California musings

En route from Yosemite to Manzanar, we camped in the Owens Valley for two nights and visited a little museum there. We were looking for information on Manzanar, which we found...but we also found that the aforementioned battle is still alive and well, at least to the local people. Their river [or lake] bed is a poisonous dust bed now, and a good wind can cause all sorts of problems to the people and few remaining livestock in this once active farming community. The curator referred us to an older man who told us about attempts to blow up the aqueducts and talked with bitterness about what sounded like a very recent theft of the Valley’s water. When did it happen? In the 50's or 60's? I looked it up later and found that it had all happened in 1920. This gentleman was old, but not nearly old enough to remember those events. Yet the bitterness is still very much there, and with reason. Very few people in the Owens Valley have any benefit from this enterprise.

notes from the trip

We were in this area in October-November. We hiked to the hanging gardens and emerald pools in Zion. I bet it's even more striking this time of year. We visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, but my kids were more impressed with Canyon de Chelly[pronounced shay] in eastern AZ. Also, Hubbell trading post is "near" de Chelly. We camped on the Hopi reservation and did laundry in a town there. Great culture study! Near Zion, we camped in the Virgin river recreational area...what views! We live in upstate NY so it was all new and exciting. Oh, in St. George there are dinosaur tracks you can see. Ask some locals for directions. Pipesprings National monument is really cool. [south of Utah in AZ] There is a massacre site near St. George, but many of the locals would rather forget it...Kit Carson had been in the wagon train attacked...he was 7. If you are interested, I could find more info on that.
We did a ton of History and Environmental Science there! And saw our first tarantula and Jerusalem cricket.
We just got home in February from a major around the U.S. excursion. This is where my introduction begins, because this trip was really defining for us. My elder son and I started homeschooling 9th grade just before we left last July. My younger son started 6th grade at the same time, and is in 7th now. We've seen ourselves as homeschoolers since the older son was 3. We use Boy Scouts heavily, and now Civil Air Patrol as well, for my older son. We tend to be borderline unschooling relaxed eclectic homeschoolers. ;-)
I am homeschooling college-doing some credit by evaluation based largely on my homeschooling experiences and some on-line courses. My sons are dyslexic, but against all forecasts [by evaluators] are readers[the elder son at grade level, the younger way beyond]. My limited time with my boys is scaring me to death...they're not near "done" yet!!!!

Gumby

Giving notice here, brothers of mine-you can no longer claim to be Mom’s favorite. Neither can I, if it’s any comfort. A new love has claimed her affections-and she’s not even flesh and blood. She is a bit like a large Frisbee with wheels, rumbles as she moves, and trundles through the house uninhibited...and her name is Gumby.
It’s the Roomba! Mother is talking to it like it is a member of the household. She does seem a little gender confused…usually it is “she” but sometimes she calls it “he”…last night she dreamed she let it sleep on her bed.
Ok, guys…time for an intervention? How about if we just get her a cat [against her protests, of course…it’s for her own good.]…