Evening Blooming Plants: 4-O-Clocks and Angel's Trumpet

Claire in the 4-o-clocks

Our porch is surrounded by hundreds of bright pink 4-O-Clocks, and dozens of white Angel's 

Trumpets, or Moonflowers. 

Angel's Trumpet that
we pressed in 2008

 The 4-o-clocks are perennial.  They have an enormous tap root that looks similar to a giant sweet potato.  They poke out of the ground in April, and usually begin blooming around the first of June.  I have to say that 6-o-clocks would be a more fitting name.

Angel's Trumpet, known around here as Jimson Weed, and perhaps known elsewhere as Moonflower, is in the Nightshade family.  Unfortunately, it has been misused by young people around here for its hallucinogenic properties.  It is very toxic and can be fatal if ingested in large enough quantities.

A Dragonfly gets an early evening meal as the 4-o-clocks begin opening.

Tomato Horn Worm

Study Qs from HONS

In Spring and early summer, dozens of Tomato Horn Worms can be found munching the leaves of these two plants. We discover them by finding the droppings first, then looking under the half eaten leaves. Since we have so many plants, we have no need to eliminate the caterpillars. We have caught and raised a few. They continue to eat and eat and eat. Then, they must have soil, (a bowl full works). They burrow down and turn into a pupa which looks like a little brown water jug with a handle. The handle is actually where the very long tongue develops.  

Preserved Sphinx Moth

Sphinx Moth Attack!



When metamorphosis is complete, a large Hummingbird or Sphinx Moth emerges with an enormously long, coiled tongue which looks like a slinky. We usually begin to see these moths in late July in the evenings licking up the nectar. The ones that are drinking from the Angel's Trumpets are very easy to catch. My daughter just claps her hand over the cup of the trumpet when the moth is inside. The one in the picture was one which we found dead. It has preserved better than I anticipated in the ziplock bag.

The moths will find a mate and lay their eggs. Baby tomato horn worms will hatch, and eat, and eat, and eat, and dig underground, form into their little water pitchers, and wait until next summer to emerge. Since we see so many Tomato Horn Worms in the Spring, I must assume that some eggs lay dormant over the winter? 

Claire Holding Sphinx Moths

Chickens

One of my better ideas for nature study was deciding to raise chickens.  They have made wonderful pets.  Their care is so easy, even Cody can participate.

We Love Chickens!

My Little Pony

Charm

Studying mammals at our house is a breeze.  In fact, the hardest part is choosing from the wide array of volunteers.

Lesson 14 in Primary Language Lessons is titled, "The Care of Pets."  The pupil is to answer the following questions using complete statements.

Pretty Pony

If you had a pony, how would you take care of him?

What would you give him to eat?

What does a pony need besides food?

Tell some things that should not be done to a pony.

What could the pony do for you?

Claire giggled, not much imagination was required to thoroughly answer those questions.

Knock, knock!

A: I do have a pony.  These are all pictures of her.  I take care of her by petting her every day.  She eats grass in the summer.  I give her hay in the winter.  I used to give her feed, but the veterinarian told me to stop because she did not need it.  Besides food, a pony needs love and care.  She needs water.  She needs exercise every day.  She needs a spot in which to lay.  She needs her hoofs trimmed every month.  She needs shots once a year.  You should never spank a pony unless it is necessary.  You should never ride a pony when her feet are sore.  Do not go behind a horse because she might kick you.  If you train your horse with feed, she will come when you call.  A pony will let you ride on her back.  A pony can be trained to stand still while you trim her feet.

Cattle

Maggie and Callaway

Maggie and Callaway came to live with us on July 24.  They were strays in the highway in front of our house.  The police were summoned late that evening to take care of the potentially dangerous situation.  Unable to determine from where the cattle had strayed, the police, desperate for a quick solution, begged Clay to allow the animals sanctuary within our fenced yard.  We agreed, and it seemed as though Maggie and Callaway were also in agreement because as soon as the yard was opened, they both ran in with no reluctance.

Callaway

Surprisingly, no one showed up to claim the overgrown steers the next day, or the next, or the next, so  I called the police to see what they suggested we do with our new residents.  I was redirected to the County Sheriff's office, spoke with a dispatcher, and was redirected to a Deputy, who called me back to say that he had no suggestions.  Our county has no holding pen.  By this time, we had grown fond of the big babies, so I volunteered to continue to provide for their care.  If they go unclaimed for 90 days, we have the right to claim them as our own.

Maggie

I figured they would be reported as missing within a week or two at the most, but here they are nearly a month later, unclaimed and enjoying their new, temporary home.

Of course, we decided immediately that they must be spoiled and tamed.  With patience, kindness, and a lot of good food, we now literally have them both eating from our hands, a necessity since we have no corral or other means of loading them for transport.

Claire's hand on Maggie's head

However it turns out, we have grown to love these two "oxen," and I've no regrets of allowing them to spend the summer with us.  The knowledge the children have gleaned from providing the daily care is priceless.

Gymnastics

Fall term gymnastics began today.  I'm very pleased with both classes.

  Cody was bumped up a level so he is now in the big gym with the older boys.  Four year olds should still be in the Munchkin group in the little gym, but I'm not going to complain because I like this set-up better. 

 He has a young man for a coach and he did soooo much better behavior wise.  The man rough-houses with them and Cody loves it.  He is kept too busy to get into his usual trouble.

Claire only has two enrolled in her class so far.  She is with the other Claire and they get along beautifully.  Other Claire is so sweet, and since she is just a bit more advanced, it challenges our Claire to try harder than when she was head of the class. 

 Also, a 2:1 ratio instead of a 6:1 ratio makes me feel like I'm as though I am really getting my money's worth.

Piano/Voice Lessons

Claire began piano/voice lessons today.  She will receive weekly instruction from the same piano teacher I had when I was a child--Lynneil Murray.  I don't know who was more excited about going, she or I? 

She'll be using John Thompson's Teaching Little Fingers To Play.  It has a whole new look, different artwork, but most of the songs inside are the same as I remember, (it was my first piano book, too!).

 

 She also has a theory book and flash cards.  To celebrate, I bought her a beautiful new pink backpack in which to carry it all.

Piano Lessons



Claire's first keyboard



I took piano lessons for nearly 10 years when I was a child.  When it came time for Claire to begin learning music, it seemed only natural that I should be her instructor.  After all, I'm teaching her reading, math, history, art, science, geography, literature, etc.  Piano shouldn't be any different?

Well, it WAS different.  Yes, I could teach her how to play notes, but I began to realize that for some people, music is much more than just playing the correct notes.  That is all it has ever been, (and probably will ever be), for me.  I don't have a deep love for music.  I decided that I wanted her to learn more than just the notes.

I discovered that the musician who gave me lessons still teaches only 1 mile away and at a very affordable cost.  She is the exact type of teacher I wanted.  She has music in her heart.  When she plays or even just talks about music, it simply pours out.  My lessons were inevitably tedious, means to an end.  

I don't know that a person can be taught to love something like music?  I believe, to a certain extent, that it is a gift bestowed at birth.  However, I do think it is possible to squelch that gift.  I recognized early that I was dangerously capable of doing just that. 

 It is hard to tell whether music is more than just a grouping of notes for Claire.  If I had to guess, I would say that at this point, she sees learning to play piano as simply a handy thing to add to her "list of things I can do."  However, if there is some deeply buried musical gift, Mrs. Murray is certain to dig it up.