One, two, count the "MOOs"

"There are obviously two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live." 
James T. Adams

I'm ecstatic!  Since the day I stumbled upon this little gem of a school tucked away on a hillside just outside of our town I have wanted my daughter to attend school there.  She was only 6 months old or so but I was already looking forward to the day I could put her name in for a coveted spot in the lottery drawing to admit the new class of preschoolers!

Well that day has come and she got in!  Not only does that guarantee her a spot in preschool, but if it's a good fit for her she can attend there through the 12th grade.  It is one of the only farm schools in the country that educate Pre-K through high school.  The curriculum is so different from anything I've seen before and the physical environment of both the buildings and the surrounding farm are just serene.  No cramped desks and sterile hallways.  There's a beautiful fireplace in the cozy library with a gorgeous river rock hearth.  The classrooms are dedicated to things like spinning wool from the resident alpacas to a working bike shop for learning about physics and math.  

Although I'll be sad to have my little one gone five full days a week at only the age of three, I can't imagine a more stimulating and nurturing environment. What fun it will be to learn to count by gathering eggs just laid by happy hens and to learn about fruits and vegetables by planting and harvesting them. 

I'm pretty sure that I'm more excited than she is.  

Beauty & Grace

I want to thank a talented artist and childhood friend, Ann-Britt, for allowing me to use her gorgeous photo for my blog title art.  Since I've known Ann-Britt as a teenager, she's always been a free spirited, kind hearted person. She is especially dear to me for her compassion toward animals and the natural world, her humor and the child that will always live within her.  Although I haven't seen her in 20+ years, I can gather through her art that she is even more dear than in those days of our youth.  Check out her work at http://www.ann-britt.com/ and again I'm so grateful for her generosity.