Sunday, April 25, 2010

Learning

There's been lots of learning going on around here. From raw food to instrument maintenance, our recent explorations have run the gamut.

"A," an avid jazz pianist, is learning to tune pianos. This is not the beautiful music we are used to hearing on a daily basis. This is a lot of bent notes and piercing, almost screeching sounds, played over and over until the notes are brought back to their soothing songs. And once the entire piano is properly tuned, he takes it back out of tune, and starts all over. Practice makes perfect, right? I'll keep telling myself that.

The girls have been learning to draw with charcoal. The smudging, blending, and erasing has opened up lots of new creative exploration in their art.

We're participating the the Green Smoothie Challenge, experimenting with different combinations of kale, apples, mangoes, chard, and bananas, so far. Surprisingly yummy, though not all of them have been a success. On to spinach!

This year, I'm learning to start my seedlings under lights. The south-facing windows have left much to be desired from my seedlings in previous springs. Hopefully, the heat and constant light will yield beefier plants—if I don't fry them first with the scorching fake sunlight, like last year.

I'd love to hear what new things you've been learning and experimenting with. Let me know!

11 comments:

  1. spinach is great with bananas and ice - it's really very mild! we've been trying the lights for starts this year too! chickens are totally a new endeavor!

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  2. My family is also participating in the green smoothie challengs. A favorite so far is an apple, pear, strawberries and kale. We are bunny-sitting this weekend, I am not sure who loves the bunny more me or the kids. Possibly a bunny friend in our future? Happy new week Amy!

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  3. Wow, such wonderful happenings! Wish he could come tune the piano I just got from my grandmother. And that green smoothie challenge sounds interesting...

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  4. I love this post amy! I am learning nothing right now because I feel like an old dog. but tomorrow's a new day and a new week so hopefully there will be some new tricks up my sleeve. I started a new book though! Bel Canto? Ever read it?

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  5. Oh yummy! I'd love to know which green smoothie combinations work best for you (and I'll go check out that website!). I've been struggling to get enough iron during pregnancy, so anything with extra greens is a bonus!

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  6. it's fun to always be learning isn't it?
    you are brave to do charcoal inside; it falls in my list of 'outside art time'.
    i've been learning about saving seeds, excited to give it a try this season.

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  7. Lifetime learner here. Love to learn new things. Could go to school again and again. Besides working with the Expressive Drawing book we have been watching our seedlings grow like crazy, it has only been a week. Doing spring clearing, rearranging furniture and of course dreaming. :)

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  8. Piano tunning ~ reminds me so much of the days when i was still living at my papa's house. :) I love charcoal drawing, it's so much fun! Green Smoothie Challenge sounds like fun ~ i can't to hear more about it! I've been learning to make inhouse flip-flops. :) Have a lovely merry happy week and love to you!

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  9. I love the piano tuning and re-tuning!
    I am learning about being a chicken owner. :)
    Nicola

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  10. Wow, you have been busy learning new things and being creative! Lots of new beginnings!

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  11. I am converted to green smoothies too! Great with spinach ;

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