Gluten-Free Cornbread

We eat a lot of cornbread around here. 

It is one of the easiest things

to convert to gluten-free

and still have the taste of the real deal.

We use it to accompany chili, beans,

turkey burgers, and catfish.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in the

Food Allergy Survival Guide.

This version is gluten, dairy, soy and egg-free

so that my lil' guy can enjoy it anytime.

He eats it for breakfast, snack or with supper.

You'll need:

1 1/2 C corn meal

1/2 C gf flour mix

1 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 C rice/soy milk

1 small jar pureed pears

1/2 C maple syrup or brown sugar

1/2 C light olive oil or corn oil

*We didn't have any maple syrup in the house,

so we substituted local honey this time.*

Blend dry ingredients in medium bowl with wire whisk.

Add wet and whisk until smooth and bubbly.

Pour into iron skillet or oiled 8" baking pan.

Bake in center rack of oven at 350 degrees,

35-40 minutes for cast iron,

45-50 minutes for any other type of pan.

Cover after 25 minutes to avoid burning the top.

Makes 9-12 servings.

Enjoy!

Melon Magic

Our neighbors brought over the strangest thing

a few nights ago.

Do not adjust your picture.  It is orange.

I first heard about these peculiar melons last year,

and have since come to find out there are heirloom varieties.

Still, I couldn't bring myself to buy or grow a watermelon

that wasn't red.

It just didn't seem right.

Guess what?

As soon as my tastebuds had anything to say about it,

I got over that real fast.

You can find heirlooms of many colors and sizes

here.

Here's a recipe for watermelon lemonade,

especially refreshing when the temps climb high.

It works no matter the color of your melon!

***Happy Father's Day!***

The Natural Learning Initiative

The Homeschool Year in Review

Time to explore at length the way things work...

This school year started out with some trepidation.  Fourth grade

is a big step from the lower elementary grades.  There are so many skills taught at this level.  Many students feel overwhelmed, as they sense the increased pressure and transition to self-responsibility.  Thankfully, we don't find ourselves under this type of stress because

we are creating our own learning environment.

Appreciating things others may not even notice...



This year the main focus was on getting lil' guy's health back on track.  Plagued with allergies, asthma and sensory difficulties since he's been very young, we have been working on resolving these issues to give him a better quality of life.

The other priority was to work intensely on social skills. 
Having the freedom of homeschooling allows for so many opportunities to practice these skills.  Every time we encounter someone new, we concentrate on how best to communicate what we are thinking and feeling in the most appropriate way.  Not an easy task when you consider that kids with Asperger's have very little in the way of social skills.  Each and every encounter is another opportunity to practice what doesn't come naturally.

Being able to learn in a way that suits him best,

with his own self-made curriculum.

The flexibility with natural learning this year has allowed us to really focus on areas that needed strict attention.  I think it's fair to say that great strides have been made.  Lil' guy can now have friends over and take turns playing what they each like to do.  He is initiating more social conversational skills such as asking a friend what they think about any given subject.  His vocabulary has been extensive for quite some time, but the challenge lies in using his communication skills effectively.  These social pragmatics are the mainstay of every interaction.  He has also made a concerted effort to improve in the area of manners, and he will tell you that he wants to "always be polite". 

Caring for loved ones,

even if they aren't human...

One major accomplishment is his ability to now use the phone to call friends and family.  Until this year, he would balk at having to talk to someone on the phone, even someone for whom he cares deeply.  My take on it is that it was difficult for him to talk to someone without being able to see their face.  Kids on the spectrum need lots of visual support, so this unwillingness made real sense to me.  Over time, he has now gotten comfortable picking up the phone and dialing a friend to invite over.  He even remembers to end the call with a proper "bye".

Discovery at his own pace,

in his own comfort zone.

These milestones may not seem much to anyone outside of our family, but we know how significant they are.  Academics will only get him so far.  Typical of Aspies, he is extremely bright, so learning comes easily to him.  He retains every thing he's ever read and can recite word-for-word book pages and video clips.  His incredible memory allows him to "see" the page in front of him as he describes it.  What a gift!
Our studies are more along the realm of social interactions and maintaining healthy and reciprocal relationships. 
These skills can only be taught in the school of life. 

Fire Safety is a current obsession interest.

Before I became a momma to a child with Asperger's, I never really thought too much about the importance of social skills.  It's something that I thought came naturally to everyone, although now that I know more about it, I can say it's something I myself have struggled with throughout my life.  I feel so grateful that lil' guy can be at home to learn these vital life lessons.  They will carry him through his life
and make it so much better. 

Homeschooling has been one of the biggest blessings
of our lives.

Lots of time with family...

For more information about Asperger's,

you can go here.

Floridize Your Yard!

This website has some great information for Florida gardeners, but some of it could apply to folks

outside of our state. 

Thanks to Nanette over at Bay-Friendly Landscaping

for the introduction.

Here are a couple of articles about two of my favorite garden topics, reducing the lawn and natural pest control:

Kicking the lawn habit

Start small. Replace a corner of your lawn with a bed of shrubs, small trees and groundcovers. Or plant that butterfly garden you always wanted. Dig up the grass, or cover it with newspapers or plastic sheeting for a few weeks and then remove it. Turn over the soil a bit, plant your new plants, and cover them with about 3 inches of mulch. Water and weed regularly until the plants get a toehold in their new home. You can install some edging to define the new bed and keep that troublesome turf from creeping in.

Then grow. Expand your landscape beds over time, and before you know it you’ll be devoting your weekends to relaxing instead of mowing, weeding, and edging. Add interest to your yard with meandering pathways that define your landscape beds and reduce maintenance time. Pathways can be created from shell, gravel, flagstones or mulch. Add a seating area or water feature, such as a pond or bird bath. You can create themed gardens —

with butterfly plants in one bed, and maybe a scent garden in another with tea olives, gardenias and jasmine.

Keep what you need.

Pets and kids need a place to play. Respect their turf.

Look for unused portions of your lawn

to convert to landscape beds.

Pest patrol

Know thy enemy. The No. 1 rule for pest control is to know what’s infiltrating your territory before calling in the chemical troops.

Call the Pinellas County Extension Service for help at 727-582-2100

if you need help.

Get good bugs. Ladybugs love aphids, mites, mealy bugs and leafhoppers. Buy them online or at your local garden store. Spiders are your friends — widows and recluse spiders

are the only poisonous varieties in Florida.

Garden brew. Mix water with a little vegetable oil

and dish soap to spray on your plants.

Neem oil is another product that can be quite effective.

Go natural. A soil-dwelling bacteria called Bacillus thurengiensis (BT for short) is a widely available alternative to chemical pesticides. Sprays made with pyrethrins — natural organic compounds —

also are effective.

http://www.befloridian.org/yard-matchup

Sweet Peeps

For the past couple of years,

we've noticed nests in our two holly trees.

I dare not try to get closer to them,

unless I want a Momma bird chasing after me!

This week, these sweet birds have been putting on a show

flying back and forth

from the weeping elm in our front yard

to their cozy homes.

This is the first time that we've been able

to catch the fledglings practicing their flying skills.

They so sweetly peep back to their parents.

It's almost as if they're saying,

"Am I doing okay, Momma?"

Last night, lil' guy was watching tv in our room

when he noticed the peepers near the veggie garden.

Sure enough, there they were.

Sorry for the quality of the following pix.

They were taken through the screen from inside the house.

"Hmmmm...What have we here? 

They look good enough to eat!"

"Lemme just make sure the coast is clear..."

"Are you lookin' at me?"

"Maybe if I just act casual,

she'll never know what I'm doin'."

If you click on this photo to enlarge it,

you can see the pecking marks on the right berry.

Busted!!!!!

I really don't mind sharing our harvest

with these sweet things.

I appreciate being able to witness so closely

even the smallest part of their world.

Nature is always welcome in our yard.