Nice Vikings video

The History Channel has some good stuff online, including this video about the Vikings. It includes a range of interesting things, presented by cool Scandinavian living historians rather than crummy computer graphics, including not only fun battle & weapon stuff, but ship design, social / political notes, a demonstration of smelting bog iron, and a heathen rite of blood oathing where, of course, they all hail Odin. Good stuff for a rainy day.  :)

Vikings Video

I hate the Phonebook.

I don't want to heart about the opt-out, I tried it, the process is stupid and insulting and does not work. They still keep coming. I don't want links to cutesy crafts made with them, they are aesthetically ugly, and probably toxic to boot, plus they can server as breeding grounds for insects. I just hate them, I don't like the idea of something I did not ask for, something made of dead trees wrapped in plastic destined for landfills being dumped unrequested on my private property. I hate the fact that they burn all that gas driving them here, and then the garbage truck burns more hauling them away, and I and my child breathe the fumes form all that pointless driving. I sincerely hope they go the way of the dinosaur. Next best would be a by-request only phonebook. I honestly fail to see how dumping unsolicited books on my doorstep is any more legal than dumping any other unsolicited junk. It's a double standard that should go away. 

Here's a link, in case you care. 

Paperless Petition

springtime snails!

nifty Waldorf homeschool blog, Nature Nest.

Rainy Day Stuff

Some very simple printable paper projects for a rainy day. Print them, cut them out, some need a little glue or tape, maybe a penny to make the butterfly balance. Fun stuff!

simple crystal project for pre-schoolers

Here are instructions for growing crystals in a jar. They don't really grow like animals and plants grow, they what, accrue? A chemical reaction that is sort of the opposite of fire, which disassembles material, it assembles material. So much stirring and mixing, for kids who never tire of stirring and mixing. 

Simple Paper Airplanes

And some more complicated ones, on this site.