What life looked like today

My family got some very bad news yesterday. If you're friends with me on Facebook, you'll probably know what that news was. I'd love to blog about it as well, since to me, blogging is a great outlet, but before putting that news on the net for anyone to view, I think I should check with the person who's bad news it was. So for now, just know that my family is going through a bit of a rough patch, but I'm doing okay, and keeping some mental distance. When I need to think about it, I do, but otherwise, I'm distracting myself, and just going on with life how I normally do.

I could write 'what unschooling looked like today', but I came to a realization just a little while ago; there is no 'what unschooling looked like today'. There's only what LIFE looked like today. Learning IS living, and living IS learning, so why differentiate between the two? If I'm living, I'm learning, and obviously if I'm learning, I'm living! So what did life look like today? So far, I read a bunch of blogs, mainly on unschooling. I read some of Endgame, and thanks to that book, I decided to take a walk.

I love where I live. I love being so close to the water. So that's where I walked, down to the water. It's a bright day today (although as I speak the sun is starting to go down), and fairly warm, with the snow starting to melt. However, the wind is strong, and makes it feel MUCH colder. It was a spur of the moment decision to go for a walk, so of course I didn't even bother changing out of my PJ's before going out! I simply put on my coat, wrapped myself up in my stripey wool scarf, slung my camera over my shoulder, and started out. (I wanted to show you some pictures I took, but blogger isn't cooperating. :-( ) I walked along, huddled in my coat, pretty much just looking at the ground, and in that position I couldn't help but notice how all of the snow was glittering. It was melting a bit today. But since it was still cold, there was lots of ice. Marvelous, glittery, slippery ice. I stopped to take a picture of a random chunk of ice on the street, and I'm very happy with how that shot turned out. :-) I'll use that shot for my photography blog today, and I'll post all the pictures that I wanted to in a separate post when blogger starts working properly. As I walked, I let my mind drift... I listened to the cars go by, and the wind passing by, and saw the beautiful sunlight streaming down... When I got to the water, I had to navigate the ice before I could get to the shore and the patch of grass (actual grass!) where the snow had melted. Just as I got near the shore, the wind suddenly picked up, making my loose pajama pants billow like crazy, and the leaves that had somehow managed to cling to a dead branch rustle wildly. What a lovely welcome! Everything was ice bright, and I quickly started snapping pictures. Note to self: next time I want to take pictures when it's cold out, I should find proper gloves, instead of wearing a ratty old pair of mittens that the wind cuts right through. My hands got pretty cold pretty fast, so I decided to head back. Just as I started to walk away, the wind gusted once more, pushing me away from the water. I love the wind! :-) I was so lost in thought on the way home that I actually walked past my house!

I don't see how anyone could ever not love life, when there's crunchy ice to be cracked, rocks to be kicked, wind to be raced with, clouds to be watched... This was one of those Winter days that lets you know that Spring is on the way. Sure, there will probably be more snowfalls, and there will definitely be many more cold days, but Spring is still on the horizon, moving steadily closer. Everything is just so damn wonderful.

I picked up the mail on my way in, and discovered that my Yukon travel booklet had arrived! I now have travel information from New Mexico, Newfoundland, BC, and the Yukon. So far, the places I want to go to most are Newfoundland and BC. I find it funny that I literally chose the two places that are farthest appart. One on the eat coast of Canada, one on the west!

And that's pretty much it. I continue to read Endgame, and look at the travel info... My family has decided we need to go to more unschooling conferences, and so far we're looking mainly at the Northeastern, We Shine, and Toronto unschooling conferences. Cost is a big issue, and so far We Shine seems o be the best for that... I know that most unschoolers who read my blog are west coasters, but I still have to ask, is anyone else looking into those conferences? It would be awesome to run into people I know online! :-D

Peace,
Idzie