Jump to content

Menu
Giving You and Your Child a Road Map to the Best Possible Education
The Well-Trained Mind Community

OhM

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,133

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by OhM

    Do your dc mow the lawn? At what age?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    they wore appropriate clothing and eye and ear protection and that dh was supervising them.

     

    This is the key. Both of mine started mowing at 10yo - a simple gas engine push mower (no bells & whistles.) Dh taught them about proper clothing, the dangers involved with using the engine, and what to do in typical dicey situations - most involved "just let the kill switch go" :)

     

    They share responsibility for the lawn now. They don't use the weed-eater yet, mostly because that's dh's toy.:D

    Terrariums! (And dang, it's pouring here!)

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I had planned to make these "found" terrariums with my girl scouts today, but right now it is pouring down rain! I don't think we'll want to go out hunting for moss & plants.

     

    But I'm sharing w/you - they are very cute! I made a sample last night - don't skimp on the moss - I should have used about twice as much.

     

    It leads to good discussion about the water cycle, and also some research about where the CO2 comes from to sustain the plants?!

     

    Enjoy!

    Interesting example of personification?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    After reading the bay leaf tree thread I googled "bay leaf trees" to see if they grow in my area (they won't over-winter here :()

     

    I found this warning at the bottom of the page:

     

    "Make sure that you have purchased an edible bay leaf tree. There are several varieties that call themselves bay, but not all are safe to eat."

     

    Evil imposter bay leaf trees!

    Bay Leaves anyone?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I rec'd a gift box from Pizey's spices a couple Christmases ago (we were just talking about them!)

     

    They used bay leaves for packing material. That could be cute with the right gift.

     

    And I'm discovering almost everything is tastier with a bay leaf thrown in! (Chili, rice, just about every soup I make from scratch, etc.) If you have an abundance you have the luxury of experimenting with them!

    S/O: What do you call those cold fizzy drinks?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Pop. Of course. I'm from Ohio, so it's "pop".

     

    I've probably told this story, but I'll do it again - I can remember visiting cousins in Atlanta when I was around 7-8. My aunt was taking us all out for "soda". Back here "sodas" involve ice cream, whipped cream on top, and frequently a maraschino cherry. There, it was a glass of "pop". I had never been so disappointed in my sheltered little midwestern life. I'm sure I must have appeared the most ungrateful child!

    Something for all you Buckeyes (and/or Glee and/or flash mob) fans!

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Watched that last night ... wasn't it great!? We really need to take our kiddos to campus sometime soon; I'd love to see the new Union, too.

     

    If you go - walk over to the remodeled main library, too. It's beautiful! The stacks are now enclosed in glass walls - no more of the icky creepy dead end corners, IYKWIM.:ack2:

     

    The reading room on the second floor is fabulous - a big glass wall looking toward the 'shoe.

    Help! Have to give a welcome at mother-daughter luncheon!

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Tomorrow!!!!:scared:

     

    Dd and I are to present a reading, prayer, poem, etc. to begin the program. Typically, the mom will welcome daughters and the daughter will welcome mothers. I've found a few possibilities, but nothing that really "strikes" me.

     

    I'm racking my brain trying to think of an appropriate scene from literature that we could share. Little Women? Little House? Nothing is coming to mind.

     

    Does anyone have any interesting suggestions? TIA!

    s/o Have You Been To A Grateful Dead Concert?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I did! :hurray:

     

    I'm not a huge Dead fan - a friend had an extra ticket - I was supposed to meet up w/her there, but never found her, so I was more like an observer. A Deadhead in the parking lot offered to trade a peanut butter-nana sandwich for my ticket, but...naaaah.

     

    It was in Ohio - late 80's - early 90's? When would the last tour have been?

     

    I like the Old and In the Way stuff better!

    band fees...is this amount reasonable?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I think that's extremely high. We rejected a program nearby in favor of one 50 minutes away because of costs that we far less than that!

     

    The one rejected cost $80/month, as well as a $100 registration fee. In addition, the program required the students to take private lessons - from their studio - for an additional $80/month. (And oddly, I just checked their website to show their fees - and others must have felt the same - the cost has been reduced to $150 per 15 week semester. I imagine they still require the private lessons.)

     

    The one we do participate in charges $100 for the year. That's it - $100 per year! It's worth the drive for us.

     

    Both of these programs meet once per week, not every day.

    Contemplating a little civil disobedience here ...

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I think you need to calm down. Sounds like they got your goat.

     

    (har har har!!!) :D

     

    :lol::lol::lol:

     

     

    Wouldn't you actually rather teach them about the process of trying to get a law changed or an exemption granted rather than how to disobey because they view a law as wrong or restrictive?

     

    This is more my thought this morning.

     

    The law as written is so vague as to almost be useless. I've seen much better definitions of excluded animals (i.e. no hooved animals or fowl) in other pet ordinances, and more complete definitions of what is a pet. Someone else mentioned rabbits - where do they fit in to the law as written? It almost looks like it's designed for selective enforcement! (But I doubt that the people on council around here are that devious or clever.)

     

    I think approaching council and asking them to consider defining pets better and granting an exemption for pygmy &/or dwarf goats would be a more civil way to go. (Though I'm fairly certain my milk goat would be excluded.)

     

    OTOH, my lawyer friend is about as ornery as I am. If he's willing to help me out gratis or for cheap, I'd prefer following the letter of the law and call them on it! The bad thing is it would cost the village money they don't really have right now. And I don't think the kids would be heartbroken over losing their animal, but I'm pretty sure I would be!

     

    I appreciate all the comments! Nice to know I'm hanging around with so many rabble-rousers!

    Contemplating a little civil disobedience here ...

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    And I'm wondering exactly how to go about it. :D

     

    Here's the situation:

    I live on approx. 1/2 acre within a rural village. The kids had been toying with the idea of a pygmy goat project for 4-H, and I'm getting more and more interested in keeping a Nigerian dwarf milker.

     

    When I called to ask about any restrictions against keeping pet goats in the village, I got a bit of a run-around:

     

    I was first told that we don't have a pet ordinance, but "you can't keep a goat in town!" I said, "Not 'goat' - PYGMY goat - the size of a dog." "Well...I just don't think you can.." She left a mssg. for the regular clerk.

     

    I received a message back that was dripping with sarcasm: "I'm not sure if you were needing code enforcement or a zoning inspector. Please call us to clarify."

     

    That conversation led to me being told it was a zoning issue. However, dh is head of the zoning board, and neither I nor he could find any animal or pet definitions in the zoning code.

     

    Well, then we were told that council passed an ordinance prohibiting "goats" in town. (Again - "Not 'goats' - PYGMY goats - size of a dog?")

     

    Since this was getting so squirrelly, I asked to obtain a copy of the ordinance. "Oh, I don't know if I can find it, I'll try to pull something out for you..." Hmph.

     

    So now I have the ordinance in hand (I wouldn't have been surprised if it had passed since I started this back-and-forth with the clerk! It wasn't - 1972.) Here's what it says:

    "No person...shall keep, harbor, or have under its control cattle, sheep, geese, ducks, turkeys, chickens or other fowl or animals within the corporate limits of the Village, except household pets, such as cats and dogs."

     

    OK - no goats are mentioned. Pets are not defined. If "cats and dogs" defines pets, then all those hamsters, guinea pigs, fish, frogs, snakes, ferrets and potbelly pigs should have to go, too, right?

     

    So I guess I could go before council and ask for this to be defined (but it would probably work against me.) Or I could take the interpretation that pygmy goats are accepted as pets in many areas, and would fall under the exception here, (since they're in that gray "or animals" area), and see what happens. I did learn that two cities in Ohio have an exception that defines pygmies as pets - though they have to be spayed or neutered & pygmy breed, which still wouldn't help me with the ND milker.

     

    I have to admit - if the snippy clerk lady hadn't had the attitude of "well, I don't know exactly where it says it, but you CAN'T HAVE A GOAT!" I probably would just let it drop. As it is, I'm feeling a little feisty and want to test it!

     

    My lawyer friend is in Israel for a couple weeks, and I'll talk to him when he gets back. In the meantime, anyone else been in a similar situation? What would you all do with this?

    If nail biting were an Olympic sport, ds would win a gold medal. Any suggestions?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    No good suggestions - unless you're up for spending a couple thousand - I was a world-class nail biter myself, and was only "cured" of it when I got braces and physically couldn't bite them any more. If he's picking them off, too, even that might not help.

     

    Sorry I can't suggest anything better - as a pp mentioned, I can remember the compulsion being so strong, it was near irresistible. The stress of wanting to not do it made doing it even more likely! Cold turkey + time worked for me - maybe you could contrive a similar cold turkey situation?

×
×
  • Create New...