Grammar

This is a favorite topic of mine.  Some folks like to talk History, some Science.  Me?  There's nothing more fun than talking about diagramming sentences and parsing verbs.  Nope, not kidding.  I've been teaching Grammar in homeschool co-ops for three years now and I love picking up that dry erase marker and asking that first question, "Who or what is acting?"

No, I don't lead a boring life and I'm not even remotely weird...well...I don't think so!

I have the typical likes: scrapbooking, photography, theatre/music/dance, food, etc.

But oh...to diagram a really long sentence!  Fun, fun, fun.

Okay, enough about my heart palpitations.  Let's talk turkey.

Grammar is a dying skill.  I teach the best and the brightest.  I'm not kidding - these are smart kids fully capable of learning the hardest grammar I can throw at them.  I'm talking verbals, gerunds, and relative clauses.  I'm talking cases and active versus passive voices.  Diagrams, parsing, copia, imitations, paraphrase, etc.  So why are they not doing it?  Or why is Mom not stressing it?

Schools today hardly teach any of this.  If you get out of junior high knowing the eight parts of speech you're doing good.  Ugh.

Language is the art of communication.  Communication keeps us in good standings with our allies and makes our enemies aware that we are a force to be reckoned with.  Communication is power; the ability to share a valid opinion which may persuade the voter to make a better choice.  The ability to demonstrate compassion and offer assistance in time of need. 

In ancient Greece the spoken word was called rhetoric.  It was an art form.  Today rhetoric is reduced to use mainly by politicians and educators and preachers.  The written word has replaced it and is an art form unto itself.

Yet it has become corrupted.  How many books have you read with grammatical errors in them lately?  Maybe a better question would be have you read any lately without grammatical errors?  Self-publishing has done away with editors for the most part and the new ideal hardly garners merit of the term "ideal."  Below average would better suit. 

Yes it is easy to self-publish.  It is a great opportunity for budding writers of various genres with quality information to share.  Just do me one little wee favor and dust off your old grammar book, or pick up a shiny new one and review a little.  Then, find a friend who, like me, is grammar crazy and ask them to edit your work.  They may not find every mistake, but they will raise the bar in your work, which just may raise the bar for someone else...and so on...and so on.

Then maybe our kids will see the bar and realize that anything worth doing, really is worth doing well.

A Painter's tale...

So I've been painting.

I should explain that what I'm painting over was done by me as well.  I love all things Tuscan and my living room and entry way was painted a golden yellow with a glazed rag rub of mocha brown over it.  Since we have textured walls this created a really nice effect that resulted in my home looking warm and rich, with our deep red curtains and mahogany fireplace mantle.  And now?

Can you say creamy white?  For those of you who love clean lines and sparsity in decorating I am somewhat envious.  I want to be like you but find it impossible to embrace the day to day living of such a pale palette.  I was born to love the color red and deep, rich wood tones.

My house is now a blank slate for someone to fashion into their dream of home.  As I sit and gaze into the backyard I notice the stark contrast between the dark leather of the sofa and, well...everything else.  The red Syrian rug seems too bright suddenly and my skill as a decorator appears questionable at best.  Do realtors really know what they're talking about?  I sure hope so.

I am pleased that the painting process went so quickly, although I've still another large room to do.  But I've really enjoyed it which is a surprise.  I've prayed over every wall and taken care in my work to do an excellent job.  Surely someone will see this and fall in love with it. Please God, please!

In the mean time my mood has improved and my hope is returning.  I'm thinking this may have something to do with my attitude and my desire to focus on the family who will live here soon.  I don't know them, but may God bless them.  And I thank God for helping me find this way to transition peacefully out of a stressful situation. 

Next week the landscaping will be done and then watch for a for sale sign soon to be up at this location!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In like a lamb...

March is supposed to be one of those months when things change.  Except this year the mundane is hanging on for dear life and I am drowning in it.  It's the move - I know it.  I just got a quote of $1350 to paint three rooms.  Are you kidding me?  So, with my money safely in the bank I will once again don my painters pants and begin the seemingly endless process of getting this house ready to sell.

I suppose I need to think like a lamb since that is how the month is proceeding.  Think like the Lamb.  Okay, rather than view this as a chore, I am now embarking on a little adventure that I am only sharing with you.  I've been reading a lot about serving others and I desperately want to be able to do that in the midst of my chaotic-moving-stressed-out life.  So for the future owner of this house I offer a gift:  I will paint with you in mind.  I will pray over these walls that they bless you.  I will paint each stroke in the hopes that you love the colors and they feed your soul the way these old colors fed mine.  I will carefully stroke the colors on and not spill or make silly mistakes because I do it with care for you. 

I cannot guarantee you will love it or even notice that it has been done this way for you.  You may even choose to paint over it the minute we're out of here.  But the prayers won't get painted over.  They will last forever and hang here and hopefully you will add to them. 

If these walls could speak they would tell you that I have been struggling now for several months.  This move is hard and I'm failing to find joy in every moment these days.  But I'm turning over a new leaf.  I was hoping for a lion as March approached - a  mighty roar to shake me out of my mood.  Instead a still small voice is speaking so softly that I can hardly hear it.  Painting is quiet work.  In the stillness I will pray, and you are invited to pray too if you like.

Bless these walls and these rooms.
Fill this place with peace.
Let this building be a home
For us, and for those yet to come.

I thank you Lord with every stroke
For giving us a lovely home
A place to laugh and live and love
A place to share our memories.

In the leaving help us find grace
A gift to leave behind.
So those who follow find in corners
Blessings, comforts, and Christ's love.

Now I am going to go paint!  Funny - it doesn't seem like a chore anymore!

Digging for Knights (in shining armor?)

Over the Christmas holidays I bought some really cool projects for the kids, one of which was some assorted knights that you excavate like a real archeologist.  They've been asking to do this activity for a while so in the midst of chaos (aka trying to pack up the house to move) I gave in.

We each chose the knight we wanted to dig and donned our safety glasses and masks and headed outside.

After opening the package I thought things looked pretty good.  There was a plastic tool with a hammer on one end and a scraper on the other plus they included a small paintbrush to gently wipe off excess plaster.  Ready and go!  Tap...tap...tap.  Hmmmm, okay this hammer is not very effective.  Tap harder, tap harder!  Hmmmm.  Okay, switching ends we'll saw for a while.  Up and back, up and back, oh look, Brennan has sawed about 1/3 of the way through!  See anything?

Nope.  Oh.

A few more minutes of this and I send my hubby in to fetch a hammer (a real one) and a flat head screwdriver (our chisel).  Okay, now for some serious archeology.  Tap, tap, crack!  Now that's what I'm talking about.  Needless to say, within fifteen minutes our handsome gentlemen had been extracted from their plaster graves.  With the exception of one sword injury (it broke - my fault) all were removed intact.

An archeologist I am not.  Don't have the patience for it and can't imagine all that cataloging and grid-laying.  Just grab the hammer and get on with it.  There's a life lesson here I'm missing - I just know it.  But if slow and steady wins the race in this particular field, I should stay far away from it.

The kids are happy - the knights are out and looking fine.  We discussed their differences and varying time periods during the Middle Ages.  Now they want to paint them in historically accurate colors.  Oh, if only I had gotten the messy craft gene!  (Yes, I do believe there are "neat" crafts and "messy" crafts.)

Anyway, that's for another day.