Homesteading
Genetically Modified Food
Genetically-modified food. It is the new catch phrase, but what does it mean? And, what does it mean to homesteading families like mine? Simply, genetically modified foods have undergone a change in its DNA. There are two main kinds of changes: cisgenesis and transgenesis. Cisgenesis occurs when genes are transferred artificially with plants or animals that could procreate naturally. An example of... »
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
This weekend my family and I went to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. We had a great time. There was so much to see and do that we could have spent two whole days there. We usually go once every year. It... »
Education in Homesteading
In my last article, "Meet Marley," I talked about needing a mentor for my daughter's 4-H project. We consider ourselves very lucky to have found a family that was ready and willing to teach us. I love to read and learn from books, but not everything can be learned from the pages of a book or magazine. Trial and error is... »
Meet Marley
Meet Marley. No, not the unruly dog in the movie, "Marley and Me." I don't know how well-behaved this Marley is, but he is my daughter's show goat. Marley is a Boer goat. This breed is raised for its meat. Did you know world-wide that goat is the most consumed meat? However, I have never tried any... »
An Indoor Greenhouse
In my last article, "Semper Gumby", I mentioned that I started sprouting cabbage and snow pea plants indoors. Today I wanted to describe the process. First, I purchased a Jiffy Greenhouse. I paid about $6.00 for it. It has 72 peat pellets in which to start seeds. I definitely did not need that many cabbage or... »
Semper Gumby
This winter has been extreme for almost all parts of the United States. Whether you have had heavy snowfall, blizzards, freezing nights, and/or massive rainfall, gardeners must take into consideration the weather for a successful harvest. Valentine's Day is usually a day when people prune rose bushes and plant potatoes in Southeast Texas. ... »
Olympic Games at Home
My family and I have enjoyed watching some of the Winter Olympics in the evenings. Our favorites are the speed skating, skiing, and the snowboarding events. I love watching the athleticism, the patriotism, and the sportsmanship of the competitors. Two years ago, my family went snow skiing in Colorado. I did not ski as I was 8 months pregnant with Andrew,... »
A Long Donation
I have always wanted to donate hair to an organization that makes wigs for women and/or children. My hair is straight as a board. It is healthy. And, it grows well. I have had long hair all of my life. Sometimes it is long and sometimes it is super-long. It was super-long up until yesterday. Before I donated my hair, I... »
4-H Photography Contest
One of my favorite Beatles' songs is "Here Come the Sun." My prayers have been answered and the sun is here! Yesterday it shone down brilliantly. Today as I look out my window the white ground is sparkling in the sunlight. The heavy frost is covering everything. The temperature is in the high 20s. And, I am ecstatic! I am... »
Where is the Sun?
I do not mind the cold temperatures. I am actually having to wear a coat this winter. It is nice. There have been too many winters in my life when a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans were all you needed to be comfortable. I am especially excited thinking about the lack of insects in the up-coming summer. Freezing temperatures are good... »
Valentine’s Day Cookies
I used to love making cookies with my mom and brother for Christmas. We would make a big batch of dough and roll it out. We used all different shaped cookie cutters to create our cookies. We had the state of Texas shape. We had the classic snowman and gingerbread man. We used... »
Love Languages
Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Every year I have mixed emotions about this holiday. It is such a commercialized racket. Card companies, florists, and chocolatiers rake in the money. Public schools and office buildings turn into temporary florist shops as people send one another flowers. Now, I am not against flowers, cards, and/or candy. I am not against romantic evenings... »
Video Making 101
Around Christmas, I read an interesting article by Terry Holliday called "A Great Homeschool Project-Making a Video." She followed it up with Part Two. These articles from My Creativity Blog were designed to inspire parents/teachers to include video making into their home-schooling. Technology enables home-schoolers to broaden their world. Used safely and responsibly, technology can be a great asset to any... »
Harlem in College Station,Texas
My first memory of the Harlem Globetrotters was when they appeared in the animated series of "Scooby Doo." It has been a long time since I have seen this program, but I can still hear the famous music that the Globetrotters use when doing their great ball handling. I never once thought that I... »
Natural Approach to Biology
This year I entered the world of high school level science. There are many great books and programs out there. Apologia science is probably the most well-known in the home school world. It is a solid program with a text, lab work, tests, etc. However after years of observing nature, reading great informative books, and raising tadpoles in a fish... »
