Paradise Found

The kids have been waiting all week for a family day at the beach.  It’s lovely to be able to take them to the beach mid-week, sure, but it’s just different with their dad along – he’ll boogie board with the kids. Sunday has always been “family day” for us, so they’ve come to count on it.

Now, my husband is sick. Just when we thought we’d made it through the cold season without getting sick! E said we shouldn’t leave dad here all alone (nice) but, I think he’d prefer to be left alone so he can sleep. So, it looks like it will just be the three of us again today. We’ll head to a nearby beach and do some snorkeling and hope that the rest of us aren’t all sick in a few days. I’ll see if I can convince E to bring along his underwater camera so I can add some shots here.

Every birthday party gift bag had ‘em. They were the unplugged version of a Gameboy for backseat travel in the 1970s. I never got those little plastic numbers back in the correct position. And yet, I continued to try.

If you’re nostalgic about those little plastic sliding puzzles, or if you’re young enough that you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, check out this electronic version – a puzzle of a solution! You can try to solve mine, or create one of your own.

Have fun!

Blog nod: Busy Mom via the Generator Blog

I picked up a box full of my newest book, Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Greece, at the post office yesterday.  I may be weird, but the stack of spines that say “Bordessa” all in a line is still a thrill. I am incredibly pleased with how this book turned out. AND my 13 year old non-fiction book lover said he’d definitely pick this one up at the library if he ran across it. His stamp of approval is good!

We spent a day last weekend at a popular beach for a Coral Reef Awareness day. Human contact is damaging much of the coral in heavily used areas, and this was an event aimed at helping people – visitors and residents alike – understand the importance of the reefs. We learned that one type of coral actually spawns in June/July at night, two days after the new moon. We hope to get to the tide pools where this happens, so we can actually see it. We are always amazed at the people who stand on coral while swimming/snorkeling and have no idea that it is a living thing.

The kids identified different varieties of coral, touched (and smelled) baleen from a whale, and learned about tracking systems that are being used to monitor honu, or green sea turtles. They have actually seen a turtle with a monitor and wondered what it was – it was nice to have that mystery solved.

Here’s a picture of E holding a red-spined sea urchin.

My kids have expressed an interest in doing some sort of science experiment, so I need to help them track down some ideas. I ran across this experiment, complete with pictures showing the difference in plants watered with microwaved water & purified water. Impressive and disconcerting – I’d try it with them, but we don’t have a microwave!

Blog Nod: grow-a-brain

1. Hawaii is the only state with an official language other than English and the only state that has a history of royalty.
2. Hawaii has a complex Civil Defense system that warns residents of impending disasters. This is good, since there is always potential for something major like a tsunami or hurricane. It’s also used to warn about high surf, severe thunder storms, flash floods and traffic delays. Rarely a day goes by that there is not a Civil Defense announcement. Our favorite is the flash flood warning that drones on about the dangers and ends with the admonition, “Don’t drown.”
3. Ladies do not sprinkle when they tinkle. In all the time I’ve been here, I think I’ve seen 2 toilet seats that I’ve decided to skip. In the same vein, porta-potties are incredibly clean.
4. The streetlights on this island are yellow – similar in color to the amber in a stoplight. The reason for this? The astronomical observatories on Mauna Kea. Regular street lights would create too much glare and light, which would adversely affect the incredible views that they have of the skies.
5. Cruise ships are allowed to dump refuse and waste into the ocean frighteningly close to the islands. (this happens all over, not just near Hawaii) Why are they allowed to do this at all?? Shouldn’t the cost of transporting waste to a proper facility be part of the operating expenses? Our oceans shouldn’t be environmentally damaged because of a big, giant joy ride.
6. On the topic of garbage, disposing of household trash here is free.
7. Coral at the most popular dive spots is being damaged by unknowing visitors, who stand on it while snorkeling.
8. Humpback whales migrate annually from Alaska to the Hawaiian Islands to give birth and mate. They are here from January to March, then return to Alaska. That’s one heck of a commute.
9. Because of the time difference, sporting events on TV start really early. I can have coffee along with a side of NASCAR or football. Or, I can leave that to the guys and read a book!
10. Parker Ranch, a cattle ranch on the Big Island, is the largest private ranch under single ownership in the United States, boasting 175,000 acres!

I have a new challenge up at my other blog, Great Solutions. Stop by and add a comment to be entered to win a very cool tote!

Ann at A to Z Home’s Cool just added one of my articles to her site, here.

My two boys, 10 & 13, have learned at home, always. We do our best to encourage interest led learning, and throw in a smattering of math and an occasional spell check for fun. It is more critical to me that my kids have a desire to learn and an interest in life than an ability to regurgitate facts on demand. And, yet, they do manage to spout some impressive facts on occasion.

Almost a year ago, we packed our bags and left a rural piece of California behind in favor of the island life. The move is not permanent – yet – so for the time being we are living in an ohana (the Hawaiian version of a granny unit) on the Kona Coast where snorkeling, ukulele and white rice have become part of our regular routine.

(this of course begs an answer to the question that comes to the forefront of everyone’s mind. No, we are not rich. My husband works full time and I work part-time. We are frugal and not interested in owning stuff so much as having experiences, which frees up a lot of the usual baggage that goes with the bank account for us. The house we are renting has linoleum that dates to the 70s and my kids share a room. No high falutin’ going on here!)

I am a freelance writer and book author in my abundant spare time. I’m not new to blogging – I have a blog related to my first book here – but this is my first attempt at being a “homeschool blogger”.

Stick with me, and you’ll hear about our homeschool adventures, island life and even a bit about the publishing world, which has become as much a part of my kids’ education as anything else. Really; how many kids understand the process of getting an article from my desktop to a glossy magazine or the concept of royalties or the necessity of blurbs?

I hope you’ll find something valuable here to take away!