Our new spread for the “Practical Taxidermy” section of the book I’m blogging: The American Boy’s Handy Book, by Daniel Carter Beard, at Boy’s Almanac!

Finally, I’d like to show you my little project that I’ve kept under wraps. I’d like to introduce you to the Boy’s Almanac. I mentioned it on Flickr, but in my absentminded bliss I forgot to post a note here. That’s what it’s like being blonde. I should consider dying my hair.

Boy’s Almanac is a blog about one year, three boys and one book: The American Boy’s Handy Book by Daniel Carter Beard. This is the book every nostalgic man has kept in his library, the book many dads have cherished for their sons, but sadly, the book most boy’s aren’t really carrying around anymore because fun has become dangerous! For one hundred years, this book has taught young boys how to make blow guns, build huts out of pine boughs, rig ice yachts–it’s taught the art of dangerous living way before The Dangerous Book for Boys. Well, we picked the ‘Handy Book a while back and couldn’t resist the urge to follow some of Beard’s ideas, just so I could prove what a nut job I really am. And to prove, just for kicks and grins, that it’s a far more dangerous book than its modern contemporary.

For the record, I’m not alone, either, my cohort Alis is just as nutty. She’s dragged her son Seth into this, too. That accounts for the third boy, just in case you were assuming I was pregnant again. Because I’m not.

Hello?! Crazy!

Boy’s Almanac is a *fantastic* time sink, what with all the projects we are trying to replicate. You’ve seldom seen me at this space lately for good reason. It’s been somehow easier to vacillate, minutes at a time, between Flickr, twitter, Facebook even (shudder) but not here. The decision purely selfish; I need to renovate this space, I need to feel like coming here because it’s satisfied me enough lately to do all the above, quite frankly, and the sheets here smell so musty! It’s time to do the laundry. So, if you don’t mind my humming as I throw a load in and dust off the sidebars, I’ve got some cleaning to do. It would please me to no end if you left me to that business while you go check out Boy’s Almanac!

Thanks!

*s

Ford is in that whirlwind of development right now where literacy unfolds and reading kicks in. He is devouring books. On any given night you might find him lying on his back on the sofa, nose in a spy book, quiet as a mouse. I have been longing for this day. Suddenly, the whirlwind rests, content and cerebral.

He started his own pictoblog last week! a place where he can post his doodles and an outlet for his creative writing practice. This enables him to quickly express himself by dictating a story to me. I’m encouraging him to write his explanations at the bottom, too, so he can actually practice his penmanship. At this point, it’s faster to dictate, and the momentum isn’t lost– these small baby steps are very important.

If When you visit his blog, you’ll have to register as a user in order to leave a comment. Though it’s an initial hassle, from that point onward you’ll only have to login in order to comment and his site won’t get flooded with spam. Please leave him an encouraging comment and tell him what you think of his project. Feedback is a tremendously powerful thing at this age and I’d love to see a commitment from him strengthen over time as he realizes that an online sketchbook can become a place not only for self-expression but a springboard for storytelling and discussion and making new friends.

Thanks!
*steph