• Blogging - Daybook

    My Daybook: 18th April, 2020

    April 18, 2020 /

    Outside my window… the sky is lightening, the paddocks are covered in a faint mist, signs of colder Autumn mornings, I see a mob of kangaroos grazing I am thankful… for the swift calls that the Australian leadership has made to suppress Covid 19, that the curve is flattening, and mostly I’m thankful for my fellow Australians, they have on the whole responded well to the call for physical isolation, truthfully I’m also pleasantly surprised I am thinking…‘ about my little sister, today was to have been her Wedding Day and instead it’s indefinitely postponed. First she lost her job (beauty salon) then she had to postpone her Wedding until…

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  • Blog,  Blogging - Daybook

    My Daybook: 15th March, 2020

    March 16, 2020 /

    Outside my window…  as I begin writing this post it is dark outside, I’m the first up and all is quiet, though I can hear the horses breathing outside the window, I’m an early morning person so I’m most productive now I am thankful… for my new, super fast internet! Doing cartwheels here as it is an incredible difference. We were on an upload speed of 0.25mbps! 🙁 it truly was impossible, I reached a breaking point and we have ditched the Telstra ADSL1 after 27 years! and have now gone to the Optus 4G Tower and we are receiving on average upload speed around the 12mbps mark. That’s still…

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  • Blogging,  Blogging - Guest Appearances,  Home Education,  Home Education - Australia

    Aussie Homeschool Summit 2020 – Giveaways

    March 5, 2020 /

    The annual Australian Homeschool Summit begins soon! A roundup of 30 presentations on a variety of Home Education topics. Most exciting is the speakers are Aussies focusing on Home Education in Australia! It’s all online, so watchable from the comfort of your home.   I’ll be speaking once again this year and I have some special guests joining me. All shall be revealed shortly.   Dates are: Giveaway of 3 tickets: March 3 – March 13th Tickets go on sale from March 6th (tomorrow) Showtime: March 23- April 3   Related Summits: I’ve spoken before at the previous Aussie Summits. Nurturing a Love of Literature 2017 Centering Your Education Around…

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  • Blog,  Home Education,  Home Education - Language Arts,  Home Education - Leaping into Literature,  Learning

    Leaping into Literature: Six Years Strong

    December 14, 2019 /

    A Tradition begun way back in 2013 is still beating strong. As with every 4th Term for the past six years we enjoyed reading our way through piles of picture books, a tradition we look forward to each year. Our Leaping into Literature immersion as per usual was accompanied by the children giving their opinions and star ratings. This year’s participating children shrunk to only four; 13, 11, 8 & 5 years.  Due to the growing ages of the children we also included short chapter books, as the interest of some in picture books is beginning to wane just a little, my heart begins to break. Short Chapter Mr Pettigrew’s…

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  • Blog,  Blogging - Daybook

    My Daybook: 21st May, 2019

    May 21, 2019 /

    Outside my window… it’s a dark night, all is still. The benefits of living in the country, no city lights nor noises I am thankful… for good health, for my own and a beloved family member. Mine was a scare, all good but concerning at the time. Our dear family member’s condition is still unknown but the worse case scenario has at least been ruled out. Good health is never something I take for granted, I grew up with an invalid parent and know first hand the far reaching implications for all involved, for the patient and their family I am thinking… about family. My youngest brother, his wife and two…

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  • Blog,  Hearth & Health,  In the Home - Organisation

    DVD & BluRay Organisation

    May 8, 2019 /

    We have finally found the perfect solution on how to tackle DVD & BluRay Organisation!! 🙂 Wrestling our ever expanding DVD & Blu Rays into some semblance of organisation has long been the bane of my existence. We have tried a few different solutions over the years, some with better success than others. When my friend Jenn over at Wildflowers and Marbles shared that she had THE solution to DVD & Blu-Ray Organisation you better believe I paid attention. Jenn is the Queen of organisation, furthermore she had trialed this for months before sharing.  We’ve now had this method in place for a year, so I can verify this is the solution…

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  • Blog,  Book Reviews,  Books - Australia,  Books - History

    60 Children’s Chapter Books for ANZAC Day

    April 24, 2019 /

    ANZAC Day is tomorrow, a day in which we commemorate our fallen, returned and current Service men and women, a day in which we remember their sacrifices past and present. In honour of the occasion I set out to gather titles of Children’s Chapter Books for Anzac Day as books are a fantastic gateway to discussions and the beginning of understanding the many complex issues that arise from War. I focused on collating only books written by Australian and New Zealand authors – ANZACs; Australian New Zealand Army Corps. I had no idea that I’d end up so many! Sharing 60 Children’s Chapter Books for ANZAC Day. Talking mega posts of…

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  • Blog,  Book Reviews,  Books - Australia,  Books - History,  Books - Picture

    58 Picture Books for ANZAC Day

    April 23, 2019 /

    ANZAC Day is this week, a day in which we commemorate our fallen, returned and current Service men and women, we remember their sacrifices past and present. I have been gathering picture books to assist and answer questions that are sure to arise as books are always a great gateway to discussions. Imagine my shock when I easily discovered 58 picture books for ANZAC Day!! Truth is I had to call a halt and stop looking for anymore! In this collection I have included both Australian and New Zealand authors – ANZACs; Australian New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Day is this week, a day in which we commemorate our fallen, returned and…

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  • Blog,  Book Reviews,  Books - Australia,  Books - History,  Books - Picture

    9 Children’s Books About Bass & Flinders

    April 22, 2019 /

    Most Australian children know the names of George Bass and Matthew Flinders, great explorers and navigators of the coastline of early Australia. Searching for children’s historical fiction books about Bass and Flinders’ explorations my interest in them has been renewed. What courage and tenacity they had! This book search has been part of my ongoing project of organising Australian history fiction for children into chronological order, a collation of both in print and out of print living books. I have been working my booklist within the framework of the time periods organised in Our Sunburnt Country, a favourite core Australian history books.  I have gathered both picture and chapter books, mainly sharing in print or…

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