Jonah Salt and Pepper Shaker

You may or may not know I have a Jonah.    My husband and I wanted a Hebrew Bible name for our son, but wanted something different.   We watched "Sleepless in Seattle"...we both looked at each other and at the same time said..."JONAH"....that's it!!!

Great Golden Digger Wasp

I think my 2nd favorite part of homeschooling all these years has been our nature studies (read alouds are #1). You never know when fascinating nature will be delivered to your home or yard. You've got to be flexible and relaxed enough to drop everything to enjoy the observation process, live in the moment, take time to smell the roses, or in our case this week...take time to watch the Great Golden Digger Wasp work her little persistent heart out. She's beautiful and she is AMAZING!!
Cumulatively I think we've all spent hours this week watching her. She chose to build her nursery a few feet from the porch so we could sit in the shade and admire her work ethic. She. Never. Stops. I wish I had that much energy as a mother. Nothing much seems to bother her. She's very content focusing only on her work. She noticed me once and turned to look at me (gave me the evil eye, she did) but went right back to work.
She goes down in her hole forward, but exits backing up with a perfect dirt ball with her. She piles them up neatly behind her landing strip. :) We saw her take down 3 green grasshoppers which she will lay her egg in.
Be kind to beneficial insects. These wasps are non aggressive and will keep your grasshopper population down, plus they pollinate. Let the good guys live. :)
I tried to get some good pictures for you. I did the best I could. To obtain perfect pictures would have involved lying in the dirt and I wasn't in the mood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Charlotte Mason says: All this is stale knowledge to older people, but one of the secrets of the educator is to present nothing as stale knowledge, but to put himself in the position of the child, and wonder and admire with him; for every common miracle which the child sees with his own eyes makes of him for the moment another Newton.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.54 )
Children should be encouraged to watch, patiently and quietly, until they learn something of the habits and history of bee, ant, wasp, spider, hairy caterpillar, dragon-fly, and whatever of larger growth comes in their way.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.57

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Golden Digger Wasp info
Wish this was better focused, but I can't believe I caught this shot. I was so excited to witness this. (poor grasshoppa)

  See her backing up? We would make "Beep Beep Beep" backing up sounds to cheer her along. Had to be there I guess. LOL It was funny when it happened. :)
Here she comes with a handful of dirt rolled up in a tidy little ball




Psalm 50:10-11: “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hill, and all that moves in the field is mine.” Blessings to you!

Group Hugs!!

Hooches and Smugs



Children Rejoicing for the Lord

 Click on the Link to read more Word Filled Wednesday

One of the sweet, tender moments of childhood. Captured is their gregarious, joyful spirit, playing in the backyard without a care in the world. Whenever my mind or heart isn't focused, I look at these pictures of my niece and nephew and am reminded of where my heart needs to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Be happy and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16
  Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise. Psalm 33:3
  “And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.” 2 Samuel 6:14


"Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." Psalm 30:11

  "But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits.
Psalm 5:11

To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Psalms 30:12

"Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." Luke 18:15-17