Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Terrors of Tasmania
Great dvd that we're enjoying. We love watching any dvd on the animals of Australia. The devil is similar to the kangaroo in that it also has a pouch. The babies are born into a stream of mucous and they are about the size of a grain of rice. The mother can give birth to up to 40 babies and it's a race to see who gets the coveted 4 nipples. In the case of Manganini only 3 males make it to the nipples and after 3 months the pouch gets quite crowded.
Tessa's reading
We had one of these books in our library at home but the girls were never interested in them (they didn't like the pictures on the covers). It's so much bigger than we imagined and the libraries here have about 50 or more books in different series by the same author (Daisy Meadows). There is the Pet Keeper Fairies, The Weather Fairies, The Sporty Fairies, The Petal Fairies, The Fun Day Fairies. I'm sure there are more but that is what we have here now. Her enthusiasm for reading has increased with this series. They are short enough (roughly 70 pages per book) and her reading has improved so much that she can finish a book in an hour. And that keeps her going....
Emma's reading
Emma is reading A Fox called Sorrow which is actually a series but we didn't realize that until after she started book 2. She is looking forward to reading other books by Isobelle Carmody.
Hanna's reading
The series by Chris d'Lacey. Titles include: The Fire Within, IceFire, FireStar and The Fire Eternal.
Kangaroos & Wallabies of Australia
A nice little pocket book that tells you everything you need to know about Kangaroos and Wallaby's. I find them to be so fascinating. There are 45 different species. I'm fascinated with their pregnancies and their birth process. It's so amazing to think they can suspend their pregnancies until they can provide for it. At first the fertilised egg divides and multiplies the normal way but when it gets to a clump of no more than 100 cells, the baby stops growing if she is carrying another joey or if there is a drought and lack of food. The baby is born from a yolk sac, "swims" up through momma's fur and attaches to a nipple, which then swells up so the baby doesn't fall off. They often nurse an out-of-pouch joey and newborn at the same time. They have 4 nipples and each baby picks a nipple and the milk composition changes according to needs. A joey can't fall out of the pouch unless the mom wants it to. So if she thinks the baby is ready she loosens the muscles of her pouch and the baby falls out. Another thing I find fascinating about roos is that their farts are methane free, therefore, they don't contribute to global warming! Cows can burp up to 250L of methane each and sheep 25L. When a cow or sheep eat the food is broken down by bacteria in its stomach. Methane is a waste product of the process. Roos have special bacteria that break down the nutrients without producing methane. Cool! :-)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The Soul Garden by Donald Norfolk
I loved this book even if my eyes glazed over a few times. I could probably read it again because I didn't remember half of what I read but it had enough little morsels to keep me going. This is about creating gardens for Inner Growth and Spiritual Renewal. Gardening as a form of therapy.
The author quotes Shakespeare, "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." He mentions that in the West we are culturally conditioned to worship God in temples, chapels and synagogues which erects barriers between the different religious groups. In a multi cultural society we may share the same schools, libraries, supermarkets and sports stadiums but attend different places of worship. " In a garden, however, we all worship at the same shrine, whatever our colour or creed. The sun and the wind and the rain are not the possessions of any particular sect. They belong to us all. They are part of our shared heritage"
"We are over-stimulated, and yet we suffer from sensory deprivation because we have exchanged quantity for quality. Science encourages us to take a wholly rational view of the world, to approach it with our intellect rather than to experience it first hand through our five senses. We expect to learn the truth from books and films rather than by a process of personal discovery. As a result our sensory perceptions are failing and we are losing faith in our own powers of observation."
The part about the sensual garden was entertaining. He mentions that the Puritans regarded gardens as sinful places because of the temptations they evoked. The author encourages "sensual arousal" in the garden as long as it is "between consenting adults, and doesn't alarm the neighbours, damage the daisies or frighten the horses". And I might add "freak out the children". :-)
Norfolk mentions that people in Western countries spend 85-90% of their time indoors and says we have become a new species - Homo encapsularis. He talks about Sick Building Syndrome and mentions that medical reports have shone that children living in centrally heated homes have 50% more hay fever and asthma than those living in homes warmed by open fires.
Henry David Thoreau wrote that we must go out and "re-ally ourselves to Nature every day". 'I am sensible that I am imbibing health when I open my mouth to the wind. Staying in the house breeds a sort of insanity.'
"Take a stroll in the great outdoors. That's what Australian Aborigines do when they feel oppressed by the demands and pressures of modern life. Instead of staying put and enduring the ceaseless stress of city life they pack their bags and go walkabout in the bush, thereby recapturing the freedom enjoyed by their nomadic ancestors" And as the philosopher Kierkegaard says, 'every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.'
Now this part I think I have right. He recommends sleeping when tired, eating when hungry, getting rid of the clock and working with nature's rhythms. Work when we are energetic and rest when we are tired. I like this guy! My unschooling philosophy is validated! He also recommends throwing garden parties to celebrate the seasons which I am happy to report that our playgroup already does!
He suggests that as we interact more closely with nature we find subtle changes occur in our behavior towards others. We become calmer, more tolerant and more patient. I think I can attest to that with our experience living in the city.
He suggests planting astroturf if you're wanting a flawless green carpet. Many cultures intentionally leave a flaw in their work believing that perfection can only be found in the work of God. Jews and Muslims make a practice of building imperfections into their synogogues and mosques by omitting a brick or patch of wood unpainted. I have heard that Native Americans leave a flaw in their weavings. I love the dandelions in our yard even if it horrifies my family. :-)
Saving the best for last the author recommends becoming an eco-worker instead of an eco-warrior. We have it within our power to create a greener, more beautiful world. Ecology, like charity, should begin at home. We all have the ability to create our own little haven and improve the world a bit at a time. " ...our individual efforts would merge together until we had created first a more beautiful town, then a more beautiful country and finally a more beautiful world." 5 star book!
The author quotes Shakespeare, "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." He mentions that in the West we are culturally conditioned to worship God in temples, chapels and synagogues which erects barriers between the different religious groups. In a multi cultural society we may share the same schools, libraries, supermarkets and sports stadiums but attend different places of worship. " In a garden, however, we all worship at the same shrine, whatever our colour or creed. The sun and the wind and the rain are not the possessions of any particular sect. They belong to us all. They are part of our shared heritage"
"We are over-stimulated, and yet we suffer from sensory deprivation because we have exchanged quantity for quality. Science encourages us to take a wholly rational view of the world, to approach it with our intellect rather than to experience it first hand through our five senses. We expect to learn the truth from books and films rather than by a process of personal discovery. As a result our sensory perceptions are failing and we are losing faith in our own powers of observation."
The part about the sensual garden was entertaining. He mentions that the Puritans regarded gardens as sinful places because of the temptations they evoked. The author encourages "sensual arousal" in the garden as long as it is "between consenting adults, and doesn't alarm the neighbours, damage the daisies or frighten the horses". And I might add "freak out the children". :-)
Norfolk mentions that people in Western countries spend 85-90% of their time indoors and says we have become a new species - Homo encapsularis. He talks about Sick Building Syndrome and mentions that medical reports have shone that children living in centrally heated homes have 50% more hay fever and asthma than those living in homes warmed by open fires.
Henry David Thoreau wrote that we must go out and "re-ally ourselves to Nature every day". 'I am sensible that I am imbibing health when I open my mouth to the wind. Staying in the house breeds a sort of insanity.'
"Take a stroll in the great outdoors. That's what Australian Aborigines do when they feel oppressed by the demands and pressures of modern life. Instead of staying put and enduring the ceaseless stress of city life they pack their bags and go walkabout in the bush, thereby recapturing the freedom enjoyed by their nomadic ancestors" And as the philosopher Kierkegaard says, 'every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.'
Now this part I think I have right. He recommends sleeping when tired, eating when hungry, getting rid of the clock and working with nature's rhythms. Work when we are energetic and rest when we are tired. I like this guy! My unschooling philosophy is validated! He also recommends throwing garden parties to celebrate the seasons which I am happy to report that our playgroup already does!
He suggests that as we interact more closely with nature we find subtle changes occur in our behavior towards others. We become calmer, more tolerant and more patient. I think I can attest to that with our experience living in the city.
He suggests planting astroturf if you're wanting a flawless green carpet. Many cultures intentionally leave a flaw in their work believing that perfection can only be found in the work of God. Jews and Muslims make a practice of building imperfections into their synogogues and mosques by omitting a brick or patch of wood unpainted. I have heard that Native Americans leave a flaw in their weavings. I love the dandelions in our yard even if it horrifies my family. :-)
Saving the best for last the author recommends becoming an eco-worker instead of an eco-warrior. We have it within our power to create a greener, more beautiful world. Ecology, like charity, should begin at home. We all have the ability to create our own little haven and improve the world a bit at a time. " ...our individual efforts would merge together until we had created first a more beautiful town, then a more beautiful country and finally a more beautiful world." 5 star book!
Baby Bilby, Where do you Sleep?
Nice toddler book as it discusses desert animals of Australia in a playful manner.
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