Yesterday Griffin and Xoey went with my parents to St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Kennebunk Port. Griffin 13, got some amazing shots!! I haven’t edited at all and they are straight from the camera. I was really impressed. Pepere said he was laying on the floor and really working to get the shots just right, changing the settings on the camera and messing with lighting.

Here are a few of them. They are all taken with the Canon Powershot SD1200S, Digital Elph by 13 year old Griffin.

You can view the whole album of 36 photos here. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

Peace,

Kelly

I have sat back and watched the commotion of the last few days. I have seen the good and bad in people. I have listened as individuals tried to sway others toward and away from different perspectives.

Here is what I do know. My name is Jeff Halldorson, my wife’s name is Kelly Halldorson. These are our names, they are real and they are the ones that appears on our driver license, our mail. They are real as we are real people.

I know that Best Cookie is not someone’s given name and that person on the other end has a real name. It is yet just a name.

My name is Jeff Halldorson and I was sexual assaulted for many years by James Halldorson, prison inmate # 78719. I know he is there because Kelly and I put him there. For the next 20 to 40 years children have one less predator to worry about.

I wanted to write about the nasty emails and the lies that have been caught, the Kool aid being passed around like bad acid at a Dead show. I wanted to send out angry words and retaliations for the nasty things being said about my wife…

My wife… oh the one that let all the posts go through uncensored no matter how nasty. The one that did not remove the harshest of words on facebook, let all of you say that wanted and get their word in on that platform… I can not say that for the other half.

Yes even I often forget what it was like as she held my hand and carried me through the sentencing of my father… my sexual assaulter. It is often that I get absent minded and take for granted the woman that held me up when I was at my weakest.

I see the word that people have said with the intent to hurt and I know that they are misguided. Kelly is not one to self promote so I feel the need do it for her. To defend her if you will…

To those of you that do not know Kelly (her real name used here) she has been helping those with deep, sad stories of physical and sexual abuse for many years. When we wrote our book it was Kelly that took the high road when Harper Collins asked us to publish under a synonym. We agreed not to because I would be dishonest to the reader. We wouldn’t be accountable for what we wrote. It was Kelly that would not take the payday and run… I wish it had been me but it wasn’t.

It is my loving wife that has convinced me that in order to help we must do it willingly and without attachment, to this we have sent out countless E-books, even to some of you, at no cost so that we may share in our triumphs and failures, to heal together as a united survivor of a horrific crime perpetrated on us by the sick and evil. To allow others to see where I have failed and the affects that it has on the world around me. So that others may relate or learn. So as not put a monetary value on sharing and healing.

My wife is not jealous of anyone. Kelly gives, and gives, and gives to a point that it takes a toll on her. She doesn’t give to you. She gives to us, her family, to me her husband and her children. She gives herself completely to us and with no strings, it is often hard to except and sometimes intimidating to see a person so committed. I see in her what I want to achieve and why.

To the rest of you she shares, her words and the sights she sees. She shows a world through a camera filtered through the human heart. She shares the joys of life that is found when you are willing to clean it up after a fall in the mud.

Speaking of mud, now that you all have had a chance to throw some around you can throw it my way if you want. I have seen far worse that what you can throw.

Erin’s books enraged me. I do not apologize for that. I do not apologize for questioning her, her motives and her story. Believe me it was hard to come to my personal conclusions. I did not take the matter lightly. If in fact her story is true then a great injustice has been done and she needs to fire her editor and re-write the book. I don’t care if you want to compare it to my editor or not that is not what we are saying. Her books read TO ME like a confused mess and someone need to get the story straight.

I took the books to others and asked them to read them. I gave them to another survivor and asked for an unbiased opinion. I gave it to an education professional and asked for the same.

Just as I came to my opinions so did Kelly. They are OUR opinions. We want others to have their own opinions, to come to their own conclusions. To discuss it in an open, free dialoged.

Spend some time with us, with Kelly. Look through her pictures and read her words. Then you might know where her thought are when it comes to writing about Erin. To see the human behind the words may give you a different perspective. To understand that the word forgiveness is not a word used lightly. That an honest and true apology is not to be taken for granted.

Erin Merryn is not a real person. It is a name made up to hide the identity of girl that has had her world turned upside down. The fact that it is not her real name means a lot to me. It means that the consequences for the words are different. If you don’t believe that I will tell you from experience that it is. I cannot hide from my words I have no choice but to be responsible for them. Kelly taught me that.

The person behind the name Erin Merryn is another story. All the characters have different names and different outcomes. “Brian” is not “Brian” but someone else nameless to us, and from what we are told running around hurting others. Anyone of us or our children, our daughters or sisters could be hanging out with him and we wouldn’t even know he was the key to a book.

That is why we do not hide from who we are.

I am Jeff Halldorson, sexual assault survivor, man, husband, father, author and artist. My name defines me it is the last name of the man that assaulted me…

It is the last name of my wife Kelly Halldorson, Uncensored and she is my hero… throw your mud.

While at the Northeast Unschooling Conference in Wakefield, Mass this past weekend I had the pleasure of sitting down with Carsie Blanton. She is an amazing singer-songwriter whom currently resides in Philadelphia. Her music is of the witty-adventurous-poppy-jazzy-folk-crunchy-lovely-touching-joyful sort while her voice proves to be commanding yet gentle instrument when witnessed live.

If you ever get a chance to see her live I highly recommend. You won’t be disappointed.

Carsie was unschooled and is entirely self-taught: vocally, lyrically and musically.

Here is the first of two videos I plan to post from my discussion with Carsie. I also have the full discussion in an audio file…that will be posted soon enough too.

Hopefully this sparks your interest in this fascinating young woman and you hop over to her site and buy her album/s or check out her blog. Either which way it’s worth it.

Other things to look forward to seeing here over the next two weeks so be sure to subscribe and/or stop back by REAL soon…

• The second installment of my interview with Carsie
• A video of Erica Goldson reading her speech w/ Q&A @ the Northeast Unschooling Conference (NEUC).
• Interview with Peter Gray & video/audio of his talk at NEUC
• Interview with grown unschooler and potter Brenna McBroom
• Interview with Ren Allen
• Review of Erin Merryn’s books
• Commentary on Erin’s Law
• Another installment of The Weekly Worth It

And a LOT more…

Peace & as always thank-you for taking time out of your life to visit my tiny little corner of the Internet.

Kelly

This past month we’ve had a couple of opportunities to be surrounded by like-minded people, at least in respect to how our children are educated (there is still PLENTY of diversity in other respects: religion, politics, interests etc). And the biggest thing I have to say about it is…it’s really wonderful and energizing.

When you live a life that is so far outside mainstream culture it can get pretty hard. No matter how confident you are in your parenting choices when you are surrounded only by disapproving extended family and/or neighbors and friends you can’t help but let it get to you. And when I say let it get to you…I mean questioning your life, your choices, your instincts but I don’t mean in that good way we should all be questioning things. I mean that negative, crappy, what’s wrong with me and am I a bad parent kind of way.

Thankfully, I’ve started to really understand that I can choose who I associate with and that Jeff, the kids and I have the power to limit contact with individuals we don’t feel good around. We can also choose who we DO want to put our time and energy into. And that is exactly what these last couple of weeks have been about.

I have lots of cool stuff coming for the blog over the next week or two (interviews with Dr. Peter Gray, Ren Allen, Carsie Blanton, Erica Goldson & Brenna McBroom). Right now I’m sitting in a hotel room. A hotel we spent the last couple of nights at as we attended the Northeast Unschooling Conference (NEUC). Two weekends before we were camping out on a family’s front yard for another, more informal, unschooling gathering.

Here are a few photos from both the NEUC and the Ashleigh’s Campout hopefully they will tide you over until I can put together the interviews I did here at the conference and a number of other blog entries I’m working on.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

Old Sturbridge Village ~ Sturbridge, MA

Old Sturbridge Village is hosting a Home School Day on September 14th. Jeff, the kids and I attended their last home school day in May. It’s quite a haul to get there, with traffic it took us about three hours. We also didn’t participate in any of the scheduled events (at least not the ones that required we sign up ahead of time).

Overall it was a fun day. Lots to see and do. People walking around in period clothing, engaging actors, animals, things to touch and inspire and if you love photography like I do there were plenty of things to take pictures of. If you have the time and/or the opportunity I highly recommend the place. We were lucky enough to even run into some of our online friends…making them real life friends.

Here are just a few shots from our trip with a link at the bottom if you’d like to see more.

If you are interested in seeing the rest of the photos from our day at Sturbridge Village you can do so here.

As always thanks for reading checking out the blog and if you do go come back and tell me about it.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

When we were in Albany we stopped in at the local Barnes & Noble one of the only two nights out we had while there. It was a huge one with a big kids/games/homeschooling section. Xoey saw a Klutz Shrinky Dinks Jewelry making kit complete with directions/patterns/ideas. It was rather expensive so we/she didn’t end up picking it up. But she took the time to look through the book and get some idea.

Last Friday when we were in the Portsmouth/Newington area for the gallery show. Xoey asked to check out Michaels to see if they had any Shrinky Dinks stuff. They did. They sell just the sheets and Xoey had some of her own money so she decided to get two packages of the sheets. It cost her less than half of what the kit would cost.

Since Friday she has been an art machine cranking out all kinds of fun little pieces including: dog and cat tags, model of her bedroom-to-be on the bus,  door signs, tags/labels for boxes, random little signs and these little dolls…

She also read that you can actually use an inkjet printer to print designs right on the Shrinky Dink paper. We talked about printing some of my photos on the paper and making little earring and stuff out of them.

I love collaborative art. I’ll be sure to post some of our creations either here and/or on facebook.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

Yesterday we headed back to New Hampshire from a job in Albany, NY. A job which has taken up a great deal of our time and energy over the last month. We were winding things up last night but there is still stuff the family (and/or someone) needs to do on the project. It’s one of those things, you’re done but it’s not done. Which makes it all the more draining.

Our immediate reason for heading back to New Hampshire was my first gallery opening so things were positive on that end. I’ve never had my work hung in a gallery before. I had no idea how any of it works. I wasn’t even really planning on trying to get my work into a gallery. That was just something that hadn’t even occurred to me.

What happened was I messaged Jeanne’ McCartin, who writes a gossip column for Seacoast Online, about our book. She messaged me back saying, That’s funny. I’ve been meaning to contact you. About my photos, as it was. She manages a gallery in Portsmouth and was interested in my work, specifically my little creatures.

The inspiration for those little creatures sort of grew out of two things. My Something Beautiful (10,000 Photos) and the passing of my grandfather last March.

The music of NeedToBreathe, specifically their album The Heat and song More Time, got Jeff and I through the writing of Skeletons Don’t Sleep. We actually sat up late nights writing and listening to that song over and over until we finished the book. So, when we were done the book and I needed something positive to focus on to augment the darker subject of child sexual assault I started taking more photos. Then NeedToBreathe came out with the song, Something Beautiful.

Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, ’cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I’m in reach
‘Cause I am down on my knees, I’m waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful

I felt like the lyrics were meant for me. It inspired me to try taking photos of *things* every day (people had always been my subject of choice) things people go about their days and miss. Things that were/are beautiful but we often miss. I took photos of landscapes, flowers, stars, snow, trees, paths and so much more…

Then when Grampy passed. I started looking even closer. I took close-ups not just of the flowers but felt a drive to capture the bugs on the flowers too. As I saw the uniqueness and beauty of so many different creatures I had before overlooked. I got a little obsessed. Now it’s become sort of it’s own project. In the beginning it felt as though Grampy (who wanted to be an entomologist when he was a kid) was whispering in my ear… Hey! Come here, check out this one or Oh, this one is great. Can you get closer? Now my kids and Jeff and everyone really help me find the bugs!

So, here we were driving back to New Hampshire for the purpose of going to my first ever (serendipitous) gallery opening and the conversation between Jeff and I drifts to Grampy. We both miss him so much. About three minutes into the conversation Jeff says, Do you want to stop by and see Barbara later in the week? Barbara is Grampy’s wife, my step grandmother. I replied, Yes, I think I’d like that. I think she would like that.

No sooner had the words parted my lips than a song began to play.

I was so caught up in the conversation I had completely forgotten we even had the radio on. Then all of a sudden it was all I could hear. I felt it in my whole body, my soul. Tears began to well up in my eyes and slowly it built by the second verse, I was in full sob…and driving.

And the water is risin’ quick
And for years I was scared of it
We can’t be sure when it will subside
So I won’t leave your side, no I can’t leave your side

Kelly? Are you okay? You’re starting to scare us here.

I love you. I’m sorry. I’m okay. It’s okay.

I came back to earth, though I’m not entirely sure where I went. Or what it was that came to me but it felt so wonderful, powerful, and beautiful, I can’t begin to do it justice with the limitations of my words.

We met my parents at the opening. My mother was having such a nice time she didn’t want to leave!

Next time I’ll send out the info beforehand so lots of folks can join us for it. Since it was my first time I didn’t know if an “artist reception” was just for the artists or what. Now, I know how it works and would love to have more people come to the next one. For now if you are interested in seeing my work (and a lot of other cool artists’ work, including Philip Cohen’s awesome Portsmouth photos) you can stop by 100 Market St in Portsmouth, New Hampshire from now through the end of October. If you like a piece drop me an email and it’s yours.

Right now I feel so incredibly blessed with opportunity and surrounded by people that love me. All three kids opted to come over and they gave me a fortune cookie. My very own, filled with love.

It’s truly all, Something Beautiful.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

The Erica Goldson speech video was posted online, so I thought I’d share it here. I still plan to transcribe our conversation soon and post some video clips from the discussion.

You can read the text at Erica’s blog.

Jeff and I have been going like crazy lately. We have been driving back and forth to Albany, NY to help a fellow homeschooling family get their house cleaned out and ready to put on the market. I’ve had to get ready for the gallery showing and have some writing and computer related obligations. We are also trying to get the trailer we live in ready for the next renters at the same time get ourselves ready to take the kids out on the road before fall hits. In short we’ve been going going going.

The last week and a half I noticed I haven’t been entirely present. My excuse? Well, how could I? At least with all this stuff going on!?

The answer. Suck it up. Don’t make excuses and BE PRESENT.

Lately the kids have suffered. Not suffered in the deprived sense because where we are staying in Albany actually has way MORE amendities than we do at home. At home we have no electricity and no running water! Here the kids have internet, computer, cable tv, electricity, hot showers, a huge pool and more. But they haven’t had US. I mean they’ve been right here with us but we haven’t really been available. We’ve been busy, busy working on the house we are staying in.

The thing is even with all of these things available to them what they seem to care more about is hanging out with us. Talking to us. As a result they have been bickering more with each other and we’ve all been snappier than usual, myself included. In fact I’ve really just been downright bitchy at times.

This evening I got a unintended little reminder.

After we had been working non-stop for the previous 10 hours, moving, packing, lifting, cleaning etc. Jeff and I went out on the back porch to eat and I decided, spontaneously, to do a little sidewalk art. One by one the kids crowded around. They asked question after question. What are you drawing? Are you using the sidewalk paint? Are you going to put yellow there? Why are you using green? Is it the sun burning up the ground?

Not long after they all grabbed their own chalk and picked their own little piece of sidewalk to decorate. And all was calm. They smiled together. I relaxed and breathed. I put aside all that was before me and all that might be ahead of me to enjoy…

The feeling of the chalk on my finger tips, the laughs of my children, the reassuring looks from Jeff, the warm evening air, the feelings of joy and togetherness. But most of all I felt gratitude for the reminder of what I hold most dear, my relationships with my husband and my children - something I haven’t entirely been mindful of these past couple of weeks.

Thankfully, everything is a choice (including our moods!) so I have the power to create a better tomorrow.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

A few weeks ago, Wolfgang got an opportunity to interview PJ O’Rourke. I didn’t post immediately because I was hoping to edit the video some, clean up the audio and such. I didn’t get it done so I figured why not just post it raw!

Next time I’ll work on getting better audio and video as I film so I don’t have to stress about editing! Anyway without further ado, here is the video AND the transcription. They discuss, homeschooling, bailouts, the Gulf Coast, journalism and Ron Paul.

ENJOY…

Wolf: You’ve got a new book called, Driving Like Crazy. I’ll be getting my license soon do you have any recommendations?

PJ: Yeah, don’t read it. (laughs) Everything in there is something you shouldn’t do with your new driver’s license. Buy it by all means of course. I mean I’m in the book selling business but let it set for 15 years ’til your, you know, over 30 - and then read it.

Wolf: Okay. What do you think of the situation in the Gulf?

PJ: Mmm. Oh, the Gulf of Mexico. I was thinking of the Persian Gulf…two very complicated situations. Um. Every thing we do for progress entails costs and risks there is no doubt about it. Even the simplest things like learning to read.

When we…when the human race learned to read they lost certain abilities to memorize and they lost a whole section of oral culture that was very valuable. I mean nobody wrote down the Iliad until about 500 years after somebody came up with. So, we don’t know what the Iliad was really like we lost the ability - when we gained the ability to read. So, it’s a shame, it’s awful, it should be fixed, if somebody did something wrong they should be liable for it and all that but we can’t expect human progress without costs and risks.

And I spent a long time as a foreign correspondent, 20 years foreign correspondent. I’ve seen a lot of really severe poverty and my biggest worry is about people being…not having enough to eat, of dying from simple diseases, of not having a place to live. The world’s biggest problem is poverty and the answer to poverty is progress. The only way to progress is from enterprise and you can’t do it without risks and costs.

I guess, suck it up is the ah - (laughs)

Wolf: How do you feel about homeschooling? Do you think it needs more regulations or less?

PJ: I don’t think it needs to be regulated. I’m all for it and I think that what homeschooling is in many cases is the creation in the home of an expensive private education, for a lot less money. We send our kids to a very small school, only 100 kids in the school, one class per grade, no more than 10 kids in a class - maybe 12. They all know each other personally. It’s sort of homeschooling away from home, is what it is.

Um, if we didn’t have that school available and if we couldn’t afford, though it’s not terribly expensive - it’s still not free, we would homeschool. In preference to public schooling, especially at the higher grades. Where we see public schooling falling down is as the kids get into more complicated things, things that need moral guidance, things that need discussion.

Then when you’ve got a set curriculum, maybe an uninvolved teacher, a large class, maybe a disruptive behavior - it starts to fall apart.

Wolf: How do you feel about requiring journalists to have a license and the government bailing out newspapers?

PJ: Well, as an unlicensed journalist, obviously I’m not in favor of going back to J school, which I never went to. I was an English major. I never took a journalism class in my life.

Um. Journalism is a trade. It’s not a profession and it’s not brain surgery. It’s a trade, like bricklaying, like being a carpenter. There is only one way to learn it which is by doing it. Used to be…some of the most famous journalists in the 20th century, guys like H. L. Mencken never went to college. They went straight from highschool. Highschool was a little more rigorous than it is now but they went straight from highschool to jobs as [inaudible] reporters.

It is a craft. And it used to be mostly a craft for people like myself that came out of working class backgrounds and if you didn’t want to get up early in the morning and lift things you could either become a priest or a journalist. (laughs) So, you had to decide which - which - you know whether you liked - woman and booze or just booze. (laughs)

Um, as for the government bailing out newspapers. The government shouldn’t be bailing out anything, really. I understand the impulse. I mean, you hate to see people out of work and if you are in government you feel it’s like your job to mitigate human suffering. But the real genius of capitalism isn’t the success it’s the real genius of capitalism is failure. If something is a bad idea, it doesn’t work.

So, if you for instance buy and ice cream truck drive it around the neighborhood, in New Hampshire, in February, and you didn’t get any sales. Capitalism is telling you, you had a stupid idea. You don’t want the government to come in there and bail you out, buy your ice cream.

Wolf: Do you consider yourself a libertarian?

PJ: Yeah, with a small l. Because capital L, Libertarians tend to rely on logic to the exclusion of almost everything else. And human life is not completely logical and we’re not that smart. Also, capital L, Libertarians tend to be a lot more - I mean - I go to church. And that’s like that’s not logical enough for many capital L, Libertarians. Many capital consider that to be illogical.

Also politics is illogical because it’s just people. It’s just people getting together. There is no starting point for politics. We’ve been getting together since we came down out of the trees. And politics will never end. There’s no, purpose to politics, really, except that we get along with each other. There is no overall purpose.

This sounds like a cynical thing to say but I don’t mean it that way - I mean - I simply mean that politics is the way people get along with each other and sort out their relationships. And naturally because emotions come into play it can’t all be rigidly logical.

And some capital L, Libertarians want it all to be rigidly logical.  I just don’t think that’s possible.

Wolf: Did you grow up wanting to be involved in politics?

PJ: Yes, my family was very political. Um, my great grandfather was a county sheriff in Illinois, very involved in Republican politics from back in the 19th century. So I got that whole side. My father - they weren’t as structured about it but they were - my grandfather was a small business man in a very union town and that turned him into a Republican.

Nothing was really well articulated but being very conservative because he had experienced - had trouble with all the sense of [inaudible] stuff. So it made him very conservative. He wasn’t very articulate.

My grandmother on my mother’s side was very articulate conservative and my grandfather was inarticulate conservative. Damn the all, kind of thing. (laughs) But I definitely grew up around politics.

Wolf: Do you think Ron Paul is going to run in 2012?

PJ: Um. I don’t know. I don’t know. It seems sort of that once they get bit by the itch to - ah - once they get the itch to run it’s very - ah - the have keep scratching it. All I can say about that is I have a great deal of respect for the man. We do have to face the fact that when it comes down to presidents, there can only be one president. And we can take a little lesson from the Democrats here - ah - Al Gore would have been president had it not been for Ralph Nader and so one thing I hope that Paul won’t do is run in such a way that we get a president maybe not as good as him but maybe a lot worse than the alternative.

You see, there is a real practical side to politics. You can’t always get the person you want. And of course you can’t always count on the person you want staying the person you want. The office changes him.

Wolf: Yeah, like Obama.

PJ: Ask any leftist about Obama. They are very very deeply disappointed with Obama. Because the circumstances, the fact of being president made him move toward the center. It may not look like that to us but to people that are way to the left of him.

Wolf: If you don’t mind me asking, would you vote for Ron Paul?

PJ: It would depend on the circumstances. Yes, if I felt he had a chance of winning. No, if I felt that voting for him would cause the worst of two evils.

Wolf: And that’s it. Thank-you!

PJ: You’re welcome. It’s good to meet you.

Thanks so much for taking the time to watch/listen/read about this little taste of our unschooling life.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

Sometimes it feels like we are going nowhere, like nobody is ever going to pick up our book or we are never going to be able to get our bus and get on the road. We might not all feel that way. We might not all feel like that. But we all feel it sometimes.

A couple of weeks ago I messaged a woman, Jeanné McCartin who writes a gossip column for a local paper, about our book, Skeletons Don’t Sleep. I was hoping to get a little press for the book. Instead what happened is the woman replied to my inquiry with, Funny, I was going to contact you about some of your photos for an exhibit at 100 Market. Great stuff.

Cool!

As a result I have my very first gallery showing later this month. I’m pretty excited about it.

Some other really wonderful things seem to be blooming in my life. My blog seems to be exploding with activity. People are reading! Readership grows between 25-50% every month since I started writing again. Last month I had over 1450 unique visitors. I think that’s pretty freakin’ cool. In the past couple of days I was asked to be a contributor for a news site put together by women, a request to write an article for a magazine and an offer to participate in a conference next year (no, not speaking…I suck at speaking).

I’ve lined a few things up for myself too that hopefully will come to fruition over the next few months. I’ll fill you in more as those little pieces start to blossom.

In the meantime Jeff, the kids and I are finishing up the work here in Albany (we are helping a family move and get their house market ready) and are heading home for the weekend. On this trip home we hope to reserve our bus.

With a little luck you’ll be seeing us driving around the country talking to families about education and freedom in no time!

Even though sometimes we feel like we are going nowhere all we need to do is look around and experience our present. If we can do that the whole world of potential and opportunity opens up to us and we can more clearly see exactly where it is we are going.

Thank-you so much for taking time out of your life to read my little blog.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

I was sitting driving down this road with Zoe yesterday. Trying to find my way back to the house we are working on in Albany. I took a wrong turn again! I had written down the directions but seemed to flub it up somehow anyway. I wasn’t lost, this time, but I had missed a critical turn which ended up costing me a good 15 minutes extra. In the end we made it back just fine, no worse for the wear. Just tired.

My mind and our discussion in the car drifted to directions and navigation systems. Jeff recently remarked that we should pick up a navigation system when we have a few extra dollars because we could use one in the bus when we start really traveling.

We had a great system in the Suburban. It saved us an incredible amount of time. It wasn’t always right, of course, and we did end up lost a few times but never as badly as we did without the navigation.

I posed the question, What if I wasn’t allowed to have a navigation system?

That would just be stupid. Zoe responded.

Why?

Because it not like you can’t get around without one it’s just that you’d probably get lost less.

My mind circled around to calculators. I recently read a discussion on facebook where one mother was talking about having her homeschooled daughter figure out some simple math. The mother emphatically stated, And A’s never allowed to use a calculator. She has to figure the math out herself!

I remember thinking it was silly but as I was driving and having this discussion with Zoe I began to think of it even a little deeper. Was it even logical? Doesn’t the child have to know how to use a calculator? Or better yet one of the more modern tools like a cell phone, iTouch or similar device? Maybe all these steps that we require in between aren’t really steps? Maybe they are just obstacles? Something I talked about with Erica Goldson in our discussion.

Maybe denying children calculators is the same idea as denying them navigation systems. I mean I had thought that before but not quite so deeply.

One might argue if we *allow* children to use calculators for simple math then how are they going to learn it?! And I reply by living life and having some desire or NEED to do so. How often do you bring a calculator with you to the grocery store? Sure some people do but most of us don’t which creates a need/desire to add things up as we go (to make sure we have enough money). Maybe we need to divide up a food for a party. Either way we figure it out ourselves or we ask for help.

Just as we do if our navigation system is broken or we are borrowing another’s vehicle without it.

We all, generally speaking, get to our final calculations (& destinations) differently. Jeff and I are forever doing math together: calculating elevation, scale, how many tiles, square footage, weight of roofing tiles and such. Just as often we marvel at how differently we reach the same calculations. Oh, I did it this way. I added then subtracted or I just multiplied and used this formula or I don’t get it, how did you find that number? It’s always a friendly exciting exchange. I can’t say we are as friendly when it comes to directions. Although, there is the occasional smile and It always surprises me how you get places. I would just go a completely different way.

I’m sure I’m not the only one to have made this specific connection but it was a moment of deepening understanding and connection for me.

Just think of how many other places this concept could be applied and how deeply we are holding back our children and ourselves by forcing everyone to navigate their way through obstacles without the modern day tools available.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

It was July 19th. Jeff and I were settling down for the night. He was reading. I was blogging/surfing. A friend on facebook had posted a link to a speech. Not just any speech. This one was written by a valedictorian at a High School in Athens, NY. Less than a paragraph before I stopped reading to ask Jeff if I could share it with him, he agreed.

And so I read.

…Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination…

That was the first line that choked me up. I took a deep breath, continued reading. My voice quivering as tears rolled down my cheeks

…I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contend that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer – not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition – a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave…

How was this young woman able to stand in front of so many people: peers, teachers, parents, community…. and  and ….to be able to say this…this TRUTH!? I difficulty even getting through reading it to my husband!

One of my favorites was this:

To illustrate this idea, doesn’t it perturb you to learn about the idea of “critical thinking?” Is there really such a thing as “uncritically thinking?” To think is to process information in order to form an opinion. But if we are not critical when processing this information, are we really thinking? Or are we mindlessly accepting other opinions as truth?

The buzz term “critical thinking” is one of the many phrases/words I’ve been ranting about over the last couple of years. And that the first time I heard someone else expressing that same (particular) frustration. The entire speech was not only evocative but compelling. It left me with a strong desire to talk with the person who wrote it.

I looked her up on facebook and sent her a message. I asked if she would be willing to do an interview with me for my blog? She replied saying not only would she but that she would also love to talk to me about unschooling.

And as coincidence would have it Jeff and I were asked to do some work in Albany, not far from the town where she lives. We decided to meet, in person.

On the way I decided I didn’t want to just interview her. I wanted to have a conversation with her. Since she had expressed interest in talking with me too, I asked how she felt about just recording a conversation instead of a traditional interview. She agreed and it seemed fitting since we both have a similar idea of how learning happens through communication and experiences as opposed to teaching and preaching.

You can listen to the whole conversation here:

Erica_Goldson_talks_with_Kelly_Halldorson_in_Albany_Coffee_Shop_July_27_2010.MP3

I also got some video* which I’ll post later, after I post Wolfgang’s PJ O’Rourke interview. But since Erica is the talk of the town right now, I thought people would like to at least hear this. It’s a discussion, so there is lots of me talking too. And I haven’t cleaned up the audio yet but you can hear us both pretty well.

We talk about her speech, inspiration, school, college, majors, life, foreign policy, liberty, corporations, NEA, teaching to a test, solutions, economics, commune, experience and so much more. If anyone is up for transcribing it before I get around to it PLEASE…send me a note…so I can link it here.

The funny thing is we talked for two hours. Maybe even a little more before and after I started recording. I still feel like there was so much more to be learned all around. I would have probably sat there talking for four hours, so much more to be discussed.

Erica told me it was her first official interview. I most certainly won’t be the last. This woman is going somewhere. She has a inspiring mind. I feel so lucky it all fell into place and allowed me the opportunity. The request for work we got less than 30 minutes from where she lived…right at the right time.

Serendipity. It’s a beautiful thing.

I was so very inspired by this lovely young woman. I’m grateful to have had such an opportunity not only to meet and talk with her but to have made a connection that I believe was the beginnings of a good friendship.

Thank-you Erica!

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

*The video will be mostly Erica and her lovely thoughts. So, if you don’t have 2 hours to listen to this conversation you can wait for the video! It will be a LOT shorter.

Are you looking to get better pictures? Do you need help understanding your camera? Would you like some guidance in lighting, composition, subjects etc?

If you are in the New Hampshire area I’m offering a few workshops you might be interested in. The workshops are geared toward homeschooling families teens/adults but are open to others as well. Feel free to contact me for more information and/or to sign up.

The following is a tentative schedule of workshops. I’ll be adding more dates times as feedback comes in. If you don’t find a class/time/date/location that works for you drop me an email and maybe we can work something out. If you are interested I expect these classes to fill up FAST so don’t hesitate. I’ve already gotten tons of emails from folks interested in signing up but I want to keep the size of individual workshops small and manageable. Contact is: skeletons@halldorson.com

I’m willing to travel if you have a group interested and want to organize a class/workshop or series. Don’t stress about the age for classes, I’m flexible.  Let me know your issue and we can work it out. I’m also available for private lessons, contact me for info: kelly@halldorson.com.

I guarantee you’ll get at least a couple shots good enough to hang on your wall and say you took!

Kids are $20. Teens/Adults $30. As with everything I do if you can’t swing it or you have three family members that would like to participate talk to me! I’m sure we can work something out.

Workshop descriptions with sample shots…

Basics Workshop:
composition, camera settings, lighting, things to avoid, people, close-ups, scenery

August 17, 2010 @ Wagon Hill, Durham

(Ages 8-12)     2:30-4:30 pm

(Teen - Adult) 5:00 - 8:00 pm

August 18, 2010 @ Waste Management Trails, Rochester

(Ages 8-12)     2:30-4:30 pm

(Teen - Adult) 5:00 - 8:00 pm

August 19, 2010 @ TBA Manchester

(Ages 8-12)     2:30-4:30 pm

(Teen - Adult) 5:00 - 8:00 pm

Flowers:
close-ups, lighting, distant shots, silhouette, lighting

August 24, 2010 @ Prescott Park, Portsmouth

(Ages 8-12)     2:30-4:30 pm

(Teen - Adult) 5:00 - 8:00 pm

Insects:
shooting the little creatures, macro work, settings, how to get the bug where you want it

August 23, 2010 @ Nottingham Town Offices, Nottingham

(All Ages)  2:30-5:30 pm

People:
how to get great shots of  people, candid or posed

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Events:
weddings, parties, concerts, tips on getting good shots photojournalist shots at any event

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Artistic Shots:
tune your artistic eye anywhere, seeing everything in a different light

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Artistic Shots 2:
setting up shots, thinking creatively on the spot, having fun

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Sunsets/Sunrises:
never go wrong with a sunset, what to watch out for how to capture what you see

Wagon Hill, Durham

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Landscapes:
fields, mountains, streams, trees, farms get great outdoor shots wherever you are

North Berwick Primary School, North Berwick, Maine

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

City Buildings:
learn lighting tricks, angles, patterns for some unique city shots

downtown area, Concord

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Old Buildings:
run down barns and old houses

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Night Sky:
starry night, clouds, moon shots, how to get

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

City Lights:
glowing street lights reflecting off windows and pavement

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

Documenting Life/Blogging Shots:
get great shots every day, be ready to take a picture at anytime

TBA

(Ages 8-12) TBA

(Teen - Adult) TBA

There are many more examples where those came from, you can see more here. Feel free to email me questions or suggestions. And if you don’t live in the New Hampshire area but are interested in hosting a series of workshops, contact me! We are planning on doing some traveling so we may be able to arrange something in your area, even if that area is 1,000 miles away.

Peace,

Kelly Halldorson

skeletons@halldorson.com

I feel silly writing about this because I feel like this is something I should have known.

Did you know there are Damselflies and Dragonflies? Yep, I’ve been observing them closely for nearly two years now and even more closely over the last few months as I’ve chased and photographed so many. I recently picked up a field guide to help me easily identify all the critters I’ve been snapping photos of and there is a section called Dragonflies and Damselflies.

Apparently, according to my new book: Field Guide to INSECTS AND SPIDERS of North America by: Arthur V. Evans and other information I’ve gathered from around the Internet, it’s not as simple as I once thought. You know…big dragonflies and little ones. There are 1,000’s of varieties of both and surprisingly they are pretty simple to tell apart.

Ebony Jewelwing, damselfly

The simplest ways *I* see to tell them apart are

Damselflies:

• body shape, extremely thin - appears more delicate
• wings fold above the body when resting
• eyes more separate

dragonfly

Dragonflies:

• body thinker, more rugged in appearance
• wings rest at sides, often in x pattern
• eyes touching on top of head

Peace,

Kelly

We woke up pretty early because we had to get the plastic on the high tunnel greenhouse we (mostly Jeff) are building before heading to New Castle later in the day so I could take some photos for a Le Leche League brochure.

The temperature was warm but not hot and crisp but not cold. There was no wind. It could not have been more perfect weather to put the plastic on this greenhouse. The plastic came in a gigantic roll that weigh close to 100 lbs, if not more. Jeff had to first get it up to the top and then balance on the spine of the greenhouse as he unrolled it across 72 feet. Once it was unrolled the length of the green house he unfolded the sides and secured them down. We all had to help a little but Jeff really did all the hard work. It was no easy feet, especially seeing as our 80+ year old landlord came down on his tractor to watch. It was pretty nerve-racking but Jeff managed.

High Tunnel Greenhouse, if you need one of these put up anywhere in the US…contact us

While he battened down the sides Zoe and I did a little exploring in the yard. I chased a butterfly got a couple shots and Zoe found a great little green guy, missing a leg.

This may be a Red Spotted Purple. If you know otherwise please let me know and I’ll edit.

this would be Zoe’s find, a young Praying Mantis

It was supposed to start pouring around noon. Thankfully the rain kept away and Jeff was able to work on the greenhouse until I had to leave at 2:00 and head to the ocean. I had plans for a photo shoot. So, he was able to come with us! We stopped at Starbucks on the was for some cool drinks because it had gotten pretty hot at the farm toward the end of our time there.

It was  gorgeous at the beach, not too hot and not too cold. Complete with a cool salty breeze and breathtaking sky.

the sky in New Castle, New Hampshire

I started taking some shots of the kids. Jeff was sweet and played dad in a few of the shots. The theme for the Le Leche League conference I was shooting the promo shots for is, family…building strong families. I haven’t finished going through all the shots yet but while I was there I also tried to get shot of the individual families and/or moms with babies so they could have some pictures for themselves. Here are a few of those.

I have a ton more. I think I took nearly 200 photos. Not all are winners but certainly there should be a good amount to pick from for the conference promo shots. I’m satisfied with the shoot though I always wish I had taken just a few more shots!

It was also was an interesting photo shoot because it was the first time I’ve ever done a “photo shoot” without an SLR. That’s right, for these pictures and all the picture on this entry I used my Canon Digital Elph cameras. I have two.

Canon Digital Elph SD 960 IS

When Jeff, the kids and I were leaving there was another photographer setting up on the beach. He had a flash on a stand, a big family all dressed alike and a huge camera and lens. While I’m not opposed to big set-ups, I’m absolutely positive now that they are not *necessary* and like with many things in life we can often get by with much less than we think and still have a life filled with beauty.

We ordered pizza and picked it up on the way home. We also stopped at the grocery store and Jeff went in to grab a few things, including my new favorite…Truly Yours Bars by Tofutti. While Jeff was in the store the kids and I witnessed what had to have been the closest lightning strike I’ve ever experienced. I saw the actual line in my rear view mirror and while things were still lit up there was an immense BOOM.  It rattled everyone. Jeff said inside the store the lights flickered and people got nervous. He thought the building was struck. The kids thought the car was struck. I think it was just the ground behind the car and right in front of the store.

By the time we got home the storm had well passed over us. It was nearing sunset. I was sitting in the bedroom and suddenly saw the light from outside turn orange. I didn’t get up to look because I figured it was just a cloud passing in front of the sun or something. Then I heard Jeff yell for me to come take a look at something and Griffin shout, WOW! Oh my God!

I jumped up all freaked out but thought enough to grab my camera because generally that’s why people yell for me to come look at stuff these days.

We all walked out onto the front porch and everything and I mean everything was orange. It was as though we were walking into a sunset. It was still and silent and looked as though (one of my facebook friends described it) everything was in sepia. Almost as though you were part of some old silent film with the exception of our own voices. I took a few pictures but they really don’t do the experience justice. It was strangely creepy.

Overall a great day filled with lots of imagery, cool new people, bugs, learning, connections, happiness, ocean, sun, building and so much more. Thanks for letting me share a little taste with you.

Peace,

Kelly

Gorgone Checkerspot, Butterfly

If you asked me even as little as three years ago what the difference between a butterfly and a moth I probably would have said, I don’t know. Butterflies are pretty. Moths are icky?

The last couple of years I’ve warmed up a bit. I’ve always kind of liked butterflies but still wasn’t overly thrilled about touching them. My grandfather loved them. He passed away in March. This video is from a visit with him last fall.

His enthusiasm for the little critters along with my Something Beautiful project helped to broaden my comfort level a bit. Not long after his passing I got a bit obsessed with bugs in general. A recent visit to the Butterfly Place and now I’m especially loving the butterflies and the MOTHS! Oh, the moths. They are elusive little buggers.

Today we were at the farm and there were all kinds of little orange butterflies flying around. There have been tons lately but today they were dancing in the air in sets of two, playful and seemingly joyful. It had me wondering if they all just mate on one day. It was that crazy cool.

Mating Gorgone Checkerspot taken in Strafford, NH

Anyway as I was snapping away Bea, our landlord’s partner, came out. She’s in her 80’s. I told her I was totally loving all these beautiful little love-bird butterflies fluttering around. She responded, I don’t think they are butterflies. I think they are moths and I’m not so sure they are good. I read they lay the pesky critter eggs.

With Griffin standing by my side I said, I’m pretty sure they are butterflies. Moths fly at night. That was the one thing I remembered from our visit to the Butterfly Place. I knew there was something about the body too, moths being fatter but it’s not enough for me to notice. BUT one being nocturnal and the other being diurnal, that’s easy to remember.

Griffin piped up, That’s definitely a butterfly. It has skinny antenna and it’s body is thinner. And there are some other things too. It’s a butterfly.

Bea wasn’t convinced, Are you sure? I thought because it’s wings made a tent when it landed that meant it was a moth.

I promised to come back not only with a 100% surety on the moth vs butterfly debate but also I’d be able to tell her what KIND of a butterfly it was. Excited that Griffin seemed to know so much more than me on the topic I asked him to explain the differences to me and asked if he’d gotten that from our visit to the Butterfly Place.

No, well some, I watched a video there but also I just sort have picked it up along the way. Here and there. Kind of all over. Books and stuff too.

It turns out the little cute orange butterflies (the ones pictured above) are American Coppers. They are about an inch with their wings open. And there were literally at least 100 flying around everywhere. It was like orange confetti flew up in the air every time you took a step.

Without further ado I give you some ways to identify a MOTH vs. BUTTERFLY  (with photos) obviously like with everything there may be exceptions

MOTHS

• Fly at NIGHT. They are nocturnal.
• They have FUZZY or pointed antenna
• Chunky FUZZY bodies
• Wings lay flat down onto body
• some moths have pinchers

Atlas Moth taken at the Butterfly Place, see the FUZZY antenna

still working on the name of this guy (will update), check out the thick fuzzy body

Tiger Moth taken in Strafford, NH - found at night, notice how the wings lay and pointy antenna

BUTTERFLIES

• Fly during the day.
• Wings generally rest in upright position
• The bodies are thinner, though I can’t really tell all the time. They look very similar to me.
• antenna are clubbed or straight
• butterflies have straw like tongue
• usually brighter in color

more of those Gorgone Checkerspot, notice the antenna

upright wings, bright color and straw tongue

straw tongue, thin body and upright wings

Well, I hope that helps. I’ll probably update this post a bit so it might be one you want to revisit. I might add some more photos and/or names descriptions. Oh, and Bea thanked us for letting her know what exactly those orange cuties were.

As I was writing this Griffin caught me what we think is a hummingbird moth. I’ll post some photos in the morning. These creatures are fantastic!

Peace,

Kelly

NOTE: It’s funny. It would seem Griffin and I were right about them being butterflies but after a little more information. I think they are actually, Gorgone Checkerspot, NOT American Coppers.

Okay. I started writing a blog entry this morning about sibling rivalry, because it seems to be a big deal around here the last couple of days. It’s mostly in the car on longer trips, like to the CNHT picnic and to my parents yesterday. But it was also about the seating arrangement in my parents car when we he headed to the beach. So, I started a blog entry about how we deal with it. What works, what doesn’t and when nothing works. I wrote a little then I went up to the greenhouse to see how Jeff was doing.

All was fine there. Jeff was doing a magnificent job building, as usual. I chatted with him. I got some water. I took a few photos. Then I went over to the raspberry bushes to pick some raspberries.

The rain the we’ve had the last two days did wonders for the crop. There were more raspberries than I think our whole family could eat in a week. I started picking and eating away. I called Jeff over to see. He picked for a little bit.

Zoe and Griffin rode their bikes over from the house and started picking along side us. We were talking about how many berries there were and Zoe commented she’d like a container. Jeff went and found her one then headed back over to work on the greenhouse.

After Zoe had about two inches of the container filled she announced she was going to fill up the container for Wolfgang. She wanted wasn’t going to eat any while she picked. She wanted to give him the 32 oz container of organic raspberries and say to him, These are ALL yours enjoy them. You don’t have to share any of them.

I hadn’t mentioned a thing about their fighting this morning but apparently Zoe and I had been thinking about the same thing. How to get keep everyone getting along. I told her I thought it was very thoughtful of her and offered to help her fill up the rest of the container.

She did it. She filled the container. We drove back to the house and she gave Wolfgang the raspberries. He woke up, hopefully, feeling loved and grateful. He smiled, ate some of the berries and bathed.

Despite our living situation, the no power, the no running water, the cramped quarters, the heat, all the negative crap it’s neat to see my kids recognize for themselves the real abundance that surrounds them. We have unlimited organic raspberries to eat whenever. We have each other.

Just as the rain strengthens the bush and gives birth to new, mouth watering, juicy, deep red, delicious raspberries our struggles strengthen our family and give birth to new days, new experiences, connections, love, understanding and happiness.

Peace,

Kelly

When I take photographs, it’s easy. Actually, easy isn’t strong enough of a word. When I pick up a camera, when I look through a lens it’s like it’s an extension of me. I know what to do. I don’t often even have to give it a second thought. Sure some shots take practice but I usually know what to try. I know what questions to ask myself. I know what to look for. All the effort that is required of me is to be mindful. Mindful of the what I’m seeing, what I’m looking for in a shot, mindful of my camera’s limitations and mindful of my abilities.

It’s part of me. I think my photographs show that.

There are other things that come as easily to me.

Writing comes easily to me. I know I make LOTS of errors, I didn’t say editing comes easy to me. Just the writing.

Thinking comes easily. I’m a thinker. There is NO denying that. I think. I think. I think. I ponder. I question. I wonder. I evaluate situations. I observe people and events. I observer. I ponder more. I am a philosopher. There is no way around it. It’s something I can’t stop, though I’ve tried and others have tried…but it’s part of my being…part of my very fiber, probably my DNA. I don’t know exactly, I’ll have to give it some more thought.

Healing comes easily to me. I’m good at healing, people and animals both their hearts and minds. Maybe I’m supposed to be a nurse or a doctor. My kids are always telling me that’s what I *should* be. Or maybe I should have been a therapist.

Creating comes easily. I do much better at things when I do it my own way. If I don’t follow a recipe. If I don’t use a pattern.

Leading/Inspiring (as well as the negative flip side of that) comes naturally to me. When I write, photograph, say something people generally read, observe and listen. I’m not entirely comfortable with this. I don’t want to be a leader. I do enjoy being someone that inspires though…so maybe there is a balance I can find.

Honesty. It’s extremely hard for me to lie. Don’t get me wrong I have. I just find it incredibly draining and damaging to my soul. Even little white lies. Even secrets.

There are even superficial things that come pretty naturally to me. Like weight. I get it. I know what to eat. I know what to do movement-wise to keep my body weight where I want it. There is little effort, only mindfulness and mindfulness with practice becomes effortless.

Now, I haven’t told you all these things to prop myself up. I’ve written them all down because I believe these things are my purpose. There must be a reason why they come so effortless to me. I think these things are what I’m supposed to do with my life and for so many years I listened to other people and fought it or I ignored my true nature and fought it.

Today I work every single day to fulfill my purpose. I don’t know who or what gave me the purpose, nor do I think it matters. What matters is I fulfill my purpose. I do what do what I’m good at. To be what comes naturally to me. I live naturally. And what I mean by naturally is, I don’t fight the obvious.

That’s not to say I don’t live in the *real* world. I realize I need to make a living to feed my kids. To have a roof over my head but today instead of going along all the old wore paths I used to travel. I’m trying something new. I’m focusing on making a living doing what works for me, and my family. That’s why I’ve set up the “For Hire” page on this blog as well as the donate button.

Jeff is doing the same. So, please check out our the *For Hire* page and well if something strikes you that we can do contact us!

About a week and a half ago I got an email message on one of my email lists about PJ O’Rourke speaking locally, specifically at the CNHT Picnic. I know Jane, the organizer, from the Ron Paul 2008 campaign. Wolfgang is a pretty big fan of PJ and so am I. Wolf is also very interested in being on camera, doing video work and even acting. We’ve actually been talking about (& semi-working on) putting together a kid’s liberty focused web show that we could submit to Reason Tv.  So, it occurred to me that Wolfgang might not only want to meet him but maybe he’d like to interview him.

I asked Wolfgang stressing that it might not be possible but if it was, would he be interested.

He said, REALLY? Yes!

I sent Jane an email asking if it would be okay if Wolf, 15 years old, interviewed PJ when he was here. She replied, absolutely.

Yesterday Jeff and I were down then as the week ended I checked on how much this was going to cost. With the kids, Jeff and I the cost was going to be $60 plus the cost of gas to drive up to Hillsborough an hour and a half away. There was no way we could swing that. SO, I dropped Jane another note. I asked if there was any way we could get a discount and that we would be more than willing to help out with anything that needed doing. She was gracious enough to give us her extra ticket and let the kids in for free. All we had to pay was $15.

On the way up this morning we all chatted about what questions Wolf was going to ask. He jotted them down on his iTouch.

When we got there this morning we helped out with the table set-up and then headed into the kitchen. Jeff cooked. Wolfgang cooked. Griffin prepped veggies, breads and salads. I helped fill up the cold trays with potato salad and cleaned the recyclables. Zoe worked in the kitchen too.

A little later I set up my computer to unload the video footage I had already taken and who walks by but PJ O’Rourke. With Wolf standing next to me I introduced myself and asked if my son Wolfgang could do a short interview with him. He happily agreed while poking fun, That’s your son? Pointing at Wolfgang. What were you a child bride?

Mr. O’Rourke thought right then would be the perfect opportunity. We looked around for a semi-quiet spot and headed over. He was patient, kind and just plain damn cool. He answered every one of Wolf’s questions, which included questions about homeschooling, libertarianism, the oil spill, Ron Paul and PJ’s new book, Driving Like Crazy (of which he told Wolf NOT to read but said he should go ahead and buy it, just don’t read it for at least 15 years).

After the interview Wolfgang went and set up the video camera in front of the podium. We planned on videoing PJ speaking to the crowd.

Meanwhile Jeff was still working hard/hot in the kitchen and the other two kiddos were serving up food for the guests.

It was once again a great day and a fantastic example of what unschooling looks like in our home, facilitating interests and maximizing opportunity despite whatever struggles we may be having.

We went thinking…maybe…we might possibly….if everything went well…get to interview PJ O’Rourke. At a minimum we would get to hear him speak. What we got instead was we met a charming guy who was willing to give a 15 year old 15 minutes of his time, on camera! The kids got to work in a commercial kitchen, which Griffin told us repeatedly that he was loving it and having so much fun. He said if he had to do it every day he probably wouldn’t enjoy it though.

Wolfgang’s two favorite PJ quotes:

A hat should be taken off when you greet a lady and left off for the rest of your life. Nothing looks more stupid than a hat.

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.

My favorite:

America wasn’t founded so that we could all be better. America was founded so we could all be anything we damned well pleased

We shared. We laughed. We smiled. We learned.

Peace,

Kelly

4. Choices

• unschooling: Children are free to make their own choices, so long as they are not hurting another individual.
• libertarian philosophy: Adults are free to make their own choices, as long as they are not infringing on another’s rights.

Peace,

Kelly

Photo by: Wolfgang Halldorson, Model: Zoe Halldorson

Just a quick rundown of our really cool day.

I wake up. Jeff heats up my water for my shower. Zoe and Griffin are up. I take the moths out of the freezer that I caught last night so I can take some photos outside. Both moths are still alive and well and I get some pretty good shots!

I look up info on one of them and find it’s a Tiger Moth and it starts as a woolly bear caterpillar. It’s too cool. Woolly Bear Caterpillars are my favorite and this Tiger Moth is too! While searching I find an awesome website: What’s That Bug?

The kids catch me a butterfly and another caterpillar. I get good shots of both. All before 10:00 am.

I bathe. The kids bathe. We bring Wolfgang and Zoe to a job. Zoe is mother’s helper and Wolfgang is doing some yard work. Jeff and I take Griffin to Portsmouth to get his tooth fixed. It’s early so we stop at Starbucks. Who stops in but Tom Bergeron. Griffin asks him if he minds getting a photo with him.

We go to get the tooth fixed. It doesn’t go as we’d been told so there was a bit of a bump there. Griffin needs a root canal so they started that. He has to go back in 6 weeks. He was supposed to get the tooth built up but since it was hurting him they wouldn’t do it but instead started a root canal. I’m a little grumpy about all that but…it will work out.

Stop at Walmart so Griffin can look around. On the way out there were some young, hungry travelers looking for food. We stop and take their picture and give them some water and five dollars.  That felt good.

We pick up Zoe and Wolfgang then went to go check out an old school bus for sale in Rochester. It was really cool and blue.

We go do the laundry in Dover. The kids ask if they can walk around with my camera. They come back with lots of pictures and video. My favorite is at the top of the page.

After we finish the laundry Jeff and I take a walk and the kids go walk around on their own and video/interview people about libertarianism. We end up at La Festa and meet up with the Liberty Meet-up group. We meet Chris Sununu (his father used to sign your money…don’t believe me go pull out an older bill) and get to ask him lots of questions about his run for Executive Council. Apparently his wife is a Libertarian…if only we could give him a little reason.

We leave La Festa and head home. I make scrambled eggs (local NOT factory farmed) for all while Jeff, Zoe and Griffin get water for tomorrow. Wolfgang takes care of the dogs and goes online. Zoe heads to bed early. I go in the room and work on the computer while Jeff snoozes next to me. Griffin builds things with his legos and Wolfgang is busy making music on his computer, still.

And as of conversations and learning today, some of the topics included…libertarianism, war, troops, peace, ideas for peace, girlfriends, relationships, moths, butterflies, stars, dancing with the stars, laughter, funny pictures, PJ O’Rourke, video interview questions, what makes a good web video, music, software, dogs, what kind of animals are around the house, how to get the water running faster, greenhouses, government, environmental programs, social programs, bodies of water, foreign policy, republican, democrat, governor’s council, elected offices, districts, distribution of powers, state vs. federal, drug war, drugs, troubled people, compassion, family, traveling, school buses, places to go, where to visit, when to leave, what to do on the road, life, purpose, goals, family, choices, reason, working, babysitting, mother’s helper, gardening, weeding, painting, inspiration, little kids, babies, breastfeeding, …and that is only one tiny tiny little piece of it.

Damn, I feel lucky.

Peace,

Kelly

Like many others we are struggling financially. Actually struggling doesn’t even begin to cut it.

Two years ago we were struggling but we had a nice Victorian home we rented. All the kids had there own room.  We had a nice vehicle, a Suburban without problems. We had lots of books and were walking distance to the public pool and downtown.

Today we have very little in the way of things. Very little. We live in a rundown trailer. We had to divide the back room into two separate rooms, one for the boys and one for Zoe. The rooms barely fit their beds. Most of our things got damaged in the move. Wolfgang quit playing hockey (for a team), in part, it was just too expensive.

About a week and a half ago, our electricity was shut off. That’s right, we have no power. We need way more money than we have to turn it back on. Part of what we owe is leftover from that Victorian we rented in Dover. I didn’t shut the electricity off to it when we left so what we owe includes a number of months we were not living there. It’s not something I’m upset about, at least not in the way of being resentful. I owe the money. We owe the money. And I don’t mind paying even for the time we weren’t living there because I feel we left abruptly and even wish we could do more for the landlord. They were great people we were caught just up with what was going on with us. I want to pay it.

We also have medical bills, student loans, even some tax stuff we have to sort out (although, I don’t believe we’ll end up owing anything there). We were weren’t/aren’t big on credit cards so it’s not like we have a lot of that kind of debt. It’s just life stuff. If we ever had something big to buy like a computer or whatever we’d just put the money aside and buy it outright. We didn’t do credit.

Neither Jeff or I have been working for a year and a half. Not working at a job, anyway. It’s not that we haven’t been working really. It’s that we have shifted completely the way we do things. Jeff used to go out and work and work and work at big construction jobs (which with the economy there really aren’t any now even if that’s what we wanted). He lived a life separate from us. And we lived a life separate from him. He was never home and my life with the kids had started to run parallel to his. It wasn’t good for any of us.

Today we focus on living a life that inspires us and our children. We focus on our life with the kids and our relationships with them and each other. We work toward reducing suffering through vegetarianism, we volunteer, we advocate for sexual assault victims (and have written a published a book all in the last year) and do our best to give positively to the world and the people around us. This has become our priority, our full-time job. What living this life entails is more work than anything we’ve done before, but with it comes more joy, love and connection.

We don’t take advantage of government programs like welfare, food stamps, public schools etc. because we feel it’s a violation of our core principles. We are not opposed to charity, in fact, we had a fundraiser to help publish our book and I just added a donate button to this very page.  It’s just if we are to take advantage of any generosity we want to know for sure it was freely given.

Presently our biggest efforts are finding ways to earn income to feed, house and clothe ourselves and our children in a way that is conducive to our family living.  But as with most new ventures there is a building period and in many ways it’s as though we are starting from scratch. I’m confident that our book, my photography, this blog, our Homeschool webshow and Jeff’s illustration work, our children’s book projects, my video work etc. will evolve to a point where we are not only financially stable but we have paid back all our debts and can give financially to causes that matter to us.  We just are not there *yet* — keep watching us and you’ll see we’ll make it!

How are we getting  by now?

We barter with our landlord for rent, right now we are building a greenhouse for him. A commercial sized greenhouse. We’ve sold a lot of our stuff, including most of Jeff’s larger tools. We share a cell phone. It’s a Boost Mobile phone that costs only $50/mo for unlimited use. We have another pay as you go phone around for when the kids need one but we probably put $10/mo on it…if that. We had to give our Suburban back to the bank last year. To get around we borrowed a couple of vehicles from friends and in January we bought a little Subaru for $500. It’s beat up but it runs and gets us to our groups and little jobs and it uses next to nothing in gas. We don’t pay for internet. We’ve found some WiFi spots around where we live and/or we go to Barnes and Noble or Starbucks (currently I’m sitting in Starbucks).

The loss of our electricity has been a gift in many ways. Laugh…but it has. It’s brought us even closer and shown us just how much we can actually deal with and still be happy. Really, truly happy.

Our goal as a family is to get out on the road. To travel around and meet other homeschooling/unschooling families. Last December we traded Jeff’s 1971 Harley Sporster for an RV. We took it on a couple of trips but now it needs a transmission. And we’ve been looking at school buses. We’d like to pick one up and convert it into a living space then travel around and meet, interview and video other families. Families that unschool. Families that public school. Families that homeschool. Families that private school. Families. Lots of Families.

The kids have been living with less than they are used to materially for the last year and a half. However they are living with MORE than they are used to freedom wise over the last year and a half. Because we’ve shifted to whole life unschooling. Our kids are free to make choices for themselves. They can choose when to get up, when to go to bed, when to read a book, when to build something, when to create, when to use play video games, when to play outside and so much more.

Some people might look at us and see neglectful parents, parents with kids that don’t have a lot of rules and don’t even have electricity…but those people would be so far from reality. Jeff and I have *never* been more attentive to the needs of our children than we have been this past year. We talk with them constantly about what their individual interests and goals are. We are WITH them nearly all the time. We bring them on adventures. We introduce them to more families and children who may or may not live how we do. We talk with them but more importantly we listen to them. We answer questions. We discuss. We find resources for their interests. Which include music, building, friends, technology, welding, boating, animals…and more of course…there is always more.

As a result we have children that write things like this. Kids that don’t complain about taking a bath with buckets of water (without electricity we have no running water). Kids that help lug the five gallon buckets of water from the greenhouse across the street every day. Kids that are actually excited about figuring out how to design a system of running/hot water that we’ll be able to transfer into an RV/Bus once we get one for the road. Kids that are just truly amazing.

When I hear people complaining about things like their AC going out, or their husband not taking out the trash I almost don’t know what to think. I’m living with no electricity. Actually, we do have a generator that we run for a few hours a day.  No running water (though we think we have that figured out so we should have it in the next couple of days). Our vehicle has not AC. We are mostly broke. We owe a lot of money.

Not to mention all the that is going on in the world at large…war, the oil spill…sigh…so much…

If you look at all the things we have against us it sounds like we have a miserable life. Then you look again and you see…

A husband and wife who have made it through infidelity, financial problems and much more. A couple who in the course of a year’s time have written and published a book that has moved and inspired literally hundreds of people all over the world.

A man who has decided to change his life for the better. A man who isn’t hiding from his past and is willing to put himself (and his skeletons) out for the world to see. A man who is dedicating his life to being a better husband and father. A man who is learning to be more compassionate and patient.

A woman that likes to take pictures and writes writes writes…with the aim of inspiring others in a peaceful way.

Three kids that I could write pages and pages about how great they are.

No, NONE of us are perfect. But we ARE happy. We ARE loving. We ARE compassionate. We ARE inspired. And we LOVE to learn.

Five people that love each other. Kids that love to learn and parents that are engaged and resourceful in finding ways to facilitate that learning. Whether it’s finding opportunities for the kids to earn money so they can buy things like iPods or a netbook or taking them on adventures to meet new people and have new experiences. A family that doesn’t just talk about their days but actually experience their days together. Kids that are allowed to be exactly who they are.

A family that chooses to live life by their own rules.

Creating love in these hard times is easy. You just have to choose to do it. Choose to see it. Choose to learn it. Choose to LIVE it.

Peace,

Kelly

On June 24th we visited the Maple Farm Sanctuary, here is what our friend Mimi (from O2 Yoga Studios) had to say about the visit…followed by some photos I took at the sanctuary. I am putting together a full 20 minute Homeschool Gone Child episode of our adventure too.

I was the first of what we hope to be many trips down to help.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

— John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton