GBBC 2013 Bird Lovers

Red Tailed Hawk

THE Great Back Yard Bird Count (GBBC) Is Back and bigger than ever. It has gone global. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about the Audbone Socity has teemed up with the Corneal Lab of Ornotholgy to do a bird study that is now world wide.

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

We did our first bird count in 2003 when Alex was 5, sitting on the kitchen counter (my birdfeeder was right outside that window then) eating cheese sandwiches.  I thought it was going to be hard counting and entering in the data on-line.  But it was easy and so much fun. 





                                                                     Male Eastern Bluebirds



In all the years we have been doing the count I have yet to purchase a field guide.  I found I could get far more information than I could afford, by just going to my library and taking home 4 or 5 different field guides, and spend my money on more bird feed.

 

My Christmas gift to the birds

 This wound up being a great way to have fun, do some nature science and enjoy the lovely winged creatures we share our home with. I know this sounds and looks like an infomertian but there is no way I can earn off something that is free.  We just enjoy it so much I have to share this every year. 

Click on Owl to go to the GBBC



How To Stash All The Decorations

Well its time to make the seasonal change once again in the school room...we are saying goodbye for now to the winter tissue paper scene, wax paper folded stars and all the cut snowflakes.  But they all are in great condition and we can get a few more years out of them.
I have tried several ways to store them but nothing works as well as laying them between my mattresses.  Its dark so they don't fade, its flat and the weight of the mattress presses them out looking nice and crisp for next year.  I also keep all my poster board there as well.

As for my mobiles they get hung on a hanger, with a trash bag tied over them and put in the front coat closet where no one go's.  

The rest of the gnomes, fairy's and such get put in plastic bags (I use old bread bags and such) then into a bin in the bottom of the coat closet.  This keeps everything near by and handy and out of a damp basement.

Ant Farm On The Cheap

We are doing a little science project that should be a whole lotta fun...ANT FARM!

But when I went online to order my mouth dropped open and all the cash in my wallet started to disinigrate!
First stop: Carolina
Ant farm kit: With ants, poster, booklet and plastic farm thingy was $26.95 OK not too bad.
Freight and Handleing: $19.95
Tax: $3.28
This put my total at $50.18! OMG for a plastic ant farm are they crazy!

OK, being a frugal Mom I started shopping around.
Next Stop: Uncle Miltons
Plastic farm thingy: $14.99 that's much better
The ants were separate: $6.00
Still around $20.
Then the shipping and handling was $15.00
There went my total to $35.99
Still allot for some ants and a plastic container.

I knew I could still do better, and I remembered that Hobby Lobby carries science kits and had a 40% off coupon I could print off.

Armed with my coupon I bought the Uncle Miltons farm for $9.00 (original price)
When I got home and opened the box I found a coupon code inside for the ants from the same Uncle Miltons I went to earlier.  All I had to pay was the $5.00 shipping charge.

In total I paid $14.00  CHA CHING!
 

Hiking With Trinity

Of course Since Alex and I had our Hike Trinity and I needed one too.

She is such a cutie...we hug her allot, she gets mad at Alex for it but really can you blame him.
Little bit of belly showing, trying to stretch the summer clothes.

Trinity's keen eye spotted two dear...can you see them?

She did 3.5 Miles...way to go Trin!

Buzzy Bumble bee Tutorial

These little guys are fun and easy to make...perfect if you have a limb in your Waldorf or natural Home school room. Or just because you like fuzzy little bees.

Materials:

Stripy Pipe Cleaners

Wax Paper

String to Hang them by

Scissors

Cut the pipe cleaners about 1.5 inches long.

Cut a piece of wax paper about 1 inch wide and 1.5 inches long.

Fold the wax paper accordion style and trim ends in a curve.

Fold the pipe cleaner in half with the wax paper at the bend.

Fold pipe cleaner in half.

Fluff up wings.

Add a string to hand it with.

Walla!

It took maybe 20 minutes to make these...that's with looking out the window at the bird feeder. And sipping my ice tea. And taking photos.

Just buzzing around

I know you really can't see my bees in this photo...I wish the lighting were better. But its been overcast here forever and I just had to take the photos. The little black dots are bees, with a few cloud babies and fairy's hanging about.

Fablehaven Book 1

Road trip Entertainment was needed when my family discovered Fablehaven on CD. E.B. Stevens performance and the gripping story line made for a very interesting and fun trip. We were hooked, we had to know did Kendra quit being a tattle tale, will Seth ever stop braking the rules, will Grandma Sorenson forgive Grandpa for eating her eggs when she was a chicken, and will the Society of the Evening Star open the demon prison and release the horrors within.

Fablehaven Book 1
Kendra and her brother, Seth find themselves staying with an eccentric Grandparent, during the Summer. They have no idea his home is a hidden refuge for mystical creatures call Fablehaven and that Grandpa Sorenson is the caretaker and Grandma Sorenson is a Chicken. Soon after they discover that Fablehaven is a mystical preserve Kendra and Seth become its rescuers.

As we listen to the Series I will share them with you as well and where to find them on Amazon.

Hanging Around our Waldorf Home School

I have been working on our Waldorf Home School...one of my favorite things to do...so I wanted to share some of the things I have made...that are inspring us as they hang around

Stained glass tissue paper window rose window

rainbow bird mobile

Yellow folded paper star

Willow tissue paper leaves with Cloud Babies

Rainbow folded paper star