Barn Keepers

09/07/2026

We will meet this coming Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at the McLean Copunty Farm Bureau Building in front of the Intersate Center. Please share this post. Laurie Vial will speak about the production of our book pictured here.

08/21/2026

Say it out loud once. A glittering of hummingbirds. The old bird lists offer a few names for them, a shimmer, a hover, a tune, but glittering is the one that sticks, because that's exactly what a feeder full of them does to the morning light.

Here's the part that earns the name. Those wings are tracing a figure eight, not a flap, about fifty times a second. That little sideways eight is the same shape mathematicians use for infinity, and it's the trick that lets a hummingbird hover in place, slide straight up, and fly backwards out of a flower. No other bird on earth can truly do that.

So the next time one backs out of the bee balm like a tiny green tow truck in reverse, watch close. You're seeing the only reverse gear ever issued to a bird, parked right there in your yard. 🌺

06/04/2026

Oh dear Lord, yes…

06/04/2026

05/22/2026

Japanese elementary schools have long embraced a distinctive approach to early childhood education, one that prioritizes social and personal development over formal academic testing in the first few years. Children typically start school at age six and, for grades one through three, they experience a system where conventional tests, grades, and rankings are largely absent. Instead, students are encouraged to develop cooperation, responsibility, and self-discipline through everyday practices such as cleaning their classrooms, serving lunch to classmates, and resolving minor disputes among themselves.

These routines, while seemingly simple, are deeply rooted in Japan’s educational philosophy, which views social skills and community engagement as foundational for later academic and personal success. By the time children reach fourth grade, around age ten, formal exams and assessments begin, but they do so in a context where students have already built habits of focus, empathy, and self-management.

The approach has sparked interest worldwide, as it contrasts sharply with education systems that prioritize early standardized testing. Japanese educators argue that cultivating behavioral and social skills first not only creates disciplined, thoughtful learners but also strengthens the sense of collective responsibility that underpins classroom life. This model demonstrates a broader cultural belief that academic success is most sustainable when paired with strong personal and social foundations, offering a perspective on education that balances intellect with character development.