Not So SAHM

Field Trip – Charleston – Fort Sumter

Thursday was another beautiful, sunny day. The only thing we had to contend with was the 25-35 mph winds. Yikes! We spent the day at Fort Sumter and walking up and down East Bay and East Battery to the Market area. Charleston is a very European-looking town and no wonder with its beginnings and influences.

We walked from the Market area up to the Fort Sumter Ferry.

Fort Sumter National Park — Heading to the ferry

This is a bit of a walk from the market area, so give yourself time. One of the ferries is by the SC Aquarium, which I didn’t get a picture of, but there are some cool things to see:

I love this bridge:

Cooper River Bridge (Arthur Ravenel, Jr Bridge)

It’s best to buy your ferry tickets in advance; most people do this. The girls wanted to sit on the top deck of the ferry, but I knew we were too far back in line to grab a space up there. I was happy about this though since it was so windy. We sat inside with a nice view of the outside, but none of the unpleasantness.

We passed by. . . :

USS Yorktown - Charleston — USS Yorktown

and

Castle Pinkney - Charleston — Castle Pinkney with Ft Sumter in the back right

There’s not much left of Fort Sumter, but they’ve done a great job at helping you imagine what it looked like. It is where the first shot of the Civil War was fired. Briefly, Union forces held the fort when Confederate soldiers fired upon it. The Confederates were able to take over the fort and basically held it until the end of the Civil War (glossing over a lot here). The Union still had the upper hand by blocking supplies from entering into Charleston Harbor.

There were plenty of cannons to check out. . .

…of all shapes and sizes. . .

10 inch mortar at Ft Sumter — 10″ mortar – 1819

I think it was more interesting for the adults than the children, but we still made them read some of the signage with us. They preferred to have a dance competition on the grassy area. . .

There’s that bridge again!

I’ll talk about downtown Charleston in the next post!

Not So SAHM

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Field Trip – Charleston – Boone Hall Plantation

(Image-heavy post. I apologize if it loads slowly!)

Being that I want to do more “roadschooling”, and being that my good friend was going to be down in Charleston with her girls for spring break, it was a no brainer to pack up for a few days and head down there as well. I love a good road trip, even more so when I can add some learning into the mix.

We have been learning about the American Colonial period. Last week in particular, we were learning about the Southern plantation culture. Charleston was a perfect stop since it was founded during the colonial period and was an important city through the Civil War.

The two main sites we visited were Boone Hall Plantation and Fort Sumter (I’ll write about that in the next post). Downtown Charleston is a site in and of itself, and we definitely walked a bit of that (I’ll write about that soon, too).

Boone Hall Plantation sign — Almost there!

Boone Hall Plantation was founded in 1681 and is located in Mt Pleasant. It is one of the oldest, continuously working plantations in America. From cotton and indigo, to pecans, to bricks, to multiple crops, this land has been privately owned, and worked for centuries.

As you drive up to the main house you pass through the Avenue of Oaks. They claim the Avenue was started in the 1740s by the Boones, but further research online debates this¹ ². Either way, it is breathtaking.

Live Oaks of Boone Hall - black and white — Love how the light through the trees mimics the road

They recommend that you give yourselves three hours for the visit, but we easily spent close to five. It may have been the schoolwork I gave all five girls to work on while we were there. Even the girls who aren’t homeschooled enjoyed figuring out the answers and filling out their sheets.

We first explored the only extant cotton left on the plantation.

It’s in a small field next to the house. They keep it to show visitors what the fields would have looked like. The cotton gin dates from the 1800s and is being restored to be used as a restaurant.

Then we toured the slave houses. They are original and were built between 1790 and 1810. Only the most skilled lived in these houses.

Slave Street - Boone Hall Plantation — Slave Street

The builders often left their “signature” in the brickwork. This is the maker’s mark. Can you make out the double black diamond on the chimney in the picture below?

slave house with maker's mark Boone Hall — Double diamond maker’s mark

Often it was the children that had to put the bricks in the ovens to fire them. Their hands were small enough. If you look carefully, you can still find finger marks in the bricks.

The slaves made quilts and sweetgrass baskets. Today you will pay upwards of $100 to $300 or more for a basket.

sweetgrass sewing basket — Sweetgrass sewing basket

They would use (and still do use) various grasses to get the color variations.

Each slave cabin houses a different aspect of slave life up through the civil rights movement. Here we were learning about the different religions the slaves practiced and how they would incorporate secret messages into their songs. Fascinating!

The last cabin is dedicated to the Gullah-Geechee culture. Brother Bob gave a fascinating talk on how the Gullah-Geechee language came about and how it has influenced American culture. Ever hear the song Kumbaya? (sorry for the brainworm) “Kumbayah” is Gullah for ‘come by here’.

goober (peanut) is from the Gullah word ‘guba’
benne (benne or sesame wafer) comes from the Gullah word ‘bene’
gumbo is from the Angolan word for okra

Brother Bob speaks on the Gullah Geechee culture

Boone Hall is located on the Wampacheone Creek and had a dock where it would ship its cotton.

While rice was king in Charleston, Boone Hall only grew enough to feed its inhabitants. One guide mentioned that the water was too brackish.

It seems like the multiple owners of the plantation have dabbled in a little bit of everything. In the 20th century, they were into polo, and even now some polo ponies are still stabled here.

Polo Ponies of Boone Hall Plantation — Polo Ponies

We went on the trolley ride around the grounds, through the woods, and past the current crops that are grown. Our driver, who had been driving all day must have been bored by this time, because it seems like he was finding ways to stay amused. One way was to drive 25 mph through the woods on a dirt path that wasn’t quite wide enough for the trolley. Several people were slapped by branches as we went along. So, beware and sit towards the center of the trolley if you go…

Here was one of the guests we encountered on our drive!

alligator at Boone Hall Plantation — boo!

We took a tour of the house, but no pictures are allowed to be taken inside. The bottom floor is open for tours, but above that is still used as a residence when the owners are in town.

Other than the gale-force winds, it was such a beautiful day. The girls learned a lot, and I probably learned even more.

From the house facing the oaks — From the house facing the Avenue of Oaks

Next stop, Fort Sumter!
Not So SAHM
¹http://south-carolina-plantations.com/charleston/boone-hall.html

²http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boone_Hall

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Play acting

One of the benefits of homeschooling is the ability for your child to focus on something she has interest in. For Reagan, since January, this has been acting in a play. She has performed in several dance recitals over the years, but has never acted (on stage, that is). With the imagination she possesses and the ability to work well with others, I knew she would be capable of performing, but would nerves or shyness get the best of her?

I was so proud of her the day she tried out for the play. She knew not a soul that would be trying out. NO ONE. She had never done anything like this before, and so we didn’t even know what she’d need to do to prepare. She was practically breathless when she was saying her lines during tryouts. But she got a part (she ended up playing several parts).

The kids practiced twice a week from January through March. That meant between two and ten hours of practice each week. During tech week, the kids practically lived at the theater. We took off from school during tech week so she could focus solely on the production. And it all paid off.

The play was fantastic, all five times they performed it. All the kids did an amazing job, both on the stage and behind the scenes.

villager scene — You’re no princess anymore, Snapdragon.

What I took away from the experience, as a mom: It was heartening to see the all the kids get along. All you hear about today is how kids are so nasty to each other. These kids were all friendly and encouraging. I was encouraged that the director would pray with the kids before and after each practice and held daily devotions during production week practices and performances.

final scene — Ready for battle…with a trumpet

What Reagan took away from the experience: Just trying out helped her overcome her fears and taught her that she’s capable of doing things that may seem scary but will be beneficial in the long run.

. . . I’m not sure why she doesn’t feel the same way about running 5Ks. . .

And now, to remember how life was like before the play took over.
Not So SAHM

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Braided Pizza Bread

I am not very adventurous in the kitchen. Being a rule follower, I like to follow recipes. Like, to the T. I rarely deviate unless I just don’t have a spice or ingredient. Not sure why I’m like that other than the fact that if I do something I want it to turn out right the first time. I don’t want the ingredients and my time to go to waste.

BUT LATELY, I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen. It might be a case of invasion of the body snatchers, but whatever, I like what I’ve been making! Tonight I actually took pictures as I was creating. I know there have to be hundreds of braided bread recipes out there. I’m submitting mine for consideration.

BRAIDED PIZZA BREAD

FOR THE DOUGH
(Dough adapted from The Galley Gourmet’s Coffeecake recipe.)

2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (I used Tastefully Simple’s Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix)

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter

1/4 cup water

2 extra large eggs

FOR THE PIZZA FILLING
1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter
Couple shakes of Italian seasoning
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Pizza sauce of choice
Ingredients of choice, I used:
Pepperoni
Jalapenos, diced
Shredded Cheese
Queso Fresco crumbling cheese (like Feta in consistency)

DIRECTIONS
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and Italian seasoning. In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and butter just until the butter melts. Add the water and set aside until warm (120º F-130º F), about 1 minute. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after addition. Add 1/2 cup more flour and continue to mix on low speed until smooth, about 30-45 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of additional flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, but slightly sticky. Sprinkle the work surface with flour, and place dough on flour. Knead the dough gently until it is smooth and no longer sticky, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour if needed. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place until it has doubled in bulk, about 45-60 minutes.Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup of butter and add minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Let sit at room temperature to let the flavors mix.Once the dough has risen, gently de-gas it by pressing lightly. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle (16 x 12 or so). Transfer to a baking sheet. (At this point, I wasn’t ready to bake it so I let it sit on the counter for maybe an hour.) Using a pastry brush, spread the garlic butter evenly over the dough. Spread the pizza sauce down the center of the dough (lengthwise). Layer pepperoni, cheese, jalapenos, and whatever else you want to add.

Using a knife or pizza cutter cut slits from the pizza sauce down to the outer edges of the dough. Mine were about 1 1/2 inches wide (maybe). Starting at one end diagonally fold in dough strips, alternating sides.

When there were three strips left on each side I folded up the open end and then proceeded until all the strips were folded over.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

The bread is light and airy, easy to cut through with a fork.

Bon appétit!

Not So SAHM

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First Book Club Meeting – update

Several weeks ago I posted about starting a book club with a friend for our daughters. Today was our first meeting! We chose to read Wonder by R. J. Palacio for our first book.

The girls read the book in a flash. I had to finish a book for my own book club (for adults) before I could start this one. I finished the day before our meeting! That just means it was fresh in my mind. . .

I did a google search for discussion questions and came up with several helpful sites. I even found a blog detailing the “Overstuffed Book Club’s” meeting about Wonder. They had several different cool activities for their girls to do. We chose to do just one – we had our girls decorate frames to frame their favorite precept (a concept mentioned throughout the book). I also thought about having the girls draw/paint a self portrait (also mentioned in the book), but we decided against that. I could probably have my daughter do that during the week as part of her art class.

The girls did well discussing the questions, and I was impressed at how deep some of the discussions went. Asking a preliminary question and then following up with deeper, leading questions helped them to explore their thoughts. As we do this more and more they will also get better at expressing their thoughts and opinions to others.

So, meeting one, a success. We haven’t chosen another book yet nor decided on whether to open our meetings up to other kids. We would definitely have needed to meet for a longer period if there were more kids involved.

My daughter’s frame with her favorite precept from the book:

(the frame has letters glued on that also say “don’t be friends with jerks”. Amen.
Not So SAHM

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You can’t just go out and complete a half-marathon. . .

I’m going to pass along my advice on training for a half-marathon. Do it. Train, that is. And that is all.

I have old-lady hips now.

I’m not even 40 yet.

We participated in the Shamrock Half-Marathon this past weekend in Va Beach. We’ve known about it for a while. We signed up sometime last year. I even printed out a training schedule to be able to slowly train my way up to being able to run 13.1 miles. But I wasn’t going to push myself. In fact, I wasn’t even sure if I’d complete the race. The friends I’d be running with were planning on stopping along the way to listen to the bands and drink beer. BUT, I wanted to train just in case they ended up not racing.

Then it got cold, and I don’t like the cold. I did not train. I didn’t even think about training.

Marathon stickers on car — That’s me on the right.

Last weekend arrived and we made our way to Va Beach. I thought to myself — I’ll just walk the half-marathon. I’ll walk the whole way. I’ve even gone to NYC several times and have walked all over that city. It had to be close to 13 miles that I’ve walked around NYC. Granted, that was over three or four days, and not all at once, but still. I was sure I could walk 13.1 miles in less than four hours. How hard could it be?

Before the VaBeach Shamrock Half Marathon — That’s me on the right (my husband ran the whole way)

Countdown from 10 to 1–all the racers left the starting line. My friend and I began to walk (along with plenty of other walkers…we weren’t the only ones).

Va Beach Shamrock Half Marathon — See, we’re all walking

And we walked.

Mile 3 of Va Beach Shamrock Half Marathon — So happy to reach Mile 3…THREE…ten more to go

And the wind blew, and we walked.

We jogged a couple of times, and then we walked some more.

There WAS NO PLACE TO STOP AND LISTEN TO BANDS. There was not even a place to cut off the course and have someone come pick you up if you just wanted to quit. You had to get an ambulance for that kind of service.

So we walked, and walked, and jogged, and walked.

Mile 7 of Va Beach Shamrock Half Marathon — I wished I were lying on the ground like that Mile 7 banner.

By the time we got to the half-way mark, I could feel it in my legs. Really just in my glutes and hip flexors. By the time we were about 3/4 of the way done, I knew I couldn’t stop or else I’d stop walking all together. In fact, my walking pace increased. I think I was desperate to reach the finish line. We were hobbling more than walking now.

After the race they corralled us onto the beach into the finishers’ tent, where you could get food (glorious food) and drinks. ONTO THE BEACH. Who can walk on shifting sand after having just completed a half-marathon? I was so desperate for food though that I hobbled through the sand to the tent.

And then I sat down. Mistake. My legs didn’t want to cooperate after that.

Finishers' tent at Va Beach Shamrock Half Marathon — He’s holding me up. Notice, he had time to go back to the hotel and shower before I finished.

I did end up making it back to the hotel. I couldn’t run across the streets though. I had to rely on the mercy of the oncoming traffic to slow down. I think a couple of boy scouts wanted to escort me to receive badges. And we slept for the rest of the day.

Yesterday we drove home. Each time we got out of the car I had to relearn how to walk, convincing my hips that they indeed did want to help my legs move back and forth.

Moral of the story: you absolutely must, without a doubt, train for a half-marathon. Even if you’re going to walk 95% of it. You’ll thank me for that advice. And you may not end up with old-lady hips.
Not So SAHM

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