Interview with Harper, age 8

1. Harper, at what age does a person become a grown-up?
"Nineteen. Because they can drink alcohol." (me: actually that's at 21) Drive a car. Have a thousand dollars sometimes."

2. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
"Touch all the birds I could find. Pet birds. And eat a lot of candy and stuff."

3. What is something that makes our family special?
"We all like birds."
(this juvenile yellow-crowned night heron and his sister visited our neighbors' porch yesterday! They let us get really close.)


4. Are you a good friend? Why?
"Yes. I don't know. Okay next question.(I tried very hard to get her to name some of her positive qualities. She became surly) "Because I know a lot of things!"

5. How would the world be different if animals could talk?
"You'd have to find special kinds of bird seed for sparrows if they wanted a different kind of bird seed.  Sasha could tell us when she needs to go outside! Or when she needs to throw up!"

6. What is the best thing about being a kid? The worst thing?
"You don't have to drive.Um, Grown ups telling you what to do when you don't want to do them."

7. Where is your favorite place in the world?
"DESTIN. There are a lot of animals there. Like brown pelicans and crabs and sand dollars. And the water is clear and the sand is white not like in Galveston. Also there are lots of treats there. A lot of ice cream places."

8. If you could give one gift to every child in the world, what would it be?
"A bird field guide with all of the birds that anybody has every saw. (SIC!!I bite my tongue..) that I painted. With a stuffed bird."

9. What are five words that describe you?
"Likes birds, loves stuffed animals,LOVES birds, likes dogs, hates ants and yellow jackets and wasps, and loves climbing trees. I like climbing trees."

10. If you could invent something, what would it be?
"Let me think. (very long pause) (followed by an extremely confusing and complicated description of some sort of spy glass that I can't begin to transcribe.) Where the guy has the spyglass thing that shows him where the stuff is. There is a green window and a yellow window...It would be easy to invent. Very easy. Easy."

11. If you could make a rule that everyone in the world had to follow, what would it be?
 "Only shoot targets and clay stuff. Don't shoot animals."

12. What is your favorite:

--Color? Green

--Smell? Candles

--Food? I like sushi and dumplings and egg rolls

--Book? Charlotte's Web and Pagoo

--Activity? Play legos and sew and draw and paint

 --Sound? Some kind of bird call. Baby birds.
--Animal? I like sparrows, stingrays, dogs, horses. egrets! HELLO!! (as one flies overhead!), roseate spoonbills, crabs

13. What does Daddy like to do?
"Shoot guns. (What does daddy do for a living?) He's a dean. And a lawyer."

14. What does Mommy like to do?
"Read and do stuff on her Ipad. (me: What does Mommy do for a living?) "Nothing really. She takes care of me and Sasha and Hudson and Helena. And buys food. (pause) Usually. (loud laughter from me.)  And goes to Target."
What does Mommy look like? "Light skin, brown hair, brown eyes."

15. What makes you special?
"I like things a lot of other kids like. I can build really good Lego stuff? I can rock climb really well. I can paint and it looks like a grown-up usually."

16. What do you MOST want to do?
 "Have a pet bird. A pet egret. Visit Colorado."

17. What would you like to write a book about? 
"Well next year I am going to write about an egret who travels around the world with his friend the roseate spoonbill." (I think we also need to write a book about Snail World. She created it last time we were visiting the grandparents.)

18. What is your favorite thing to wear? 
"My heron shirt with that skirt."

19. Describe what you look like. "I have light brown hair with light brown eyes. My eyes aren't really hazel anymore. Light skin.(me: What do people comment about when they see you?) Curly hair and sometimes eyelashes."


20. What are you looking forward to this year?  "Going to the swimming pool. And today looking at stuffed animals on your ipad. How to cross stitch. I don't need art classes. I can do art classes at home. I have an easel, acrylics, water colors, LOTS of brushes. I don't NEED art classes."

21. What is your favorite song?
"The one I know all the words to. We hear it at church and on the radio. "Ten Thousand Reasons." Okay ask me a math question. (what's 24+6?) Thirty!"

22. What are some things you accomplished as a 7 year old?
"Painting. And if you gave me a really big book I could probably finish it in a week."

23. What do you hope this year brings?
"Snow again."