May 2004 Bright Ideas Press E-Zine by Maggie S. Hogan Sometimes life is so good I just stand in awe of God! Here I am, sitting in a hotel room in Maine, looking out my window where a stone’s throw away are ski slopes – with just enough snow left on them to be used as intended. The breeze, however, is unseasonably warm, which is fine by this southern gal. The lovely folks on the Maine State Homeschool Board (HOME) invited me to be a keynote speaker at their annual conference. I agreed, having no idea what a treat we were in for! Bob, Tyler, and I arrived during the misty darkness after a twelve hour, rain-soaked drive. The next morning we woke up to find ourselves in the middle of a postcard! The conference was terrific, the people wonderful, and the facility top notch. Our real vacation began though, after the crowds left Saturday night. Science in our Homeschool A local mom told us we did not want to miss Wight’s Brook, part of the Maine Nature Conservancy. We packed a picnic and headed off Sunday after devotions. Although we feel like we are “in the middle of the sticks” with hardly a soul around for miles, I heard one local bemoan the fact that it is “ever so crowded here now, not like 30 years ago.” The drive was beautiful and the road signs were intriguing. On one we were warned to expect “Frost Heaves” ahead. Frost Heaves?? Our imaginations ran wild . . . At the pull-off for Wight’s Brook, we found a couple of stout walking sticks and headed off onto a quiet, well marked trail. Although spring has not sprung in this part of the country, there were plenty of evergreens around to give us the appearance of being in a shady forest. The noise of the swollen brook kept us company as we traipsed along. The trail began to get steep and rocky and I bowed out. I was certainly not wearing footwear conducive to hiking. (Note to self: Pack for ALL contingencies when going to speak at homeschool conferences!) Alone, I made my way to the stream, at this point it was wide and rocky and making a steady roar. I sat upon a boulder and examined my surroundings closely. At the same time I reflected on our homeschooling experiences. It’s hard for me to fathom that we are actually finished with homeschooling. All we lack is the graduation ceremony in June; Tyler has finished all of his coursework. So I, at first, wondered why I was collecting the cool pebbles, pieces of unusual bark, moss, and leaves. In days past I would have brought them home, the boys would get out the field guides and we would all work at identification. That’s just a part of any good science course. But now, we are “through with science” . . . or are we? No! We’ve always said learning is a lifelong process and so it is. Remembering this, I tucked my tiny treasures into my pocket, eagerly looking forward to bringing them home to identify. And though I have so enjoyed every hour of this trip, from playing pinball to moose hunting (with a camera, of course and yes, we saw three up close!) I think it is the handful of little “pretties” I gathered that will remind me most of Maine . . . sitting on a rock, thanking God for all His wonders and for His gift of life-long learning. I will “homeschool” until I die! Looking for Science that you can actually ENJOY with your kids? Check out our “Christian Kids Explore Biology” – a wonderful first course in life science for elementary aged kids. I can’t tell you how cool I think this course is! I truly wish we had had it when my sons were younger. You can read a few sample chapters as well as a more thorough description at our website. Check it out! http://www.brightideaspress.com/ProductPage.asp?CategoryID=3 Also, check our schedule to see if we will be at a conference near you this month. We are heading soon to ICHE in IL, FPEA in Orlando, then on to CT and CO. See you there! http://www.brightideaspress.com/ourschedule.htm Happy Trails, Maggie Hogan www.BrightIdeasPress.com contact@BrightIdeasPress.com