Stitching by candle light

In homeschool, we did something very different. I had kits for the kids to make felt animal toys. They were shaped as a ginger bread boy and a frog. The kids had to thread the needle and stitch in the small holes already provided and then stitch back the other way. The trick was that we were doing this as pioneers. As soon as the weather was cool enough to make a fire, I had their dad build one and we got 2 candles. The kids and I sat in the very subdued light and talked and sewed. They learned how it felt for our ancestors when there was no electricity. There were some unexpected dividends too. We all realized that all the family members would be sitting around the fire together and talking while they worked on their various tasks. Harnesses needed fixing, and tools needed sharpening, so Dad and the boys had things they needed to do also. Sometimes it would be a piece of whittling to make a whistle for the little ones. Mom would need to knit clothes to keep the family warm over the winter and the girls would also be assigned knitting tasks. The family would be together, talking about this and that and spending time together. Our lives today fling our families apart...to different rooms and different states. We learned to cherish our time together.