The last few years with the Outdoor Hour Challenge have been a wonderful way to intensify nature study in our family. I know for a fact that if I had not been writing and sharing so much on this blog that our nature study might not have been so enriching and consistent. The community that has developed surrounding the Outdoor Hour Challenges has encouraged our family tremendously in our attempts to keep a love of nature study alive…I could not have done what I have done without many, many faithful readers and contributors to the Outdoor Hour Challenges.
On the personal side, Friday is always looming for me with another challenge to post and then there is the need for me to post our results. After much thought and reflection, I see our family skipping many opportunities for nature study that come up each week because it is not the assignment for the week. I feel more and more like nature study is a job and not the joy I want it to be.
I have two years left with my sons at home. Two years for them to have me as their nature study companion and me to have them as a captive audience. I don’t want to miss the chance to make nature study a meaningful part of their lives, not just another school assignment.
I also realize that I am miss the balancing part of my personality, the artistic side. I look at my art supplies sitting so near but I know my hands are busy with the computer and my heart is divided. I have one son who has a creative soul and I need some time to spend with him not only in developing his love of beauty through nature study but lots of free time and play with paints and other art supplies.
So after much thought, reflection, and prayer I have decided a few things will change, if not in practice at least in my attitude. I am wise enough to know when I need to shift gears and make a few changes. I think that comes with turning 48 years old this year….yes, I am really close to the half century mark.
The blog will not look much different for you dear readers until perhaps January once the Autumn Challenges are completed. I have some amazing ideas to work on in the meantime and I will share my list of things that I brainstormed regarding the blog and the Outdoor Hour Challenges below. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com.
- I will still be here this season with the Autumn Series of Outdoor Hour Challenges, posting on Fridays and sharing lots of great stuff with you and reading what your families are up to as you complete the Autumn Challenges. You will still have my complete support and attention.
- I will be posting the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival on the first of the month. There is nothing but joy associated with this project.
- There will not be a new 2011 Winter Series of Outdoor Hour Challenges ebook. There are already two complete series of challenges available both in ebook format and listed on the blog as the Winter Wednesday series. I am still contemplating whether to write a new Winter 2011 Art and Music Appreciation ebook.
- I will still be sharing what our family does with the Handbook of Nature Study as the opportunities arise and our nature study takes shape again.
- Rest assured my brain is still formulating a new idea. The idea has been simmering for quite some time and I may be ready next spring to actually share with you some exciting new ways to more creative nature study and journals.
- I have two new products to review and a giveaway in the works. Stay tuned for that in the next month or so….you will not want to miss them.
There is plenty to do around this blog to keep any family busy for a very long time. I just took an inventory of what is available on the blog sidebar for you to use with your family.
52 original Outdoor Hour Challenges
8 Bird Challenges
7 Crop Plant Challenges
Autumn 2009 Challenges =10
Winter 2010 Challenges =10
Spring 2010 Challenges =10
Summer 2010 Challenges =12
Autumn 2010 Challenges =10 (not listed yet but they will be over the next few months)
Winter Wednesday Challenges =9
That is a total of 128 challenges you can complete with your family!
So, there you have my thoughts for the week, month, and rest of the year. 🙂
I love what I do here on this blog and I am not going anywhere, just taking a different approach.
I couldn’t agree with you more! As I have just begun the Outdoor Hour Challenge with my family, I was thinking the same thing:
“There is plenty to do around this blog to keep any family busy for a very long time.”!!!
Thank you so much for the inventory, as I was trying to make a mental one myself 😉
THANK YOU for taking so much of your time to share so many wonderful opportunities with all of us.
Enjoy your new approach, I know we will too!
I do understand your needing this time and endergy for your family and yourself. You have given us so much.
You have shared more than enough with all of us! You have inspired, motivated, and encouraged soooo many…and I know this spot on the web will continue to do so! With all you have given us and taught us, surely we can take it from there and run with it in our own families!!!!
You are such a treasure!
I totally understand and respect where you are coming from and am so glad that you are just not leaving. Even though we’ve not always participated, I always love to read what the challenges are and what others are doing. For that much, I love just looking at your photos. So does my ds (8).
I just purchased your new fall e-book as well as the Art and Music Appreciation. I’m super excited about using both and love having the challenges ahead of time. I think that will get us participating more.
Can I just say that I’m in love with the Art and Music Appreciation e-book. My dh went and purchased 8×10 photo paper and our pictures are already printed and ready to go. You have made something I’ve wanted to do into a doable project. I just want to say if you continue making those available I will buy it:)
You really are a blessing.
To everyone’s life are ebbs and flows. I for one know that. I’m glad you’re not leaving…I would miss you terribly! Like Julie, I thank you for ALL you have done in introducing us to The Handbook.
I think you deserve the respite 🙂 You have certainly filled this blog with ideas. And ideas that can also be reused…
I will look forward to seeing your new ideas bloom. And in the meantime, trawl the art blogs for the wonderful nature journals out there… it’s food for the soul 🙂
I praise God for the talents he has given you! Your blog is a wonderful resource and you are right–there is much to do on it already. Thank you, thank you for all of your hard work. I’m looking forward to what ideas the Lord has put on your heart for the future. You have my interest peaked!
I will be praying for you as you shift your gears – even as you said – if only in attitude. I have no idea how you write, blog, share – and have a family. I love the joy of picking what we want to participate in, doing the challenges when they cross our paths outdoors. The joy of discovering something in the wild that we were made aware of from the Handbook of Nature Study. I pray that you can come back to the original joy, that we must feel now, of learning new – discovering – drawing- relaxing – heart swelling. 🙂
Barb,
Thanks so much for your sites and your inspiration. It’s good for us all to know when it’s time to shift our gears. That’s wonderful. Enjoy those boys of yours and continue to explore your creative and nature side. Thanks so much!!
Lynn S.
You have been such a blessing to all of us, and yes, you’ve complied plenty of challenges for us to use throughout the years on our own assignments. Thank you for the gifts you’ve offered and also for listening to yourself and doing what is best for you and your sweet boys. We’ll follow along with you in the changes & take joy in the new seasons we all have!
You are a wonderful example for us all in how the Lord leads our steps and orders our priorities. Thank you for sharing the decision making process you went through. You continue to give freely and spark such interest and love of nature!
I’ve found lately that our studies are much more of a joy if we start with nature. Then pull from our shelves the science texts, field guides to study along with your challenge or what we’ve found in the yard.
All that said, when anything becomes a job more than joy, I agree there is a need for assessment. And, above all, this post makes me super excited for the things you have planned in the future. ~Tricia
We all love you, Barb! You’ve inspired us all and we look forward to continued inspiration as you revisit your other passions. 🙂
‘I also realize that I am miss the balancing part of my personality, the artistic side. I look at my art supplies sitting so near but I know my hands are busy with the computer and my heart is divided’.
Barb, talking here a 47 years old, so as wise as you (:-) You have given so much inspiration, it is time to reload your artistic batteries.
I did the same with creating my ‘Gallery’ and I have noticed that my homeschooling has improved since I have more peace and joy.
Wishing you many lovely artistic hours.
I also understand where you are coming from. I use your outdoor challenges but if we come across something else we include it in our nature study for that week too.
Blessings
Diane
I do understand needing change. Our lives have been full of changes lately. I only found you about this time last year actually. I am so thankful to have been learning from you if I couldn’t always participate. You have enriched our lives as a Charlotte Mason family.
you are an admirable lady 🙂
I’m glad you’re making this adjustment for you, for your kids…
way to be an example!
amy in peru
All I can offer is my thanks and gratitude for everything you have done, which has been an amazing gift to my family in so many ways – along with my hope and best wishes that you find the balance and joy you seek, doing whatever you need to do and your heart desires!
I can’t tell you how much inspiration we’ve gotten from your blog. We haven’t always stayed up with the challenges or blogged about what we see ourselves. But I think we “see” nature far more clearly than we used to. I know that I have a much deeper curiosity about the world of nature than I did before.
So thank you for all that you’ve done already.
Your blog is a wonderful resource! There is plenty to do here, and it’s all very enriching. I hope we will be able to access your sidebar challenges, even though you stop adding new ones. Blessings to you as you make this shift.
Thank you for ALL the kind words and encouragement on this post. I think you all are the best readers and supporters on the internet.
You are so wise to think of what you and your family need first! I totally support your decision, and there is so much wonderful stuff available that you’ve already produced. We’re all so grateful! Bravo for taking a break or a new approach!
Congratulations for taking this step !! It seems to me many times that we homeschool moms tend to wear a lot of hats ! A lot. And that over time, sometimes those hats don’t fit as well as before … so we have to have the courage and wisdom to tweak them or even to find some that fit better, and wear those instead.
Hats off to you !! Thank you for all that you do … have done … continue to do.
Tammy