busy day

de Young Museum

Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park

Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park

We spent the day in San Francisco yesterday. We started at the de Young museum. Then we walked over to the Tea Gardens.

Next we walked to the botanical gardens.

Another beautiful place. I was mesmerized by all the texture I saw in plants, flowers and trees.

We enjoyed the wonderful scent of lemon balm and lavender in the Garden of Fragrance.

We made friends with the grey squirrels and turtles.

Finally, we headed to a playground where the kids could really climb around!

It was a great day. Everyone was tired when we got home.

My sixteen year old niece is coming to stay with us for the weekend. Goose is very excited!

She will be here tomorrow.

It will be a busy weekend!

outdoor challenge science

Today we looked at how light reflects off the nail polish to show a spectrum of colors.

The rainbow spectrum, actually.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

or

ROY G BIV for short!

White light has all of these colors present.

Goose and Binky wrote down their predictions and observations.

Binky predicted, "I predict there will be swirly lines of color. I think the light reflecting off the nail polish will make a rainbow."

Goose predicted, "I predict that the nail polish chemicals will resist the water and make colors with the light."

This was a quick, fun experiment!

I am in love with Janice VanCleave's science books!

I want to own them all! I plan on spending the summer doing her experiments from physics to chemistry.

I also plan on spending the summer making and studying art.

San Francisco MOMA is showing an amazing Impressionist exhibit this summer.

I can't wait to see it with the kids!

What are your plans for the summer?

"In the Spring" by Goose

In the Spring
I see
A marveling bumblebee
While I'm drinking
My honey tea
By the sea.
I listen for
The daisy glee
While fairies flee.
Now I see
The evening primrose
Start to bloom.
I say to the bumblebee,
"Now it's dark
And I must flee!"

beautiful day

It was supposed to rain all day yesterday.

But it didn't!

So I grabbed the kids and headed down to our local waterfront.

It was windy, but so beautiful.

The clouds were amazing.

We found lots of friends under rocks.

Binky just had to see how far he could get into the water without getting wet!

The ice plant was in full bloom.

Goose made a faerie house complete with a lovely

bathtub filled with flowers

a table for dining on the finest of faerie food

and a cozy place to sit and enjoy the view of the bay.

This is the faerie house nestled in the side of the rocks and plants.

I wanted to move right in!

I am so glad we got out into the world.

Goose collected shells and Binky eventually did get wet!

Today they say we will get rain.

What's your favorite way to spend a rainy day?

outdoor challenge

We are building space outposts

painting murals on freezer paper

notice the line drawn down the middle

reading stories of titans

and fortune-telling with our crystal balls and genie lamps!

outdoor challenge

We've been making potions,

rescuing an injured friend,

listening to the wonderful sound of a rushing creek,

and finding faerie crowns left behind.
What have you been up to?

Giveaway at Earth Mama!!

Lisa over at Earth Mama is having a giveaway in honor of her new Etsy shop, Fiber Roots.
Stop on by and leave a comment after visiting her shop and let her know your favorite item.
My favorite is the photo cards!
Congratulations to you Lisa!!!!!

Outdoor Challenge

We looked at a dandelion up close. I love the curly Qs.

We watched the changing shapes in the clouds.

We found worms in the mud.

And we saw the sky change from a beautiful blue and white...

to a dark and wet gray.

Monday Unfolding

Stephanie is Unfolding. Here is my morning unfolding. You can even see the first raindrop on the lens. Happy Monday!

sunday

I'm sitting here at my computer streaming some very cool jazz from one of my favorite radio stations, KCSM. It's 10:20 in the morning and the house is quiet, outside it's raining and windy. I have a cup of hot, yummy coffee next to me. As Binky sometimes says, "This is the life!"

I love days like this. Sundays. I think we will probably go for a walk later to our favorite bakery to get some cookies and hot cocoa. And to see what creatures come out in the rain.

How will you spend your Sunday?

outdoor challenge

Our neighbor has a beautiful walnut tree that we admire from our backyard.

We enjoy watching it change with the seasons.

We especially love watching and hearing the squirrels eat all the walnuts in the fall.

So we headed outside and really looked at the bark, the leaves, the whole tree.

Then we broke out our nature journals and tree book and did some sketching!

The leaves are beautiful and bright right now.

We are looking forward to the first walnuts!

botanical gardens

We made lots of new friends today as we trapsed through the gardens, giggling with delight.

The flower faeries danced on the breeze as we admired the flowers they had painted overnight.

Even the spaceman had to explore this wonderous sight!

The dragon winked at me...

...but the tree people knew there was nothing to fear.

"For this is a magical garden filled with delight!" said Mr. Lizard as we ran out of sight!

Today was so beautiful at our local botanical gardens.

Binky is usually too afraid of the bees this time of year but I convinced him to give it a try.

We had the best time!

We did some journal sketching and wand-waving while we were there.

This really is a magical place. I always feel refreshed and ready for the world after a day in the gardens.

I hope your day was as lovely as ours!