Connecting with Sherlock

As we are falling more and more into the rhythm of life, learning from life, connecting with ideas and life naturally, I am becoming more aware of the moments my dc make connections. Even the small ones. It seems the small ones are the sweetest. And maybe in some ways the best.

Often a small natural conversation will spark. And later (days, weeks, months) the topic will arise again. This is so real. This is making me shun the artificial structure of schooly days even more. I am just seeing so much natural learning when we let it be.

So, I thought I'd post some connections we make. Just because. I think it helps me continue to see them, when I don't just brush it aside or be too busy. I was reading some articles on unschooling.com and one author wrote how one of the most important things she did was to take time to answer the questions, even the little ones.. as opposed to just being 'on' during a project. And off during the rest of life. I am finding for me that it is really about living life, connected-- that is where the learning takes care of itself. It is so much a part of life, how can it be separated?

Anyway.. my 12yo is reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He asked me the other day about Sherlock using cocaine. Yes, he did and Watson would speak of the smoky room and cocaine induced haze Sherlock was in during his ponderings.

We talked about the times Holmes lived in. Was cocaine legal? How was it perhaps viewed? How it compare to the use of it today? Very interesting to see this bit of modernity pop out of 100+ year old fiction. One does not usually associate cocaine use with a middle aged crime fighter. lol

A neat connection. Another great opening to the dangers of drugs. All this comes up in real life and reading, etc.

We also talked a little about the story of the Five Orange Pips. It was about how the Klu Klux Klan sent death threats in the form of five orange pips in envelopes in the mail. It was interesting to hear a British author in the 1800's use the KKK as a story line. Realized when in history Doyle wrote the books and how Brits may have viewed our slavery and then emancipation and racial strife.


More connections later.