Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,— act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I happened upon the above poem a few weeks ago in my inbox and was astonished at how rousing and inspiring it is as we begin 2026!* Christmas and New Year’s beginnings have come and gone and time does not stand still. I do apologise for the slow start to the year from me. I have seen the steady rise in views to my blog and Payhip page with great amazement and thanks. I do take your support immensely gratefully and feel very humbled and excited by the interest in my work for your homeschool and family.
Going Forward: The Next Few Years
Last year I started to map out what I would call an “Australiana Garden” at the front of The Blossoming House . I designed my Bush Poetry unit and intend to expand this series to eventually include Australian Creative Writing Units, an Australian Short Story Unit and others!
My other upcoming projects (God willing) for the future include:
* Sir Eldred – A unique 18th century poetry study about a medieval romance (13-16 years)
* Hannah More’s The Search After Happiness – A unique drama study for middle-highschoolers (Easter or Mother’s Day Release)
* Animal Poetry Booklet – Preschool- Year 2
* Tales of the Silk Road study booklet for Preschool – Year 2
I desire my resources for the homeschool community to flow out of love for Jesus Christ, and a desire to promote godliness and creativity. I want to have something truly special to offer you all, something that is worth making on quite a fundamental level and that will create meaningful and beautiful family memories. Because all this relies on some prayer and thinking, I admit that after a busy holiday season I need an extra month or so to refocus on what matters most. At the beginning of March you should hear from me again, this time with at least 1 beautiful product to offer from the above selection at a very affordable price.
I cannot promise all of the above units will be released this year, however it is my endeavour to share them all over the next few years. The production pace will entirely depend upon public demand and my busyness with my kids at home. Please do feel free to write to say hello, introduce yourself, and tell me which product you would like me to prioritise from the list and why!
In the Meantime
If you have not subscribed to these women, they have a whole host of FREEBIES and other homeschool goodies that they regularly email out and from what I have seen I heartily recommend their work:
- Clarissa R West https://www.clarissarwest.com/
- Amy Sloane at “Humility and Doxology” (she has a podcast) https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/
Preschool and Kindergarten Ideas: I have absolutely benefited from the amazing, not-too-prescriptive workbook style guides of Jessica Waldock at https://www.thewaldockway.com/. (I loved “Countries of the World” and Preschool packs). I also have used Erin Cox’s Gentle and Classical Press (a bit more expensive but excellent).
Australian Homeschooling: The most comprehensive Australian homeschool curriculum out there that I have seen is My Homeschool. I know some wonderful families using this one and they also have a host of separate resources at the bookshop that you can purchase independently to their curriculum. https://myhomeschool.com/
More Ideas
A thriving spiritual life = my endeavour for 2026. When the heart is dry, nothing flows from it. I received some Christian books over the holiday season which have been particularly encouraging for me, and may be for you too. Specifically I speak of “Remarkable Women” by my current favourite author Elizabeth George. This book goes through the lives of some Old and New Testament daughters of the faith. I just finished the section on Sarah and am reading about Rebekah. The theme that reoccurs is “waiting on the Lord”.
My husband bought me “The Incomparable Christ” by Oswald Sanders for my birthday, so I’ve started reading that too and hope to learn much from it!
Hoping you are all enjoying a lovely New Year!
Please write to say hello and introduce yourself, and tell me which product you would like me to prioritise from my 2026 list and why!
Last Year’s Products ALL ON SALE!
* Get your family up and enjoying the outdoors at the start of the year, appreciating God’s creation and also the gift of language the traditional Aussie way! Aussie Bush Poetry Unit purchasable here for HALF-PRICE!: https://payhip.com/b/OgSRm
The sale is only for a very limited time early, so get in while it lasts!
*Feeling like the seasonal festivities crowded out time for real reflection on Jesus? Let your family ponder several historical Christmas poems to begin the school year. One poem a day or night and you will be taken small step by small step from Gabriel’s appearing, all the way to peering into the stable and the manger. This is very devotional and will be a wonderful, Christ-centred way to begin the year. https://payhip.com/b/4qCHc
* Use the arts to glorify God! Read my husband’s new revolutionary work “Loving God with the Arts”. https://payhip.com/LovingGodWiththeArts