Eco-Friendly Household Bug Killer

Spring means the ants come marching into our kitchen via the window and through our front door. By chance I sprayed them with some Green Works multi-surface cleaner, and they stopped crawling instantly. Now I spray the counters and door threshold before I go to bed, and they have not come back. Last night a large garden roach made its way into the kitchen. Those things are so big! It took a few sprays, but it took down the huge roach as well. It feels safer using this around children and pets. I need to clean the floors and counters anyway, so I get a head start spraying this on surfaces in the evening.

I buy my Greens Works at Family Dollar. I got a huge stock pile of the stuff when they had a clearance sale, 50% off. A large dilutable bottle usually runs about $3.00.

Printable 50 cent off coupon here.

Catnip and Lemon Mint Tea

Our lemon mint is coming up everywhere this year, and our small patch of catnip mint came back. Both lemon mint and catnip make wonderful natural cups of hot tea. The catnip is best drunk in the evening as it can make you quiet sleepy and relaxed.

I use freshly picked leaves, at least seven large ones, and simply pour hot water over them in a cup. Steep for about a minute and a half. Remove leaves and serve.

I've made tea combining both mints, just double the recipe for the leaves(seven each). They are compatible, and the flavors complement one and other.

For a garnish, add some lawn violets (from a chemical free lawn) to your cup.

Edible Plants

Printable Spring Paper Doll

Click on image to enlarge and print.

HT to The Paper Doll Collector

Homeschool Freebie: Vintage Butterfly Study

Common Butterflies( elementary school) - Teacher notes, reading suggestions, and student stories. Free and in public domain, published in 1893. To print, simply right click on the image of the page at the link, and save. Entire book is downloadable:

The first butterflies of the spring are those which have hibernated in their winged state—Vanessa Antiopa, Comma, Semicolon, and Atlanta. They are sometimes tempted out by warm days in March, and in April are quite common.

Here are some hints from Wm. H. Gibson, that sharp-eyed observer and charming chronicler:—

" The butterflies are now frequenting the tender foliage of the willows by the brook, and in a few weeks the first brood of their black, spiny caterpillars will literally weigh down the slender branches as they strip the leaves and leave their cast-off skins fringing the twigs. Hundreds of the caterpillars may be gathered in a few moments, and the walls of your collecting box will soon be hung closely with chrysalids, nearly all of which will have been transformed into butterflies within a period of a fortnight. Read more here, pages 302-312. A section about caterpillars follows.

More:

The Story-book of Science, Butterflies(young children)

For older children - adults, A History of the Earth, by Washington Irving, butterflies.

Many more here in my Google Books Library.

I saw this vintage cut-out pantin butterfly over at The Paper Collector. Free to download.

Free Vintage Spring Border Designs

These where originally meant for the classroom, but they could be used for any paper or digital art project. Free and in public domain from School Arts, 1915. Go to link, right click on image of page and save, or click on image below to enlarge and save.

Early Elementary Spring Story and Lesson

By Agnes Quish

A Legend of the Pussy Willow

(Adapted)

One bright day in spring, a little gray kitten ran away from her mother.

She was lost and did not know where to go.

She ran on and on until she came to a stream. It was getting dark and the kitten was hungry and tired. So she sat down under a willow and began to cry.

A fairy loved this willow very much. The willow was sorry for the kitten. She bent over it and said, "Do not cry. I will keep you safe.

"Oh, how soft and warm your fur is!"

"I am sorry I ran away from home," said the kitten. Then she began to cry again.

"Do not cry any more," said the willow, "I will bend over you and keep you safe all night. I like you. Now sleep."

The willow liked the kitten's soft fur. "I wish I had fur like that," she said.

Just then the fairy came. She heard what the willow said.

"You are a kind willow," said the fairy, "and I will give you what you wish. You shall have fur every spring, and all people shall love you. Good night, Pussy Willow."

Next morning the kitten awoke in her own bed. The willow found herself covered with soft balls of fur.

The people love her and call her Pussy Willow.

Find the missing word:

Free to copy and paste to your own document. I will add it to Google Documents for easy printing soon.

Little Irish Dolls, Children's Story and Patterns

Teachers Magazine, 1909, pages 24-25.

Saint Patrick's Day Blessings! Irish Paper Dolls

 Some cute printable paper dolls, Mr. Leprechaun and Molly Malone for Saint Patrick's Day courtesy of The Paper Collector. Click on image to enlarge and save.

In Dublin's fair city,
where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"

"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh".

She was a fishmonger,
But sure 'twas no wonder,
For so were her father and mother before,
And they each wheeled their barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"

(chorus)

She died of a fever,
And no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
Midi here.

Free Printable Lined Paper

Many types, available free in PDF here.

Vintage Student's Merit Award Letter

I saw this over at the Paper Collector, and just for kicks, blanked out the original names with GIMP. I haven't figured out how to match the background when covering up areas. Click to enlarge and save, if you'd like to reuse this form. I filled one out for my son because he's had a tough time lately working through spring fever. He's been diligent despite his weariness of school. Here is the original:

  

 

Carolingian Legends and Paper Doll Costume

Epics and Romances of the Middle Ages, Carolingian Legends, 1887, by Wilhelm Wagner. Free to download or print, and in public domain. Not specifically a children's book, but appropriate for older children, perhaps advanced middle school and up. It's very readable for young people.

Main page here.

I found these Carolingian costume paper dolls at the NY public digital library . There was no doll, but making one could be fun, especially if you can find a head, from another doll or online illustration, to add to your hand drawn body. I'll try to find one, and post it here. Click on image to enlarge and copy.

Free Printable Elementary School Picture Study: Lincoln by Saint-Gauden

Pages 28-29, Statue of Lincoln by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907)

To print page at link, simply right click on image of the page and save. Free and in public domain.

Late Elementary - Early Middle School Reading List

My son asked me for a reading list that he could take to the library, so I put together a list using many of the books mentioned on Classical Christian Education, 1000 Good Books(late elementary- early middle school); and I added some of my own, mostly classics. He likes H.G. Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Sir Conan Doyle; I added a few that he has not yet read.

If you'd like to make use any of the books for your own list, I am sharing the list at Google Documents here.  It prints out to seven pages.

To keep the list together, I punched holes in it and recycled the cardboard covers from a used spiral notebook. Above is the image(click on image to enlarge and save) that I placed on the front and back. It prints out as one page, and then I just cut along the fold. I tied the book together through the holes with some twine.

Japanese Peanut Salad Dressing

I made this tonight for my husband who loves Japanese salad dressing. I took this recipe and changed it a little. This has a peanut base, but is not too peanuty.

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup canola oil(peanut oil better)
* 2/3 cup rice vinegar
* 3-4 TBS onion powder
* 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
* 1/4 cup tahini(blended sesame seeds)
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
* 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Pour all into bottle, shake well before serving, store in frig.

More Vintage Reading Lists, Classics

A nice general reading list for children of all ages from Dorothy Canfield's, What Shall We Do Now?, 1922. Many of these wholesome classics can be found at Google Books for free download, public libraries, and very inexpensively at Dover Books, a good number are under $3.00 each.

See here for reading list, pages 369-385.

What Shall We Do Now?: Over Five Hundred Games and Pastimes; a Book of Suggestions for Children's Games and Employments
Author Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Publisher Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1922
Length 415 pages
Overview

Old Fashioned Reading Lists : Grades Four - Eight

Wholesome classics. From Everyday English, Book One and Two published in 1912:

Seventh - eighth, pages 327-330.

Fourth - sixth, pages 234-236. 

Printable by right clicking on the image of the page at links, "save image" or "view image" and print.

Homeschool Helps: Discovery School Ancient Egypt DVD

We checked out a Discovery School Egypt DVD(grades 3-5) at the library last week. My son is in sixth, but it was a great review of what he learned in fourth grade social studies. I pretty sure that was the grade which covered ancient Egypt in Rod & Staff. It's part animation and part actual footage of Egypt. If you are looking for a children's video which shows the Nile flood plains and explains irrigation, this is it.

About this Product

"Includes: Ancient Egypt: Land of Abundance: Learn about the geography of the Nile, and see the development of irrigation and agriculture in Egypt through the writings of Ahtet, a young Egyptian boy. We'll see Papyrus harvested and made into paper, and hear stories about the origin of some hieroglyphs. Beautiful Nile wildlife images will inspire Ahtet to recount the timeless story of Isis and Osiris, and Ancient Egypt: Constructing Civilization: Experience the grand pyramids at Giza through the writings of Ahtet, a young Egyptian boy. We learn about Egypt's first Pharaohs and Imhotep, the visionary architect of the Great Pyramids. Ahtet goes on to recount the many ways in which Egyptians are master builders, and shows us how huge obelisks are created, transported, and raised. " More here.

Lesson plans and classroom tools for Discovery School DVDs here.