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Just ducky

May 30, 2011 by Lois

Someone reached a milestone today.

Ten years. A decade. Double digits.

Little punk!

The good news is she still retains the remarkable ability to fold herself, pretzel style, into a load still small enough that I can wrap my arms around her and … just… just… deny!

Do you like these quackers? Duckly denizens? A flotilla of floating fowl?

Cupcakes, TimBits, marshmallows, chewy orange candies, M&Ms and melted icing.

The sugar will slay you.

I should have warned the teacher — ha ha ha!

It’s always good to schedule your birthday on a school day.

 

See the similarity?

 

 

Posted in Bowen Island | 2 Comments »

Pokéboy

May 27, 2011 by Lois

Once upon a time there was a little boy who, to his mother’s bittersweet dismay, was getting taller and taller every day.

Wah! Start the story over.

Once there was a strapping pre-adolescent who had revolving interests regarding fine art, the great outdoors, construction sets and odd little Japanese animated creatures from a bizarre story where the creatures were trained by their human masters.

One day the lad, whom we’ll call Pokéboy, wandered into the deep dark woods behind his house. He took along with him something of great importance to his mother, something he took without her permission, something he later returned to her, with water all over the body and splash marks on the lens and she tried so hard not to have a private meltdown!!!

*Deep breath*

So the boy wandered into the deep dark woods behind his house.

But he was not alone as he had tucked with great care, into his pockets, the strange little creatures he’d created from clay.

He took the little creatures over to the pond in his yard where he spoke to them, asked them their plans for the future, arranged for a photoshoot and promised to put their names in lights.

Oh gosh, I don’t know. I don’t even know why he makes these things.

They’re cute, tho.

Posted in Bowen Island, Home Learning | Leave a Comment »

Even princesses do housework

May 25, 2011 by Lois

We’re very serious about child labour laws around here.

If you can wash your hands, you can scrub the sink.

If you can sort your crayons, you can sort the silverware.

If you can stand without assistance you can clear the table.

If you can zip up your jacket, you can hang up your clothes.

If you want money there’s a stack of dress shirts on the ironing board.

It’s important to delegate tasks when you’re homeschooling.

How else will you find the time to write on your blog?

Posted in Bowen Island, Home Learning | 1 Comment »

Woodlands

May 20, 2011 by Lois

Snakes have charmed me for a long time.

Their simple streamlined scaled beauty appeals every time they coil around my wrist — a gentle squeeze. My feelings would adjust if the squeeze compressed my chest in the moments before a boa made me its weekly dinner but as always, I love my country.

If you watch children with a garter snake, the first one will hold it, the second, third and fourth clamour for a chance to hold as well. Then the adult begs for reptilian clemency.

We walked through a green patch of Bowen last Friday, learning about some edible plants found in the woodland — Miner’s lettuce, Salmonberry shoots and maple blossoms. Who knew? A few days later Homeboy told me he got hungry on his way home so snacked on some wild greens. Lesson learned.

And some wild flowers, out of deer’s reach.

I didn’t know Bleeding Heart grew wild in the woods. I think of it as a country flower from my father’s sister’s garden, a very long time ago. Perhaps she too found it in the woods.

And we learned a fire blasted through here about a century ago, leaving behind great shells of cedars. Fine hiding places if you’re a gnome.

Nice to land in a place where you can unlock a few secrets and know there’s more to come.

Posted in Bowen Island | 2 Comments »

Science Lesson Part Two

May 19, 2011 by Lois

Yesterday’s science class was for real.

The children from the Princess’s home learning program, along with hundreds of children from other parts of the Lower Mainland, were invited to spend the day at Playland — B.C.’s version of Manitoba’s Red River Ex and Ontario’s CNE. Same candy floss, carnival music, screaming SCREAMING ridership.

(One needs to be a special kind of person to work in a place like this and much praise and gratitude must go to the constantly smiling young staff who loaded all the thrill-seekers in to the rides before the SCREAMING began.)

Groups of students carried worksheets to focus them on the physics of the ride and to hear them chattering about the questions would have made any elementary science teacher proud.

“That’s called an example of centi- centri- cen- cen- centrifugal force, right?”

“Whoa! That was 4 Gs for sure!”

“Why did I scream? I couldn’t stop screaming. Now I’m shaking. Why am I crying? I’m not even sad!” (That would be my child, BTW.)

The artwork on the upper layer of this ride is astonishing. On the outiside, in a detailed hand-lettered script, were the name of the ride and the man who designed it in Germany.

After looking at the basic forces and simple machines in some of the gentler rides, the children were allowed to take on some of the ah, more challenging rides where they also experienced the physiological effects of an adrenalin rush.

The Princess was pretty quiet on the way home.

Queasy would be one way to describe it. As for me, well, my inner ear ain’t what it used to be and just watching the screamers tackle an event called ‘The Corkscrew’ left me looking for the horizon.

All kudos to the folks at Playland. A really great opportunity to show future physicists and engineers what they can create with their science degrees!

Posted in Home Learning | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

Science Lesson

May 18, 2011 by Lois

An object at rest stays at rest.

An object in motion stays in motion.

Unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

– Newton’s first law of motion.

Newton’s second law of motion:

Newton’s third law:

For every action,

there is an equal

and opposite

reaction.

Have a great day!

Posted in Home Learning | Tagged , | 1 Comment »

Another year

April 28, 2011 by Lois

Another year older.

Wah! Where did my little one go?

Okay, so he’s not perfectly lovely all the time.

But he’s very much loved! Happy 12th!

Posted in Bowen Island | 3 Comments »

Family portrait

April 27, 2011 by Lois

You know, as the de facto official clan photographer, I really try to do my best to capture moments, memories and interfamilial relationships so that we’ll all have something memorable and remarkable to view in the days, weeks, months, years and memories to come.

I try.

I check my aperture. I watch the ISO. I think about white balance, shutter speed, focal length, back lighting. I read photography blogs.

I really try.

But my clients! Sheesh!

Talking about herding cats!

“Wait! How’s my hair?”

“Let me check your hair!”

“My cheeks hurt from smiling!”

“I wasn’t ready!”

“Wait! I blinked!”

“Wait! I blinked again!”

Did I say something about capturing memories?

Click! Done!

Posted in Bowen Island | 2 Comments »

Tiny guest

April 18, 2011 by Lois

This fellow wandered into the house yesterday. Sounding a lot like a big bumblebee, he hovered in the middle of the kitchen, looking for a way to return outside.

Other birds often find their way into the house when a door is left open — usually the greedy Steller’s Jays in search of peanuts — and flutter against the glass, seeking a way through the transparency.

This hummer, conversely, simply buzzed and darted, then drifted down to the windowsill where I enclosed him in my hand and then passed him over to The Princess for his little photoshoot.

Light as a feather indeed.

Posted in Bowen Island, Outside | 1 Comment »

Wandering

April 15, 2011 by Lois

Moròn is a small block and concrete town, a couple hours’ drive from Cayo Guillermo, a small sandy island mid-coastline key on the north face of Cuba.

This little town didn’t really come together as a community until 1750 and the architecture bears some Spanish influence, amidst the pale pink and blue paint that covers just about every building the eye discovers.

The wrought iron is pretty, and the whole town moves slowly, hot and sleepy in the sunshine.

Being a tourist embarrasses me at the best of times. But sometimes contributing to the local economy via taxi rides, local food and generous gifts to friends of friends lessens the sting.

Posted in Cuba | 1 Comment »

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