Middle Son's Project

My middle son is the outdoors sort of guy.  He loves being outside and doing outside things.  He has been wanting chickens for a while and hubby finally gave him permission to have his own animals.  Not that we are against animals but time is very limited and although some animals require lots of time these don't.  What am I talking about?  Chickens and rabbits. 

He chopped off a limb that was in the way of the shed he will be using.  He is muscle man at work with the ax I went and bought him.  He is starting to slowly gather his own collection of tools.  Since we have a few acres out back that we never use except to have it grow and have someone come cut it for hay we figured now would be a perfect time to be out there because the grass has not started to grow yet. 

The chain link fence back there is the neighbors property.  They had chickens, goats and a donkey out there but they are MIA.  I don't know what happened to them.  Maybe they got tired of them.  Anyway, this is the shed he will be using. 

This shed was on our property when we bought it over 10yrs ago.  We never went back there for anything till today.  We cleaned it out.  If you click on the picture you can see it up close and there is rotting wood in there that will need to be replaced.  Hubby is thinking with a hundred dollars it will be good as new.  hehehe  I think not but ok.  The enclosed part will be the chicken coop and he is going to add an outside fenced area for them in front of the enclosed side.  The open side will be for the rabbits.  


Right now there is lots of clean up work going on.  We have a pile of limbs and old rotting wood that needs to be burned.  Hhhmmmm, wonder if we still have a burn ban?  I'll post regular updates on the progress so come back and check it out. 

It was a Whooper of a Day!

It was Saturday morning on our weekly drive to Rockport for our class over there and we saw something we didn't expect on the side of the road.  There was a big huge bird feeder.  I'm calling it a bird feeder because of the birds we saw feeding under it. We had been on the lookout for whooping cranes and that is what we saw.  They were eating the feed that wasn't intended for them but I am glad they were.  We turned the van around and went to watch for a little bit.  There were others there observing also.   

They are actually really big.  We looked it up and males about 5ft tall with a wingspan of up to 7.5ft.  Came you imagine that?  We were very far away but I always carry my extra big zoom lens so I got some pretty good pictures.  The whooping cranes winter in our area.  We were very excited to see them.  They are endangered and only around 300 birds are in North America.  They are really beautiful birds.     

Nature Winter Challenge 1

We finished our first Winter Challenge.  Although I wouldn't call our weather winter but that is besides the point.  My little one and myself went for a walk outside the house.  We live in the country and on a dead end road so we don't have much traffic.  It's very relaxing to just go for a walk.  We did our Winter Wonder page first.  We talked a little and then told him to be very quiet and listen and had him tell me what he heard. 

It's cute to see what he wants to do.  The first is a stick house.  All three of his things to do this winter are perfect boy things to do and we have enough land for him to have hid outs. 


He also did the Winter Weather Walk page.  I love his drawing.  He said it was a house with wind and snow.  My boys love snow and we don't get much or any at all.  This year we will not see any. 

The last page was cute too.  He had a fit though because he couldn't draw the leaf we found.  He drew and erased and came to me and said I can't draw this leaf.  So I helped him out and showed him that I don't know how to draw well either but after we finished with my pep talk and my drawing he noticed it wasn't that hard after all.  So maybe next time he will want to draw more.

I want to get him also to add more color to his pages but I started him out slow and not adding a lot.  I'm glad that everything is all prepared for us to do.  Just go out and have fun.  Thanks Barb for making this available for us.  We are having fun and starting on our next challenge.  Haven't seen any chickadees around here so let's see which bird we decide to do.   

I haven't decided how to bind these pages so I'll just hold on to them till I decide if I want to spiral bind it. 

Fun Project

After our regular school work my baby got a fun project to do.  I had gotten this a long time ago but had it away for the right time.  Actually, I will not lie...I forgot about it.  Yesterday I started cleaning out and throwing away and there it was.  Now my son has something fun to do.   

 It came with sandpaper to sand the edges and make them smooth. 

There he is with one piece of the project in his Mario pj's.  This is his new desk and his area for school.  That is actually an old desk but it's new to him. 

 Here is the project.  It is supposed to be a car.  How cool is that.  I found it at the dollar store.  He is enjoying it so I think I will need to find him more of these sorts of projects. 

Boys!

I came into the kitchen today and guess what I found waiting for me?  hahaha  Every time I remember I have to giggle.

Nature Study

Check this Youtube video out.  Looks like fun, right?

I have decided to join in on these nature studies.  Let's see how this goes.  We decided to use More Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Book 2.

  

Everything is explained in Barb's e-book.  There are 10 lessons and my boys will definitely want to do the magnet and the sheep lessons.  Of course the bird, tree, quartz, pansy, moon, winter weed and winter insect will be fun too.  

I like the fact that this e-book was made with children of all ages to enjoy so my young one and my high schooler will be doing this.  There are coloring pages which I love to do and my little one will get into it if he sees me doing it.  

Can't wait to get started.  Now who has sheep we can visit during this study?  Hhhmmmm??

Class with a little bit of Nature

After our ASL class today we make a little stop by a beach area.  We were happy to see these beauties.  The American White Pelican.  Isn't it beautiful!

 There were several on the rocks.  I'm sure the rocks looked nicer before they made their stop there.  Yuck!!  Of course, I didn't notice that until I uploaded the pictures onto the computer.  You can see so much when you put a picture on the computer.   

  There is a Brown Pelican in the water. 

They come by this area during the winter even though our winter has been very mild so far.  Today it was 77degrees.  Not only was it warm but the fog was crazy.  There was fog in one area and not in the other.    Do you see the Great Blue Heron?   

It was a nice treat to our day of learning.  We are done with week 8 of ASL class.  Maybe I can get the guys to take me for some more fun and nature observations. 

Learning ASL

 We just finished week 6 of our ASL classes.  We have learned so much already.  Here I am doing a few signs in front of our group. 

These are actually different games we do and others guess what we are doing.  We learn very fast this way.  This is me signing soup.  

 Here I am getting ready to sign fork.  We were learning food this week and it was hard when we were getting close to lunch time and we were all hungry by then and then try to sign hamburger. 

 

So that is some of what we are doing.  Our classes are every Saturday morning from now till April.  We are very busy going to classes and practicing at home.  Of course, all this learning is much more easier for the boys.  It's our adult brains that take longer to remember some.  

My oldest son and I are interpreting right now at our hall.  It is very exciting but nerve wracking at the same time.  Lots of learning going on right.      

In need of Nature

We have been away for a long time.  Yes, I know, a very long time.  We are still here but using our time wisely and trying to do as much as we can as often as we can.  So this week after going into town everyday and Thursday being our day to stay at home I promised the two youngest that we could go to the park to feed the ducks.  The oldest stayed home to do his online college course.  It was Dec. 15th and yes the boys are wearing short sleeve shirts and only wearing pants because I told them to just in case the ducks got a little to close. You just never know. 

 The ducks came around and ate.  We noticed at our duck pond for some reason there is a huge gathering of black vultures.  Nasty birds! I mean they serve a purpose and it's to eat roadkill but just the thought of them being at the duck pond where young ones always go was not a good thing. 

So as we were leaving the duck pond I took this next picture.  Isn't it a beautiful gazebo?  Oh and the trees were all changing colors. It's about time with it being the middle of December.

 

 Then we drove to another spot to do something that in our area lots of older people do and that is to pick pecans.  Our park has tons of pecan trees and usually you see the older ones picking up the pecans but that day we went.  The little one loved it. 

 I guess you can say it was a combination of nature study and PE time.  When we were ready to get going to another spot they would take off the the van.  I loved this picture. 

 Now the little one wants to know when I'm making that pecan pie I kept talking about. Guess I better get to cracking those pecans open.  I foresee a baking lesson coming.  My little chef loves to bake.  Although he wants to go pick more pecans so we'll see.  Maybe next time I'll take pictures of the trees.  It was amazing to see the colors changing.  Nothing like that in town but only at the park.   


So there you have it.  We are still alive and doing school but in a more relaxed way. 

Yes, you make me feel like dancing....

What has me in such a mood?  Well, life at the moment does.  As I look back on our school year I see that we have done a lot even though I thought it was not much.  We have kept up with our nature studies.  We are always on the lookout for a new bird, plant, animal anything nature.  We had some fun nights using the Crayola glow in the dark chalk.  

 

Even though some are camera shy we have fun in our venture of helping those that are deaf. 

 It was a cold day and we are still out helping the deaf. This was a cold, windy day and yes, I have two glasses on my head.  One for the sun and one to read.  No fun getting old.  Oh well....

 

We are learning a new language as a family.  American Sign Language is a beautiful language and it's right up my alley.  Didn't you know I like to act up?  ASL is perfect for acting and performing.   

We also had  "farm boy" out with us one day and I happened to find a wheat field.  So "farm boy" gets out to show my middle son the wheat.  Son and "farm boy" got some left over wheat from the side of the road and got the seeds out.  

So yes I feel like dancing at all we have learned this past year.  There is so much more I haven't posted but this is a sneak peak at some of our fun.  

The Soap Lady

A friend of ours makes soaps as their business.  Homeschool families are so creative.  I love the Almond Oatmeal soap.  My order is in and getting it Sunday since that is the only day we will see each other for some time. 

Pool Time again

It's pool time again.  The boys are enjoying trying to get the highest jumps they can.  Not much else to do outdoors when its hot and muggy out there.   

I passed by a home in town and just can't get over how long this small area has lasted.  I still see those poppy flowers out there.  Reminds me of my trip to California and friends.

 

We have also had so many bunnies outside.  It's crazy.  We hadn't seen so many in forever.  I think it's the drought that has them coming closer to home and eating what little bits of our grass we have left.  My youngest loves going out there to see how close he can get to them.  Not much closer than that before they speed away.

 

By the way our berries are all gone because of the heat and bunnies.  We did enjoy our berry cobblers though.  

Our lives are still full of things to do.  We still have lots going on in our volunteer service.  Our ASL is going great.  We all keep learning more and more.  We can carry on a conversation with the deaf friends we have.  

There is my little update for now.   

Hummers

I was reading a blog about hummingbirds and I am so glad they are back at my home too.  I love to see all my hummingbirds come to our feeders. 

We had 6 Ruby Throated Hummingbirds out there fighting for the feeders.  It was amazing to see them fly around and come so close to hitting me and my camera. 

Here you can see one ready to land on the feeder and you can see his red throat.  How amazing!

We (girls day out) took a little trip to a friends house way out somewhere between No and Where.  They had a beautiful yard with tons of hummingbirds fighting there too.  This is the first time to see a Buff-bellied Hummingbird.  The white tip on the beak is actually its tongue. 

We were told they actually have around six different varieties of hummingbirds come around their home.  I'd love to be there for that.  These Buff-bellied hummers are fierce little guys.  They would not let the Ruby Throated hummers near the feeders.  


Our feeders are still hanging in front of a window at our home and my little one loves to watch them fly around and often will call me to come see.  If only we had several different kinds stop by...oh well, we are happy to see what we have.   

Bird Day

We were out in the ministry and had to stop to take pictures.  These birds were making their homes under an overpass.  They are Cliff Swallows.  I just love their colors.  If you look at both pictures you can see some with nests all done and some that are working on theirs.  It was amazing to see them fly all around.  Yes, I made hubby stop on the side of the road and we watched for a bit.  It's a country road so there was not much traffic. 

 

We also saw a Blue Jay.  I love the colors on him.  They are so beautiful.  I still remember seeing a Steller's Jay on a trip a long time ago to California and I also got to see a Mexican Jay on last years vacation.  My iBird PRO app on my ipod says that a Mexican Jays range is mostly in Mexico but I saw him in Texas.  

That was our nature observation for this week.  I am wanting to go back and take more pictures of those Cliff Swallows.  They are beautiful. 

It's Berry Picking Time Again

 

While hubby was working on dinner the boys and myself went outside to look for and pick some berries.  We got a big batch and I decided to make a cobbler.  It was soooo yummy.  As you can see on the bottom picture it was almost gone.  

It's amazing to just be able to walk out your door and look for them and pick them and voila you have a cobbler out of fresh fruit.  These berries grow wild on our land around our trees and I let them grow there.  The only bad thing is that they are very thorny.  Ouch!!  The results were good though.   

It's all gone now though.  Every last bit of it is gone.  It was a fun nature, outdoor, cousin bonding time.  Yes, their cousins were over and they enjoyed the cobbler too.