3/28/2011

Spring Moon, River Biology,Crafting, and Purdging

Click on photos to enlarge. This month we got to see a beautiful up close moon. Stunning! It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years. If you missed it you can read about it here: http://earthsky.org/tonight/high-tide-alert-closest-full-moon-of-2011-on-march-19 Pretty cool science. We made another trip to the river to explore. Pictures are not too impressive but there are bugs there! Lots of em. Growing up we called them Rolly Pollies, Sow bugs, or Pill Bugs but their true name is The Woodlouse. ( I prefer Rolly Polly!) We found eggs and just about every stage of development in this rotton log. http://www.cirrusimage.com/isopoda_sow_bug.htm If you look really close ( enlarge the photo) you will see little balls ( bugs!) and some beatle larva on the right side. One tree is covered in Crown Galls. Last week when I did not have the camera we found tons with bugs still inside. A week later we could not find one Gall with bugs still inside. What a difference a week makes! While the galls make for an excellent biology study they are very bad for the tree. This tree is very diseased and dying. We have been watching it for a few years.
So on to the river. We did not locate any Lumbriculus Variegatus. Again the water was too high. ( Must have patience and come at the right time of day. Note to self: Check the tides!) We did however find lovely Physidae ( Bladder Snails) These lovely critters were very active for us and we were able to fully see their bodies.
As all moms know footprints are special! These of course are dear daughters.

My oldest dear daughter has been busy crafting. She made these lovely purses this week. They are lined with many pockets. She also made matching wallets. Today the gals are sewing a dress and cooking dinner. Love it when life just happens and learning takes place without a schedule or a plan. Younger dear daughter has expressed an interest in learning stitches. It never dawned on me that she did not know ( blush). We use the sewing machine for everything and I did not even think about hand sewing. So thats on our agenda. I have finished the daunting task of going through all of our books. For the first time ever I actually have all the books organized by topic. Even my cookbooks.

I also began the task of going through all the curriculum and sorting out what we will use over the next three years ( that s all that s left in Morningstar Academy...sad face). I purchased a few items needed and am still thinking about a few other choices. Got rid of everything else. That was hard! I am looking forward to planning for the fall.

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures. I especially like the one with the foot prints in the sand. We got to see "The Moon" too, but it did not seem any different here. I guess it was our trees getting in the way. I would have loved to see it up at Lake Michigan. Hope you are having a lovely week.
    Jenn

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  2. Hi Tina! I'm so sorry I haven't been by and commenting...it's been a seriously busy last few weeks, and I've just been trying to stay afloat here!
    I love this post...what fun! I prefer rolly-polly, too, thank you! One of my fav courses the boys and I did was classical astronomy with "Signs & Seasons" by Jay Ryan. Oh, the heavens DO declare the glory of God! What a beautiful moon. Soon it will warm here, and we'll go to the Arboretum to listen to the spring peepers...can't wait!

    Blessings and {{{HUGS}}},
    Lori

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  3. Good Morning!!! I'm enjoying some warm coffee and finally visiting. Your post is so inspiring in my quest to bring more nature into our homeschool days ahead.

    Many Blessings, Tamara

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  4. Oh, I love the purses! Your girls are so creative, and I recognized the green fabric.

    We used it as a playpen liner for an old European playpen with bars, the kind babies can pull themselves up on and look out of.

    Enjoy the unplanned learning as well as the wonderful time out in nature!

    Annie Kate

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