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Friday, August 14

Babe's Bucket List Challenge #8 - My Own House & Garden

 

Welcome to Babe's Bucket List Challenge, where I'm tackling twelve of the thirty things on my bucket list and writing about the experiences...won't you join me?


Remember my dad (from the Word of the Year post)?  Dad's joie de vivre was unmatched -- he loved life!  Music, surfing, engineering, strong coffee, and family were part of his core.  He loved tinkering with ideas and often worked with his grandsons on projects such as building a siege tower, designing and building a chicken coop, and designing and shooting off rockets...plus going fishing.  He lived life with an engineer's precision, a surfer's spirit, and a drummer's soul.  Even as his health declined, his spirit, sense of humor, and love for ice cream never wavered.

In his honor, this year I have created a bucket list - a compliation of dreams and aspirations - to work from.  My husband (who grew up in our town and interned with him as a teen) has also written down a bucket list, and we're going for it!  You can download your own Bucket List template at the Word of the Year post.

Challenge number eigh on the list?  There's no place like home.

Having uprooted life in a major way over the past couple of years, getting settled and rebuilding a small homestead area has been top of mind for a bit. If you've been paying attention to economics, you're probably aware of the fact that the housing market has been very volatile, alongside the prices of everything else rising. However, we found this cute little gem in the best little town...
While it was too late in the year to really get a good garden going, and honestly the soil here is going to need a ton of amending, we were able to get an herb garden started and make progress toward building some raised beds out of food-grade agricultural totes.
And in the meantime, we got some vegetables going along the back wall. Is it what I'd have typically done in the past? Nope. But one lesson here is to acknowledge when circumstances have changed and adapt to them. As you've probably noticed from a few of the other bucket list posts, I've had a bad habit in the past of comparing now-me to past-me, and my body doesn't work like it used to, which makes that an unfair comparison. In this case, comparing a brand new garden on a small parcel to an acre-plus established garden on a large parcel is apples to oranges...
There are plenty of things to like about the property, including the beautiful wildflowers popping up everywhere and the huge blackberry thicket I undercovered while clearing brush!
Before the end of summer, we'll have the rain barrels set up to help water gardens, the clothesline up, and beehives established in this little nook.

Naturally, there are still PLENTY of projects to be done around the house and property, and we look forward to tackling each and every one of them together. 

One of my favorite books, which is a must-have for anyone building up their homestead, is Back to Basics. I highly recommend this as a housewarming gift for anyone as it also focuses on home ownership and repair.


How are your bucket list challenges coming along?

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Saturday, August 1

Week-Long Great Inventors Unit Study for High School (FREE PRINTABLE)

Great Inventors: Innovation and How they Shaped the World

This unit is appropriate for grades 9-12, but can be tailored to fit a family-style learning format.  It is designed to be used in a single week OR in a Fun Friday format, completing one day of the unit each week of the month.  Visit the Subscribers Page for a printable PDF version. 

For extra enrichment, try an Invention Kit.  To tailor for additional middle or elementary school family members, visit the Nick & Tesla series to pick and choose from additional topics. 

Day 1: The Power of Invention — What Is an Inventor?

Activities:

Day 2: Leonardo da Vinci & Early Innovators

Activities:

  • Read/Watch:

  • Creative Option:

    • Sketch one of da Vinci’s inventions (e.g., flying machine or water lift) and label its parts

  • Deeper Thinking:

    • Why do you think da Vinci’s inventions were ahead of his time?

    • What holds back an invention from becoming reality?

Day 3: Industrial Age Inventors

Activities:

  • Watch/Read:

  • Compare & Contrast Chart:

    • Edison vs. Tesla — differences in inventions, personalities, and philosophies

  • Journal Prompt:

    • “Do you think competition helps or hurts invention? Why?”

Day 4: 20th Century & Modern Inventors

Activities:

  • Read/Watch:

  • Discussion Prompt:

    • Why do some inventors get more recognition than others?

  • Mini Research Project:

    • Choose a 20th or 21st-century inventor not covered in the study

    • Prepare a 1–2 minute oral or written report on their life and invention

  • Journal Prompt:

    • “Which modern invention could you not live without? Why?”

Day 5: Invent Like an Inventor – Project Day

Activities:

  • Final Project (Choose One):

    1. Inventor Biography Project:
      Create a poster, slideshow, or mini-book on your favorite inventor. Include:

      • Biography

      • Invention(s)

      • Historical impact

      • Fun facts

    2. Invent Your Own Invention:

      • Identify a problem or need

      • Sketch and describe your invention

      • Explain how it works and who it helps

  • Final Journal Prompt:

    • “What does being an inventor mean to you after this week?”

Optional Resources

Videos:

Books:



These units are appropriate for grades 9-12, but can be tailored to fit a family-style learning format.  They are designed to be used in a single week OR in a Fun Friday format, completing one day of the unit each week of the month.  Each day takes 1-2 hours. This bundle includes the basic twelve, tailored to each month of the year, plus EIGHT bonus units!
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Tuesday, July 14

Babe's Bucket List Challenge #7 - Show Best Friend the World

 

Welcome to Babe's Bucket List Challenge, where I'm tackling twelve of the thirty things on my bucket list and writing about the experiences...won't you join me?


Remember my dad (from the Word of the Year post)?  Dad's joie de vivre was unmatched -- he loved life!  Music, surfing, engineering, strong coffee, and family were part of his core.  He loved tinkering with ideas and often worked with his grandsons on projects such as building a siege tower, designing and building a chicken coop, and designing and shooting off rockets...plus going fishing.  He lived life with an engineer's precision, a surfer's spirit, and a drummer's soul.  Even as his health declined, his spirit, sense of humor, and love for ice cream never wavered.

In his honor, this year I have created a bucket list - a compliation of dreams and aspirations - to work from.  My husband (who grew up in our town and interned with him as a teen) has also written down a bucket list, and we're going for it!  You can download your own Bucket List template at the Word of the Year post.


Y'all!  I know that these bucket list challenges are all about doing things you want to accomplish in your life, but giving to others is an important piece of life for me...and this one was about exactly that.  My bestie is...let's say a woman of a certain age...and had never seen the ocean.  She has talked about it for years, and wanted to go forever, and I was ecstatically happy to be able to fulfill this wish for her!
I will never forget her expression and reaction the first time she saw the beach.  She was overwhelmed by the extent of it....saying, "it reminds you just how big God really is."  We spent the whole first day just hanging out in the sand and surf.  Now, typically I would have encouraged her to really go in and experience the water, but the ocean was super-angry and not at all safe.  As it was, having grown up swimming in the waves since toddler-hood, I was being repeatedly knocked over and even dragged under at times.  I wanted to enjoy the beach with her....not kill her with it!
The second day, we got up very early (have I ever mentioned that I am NOT a morning person?  honestly, not a night owl either.  more of a noon-1pm kinda person 😆).  We walked the mile down to the nearest coffee shop and watched the sunrise...spending a few hours on the sand while the kiddos slept.  Then we headed to NASA for the day...
I'm not sure whether she enjoyed the ocean or NASA better....both of them were a source of wonderment and it was worth every cent of the entry fee to witness her experience it all.  If her husband is reading this...buckle up, because I think soul-sister has plans for y'all to come back after retirement next year!
There's a children's play area at NASA that we enjoyed thoroughly.  We're both small adults, not much taller than your average ten year old, so fitting into the space was easy.  She snapped a photo of me that matches one of my son taken thirteen years ago so we'd have a matching set on the wall.  And then...we discovered the slides.  The slides!  The kiddos were both amused and embarrassed at how many times we kept running around to go back down the slides together.  I'm pretty sure we were the kids that day...
As we headed back toward the house, this beautiful rainbow came out.  You have to understand that on the morning my dad passed, "Rainbow" (Kacey Musgraves) came on the radio, right out of the blue.  Like, it literally interrupted the song I was listening to and started...and the lyrics sent a message straight to my heart.  He had battled dementia for so long, and it was him telling us that the storm was finally over.  When this rainbow came out, it felt like he was saying hello and giving both of us a big hug.


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Wednesday, July 1

Week-Long History of Computers Unit Study for High School (FREE PRINTABLE)

The History of Computers

This unit is appropriate for grades 9-12, but can be tailored to fit a family-style learning format.  It is designed to be used in a single week OR in a Fun Friday format, completing one day of the unit each week of the month.  Visit the Subscribers Page for a printable PDF version. 

For extra enrichment, try your hand at building a computer!  To tailor for additional middle or elementary school family members, work with the Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook.

Day 1: From Counting Tools to the First Machines

Activities:

  • Read/Watch:

  • Research Focus:

    • Who was Ada Lovelace, and why is she considered the first programmer?

    • What was the Analytical Engine, and why was it important?

  • Journal Prompt:

    • “What do you think it would be like to invent a machine no one had ever seen before?”

  • Creative Option:

    • Draw or digitally sketch an early computing device and label its parts.

Day 2: The Rise of Electrical Machines (1800s–1940s)

Activities:

Day 3: The Birth of Modern Computers (1940s–1960s)

Activities:

  • Watch/Read:

  • Visual Timeline Activity:

    • Create a timeline from ENIAC to IBM 360, including photos or illustrations

  • Explore:

    • Research how computers shifted from government labs to business applications

  • Journal Prompt:

    • “What made computers go from experimental machines to tools used in business and science?”

Day 4: The Personal Computer Revolution (1970s–1990s)

Activities:

Day 5: From the Web to AI – The Digital Age (1990s–Today)

Activities:

  • Watch/Read:

  • Discussion Prompt:

    • “What are the biggest challenges and benefits of today's connected world?”

  • Final Project:

    • Create a timeline, infographic, or slideshow showing:

      • 5–10 key moments in computer history

      • Include images, captions, and why each moment matters

Optional Resources & Tools

Video:

Books:


These units are appropriate for grades 9-12, but can be tailored to fit a family-style learning format.  They are designed to be used in a single week OR in a Fun Friday format, completing one day of the unit each week of the month.  Each day takes 1-2 hours. This bundle includes the basic twelve, tailored to each month of the year, plus EIGHT bonus units!
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Sunday, June 14

Babe's Bucket List Challenge #6: Write a Book

 Welcome to Babe's Bucket List Challenge, where I'm tackling twelve of the thirty things on my bucket list and writing about the experiences...won't you join me?


Remember my dad (from the Word of the Year post)?  Dad's joie de vivre was unmatched -- he loved life!  Music, surfing, engineering, strong coffee, and family were part of his core.  He loved tinkering with ideas and often worked with his grandsons on projects such as building a siege tower, designing and building a chicken coop, and designing and shooting off rockets...plus going fishing.  He lived life with an engineer's precision, a surfer's spirit, and a drummer's soul.  Even as his health declined, his spirit, sense of humor, and love for ice cream never wavered.

In his honor, this year I have created a bucket list - a compliation of dreams and aspirations - to work from.  My husband (who grew up in our town and interned with him as a teen) has also written down a bucket list, and we're going for it!  You can download your own Bucket List template at the Word of the Year post.

Challenge number six on the list?  Writing a book.

I'd like to take a moment here to shout out all of the authors out there...especially those who have been quite prolific.  It's one thing to have a creative idea, and to even have a rough plot in your head.  It's quite another to bring it to fruition on the page!

While I began writing a longer novel, and still have all of those planning pages and rough drafts, ultimately I knew I would have to shift gears to be able to accomplish this goal this year.  I had been kicking around an idea for a children's book and found that one much easier to pull together in a shortened period of time.  I'm thinking the fact that it was non-fiction also helped here, as I didn't have to keep my head wrapped around an alternate universe to keep all of the plotlines together, as one does for a novel.

Hippie Mama's ABC is a non-fiction, educational book (did you expect any less from a long-term homeschooler?) written for preschool and elementary aged children.  It covers natural and simple living, homesteading, and self-sufficiency, all at an introductory level.  Again, as a homeschooler, I've also included hands-on activities for concept reinforcement.  It is available on both kindle format and in paperback, and while I'm biased, I really think you're going to love it!


  


Hippie Mama's ABC
Imagine if you knew how to grow your own juicy strawberries, make your own bread, and fix a broken toy all by yourself. Learning about self-sufficiency and homesteading is a little bit like becoming a real-life explorer and helper at the same time. It means learning how to take care of yourself, your family, and the world around you. When kids learn these things, they discover that they are strong, smart, and able to do amazing things!  Told through the ABCs for elementary-aged children, there are also hands-on activities and parent-led adventures included.

While I am still currently working on my full-length novel, it's going to be a while before that one sees the light of day.  With dozens of pages of notes, multiple timelines plotted out, and a character map, it's something that requires chunks of time to devote to thinking and writing that I simply do have not have at the moment.  In this in-between stage -- taking care of both childrens and aging parents -- we do the best we can with the time we have.  Until then....Buonanotte, Tesoro!

Hippie Mama's ABC is available in kindle version or paperback 

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Tuesday, May 19

Galahad and the Grail {review}

Many of you are familiar with our son, a throwback to medieval times who struggles to find his place in today's modern, fast-paced world.  As a lover of all things medieval history, a metallurgical engineer, costume designer, and potential-Jeopardy-winner (fingers crossed so we can pay off that tuition!!), he gravitated toward Arthurian legends from a young age.

True story - as a two year old, his favorite stories were Don Quixote and Ivanhoe.  And here we are...twenty-odd years later, still passionate about the same subject.  It's like he was born for this.  Anyone out there have a similar kid?

Recently, he had the opportunity to check out Malcolm Guite's "Galahad and the Grail," an Arthurian legend written in verse form.

In this first volume of Merlin's Isle, join the prophesied youth, Sir Galahad, and the other knights of the quest as they set out from Camelot to achieve the Holy Grail. The accomplishment of their goal will not only heal the wounded Fisher-King, but will bring about the long hoped-for healing of the land itself.

Here at the height of his poetic power, Malcolm Guite delivers a tale of adventure in ballad form that plumbs the depths of the human soul, carries readers through the Wasteland, and sets them upon the numinous shores of Faerie in all its mystery and meaning.
Guite follows in the epic footsteps of Spenser, Milton, Dante, and Tennyson, yet this is not poetry destined solely for the halls of academia--it's a story to be enjoyed by young and old alike, a story to be read aloud among friends and family, a story to be cherished for generations to come.


Merlin's Isle: An Arthuriad is an epic ballad cycle in four volumes:

  • Galahad and the Grail (Spring 2026)
  • The Coming of Arthur (Fall 2026)
  • Days of the Round Table (Fall 2027)
  • The Passing of Arthur (Spring 2028)


When the book first arrived, he immediately fell in love with the sturdy, cloth-bound hardcover with its attached ribbon bookmark.  It is well-constructed and contains much symbolism both within the pages and in the binding.  As you can see above, it has a dichromatic ink scheme, with red and black illuminated letters at the start of each chapter.  It also has beautiful, old, woodcut-style prints.  (Though his only 'con' about the book was that the picture in the front is full color, whereas he would have preferred it to be dichromatically printed as well in keeping consistency throughout the book.  Honestly...if that's the worst he can say about this book, then you know it's pretty amazing!)

Written in poetic verse form, this is not the original poem, but it is done in the same style.  From the history major: there are many reported 'original' versions, and we don't know if we have the 'original' version.  No one really knows what that is anymore, but many are rather consistent (excepting the French creation of Lancelot as an addition) - Lancelot is in this version.  The end of the book contains appendices with sources discussing some of the earliest references and the history behind the legends of King Arthur.

For high schoolers and adults who love the romance of the middle ages, check out Galahad and the Grail!

You might also be interested in.................

 

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Thursday, May 14

Babe's Bucket List Challenge #5 - Stage Performance

 

Welcome to Babe's Bucket List Challenge, where I'm tackling twelve of the thirty things on my bucket list and writing about the experiences...won't you join me?


Remember my dad (from the Word of the Year post)?  Dad's joie de vivre was unmatched -- he loved life!  Music, surfing, engineering, strong coffee, and family were part of his core.  He loved tinkering with ideas and often worked with his grandsons on projects such as building a siege tower, designing and building a chicken coop, and designing and shooting off rockets...plus going fishing.  He lived life with an engineer's precision, a surfer's spirit, and a drummer's soul.  Even as his health declined, his spirit, sense of humor, and love for ice cream never wavered.

In his honor, this year I have created a bucket list - a compliation of dreams and aspirations - to work from.  My husband (who grew up in our town and interned with him as a teen) has also written down a bucket list, and we're going for it!  You can download your own Bucket List template at the Word of the Year post.

Music has always been a big part of my life.  (If you remember our original blog, Gypsy Road School, every blog post was a classic rock song title.)  Dad was a drummer.  I sing, play guitar and bass, and am now learning the drums.  I've played with a variety of people throughout the years, though always in a garage-style, just-for-fun capacity.  After hearing from a number of people that I should do more, but never quite having the confidence to do so, I promised him in one of our final conversations that I would continue following this dream...

Group Work

I loaded up this drum set and drove it cross-country to a new home...thankfully the neighbors live far enough away that it's not too loud. I do the vocals for our Monday night jam band, but spent some time working with the drummer to learn some basics and beats. Nowhere near as good as dad, but it's a fun place to start and get some energy out!

Monday group has been jamming along each week, too...learning new songs and putting together new arrangements. With our personal life taking a turn, hubby's job keeping us ten hours away more often than not these days, I ended up stepping away a couple of years ago because I just couldn't get there every week. However, that time was redirected into other musical ventures...

Solo Work

A lot of that time was spent on songwriting...taking a lot of these big emotions from all the things that have happened over the past few years and channeling them.  It's something folks don't talk about - all these changes that happen in your early 40's.  From loss of parents to kids growing up and moving on to career changes to those pesky little hormones that create so much havoc...
One fun-filled night out with my friends, they dared me to go up on state for open mic night.  That was an adventure!  See........none of us realized it was a songwriting competition.  Everyone who competed that night, barring myself, had albums for sale and Spotify channels of their recordings.  Some had even been out in Nashville working.  And then there was me.  What was I going to do...back out?  (Not really my style.)  So when the emcee asked where they could find me online, I simply shrugged and said, "nowhere...I thought it was amateur night!"

Here's the FUN news!  I came in second place that night...by one measley vote.  Honestly, if the kids hadn't left early because they wanted some Chick-fil-A (can't fight a teen's stomach), I probably would have had three more votes and won...which is so weird.  The guy who won totally deserved to, and there were several good acts that night, but something much more important happened.  Up to this point, I had always been with a group or at least a duo.  Going up alone, and with words from my own heart, was a different beast to tackle.  This one, while terrifying, turned out to be so much more fun than anticipated.

While I still enjoy performing with others and hope to get back to Mondays, completing this bucket list challenge has inspired me to continue songwriting and working a solo act.  It's a hobby, but one that fills my soul.  "Where words fail, music speaks."  What fills your soul?

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