Shining Dawn Books

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. – Psalm 37:6

Tangibility in Nature ~ The Importance of Utilizing the Senses

Melissa | August 7, 2010

“In his early years the child is all eyes; he observes, or, more truly, he perceives, calling sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing to his aid, that he may learn all that is discoverable by him about every new thing that comes under his notice.” ~ Charlotte Mason, Vol. 1 Since many of us are [...]

Practical Life Skills and Nature Study

Cindy | August 3, 2010

*Although this post is about home vegetable gardening, you’ll notice some of the pictures are from a field day class my children and I took from the University of Kentucky School of Agriculture.  I wanted to encourage you that even those of us who have been gardening for years have room for growth.  Your local [...]

Welcome to the Rainforest

Melissa | June 22, 2010

We actually live in a deciduous forest habitat. But you’d think with the torrential downpours and hot, humid conditions we are experiencing, we must be on the verge of becoming a rainforest. Almost every day lately we’ve had thunderstorms, temperatures near or above 90 and humidity levels at 70 percent.  In fact the buckets of [...]

Growing Up in Nature

Melissa | May 17, 2010

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

Hunting for Early Signs of Spring

Melissa | March 9, 2010

I’m not sure if spring has arrived in your area, but we are right on the threshold of it here. Which is quite exciting after a particularly long, cold winter. For three days in a row now the sun has been shining and a warm breeze has been blowing. The windows were flung open and [...]