Our main learning space

I am a homebody.  As much as I like nature, I find most of my activities taking place within the four walls of our home and I am not usually in a great rush to take on any extracurricular activities outside of it, not for me and not for my family.  The truth is there is more than enough things for us to do right here at any given time.  I don't think any of us will be bored any time soon.  The prime center of all our activities is our living room which is also our dining room and our family room.  It is a big airy room which gets a lot of light during the day and has a magnificent view outside its' window, it has both the porch and the kitchen branching off of it too.  It is a homey and cozy room with plenty of sitting and playing room for all the big, little and littleler people that live here.  There are two couches with covers on them to hide all the child and age inflicted wear, a big comfy arm chair, the dining room table, a kiddie table and chairs, a huge and somewhat incongrous closet, bookshelves overflowing with books, often also baskets overflowing with books ( the books often encroach on the sitting areas too), random toys and games in and out of their drawers, art supplies, ride on toys, a rocking horse, there used to be a rug to lounge on but it got so worn by all the activity that it has been retired and I need to find a replacement before things get too cold.  There is a baby quilt for the baby to roll on and observe all the excitement.  Usually there is the baby's bassinett as well.  There are pictures on the wall and kids' art on the closet and the back of the door.  There are family photos on top of the biggest bookshelf as well as some of the children's projects. There is a huge map of the world and an old shelf that serves as a bench for the little ones under it.  It is a well worn and well loved and well lived in space.  Here we eat and play and learn and read and talk (and fight sometimes) and do our projects. Much of the time there is some measure of disarray with various people and objects located in various traditional and not so traditional places and poses.  There is also a big windowsill for the kids to sit on and observe all the exciting things outside such as periodic agricultural activity in the fields across from our home, the flocks of sheep with the cattle egrets or the deer that sometimes come or the birds that seem to fly right by our window, sparrows, doves, storks, eagles, starlings, etc.  Sometimes it's just to watch the garbage truck come to collect the trash or to watch the rain when it comes or occasional hail.  It is a well loved room, which is rarely quiet when the children are awake. It is the place where we think and dream and pray. Here the children run and sing and play make belief. It is a place in flux, a place of transformation.  It is a happy place and a contemplative place and a sweet place to grow in.  Maybe it is not what museum quality interiors are made of, but it is what love is made of.