Thursday, February 21, 2008

Eclipse

After I checked the weather on Wednesday I added to Mary's 'school' list "View Lunar Eclipse from 8:30-10:30". She saw it and went wild with the anticipation of finally being able to stay up late again, especially since I have become the bedtime Nazi over the last week. The weather yesterday was gorgeous!! It was clear right up to...7:30PM, then the clouds rolled in.

Ever the optimist, kept checking the local weather on the web. The girls kept running outside and giving me field weather reports. Finally pay dirt. At 9:45 the clouds broke up enough that we could see the moon. Although it became might cold with the passing cold front, we set up our lawn chairs in the neighbor's front yard (she had already given permission) and pulled out our cheap-o school telescope. After 30 minutes or so of fiddling we finally had that all set up. But, the girls were right it was more fun to roll around in the grass at 10:30 at night under a red moon.

It was a beautiful lunar eclipse, and we were the only ones in the neighborhood outside viewing it. It is not like it was at 2am, as some have been recently. But, then again I am able to let my kids sleep in a little this morning. They don't have to be at the bus stop at 7:05 in the morning, thank God!!

This is what homeschooling brings back into our lives. The ability to pause and appreciate the beauty of the natural world around us. The larger world that isn't run by time clocks and productivity measures. And the chance to celebrate lunar eclipses by rolling around in the cold grass and batting at balloons on the wind.

Peace,
Amy

2 comments:

Heather said...

We didn't get to see it! Total cloud cover from the snow we were having.... I was bummed.

Dy said...

Yes! Exactly! We slept in the next morning, too, and enjoyed a leisurely, wonderful homeschooling morning.

Our kids rolled around in the grass, too. Funny the things they come up with.
Dy

A family of six living and learning. You might catch us outside in the mud or working on crafts. We always seem to be on the go, come on and join us.