A Day in the Garden

My brother-in-law called us vagrants, but we weren't. Starving artist, quite possibly, but not vagrants.

We were merely a grumpy, moody lot...mostly my pre-teen and I.  Go figure.

So we took our foul moods out-of-doors and found ourselves in the role of Mary Lennox (disagreeable and all that) inside The Secret Garden.

We followed 19th century educator Charlotte Mason's advice regarding taking to the outdoors:

"People who live in the country know the value of fresh air very well, and their children live out of doors...On fine days when it is warm enough to sit out w/ wraps, why should not tea and breakfast, everything but a hot dinner, be served out of doors? For we are an overwrought generation,...and every hour spent in the open is a clear gain, tending to the increase of brain power and bodily vigour, and to the lengthening of life itself.

"They who know what it is to have fevered skin and throbbing brain deliciously soothed by the cool touch of the air are inclined to make a new rule of life:

"Never be within doors when you can rightly be without."

 

On 'Picture-Painting':

"Get the children to look well at some patch of landscape, and then to shut their eyes and call up the picture before them...When they have a perfect image before their eyes, let them say what they see."

 

Miss Mason even advised me on the "ugly tempers" my pre-teen daughter and I found ourselves swirling into:

"...Nature is a matter of infinitely more importance to the little girl: she it is who is most tempted to indulge in ugly tempers (as child and woman) because time hangs heavy on her hands...Moreover, it is to the girls, little and big, a most true kindness to lift them out of themselves and out of the round of petty personal interests and emulations which too often hem in their lives; and then, with whom but the girls must it rest to mould the generations yet to be born?"

 

"A great deal has been said lately about the danger of overpressure, of requiring too much mental work from a child of tender years. The danger exists; but lies, not in giving the child too much, but in giving him the wrong thing to do, the sort of work for which the present state of his mental development does not fit him. ...But give the child work that Nature intended for him, and the quantity he can get through with ease is practically unlimited.

"Whoever saw a child tired of seeing, of examining in his own way, unfamiliar things?"

 

"It would be well if all we persons in authority, parents and all who act for parents, could make up our minds that there is no sort of knowledge to be got in these early years so valuable to children as that which they get for themselves of the world they live in.

"Let them once get touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.

"We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things."

 

This six-volume home education reference written by "the founder of the home schooling movement" (Charlotte Mason) back in the late 19th century is still refreshingly relevant and practical to us in the 21st century.

There is much more of her wisdom and insight on "Out-of-Door Life for the Children" found in Volume I: Home Education some of which includes:

• keeping nature calendars and diaries
• sight-seeing
• following the seasons
• study of flowers and trees
• what town children can do
• reverence for life
• uses of naturalists books
• nature's teaching
• the habit of observation
• out-of-door geography
• out-of-door games
• walks in bad weather
• country air
• so much more!

~ It's still SPRING! Head for the outdoors! ~

Comments

[Clare Marie-Therese Duroc]

For all the talk of grumpy moods, it looks like a lovely day! And thank you for all the quotes from Charlotte Mason. I've been meaning to read her works for a long time, and those little bits and pieces gave me the push I needed to get started. It's Saturday tomorrow, so I'll have lots of reading time! :)

[MelanieB]

What a lovely day!

My two little girls definitely agree with Miss Mason about being out of doors. Especially the one-year-old. She begs to go out every chance she gets.

They're too young for the painting; but I've been having very Mary Lennox sorts of days as they drag me out into the yard. I'm constantly surprised to find how content I become when I spend an unplanned morning pulling weeds because they haven't given me any choice but must be out of doors. Once I give over grumbling about my own wrecked plans, I find that sitting in the garden getting dirt under my nails is infinitely better than whatever it was I "needed" to get done.

[Cay]

Melanie,
I don't think any child is too young for fingerpainting. :-)

And w/ summer just around the corner, you can set out a plastic swimming pool, let them paint, then let them splash in the pool or play w/ the hose to clean the paint off.

It's all good!

[Kathy]

Love seeing that others are taking their quilts and art supplies outdoors, as well. We're taking CM's directive to be outdoors very seriously these days.:-)

[Grace]

Looks like fun! I'd have love to be out there painting, and I'm sure Faith, Hope and Andrew would second it! The only thing is we don't have paint, but oh what a silly excuse when we still have paper, drawing books and pencils!

~ Just to let you know, my parents got back today, safe and sound. Not exactly sure where Michael and John are at the moment...but if Mommy and Daddy aren't looking worried then they must be somewhere! ;)

Can't wait for Co-op Monday and the surprise treat! Speaking of co-op, I finally got around to putting up a new post on my blog - I think you'll like it. ;)

Very inspiring quotes from Miss Mason, and a very inspiring post. I always know when I head over here that you'll have pictures of something fun you and the kids did!

Love,
Grace

[Cay]

Grace,
Good to hear from you. :-)
Glad your parents got back. I'm sure your Mom has more peace of mind but I told her you were a very responsible big sister. Still, I hope you knew that I was only a call away.

Tell your mom that we have lots of paint. The girls would LOVE for all of you to come paint w/ them.

Look forward to seeing you Monday.

[Caroline (stellamaris)]

Cay, where did you find those terrific easels? I'd love to get some for my boys. Inspiring post! If it weren't pouring here, I'd go out right now.

[Cheryl]

This is a great post Cay! I think I'll read that chapter. (And the Secret Garden.)

[Candace]

Cay, this is such a lovely post! I'm hosting the next CM carnival that comes out next Tuesday, would you mind me including this post??

You can submit it via the link on my blog (I shared the link in a post today) or you can email me with just a "yes" or "no." :)

THANKS!
Candace

[Molly]

Cay, where did you get those easels? They are super!

[Richele]

I'm looking forward to sharing your post with my children. Hopes for many more such wonderful days out of doors!

[{ jamie @ rose cottage }]

It does look like quite a lovely day! ♥ Love Secret Garden, too.