Damon's grandma was in town and wanted to do a project with the kids. This has been a project we have been wanting to do with the kids for a long time, and the stepping stones will stay at the school to commemorate TerraLuz's first year.
We had a field trip to Crowe's Nest Farm. The kids got to see a demonstration of a cow being milked, a hay ride to see some buffalo and ostriches. The farm had miniature pony's, donkeys, birds, raptors, turkeys, chickens, themed gardens, a fairy garden and so much more than I can remember!
Damon's grandma was in town and she got to experience a great field trip, we had so much fun and it was such a great local resource in Austin.
This spring when I was the parent volunteer we decided to load the kids up in the back of my pickup truck and take them to the creek. We had recent rains and the creek was full. The sunflowers were just starting to bloom and the cows watched our foray into the creek from across the pasture. The kids discovered several different types of rocks, some flint, some we think from underground aquifers. Some of the children threw rocks and others collected flowers, while others drew in their notebook of the surroundings and their finds. We left the creek and explored a nearby abandoned barn and vehicles. The kids found all sorts of flowers, weeds and caterpillars. We had so much fun we went out to the creek the rest of the week.
The beautiful is in nature, and it is encountered under the most diverse forms of reality. Once it is found it belongs to art, or rather to the artist who discovers it.
-Gustave Courbet
Painting by the Acacia Tree
Recent landscapes with Megan
We noticed these interesting round pits clustered throughout the sandy areas of the driveway. The children and Clair were curious and investigated, and with a small twig they poked around at the bottom of the pit. Much to the children's surprise, something would fling a little bit of sand back.
What is it?
Doodlebugs!
Fascinating little insects that are harmless to humans and they are beneficial in that they eat other insects.
A photo from one of our earlier nature excursions in early spring. The ranch was bursting with color and these beautiful Yellow Acacia Blooms!