Friday Findings: A Nurturing Education, Benefits of Drawing, My Messy Closet, Favorite Canning Tools...

In A Nurturing Education, guest author Meghan Morales states, "{Education} is a matter of conscience".  It's a great article reminding us that a true education only comes through Jesus Christ.

The topic of drawing came up in our last CM Book Club when we were discussing cultivating affinities.  It was mentioned that in Charlotte's time, drawing was taught to everyone.  It seemed a core subject like arithmetic or reading, however, it has since fallen by the wayside.  In Rediscovering the Forgotten Benefits of Drawing, Jennifer Landin, Ph.D. attempts to show the importance of drawing, particularly in biology classes and why we should consider putting it back into the core subjects.  Reading her article was very timely for me.

Oh, I nearly cried when I read Hiding Behind Perfection.  You see, that's me...looking like I have it all together on the outside, but knowing it's really a crazy mess inside.  Last week, I held a book sale and school room open house in our home.  I thought I had everything pulled together.  Then a mom asked to see my All About Spelling/All About Reading programs.  I haven't used All About Reading for a couple of years since Ruben started tutoring at the Children's Dyslexia Center.  So, when I pulled it out of a drawer, it had at least an inch of dust covering it to my shame.  Of course, in my embarrassment, I apologized repeatedly.  And do you know what she said!..."It's OK, you're real."  UFFFDA...smile, and huge sigh of relief!...Because, isn't that what we all really want, the reality of it all, for better or worse.  There's something comforting in knowing we're in the trenches together.   I wonder if this desire for reality is what sparks the recent heightened interest in reality TV?

On the home front, no harvest time would be complete without my favorite preservation tools.  A couple years ago, a friend told me about the Vidalia Chop Wizard.  I don't normally jump on bandwagons and I typically prefer older kitchen gadgets that have stood the test of time.  However, this chopper is revolutionary!  It cuts salsa making time in half.

Another favorite is my 5 piece Home Canning Kit.  I bought this set back when I first starting canning, probably about twenty years ago.  Even though I only use it annually, I love opening my cupboard every year knowing it's there!  

What are your favorite harvest preservation tools?  Feel free to leave a comment below...