Today ....

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival

Today, be sure to hop over

and enjoy the newest edition of the

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival.

Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts

681.  Girls + friends + sleepover = Lots of Giggles and Smiles.

682.  Dear friend coming to check on our injured horse.

683.  Successful last horse show of the season for SVHC.

683.  Volunteering for 4H Fundraising.

684.  Rain.

685.  Bareback pads for comfy riding.

686.  Herd order sorted out – peace prevailing.

687.  Soft eyes, two ears up – happy horses.

688.  Friend’s recommendation for Dr. S (vet) as our vet is away.

689.  Dr. K.S.’s visit for Applejack’s eye – lots of meds, and a hopeful prognosis.

690.  Dumma’s surprise weekend visit.

691.  Watching my mom smile while hanging out with Button.

692.  Hearing my mom say “Yes, MY little pony.”  She loves her Button.

693.  Cherub 2 napping on Applejack’s back – a beautiful bond has begun.

694.  Smiling Cherubs while learning to work with our horses.

695.  Fall cleaning completed ahead of schedule.

696.  Polar Bear Play Time (our 2 Great Pyrs playing together)

697.  We are “in the swing” of our school routine now.

698.  Fun camping trip with Scouts for DadToCherubs and the boys.

699.  Protection of L.E. (dirt bike accident, hospital, minimal injuries, home resting).

700.  Freezer stocked with farm-raised beef.

701.  Basket filled with  fresh apples.

702.  Orchard Grass Hay – loving the soft scent !!

703.  Homemade bread baking – is there anything that smells better ?

704.  Coffee in the morning.

705.  The fall colors are b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.

706.  Acorns, chestnuts, pecans --- pockets full of fall.

707.  Local fields and haying time.

708.  Nearing the end of lawnmowing season.

709.  Enzamatic Therapy’s Beef Liver Extract.

710.  Our new Homeschool Group.

711.  It’s almost Election Day.

712.  Aloe plant on the window sill.

713.  Sweet, silly cats … laughing Cherubs who love them dearly.

714.  The honor of praying for our vet (Dr. M) who is in Africa, serving Our Lord.

715.  Applejack’s eye seems to be improving, bringing great comfort to Cherub 2.

For more information about the Gratitude Community, visit Ann Voskamp's A Holy Experience.

A Bit Of Creativity

... or perhaps an over-abundance of it ....

is that even possible ?!?!

Wilson, the Hand Puppet

Great job Cherub 2 .... 

and, errrrr, Wilson.

URGENT: Calling All Prayer Warriors

This is an urgent, very special request
for friends of family friends ...
who are in need of prayer ... are crying out. 
Please read The Matthews Story ...
and pray for little Ezra, for his precious family,
for the doctors and professionals involved in his care,
and most of all for his health as he fights for his life.

Nature Study Via Feline

Our resident Bad Boys, Sylvie and Sandy (6 month old red tabby kittens) captured a "friend" today ... and they enjoyed playing with him so much that he died.  Yuck.

NOTICE:  When we found the Bad Boys and their "friend", he had long since expired - so we weren't able to "save" him.  And he received a proper burial after this photo was snapped, much to the dismay of our Bad Boys.

Now really ....
what good homeschool Mom can pass up

an Educational Moment like this ?

Well, probably many.  But not me !!
At least not this time.

Their "friend" was a Mole.  We knew they existed, and have seen their tunnels near the woods, but because they live underground we had never actually seen a mole.  We find Voles all the time which are mouse-sized or smaller, care of the 6 felines who live here, but never before a Mole.

So -- upon further study, we discovered that he was an Eastern Mole.

He was approximately 5" long, and according to our nature guide they can range from 4 1/2" - 6 1/2" in length in our area (and even bigger elsewhere !).  They are solitary creatures who live almost all of their lives under ground.

Look at those fantastic front feet, specifically designed to dig up to 18 feet in a single day (WOW !) ... and to move more than 32x their body weight in soil at a time.  WOW !!

I know .... ewwwwwwwwwww .... gross.  But I couldn't resist .... I might never see one ever again (as I am inclined to live above ground) .... and thought perhaps other's hadn't seen one before either.

Carpe Diem.

Sunny's Shower

Horse'n Around

On Saturday we FINALLY had almost a whole

day at home.  And the bareback pads we'd

ordered arrived ....

No one had been riding since

Applejack and Button arrived.

We'd been giving all 4 horses a chance

to settle ... to sort our their herd order ...

and have been "bonding"

with Applejack and Button.

So yesterday afternoon, Cherub 2

and Cherub 5

got our the bridles and the new

bareback pads ....

and took their first rides

on the new horses.

Cherub 5 rode Button.

And Cherub 2 rode Applejack first,

and then took a few spins on

Button.

 

Cinnamon and Sunny watched ...

and got lots of pets and love.

Everyone had a great time.

(photos taken with my phone, because

I totally forget to bring my camera

out to the pasture.  Ugggg.)

CM Blog Carnival

The newest edition of the

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival

was posted.

Enjoy.

Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts

To learn more about, or to join, the Gratitude Community, visit here.

646.  Crockpot of beef stew.

647.  Homemade bread; Cherub 3 is quite a talented baker.

648.  Tractor in the field – and Cherub 6’ smile.  He loves tractors !

649.  Freshly mowed pastures.

650.  Freshly mowed golden fields around town, speckled with round bales.

651.  Math lessons without errors.

652.  Cozy sweaters on chilly mornings.

653.  Stalls of fresh shavings – pine fresh.

654.  Chicken soup IS good for the soul.  And good for dinner too.

655.  Giggles with Cherubs.

656.  Reading Dr. Seuss …again.  Those stories never lose their “magic”.

657.  Great weekend for camping – crisp, cool, but not cold.  And no rain.

658.  Three boys (and DadToCherubs) who had a grand time at the Camporee.

659.  Texting helps my memory.  HA !

660.  Deep conversations with our teens; their perspectives, their dreams.

661.  Herbal teas to soothe Cherub’s fall allergies.

662.  Cluck cluck of chickens roaming about.

663.  Laundry is eternal – but is, for now, caught up again.

664.  Exchanging flip flops for boots, shorts for jeans, t-shirts for sweaters.

665.  Apologia’s Astronomy with our 3 younger Cherubs.

666.  Autumn’s wildflowers – ironweed, goldenrod.  How lovely.

667.  Hauling a horse trailer to Crossville to pick up horses; no issues.

668.  Picking up Applejack and Button, to bring them home.

669.  Standing by, watching, as Cinnamon and Applejack sort things out.

670.  Watching as Cherub 2 enters the field, and Applejack comes to her side.

671.  Brushing “our” new horses – bonding time.

672.  Morning winnies from Sunny in the barn – Good Morning, she says.

673.  Peppermint tea before bedtime

674.  We’re never too old for bedtime stories.  Right now we’re reading Misty of Chincoteague (Marguerite Henry).

675.  Watching Cherub 1 sink into his studies with joy – Oceanography, Ecology, Natural Science.

676.  Cherub 6’s excitement as he heads to Boxing lessons.

677.  Bella’s new haircut  - clean and fresh (but might need her coat).

678.  Being loved, honored, cherished by my husband … every day.

679.  Horsemanship lessons … gaining confidence … a trusted teacher to guide.

680.  Alarm clocks on sleepy mornings.

CM Blog Carnival

The newest edition of the

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival

has been posted.

Enjoy.

Every Vote Counts

Please, make sure you are registered to vote, that you know where your voting site is, and that you make a plan to vote, either on November 2,  by absentee ballot, or during your state's early voting period.  

Without a plan, it's very easy to miss deadlines or let other things get in the way.  Don't let this happen to you this year.  Your vote is very important; more important this time than in many years past.  Make it a point to talk to everyone you can about getting registered and getting ready. 

We can do this!

Multitude Monday: One Thousand Gifts

621.  Brownies, freshly baked, and loaded with love from Cherub 2.

622.  Fresh baked honey wheat bread.

623.  Specks of gold and red and orange in the green of the forest.

624.  Daytime highs in the 70s --- what a wonderful change !!

625.  Clean stalls, lined with fresh pine shavings.

626.  Watching Cherubs learn to work with and ride our horses.  Trail rides too.

627.  Flying Solo for our first outing with our horses.  Cherubs and horses.  Praising God !!

628.  A surprise visit from Dumma.

629.  Chocolate cupcakes.

630.  Beginning our 4^th week of school together, here at home.  How time flies !!

631.  Red dogwood “berries”.

632.  Pecans and chestnuts, still in their “jackets, turning from green to brown.

633.  Bathing suits & shorts to jeans & sweaters; autumn won’t be long now.

634.  Cherubs working with Oil Pastels in their Nature Journals.

635.  Dove soap.

636.  Nature Study outings with friends.

637.  The blessing of a new healthy baby girl for dear friends (R.B.).

638.  Momma and baby are doing well (Praise God !).

639.  Chicken salad.

640.  Rain falling gently all through the night, after nearly 4w of drought.

641.  Two days/nights of scattered soft rain.

642.  Plans for a camping trip with dear friends; what fun it’ll be !

643.  Scouting Adventures – restored hope, renewed enthusiasm, bright outlooks, great plans.

644.  Golden fields mowed short, spotted with round bales.

645.  Finally finding that “magic” horse for Cherub 2,  after much searching since June (when Smokie passed away).  On Sunday when they met, it was “love at first sight” …. that very special kind of love that only exists between a little girl and the horse who “chose” her when their eyes met.  ** Thank you, JE and WE, for "that smile" ... and for offering this beautiful animal at "just" the right time.  And thank you, Lord, for this opportunity timed so perfectly, for her tender little heart's healing -- and for the blessing of being able to witness the moment their eyes met. **

To join the Gratitude Community, or to learn more, visit Ann Voskamp's A Holy Experience.

It's Here !!

Flying Solo

Saturday began with horesy baths ----

lots of scrubbing, brushing, combing.

Once both horses were clean, they rested for a short while.

Then they got loaded into a trailer,
which was loaned to us

 by dear friends, just for the occasion.

We drove our horses to R.B. Equestrian Center

for a playdate --- 

it was the first time our family flew "solo" -- 

loading, hauling, and and attending an event
with our own horses.

It went GREAT !!
Smoother than we dared to even hope.

(Thanks to the G family for prepping us so well !)

Cinnamon tried on her

pretty pink sparkly halter while

she and Cherub 2 practiced

some "in hand"

skills in the arena.

SunnySocks visited an arena

for the very first time ...

she was a little spooked when

some other horses/riders

were going round and round,

but DadToCherubs and Cinnamon

helped her calm down and collect herself.

After the arena time, Sunny and DadToCherubs

hung out by the horse trailer.

Sunny watched Cinnamon and Cherub 2,

and munched some yummy hay.

She did soooo well for her first trip !!

Meanwhile, Cinnamon and Cherub 2 "tooled around"

on the Trail Course together, trying various "skills".

After a short while, Cinnamon and Cherub 2

headed down to the arena for a bit more riding ...

and Sunny watched them from the hillside.

Although it's not a good photo, you can clearly

see the JOY in Cherub 2's face ... 

a girl and her horse ...

in the arena, riding for the first time.

What fun !!

Cherub 2 on Cinnamon, and their teacher/trainer

Ms. R on Kodak, riding in the arena together.

Don't they look so pleased just to be together ?

They tooled around a bit more on the trail course

while Sunny watched -- Sunny did sooooo well,

patiently waiting and watching (and munching !).

After spending about 2 hours at R.B.,

both horses and humans alike were so pleased.
Everything was going even better than we'd hoped.
So, while all was going so well,
we packed up our beautiful horses and

headed home.

It was a fantastic day !!

Sunny did really well, especially for
her very first time

at an official "arena"
with all of the new horses,
new people, new sights, new smells

... it was a great start for her future.

And of course Cinnamon and Cherub 2

had a lovely time working together.
This was their first official "outing"
together too.

Now they are looking forward to

possibly showing together for

the first time this fall.

Thanks to Dumma for coming

along with us.

And thanks G family for

making our first solo trip such

a special day,

for helping us succeed,

and to Ms. R for being such

a patient and dedicated teacher.

We appreciate you all !!