Random Picture Monday, Part V

1. Hudson's basketball team, The Grapes of Wrath, finished up the season on Saturday with another big win. It was the first game all season that Hudson didn't score, and he was pretty sad about that. He had several important assists and also played awesome defense (the guy he guarded was also scoreless) but that doesn't provide much solace to a ten year old boy. It MAY just be a coincidence, but the Daddy had given him a haircut that morning, because his mane was reaching distracting heights. Was that the source of his skill?  We will never know. Also, last week he and a kid on the other team collided pretty violently-- Hudson got teeth to his skull. The other kid had to leave for medical attention. Hudson (and his hair)  winced mightily, fought off tears of pain, but kept right on playing. It was practically Sparta.



2. Last Thursday, Harper had a field trip at Brazos Bend. We went early to do some bird watching. Harper got several pictures of this beautiful vermillion flycatcher.

 Then she and her classmates put on an entertaining production of "Searching for Odysseus" in the outdoor amphitheater. Here is Athena, flipping a water bottle as pre-show preparation.

She had a commanding stage presence, though she really had not wanted to be one of the actors. I think having the stuffed owl on her shoulder gave her courage. In this next picture, she was showing the boys how to string her bow properly.

 3. I believe I have mentioned my aversion to Holidays and Celebrations, generally. I am trying to do better, so on Valentines Day, we celebrated the martyrdom of the saint by making our own heart shaped pizzas. Also, I let each of the kids chose a bag of candy. Harper chose Andes mints, Hudson chose mint M&Ms, and Helena chose Smarties. I am certain St. Valentine would be well pleased.

4. Helena got invited to a fairy birthday tea party on Saturday, and had a delightful time. There was actually food for the moms too, and I ate four (4!) deviled eggs and a great number of tiny quiches. The little fairies were not appreciating the deviled eggs or the quiches, so I basically just felt sorry for them, ignored there on the platter. (Am I even spelling 'deviled' right? Devilled? And why are they called that even? Weird.)

5. We have been tearing through the audio books in the car. Last semester we listen to the entire Chronicles of Narnia (except The Last Battle),  Cheaper by the Dozen, and The Genius of Birds. We just finished Little Men, and started Little Women. I just finally finished listening to Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart by Claire Harman, which I only listened to when I was in the car by myself. It was a really well-written biography, and somehow managed not to be sad or melancholy, which is quite a feat considering how sad and melancholy the Brontes' lives were.

Ok, then. Enough.

Spel two right and reed

I loathe our spelling curriculum. Hudson is (like me) a naturally good speller. He sees a word once, and has it. Harper spent a few years generally not bothering with correct spelling, but she seems to have gotten it down now. Helena is the only one who started with this curriculum in kindergarten, which means she should be a Star Speller, right? Please let me show you how well it is working:

Exhibit A: Christmas List

Translation:
2. 'lova pudy'=lava putty
3. 'barby'= Barbie
4. She had written 'thingernale palesh'--correction done by concerned sibling)=fingernail polish
5. 'a hores stuffed animal'= a horse stuffed animal

Exhibit B: A list of precious jewels, drawn during church



Translation:
'Perll'=Pearl
'Dimend'=Diamond
'Roody'=Ruby
'Safier'=Sapphire
'amithist'=amethyst
'emald'=emerald

Exhibit C: Lots of vegetables, drawn during church yesterday:

Translation:
'asparigis'=asparagus
'peeees'=peas
'tamatow'=tomato
'pikle'=pickle
'selery'=celery
'kari/et'=carrot
'kukumbyr'=cucumber
'unyin'=onion

Exhibit D: Lots of fruit, also drawn during church yesterday


Translation: (she got a few right on this one!! She also asked how to spell kiwi and pomegranate)

'ovikadow'=avocado
'lemen'=lemon
'bluebarry'=blueberry
'strabarry'=strawberry
'grapfruit'=grapefruit
'plunb'=plumb

When I read ovikadow, I pointed it out to the husband and whispered, "PHONICS!"

She also wrote a comic strip in Latin on our way home from Hudson's basketball game. It was  spelled somewhat correctly. Which I guess means she was supposed to live in ancient Rome.

Translation:
Salve. Salve. (Hello. Hello.)
'Cwees est nomen tebby'=Quis est nomen tibi? (What is your name?)
'Nomen est Moll'=(my name is Molly)
!.Minsa=Mensa (Table!)
Ha Ha Ha Ha. Ha Ha Ha
The End.

Harper drew these charming ducks during church yesterday. You can tell they think spelling is silly.

 

I actually know WHY the caged bird sings

A few months ago, some friends had to move after their house flooded. They had to winnow down their sizeable menagerie, and we got their three parakeets. (Some other friends got their chickens, and I think they got the better deal). You can imagine, with our all-around Love of Things Avian, the birds were welcomed into the family with great delight. Harper named hers Hobbes, Hudson's is Peeper, and Helena's is Bitty. Hobbes is the biggest and most social. He is the only one who will come out and sit politely on a finger or shoulder or head, or, on occasion, attempt to build a nest in your hair:


 Bitty and Peeper have each gotten out accidentally a couple of times, and it has been Highly Dramatic to get them safely back into the cage. Bitty in particular, slams herself into walls and windows, gets herself stuck in tight places, and generally acts crazed, which causes both Harper and Helena to panic and also weep. Though the tiniest, she is extremely fierce upon capture, and bites VERY HARD on my fingers. One time I even bled. She is my least favorite.
Sasha is also not a fan. The friends who gave them to us have two Chihuahuas who would let the birds ride around on their backs. The first time we had him out, Hobbes made straight for her and Sasha said, "NO THANK YOU DO I LOOK LIKE A SHOW PONY?" and, ever since, has run, tail tucked under, from the room every time we've gotten them out of their cage. The birds actually really like her, and Hobbes will even bark excitedly any time she wanders near their cage.

We keep their cage in the schoolroom, but I have to put them outside during school time because their chatter gets very loud and excited and screechy when I start to read or explain something. Yesterday, I put them out on the porch. We were getting ready to leave for piano, and Harper came in and said, "There is another parakeet--a blue one!-sitting outside on the birds' cage!!! The birds must have called to him or something! Can we keep him??"  It took about 15 minutes, but we ended up getting him into the cage. I have posted a message on our neighborhood page, but so far, no one has claimed him. Alas, it seems that Hobbes has found his Calvin. He adds a little diversity to all the green and yellow:

 In other birding news, Harper and I met a pair of phoebes on a walk last week. They are not frequent visitors to our parts, so it was exciting to get a good look at them.



And then, after the excitement of Calvin showing up, we got to our piano teacher's house and Harper looked up and realized she has a nesting pair of red-winged hawks in a tree next door, AND a yard full of kinglets, and tufted titmice, AND a goldfinch!!

To close, apropos of nothing mentioned thus far, Harper asked for these wooden Keva tiles for Christmas, and they've built some beautiful structures with them. They might even be as awesome as Magnatiles.