Monday, September 13, 2010

Tucker Tower

Mom & Co. sitting on
Tucker Tower
Background view of the
marina












Cody admiring the view


Dad & Co. on the trail
leading up to
Tucker Tower


The children were really looking forward to re-visiting Tucker Tower. They nearly pulled our arms off trying to hurry us up the stairs to the top!


Lake Murray water park

We found this water park next to Lake Murray Lodge.  The kids had a blast jumping off the water trampoline and sliding down the slides.  Since it is actually a part of Lake Murray, we had to swim with turtles, fish and who knows what else.  I was determined to keep my head above water and my hair dry.  Well, that didn't  happen.  Claire wanted me to climb onto this floating log thing with her.  I was struggling.  Clay gave my rump a boost, and I was just about to throw my leg over the side when the thing rolled.  After coughing up the gallon of water I had inhaled, we all had a big laugh--and I enjoyed myself much more no longer having to worry about keeping my head dry.

Horseback Riding At Lake Murray

Claire on a red roan Quarter Horse name Tex
Claire's dream came true when she was able to ride a BIG horse all by herself.  We enjoyed a 45 minute trail ride through beautiful Lake Murray State Park. 













Cody and Mom on a paint named Hollywood
  Cody didn't enjoy it so much.  Perhaps next time, just Claire and Mom will go and the boys can go do something else.

Cici's Pizza

He looks like one of the Mario brothers
We arrived in Ardmore at noon.  The children had planned our lunch days in advance; Cici's pizza, of course.  Since the price was so affordable, we treated the kids to a few dollars worth of games in the back room.  Cody got this mustache from a 50 cent trinket dispenser.

At the Lake

The children were excited to play in the sand at the beach.

Cody was prepared.  He had brought his trucks along.

The water wasn't cold.  Mama really liked that.



WE LOVE PLAYING ON THE BEACH!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Chicken Ways

Lesson 8 from Handbook Of Nature Study

Brown Americauna Hen
1.  Did the chick get out of the egg by its own efforts?
yes  Of what use is the little tooth which is on the tip of the upper part of a young chick's beak?  to bite through the shell.  Does this remain?  no. 
2.  What is the difference between the down of the chick and the feathers of the hen?  a chick can't do anything with the down, but a hen can do a lot such as flying.  The little chick has wings; why can it not fly?  Down is not the right kind of feathers.
Claire's watercolor painting
of our chickens' eggs
3.  Why is the chick just hatched so pretty and downy, while the young robin is so bare and ugly?  the chick has to get up and find its own breakfast, but a robin baby is born blind and doesn't need to hunt for his own food, for his mom and dad bring it to him.
4.  How does the young chick get its food?  Scratching and pecking along with the mother hen.
My painting of our
chickens' eggs
5.  Does the chick chew its food before swallowing?  If not, why?  No, there is a mill inside of the chick's body that grinds up the food when it gets there.  The chick swallows tiny rocks to help grind the food.
6.  How does the chick drink?  By lifting up his head and letting the water slide down his throat.  For the chick does not have any muscles in his throat as people do.
7.  Where does the chick sleep at night?  Beneath his mother's wing.  Where will it sleep when it is grown up?  On a roost with his head under his wing.


White Americauna Hen
We have several different breeds of chickens.  Americaunas lay blue-green eggs.  The Buff Orpington and Barred Rocks lay brown eggs.  Our Leghorn lays white eggs, but we haven't been able to find her eggs lately.  She is a good hider.

One Less Tooth...

...for Claire to have to brush tonight!



Oh, tooth fairy!