Tommy Mom | Teri Helms | Mom of 5 Sons | Home Educator
Lover of Leadership Education-The Thomas Jefferson Way
In a day and age, where we click, read a few words, and move on to “the next best thing”, I am asking for a favor.
If you are an American that is grateful for the freedoms that we have been afforded since the founding of our great nation, then please read this article in its entirety, and consider passing it on. It affects all of us. We owe it to those who have gone before us, as well as future generations to engage.
Freedom is totally and completely dependent upon an informed citizenry.
“The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.”
— Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch
As promised…
here are amazing photos of Sara’s passion…
in action every week.
I should state, that following the Outing to the Lake…
Sons #2 and #3…
went to see yet another tragedy…
Romeo and Juliet.
I took #4 and #5…
to a delightful performance of…
“The Music Man.”
In fact…
it was one of the best I’ve ever seen.
I simply love that Cedar affords us this cultural opportunity…
along with the exposure we are given to the Patterson’s passion…
of delivering up food for consumption in it’s purest form.
Remember Monday, when I talked about BMWs and Mercedes in our area?
Well…
they do, in fact, roll up to Red Acre Farm…
along with every loyal resident shareholder.
Sara serves portions of the acting troupe…
that are with the Shakespearean Festival.
Every Wednesday…
she and her folks are up extra early…
to prepare for share day.
They aren’t shy about putting any and everyone to work.
We loved it!
And yes, I realize that personally…
I am a pathetic excuse for country living!
thank you for noticing.
But at least my job …
of stacking eggs…
looked good in the end.
Watching the variety of individuals come and go…
and having the chance to talk with them regarding what they loved…
about participating in the CSA was so very interesting.
Loving people helps, of course…
but there is so much to offer one another…
from our experiences in life…
if we will seek out mentors and teachers.
Sons #4 and #5…
were delighted…
when the “real Marian the Librarian” arrived…
to gather her shares…
and they got a hug and conversation…
about their all time favorite parts of The Music Man!
Son #2…
had an opportunity to speak with Romeo…
and then, for him…
one of the highlights of his year unfolded.
Up rolled “one of those cars”…
and out stepped Elijah.
Elijah was in Cedar…
for what he affectionately referred to…
as his “Summer of the Kings.”
He played “Richard III” and Theseus and Oberon…
in a “MidSummer Night’s Dream.”
He asked Son #2 how he had enjoyed “Richard III.”
And Son #2 told him!
I was blown away…
as I witnessed an incredible interaction.
Here was the professional…
gently yet passionately interacting…
with the youth that has studied…
read and studied some more.
Son #2 is driven daily…
to explore Shakespeare on so many levels.
And on this particular day…
during a shareholders pick up…
it showed.
Every question Elijah posed…
every actor’s interpretation he inquired about…
Son #2 responded to…
and did so intelligently.
They discussed history…
performance…
engaging an audience effectively for hours…
and love of the art.
Son #2 reveled in explanations…
observations…
and soaked up the generously offered experience.
I never tire of seeing this phenomenon…
that has so very little to do with me…
and is such an incredible privilege.
People own and drive their passions…
for Shakespeare……
for growing and producing…
pure, organic, wholesome sustenance…
for life.
The mentors merely provide an environment for the inspiration.
The rest is up to the individual student.
At one point…
a rather star struck and well meaning woman…
came up and interrupted…
feeling the need to explain both herself and the play.
I shall never forget what Elijah said…
“M’am…this young man doesn’t need clarification.
He owns this. It is in his soul. What we are discussing…
are the finer points for how you communicate that ownership…
and let it out in the best possible way so the world can benefit.”
This, is the essence of Leadership Education beautifully spoken.
Elijah gifted Sara and Son #2…
with prime seats to his performance that evening in Midsummer.
Eventually…
following many more lovely interactions…
we packed up…
went to the Farmer’s Market…
and then on to the green show…
where you may picnic on the lawn.
Passion.
It was time for the Pattersons to exercise theirs.
We were the benefactors…
while people looked on.
No detail was spared…
from pewter dinnerware…
down to fresh mint in the cups!
Passion driven calling…
regardless of where it is in life…
always ends up feeding…
nurturing…
and at times, even healing…
the human soul.
There is such a need in this weary world.
This weekend…
I hope you spend some time…
thinking about and cultivating yours.
I’m convinced the world needs it…
no matter how diverse it may seem…
and regardless of where it lies.
A great thing about rolling into the Patterson’s…
is the fact that you can feel yourself relax on many levels.
It’s just far enough away from town…
to afford many opportunities where…
you’ll simply have to make do in order to avoid an unnecessary trip.
And underneath many peaceful moments…
is an ever present sense of urgency…
for work that simply can’t be left undone…
and the need to prepare for the shareholder day…
that is coming up in Sara’s CSA.
Sara is the youngest of Lynn and Symbria’s children…
and the only one still living at home.
She’s 16…
and runs a very busy year-round business…
growing as well as supporting other local growers…
and producers of agricultural products.
Sons #2 and #3…
attended the theater the first evening…
to view Shakespeare’s tragedy and historic piece…
Richard III.
Lynn surprised Sons #4-#5…
with…
marshmallow roasting…
which turned into S’mores…
and an outside sleepover.
Son #5 lasted 40 minutes…
and was downstairs in the guest bedroom with me…
where we listened together to crickets…
misguided roosters crowing…
and laid in a darkness together that was thick and deep.
The following day…
Sara was up extra early…
and had prepared a gourmet picnic for us…
which we took to the lake.
The scenery and ambiance…
were not only breathtaking…
but a balm for the soul.
The retail opportunities however…
were a “rural” tipping point.
Yes, I realize I need to get out more…
and expand my vision.
However….
please allow these next photos to speak volumes.
In case you missed the first sign…
Oh.my.word.
It’s the wagon wheel out of “When Harry Met Sally”…
and I was watching over my shoulder for John Candy…
from the movie “Uncle Buck!”
Check out this designated employee area…
complete with Buck!
Inquiring minds wanted to know…
so I picked up a brochure.
It read…
“in order to maintain the natural ambiance…
blow dryers are forbidden in cabins.”
I am definitely out as a potential customer!
Symbria, raised in Los Angeles…
has a charming way of reverting to a big city mindset…
and was rolling!
Let me close today with these thoughts…
which struck me while experiencing this particular day.
Sara’s meal was extraordinary.
The difference between her meal and any other…
was the fact that she raised the chicken…
killed and plucked the chicken…
and then cooked it!
The ingredients in the side dishes…
were planted and nurtured to fruition…
by her as well.
Even the potato chips were homemade!
En route to our adventures…
Sara negotiated pricing on lemongrass…
and fruits and vegetables with local growers…
that she herself didn’t offer.
She has provided leadership for a downtown grower’s market…
that meets weekly.
Sara understands food sources and the value of knowing…
exactly where they are coming from.
She equates a vital piece of the maintaining of freedom…
with personal land ownership.
She is amazing!
And who am I…
to define educational parameters…
that exclude life experience and knowledge at these levels?
So very many people are simply ignorant…
to these skill sets that tend to be drowned out…
and negated by progression and technology.
Sara provides opportunities for not only educating one’s self…
but partaking of organic, wholesome nourishment…
and celebrating while also encouraging…
community commitment and involvement on so many levels.
Tune in on Friday to see her in action!
” I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries as long as they remain chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get piled upon one another in large cities as in Europe they will become corrupt as in Europe, and go to eating one another as they do there.” ~ Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, December 20, 1787
The week following my nephew’s wedding…
Sons #2-#5 and I took a road trip.
Granted…
it wasn’t perfect timing…
we were all still very tired from our recent festivities…
but as is the case with most everything worth having in this life…
very little is born of convenience or perfect timing.
And we were on a mission.
Well…
two actually.
Number one was to have a visit…
with our dear friends the Pattersons…
where we bond with nature…
and reacquaint ourselves with the earth…
and also…
to attend this festival…
located on the campus of Southern Utah University…
in the city of Cedar.
This is conveniently the Patterson’s city as well!
Road trips were commonplace during my childhood…
and to this day offer up tremendous memories.
Now, most travel consists of airplane terminals…
assigned seats and the relatively quick time frame…
it takes to reach a destination.
One reason I love riding along for hours with my kids…
is the opportunity that we have to talk…
laugh…
discuss…
listen to music…
read…
and sight see.
Las Vegas is always the last major city…
before our final destination…
where we gawk at the latest billboards…
show opportunities, glitz and glamor.
It reminds us of home.
My kids have always been city slickers…
and Southern Californians to boot!
Utah offers the grandeur of incredible parks…
roadside scenery…
and opportunities to experience a down-to-earth…
community-oriented feeling offered in small towns.
Here is but one example:
This restaurant…
isn’t in our community.
Nor is it anywhere between our community and Los Angeles.
Convertible BMWs, Mercedes, and Porsches…
go to the Country Club for lunch.
The boys know we’re definitely not in Kansas Southern California any more.
I love the diversity as well as the lack of pretense.
One of my personal saving graces, however…
is that Symbria Patterson grew up in Southern California…
so I’m never without a “big city mentality” kindred spirit…
no matter how much benefit I see to country dwelling…
which is amazing, and has so very much to teach.
Character is forged in cultivating the earth…
where you submit, learn, and in turn, it cultivates you as well.
I know this…
education is so often defined these days…
by scope and sequence, supposed mastery…
and the ability to take tests well.
These seem to have become…
along with many other activities and things…
the definition of what is real and important.
That, in and of itself, can be rather pretentious on many levels.
Several years ago…
AOL ran a survey within America…
asking its people who the Top 100 Americans have been influentially speaking…
over the course of its history.
When the month-long stats were tallied…
George Washington won the coveted #1 position hands down.
Here is something he observed…
“I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman’s cares.” ~July 20, 1794
Part of the reason that I love these visits…
is the reminder it affords to both me and my children…
that life experience and also some of its basic skills…
are necessary to a well-rounded education…
and the eventual emergence of a true statesman.
I’ll see you Wednesday…
where we will continue to look at what we learned and experienced.
What do you intentionally work into your life that is out of your norm?
Friday’s interview with Vernie DeMille was great!
There is information readily available in that article for all that are willing to glean from it.
In keeping with the agrarian theme…
I have been going through copious notes…
that were taken in the day when Oliver DeMille was still speaking.
Unfortunately, he is currently on a medical hiatus.
The unfortunate part is that he needed one.
The great piece in all of this…
is that people that were fortunate enough to hear him and sit under his mentorship…
are now placed in a position to make decisions.
Decisions to actually apply what they’ve learned…
and share that information with others.
“To whom much is given…
much is required.”
This can even be something as simple…
as sharing the notes you took from one lecture.
After all, they really were that rich and overflowing…
with thoughts, ideas and applicable information.
Or, it can be practicing and applying a stewardship that involved, say…
twenty years or more of mentoring…
as is the case for Dr. Shanon Brooks.
Who is currently “taking it on the road” in several different forms.
At the end of this post…
those living in Southern California…
have the opportunity to come and participate in a “mini” forum…
in anticipation of Dr. Brooks return in September for a Face to Face #2.
But…
even if you don’t live here…
consider leaving a comment and sharing your thoughts…
about what you’re doing…
what you’re currently planning to do…
and what you feel you would benefit from.
Greater online opportunities for building community are pending…
We’d love to hear your thoughts!
What plan are you currently implementing for practicing “You, Not Them?”
Spring is the season of new birth…
new life…
a time to plant.
It celebrates and focuses on vision for the fall…
when the harvest of diligent investment in springtime labors
will reward you with the overflowing blessings of a bountiful harvest.
It’s a time for contemplation and retreat.
Where your children are concerned…
you need to plan now…
for what you desire to see them producing in this upcoming fall season.
However, you need to plan for yourself as well.
Casting vision, setting goals, and planning accordingly…
produces the healthy excitement that is necessary to move ahead.
For example…
what are you doing to plan your own continuing education…
regardless of your age…
so that when the opportunity comes to invest into the lives of others…
you are doing so with effective results?
Obviously, this takes work and commitment on your part.
But…
If you follow an agrarian model…
by planting in the Spring…
and cultivating during the Summer…
you’ll be able to celebrate and harvest in the Fall…
which gives way to “vacation” or a “snowy season” of Winter…
where one can study and read…
and study and read some more.
When you follow this model…
rather than our current calendar…
which is designed around the fundamental needs of the marketplace…
you will honestly be doing less at the right time…
to bolster true educational results!
Perhaps you need to consider a Great Books course with Dr. Brooks.
New opportunities to do this are right around the corner!
Maybe the time for that is right.
Have you ever attended a Face to Face with Greatness?
September will be here before you know it!
Need to bone up on Leadership Education basics?
You’re welcome to come June 5th.
Gee, for the price, why not drag bring along a friend?!
Are there books you need to add to your reading list?
Skill sets that need to be revisited?
It’s Spring!
Celebrate the season!
Evaluate yourself first…
and then those that you’re mentoring…
in order to reap the greatest possible rewards.
In doing so with diligence…
you’re sure to reap a bountiful harvest this Fall!
As always, thanks to Drs. Oliver DeMille and Shanon Brooks; both of whom model Organic Leadership Education principles through application better than most individuals I’ve known.
Your lack of complexity in what you model, inspires others to greatness.
Have you wanted to attend a
Face To Face With Greatness Seminar,
but can’t fit a two-day seminar into a busy schedule?
We are excited to offer a “mini” one-day
Face To Face With Greatness Seminar in Temecula on
June 5, 2010
at an INCREDIBLE PRICE:
$20 per person
if registered by May 29th.
$25 after May 29th
Please call Jennifer McLaughlin
(951-302-2111) today to register!
We would love to have you join us!
Face to Face with Greatness #1
Presented by Teri Helms of Tommymom.com
and Erik Lundquist, M.D.
June 5, 2010–Temecula, CA
8:30am – 4:00pm
Do you want to help your children get a superb,
leadership education… but just aren’t sure how?
This Seminar Teaches You How!!!
Come and learn about the principles of
A Thomas Jefferson Education.
This is a great opportunity to learn how to start inspiring GREATNESS in yourself, your children,
and others you mentor in the community.
You will learn principles and gain hands-on experiences in:
•The 3 Types of Learning
•The 7 Keys of Great Teaching
•The Phases of Learning
•How to Make Every Colloquium Great
•Path of All Success
Strongly Suggested pre-readings:
A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille
and Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
For more information or to register,
please contact Jennifer McLaughlin at:
Phone: 951-302-2111, Email: jmclaugh08@yahoo.com
*Seminar fees are transferable person-to-person,
not seminar-to-seminar, and are non-refundable.
“I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandmen’s cares.” ~ George Washington
Here on TommyMom, we have been looking a lot at CORE through my personal childhood within a farm community and friendship; as well as the recent profiling of Symbria Patterson where farming or “Georgics” is concerned.
Today’s post is an attempt to finish up this series…
at least temporarily.
And to bring into balance, the whole concept of Georgics.
Because not everyone in this nation has even an acre to work with.
And some of us…
admittedly have a green thumb deficit.
As in hello, Morticia Addams!
Being challenged where botanical endeavors are concerned…
can be both daunting and discouraging.
If I want to have a part in perpetuating freedom…
and I believe what the Founding Fathers laid out is both right and true…
then I need to at least try.
Please refer to George’s quote above…
and ponder it.
I can’t speak for you…
but having an “all or nothing” attitude can really stymie even the greatest of intentions.
While out on a walk with my father two weeks ago…
I received challenge and inspiration from my neighbor Brian.
I am now motivated to experiment…
because it really isn’t about “all or nothing…”
in feeling compelled to doing everything.
It’s about encouraging yourself and others to do something.
Brian greeted us as we walked by.
He was out weeding his front yard garden.
More specifically, he was dead heading his tomato plants.
These beauties are up against the wrought iron wall that divides his property from his neighbors.
He asked if I would care to have some of them.
To which I replied…
“Is the Pope Catholic?”
Actually, I didn’t really respond with that question…
simply because I don’t know him well enough yet to do so.
We had a delightful conversation, in which I learned several things.
He had been raised on the East Coast…
he is a chef…
specializing in pastries.
The vocation is interesting and gratifying…
but the working hours are enough to nearly cause you to expire!
He has worked in several 4 and 5 star hotel kitchens…
loves the area in which we live because there is so much job availability…
but realized that the trade off was simply too much.
He worked all but one half of a day a month!
Yes, you read that correctly.
He left the industry…
bought a horse…
and “got a life!”
Last year, he decided that he wasn’t comfortable being relatively removed from his food sources.
I thought that the timing on this conversation was a great reinforcement of Brian’s confession…
So I decided that I should really pay attention!
I’m quick on the take like that.
Here’s the great, humbling, and challenging part of all of this.
Brian used the “natural resources” from his horse hobby…
took out the front half of his yard…
worked and prepped the soil…
and got this.
On a more up close and personal level…
He has more tomatoes…
Two or three varieties of lettuce..
Green onions…
Herbs that intermingle with the snap dragons he’s planted…
and celery that shares space with pansies on the end!
There is a great pot of rosemary next to his bouganvilla…
and a variety of Greek basil intermixed with his flowers that are curbside.
His yard is attractive beyond belief, and if you didn’t “know to look” in several cases…
You wouldn’t even have seen the vegetables.
“I think that it’s really important to give yourself options for freshness, availability and nutrition,” he says.
I told him that he was a real inspiration.
“It’s honestly a matter of trial and error, getting to know your local area and the profile of the soil, and not being afraid to fail.“
“I’m going to try my hand at some corn for the first time this summer. If it doesn’t work, I’ll simply go back to the drawing board!”
Things that impressed me:
He’s passionate about cultivating something from the earth, regardless of the fact that he’s the ultimate urban profile.
He has researched what he’s done, tried it out, and learned as he’s gone along.
He’s willing to share his knowledge with others, in the hopes that he can challenge them to try their hand at Georgics.
He invited me to cut fresh herbs for meals that I’m creating for my family.
I did…
and I’m hooked!
What have you been made aware of these past few posts?
Do you have a plan for incorporating Georgics into your life?
A book you’re going to read?
A project you’re going to try?
Share with the rest of us!
Hint: there will be a giveaway featured Wednesday that this “sharing” counts towards…
so it can’t hurt to leave your two cents worth!
And let’s face it…
according to George…
making these efforts is “real”…
and gives everyone a shot at being in a circle of importance!
NOW you’re talkin’!
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