Today is Maria Montessori's 142nd birthday.  I love her educational philosophy.  You can read about her here.  I wonder what she would think of the fact that the method she developed while working with the children of low-income families is now really only accessible by a wealthier group...

Not to worry though, I had this book which is a great summary of the philosophy!

Talking of books, Nicholas had book week at school while I was away.  He enjoys reading Zac Power books so before I packed to go to Darwin I whipped up something easy - a Zac Power id card and a SpyPad.  Unfortunately Nicholas' school did not seem to have a dress up event for Book Week, but at least he now has them for play at home.

Nicholas LOVES his chapter books at bedtime and the threat of him going to bed without one always gets a response to what we need him to do beforehand!  We have been through a number of Enid Blyton and Rohld Dahl books and, well to be honest, I'd like a little break.  So I am going to introduce him to one of my favourite stories when I was younger - The Borrowers by Mary Norton.  Nicholas is looking forward to them.  I remember when I was younger my mum and dad took us to various public libraries on the weekends and it was always a thrill to go to a new one and look at books we hadn't seen before.  I can remember going to Kingston Library and borrowing a book on miniature houses - I dreamt of making the tiny furniture and accessories.  The houses in the book were all period homes and I remember I loved he Tudor House.  I can remember reading another library book that was about a girl that went back in time, I just can't remember the title - not Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park (another favourite).  I'm glad my kids love stories!

my oh my!

What I didn't mention in this post, was that I was waiting for something extra special to arrive.  Today was the day when everything was here - a pattern for a miniature Princess and the Pea set, with mattresses, pea and a carry bag.  The original story (I have the Lauren Child illustrated version already, but the story deviates a little) with gorgeous illustrations, and the piece de resistance, a pop up book!*

 

Now I have an embroidery to finish and a doll to make.  Good thing I have leave coming up...

 

* it is hard to take photographs of a pop-up book with one hand, while holding the book open with the other!

** some boy literary discussion tomorrow.

Wednesday

Tuesday

must be back in Canberra....
I had a great time in Darwin the past week with old and new friends from East Timor.  We worked long hours, but also had a little fun, seeing the king of the legend of East Timor. 

 

I was moved when saying my goodbyes to the team I worked with. People who live lives I cannot relate to, who have histories I can only imagine. Their tears at saying goodbye touched me.

 

 

And today back to normality with a preschool excursion to the National Museum of Australia.  The kids had a lesson in memories, and collecting.  The museum was great, and I only fleetingly thought of what might had been.

 

I'm looking forward to Spring and some time off work in the next couple of months...  being  tourist in my own city.  The time I plan to have off includes the next school holidays and I am determined to make them memorable for Nicholas and Audrey.

 



Saturday

Some joy for this morning! This happened in Brazil.

Friday

Audrey has a bit of a 'Princess and the Pea' collection.  By default, that is.  Because I love the Princess and the Pea.  I have an embroidery to finish, a doll pattern to start and we have the finger puppets (mattress and pea included!)  My godmother says that when you have three of something, it is a collection.  :)  I have a Hans Christian Anderson book my mum gave me when I was little.  It doesn't have The Princess and the Pea in it, but it has The Little Mermaid and The Red Shoes.  Stories I remember I loved reading.

Melanie told me about this gorgeous birthday party.  I'd love to have a tea party/Princess and the Pea party for Audrey.  Maybe when she is eight?

Anyway, looking at the party sent me on a google search, looking for more images of the Princess and the Pea.  There are so many!

I love these ones - the grown up, old English kind... with glamorous dresses to match!

Lela Rose Bridesmaid Collection


Go Ara in Singles Magazine


Renee Jankowski Princess and the Pea

Brunschwig & Fils

Princess with a pea

Wednesday

Speaking to my soul lately...

right now

Loving this version of one of my very favourite songs... I don't often like to deviate from the original version.   She also has a cover of another one of my all time favourites.  Fire and Rain.  I'm sure James Taylor won't mind it either.

* appreciating a time of reflection. 
* feasting on ministry.
* challenged by this story.
* grateful for a clean tidy house.
* preparing for a week away.
* happy with progress on my unfinished projects....

Sunday

Celebrating the c2s at home tonight!

Friday

I hope to get through a few of the books in the piles growing on our bookshelves.  This morning while on the bus I finished reading The Hunter by Julia Leigh.  It is a remarkable first novel. The subject matter is quite different to what might be expected. I'd be interested in knowing the inspiration for Julia Leigh's choosing the subject. I found out things about the Tasmanian Tiger that intrigued me - things I would not necessarily have sought out about the extinct animal. The Thylacine was a marsupial, the same family as the kangaroo.  Both the male and female had a pouch.  Apparently they did not run at any great speed, but were able to continue moving for a long period of time, exhausting their prey.  Their jaws were elongated with a gape that could crush the skulls of their victims.  They had a jaw span of 120 degrees.  Fascinated?? :) 

And there are rock art paintings of Thylacine in Arnhem Land (where I will be in a couple of weeks).

Amazing that the last known Thylacine only died 70 or 80 years ago.

Leigh's ability to provide just the right amount of detail in such a brief novel was brilliant - whether about the Thylacine, or about hunting or the beautiful landscape of Tasmania.

The main character, the hunter, known as M is not necessarily a likable character but in spite of that I found myself eagerly waiting to see if he redeems himself. I couldn't wait to get to the end of the novel, and arriving there wished there was more to come.

I loved the movie - it was beautifully shot and I'm a great fan of Willem Defoe.  There are two significant differences between the novel and the movie.  I won't give them away here.  I can't say whether I preferred one over the other.


Now. What to read next?

Thursday

While we were away I cam across what I thought was a 1960's booklet on parenting called A Guide to Natural Living for Parents and Children.  It turns out it was published in 1980.  One chapter in particular spoke loudly to me.  It resonated somewhere deep within.  It was called Harmonious Family Living.

As I was reading it I was thinking how much of what I read was EXACTLY my philosohpy for parenting.  Then I realised it was actually how I was raised myself!  I find so many of the things that surround parenting (and mothering in particular) are commercial and materialistic.  rather than inspire and encourage women they condemn and judge.  Often with the aim of making you buy the latest gadget or join the latest bandwagon.  I am at a place in life where I feel the need to strip everything back to the basics.  Getting back to the fundamental things that are the most important.

This post would be l-o-n-g if I listed all thirty of the points in the chapter I read.  I wrote them all out.  Then typed them into a document.

The author (Sister Joyce Lubke) states:

"Following is a list of gifts you can both give your children which will cost you some of your time but are otherwise free."

Here are the first half dozen or so.  I'm happy to email the list to anyone who is interested in the rest of them...

1. Comprehension: Listen to your children’s point of view and try to understand it.  Teach them to listen to and understand your view of things.

2. Love and Affection: Children need to know that you love them and to be told so.

3. Knowledge: The only way children can learn is to ask questions.  Answer them truthfully and if you do not know the answer, tell them you will find out, and do this by referring to books and other people.  Visit places of interest and encourage reading and visits to libraries.

4. Training: Teach them how to behave – set the example yourselves and encourage them to follow suit.  Educate, instruct and discipline your child.

5. Kindness: Show them kindness and teach them to be kind.  Let them do things for others.

6. Confidence: Teach them to be confident, let them try to do things without your help and only give it if it is needed.  Praise achievement and encourage them in things they want to achieve.

7. Tidiness: When small, have a box or shelves for their toys and show the children where to put them.  As they get older let them help you to keep their rooms tidy and put away their clothes, and help to keep the house the same.

Other areas touched on are imagination, justice and creativity.

Wednesday

Every second Wednesday is the only day Audrey and I are home together during the week.  I am conscious of how much I was doing with Nicholas at this age, so try to take time out for just the two of us.  Today it was coffee and a trip to the library.

Tuesday

This morning was spent taking some time out at preschool.  Audrey's class were spending time in the new school kitchen, making Minestrone soup.  Audrey's contribution was the chicken stock! 

She has recently been cooking quite a bit at home - we made chocolate chip biscuits together the other week.  It was something Nicholas and I did often and breaking the eggs was his specialty.  I thought it was time to get Audrey involved as well - it seems too easy for me to err towards just wanting "to get the job done".  I am a creature of habit.  If I like a recipe I am not likely to try another version.  I make the same chocolate chip biscuits.  I make the same brownies and I make the same banana bread.

The other night she helped David cook a Japanese dish.  the sight of her cutting vegetables and chicken with out kitchen knives gave me chills, but I was reminded of the Montessori theory that young children learn more appropriately if using utensils, and they will learn to handle them with care....

Today Audrey cut up onions and carrots for her class soup. 

On cooking, these are my favourite family cookbooks.  Tana Ramsay (yes, wife of Gordon Ramsay) is a former Montessori school teacher and has a number of family cookbooks.  I love them because they each contain a variety of recipes that are easy to follow, with ingredients that are just as easy to get.

On Sunday afternoon I like to sit with her cookbooks and find 3 family friendly, time saving meals to make for the week (David cooks on Monday and we like to leave Friday night for something spontaneous so that leaves Tuesday to Thursday for me).  My menu then forms our weekly grocery list and I am left feeling all is right in the world!  :)

Monday

While on holiday we had a great time in Nhill!  It included good food, inspiring discussion and fun time with family.

Annie made this soup, which I've made twice since we've returned home.

Curried Lentil, Carrot and Cashew soup

1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock
750g carrots grated
185g red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
80g unsalted cashew nuts
1 tablespoon Madras curry paste
25g chopped coriander leaves and stems
125g Greek style yoghurt
Coriander leaves to garnish

Bring stock to boil in large saucepan.
Add carrots and lentils, bring mixture back to boil.
Simmer over low heat for about 8 minutes or until carrots and lentils are soft.
meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion and cashews and cook for a further minute or until fragrant.
Stir the paste into the carrot and lentil mixture and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer to a food processor or blender and process in batches until smooth.  Return the mixture to the pan and reheat over medium heat until hot.  Season to taste and serve with a dollop of yoghurt and a sprinkling of coriander.  (yum!)
Garnish with pinch of chilli for an extra kick.

Saturday

Friday

I am looking forward to the weekend with Nicholas and Audrey.  All week I have been reminiscing about my babies.
I'd give anything to go back three years...

wednesday

My reading list for the next little while.  I recently finished The Mountain by Drusilla Modjeska.  Given most of my work this year has been on Papua new Guinea, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  At times I had to remind myself the characters were fictitious.  Dealing with a lot of people who work overseas in the development field it was easy for me to understand some of those focused on in the novel, and particularly to empathise with those living within another culture.  I was fascinated by the history of the university in Papua New Guinea and PNG's independence, which is when a large part of the novel is set.  I still have my own questions as to whether independence came too soon, and particularly how Australia administers foreign aid.  But those are questions outside the realm of my blog.  :)

A little while ago David and I watched two movies, The Hunter, starring Willem Defoe, and The Road, starring Viggo Mortensen.  I am currently reading The Hunter, by Julia Leigh and am enjoying the third person narrative.  It tells the story of a lone hunter who is following a lead on the sighting of a Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger).  I keep going back visually in my mind to one of the last scenes in the movie.  The events were poignantly shot.  I can't wait to see how it is written in the novel.

I put off watching The Road for some time, knowing the bleak subject matter.  When we did watch the movie I found it a moving experience.  The story of a father and son as the travel the road, post apocalypse.  The acting was brilliant and the dialogue beautiful.  I have attempted to read only one Cormac Mccarthy novel previously.  About 15 years ago I tried reading All The Pretty Horses.  At the time I found Mccarthy's writing style a little challenging.  Mccarthy forgoes a lot of punctuation.  He does not use quotation marks for dialogue, no apostrophes and no semi colons (and rarely a colon). 

I looked at the first chapter of The Road online, and being a relatively short novel, I thought it was a Cormac Mccarthy novel I could finish, so it is in my pile of books to read.

I recently listened to an old interview with Raimond Gaita, author of Romulus, My Father.  Another movie I have seen before reading the book.  I know that it appears on many high school reading lists. 

I'll definately be in need of an enjoyable read of another kind, so have a couple in my pile "to be read" when I need to come up for air - another Isabel Dalhousie, care of Alexander McCall Smith, and a Geraldine Brooks, which is becoming like another old friend. 

And my bookcases are in a severe need of reorganising!