Frosty?

Frosty or try-outs for the new Tim Burton movie?

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a great Thanksgiving at my dad's house. The company and the food were all great. It was cold here too, so it helped put us all in the spirit.
The kids made a beautiful "thankful tree" and everyone wrote something they were thankful for on a paper leaf and they hung it on the tree. We were thankful for our family and health and friends....but Emerson was thankful for watching tv.

(there are brown and green leaves...and the tree is just a small branch from our yard...now the kids will put the leaves in their journals....our camera is in the shop so this image is from the video recorder)

Feliz Slobby Dog!

Annie and Emerson were taking turns requesting their favorite holiday tunes today. When I asked Emerson what song he wanted to hear he said, "Feliz Slobby Dog!"

Raptors Rule! Owls on the Prowl

Friday we spent the evening at the Lady Bird Johnson Wild Flower Center learning about our favorite nocturnal bird of prey -- The OWL!

We had a great time seeing some taxidermy owls, coloring owl pictures, dissecting owl pellets and seeing a live (in the dark of the night) owl show with Master Falconer John Karger of Last Chance Forever: The Bird of Prey Conservancy. We met an Eurasian Eagle Owl (check out his bright orange eyes) , a Barn Owl, a Great Horned Owl, a Barred Owl, and an Eastern Screech Owl. All of the owls spoke to us. It was super cool hearing their different calls. I've learned that that creature I hear every night in my back yard is an Eastern Screech Owl (click on sound). We also got to see a Broad Winged Hawk , a Red Tailed Hawk, and a majestic Bald Eagle.

Annie was absolutely enthralled! (mommy too)

We dissected some of our owl pellets there but we decided to bring it home and finish it up on Saturday morning. They found a complete skull of a rat and a small bird! As well as some ribs, vertebra, rat feet, and lots of other lovely goodies!

She keeps telling me that she can't stop thinking about the Cool Owls!

Dissecting Owl Pellets

Yes, this is a rat skull!!

Indians Are Not Harmful

We've been learning about Native American Indians. We've made Corn Husk Dolls, a tomahawk, Indian head dresses, bows and arrows, learned about hunting, arrow heads, Indian dance and music, made Indian costumes, played Indian flutes, went inside a Tepee, went to museums to see the Indian exhibits in NY and TX (The RMSC has the best Native American exhibit...it is exactly how I remember it). We've been listening to Indian music.
Annie took a home school class called Native Days Native Ways where she went on a long nature walk and learned about edible and medicinal plants, danced and sang to traditional rhythms while learning about the Plains Indians culture and home life. She even played Indian skill games like the children in the tribe played to hone their spear-throwing skills.
We've read some Indian Legends and learned why the corn husk doll has no face and what a dream catcher is for. We went to a Powwow and we made this beautiful book. Some people call it a lapbook....Annie called it the best memory book ever!

Here is the front of the closed book. (click on images for a larger view)

This is how the book looks when you first open it. She has some pelts (leather and faux rabbit fur) on the left side. A photo that she took of her corn husk dolls, bow and arrow, Indian flute, arrow head, Indian blanket, and the feather she decorated in her class on the middle page. On the right side she dictated the Legend of the Corn Husk Doll and below that is the description of her Native Days, Native Ways class.

Here is a close-up of her photo.

When you flip the middle page up there is a section about the PowWow we went to with a photo of mommy and an Indian. Also a dream catcher with a dictated legend of the dream catcher. Below this is a pocket with drawings, print-outs of the legends we've read, a Prairie Indians sticker book and a paper doll book. These are all tucked inside the pocket that is covered by a lovely water color painting of a Tepee being shaded by a tree during a rain storm with a stream, a rattle snake and Indian blankets.
My favorite part of this entire unit study was as we were parking at the Powwow Annie said to us, "Indians are not harmful."

Photographer Annie

Annie is fascinated with taking pictures. Mike showed her some of the camera's functions and she can't stop. She experiments with different modes and with and without flash. My favorite shot is this one...it is a picture of Mike's car reflecting in my car with a grasshopper. WOW! I love seeing things from her perspective.

Check out Annie's photo's here
Be sure to click on the "Slide Show" button

POWWOW

We enjoyed The Annual Austin Powwow and American Indian Heritage Festival this weekend. It is the nation's largest annual school event and the largest American Indian gathering in Texas. We were all amazed by the dancing, singing and drumming. It was a very powerful event.
WHAT IS A POWWOW?
Powwows are considered both a sacred and social event for traditional Indian families. It is a time to renew one's bond with the beliefs and traditions of one's ancestors. Dancers who are from many different Tribes/Nations compete and enjoy the company of family and friends.
This is a gathering of traditional American Indian dancing, singing, arts, crafts, foods and traditional/contemporary entertainment.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

(click on an image to see it larger)

We have been preparing our Ofrenda for the past week. We made paper flowers, cut our own papel picado and put a lot of thought into what we were offering our loved ones. We went to the panaderia to get a sugar skull and pan de muerto.

Check out this link to learn more about The Days of the Dead
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/history/

When I Was Young In the Mountains

Today we read "When I Was Young In the Mountains" by Cynthia Rylant. Annie illustrated the swimming hole scene. She wanted to share with everyone. She used watercolor pencils and 90 lb. watercolor paper.