Our Neighbor, Louise, and Monks

Day One of babysitting went great.  He's a little boy, age five, who got along very with my two boys.  Lots of Lego building and cape wearing.  He'll be back Friday afternoon.

We didn't get very many academic lessons done today.  But, we did put into action some love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and goodness.

 We made some fruit and when someone shows love, joy, peace, etc.

they get that fruit put next to their picture.

 Peter shows a lot of joy.

We've been studying the fruits of the spirit (obviously), and Peter suggested that we share these 'fruits' with our elderly widow neighbor by bringing her cookies and a cold drink.  He didn't know that she recently fell and is in a nursing home.  So to the nursing home we went.

First,we spent the morning baking Louise's Applesauce Cookies during which I told Peter the story of Louise and my Granny...

My Granny lived in G'castle and was friends with Louise.  Louise's family owned a western wear store in G'castle that we pass each time we go there to visit Paul's family.  Because Paul's parents currently live in G'castle.  The same town where my mom was born.  And Paul's dad was born there too.  But Paul grew up in Missouri and I in California.  I think it's sweet how our families have roots in the same small town that we now live thirty minutes from.

So we made Louise's cookies.  And I've been eating them all day.  I had forgotten how good they are.  Moist and soft and sweet, and because the word 'applesauce' is in the title my brain registers that to mean they are lowfat, probably no fat really.  Nevermind the stick and a half of butter.  They have applesauce in them.  And they're so good.

And we shared them and some original artwork by the boys with our neighbor this morning.  A good life experience for all of us.


In other schooling...
   Yesterday we were deep in our history study of monks during the Dark Ages.

 Peter made a Lentil Soup like maybe the monks may have eaten.

 Thanks to Nana for the handy wrist bands that protected his wrist whilst he stirred.

And he made a quill pen and ink (from blueberries)

like perhaps the monks used

and wrote his spelling words.

Spelling is amazingly fun with a quill pen.

And you should make these cookies.  Here...

Louise's Applesauce Cookies

Mix together:
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Mix together in a separate bowl:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves


Stir the dry into the wet alternately with 1 cup of applesauce.
Bake 8-9 minutes at 375 on a greased cookie sheet.

While they are baking, make a powdered sugar icing.  I just put some powdered sugar in a bowl and add a tad of vanilla, a quick pour of milk, and a small scoop of butter.  Stir and add more sugar or milk to make a thickish consistency.  Spread it on the warm cookies.  Eat them while they're warm.  Then go about your day and eat a couple more.  Then walk through the kitchen later and have another.  Then smile because you are surprised at how tasty they are, and have one more.