I stood upon the hills, when heaven’s wide arch
Was glorious with the sun’s returning march,
And woods were brightened, and soft gales
Went forth to kiss the sun-clad vales.
The clouds were far beneath me; bathed in light,
They gathered midway round the wooded height,
And, in their fading glory, shone
Like hosts in battle overthrown.
As many a pinnacle, with shifting glance.
Through the gray mist thrust up its shattered lance,
And rocking on the cliff was left
The dark pine blasted, bare, and cleft.
The veil of cloud was lifted, and below
Glowed the rich valley, and the river’s flow
Was darkened by the forest’s shade,
Or glistened in the white cascade;
Where upward, in the mellow blush of day,
The noisy bittern wheeled his spiral way.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
We are up at dawn and bundled into the car. Today even our youngest racer, Bounce, will be competing in the inter-mountain ski races. Bounce and I are amazed by the beauty of the sunrise and at Bounce’s insistence we stop frequently to take photographs.
The sun is up and the youngest group struggles over to the lifts, filled with trepidation. Soon they will be judged by only one factor: speed.
The young racers are happy once they have reached the finish line. Their task is done and they can bask in the knowledge that no matter what their performance, they are cherished by their families: the only true test they need to pass.
Scooter skis all day but he is much too young for racing, even though he likes to go faster, faster, faster…
In from the cold, the younger children continue homeschool in the ski lodge. We try to squeeze our homeschooling into every corner available.
The older racers are not so lucky. They are keenly aware of the pressure. They are judged by the clock, their peers and themselves.
The first goal is to get down the mountain without falling. After that, every millisecond is calibrated and compared. Each racer wants to be in the cherished top 15.
The race is exhausting. We are happy we can finally head down the mountain with our crew.
King James Bible
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:7
Let Me Count the Days: Homeschooling is exploring the sunrise, racing down an icy course and studying math in the chaos of the ski lodge.
Filed under: Contests, Field Trips, Uncategorized | Tagged: education, Henry Wadswoth Longfellow, homeschool, homeschooling, inspiration, ski racing | Leave a comment »
Homeschool Happymess: A Naturally Inspiring Approach to Education 