Noah's Ark Replica

Johan's Ark in the port of Schagen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan's_Ark

Rocks From Sturgis

Sedimentary and Igneous and Metamorphic redefines gorgeous up close. Come home they turned into icebergs and dolphins and all manner of creatures in the deep sea. Thanks Don!

Farming and Walking

Crayfish burrow. Crayfish are small crustaceans which look somewhat like mini-lobsters. They are fresh-water creatures and love muddy, swampy areas. The kids have seen them but I have not yet. The burrows are usually wet and soggy from the pond right next by and that is the best time to apparently track them down.

Transplanted Strawberries

Brocolli, Cauliflower and Cabbage

More Transplanted Strawberries

Leeks

Bok Choy

Collards

Swiss Chard

Brocolli

Green Onions

Spinach

Beets

Strawberries. We are trying to move them or thin them or do something to them to increase the yield for this year.

Last year's mustard greens.

Last year's bok choy

Carrots

Garlic

Potatoes alrady planted on both sides of the wooden boxes.

Composer Study - Maurice Ravel

Beautiful Grounds @ Andrews University

While on a long road trip we were listening to Rudyard Kipling's "How the first alphabet was written" in which ...,

"The Stranger-man (and he was a Tewara) thought, 'This is a very,

very wonderful child. She waves her arms and she shouts at me,

but I don't understand a word of what she says. But if I don't do

what she wants, I greatly fear that that haughty Chief,

Man-who-turns-his-back-on-callers, will be angry.' He got up and

twisted a big flat piece of bark off a birch-tree and gave it to

Taffy. He did this, Best Beloved, to show that his heart was as

white as the birch-bark and that he meant no harm; but Taffy

didn't quite understand."

I had absolutely no trouble splaining what a birch-tree looks like and how white the stranger man (who was a genuine Tewara)'s heart was!

This is one of our all time favorites and if you have not yet read Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling with your children, please do so, it is a delight! Tantor Media does an excellent job of it on tape most probably available at your local library.

I think this is the most beautiful evergreen we've seen so far. It's long swaying leaves reminded me of a very good hair day.

While attending the Passion of the Christ play at Andrews University we found ourselves in the wrong group. Aways into the program it occurred to us that everyone was speaking Spanish when the part about "crucify him" din't seem to be coming . That's when I considered taking up Spanish...the consideration lasted about seven minutes until the trees distracted our Spanish-speaking ambitions. So we wandered the beautiful grounds hugging the trees and looking for the English speaking peoples. Nearly missed half the program but the nature study was well worth it.

PRAISE TO THE RISEN CHRIST!

Spring is springing and we're on it...

This was one of those Mr. Rogers kind of days, a beautiful day in the neighborhood. So we took a hike, which turned into a two and a half mile walk with the kids. A whole lot of exploring and a whole lot of walking-what's not to like? All ages on two feet, no strollers were allowed on this one and all children did very well..9-2 years old.