a gypsy caravan

The Impertinence of Nutkin and the Planting of Uncle Andrew

My children, like most children, love a good laugh.  Not often is it that our read alouds produce belly holding laughter but today we roared, not once, but twice.  Let me preface this by saying that I am not the roaring type.  I am more the reserved "chuckle- chuckle- hand- in- front- of- mouth type".  Definitely not the snorting type. (Ahem, I digress...)

We have been enjoying Beatrix Potter's books for years.  I began reading them to my oldest son when he was a toddler.  He surprised us all by absorbing much of the rich vocabulary at that young age.  One day, while driving home from a friend's house where he had been slightly obnoxious, I mentioned to him that he was far too rambunctious and loud during our visit.    He apologized for his "impertinent manners" and as best as he could for a two year old, promised to improve.  We have been hooked on Beatrix Potter ever since.   

(As a sidenote, not only was Beatrix Potter a wonderful author, talented artist and keen observer of nature, but I have decided that she would have made a great neighbor and cheerful admirer of our kooky mushroom prints.  I discovered here that she once wrote a paper of fungi spores... who knows, she may have even have enjoyed shopping for gypsy skirts as well!)

It seems that there is always a Beatrix Potter book in our bedtime read aloud lineup.   The littles love them as do the parents and everyone in between.  Today while we were out, we saw a tailless squirrel running across the road who reminded us of Nutkin.  At bedtime, we re-read our well worn copy of The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin  which really had us cracking up.  My boys can relate to  are shocked by Nutkin's manners and each page has them laughing at his audacity.  Full of wonderful vocabulary- building words like groat, obstinately, nettle, bonny, impertinent, beck, counterpane, and waist coat,  this "tale about a tale" teaches manners, the value of hard work and the importance of being a gracious guest.  Educational value aside, the book is a hoot!

We finished our night with a two chapters of C. S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew, specifically where the animals plant the evil Uncle Andrew in the ground, mistaking him for a tree.  The image of the planting and watering of this man were funny enough to us to induce laughter that woke the sleeping Annie on my lap.  I do not believe that we have all laughed so hard in quite some time.

So, we would like to thank two extraordinary folks from the British Isles, Mr. C.S. Lewis and Ms. Beatrix  Potter for their astounding (yet dry) senses of humor and their ability to turn a grumpy mommy into a giggling schoolgirl in one fell swoop.  The children, once again have faith that I am, indeed, human.

Winter reading

I'd leave all the hurry,the noise and the fray for a house full of books and a garden of flowers. -Andrew Lang

Winter is the perfect time to curl up and read with the children. It seems as though most of our reading is done in the cold months when the wind is howling at the windowpanes and a fire is blazing on the hearth. We are learning and experiencing so much from the wonderful books in our family's library. Ben has been studying World War II and together we have recently read Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop, The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum and Snow Treasure by Marie Mc Swigan. We also recently finished The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare and are currently reading Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes for fun.

Christopher is currently on a cowboy kick so we have been saturating ourselves in the Cowboy Sam series by Edna Walker Chandler. He loves to hear about the adventures of Sam, Shorty and Big Bill. We have read a number of biographies of Buffalo Bill Cody together. He is also quite fond of the Little Tim picture book series by Edward Ardizzone which are set in England in the 1920's.

Mary enjoys anything by Eric Carle and is fond of the Flicka, Ricka and Dicka series by Maj Lindman. Of course, no toddler can resist the Story of Miss Moppet by Beatrix Potter!

There are many places to visit when you open a book. We have travelled all over the world and met hundreds of interesting people simply by reading great, living literature. A child's character and very personhood is formed by what they are exposed to. According to Charlotte Mason, books that do not enrich the mind are called "twaddle". They are insipid, dumbed down books that reject the beauty, goodness and intellect of the child. If we forgo the twaddle for our children and ourselves, we can turn our focus to rich stories with interesting characters like Peter Pevensie, Anne Shirley , Johnny Tremain and Caddie Woodlawn.

A picture book's illustrations are just as inspiring as the written words on its pages. Choosing books for my children that contain beautiful paintings and drawings is important to me. We have enjoyed the illustrations of Beatrix Potter, Tasha Tudor, Berta and Elmer Hader, Mary Azarian and Garth Williams as well as many others.

Much of our family's collection of books was purchased at library book sales and used book stores. These are two places to find a treasury of books, many for less than a quarter a piece. Who can resist spending only $5.00 and carrying home a big, brown paper bag full of adventure?

Kindness

I have been reading (and rereading) The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence Lovasik. The subtitle is "A Practical Handboook for Souls Who Dare to Transform the World One Deed at a Time". The book is opening my eyes to my weaknesses. Here is an excerpt:

"Kindness drives gloom and darkness from souls and puts hope into fainting hearts. It sweetens sorrow and lessens pain. It discovers unsuspected beauties of human character and calls forth a response from all that is best in souls. Kindness purifies, glorifies and ennobles all that it touches. It opens the floodgates of children's laughter and gathers the tears of repentant love. It lightens the burden of weariness. Kindness stops the torrent of angry passion, takes the sting from failure and kindles courageous ambition. It lifts the unfortunate, leads back the wayward, and walks in the steps of our Savior."

The rules of kindness are simple--three little don'ts and three little dos.

Don'ts:

1. Don't speak unkindly of anyone.
2. Don't speak unkindly to anyone.
3. Don't act unkindly towards anyone.

Dos:

1. Do speak kindly of someone at least once a day.
2. Do think kindly about someone at least once a day.
3. Do act kindly toward someone at least once a day.

For any unkindness committed:

1. Make a brief act of contrition
2. Offer an apology, if possible.
3. Say a little prayer for the one to whom you have been unkind.