Third Generation Picker

I'm teaching our son to pick.

It's not really a new concept to him. Bless his heart, we've dragged him to auctions and antique malls since he was a baby. When he was playing little league sports on Saturday mornings I would pray for an early game so we could stop by any yard sales along the way and hit the estate sales on the way back.

We come from a family of pickers. My daddy is a picker but not a seller. He got me started with my bottle collection when I was in my late teens and early 20's. He would dig up bottles he found on job sites...see this post for the story.

Part of my soda bottle collection

Corkers in the bathroom window

I love bottles in the window

He has a varied collection of things he's picked from over the years. He rarely if ever sells anything, but for the most part he can justify keeping his treasures because he has put them into use at some time or another. What he hasn't is somewhat on display around the barn or shop.

At any rate, I got the bug honestly. I spent a lot of time as a kid, digging through old trash piles on farms near where I grew up, finding little saucers or zinc jar lids...enough to make me want to keep digging and searching. 

My first auction buy was a Diamond King wood cookstove that I saved until we built our house and still have it today. It cost $150 in 1981. I was offered $500 for it a couple of years later and I wasn't even tempted to sell. I loved it that much. 

Our cookstove, here piled with stuff during our recent ceiling reno project...we now have tin, but more on that later...

And now...generation three. Our son.

Sam NEVER intended to be a picker. Since becoming a teenager four years ago he began his protest against anything old. But, now at a wiser seventeen, he can be motivated.

Sam likes to spend money. His likes far exceeds his needs, which is probably true for most of us. Being homeschooled has so many advantages, one being we get to choose curriculum. This semester his electives are Photography and Essentials of Business along with his last English class needed to graduate. 

With jobs for teenagers being slim to none here, we finally convinced him that he can be his own boss and generate as much or as little money as his own efforts produce...plus he will be earning school credits at the same time...or in other words, an internship.

Picking without selling can become hoarding! We can easily have a relationship with all of the cool things we find...so, I've started Sam out selling first to get a taste of profit and motivation for more. We still have a barn stall full of things from the trailer...see here for story... that need to be sold. I'm letting him pick from there first. He has been sifting through boxes for smalls to list on ebay. 

Ford Volt Meter

Model T Headlight

He cleans, researches, photographs, packs, weighs, measures, writes descriptions, lists on ebay or craigslist,  answers any correspondence, ships and collects his rewards. This helps me immensely by taking care of things that need a broader market than than our local venues, by building positive feedback in our new ebay account, and saving me the incredible amount of time it takes to do all of this.

He is doing a great job, all the while, using his creative writing skills, business essentials, plus teaching me all about the functions of my camera. Win! Win!

The items above end this evening, February 8. Click on either photo for a link to the auction if interested.

Do your kids work for you? How's it going?

This is Going to Work!

It's the most beautiful time of year for me and the most busy time of year as well as we gear up for the upcoming holiday seasons. To add to the mix, we've added a new element back into our lives here at the Ranch...homeschooling.

I say, back into our lives because if you've followed me since the beginning you may remember that when Sam entered 9th grade he wanted to go to the beautiful new state of the art public school down the road with his friends and at the same time I got the notion that it would be the ideal time to start this new business and chapter in my life.

I've purposely chosen not to say anything much for the last month because I needed to deal with my feelings about it all.  The decision came about quickly and then again, it has been a long time coming....

We had homeschooled so long that we had forgotten how well it was working for Sam and our family as a whole. It only took a couple of years to realize that no matter how new and beautiful, how state of the art, and how great the teachers are, or sports programs are that most public schools will never be equipped to teach kids that are right brained learners or any other learning style that is not traditional. That's just the way it is.

For two years, I watched Sam's self confidence level decline at a steady pace. From the beginning weeks in high school he was labeled by some of his teachers as  "lazy, unfocused, unorganized, talkative, and unable to concentrate, sit still or comprehend information",  all the while saying he was a "good kid, respectful and sweet".

On the other hand, when report cards came home, comments from the teachers in the hands-on classes such as Auto Tech were more positive...."good student, gives 100 percent, works hard".

I've had many personal, phone and email conversations with teachers over the last two years trying to find solutions we all could live with. By far the simplest was a deal struck up between Sam and one of his teachers....sending in a bag of her favorite candy for a 100 test score to bring up his overall average....honestly, I kid you not!

 For the most part the teachers are doing the best they can in a world of standardized tests and requirements from the state. I feel for them. I could have been one of them...so glad I took a different road!

Since making the decision to homeschool again, the blog has had to take a backseat. First, there were the homeschool legal forms to take care of, then public school release forms which came with personal judgements from well meaning administration and friends, then curriculum to find and purchase, and a new schedule here on the homefront to plan and try to adhere to....just a lot to deal with.

Today, things have settled. Curriculum is in place and going very well. Our family feels like family again.  None of us realized how stifled Sam felt until we noticed an almost immediate change in his attitude. It's answered prayer for sure!

I wanted to share a couple things with you today as I get back on track with the blog and all that goes with it...

I've been reading a new blog that I believe you will love Fieldstone Hill Design . She also is a homeschool mom and is redoing her office as a combination school room/office. It's really wonderful and her blog is most inspiring.

Homeschool room by Fieldstone Hill Design

Our homeschool room also used to be a shared space in my studio...high school is different. School now takes place wherever, and whenever. There aren't so many supplies or need for a black board or more than one bookshelf. He's happy on the sofa with his books and laptop...or in the shop building a motor for his go cart project or at the gym continuing his weight lifting class...and best of all...now, he drives! This is going to work!

And lastly, a video that I love..that really says a lot about how we should nurture our children's interests and talents regardless of the opinion of the public education system or our family or friends...just sayin! 

Animal School

Do you  homeschool? Have you ever considered? North Carolina is one of the easiest and best states to homeschool in. We are so very fortunate!