Life in the Undergrowth

Two recent documentaries we have watched recently are Life in the Undergrowth with David Attenborough, (just disc one so far) and Microcosmos. Microcosmos is now one of Olivia's favorite movies, and she says we definitely need to buy both of them. She is so fascinated by bugs, and I must say, these documentaries do make them seem less intimidating and much more interesting and beautiful.

They still like to catch grasshoppers and keep them for the day, letting them go in the evening. They have talked about the differences in the types they find, and they have been able to watch them grow from nymphs at the beginning of summer, to the adults with wings they are catching now.

Fireflies in the Skies

It's firefly catching time! Today we got a book from the library about fireflies and read it as we waited for the sun to go down. Then we headed outside with our bug nets and bug barns. The girls only caught a couple each before the the mosquitoes started bothering us. We had fun looking at the blinking bunch before setting them free and hanging up our nets until next time.

Here are some sites on fireflies we want to check out tomorrow.

http://www.firefly.org/
http://iris.biosci.ohio-state.edu/projects/FFiles/
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/firefly.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/insects/beetles/Fireflyprintout.shtml
http://www.backyardnature.net/lightbug.htm
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20060614/Feature1.asp

The Boston Museum of Science is asking for volunteers to sign up for Firefly Watch. You can learn more about this citizen scientist opportunity here. They also have a lot of information about fireflies and help in identifying them.

Garden Fresh

We have been busy making goodies from the garden fresh produce given to us by family and friends, or from what we find at the farmers' markets. Today we made salsa and blueberry jam.

We used Vidalia onions, a peach, and some chili peppers in the salsa. Something is missing...I think I'm going to try adding some more of the peppers tomorrow. But it's not bad.

The girls loved making the jam, and the taste test was great, too!

The extra will go in the freezer...but they may not stay there long!

Musical Auditions

Georgia tried out for the musical, but unfortunately she wasn't cast this time around. She had a lot of fun, though, and definitely wants to try out for more. I am so very proud of her. She is such a confident and resilient girl, so outgoing and willing to try new things. In the picture above, Georgia is singing in front of a bunch of people. (there were 79 kids that tried out) We are all looking forward to going to see the show on Saturday.

Snozzcumbers, Frobscottle, Whizzpoppers, oh my!

We have been reading some Roald Dahl books aloud in the evenings together.

Our first book, The Twits, is now one of Olivia's favorites. She loved hearing of the tricks and pranks that were being played. When she stands on her head she says she is Mugglewump...and I tell her she better be careful she doesn't get the shrinks!!

The book we are reading now is The BFG. We've read past the Whizpzoppers chapter...boy, the girls loved that one!!!

Creative Summer

The girls have been going to the drama workshop each week. They have a lot of fun at them and it really is a great program to help kids build confidence and break out of their shell. I managed to take a couple pictures just before the class was ending. Coincidently it was when they were playing a game called family photo. The kids were to pretend they were getting their picture taken and had to act out what emotion or action was suggested. The first photo was when the kids were to make a funny face photo. The second picture shows the kids pretending to sneeze for the picture. Other ones I heard them do were angry and bored.

The girls also went to the last Creative Kids Club meeting at the library. They made guitars out of shoe boxes, paint stirrers, popscicle sticks, glue, tape, and buttons. Oh yeah...rubber bands, too. After they made their's, the girls got up on the stage and put on a concert for the rest of the kids and their parents. They're not shy. There was singing involved, too!

Olivia went to the Build & Grow workshop at Lowe's while Georgia was at a nature class about creek studies. Unfortunately for Georgia, it rained most of the time and her class was only able to be outside for a short while. No wading in the creek that class...they learned about creek life from inside the nature center.

The Build & Grow project that week was building a treasure chest. It has a lock on the outside and a false bottom in the inside, too. Olivia made hers at Lowe's and we were able to bring a kit home for Georgia to do after her class. It was the hardest one we had to do so far. A lot of the kids were putting the wrong parts on, even with adult helpers. Georgia did not want any help...she wanted to figure it out herself. And she did great!

Yesterday we went to another Build & Grow but they did not have the kits for the kids! They passed out a seed planting kit instead. Instead of just leaving, the girls and I decided to walk around the store a while. We had fun looking at everything.

They have had the clay out a few times. Georgia has been making a bunch of animals. I only have a picture of her penguin. I'll have to take some pictures of the other ones she's made.