Field trips

A friend has a beautiful pond, it is a wonderful place to find signs of Spring. It is still March but it was a hot 80 degrees that day. CG wanted the air conditioner on in the car and SA wanted to go IN the pond. We saw a pair of Mallards and a pair of Canadian Geese. Surprisingly we also found large tadpoles, I thought too early for them but they were there.  SA couldn't stop watching the water skippers (that's what he calls them)

On another visit recently we decided to drive an hour to the ocean at sunrise to see low tide. I am so glad we did, and we will do it again I am sure of it.  What a great time to go. We saw people digging for clam. We found rocks, driftwood, a starfish, and lots of sand dollars. We kept a few that were dead. However we learned exactly what to look for to find the live ones.  A small circle of sand and under a sand dollar. We saw them all the way down the beach, and we had fun running from one to another. 

These trips cost nothing except the gas to drive there, and what fun we have!

Children Making Maple Syrup.

We have 8 maple trees on our small property, so we decided to tap them for maple syrup this year. A dear friend showed us last year how it is done. While Adventure Academy Dad was at work CG and SA and I raided his tool room at the back of the barn for a drill and bit.

 He had purchased some buckets and taps a few days earlier for us. We began to drill and tap the trees 4 1/2 feet above the ground perfect for a child to view. We did three and it was a beatutiful sunny day. The sap began dripping as soon as the taps were in. CG checked them each hour that first day.

The next morning we checked our buckets and emptied them into a large pot. We filtered the sap with a coffee filter and food mesh strainer. We set up a spot on our porch and bought an electric double burner. We were all excited that we had a place to cook our sap.

We had to watch it very carefully (I burnt the first batch :( ) When it started to darken we would taste it, Yummmm!. When it tasted sweet we filtered it again into a metal bowl. After it cooled we poured it into a sterile mason jar.  I have to say this was and is fun to do with the kids.

Ocean visit

We had to visit the ocean this week. I really enjoy going during the off season, we were practically the only people there. CG and SA love going, this time they made two small seats of sand and put shells all around them.  They sat on the "throne" and viewed the ocean. We also looked for shells and rocks. SA found two sand dollars.  After speaking with another lady on the beach we found out that if the sand dollar is grayish in color and has a whole in the middle of the bottom then it is dead. If it is brownish green, the hole is not there and it has little hairs covering it then it is alive. We looked and we had one of each so CG put the one that was alive back. Glad we learned this before we brought it home! SA was quite concerned that he had picked up something that was alive. He didn't want to touch it again.

It was nice to sit back and just watch as they explored the beach and created their little spot. No pencil, no notebook, no Mom pointing things out, just the two of them.

THERE IN THE WOOD.... #3

 We went into the woods looking for some empty bird nests. We found a few that were covered with snow but we couldn't get close enough for pictures. It was nice to find them because we are never able to find them during the summer.  While out for our walk we found some Virginia Creeper. We usually see this creeping into our raspberry plants in the spring.

We also spotted some Woodpecker holes in a dead tree. We have often seen a Pileated Woodpecker and heard it's laughter out here. We wondered if this is where it has been feeding.

The Virginia Creeper has been around our yard since we bought our house. At first we thought it was Poison Ivy. As seen in the picture below it has grown around a tree.

This may be the mother plant (I call it that anyway).  It was so large. As you can see this vine becomes woody. It is a very fast growing vine and has five leaves during the summer. The vines just keep wrapping around anything. It is often considered to be a problem plant.  I can imagine a small  structure, with Virginia Creeper planted all around it. As time goes by and it grows the leaves and wood fill in the structure and create a wonderful play place.  I see a future project!

I found this link for further information
http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_paqu2.pdf

I would like to hear about what others find in nature. Exploring, learning,  anything that is nature related.  What kind of bug, flower, animal, bird have you seen. What are you studying for weather etc.

Please join my link up so we all can learn more from nature.

Wizard Wands

I for some reason have been wanting to make Wizard Wands for a while.  Today I again asked CG and SA if they wanted to make one and they replied....No.

So I decided to make myself one anyway.  I gathered all my supplies. I used beads, a pipe cleaner, a wooden dowel and a rock.  Of course I also needed my glue gun, paint and a paint brush. If I had been more prepared I would have gathered some items outside like little pebbles, acorns, wooden vines, sticks etc.

To make one simply pick out the size stick that you want, add your pebbles, rocks, wire, vines, whatever you are using for your design. Then cover it all with paint, I used acrylic. Place it on wax paper to dry, I think that it could use two or three coats of paint depending on what color you choose. 

Two little children changed their minds and decided they wanted to make one too. Wow, who knew that would happen? While they were making theirs I noticed that if you just cover the end with colored beads and paint the stick you will have a Fairy Wand.  I am sure I will be hearing spells this weekend.

Here is my Black one.

He was very happy with how it was beginning to look.

All three completed, and an afternoon of fun!

Soap!!!!

We made some soap using a base.  I love the oatmeal glycerin soap base, we have tried others and we don't like them. We melt the base  saop and add the fragrances that we want.  It is fun to try different soaps. We have made ones that smell like blueberry, popcorn and fresh cut grass. This year we are making a batch of Lily of the Valley, Apple pie, and we also made an experimental batch with Sage and Cinnamon and Rosemary. Try something new right. I created our own mold because I can make whatever shape I want. I saw a candy making television show once and it used corn starch as the mold for the hot liquid candy. When it cools you just scoop it out.  I used this idea for the hot soap and it worked. So that is my mold, a pan of corn starch. I just press the shape in the corn starch. I enjoy this it really is a calming time for me.

This is how the soap comes. We cut out what we want to melt.

This is the corn starch mold. I use a pestle to make the shape that I want. You can use a toy or any other shape that you want using this process.

I named the soap and printed labels, wrapped them in cut up paper bags and tied them with raffia. The one in the front is unwrapped.  We like to keep the natural color but you can add color and any fragrance that you want.  It is so fun and make great gifts.

Pine scented sachet

Today we made pine scented sachets. CG added cinnamon and apple spice to hers and SA added green tea to his. We used an old shirt and had many smells to choose from.





We could have filled them more. ...next time

Autumn Nature Study

As part of our schooling we do a lot of Nature Study. The kids were learning about different textures in nature. They examined bark, moss, leaves, and bugs. They also looked for feathers, bird nests and eggshells. Autumn came and went very quickly, at the end of October we had snow.

Examining a Maple tree.

She loved the color of that leaf

Soft moss, it was like a pillow.



Seeing this up close was amazing.
LL Bean  youtube video The Final Charge



Then we had snow in October...really.

BUG MAINE-IA

We spent the day with friends at the State Museaum.  Bug Maine-ia day!!!  We had lots of fun and learned so much about many different insects. 

Had to get this picture

SA holding a walking stick

CG holding a walking stick



He held a tarantula!!!



We were able to touch the hissing cockroaches

SA was trying not to smile

He had to get souvenirs

I couldn't stop laughing!!!

What a great day. Thanks to our friends for going with us.   You know who you are.

We have been busy!!!!

The beginnings of our garden.

This is Mittens, she was a stray. She was very sick when we got her and was on medication for 2 weeks.  Then we had her spayed.

This is Mittens feeling better. So better that she fights with my other cat.  We tried to find her a home, with no luck so we are going to have her as an outside barn cat. 

Scarborough Marsh trail, very cool.  Lots of birds.

Snowy Egrets

Dragonfly resting on the net, we were getting tadpoles.

They found a frog, couldn't catch it though.

Another stray. He is so cute and friendly. He won't leave our yard.

He talks alot. The kids have named him Spice.