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Whale Carcass Washes Ashore – A Spontaneous Field Trip

September 23, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

This morning, after having had an extended weekend away, we were planning a regular school day today, with getting some our book lessons done. That is, until we woke up to helicopters, circling around and around, near our house. So my husband turned on the tv to find out what might be going on, and low and behold, there was a whale carcass washed ashore on our beach nearby. Time for a spontaneous field trip! THIS is the beauty of homeschooling!

So the kids ate breakfast, washed up and got dressed as fast as they could, and we all headed out in search of the whale. After a driving down a few side-roads that had public access ways, and checking the shore there, we finally found the spot. Except the only way down was very steep, very sandy and rocky cliff. But if you know us…..we went for it. We all made it down safely, as I wondered out loud, repeatedly, how we’d ever make it back up! But we’d figure that out later I guess. We had a dead whale to study. : )

Though it didn’t seem to be a full grown adult, it was rather impressive, nonetheless. (And seemed huge to our little kids.) It was so interesting to see all of it’s parts, up close and in person. as a whole, it was not pretty by any means!! Not anymore, anyway. Part of it was really decomposing, as it seemed to have been dead awhile, and just finally got washed ashore.

This side (photo below), was the worst. It was barely recognizable as a whale at all. And in standing on the other side, where the breeze came on off-water, the smell was intolerable. UGH! But it was this side that you could see the bones of the jaw, on the far right, as well as the eye socket. So it was fascinating, visually.

The kids enjoyed walking around it, checking it out, asking questions and stepping on it’s tail. LOL. Naturally, I was taking photos, and thinking about blogging with such yucky, yet interesting photos, about our unexpected experience. Below at this angle you can see the upper jaw bones even better, on the far left this time.

As we were looking at it, yet another couple of helicopters were flying around over head. Other people began to arrive too, and some guessed we were homeschoolers.

Once we had our fill of fascination and disgust, we decided to figure out which one of the many sets of beach access stairs, that climbed the cliff-side, were public. As we made our way down the beach, we came across a scattered intestines of the whale, here and there, that had washed up separately. (Yuck.) Once up the cliff and on our way up the road, back to our van, we saw the environmental police showing up. Marine biologists had already been there, in the earlier morning hours.

When we got home, we did some research and determined that it was a humpback whale. Later TV news reports throughout the day confirmed that. It’s not yet determined if this whale died of natural causes, or by accident due to being bumped by a ship, or caught up in fishing nets. It seems they plan to retrieve the the skeleton of the whale for museum display, and either bury the flesh, or drag it back out to sea.

It was yet another homeschooling adventure our kids were able to witness! They talked about it the rest of the day, and the little ones colored pictures of whales and other sea creatures, and recreated the scene with imaginary play. After we got all of our book lessons done of course.

Weekend in NH

September 23, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

dragonfly

This past weekend we headed up to NH for a few days, to have a visit with the kids paternal grandparents. They have a park model at a lake resort, in a beautiful wooded area.

The kids had a lot of fun just hanging around at the camp during the day, taking walks, feeding the fish at the stocked pond nearby (no fishing allowed), and just enjoying the great outdoors. We had campfires every night, which are always special to us, and the kids fell deep asleep at night, (after fighting the sleep too long), in their cozy sleeping bags their grandparents surprised them with for their birthday, when we arrived.

The food is always good when Grandma is in the kitchen, so we all enjoyed the meals! But probably the highlight of the weekend was when Grandma and Grandpa took us to a trout hatchery fairly near-by, for the kids to do some fishing in the stocked pond there. It was loaded with rainbow trout, and you could see every one in the clear water. Seriously, the kids would no sooner cast, and they would get a hit, and would see the fish bite their bait. lol. It was mostly the smaller, more ignorant trout that bit, but pretty good sized no less. The catch was (no pun intended), you had to keep what you caught. No catch-and-release there. The kids were catching them one after another, with {O} bringing in the most. Then we found out the cost per trout was $5! Good thing it was Grandma and Grandpa’s treat!! We are guessing that any patience the kids had developed about waiting for fish to bite, in the course of their many, many fishing trips since early spring, are likely undone after this experience!

So, in the end the kids caught their own dinner that day!! Some of the fish were given to some other family we had a nice visit with when we got back to camp. But the rest was cleaned, coated and fried over an outdoor grill, and eaten for dinner. The little kids really liked it!

The whole fishing experience was quite educational with the little kids though. One of them, who is known to have ordered baked scrod in restaurants more than once, was a little bit bothered by seeing what was being done to ‘God’s creations’, having seen for the first time the process how fish become food, for us. This prompted a great discussion, or two, about the Biblical fact that God put the animals on earth to help sustain mankind, and to help balance all of the rest of his creation, in some amazing cycles of life.

It was a great family weekend together, for all of us. With the kids grandparents living quite far away year round, they don’t see them often enough. The memories that were created for the kids this weekend, having spent such extended quality time with their grandparents these few days, we know will always be remembered by them. The events will be brought up between them in those “Remember when…?” stories for many years to come. And no doubt told to their own children.

Bet you’re wondering where all of the photos are, huh?? Believe it or not, all I took was several shots of the dragonfly above, that just kept returning next to my side, out on the dock at the lake. So that’s about all I have to share.

Thanks for dropping by!

Paper Creations

September 18, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

paper-bird-creations

The kids had some fun making paper creations, inspired by an idea they saw in a magazine we get. I’m guessing many, many families get the Family Fun Magazine. We do too, and it’s always an exciting day when an issue shows up in our mailbox. I love how I can leave it around for the kids to pick up and read or flip through, without worry of what is lurking in the pages that they may come across. And they get right into it. Usually, the only influence that comes from the pages are inspiration and eagerness to try some new craft, with plans to put their own creative style into it, or some crazy snack, intending to re-invent the recipe and make it even healthier, or safer in our case, if it has peanuts or peanut butter. More times than not, it kicks my kids crafty-side into high gear. They LOVE to plan projects, parties, menus….you name it. I love that they have so much time to invest in creating, and planning, at their free- will!

I recall this past Sunday, as we we all climbing into the van after picking up some lumber (and {A’s} snake, unbeknownst to us, was breaking free at home), the kids were discussing how now they wanted to go here or there. But {J} piped in….”Not me! I just want to go home so I can make my bird!” Home, is where we did go. {J} wasted no time throwing off his shoes and getting RIGHT to work, gathering together most of the materials he needed, and following the directions on page 143 very carefully. “I need that thing of paper clips in the laundry room” he shouted through the house, over and over. He didn’t even much care when we all realized the snake was on the loose…somewhere in our home.

The great thing is….once his cool bird was done, {S} and {O} also wanted to make some. Soon they got busy too, and it was a project we helped them finish on Monday morning, before school, no less. The birds were quite a fancy flock when they were done. Some even had nests to settle into!

paper-birds

I’d have liked all of these paper bird creations to stay and sit so pretty on my windowsill in the sunroom, as they are at the very beginning of this post. But of course they didn’t….for even a 1/2 hour. I have seen them flying through the room, in the little hand of an upstretched little arm. I have seen them perched on the school counters, watching us do our school work. I have seen them all over the place, and not always necessarily where they should be.

{A} was apparently inspired from the same issue, too, days before, and had been crafting in her room. She emerged from her room with a pretty little handful of the Technicolor Acorns, with plans, she said, to make LOTS more. They are just SO cute! They’re a perfect addition to our seasonal altar table this Autumn.

paper acorns craft

She also made these fancy paper stars, which will also end up being some special touch to something or other.

paper-stars-craft

Years ago, I used to think “Well why would we make that? What will we do with it after? It’ll just be more stuff around”. But now, it’s that very kind of stuff around, here and there, that puts the smiles in my heart. Because my children found a desire within themselves, to create it. They put their heart and soul into it. I see these things that were made with their imaginative minds, and marker covered, glue-sticky little hands, and I have flash-backs in my mind for days, of seeing them create them….with their tongue sticking out as the try so hard to cut on the lines….or asking for “just one more piece of paper, please” because they messed up and want to start again. It’s their undeniable need to create, and their determination to make their masterpiece just the way they want it, that makes these things so valuable in the end. And trust me….they truly treasure what they work hard at making. At least for a good little while. These little creations, whatever they may be, are part of their days, for many days. The pride they carry at having made this or that, themselves, is priceless. So now, when I see the scraps of paper all over the floor under the table, or the paint that got ON the table, once again, I just have to take it in with appreciation for a moment. After all, it’s evidence that creativity was hard at work, once again, in our home. And THEN I tell them to come clean it up : )

While they are still enjoying the September issue of Family Fun, I have confiscated the October issue that just came in the mail. Not only do I think it may, possibly need a little pre-approval this Halloween month, but I am hoping for some inspiration myself, before the pages are tattered and worn, and marked with post-it notes, inspiring little people once again.

Tea Time for Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day

September 15, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

Today is Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day, so I’m be sharing a little special something I did with the kids, to learn a bit about it, and acknowledge it. Over the weekend, we decided to look around in The Christmas Tree Shops. If you don’t have one of those near you, I feel bad for you. It’s such a great, affordable place, and I always come out with more than I planned on getting. So I try not to go in often. : ) But this time we all went in – and being the season to sell autumn decorations and goods, I had to control myself with every turn. However…..we did let the kids each choose a mini loaf ceramic pan, with the intention of letting them bake some mini loaves on Sunday.

Sunday got away in terms of baking. So then it got pushed to Monday…which is today. This morning, somehow we went way off track of our usual school morning routine. We got into helping the kids put finishing touches on some paper crafts they had started yesterday ( I’ll be blogging about that soon), and then we had to clean up the mess made in a flurry of creativity. By the time we were done, we realized we really needed to get the kids to their schoolwork, so we decided to move family devotion to the afternoon (usually done first in the day). Since we were going to do that, and it was the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, we decided to whip up some Quick Bread first and let the mini loaves bake while we did our school work, and plan on having an afternoon ‘tea’ together, and discuss the Feast Day, after school and lunch.

Boy did the house smell good while school work was getting done. Banana bread – one of our favorites. Soon the timer went off, and it was time for them to come out of the oven and cool for a bit.

The kids we so excited to have their own loaf (not to be eaten ALL at once) that they ate lunch a bit faster.

So we gathered in the sun room for Devotion, and discussion of the Feast Day while having a ‘tea’. We have had a ‘tea’ time a time or 2 before, but it was hot cocoa or something for them in the past. We just called it tea, for the sake of a tea time. But this time they tried some real tea. It was apple cinnamon decaf, and the little ones were pretty excited to try it – even though {A} tried to let them know they may not care for it, since she had tried it before. But she too was willing to try it again. Turns out, she still didn’t like it, 2 others didn’t think they did either. and the last thought it was ‘ok he guessed’. They sipped here and there as we chatted about the Blessed Mother, but not quite like they do hot cocoa. Their own little banana bread loaves, however, they were really enjoying.

For our discussion, first, we asked the kids how many times they could think of off the top of their head, when Mary, the mother of Jesus, might have experienced deep sorrow. Naturally, they all guessed his crucifixion, and death on the cross. {A} also named the time when Mary searched for three days in Jerusalem for her son, who was missing, and later found Him in the temple, teaching. Once they were done throwing out their thoughts, we taught them the 7 times Mary experienced great suffering in her life. We talked quite a bit about it, and how hard many of those times must have been. We can only try and imagine. (And as a mother, I don’t even want to. But I must, to truly begin to appreciate her sacrifice, and reasoning for it.)

It was a lovely tea time, even if the tea itself wasn’t the hit they hoped. There will be others, no doubt. Probably many in the coming cold season. We just leave the table with a warmer feeling inside. Perhaps it’s the tea. Perhaps it’s feeling a bit more in touch with our faith than when we sat. Or maybe it’s just the time together. In any case, we find tea time is good for the soul.

On a somewhat unrelated note, we might mention how Sunday ‘got away’. At some point, either while we were at mass, or picking up lumber at Home Depot, our little friend ‘Webington Ringaling’ broke free in the house…and we still haven’t found him.

Paintin’ Seashells and Movin’ Dirt!

September 13, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

Yesterday was a typical September Friday, here on the farm. Ok, we really don’t live on a farm, but I like to pretend we do. : )

After all of our school work was done, the kids really wanted to paint some of the oodles of seashells and treasures they collected on a long seashore excursion they had gone on the day before. We just love these September days…working in new school books, and spending many hours of our free time outdoors, exploring, imaging, learning and creating, (sometimes working) where the unbearable heat is now just a memory, and we can sense those beautiful Autumn days coming down the road.

The deck table seemed like the best place for the kids to get to work painting their seashells. The long and cold winter days are closer than we like to think too, and we’ll have plenty of projects to do gathered around our family table indoors, when those days are here! So for now, we prefer to take advantage of nice weather, drawing in deep breathes of the fresh clean air, with every stroke of the brush.

They get so immersed in their work, their little serious expressions always catch my attention. And it’s QUIET!

After a half day of work, Daddy got to a home project of his own ‘up in the mountains’, as our kids call them. What they really are, are huge mounds of dirt, as the aftermath left from our home construction. As the excavator dug out the earth for more house, it got dumped right up there….in where we used to call ‘up in the woods’. (Not very deep woods, mind you. lol). The dirt piles, right outside of our school windows which we spend some of our school time peering and glancing out of, have nonetheless served us much enjoyment. With our bird feeders out there, we have watched so many species of birds come and go, studying their habits and markings, not to mention the critters of the furrier kind, and their antics. But our goal is to turn the ‘mountains’ into an upper yard, with part of it also serving as a more charming bird sanctuary.

So, Michael had begun moving a little dirt on another day, but not really having a firm plan of exactly what or how he wanted to do it. Meanwhile, the kids had been begging to go up and help. So yesterday, the whole idea of what needed to be done gelled in his head, and he got to work. This time when the all of kids asked to help, he said ‘sure!’. Of course, he didn’t expect them to really be much help, or last very long. After all, it’s hard work, lifting and throwing shovel-fulls of dirt! Especially if you’re 6 years old, and less than 4 feet tall!

Here’s the big pic of what is being worked on. I believe Michael will build one more retainer wall at the top. It’s all going to be LOVELY when we finish bringing to reality the visions in our head. We love projects like this!

They worked really hard, and as time passed, collectively, were really ‘moving mountains’!! Goes to show you what a little team work can do!! What’s better, is that this is their idea of FUN!!! I admit…I was in the house working, because I had to. But I couldn’t help sneaking out quite regularly, just to watch their persistence, and to take photos of course.

While they all worked very hard, we need to give props to our little girl. While the other kids took breaks, alternating digging with playing, running and climbing elsewhere, {O} kept on working. She was ‘loving it’, as they say. With the exception of a lunch break, this little half-pint dug in and threw dirt for 4 hours straight!

And was still smiling…….

After clean-up and dinner prepping, we had a nice meal of fresh vegetable stir fry pockets, with cheese of course. But the kids did not let me forget that it was ‘Friday night’!! They have had these new big new glow sticks that friends of ours gave them, and they have been wanting to play with them at night. But really, having time to play would require them staying up late. So I had told them they had to wait until Friday night. Thankfully, once I gave that answer, they didn’t ask again. They just counted down the days and discussed their excitement amongst themselves. So the night had finally come, an when I told them they had to pick up their toys, and be in pajamas and all washed up first, the agenda got done faster than usual. ; )

And so they played, and like with everything they do, their faith was not forgotten……

Shane’s ‘Jesus Fish’….

3 little angels, …..pretending, we think. lol

Soon it was really time for bed. They put up less resistance than usual, and as they lied in bed, they didn’t sing as many songs together as they usually do, as they drift off to sleep. I guess they were pretty tired, and there is no wonder why!! After all….they moved mountains that day.

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