Braeutigum orchards

2025-26 School Year–Week Nine

This week in algebra, Chickadee put everything she’s learned about graphing equations together to write equations for lines that had already been graphed, and then graph parallel and perpendicular lines to go with it. She also did some word problems about roller coasters that used her knowledge of slope and graphing equations. In science, she learned about chemical bonds, and the difference between ionic and covalent bonds. She read about the Irish Potato Famine and the Boer War in history. We began Treasure Island. She practiced writing an instructional sequence in writing. This week’s recipe from the American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook was “Frozen Yogurt Berry Bites” inspired by Kaya. They were quick and easy to make, and tasted delicious, but I can’t help but think they could have done better than “berries were a staple of the Nez Percé diet” for Kaya.

And today we went pumpkin picking…not in our own backyard like last year, because we didn’t grow anything this time around, but at our favorite local pumpkin patch. For the first time in several years, all five children were home and available, so they all come along, and since we couldn’t decide, we ended up with four pumpkins (and apple cider donuts, too!):

It looks like next week, it’s actually going to feel like fall, and I am very excited about that!

2023-24 School Year–Week Seven

Ladybug learned how to find reference angles in pre-calculus. She started reading The Divine Comedy. In history, she read about the Byzantine Empire and the fall of the Comneni dynasty. She finished the chapter on solving two-dimensional motion problems in physics by using the range equation to solve for parabolic motion. She wrote an essay about the three main narrative point-of-view choices in writing. In health, she started a new chapter on interpersonal harmony.

Chickadee reviewed geometry terms in math. In grammar she reviewed coordinating conjunctions. She finished the chapter on the digestive system in science, ending with the renal system. We started reading Felicity’s Surprise. In history she read about the Sui dynasty in China and the Yamato dynasty in Japan. We continued reading Anne of Green Gables and baked Miss Ellen’s Pound Cake from The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook.

And finally, it cooled off just in time for us to go pumpkin picking today! There’s not much that ruins a field trip like trying to pick a pumpkin while it’s hot out, so I was very grateful for the literal change in the wind!

Chickadee Thursday

Last Friday was one of Chickadee’s favorite days of the year…our annual trip to the Braeutigum Orchards pumpkin patch!

She was very excited to find a stripey pumpkin again this year, which she named Tony, following the similarly-named Tiger and Tigger she picked in previous years.

A Perfect Fall Afternoon at the Pumpkin Patch

On Friday afternoon, we went to pick out a pumpkin or two (or four!) at Braeutigum’s. It was the perfect day for it…cool, with big puffy clouds. We rode in the tractor pulled wagon to the pumpkin patch for the first time in several years:

There were many different varieties from which to choose:

We also saw the local wildlife:

Moose had the day off of school, and Turkey and Bunny are done with their college classes fairly early on Fridays, so they joined us:

When we got home, we enjoyed a snack of hot apple cider and fresh apple cider donuts:

Now it really feels like fall is here!

2022-23 School Year–Week Eight

We started the week with a rare Sunday field trip, to Grant’s Farm:

Ladybug learned how to identify the conjugates of a binomial in algebra 2. In chemistry, she read about single, double, and triple bonds to finish the fourth chapter. We finally finished Romeo and Juliet…she’s glad to be done with that (although we do still need to watch the movie)! She read about the High Kings of Britain, Niall of the Nine Hostages, and St. Patrick in history. In grammar, she started identifying appositive phrases. Now that it’s October, we set aside Recipes from the World of Tolkien for the time being, and made a dinner from The Nightmare Before Christmas Cookbook, featuring Vampire Brothers Bloody Party Punch, Snake and Spider Stew, (an albondigas or Mexican meatball soup with fettuccine “snakes”), and Oogie Boogie Meringues.

Chickadee made factor trees in math, and reviewed multiplying three-digit numbers. We finished reading Heidi and started Homer Price. In history, she learned about the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and the Hyksos. We read about hyenas, mongooses, and meerkats in science, finishing the chapter on Feliforms. She put everything together that she’s learned in grammar so far to diagram some complex sentences. We also did a little baking together this week, making s’mores cookies from the My Little Pony Baking Book:

And we ended the week with a field trip to the pumpkin patch:

We’re already almost a quarter of the way done with the school year…I can’t believe it!