potatoes in a garbage can today and ended up with less than I started! Now I have to figure out what went wrong. I never fertilized them beyond adding manure. They may have needed much more.

This link mentions that potatoes grow best in loose compost with a low nitogen fertilizer. Next season I'll be adding more "muck" for soil. I think my soil was just too heavy and nutrient deficient for good root growth.I dumped the soil from the can into one of the corner beds, so that I can roll it into leaves and other muck for better potato soil next season.

Daycare: Maintaining a Lifestyle

Many families choose daycare and dual incomes to maintain their lifestyle. Liz Murihead, a mom of 2, says that her spouse “… wants to stay home, but isn’t willing to change his standard of living to do it.”
Liz feels that her personality is not suited towards being at home. “I am a better mom because I work. I try to be there and spend lots of my non-work time with my kids. I don’t have the patience to be the kind of SAHM I would want for my kids.” She also says her children are thriving in daycare.

Rob ODaniel feels similarly about his adopted son’s personality. “He just fell right in with daycare, I suspect because it’s so similar to the orphanage environment that he’d been in since he was about 8 months old. He responds very well to structure & routine. Liam is a very sociable boy and has thrived in the group dynamic of daycare.”


Interesting persective and reasoning, and so diametrically opposite to the paradigm I am currently living.  Read the rest here.

In the Sight of the Angels I Will Sing Your Praises, Lord.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name. ~ Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5

Feast of the Archangels.

St. Michael, tradition holds stands guard at the Tree of Life in the Garden from which Adam and Eve were ejected (Genesis 3:24). It is also St. Michael who will lead the heavenly forces in battle against evil at the end of time (Revelations 12:7). From the sheer span of existence we get a fleeting glimpse of immortality in their angelic presence and involvement with our salvation.

St. Gabriel, again out of scripture is titled the Archangel of Consolation as he touches the life of the Prophet and poet Daniel who, at his touch predicts the coming of God’s only Son in Daniel 9:21 and then informs Zachariah of the impending birth of the “Voice” – his son St. John the Baptist (Luke 1:10). His greatest message he bore to the Blessed Mother of God when he informed her of God’s plan and asked for her cooperation in the salvation of mankind in the Annunciation (Luke 1:26). Can we imagine the joy of the heavenly messenger given such a wondrous message?

Finally, we recall St. Raphael, third of the named Archangels. It given to him, whose name means “God has healed” to walk in disguise with Tobias, keeping him steadfast on his mission and battling demons to save Sarah (Tobit 5:11ff). It is tradition that St. Raphael stood with the Lord himself at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:4) healing the faithful. ~ Servant of the Word

Obscure Coloring Pages: Nueroscience for Kids

Just in case you feel the need to color a neuron(giggle).

More here.

Family Dollar Deal Alert

Check your mail flyers as you may have a $5.00 off  $25.00 for Family Dollar. I just used mine today. I believe they expire next Tuesday 10/5/09.

Locks of Love

WHAT IS LOCKS OF LOVE?

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children. The children receive hair prostheses free of charge or on a sliding scale, based on financial need.

Donation guidelines

Hello, short hair. My hair is 12 inches shorter today.

Homeschool Students: Desirable Characteristics and Suggestions

      
      
This article may be published on web sites and
in publications as long as it's reproduced in
its entirety, including the resource box at the end
of the article. Thanks!

College Professor Critiques Homeschoolers
copyright 2009 by Greg Landry, M.S.

I teach sophomore through senior level college
students - most of them are "pre-professional"
students. They are preparing to go to medical
school, dental school, physical therapy school,
etc.

As a generalization, I've noticed certain
characteristics common in my students who were
homeschooled. Some of these are desirable,
some not.

Desirable characteristics:

1. They are independent learners and do a great
job of taking initiative and being responsible
for learning. They don't have to be "spoon fed"
as many students do. This gives them an advantage
at two specific points in their education;
early in college and in graduate education.

2. They handle classroom social situations
(interactions with their peers and professors)
very well. In general, my homeschooled students
are a pleasure to have in class. They greet me
when the enter the class, initiate conversations
when appropriate, and they don't hesitate to
ask good questions. Most of my students do
none of these.

3. They are serious about their education and
that's very obvious in their attitude, preparedness,
and grades.

Areas where homeschooled students can improve:

1. They come to college less prepared in the
sciences than their schooled counterparts -
sometimes far less prepared. This can be
especially troublesome for pre-professional
students who need to maintain a high grade
point average from the very beginning.

2. They come to college without sufficient
test-taking experience, particularly with
timed tests. Many homeschooled students have a
high level of anxiety when it comes to taking
timed tests.

3. Many homeschooled students have problems
meeting deadlines and have to adjust to that in
college. That adjustment time in their freshman
year can be costly in terms of the way it affects
their grades.

My advice to homeschooling parents:

1. If your child is even possibly college
bound and interested in the sciences, make
sure that they have a solid foundation of
science in the high school years.

2. Begin giving timed tests by 7th or 8th grade.
I'm referring to all tests that students take, not
just national, standardized tests.

I think it is a disservice to not give students
timed tests. They tend to focus better and score
higher on timed tests, and, they are far better
prepared for college and graduate education if
they've taken timed tests throughout the high
school years.

In the earlier years the timed tests should allow
ample time to complete the test as long as the
student is working steadily. The objective is for
them to know it's timed yet not to feel a time
pressure. This helps students to be comfortable
taking timed tests and develops confidence in
their test-taking abilities.

3. Give your students real deadlines to meet in
the high school years. If it's difficult for students
to meet these deadlines because they're
coming from mom or dad, have them take
"outside" classes; online, co-op, or community
college.
_______________________________

Greg Landry is a 14 year veteran homeschool dad
and college professor. He also teaches one and
two semester online science classes, and offers
free 45 minute online seminars..
http://www.HomeschoolScienceAcademy.com

2009 Frugal Decorating Trends

We have been downsizing our furniture and accessories since we had our daughter. We needed a child friendly environment, and I needed to reduce my cleaning time by having less surface areas to dust. The formal gave way to minimalist casual.

Some of the new furniture we purchased was rattan with ethnic prints from World Market. The comfort factor coupled with the durability and low price sold me. Coincidentally, this year's home design trends are ethnic inspired with natural materials and finishes. Furniture is also smaller in scale and colors are the softest neutral tone with gray(the new neutral) - my favorite! Not only is the decorating trend going toward the more affordable, it's leaning toward the simple and practical. Soft neutrals and grays are timeless, don't need to be updated, and are easy to accessorize with the trendy.

Color predictions for 2010: "Shoppers don’t want to risk spending money on a trendy color.  Colors in this palette include Taupe Gray, Silver Gray, Charcoal Gray, Tea and Champagne Beige and Angora.  The Color Association predicts gray will be THE color of the season.  To keep rooms from being too cold, think natural influences like Zinc, Stone, Mica, Silt and bring those textures and warmer tones of gray into your rooms."  A gray green is a very soothing naturalistic color. We've got our master bathroom done in this color.

These new ethereal window treatments(made in India) for our den were exactly as they were described - privacy, but diffused light. I'd like to get some more. They were incredibly easy to hang - just tie them on a rod. At under $14.00 per pair, these are a bargain! They are relatively wide. A pair of these sheers covers my patio doors.

2009 Trends in Wedding Floral Design : The French Garden Style

The new floral aesthetic focuses on creating a rustic, vintage look of casual elegance using flowers from the woods, meadows, vineyards, and gardens. There is an emphasis on incorporating contrasting elements – colors, materials, textures — into the bouquets and using organic elements (such as folded leaves, bundled twigs, etc.) in innovative ways to form couture finishing touches.
Read more here.

A rustic vintage look is very do-able on a budget.

Feast Day: Sts. Cosmas and Damian(4th Century)

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

"Legend says that they were twin brothers born in Arabia, who became skilled doctors. They were among those who are venerated in the East as the "moneyless ones" because they did not charge a fee for their services. It was impossible that such prominent persons would escape unnoticed in time of persecution: They were arrested and beheaded. " Saint for the Day.


HT to Lola.

Free Download: Classic Early 20th Century Children's Books

The U.S. Library of Congress has some free downloads for turn-of-the-century illustrated classic children's books here.

The Story of the Three Little Pigs, London & New York, Frederick Warne & Co., 1904

A Day in the Life: Homeschooling

Show and Tell Friday

My living room at the end of the day! Got a rake?

Turkey Gravy with Asparagus

Tammy's spicy turkey gravy served over noodles with asparagus. I added some garam masala to the gravy this time.

After the gravy and asparagus is cooked,  the asparagus is cut into small pieces, and added to the gravy along with it's cooking water: chicken broth, water, and salt.

Simple, but delicious.

Homeschool Freebies: Math Courses and Textbooks

MIT OpenCourseWare offers numerous math courses with class notes and exams. A free calculus textbook is offered via a PDF download.

Click here.

Other subjects are offered for free as well. I'd imagine you could CLEP some of these classes after taking these undergraduate classes online. A frugal way to earn college credit.

The Golden Lilies of France

I've always loved the Fleur de Lis, French for lily flower. From Jackie's blog, "The entry of the fleur de lis on the arms of France is miraculous. Legend says that the lily was the emblem of the Virgin who sent her flower by an angel to Clovis, the Frankish king, at his conversion in 493.

The golden lilies on an azure ground came to symbolise the all the Christian Frankish Kings, most famously Charlemagne."

Read more here.

HT to Elena.

La Sainte Baume of St. Mary Magdalen

Christine writes: "The Chemin des Roys: an hour-long journey up this "path of kings" ends at the Grotto. Eighteen kings made pilgrimages to the Holy Grotto via this path, some in penance on their knees.

The forest itself is extremely ancient, filled with the kind of moisture-dependent flora and fauna that is relatively rare in Provence. It harbors very old trees--some yew trees are nearly a thousand years old. The forest has been protected since the early Middle Ages, through papal bulls and royal decrees. In modern times, it came under the protection of the French National Forestry Office (ONF) and remains an environmentally protected site. "

See Christine's post for more pictures and information.

HT to Elena

Guiding Light

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. -Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Homeschooling: Frugal Science - Microscopes

We plan to purchase a quality microscope, but  for now we can still get away with not purchasing one. We already have a yearly membership to a science museum that has children's microscopes. They are high powered enough for elementary science, so this year we'll be using their microscopes with our own slides. We are using Rod & Staff Science 6, and there is only one section which requires a microscope.

Another frugal idea is to purchase a hand held pocket microscope from Radio Shack. It's more of a field microscope and the image is very tiny, but powerful for early elementary school science.

You miss the entire process of learning to use a microscope, but many microscopic images can be seen online. In a pinch, you can still observe objects at the microscopic level this way.

Catherine of Braganza, The Merry Monarch's Wife

I'm getting ready to begin reading Jean Plaidy's historical fiction of the life of Catherine of Braganza, Queen consort to Charles II: The Merry Monarch's Wife: The Story of Catherine of Braganza (A Queens of England Novel). I'm all but finished with Plaidy's Loyal in Love, the story of Charles I and his wife, Henrietta Maria of France.

I recently learned that Catherine of Braganza of Portugal "introduced the custom of drinking tea in England, a custom that was already very popular among the Portuguese nobility at the time. According to the Museum Director, of the house of Braganza, it was not only drinking tea but "High Tea" at 16:00(some people believe it to be at 17:00) which is still a Portuguese tradition, Catherine also introduced the fork to the dining tables of England."

Dianna, Princess of Wales was a descendant of Charles II's many illegitimate children. "Diana's son, Prince William of Wales, second in line to the British Throne, is likely to be the first monarch descended from Charles II."

Charles II is also fathered the ancestors of  Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, and Sarah, Duchess of York.

Not the best husband to Catherine, but a firm supporter of her all the same. Catherine was unable to bear any living children, and at times there was trouble made against the queen because of her Catholic faith, but Charles stood by his queen.

Descendants of Charles II of England

Making Things Just a Bit Easier

With homeschool P.E., weekly field trips, household chores, and outings I've not thought of this very simple way to make my scattered life a little bit easier! For some time now I've given my son blank notebooks for each of his school subjects, and it's always a pain to gather them up in the afternoon for review. So today I was questioning why we do this. Why not have him place all his answers in one book?

Tomorrow things will be much easier. All his answers will go into one notebook with dates and headings. Sometimes the obvious slips by me. Now I can take just one notebook to my favorite chair, and zip through all the teacher's copies to check his answers. It will be more time efficient for my son, and cut down on clutter in our homeschool curriculum area.  When you have two children who tend to spread themselves and their possessions out over a wide radius, less is more.

Take a Photo of the Edge of Space

"The two students (from MIT, of course) put together a low-budget rig to fly a camera high enough to photograph the curvature of the Earth. Instead of rockets, boosters and expensive control systems, they filled a weather balloon with helium and hung a styrofoam beer cooler underneath to carry a cheap Canon A470 compact camera. Instant hand warmers kept things from freezing up and made sure the batteries stayed warm enough to work.
Of course, all this would be pointless if the guys couldn’t find the rig when it landed, so they dropped a prepaid GPS-equipped cellphone inside the box for tracking. Total cost, including duct tape? $148."

Read here. Link to tutorial included.

So I won't be trying this anytime soon(giggle), but it is pretty neat.

Convert Your Cassette Tapes to CD

This is such a clever idea for saving some of your old cassette tapes. Read Making-Do-with-the-Not-So-New's easy tutorial here.

Thrift Store Finds

Slim pickings at the thrift today, but I did manage to find some night clothes for my daughter, and a dress. The night gowns are a few sizes too big for her, but I 'll store them away for later.

I found a long ethnic print skirt which retailed for $41.00, and on another rack, a coordinating fitted jacket with wood beading. This makes a nice outfit for church(or everyday without the jacket), and it only cost me $9.00. I also purchased a long sleeved slinky black Chico's style top.

I spent $23.58 for six items including tax. Not too bad, but prices have gone up a bit.

Overcoming Discouragement for Homemakers

Click here.

Inspired Sewing

Home Living has been running numerous posts on her dress making projects all of which are inspired by classic Victorian and Edwardian paintings. Even if you don't sew, it's beautiful to just look at the pairing of paintings and dresses in her posts.  If you do sew, these dresses are very affordable. She has done a lovely job at creating romantic days-gone-by inspired dresses on a budget.

I'd look like a stuffed sausage in these dresses, but she's slender, and they suit her figure in a modest way. Many of the dresses are remiscent of Laura Ashley and Gunnie Sax dresses of the 1980's.

Knock and It Shall be Opened

From Micki's blog, Holy Cards For Your Inspiration:
"Cast yourself into the arms of God
and be very sure that if he wants anything of you,
he will fit you for the work
and give you strength."
St. Phillip Neri

America's Best Places to Find a Job 2009

"This has, indeed, been the year of government. Several of the nation's state capitals boasted steadier economies than their peers, thanks to the less volatile nature of government employment. These cities also shared other traits: Some possess strong natural resources, housing markets that didn't boom or bust as much as others, growing healthcare sectors, or even close proximity to military bases, which helped boost their local economies."

Read more here.

Recipe: Homemade No Yeast Donuts

I made some bean burgers for dinner, and decided to use up the leftover pan oil to make some donuts. From my favorite Amish cookbook:

3 - 3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter or oil
1/2 cup cream(I used whole milk)

I ended up adding more flour because I used some leftover beet juice to color them pink. This is so easy, just mix everything together and shape into circles. I roll mine into a ball, flatten and poke a floured finger through the middle. I made a few letters for my preschool daughter as well. Make sure your pan oil comes up to at least the half way mark on your donuts. I heat my oil to medium, but every stove is different. You don't want it to get too hot, or it burns the outside, too cool and the middle doesn't get done. Don't make them too thick or they don't cook evenly.

Watch them carefully as they fry in the oil, flipping them with some tongs when they look brown. Place cooked donuts on plate with paper towel, and sift some powdered sugar over the top.

These donuts taste a bit like funnel cakes.

Homemade Pizza Tips

I just saw a great tip for ramping up the taste of homemade pizza. Feels Like Home recommends spreading fresh garlic on the crust before adding your tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings. This bakes the garlic right into the raw crust making for a tastier pizza.

Read the comments as well. I saw one comment for a tip which has helped me in the past - let the crust rise on the pizza pan for a lighter crust. I do this on the second rise.

Pizza dough recipe. Sometimes I'll add Italian herbs and garlic powder to the pizza dough. Also flouring the bottom of the pizza pan with corn meal makes a crispier crust.

Image from Allrecipes.com

Rosh Hashana, The Jewish New Year

A bit like Lent for Catholics, Rosh Hashana is a time for deep reflection and casting off sins. Rosh Hashana begins at sundown today until sundown September 20.

"For me and many others, these inspiring days really stretch from the first of the Hebrew month of Elul, which was Aug. 21, all the way to Simchat Torah Oct. 11, the beginning of the yearlong cycle of reading the Torah starting with Genesis. During the month of Elul we prepare for the awesome tasks before us. We listen to or blow the shofar -- ram's horn -- every day, almost as a spiritual wake-up call to repent. We add the chanting of Psalm 27 to our morning prayers.

We begin a period of deep introspection where we are more diligent about forgiving and more focused about raising our awareness to the ways that we have gone astray during the past year.

We begin to look again for ways to be more holy. The month leading up to Rosh Hashana, which means head of the year, is a time to gird up for an internal spiritual housecleaning. We prepare to stand before God to ask forgiveness for lapsing in our observances of his laws, which we can only do after we have righted the wrongs we have done to our fellow humans. We ask forgiveness from them and from ourselves for mistakes, omissions and hurtfulness. We endeavor to start the New Year with a clean slate.

At Rosh Hashana we observe a ritual tradition called tashlich. It involves symbolically "casting off" the sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread into a body of flowing water. This happens locally at places like Magic Island or Nuuanu Stream. The purpose of this ceremony is to facilitate our desire to do "teshuva," to return to God. While tossing the crumbs of bread, I am aware of my transgressions and need to be keenly aware that I am still a child of mitzvah, commandment, but a possessor of transgression."

Read more here.

A Case for God in Our Lives

G.K.Chesterton said, "Every argument is a theological argument."

Health Care Systems

Having lived in Britain for twenty five years I can say that most of the conservative American horror stories about the National Health Service are baloney. The British National Health Service provides pretty good basic care for the whole population. It has it's problems however. It's expensive. It is riddled with corruption. It is inefficient. It is top heavy with bureaucracy.

But the American system is riddled with corruption. Fat cats run hospitals to make a profit and get rich at the expense of sick people. Huge pharmaceutical companies rake in huge profits selling overpriced drugs to desperate people. Insurance companies rake it in. Kickbacks, corruption and graft drive prices of health care up for everyone and the first thing people in American think about when they get sick is, "How much is it going to cost?"

What makes me wonder is that the majority of people think that the problem is the system. "If we only had socialized health care that would solve the problem." or "If we only had more rules to get rid of the corruption and regulate the system, that would solve the problem." "If we could only reform the insurance industry..." Everybody has a good idea on the system level, but aren't they all missing the point?

Any system is only as good as the people in it. Britain's socialized National Health Service would be a dream if the people in it were honest, hard working, compassionate and self sacrificial. Likewise, the American private health care and insurance industries would work like a dream if the people within them were honest, hard working, compassionate and self sacrificial. Both systems are just systems. Both (as systems) have strengths and weaknesses. Both would work well if the people within them worked well.

G.K.Chesterton said, "Every argument is a theological argument." Same here. The reasons the systems are no good is because the people within them are not good, and how do we make bad people better? It is pointless simply appealing to some sort of moral code. Moral codes on their own are arbitrary. People are not dumb. They look at a moral code and ask "Why?" Without any higher principle for a moral code the moral code remains an encrypted code. A moral code without any higher being behind it is no more than a made up rule, so why should I obey it?

Systems are only made better when people are made better and people can only be made better by something called Grace, and grace can only be discovered through contact with the source of Grace... ~ Father Dwight Longnecker


HT to Soutenus

Sea Salt: Inexpensive All Natural Facial Scrub

Since this past summer I've been using sea salt purchased at the Dollar Tree as an exfoliating facial scrub. Not only does it work well keeping my skin soft, but it has helped with blemishes. To make the scrub just place about a teaspoon in the palm of your hand, add a little water to make a paste and apply. Sometimes I'll mix mine with my facial soap just before I wash my face.

"Sea salt is beneficial to the skin. Skin absorbs sea salts, vitamins and any other substances it comes into contact with. It is universally accepted that sea salts can have a wonderful effect on circulation and metabolism.

Sea salts contain many minerals beneficial to the body. Magnesium is important for both combating stress
and fluid retention, slowing skin aging and calming the nervous system. Calcium is effective at preventing water retention, increasing circulation and strengthening bones and nails. Potassium energizes the body, helps to balance skin moisture and is a crucial mineral to replenish after intense exercise. Bromides act to ease muscle stiffness and relax muscles. Sodium is important for lymphatic fluid balance (this is important for the immune system)." ~ Benefits of Sea Salt.

See more at the Make-It-From-Scratch Carnival.

Recipe: Applesauce Bread

I had some mixed berry applesauce from Target which was not a hit with the children, so I turned it into applesauce bread using this recipe from Allrecipes.com which I amended(in red).

INGREDIENTS

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 eggs
* 2 cups white sugar(one brown, 1/2 cup white)
* 1 cup vegetable oil(1/2 cup oil)
* 2 cups applesauce
* 1 cup raisins (leftover mashed papaya)
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 cup sour cream(1/2 cup skim milk)

It was a very moist bread, almost like a pudding bread, and the children really liked it. Next time, I'll add another cup of flour to make it more firm and bread like.

Other recipes:

• Applesauce Raisin Bread
• Spiced Applesauce Bread
• Applesauce Bread II
• Applesauce Bread
• Applesauce Bread III

Weight Loss Progress and Other Ramblings

I haven't done well these past few weeks with the diet. I am keeping up with my exercise, but I'm eating more carbs than I should. For some reason, I seem to be feeling really stressed lately. Although I have not been able to pinpoint the source of the stress, I notice that I seem to feel worse when I read the news. And for some strange reason, Facebook makes me feel depressed. I feel vested in some of the relationships I've built there, and I'm not sure how to get off the Facebook merry-go-round. I enjoy interacting with the online world much better via a blog rather than with a small enclosed online group. I've discovered that blogging is my favorite online social networking avenue. Facebook feels like a room with no windows to me. It's a bit stiffling and self absorbing.

Mary Queen of Scots Last Letter

"A letter written by Mary Queen of Scots six hours before her death is to go on display for the public next week. Scotland’s largest library last night unveiled plans to for a “once-in-a-lifetime chance” to view the 422 year-old letter.

Mary Queen of Scots penned the now priceless manuscript at 2am on February 8, 1587, ahead of her execution at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire.

Written in French, the letter is addressed to Henri III, King of France, and shows Mary’s belief that she died a religious martyr and not for purely political reasons, as the English government alleged.

Despite being moments from death, she even thinks of her servants and asks Henri to ensure their wages are paid."

Read more here.

HT to About.com

Right Brain vs Left Brain Creativity Test

Free test with indepth results, and a break down of the categorized strengths in each hemisphere. A helpful educational tool provided by the Art Institute of Vancouver.

Click here.

Homemade Toys Industry, CPSIA, and Strange Bedfellows

Hipster moms and conservative congressmen join forces against the regulatory state.

In August 2008.—more than a year after the toy scandal broke—President George W. Bush signed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which went into effect on February 10, 2009. The law bans lead and phthalates in toys, books, clothes, and any other object intended for children under 12. To enforce these rules, the law requires every toymaker, distributor, or retailer who sells products in the U.S. to certify each of its models through third-party testing, labeling every item with an individual date and batch number.

Overnight, a bunch of cheerful believers in good government found themselves on the wrong side of a do-gooding law. Under the terms of the new rules, their lead-free, hand-crafted toys were now illegal until proven clean.

 Cecilia Leibovitz is the kind of person who writes sentences like: “Children are individuals, each with their own unique personality, so I just couldn’t feel good about buying mass-produced toys and clothing from cookie-cutter chain stores.” Leibovitz is the 36-year-old founder of Craftsbury Kids, a Vermont-based online vendor of handmade toys. She sells the type of gear that arty, upscale, NPR-listening parents can’t get enough of: sock monkeys, baby onesies featuring a “hand-stamped and appliquéd” crow with “crocheted flowers and recycled fabric grass,” even a carved wooden “707 Air Force One plane” with “a beautiful silk screened portrait of President John F. Kennedy.” So no one was more surprised than Leibovitz last winter when she found herself on the wrong side of federal law, fighting against consumer safety groups, and building alliances with Republican congressmen to defend free markets." Read more here.

Organic wood stacker available at Etsy here.

Clove, Thyme, and Mint May Serve as Natural Pesticides

"Scientists are looking into using spices and herbs for their evolved purpose – to protect against interlopers on human-cultivated crops....Different herbs and spices have different protective properties. Some kill insects directly, others simply alter their behavior – dissuading females, say, from laying eggs on a plant. Rosemary and thyme have antifungal properties; they protect against powdery mildew. Clove and citrus keep other plants, or weeds, at bay."

Read more here.

Another Reason to Like Shells

I love shells, and I've always liked having them around the house. They symbolize baptism and in classic European art, a scallop shell often symbolizes the devotion to a holy place which has in the past revivaled that of Rome and the Holy Land. The holy place is the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela  in Northwest Spain which is believed to house the bones of Saint James.

History of the Way of St. James

The legend that St James found his way to the Iberian peninsula, and had preached there is one of a number of early traditions concerning the missionary activities and final resting places of the apostles of Jesus. Although the 1884 Bull of Pope Leo XIII Omnipotens Deus accepted the authenticity of the relics at Compostela, the Vatican remains uncommitted as to whether the relics are those of Saint James the Great, while continuing to promote the more general benefits of pilgrimage to the site.

The 1000 year old pilgrimage to the shrine of St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is known in English as the Way of St. James and in Spanish as the Camino de Santiago. Over 100,000 pilgrims travel to the city each year from points all over Europe, and other parts of the world. ~ Wikipedia

 Information about The Way of Saint James

Webcam of pilgrims at the cathedral.

Pilgrimage To The Stars, two sisters walk The Way of Saint James.

HT to VersaillesDailyPhoto. Photo from the inner palace gate at Versailles.

Science Education Freebies

Science freebies from the U.S. Geological Survey including links to information on careers in science and student science jobs.

The U.S. Geological Survey provides scientific information intended to help educate the public about natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and issues that affect our quality of life. Discover selected online resources, including lessons, data, maps, and more, to support teaching, learning, education (K-12), and university-level inquiry and research.



Discovery science homework helper. Interactive and videos.

CU study: Showers Can Spray Hot and Cold Running Germs

CU researchers analyzed 50 shower heads from homes, apartments and public places in Denver and eight other cities and found that about three in 10 of them contained significant levels of Mycobacterium avium, bacteria linked to pulmonary disease....Pace said people taking showers are “probably not” at risk of getting sick unless their immune system is compromised. He added that plastic shower heads seem to “load up” with more bacteria-rich biofilms, so metal shower heads may be “a good alternative.”  Read more here.

We use those all metal water savers in our shower. We got ours at our state fair's water exposition. This one sold at Amazon looks almost identical to the one that we use. It has a five customer star rating at Amazon.

Water Saver Shower Head