She seeketh wool and flax and worketh willingly with her hands. --Proverbs 31:13

4/11/2006

Shortly after I posted on Friday, my wool showed up. This only intensified my wish to start dyeing, but I had to wait until yesterday, when the dye finally got here. When the mailman delivered the package, we were in the middle of a huge clean-up. I wasn't sure that I was going to want to drag all of my dyeing supplies out after all that, but I did! I seem to be in a red phase, but I'm sure not all of that red will make it into the socks. I got bronze green, garnet, rose, mulberry, orchid, robins egg blue, along with standard favorites rust, navy blue, cardinal and lemon. I didn't dye all those colors, but at least I have them. Now I have to start carding, and will probably do that today.

Now I am going to talk about homeschooling for a moment. There is a certain elasticiy and continuity about homeschooling that I think is the best thing about it. There is a kind of magic that happens when you start to discuss a subject and other lessons rise up out of it. One of those magic moments started last week. We began our Bible study I think it was on Monday with the story of the ten plagues of Egypt. The last plaque was the passover, and one of the things the ancient Hebrews were instructed to do was throw out the yeast, they weren't allowed to have any yeast in the house when they were passed over. That led to a discussion of where they got the yeast in the first place. They didn't drive to the store and get it in little envelopes. That led to us trying to capture wild yeast for a sour dough starter

What an adventure! We all worked together to make sure that the starter got mixed up (during which we discussed fractions) The kids measured out the ingredients and took turns stirring. They kept an eye on it to prevent skin forming on the top. If it did, one of them would stir it while one of the others fanned it to force more wild yeast into the mixture. Every day or so, we would measure out a portion of the starter and add in new ingredients. In a couple of days, the first little bubbles started to appear.

We did more reading and discussed the history of yeast. Yeast in packets is such a new thing, and we felt like we were really living history as we nurtured the starter. Yesterday, it finally looked like we were ready to try our first loaf of bread. Since we were busy cleaning, we measured a portion of starter, water, flour and salt into the bread machine and let it do the mixing.



Ahh! Success! What a delicous lesson.


And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
(Joh 6:35-40)

5 comments:

Laura said...

Jan, that's such a wonderful special lesson! And what a great idea to make the sourdough starter. I am home *so*much* that I really should make some for us. We just love sourdough bread but have stopped buying it because it's so expensive and we never use it up before it gets old. I might have to make some starter so we can have it fresh any time. :)

Anonymous said...

Jan great ideas! One definate plus to homeschooling is being able to discuss the Bible along with other subjects and being able to apply it! Love ya ~ Lee

Tracy Batchelder said...

Don't you love how kids are eager to learn, especially when it is presented in a hands on way.

Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

What an interesting lesson! Where does yeast come from anyway, I mean the wild stuff, not the packaged stuff?

Anonymous said...

You sound like a most creative homeschooling mom. I homeschooled my daughter through high school, and know the thrills that come from teaching them yourself. I only wish I'd known to knit when my dd was still home, so I couldn't taught her that, too.