Her Majesty's Visit to Bermuda

We were very excited to see the Queen for the first time this week. Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, visited to celebrate Bermuda's 400th anniversary. We took lots of photos of the fun time that we had as we followed the Queen from the Cabinet building on Front Street to the Cathedral on Church Street and finally the Ferry Terminal on Front Street. Later in the day, we also had the opportunity to see Her Majesty once more outside our home in Somerset.

~ Leah on the bus en route to Hamilton to see the Queen! ~

~ Leah & Jude waiting patiently to see the Queen as she leaves the Cabinet building ~

~ Quite a few people gathered on different sidewalks hoping to catch a glimpse of the Queen ~

~ Here she comes! Queen Elizabeth II travelled in a landau (royal carriage) from the Cabinet Building to the Bermuda Cathedral ~

~ The landau moved rather swiftly and and onlookers raced to catch a good photo; the Queen is seen here in a blue hat, her husband is sitting beside her ~

~ There was a large crowd outside the cathedral on Church Street and we struggled to get through it on our way to the ferry terminal. ~

~ This school group was sitting patiently as they waited for the Queen to pass by ~

~ These office workers weren't about to miss their chance to see the Queen! ~

~ This man was perched precariously out of a second story window! ~

~ Construction workers can be seen waiting to see the Queen from a building on Front Street ~

~ The Queen (in the Range Rover) made her way to the ferry terminal where she was to board the ferry for the Royal Naval Dockyard ~

~ A large crowd gathered near the ferry terminal to see the Queen leave for the Dockyard ~

~ She left on the J. L. Cecil Smith; a wonderful vessel that we've ridden before as well~

~ The Queen and Prince Philip waved goodbye as they left for the Dockyard ~

~ Everyone waved goodbye to the Queen ~

~ The Mayor of Hamilton was also at the Ferry Terminal and we were able to get our picture taken with him! ~

~ A beautiful bouquet of flowers greeted the Queen as she entered the terminal ~

~ Later, the Queen returned from the Dockyard and we waited to see her (again!) outside our home in Somerset. Leah made this adorable British flag to wave! ~

~ This time she was traveling much faster and this was the best shot we got of her ~

All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Psalms 138:4

Opening of Parliament

The opening of parliament is an annual event that is well-known for its pomp and ceremony. Last year, I happened to be in Hamilton on the same morning the opening of Parliament was to be held. I watched and wished that the rest of the family could enjoy it too. So, this year we made a special effort to attend.

The opening of Parliament was very similar to last year's ceremony except that this time the weather was cooler, overcast, and seemed like rain was imminent. There's a large tent where all the invited guests and schools sit. We weren't sure if we'd be allowed to sit there but Mom asked and gained permission for us to sit near the back with a group of school students. We were also joined by a few tourists who also managed to sit under the tent.

The Bermuda Regiment Band came through the Cabinet grounds before taking position on Front Street to be reviewed by the Governor. A twenty-one gun salute announced the arrival of the Governor Sir Richard Gozney. He reviewed the Bermuda Regiment Guard of Honor before arriving on the Cabinet grounds in a traditional horse-and-carriage. Everyone stood as the Governor took his place in a throne which dates back several centuries. A prayer was said and then the Governor sent the Black Rod (a senior Police official) to summon the Members of Parliament. Slowly, the politicians began to arrive. It seems that at this point, they were running a bit behind schedule as the politicians took some time to arrive and be seated. However, once all were present, the Governor read the Throne Speech on behalf of the Government. The Throne Speech outlined the issues that the Government is planning to address during this session of Parliament. After the Throne Speech was read, the Governor returned to his horse-and-carriage. The Bermuda Regiment Band marched through the Cabinet grounds once more. Thankfully, the weather held up and we even got some sunshine during the ceremony. It was definitely worth our time and effort!

~Governor Sir Richard Gozney seated on Throne~

~Governor (in feathered hat), prepares to send Black Rod to summon Members of Parliament~

~ A judge with copy of Throne Speech in hand~

~Sir Richard Gozney and Lady Diana prepare to depart Cabinet grounds~

~Bermuda Regiment Band~

~Bermuda Regiment~

~Bermuda Regiment~

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Psalm 2:10

If you would like to read the Throne Speech in full, please click here.

Feeding the Fish

On sunny days, we enjoy walking to a beautiful pier which is only a few minutes away from our house. There are many fish there and we take bread to feed them while bird watching and enjoying the sunshine. Usually, the gulls and sparrows are also present, hoping to steal some of the bread that was intended for the fish. Occasionally, a large parrot fish would swim -they tend to stay in the deeper water and are always a treat to see. The pier is a wonderful place to observe God's wonderful Creation!

~ Jude, Leah, Sara watching the fish ~

~ I'm enjoying myself while out in the fresh air~

~Sara had a fun time too!~

~View across the inlet~

~I took this picture on our way home~

~We were blessed with a beautiful sunset this evening~

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. Psalms 95:5

P.S. I tried to photograph the fish but the water was a little choppy and the pictures didn't turn out right. Maybe next time!

Celebration of Hymns

This Sunday, we attended the Celebration of Hymns program which was hosted by the Masterworks orchestra. We enjoyed singing hymns and listening to the musicians play. We also had fun chatting with the musicians afterwards. It was a pleasure to celebrate hymns and praise God!

Top Ten Questions Asked About Homeschooling

Once people realize that we are home schooled, there are several questions that they always ask. we decided to write this so hopefully you can get a better picture of what it's like to be home schooled.

Q: You can wake up whatever time you want, right?

A: No, we've found it important to set a schedule for each day and stick to it. Without our schedule, we won't meet our goals for the day.

Q: Can you do school in your pajamas?

A: No, wearing PJs during school time is not allowed. :-)

Q: Do you ever take tests?

A: Absolutely! The curriculum we use includes quizzes, check-ups, and tests which are taken regularly to make sure we are "on track" and meeting the objectives for each lesson.

Q: Which curriculum(s) do you use?

A: Well, I use the Switched-on Schoolhouse curriculum which is a computer-based, Christian program. Sara, Leah, and Jude use the School of Tomorrow curriculum which is published by Accelerated Christian Education. It is book-based and each subject is divided into12 booklets per grade.

Q: What are your school hours?

A: We begin our lessons at 8am and finish somewhere between 12pm and 1, depending on our assignments for that day. In the afternoon, we do electives like arts and crafts, music, photography, and foreign language studies.

Q: Do you have to do "homework"?

A: Well, all the work we do is "home work". :-)

Q: Do you ever go on field trips?

A: Yes, we go to various public events and ceremonies that are held throughout the year. We like to go to public parks where we study the wildlife that is found there. We also visit the aquarium, the Dockyard, and the Town of St. George.

Q: Which instruments do you play?

A: We all love to play the piano and sing. All of us know how to play the descant recorder. Leah and I know how to play some guitar and I'm currently taking violin lessons.

Q:Are you allowed to do "whatever you want" during school hours?

A: No, we have goals that need to be met each day and we strive to meet them. If our assignments aren't completed before lunch, we have to finish them in the afternoon before we can do recreational activities.

Q: Do you get recess during school time?

A: Yes, we take recess on an as-needed basis.

Quiet Sunday

This Sunday was relatively quiet, compared to the busy week we just finished. All of the guests who were a part of the Back to the Bible group left by Sunday afternoon. We spent most of the day playing the piano, knitting, or reading. We also got a chance to get our picture taken with Dr. Woodrow Kroll just before he left.

~Sara, Leah, Dr. Kroll, Jude and Eden (L-R)~

Singing at Willowbank's Talent Night

Last week, Back to the Bible (a Christian ministry led by Dr. Woodrow Kroll) brought a group to Willowbank and there were several evening programs. We were blessed with the opportunity to sing at Wednesday evening's talent night. Although we were given short notice, we were able to learn and sing "Days of Elijah". Everyone enjoyed it and we were glad to be able to bless others with our singing. Mom and the kids sang, I also played piano.

~Sara, Leah, and Jude (Left-Right)~

~Eden & Mom (Left-Right)~

Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power. Psalms 21:13

P.S. If you would like to know more about Back to the Bible's ministry, please visit their website at: http://www.backtothebible.org/

Meet the Kitties!

I thought now would be a good time to introduce our two kitties, Onyx and Opal. We got them a little over 6 years ago, when they were kittens. They were four and six weeks old when we brought them home. Onyx, the little boy, is all black and is very cuddly. Opal, the girly girl, is black like Onyx, but has white paws, white bib, and little white whiskers. They both love going with us to the beach and playing in the sand; but they don't like to go near the water. We love them dearly and hope to have them for many years to come!

~Sara 

 

Opal sitting on her favorite blanket by the window.

Onyx enjoying the sun on our back patio.