RELAX......it's Homeschooling.

We've been homeschooling for about 3-4 years now. Many reasons brought us to this crossroads and many more reasons have kept us on the path. I love the expression on people's faces when my daughter proudly announces that she is homeschooled. It ranges from shock....disgust....concern....to downright disapproval. I just smile. Needless to say I have always been very unorthodox and this is no different. There are times when I get genuine interest....the look of complete admiration and the "OMG that is so awesome but how do you not kill the little buggers" look. Even tho homeschooling and unschooling are becoming more and more prevalent in our society, it still shocks and amazes so many. I find it humourous that people have such opinions but have never experienced but one side of the equation. Most times I can easily shrug off their opinions and judgments. Other times....not so much. My number one pet peeve of ALL TIME is.......people's need to pop quiz my daughter at any given time or to interrogate her about what she is learning in school. It irritates me because in all the years she was in "regular" school, not once did this ever occur. People are funny.

When I first started our homeschooling journey I scoured the internet looking for the "perfect" curriculum. We downloaded and printed off material for what seemed an eternity. We went thru more paper and ink in a few weeks then we had in the lifetime of our printer. I made schedules reflecting when and what we would be learning and how long we would spend at it. I was so organized that......I HATED ME!! LOL We stayed on that path for about 3 months and I'm certain my daughter hated me too. I had failed miserably.

Funny thing about failure, from it, comes greatness.

So, my part time job turned into a full time job. How on earth could I ever homeschool and carry on a full time job?? Not to mention, keep house, make dinners, be Mommy and Wifey and somehow still keep it all together?? It wasn't easy but it wasn't impossible either. I was overwhelmed by an array of emotions but like I always do, I pulled my socks up....dusted myself off and soldiered on. I took my daughter to work with me. This in itself can be stressful because one never gets 5 minutes ALONE!!! I found myself saying "why don't you go outside and play". And she did. We both needed the break. I stood at the window so often just watching her in awe. She would run to the chicken house....or roll in leaves....or take apples to the horses. She would sit for hours and listen to the elderly people I looked after. (I was a Home Care Provider) Many times if I was busy doing something, she would attend to my patients needs without me even knowing. All my patients loved her and she became attached to them as well.

One night after dinner an amazing thing happened......my daughter EDUCATED me on something. A story one of my War Veterans had shared with her, had stuck, and she was now relaying it to me. With robust enthusiasm and sparkling eyes she told me the story....you could just see her brawny imagination running wild. That was my AH-HA moment. From that moment on I threw away the School Texts Books. Our learning took on a whole new direction. I learned something that day.......THAT, no matter what, a child is going to learn through EXPOSURE!! We still do mini projects but mostly because she is interested in it and NOT because I have it in our curriculum. We learn through living and quite frankly where the wind blows us. Our famous Chicken project is the lesson that keeps on giving. Kayla learned about baby chicks. She learned about how they grow. What they eat. The parts of their body. She learned about egg production. She watched as we built their chicken coop. She also learned how to clean them but oddly.....she wasn't as interested in that part!! LOL And now.....she's learning all about Municipal bylaws and bureaucratic BS. She's learning about LIFE!!

So, I can't say I'm an unschooler but I also can't say I'm just a Homeschooler either. The world is our classroom. So many times I've had adults say to me....."maybe this isn't the best place for a kid to be". Why not?? She went to the Council meetings with us. She has been interviewed by reporters. She sat through Lawyer meetings. She now knows the process in which a court case takes. Of course life isn't always that exciting. We go grocery shopping, to the mail, to the library, and some days we do absolutely nothing. We've taken mini field trips. We've gone to the Reptile Zoo, Pioneer Village and to see King Tut's Tomb. I think she learned more by walking around Down Town Toronto then she did in the Museum. In the Museum she learned about artifacts but on the streets she learned about Homelessness and humility. A lesson that cost nothing but the $2 in her tiny hand and the courage it took to walk up and drop the coin in the homeless man's cup. She also learned that, the power of a smile and kindness is priceless.

We have an ongoing "Geography" project that we do through Postcrossing. She sends postcards off to random addresses all over the world and gets a random one in return. We will then learn about the place it comes from. One of my War Vets gave her oodles of info and books on Germany because he had been there during the War. Those facts stuck with her far longer then any lecture I would have given because it was REAL to her. He had been there. He had pictures. He had cool war stories. When people find out we homeschool, they are so happy and willing to give information about where they live and what they know. People love to talk about themselves and love more that someone cares to listen. It's a win-win situation. We also have a saying in our house that ALWAYS get a good belly laugh from all members. When we don't know something, someone will inevitably announce very boisterous and theatrically....LOOK IT UP!!!!! And we do.

I know many people think that this is just another one of my crazy notions and I've finally lost my mind. They could be right!! LOL People's judgments don't count. I've learned something that confounds most of society.......Everyone learns differently. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. ANNNNNNNND Everyone excels in different areas. If you absolutely detest something, the odds of you excelling at it, is doubtful. BUT if you are interested in something, the odds of you enjoying it and surpassing others in this area is terrific. My husband is one of those people who like to "pop quiz" at any given moment. It drives me insane. If there is something our daughter doesn't know you can see his disapproval. He loves history and therefore thinks EVERYONE should know everything about it. He and I will have a brief disagreement because I don't care much for history but excel at spelling and words. He will try to make me feel bad for not knowing something which quickly ends when I gently remind him.....he can't spell to save his life. Neither one of us is better or worse then the other......just different. It is my hope that she will take a little bit from both of us......actually a little bit from everyone and apply it accordingly.

So, while my husband's pop quizzes annoy me, recently I had a new found appreciation for them. Shhhhhhh.....don't tell him that, or i'll never hear the end of it. Our daughter had a few different public schooled friends over for play dates and sleep overs. As fate would have it, my adoring husband started the "pop quiz" at dinner. To my surprise and delight the public schooled children couldn't answer his questions but our daughter could. He jumped from subject to subject but our daughter answered more questions and answered correctly. While this is not scientific and in no way is bashing our lovely dinner guests, it proved to him once and for all that public schools are not the end all and be all of education. He soon learned that even tho we struggle with Multiplication and division here at home that public schools are opting to just give their students calculators.

I don't think you need a school to learn. I've learned more from my elderly patients and more from living in the real world then I ever learned in school. In the last 3-4 years I had one of my elderly Lovelies teach me to knit. [See, you can teach an old dog new tricks.] I then taught my daughter. That may not seem like any great feat but at one time, it was a grand thing to know and was EXPECTED that you knew it. My elderly Lovely told us stories of how when the men were sent off to war, the women would knit multitudes of socks to save their feet. There was a right and a wrong way to do this....if there was even one knot or bump out of place, it could cause sores on the feet of the soldiers. Sores that could result in infection, rot or possible gangrene. Something so simple but something that could mean life or death on the battlefield. We learn everyday because that's what we do. Life alone, teaches us.

I've had many discussions with friends, family, and naysayers. I ask them all, what do you specifically remember from school? Aside from reading, writing and arithmetic what has stuck with you? I can honestly say without a doubt, that nothing of great importance was taught. It was after I left school that the real learning began!!! My next pet peeve is when someone tries to EDUCATE me on SOCIALIZATION. *insert eye roll* I think homeschooled children are more socialized and are greater equipped to deal with society then public schooled children. Homeschooled kids are NOT set in a room with just people their own age everyday. They as set in the world with people from ages 2 to 92, everyday. They have to adapt quickly to situations that I think leave public schooled children far behind. Public schooled children deal only with kids their own age. For the most part, everything is standard. The same topic of conversation...the same classes...the same people...the same music...the same pressures etc etc....you get the picture. Homeschooled kids have to deal with everyone of varying ages. The homeschooled kids and the public schooled kids at the public pool or library or sporting event. They interact daily with store clerks, the mail person, receptionists at the hospital, the nursing home, doctor's office, and vets. Not to mention in my case, all my elderly patients. A lot of public schooled children wouldn't just strike up a conversation with an older person for the pleasure of it.....because they have nothing to say and nothing in common. Most homeschooled children will because they are not limited to a certain peer group. At what other time in your life are you stuck in situation/room of people just your age??? NEVER.

More times then I can count on both my hands, I've had people seek us out to tell us how brilliant...polite...mature...intelligent....delightful...helpful...and personable our daughter is. Total strangers have come up to me and commended me on a job well done. I am not bragging, I am as shocked and delighted each time it happens, as I was the first time it happened. I think because the homeschooled/unschooled children are given the freedom to learned whatever interests them, in turn, EVERYTHING interests them!!! It's quite exhausting sometimes because the "Why" stage NEVER ENDS!! With my daughter and with most homeschooled children I've met, they have a NEED to know how everything works....why it works....who works it...and more importantly......CAN I DO IT?!?!?! Of course I'm generalizing. Not all homeschooled kids are this way and not all public schooled kids the other way. I was a public schooled kid but I had a need to know how everything worked....many a toy was dissected and put back together for the sheer enjoyment and curiosity of it. I'm also not saying that homeschooling is better then public schooling. One is not better or worse then the other, just different. For us, homeschooling/unschooling was the superior choice.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

This facebook post got a lot of comments. Apparently my big mouth is good for more then just rooster crowing....actually chicken clucking but whose counting. So, I thought I'd share it here. :)

Ok, I'm pissed off. I am the first person who believes in equality of ALL cultures. I was even the first to commend a school for incorporating ALL belief systems into their 'holiday' activities. I am accepting of everyone and every belief system that celebrates at this time of year. I could care less if someone wished me a Happy Hanukkah, even tho I don't look Jewish. They wished me well and THAT is all that matters. I am NOT a Christian. I do not believe that Christians have the corner market on this holiday season......BUT, and its a big one........that being said.......I am completely appalled that Merry Christmas is now considered a dirty slur. Even tho I am NOT a christian I say MERRY CHRISTMAS. I was just informed that some kids from our local school have been suspended for saying Merry christmas or something to that effect. How asinine. Our youth walk around on a daily basis using expletives that could make a sailor blush and the schools decided MERRY CHRISTMAS is worse?? Are you kidding me?? I think the school boards need to remove their head from that posterior orifice. My sister informed me that in retail she was forbidden even years ago to say Merry Christmas. That the politically correct way was Seasons Greetings or Happy Holidays and while neither of these offend me neither would MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! what the hell is wrong with society. Even if someone wished me a Happy Kwanzaa I would return their greeting happily. Society is so set on accepting everyone that it is alienating the majority. This time of year is suppose to be about PEACE...LOVE and ACCEPTANCE. I am a Pagan. We celebrate YULE but I am not so ignorant to not accept or extend a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! Man, I am so glad we homeschool. This is yet another example of how institutions and government try to strong arm people into submission. NO MORE. what ever happened to freedom of speech?? I can not see how they can uphold such a rule or how they can enforce it. We have children killing themselves from bullying everyday in our country and THIS is what the schools have chosen to have ZERO TOLERANCE with?? Get with the program. Stop teaching and breeding HATE into our children. Even tho I am NOT a Christian and Merry Christmas means something entirely different to me then it does a Christian Family........I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

What Came First?? The Chicken or the Bylaw??

So, here I am still playing "chicken" with Trent Hills Town Council. Our deadlines came and went and the only thing laid....was eggs. No charges. However last Monday (Dec 5th) we received a letter from a Belleville Barrister informing us that Trent Hills had retained them and has instructed them to commence with Provincial Offences Court IF my 'girls' are not removed by December 12th. Well MERRY CHRISTMAS to you. Oh geeeeeeez......apparently you can't say that anymore either. I wonder if a bylaw will be concocted to enforce that as well??? That's a whole nuther rant!!!! Knowing full well that my deadline was fast approaching I've gone about my regular routine because I have no intention of caving. I do not do well with being threatened and will stand my ground.

So, like most days my phone rang with someone on the other end wanting to talk chicken talk with me. THIS particular phone call was VERY DIFFERENT. I had submitted an application to the Canadian Constitutional Foundation in hopes of drumming up some help in the legal end of things. I am still trying to contain myself. I know this is not a for sure thing but man oh man....am I STOKED. I still have to go before a board of directors and a board of members but this organization is interested in taking on my case. These are the same people who represent the Raw Milk guy Micheal Schmidt. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO.

So aside from shaming them publicly I may have a chance at beating them LEGALLY as well!!! I do not go a single day without someone in our town voicing words of support for what we're doing. Of course that means something.....BUT.....to have an organization who defneds the constitutional Rights of Canadians offering to help us.....THAT just floats my boat!!

Stay tuned for the continuing Saga of AS the Feathers Ruffle!!

Who Gives A CLUCK?!?!?!

Wow....how my life has changed in such a short period of time. Something that started out as a homeschooling project has thrown me into the center of something huge. The lesson that just KEEPS ON GIVING!!! LOL I may be learning WAYYYYYYYY more then I bargained for. For anyone who may be following my blog or my endless updates on facebook you are aware my Backyard chickens have ruffled more then a few feathers. They did get a temporary stay but they are back on the chopping block. We only have until October 31st to remove them or I've been notified that I will be officially charged. With many internal battles I have decided to stand my ground. I have not been presented with ONE single rock solid reason for having to get rid of them. The absolute ridiculous notion that my 7 hens might somehow hurt the farmers "trying to make a living" is far reaching for a valid reason.

This proposal was never taken seriously. Council had their minds made up before we ever entered into talks. I was very disappointed at how the first meeting was handled with behaviour like rooster crowing and chicken jokes made by our very own council members. Not very professional or adult like. THESE are the elected officials that we are supposed to entrust our decision making to?? The very people who are sitting in council chambers mocking and belittling citizens who come to them with an issue?? This does NOT lay down the foundation for a 'trusting relationship'. Elected Officials (not just in our municipality but Nationwide) need to realize that contrary to popular belief, 'the people' have a voice EVERY DAY....not just on election day.

People have rights. Food and food choice is part of a standard of living and is a universal human right. I am simply asking for the basic human right to raise my own food on a small scale. Naysayers all sing the EXACT same tune. Their opinions are only formed on fear and ignorance. Fear of the unknown and change.....and ignorance of the FACTS. The very first concerns of noise...smell...and health concerns can all be resolved by three little words............

RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP

As with any pet the owner has to be responsible. If my dog is noisy or being a nuisance, she is scolded and brought inside. If she poops, we clean it up. If she is sick, we get her medical help. So now that all of the initial concerns have been dealt with.....what are the next set of concerns?? Ya know.....to date, I've not had one person have any other concerns. ANNNNNNNND should someone have concerns, bring it to me. I am not unapproachable. More then likely the concern can be dealt with amicably and to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. What I do not like is....being told what to do without a just and reasonable rationale behind it AND nosy naysayers who think that their rights are more important then mine. BUT....I think everyone already came to that conclusion. LOLOLOL

On an UBER POSITIVE note......
I am overwhelmed by the support I've been receiving from friends and strangers a like. Since making my stand I have been interviewed by reporters from both newspapers and TV stations who are "baffled" by the "unfounded decision". I have been invited to join the Canadian Liberated Urban Chicken Klub that originated in Calgary AND asked to attend the 2011 Bring Food Home Conference....connecting those individuals and organizations who are working towards a sustainable food system. I can't even explain the many feelings that are running through me right now. Give it time tho.....I'm never at a loss for words for long!!!

The Cancer Society and Why I Don't Support Their Cause......

As the title states I'm not a huge supporter of the Canadian Cancer Society. That being said, I can usually be guilted into donating my hard earned money. Trust me....I've received many boo's and hisses and down right dirty looks for my opinion but....MEH, I'm use to it. If you know anything about me you know I've never been ORTHODOX to say the least. So, once again I was out shopping and nailed the minute I got into the store to donate money to this WORTHY CAUSE. I gave my daughter money to donate because I'm not one to force my opinions on even my children but declined for myself. However huge guilt came over me when I saw the woman who was asking for my support get very emotional when I explained I'm not a supporter of the Cancer Society. UGH...I hate that. So, I dug a little deeper and mustered up change as I rarely carry cash on my person.

I took this opportunity to explain WHY I don't support this cause. I could tell my info was going in one ear and out the other and she just wanted me to give up my money but perhaps some day the words I spoke will come back to her. If you've actually made it this far into my note then I'll assume you are a true friend and know I'm not some cold hearted b**ch who just doesn't like giving up her money. On the contrary. I will give whole heartedly to most causes that I don't think are fraudulent. My whole family are huge supporters of anything that helps make this world a better place. Sadly my own Father was a supporter of the Cancer Society.....we didn't discuss it much. My words fell on deaf ears most times anyways and were wrote off as one of Kelly's notions.

While I commend the Cancer society for their efforts and their work and their help provided to the Cancer patients....they do this based on a huge LIE!!! First they claim a portion of their money goes to Cancer Research. LIE. Why are they still researching when there is Cancer Cures already out there. I can name 2 well known Institutes that have cured hundreds of thousands of patients of their Cancer long after the medical establishment gave up on them and told them to go home to die. NICE. I know of a well known supplement that has cured Cancer at a success rate much larger then Orthodox medicine. It's success rate was so high that Doctor's from the medical community tried to BUY the recipe for a million dollars from the maker and when all attempts failed they made it so she couldn't operate her clinic.

So, I ask.....why are we pouring our hard earned money into a Society that doesn't follow up on ALL CURES?? I'll tell you why.....Cancer among most diseases makes them too much money. We already KNOW these Alternative Institutes are there and are curing people everyday.....what if we poured our funds into more research for them?? People sneer at Natural Health cures and the first thing they say is......where's your proof?? You mean aside from the hundreds of thousands of cured patients??? Well Rene Caisse had documented proof galour but she still found herself in COURT trying to fight for her rights to help people. Right here in Bracebridge CANADA....Cancer was being cured as far back as the 1920's. Maybe instead of naysayers bashing such cures, if they actually supported them, we might have ourselves more cures for most diseases. What is more important......finding a cure or being a right fighter no matter what course of action that involves??? Pull your head out of that postierior orifice of yours and stop being so gullible.

So what's the next step?? Instead of possibly looking into the natural therapies people go to great lengths to prove that these therapies are not always successful. And....they are right. However, does Orthodox medicine have a 100% success rate?? Hell no. So why is it people will overlook that FACT and dismiss Alternative therapies as bunk because they don't have a 100% success rate?? This baffles me. I know many people, some in my family, who took round after round of radiation and chemo and still were met with a disastrous deadly results. These same people were given endless studies (by me) of Natural Cures and Clinics to research or better yet....go to. Did they try any of those options??? Nope...nadda. What were they afraid of?? If nothing else......use these alternative therapies in conjunction with the orthodox route. The worst that will happen is....your immune system and body will be supported while you inject those poisons into your body.

It's time for people to stop listening solely to the all mighty medical community and to start using their own brains.....the information is out there!!!


http://www.essiacinfo.org/index.html
http://www.gerson.org/
http://www.annwigmore.org/living_foods.html

Here is the video's from the seventies that tell part of the story. There are links to louder version of the video if these ones are too quiet (http://medicalsuff.multiply.com/video/item/1)

Part 1 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZTFqKMlCCo
Part 2 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8JLgYPs0vY
Part 3 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0WcW7skHEE
Part 4 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k_nW-b-XmQ

Defeated By Illness???

So, I found this old post buried in my facebook and thought I'd move it over here. I am hoping that my recent lifestyle changes will alter many of the statements in this post that remain true today.

by Kelly Nicholls Bacher on Sunday, May 6, 2007 at 2:28pm
Funny.....no one ever realizes how debilitating an illness can be. No one understands until low and behold you get it. Two years ago I was a vision of youthfulness and health. Ok.....maybe not as young as I wish I was but I think age is just a number. I was a single mom, worked midnights, had a small child and a busy life. So it seemed normal that somedays I was exhausted.

I drove for a living so when the tiredness started affecting my work I knew something was up. I decided I was overworked and stressed out. To make a long story short my Mom saved my life. I had left my thyroid condition too long and since the day of diagnosis.....it has been an uphill battle.

My boyfriend (now husband) at the time proposed to me that November......happiest time of my life right??? Well....yes and no. I was put on medication a few weeks after his proposal. I had gained 25 pounds for what seemed no reason at all. That January my sister had all of us to her place for a "girls weekend". I like all my sisters LOVE to go out and party hard. Needless to say I was home sipping tea by 11:30pm and quite happy about it. I WAS EXHAUSTED!!!!!!! I figured it would just take time for my meds to kick in. So I went about my wedding plans and got my dress CUSTOM measured and made in China. The day it arrived I was never so happy. OK.....not true. The colour was off so I was stressing out until my parents were almost in tears by its beauty. My Dad will not say something is beautiful unless its beautiful.....so his input made it all right.

Mom and I raced upstairs and.......IT DIDN"T FIT!!!!!!!! That means I gained more weight on top of the 25 pounds. *sigh* So not to worry because "whats 25 pounds??" Time passed and I still was not feeling well and was chronically exhausted. I eventually quit work because I was afraid of falling asleep at the wheel. This gave me more time to plan our wedding and spend time with my daughter which was AWESOME. As awesome as this was my health was not getting any better....it was getting worse. Finally I went to a endocrinologist....he was mortified at my state. By the time my wedding rolled around I had 2 visible bald spots, no eyebrows, no eyelashes, hadn't had a menstrual cycle in over a year, my skin was extremely dry and bleeding, my nails were almost non-existant, my weight was so out of control that I hardly look like the same person, and come 3 in the afternoon I'm ready for bed.

No one knows this and I can't believe I'm actually going to put this down in print but I had to buy a second wedding gown and then by the wedding it still had to be reconstructed. It was horrible. I cried oceans but tried to not let my inner torture show. We were married and it was the happiest day of my life. I wasn't the princess I wanted to be but I still got my prince charming. I still battle everyday. They tell me my thyroid levels are perfect now but I honestly don't feel like me yet. My weight is still out of control....I still have no eyebrows....I've had 3 miscarriages.....my skin is still chronically dry and I still tire very easy. No one knows how horrible it is. Maybe if enough people know what the signs, symptoms and dangers are, the public will be enlightened. Maybe sufferers will be enlightened. Don't let it go.....don't write it off as stress or overworked because by the time you get around to fixing it.....it could be much worse then it had to be. Let us help eachother.

The sad thing about these kinds of diseases are....no one can see the effects. I'm not bleeding.....or bed ridden......or missing extremities....or anything that tells society I'm sick. This torment is all internal. People with such ailments are labelled lazy and fat......instead of sick and tired. I've recently gone back to a lifestyle that use to come so natural to me. I'm hoping it is these changes that will bring me back to the old me. I'll keep everyone posted.

Chickens off the Chopping Block....For Now

YAY!!!!!!! Another small victory. For now our chickens have a temporary stay. The town is going to get an opinion poll from the public to make their decision. I'm not sure how they go about doing that. What I do know is this......I WILL NOT QUIT FIGHTING!!! I was more then disappointed in our Mayor last night but was so thankful for the support his fellow members of council showed us. It was obvious by the comments made that our original letter and proposal was not even read when he spoke of chickens getting loose and running through the streets. Our chickens are properly housed and do not run amuck. Before the meeting even started my family and I overheard crowing and chicken jokes coming from the council meeting room. How very mature. When we were asked if we wanted to add anything I wanted to say....oh....by the way.....roosters crow....chicken cluck. We don't have any roosters.

Tonight we had 2 reporters come and interview us and took pictures of our "girls". I'm hoping that with more publicity will come more support. My daughter was over the moon excited and said she felt "famous". It is exciting but sad that we have to go through all of this to save our pets. They aren't hurting anyone....