Hobbies that Begin with "G" - Blogging from A to Z Challenge

During the 2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I will be focusing on hobbies that I have introduced to my daughters to through their childhood and teen years. Some were done as part of homeschooling, while others were areas that we explored because we were interested in the subject or activity. These are hobbies that anyone of any age could try as well.

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These are some of the hobbies that the girls have been introduced to during their childhood and teen years: gardening, geocaching, glass fusing, and gymnastics.

Gardening

One of the hobbies that the girls began when they were very young was gardening. At 5 years old, Olivia was picking and trimming rhubarb.

June 1, 2008

The girls enjoyed gardening - especially when they could harvest vegetables, fruit, and herbs that they had planted in the Spring.

August 7, 2010

Harvesting a tray-full of produce meant that we would be having flavorful meals and snacks. A favorite was homemade pizza with sliced tomatoes and fresh herbs.

August 7, 2010

One year we planted potatoes. We had to haul multiple wheelbarrows full of grass (to block weeds from growing on pathways) and compost. Sophia hauled Olivia in the wheelbarrow. Olivia would bury herself under the warm grass. Montague was our helper.

May 16, 2011

On May 19, 2011 we planted the garden. Part of gardening required pruning trees to create more sunlight. Olivia used a saw to cut off branches from some of the trees.

She also planted beans and onions.

Sophia worked with transplanting peas.

The 4-H club we were involved with at the time, the Panola Rockets, did a  club project each year for the county fair. We planted two planters with various annuals.

May 21, 2012

The planters always did well at the county fair, earning blue ribbons.

Geocaching

On May 26, 2012, Sophia, Olivia, and I went geocaching at Interstate State Park. We learned how to use GPS units to help us find the caches.

It was raining so our first experience was not exactly as pleasant as we had hoped. Later on, there was lightening and thunder. It was at that point that we decided that it was time to geocaching another time.

About a year later, on April 27, 2013, we went geocaching at William O'Brien State Park. It was a beautiful, sunny day.

We went out with others who were learning how to do geocaching.

We found different caches throughout the park.

It was a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Glass Fusing

Olivia learned how to do glass fusing in 2016 - when she was 13 years old. She made a nightlight that was angled and affixed to a wooden base.

There's a wolf howling while looking up at the sky with clouds. 

Gymnastics

Both the girls did gymnastics when they were in pre-school. For some reason, we stopped doing gymnastics lessons. 

In March 2017, Olivia asked to start doing gymnastics again. She picked it up immediately and has enjoyed her lessons since then. 

She does a variety of activities at lessons.

She practices old skills and learns new ones.

It has been fun seeing how she has been developing her skills during the past year.

Gymnastics looks like a hobby and sport that Olivia will continue throughout high school.

X Marks the Spot (Geocaching) - A to Z April Challenge

Today, Sophia, Olivia, and I spent the morning at William O'Brien State Park where we learned about geocaching by watching a 45-minute presentation and then practiced what we learned by using a GPS to locate eight different caches around the park.

Sophia holding the GPS while Olivia looks on.

  
We learned how to do geocaching last year at Interstate State Park over Memorial Day weekend. However,  with thunder, lightening, a rainstorm, trying to learn how to use a GPS as well as punching in the coordinates, it was a bit overwhelming. Nonetheless, we were able to explore parts of the park that normally we would not have seen.

One of the caches was near a bat house.

It wasn't there, so the girls headed to 

the next big thing in the area: the tree.

This year, the experience was so much fun and we are eager to go geocaching again - at state parks throughout Minnesota and at places we discover through Geocaching.com.

A small cache located near a bluebird feeder.

The latter has places throughout the world where caches have been hidden - from tiny micro-caches (smaller than the size of a 35-mm film canister) to large caches.

The first cache we found was the most difficult.

It was metal and was stuck to the inside of a fence.

The cache was an Altoid tin painted black - 

so it was very inconspicuous.

The instructor said one large cache he went to was a playhouse that had a combination that he needed to enter on the lock. Once he opened it, there was "swag" (something we all get)  for anyone who found the cache.

We were at the same destination when another team 

was looking for the cache.

Finally it was found by the other team - 

hidden under a fallen branch.

It was rather large - but very well hidden!

Today's demonstration showed us how caches could be hidden. Some were easy to find and others a bit more challenging.

First, we were divided into teams. The girls and I were paired with another woman (her name was Peggy). As a team, we had two GPS units so we could gain practice on them while finding the caches.

Sophia and Peggy carried the GPS units.

Olivia and Sophia were the primary "finders" of the caches, and

I provided the directions to which location we headed to next.

We found all eight caches which was a huge sense of satisfaction! It was quite an adventure finding some of the caches because we had to go off the trails.

The girls discovered a cache near the base of the tree.

It was buried under some grass.

We were all happy that we wore long pants because some of areas that we walked through had thorny bushes which would have been uncomfortable to walk through if we were wearing shorts.

The last cache the girls found was near a tree.

Olivia had to be close to the ground and 

under a lot of brambles in order to reach it.

One of the things that the instructor said is to make sure to sign the logbook when you find a cache. It's a good idea to bring a pencil or pen with you because one isn't always available - especially in the case of the micro-caches.

Sophia and Olivia in the process 

of signing the logbook.

The state park has a geocaching program with an avian theme. At each state park there is a cache that has a card featuring a bird typically seen at that park. When you find the cache, you can take a card.

Some people are trying to visit all the state parks and collect all the cards (there's a prize for the winner who does that). Others, like us, will visit different parks nearby our homes or when we travel, and go geocaching so we can find the cards and experience being at the state parks in a different way than we normally would do.

We are looking forward to going geocaching in early June when we travel to Grand Marais. We will have the chance to visit up to ten state parks on that trip alone. During the summer, we can visit more parks within driving distance of our home which we're looking forward to doing as well.

Geocaching is a great way to combine geography, nature,  computers, science, math, and physical education into one educational activity. It certainly has and will enrich our homeschooling this year!

Free Summer Activities to do with Children

This summer we've been enjoying a lot of free activities - some are new things while others are favorite activities we've done for years. Here are some of the things we've done that are free this summer:

Activities at the state parks. 


We live near two state parks, and both are offering quite a few programs for children and families. We have learned about owls, fish, skulls, rocks, geology, and life in the glacial potholes. 


Also, there have been many hands-on activities with each program. For example, we learned to rock climb, paddle a canoe, dissect an owl pellet (and determine what the owl ate), and make a dream catcher.

Sophia and Olivia trying to determine 

to what animal the skull belonged.

Geocaching. 


The http://www.geocaching.com website says that geochaching is a “real-world treasure hunting outdoor game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices” such as your smart phone “and then share their experiences online.”

The girls geocaching at a local state park.

(May 26, 2012)

Activities in towns and cities within an hour's drive. We've enjoy some small-town festivals, farm tours, a stamp show, and other free activities...all within 50 miles of where we live.

Olivia playing animal croquet

at a small-town festival.

(June 1, 2012)

Take a Hike.  On cooler days, we enjoy hiking - either on our farm, around the rural area where we live, or at nearby state parks. We especially enjoy trails that have special features - like lots of wildlife, a waterfall, river, or lake.

Sophia and Olivia hiking in a forest

(June 10, 2012)

Enjoy hobbies.

Summer is a good time to build upon a child's interest and/or introduce her/him to a new hobby. One of the hobbies that we enjoy is stamp collecting. We use postage stamps quite a bit in homeschooling, and each of us does a special collection for the county fair.

Each year, in July, there is a free stamp show that draws dealers and customers from all over the mid-west. There are several youth activities, and the vendors always seem excited when they see children taking an interest in stamp collecting.

Sophia is looking for stamps featuring U.S. presidents, and

Olivia is looking for stamps with snow leopards and 

other animals on them.

Visit Family Farms.


We have enjoyed going to many small, family-owned and operated farms this summer - including vegetable/produce and dairy farms. These were all free tours - and one even had a free lunch! 


Going on farm tours helps Sophia and Olivia (and other children) understand where their food comes from and why supporting local farmers is such an important undertaking. 

Cows at a dairy farm.

Sophia, Olivia, and their cousin ready to go into the creamery

to see how milk is pasteurized and bottled.

Everyone had to wear blue, plastic boots 

to keep the facility clean.

Inspire Learning While Having Fun.

Many of the activities we do have some sort of educational component to them. In June, we went to southwestern Minnesota and southeastern South Dakota. We learned a lot about this area, and discovered some new things that none of knew which was exciting.

Sophia at the start of the Des Moines River 

(in southwestern Minnesota). 

The brown ledge is part of a bridge 

that is over a dam leading from 

a lake to the start of the river.

(June 10, 2012)

Volunteer.


Donate some time to your local animal shelter, visit a nursing home, or make some artwork for sick children or the troops. There are so many ways that children can make a difference in the lives of others.

One of the projects we're doing is collecting 1,000 books to establish a library in Lesotho, Africa. Currently, we have 737 books...only 263 left! Our goal is to collect all the books by the end of September, and then raise the funds needed to ship the books to Africa.

Sophia and Olivia with some of the books 

for the library in Africa.

(June 16, 2012)

There are many free things to do, and summer - with the extra time off of schooling (whether at home or at a public/private school) - offers a perfect time to do meaningful, educational, and fun activities.

Homeschool Mother's Journal - July 6th

In my life this past week…it was my birthday, Sophia's 11 1/2 year old birthday, and the Fourth of July.

In our homeschool this week…we have been concentrating on finishing 4-H projects for the county fair that begins next week. Sophia has been doing projects about cost comparisons at four stores of 18 different frequently-purchased items. It's been interesting to see the price differences between the same product at different stores.

She also is working on other projects: geocaching, hedgehog (for the pet project), cats, and equine vaulting (for the horse project).

Olivia has two projects left this week - finishing her quilt; and making six more recipes and taking pictures of the completed food for her food scrapbook.

Olivia is putting the squares in order 

for each row of her quilt.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…Sophia, Olivia, and I have been enjoying the naturalist-led programs at the state parks that are near us. Yesterday (July 5th), we learned about Minnesota geology and the glacial potholes that were left during the last ice age.

These programs are free and such a valuable resource to homeschooling. It seems like they are a hidden treasure that few people know about. They're definitely worth checking out!

I am inspired by…nature. During June, we raised a couple monarch caterpillars that we found on the milkweed in the backyard. The caterpillars transformed themselves into butterflies and hatched on June 28th and 29th.

This was the first butterfly that hatched. 

The caterpillar is one that Olivia found. 

This one stayed around for a bit, sunning itself 

on the leaves of a tree by the driveway.

Seeing butterflies, birds, and other wildlife up close always is inspiring to me.

This is the second butterfly that was born and released 

on my birthday. Olivia is holding it.

It stayed around for a while and crawled from 

Olivia's hand to Sophia's hand, and 

then my hand before flying away.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…during the upcoming week, there's piano lessons, percussion lessons, the county fair where the girls bring in their projects, equine vaulting, Sophia's audition at the county fair with her harp ensemble, and a naturalist-led program at a nearby state park.


My favorite thing this week was…adopting a hedgehog. The breeder, who lives in South Dakota, was driving through the Twin Cities. We met her at a location about 45 minutes from home at 9:00 p.m. This is the time that hedgehogs wake up since they are nocturnal animals. 

Sophia holding 8-week old Phoenix.

He's bigger than we thought he'd be, so we're not quite sure of his final adult size. Phoenix is inquisitive, active (at night), and friendly. He likes eating his food and trying treats - his favorite treat so far are apple pieces. He doesn't like mealworms or celery. 

Right now Phoenix has all his baby quills. Within the next month, he'll be growing in adult quills, which is like teething in children - except all over one's body. It's not a pleasant experience by any stretch of the imagination.

What’s working/not working for us…I still have not ordered the Sonlight curriculum for the upcoming year. I'm using two components: the science curriculum and the history/geography/literature component that is focused on the eastern hemisphere. 

Until I receive that, I am waiting to do planning for the upcoming school year. With only a couple months left until the 2012-13 school year, this has to become a priority during the upcoming week. 

Things I’m working on…cleaning and de-cluttering the home. My goal is to get everything done by September when I begin a nine-month spiritual-growth program. There's going to be a lot of reading, reflection, writing, activities, and meetings - so I want the home as organized as possible.

I’m reading…a couple of books now: Laura Ingalls Wilder's Prairie Wisdom by Yvonne Pope; and The Good Among the Great - 19 Traits of the Most Admirable, Creative, and Joyous People by Donald Van de Mark.

I’m cooking…with Olivia who needs to do a few more recipes in her Five in a Row Cookbook before entering it in the county fair as a 4-H project. She's made many recipes in the book this year, and certainly has gained a lot of skill in the kitchen. It's been fun to be able to cook with her one-on-one.

Olivia is learning how to make a grilled cheese and ham sandwich.

It is one of the recipes that's in the Five in a Row Cookbook.

I’m grateful for…getting two free flats of tomatoes from Fare for All to can. The Fare for All program is a great resource for stretching one's food budget. I took my mom to the warehouse where there is a wide selection of affordable food and an ever-changing selection of free food. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…This is a quote from Laura Ingalls Wilder who wrote for a Mansfield, Missouri, regional newspaper about twenty years before she wrote the Little House series. 

"The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and 

surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies."