Sequoia National Forrest

When I first began dreaming about becoming a homeschooling family three years ago, the trip to Sequoia that we just had would be the epitome of everything I had hoped homeschooling would be.

Matt, Nora Lee and I left about 11am on Friday morning and headed 5 hours away to meet up with 14 other homeschooling families in the Sequoia National Forrest.  The drive was smooth and easy and we listened to music and books on CD to make the time even more pleasurable.

We arrived at camp in the early evening and were immediately awed by the magical woodland.  Our site was clustered with friends and we were along a gorgeous mellow river bed with lots of rocks to climb and crystal clear water.  The water would pool in perfect little pools for tiny kids and big kids alike to play safely.  Our tent was among the huge trees.  We had fresh drinking water that was easy to access and clean bathrooms.  Seriously, what more could we ask for?!

Each day we ate meals, talked, played music, and went hiking.  The kids were in heaven and none of us heard one complaint or the classic, "I'm bored" during the entire trip.  The rocks, stream, and woods provided endless fertile ground for them to explore.  Many of the kids got to learn how to use small Swiss army knives safely and learned how to whittle wood (be sure to check out The Nora News at www.thenoranews.blogspot.com to hear her perspective.)

Some of the highlights for me were: listening to hours of music played by the talented fathers - guitar, banjo, and fiddle; having Nora Lee fall asleep in my arms in front of the campfire, hearing 14 families sing "Imagine" at the campfire, watching Matt sing at the talent show with Nora Lee playing the shaker (she has great rhythm!); walking through the sequoia trees and feeling an incredible sense of calmness come over me.

There was no cell or Internet service where we were and I cant remember the last time we spent four days without these two conveniences.  It was such a relief.  Matt and I were so present in each moment of the experience because there was nowhere else to be.  Matt went to sleep at 9:30pm which NEVER happens!  We ate when we were hungry, slept when we were tired and went down to the river to relax when it called to us.  We didn't even have a watch so time didn't boss us around either.

We entered a magical space out in those woods of community and friendship, of conscious parenting and playful adventure.  We were abundant because in the woods, 3 whole bags of marshmallows is serious abundance!

It was quiet and calm and nature's sounds were the background noise to each day and night.  This sense of rhythm and the freedom to choose our own rhythm is a big part of our decision to homeschool in the first place.  Even though, here back at home, things are busier and faster, we get to choose each day what to participate in and what to skip.  When Nora Lee has lots of energy, we head to the beach or to a "park day" for some hard play.  On days when rest is needed, we can read books, watch movies, sleep in, bake muffins and take it easy.  These simple pleasures and the freedom to choose them is what this path is all about for me and what is deeply fulfilling.

Nora Lee and I were two of the only people in the group that didn't see a black bear during the trip.  We were told that this experience was not frightening at all but was quite special.  I was sorry we didn't get to see one.  Many saw a mama bear and her cub walk across the valley next to our campsites.

The families in this homeschooling group are all secular homeschoolers, some use a curriculum but most "unschool" which means that they use life as a curriculum.  Many of them studied black bears in depth before coming on the trip, or researched Native American stories about how things came to be. Families visited the Sequoia museum to learn how fire is necessary to the health and growth of the Sequoia trees.  There is no delineation between "learning time" and "non-learning" time.

One of the things I love about homeschooling is that I get to observe many interactions Nora Lee has with other kids that I normally wouldn't get to see.  This was wonderful for Matt to experience also this weekend.  We watched as one kid was a bit rude and challenging toward Nora Lee while another of his friends stuck up for her.  In general, I've found kids and families in this community to be very well mannered and kind.  Every once in a while an issue comes up and its always a balancing act figuring out when to intervene and when Nora Lee needs to experience it on her own.  I've learned that just because I am around to intervene doesn't mean that I should.  She holds her own very well and will come ask for assistance if she needs it.

She is still madly in love with poetry and on a daily basis plays with improvising poetry.  She loves how words rhyme and the pattern of a good poem.  She will frequently make up a word to ensure the rhyme happens.  At the campfire she improvised a poem that said something like, "The green trees, the brown on the ground, everything is simple here, everything is just as it should be." It was pretty profound actually!

So far her interests lean heavily toward language, vocabulary, writing, storytelling, performance, and theater. It's so fun watching it unfold!

After four days of heaven, we hopped in our car and headed back to our sweet house in Los Angeles and our beloved dog Hogarth.  Perhaps next time, he will come too!

Brian and Claire have been our friends for 14 years and they decided to homeschool their 3 kids the same summer we did.  It's incredible to share this journey with them.  

This beautiful meadow is surrounded by a forrest of Sequoia trees.  We hiked a big loop around the meadow.
We hoped to spot bears here but no luck!

One of the clear, cold pools below our campsite

One evening a big group climbed this huge series of rocks.  Matt took Nora Lee to the top.

Watching the Talent Show

Nora Lee started off the show with her talent which was 6 cartwheels.

Brian and his daughter singing a duet

Nora Lee and Toby on their endless exploration

Inside a Sequoia Tree!

Deer would graze right below our campsite

Beautiful Food

I just had to capture these photos of food I was preparing last week.  Some veggies came from my garden and others were delivered by a farmer we buy weekly produce from.  I couldn't get over the incredible colors.

The Nora News

Nora Lee decided yesterday that she wanted to be a journalist.  She decided to write her first piece on her friend, Vienna starting school.  She wanted to get published in a paper newspaper but I assured her that blogs were all the rage.

Check out The Nora News at www.thenoranews.blogspot.com to read her first article and stayed tuned for more to come!

Heroes

Today at Park Day we took turns sharing about our heroes. We discussed what qualities make a hero. Some kids said heroes are brave, creative, they help the world. I got excited about this topic and knew immediately who I wanted to share with the group.

His name is Michael Reynolds and I find him to be fascinating. He graduated from college at the beginning of the 1970's with a degree in architecture. After graduating, he began experimenting with building materials that are considered trash such as aluminum cans, glass bottles, and old tires. The magical thing about his creations were that these items didn't need to go through an energy intensive recycling process to be used again. Instead, he discovered that packing an old tire with dirt became an incredible insulator and he could build walls from them.

As his experimentation progressed, he began figuring out ways to live comfortably, completely off the grid in the middle of the dessert. Through the use of reclaiming rainwater, solar panels and greenhouses inside the homes, people could live comfortably in challenging climates.

Now, decades later, he takes what he has learned and teaches it to people in the United States who want to learn.  He also goes to countries ravaged by disasters such as tsunamis or earthquakes and teaches how to build a sustainable home from trash.

I just can't get enough of this guy! I feel like he addresses so many foundational problems and has created brilliant solutions.

For more information on him check out www.garbagewarrior.com



What was extra special about today was that Nora Lee did her first presentation. She enjoys performing on stage and has done several improv shows and other performances, however this was the first time she was sharing information with a group in a presentational format.

She has had many other opportunities to learn about something and share the information with a group but has never expressed interest in doing so. When the topic of "heroes" came up, she got really excited. She had a hard time deciding who she wanted to share about. I gave many suggestions but nothing felt like the right fit to her. Then suddenly she said, "What about William Shakespeare?" I told her I thought that would be an excellent choice, even though I wasn't sure how much she knew about him. We talked about her love of theater, dramatics, and storytelling and realized they had a lot in common.

A few years ago we happened upon a PBS show of Hamlet as an Italian Opera and she was riveted. I didn't understand her interest in it then and I still don't, but she watched a good chunk of it (including the Ophelia suicide scene - parents, start your judging now).

She has mentioned a desire to see Hamlet again several times throughout the years but I've shied away from true Shakespeare in its original tongue because it's hard for me to understand and I've assumed Nora Lee would feel the same.

But, last night after we figured out her presentation (which was very short and sweet) I turned on Much Ado About Nothing and she watched the first 20 minutes or so and thought it was great.

So, I'm on the lookout for some Shakespeare I can take her to see and I plan to get some books from the library about Shakespeare and his body of work that we can both appreciate.

Her presentation went well and I'm excited that the door to this form of communication has now been opened and perhaps will be easier to go through again soon.

The Blue Moon

Last night Matt, Nora Lee and I went on a full moon hike with lots of other families to enjoy the special "blue moon". The blue moon refers to the second full moon this month, which is quite unusual. I don't think this will happen again for several years.

We met at sunset on a high mountain between Topanga Canyon and Malibu and began a half hour hike to an even higher peak where we could view the rest of the sunset and the gorgeous, rising full moon.

Happy Anniversary!

This weekend Matt and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. Friday morning we packed up the car and headed down to San Diego to drop off Nora Lee and Hogarth with my sister-in-law and brother and my darling nephews. Nora Lee could hardly contain her excitement.

It was the most amazing feeling to know that she would be having her own thrilling vacation while we were away. Auntie Colleen and Uncle Clay got her a swimming lesson in their pool, helped her put on a fashion show, and took her to Sea World! She and her cousin, Cameron, were able to connect and play in a new way that was so sweet and caused them to become much closer. Lovely.



Meanwhile, Matt and I headed down to the Gaslamp district in downtown San Diego. On the way, we stopped for a two-hour Thai massage. The only other thing we had planned was to see a concert Saturday night (our actual anniversary) by Andrew Bird. The theater ended up being right across the street from our hotel!

We went to two movies, slept, ate, walked around and had some incredible, quality time together. I am truly blessed to have such a beautiful husband. He is exquisite in every way.