Social Distancing Diaries: Day 35

Dear Diary

The Homeschool Edition

My Indicator Species

Indulge me for a moment: Essential Question (EQ): What is an Indicator Species and how are they helpful? Indicator Species are species that respond to environmental stimuli in such a way that they can supply evidence of good or bad things that are happening in their environment. When kids do the creek studies in school where they collect critters in the creek and try to identify them, they do this because the absence or presence of certain organisms *indicate* the water quality. Those organisms are Indicator Species. I have an indicator species in my bathroom. It is a house plant. The only time I remember to water the plant is when I clean my bathroom. If I notice that plant begin to wilt, I am reminded that it is time to clean my bathroom. Usually my remedy to this is to water the plant without cleaning my bathroom! After another 2 filthy weeks passes and I notice the plant wilting again I finally get so disgusted with myself that I clean my bathroom. And water the plant again. If you’re wondering, I’m currently in the 1st Phase: the plant is wilting but I haven’t done anything about it yet. This is also how most Americans respond to negative feedback from Indicator Species. So I’m in good company. ‘Merica!

Home Ec class (mask sewing) was interrupted this afternoon because Ag Ed had an urgent need to till the garden at-that-very-moment. Turns out the timing was perfect because the garden got tilled just before the rain began. With the garden now tilled I needed to purchase seeds which prompted a trip to the local hardware store. I picked up a few packs of seeds (red beets, lettuce, yellow beans and…peanuts! Right before I left for the store I returned to Home Ec (dinner prep this time) to assemble a lasagna that garnered rave reviews at supper tonight. Pro Tip:  I never boil my lasagna noodles. I assemble the layers of lasagna using an entire jar (4 cups) of sauce (along with everything else), cover with foil, and bake for about 1.5 hours.

This was not on my list. But it should have been. Also, I’m choosing to emphasize the “Naturally” part of the Naturally and Artificially Flavored. Haters back off.

Until today I had not been to a store for 2.5 weeks. I’ve been blessed by others who have offered to pick up the things we’ve needed which has gotten us through. After the hardware store I ventured to the Country Store where I bought way more than was on my list! But praise God, we now have butter and bread! Does anyone else feel so strange to be in stores during this time? At both stores there was a system for which carts you were supposed to choose from and which ones were returned and awaiting their sanitation. Guess who flubbed the system in BOTH stores? *This girl* Both times I grabbed a cart from the unsanitized location and then saw the signs. Ah well. You can only do your best. There was one older gentleman at the hardware store who was obviously there just to chat with the employees! Maybe he normally does that but maybe he’s an Enneagram 7 and lives alone. I can’t really imagine.

My hands are unbelievably small. The only gardening gloves that fit me are child size. I’m embracing the possibilities.

I had some office hours today. Someone needed help with math. Truth be told I think Someone didn’t need so much help with math, but probably needed Mom’s one-on-one attention more. The same Someone experienced some Home Ec class for herself this evening as she helped me to design and sew a new pennant banner for her bedroom.

Getting back to Essential Questions, I think it would be fun to do a Q&A blogpost! You send me questions and I’ll answer them!  Put them in the comments of Facebook or send me a DM. I’ll give you a few days, so keep those questions coming!