3 Ring Binder

Recently I volunteered to present the history of some of the songs we’re singing in our homeschool chorus this year. Happily, our theme is Songs of American History. Because Wade in the Water is one of the songs that we’re singing, I have been spending some time over the last few days exploring the coded meaning in the spirituals that the slaves sang as part of the Underground Railroad. Like all traditional or folk songs, the words often change from place to place to suit the specific needs of the people who sing it. But one thing constant with the coded slave songs is the repetition of the important part. Wade in the Water, wade in the water children. Wade in the Water. God's gonna trouble the water. This was telling the slaves to stay in or near the water so that the slave catcher’s dogs can’t track them. Follow the Drinking Gourd is a famous coded slave spiritual telling the slaves to follow Polaris to which the Big Dipper points, to go North to freedom. Swing Low, Sweet Ch...

I have decided that I shouldn’t waste money on going out to eat unless the establishment has a cheese-boy (or -man, or -woman, or -girl – that doesn’t matter much, only that there is a person dedicated to explaining and providing the cheese course). Our trip to the CIA for SB’s birthday was great fun! The campus, located along the Hudson River, is a beautiful little oasis of stately brick buildings (not including the dorms which are just ugly, but I assume, functional brick buildings), and includes a reproduction Italianate villa with a formal herb garden, and an interesting little pavilion with a dancing waters fountain. It is about 2-3 miles from Marist College and from FDR’s library in the other direction on Route 9 in Hyde Park, NY. There are also several wineries in the area. Before our dinner, I just needed to see the Danny Kaye Theatre that I had read about. It turns out that Danny Kaye became quite a chef in his later years and the Institute dedicated one of its “theatres” (...

For those of you who don’t watch a lot of TV, or don’t yet know the joy of the Food Network , I am pleased to introduce you to Alton Brown . Mr. Brown, or Alton (Al – ton) as he is known in our house, is part chef, part TV host, chemist, MC, electrical, and mechanical engineer, and comedian. His show on the Food Network, Good Eats should be considered as “educational TV”. Not only does Alton teach you how to braise beef and retrofit your variable speed drill with mixing paddles, but he’ll also tell you why the molecules in emulsions do what they do and give you a brief history of cans . There is nothing this guy won’t tackle – and he does it with great style! Here, for your edification and preparatory pleasure, is Alton's Beef Map. In addition to Good Eats, the ubiquitous Mr. Brown hosts Iron Chef America , his own show, Feasting on Asphalt which combines his joy of motorcycle riding with food of the American highways and byways (I love roadtrips, but I wasn’t really fond of this...

The other day, in honor of the anniversary of tremendous events in American history, I posted the poem Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in its entirety. It's a great poem and one that I just need to read every so often. Today, I'm posting another poem in its entirety but not for its historical significance, but rather personal significance. Last year, in searching for a classic poem for my daughter to memorize and recite, I stumbled across this one (sure, it's famous, I just didn't know it). I had never read it and was really taken with it. What's more, I was thrilled that my pink-clad, dress-wearing, 9 year-old girly-girl was so impressed by my impression that she agreed to recite it with nary a cough or sputter in repeating the last line, "And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!" Since then, her history teacher used this poem in reflecting on the qualities of George Washington with great effect. This morning I was remind...

Yesterday I cheaped out and posted the excellent poem, Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Today, I'm happily sharing my own pictures and experiences of the Battle of Lexington and Concord this morning. Here are the Regulars retreating across the North Bridge in Concord. The Minute Men followed them up and chased them back to Cambridge. I can't believe I've lived here all this time and have never seen this 3 minute, but all-important battle! It was a beautiful day to start a revolution.

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Listen my children and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year. He said to his friend, "If the British march By land or sea from the town to-night, Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch Of the North Church tower as a signal light,-- One if by land, and two if by sea; And I on the opposite shore will be, Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm, For the country folk to be up and to arm." Then he said "Good-night!" and with muffled oar Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore, Just as the moon rose over the bay, Where swinging wide at her moorings lay The Somerset, British man-of-war; A phantom ship, with each mast and spar Across the moon like a prison bar, And a huge black hulk, that was magnified By its own reflection in the tide. Meanwhile, his friend through alley and street Wan...

I started out the day wanting to write about joining and severing ties with certain groups and my reasoning for doing either, when I was sidetracked by my interest in Benjamin Franklin’s famous political cartoon. While familiar with the cartoon, I didn't understand that it was published in The Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754 to help support Franklin’s Albany Plan in which he (and Thomas Hutchinson, the would-be governor of Massachusetts) recommended that the American British colonies join together to fight against the French and Indians. This plan, the first to encourage a union of the different colonies for common defense, while rejected by both King George II and the leaders of the states involved, was later used in part to help form the Articles of the Confederation, helping to preserve the state’s union before the development and ratification of the Constitution. In his editorial which first accompanied the cartoon, Franklin stated: "The Confidence of the French in this Un...

We came across this sculptor a while back and I just thought of him today. His work was featured prominently at a resort hotel we visited in the Berkshires and was beautiful. You can visit his website here , but I like his large dance and outdoor sculptures best. There is also an interesting step-by-step pictorial of the bronze process (don't forget to state with the OVERVIEW up top.

A friend of mine told me how she learned to make naan . You can find more of Manjula's recipes here . Isn't the internet great?

This just in: Sox win home opener! 5-0. Diasuke gets the win.

Gus Van Horn (OBlogger) and Eric Zorn (Chicago Tribune) both write about Representative Monique Davis (D) and her behavior toward Rob Sherman in the Illinois General Assembly last Wednesday. Part of the transcript is reported on Mr. Zorn’s blog , and can be heard here . Ms. Davis made the following statements to Mr. Sherman, while he mostly did not respond, except to ask what was dangerous and to thank her for her perspective: “I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln.” “What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, it’s dangerous—“ “And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!” “I am fed up! Get out of that seat!” “You have no right to be here!” Now, you may rightly ask, what “philosophy” would cause a congresswoman to act so violently toward a citizen testifying before the House State Government Administration Committee? Is he endorsing slavery? Self-sacrifice? P...

I found a new hero! Horatio Hornblower , the young midshipman of C. S. Forester’s novels as presented by A&E is a terrific example of a principled man who has bold courage to spare. This is probably not new to anyone who may happen to read this on purpose, but in case anyone stumbles by, check out Horatio Hornblower – you won’t be disappointed. Thanks to Kim who mentioned how great it was so that I finally got off my duff (well really, back on my duff) and watched it! I have watched only the first, but am very excited that there are 7 more which I expect will be as good as the first. Update (4/14/08): We just finished the 8th and final movie last night. We both felt Horatio took an ugly personal turn toward the end of the 7th and in the 8th movie. His strong sense of duty (as he is a solider) went awry. Even with this tainted ending, it was an exceptionally series and Horatio is an exceptional hero. Awesome naval battles. The second part of Scott Powell’s In Defense of “Heroificat...

From an atheist homeschool list, I got an interesting email about the death knell of the 60 year-old UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights . First, the United Nations is anathema to the United States. Second, the Declaration itself undermines human rights , but some of the Articles were about individual rights. Last week, the organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) helped to kill any appearance of human rights in the document by amending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression “To report on instances in which the abuse of the right of freedom of expression constitutes an act of racial or religious discrimination …” (quoted from the original article ). It is with that thought in mind that I found this article so disturbing, and this petition somewhat encouraging. Of course, if the crash and burn of the cause of human rights incites the nations who actually value liberty to run from the flea bed of the UN, great .

I am interested in reading, learning, and finally writing with concrete examples of how the encroachment of an Islamic state is a real threat to the American way of life. I clearly see not only that the currently undisturbed, politically correct masses believe that Islam is a religion of peace, but also, that anyone who speaks against it is thought a bigot. I do not condemn any individual practitioner of the religion; however, I do not believe that Islam is a religion of peace. I do think that the liberal leanings of our progressive nation are blinding the general public to the real threat. Behavior such as marching, picketing, parading, proselytizing, gathering, letter writing, campaigning for a cause, and shouting slogans, is protected by the constitution. Using the shield of these protections in order to make violent threats, suppress criticism, or obtain submission is not. Most of our country is so busy bending over backwards to meet the multicultural ethos we have been shamed in...

Well, I’m glad that I didn’t hold my opinion expressed in the last post for too long (my thanks to Nicholas Provenzo for his blog comments and to SB for his personal comments). The difference between parents providing an education and providing necessary medical treatment is clear. In fact, now that I understand exactly how separate the two issues are, I am even more convinced that ensuring that a child has basic education is not the proper function of government as there is no physical manifestation of a poor, or even lack of, education. I do not understand the position that the moral obligation of parents (to provide for their children) translates into government action beyond rights protection. The child’s rights, the protection of which is ensured by the government, allow him the freedom from the use of force against him. These are not positive rights (e.g. the “right” to an education, the “right” to his own room, the “right” to Guitar Hero, etc). By the very nature of children t...