A huge segment of the toy industry makes kids cameras, plastic hardware tools, faux art supplies, and character-branded naturalist equipment. The motivation for such things might be pure, but they are often cheaply-made, useless imitations of adult tools. I can’t tell you how many ‘kid’ versions of tools have met their end in our donation bin. We toss the plastic screwdriver that doesn’t actually work with screws, the cheapo watercolors that have no pigment, the [...]

One of the requirements of the state of Ohio is that we notify our school district that we are educating at home. Another is to provide a general outline of our plans for the year. The list I sent superintendent Gene Harris was imbibed with eduspeak. Our real scope and sequence is more like this: Scope (the variety of what we teach practice together) Life: contribute to our family and the community by daily participation [...]

Freshwater Farms of Ohio was one of the stops in our Urbana, Ohio field trip. Click the link to read about the rest of our trip. Since our first trip to Freshwater Farms of Ohio for the 2009 Shrimp Fest, I can’t help but return every so often. Where else can you pet a sturgeon? And pick up toads? And view native fish and stream species? And purchase fine smoked trout for use in your [...]

We visited Cedar Bog Nature Preserve as part of our day trip to Urbana Ohio. Click the preceding link to read about all of our stops. Cedar Bog Nature Preserve is a large and rare fen, preserved by the Ohio Historical Society and the the Cedar Bog Association. It is fifty miles from central Ohio, accessible by driving west on 70 and north on 29 to just south of Urbana Ohio. Visitors can view the [...]

It’s official. As the sidewalk fills with students walking to the school on our block, we are choosing to homeschool. Mixed Feelings Until a few years ago, I judged that homeschooling was crazy and relegated to people who want to indoctrinate their child in some religion. I feel that same judgment now from some with whom I share our choice. Thanks to friends who homeschool and the books they’ve recommended, I now believe homeschooling is [...]

Kids Linked just announced winners of their Best Parent Blogger award. Thanks to your votes, I am the first runner up! I very much appreciate your support in selecting me among a field of awesome Columbus bloggers. I also owe thanks to the fantastic Hounds in the Kitchen community on Facebook. We are only 15 ‘likes’ away from 600! Thank you to everyone who participates in sharing and learning about food and gardening from each [...]

I am surrounded by fantastic fathers. These inspiring, caring men enrich the lives of Lil and I: l to r – Mitch, my dad; Mike, my uncle; Tom, Alex’s dad, click to enlarge My dad, Mitch, is patient and funny. He encouraged his four girls to be strong curious women, enduring the resulting loud and confusing dinner conversations. I clearly picked up Dad’s love for the outdoors, good food and strong drink. Speaking of eats, [...]