dragonfly days

pre-history

Yesterday  we headed up to the local national park for pre-history craft day. Every year Zac and a few other pre-history enthusiasts set up a demonstration in the courtyard outside the vistor's center and teach people about the natives around the area.

The tables include all different kinds of replicas. They are all avid flintknappers.

These effigies (?) are awesome. I am planning on making some myself. I would like to make some and paint them also.  They look fun!

Jack jumped right in and started teaching people about the arrowheads. He was a natural. The ranger asked if he would like to come work there. It was also evident that he was very proud of his dad.  We all are. One of the other guys asked me what I thought of my husbands hobbies. I told him I was actually very impressed by them. The attention to detail and patience involved amazes me.

That is a fish basket on the table that someone made.

Sorry for the dark pictures. I was using my old camera since it is lighter and better for hiking. They were also making sandals out of yucca plants, cordage out of yucca, and Zac helped two of our little friends make arrows using his arrowheads.

After spending some time at the demo we headed up the canyon to take one of our favorite hikes.

The cool canyon water was a welcome relief at the top of the hike.

It was a really fun day.

 

 

 

rock hunting

This past Sunday we headed out on a rock hunt to start our rock study.

First we found a lizard. We call this a horny toad. I'm sure it has a more official name.

Then it was down the wash for the rock hunt. I scored three nice fossils in this wash.  Jack found some picture stone and other cool rocks. We also saw lots of lizards!

A different wash- more fossils and lizards.

Doesn't he have an intense look on his face? Not sure what that was all about.

Pretty lizard though.

See what I mean?

These are some of the fossils and rocks we found.

What a great start to our rock study.

 

 

January 17 2010

Today the girls woke up and contiuned on their room cleaning mission, Steven went fishing, and these two boys and I went for a hike down by the river.

We saw lots of tracks.

Found lots of rocks.

And listened to Jack make lots of observations. Definitely a scientist in training.  He's  been watching a lot of River Monster lately. Absolutely cracked me up when he said he figured out how to solve the pirahna problem.  First you catch them, then you take all their teeth out, then they can't bite you they just (insert him making a gumming type motion).

That's a jaw bone of some sort.

Ummm...yes I was just taking a picture of the curls. :) Because I know they won't be there forever.

So grateful for the warm day.

January 2 2011

Zac and I enjoyed another kid free hike today.  We headed out towards the lava fields to explore.

 

 

December 28 2010

Zac and I took an afternoon hike today so that I could mess with the camera a bit more. I am really enjoying the class I am taking. It is getting me to pick up the camera and be deliberate with some of my pictures, which has been a good thing.

Today I was trying to get a good picture of the contrast between the warm red rocks and the white cold snow.

I've been a few days behind on the class due to the holidays of course, but also this cold I came down with. No sleep two nights in a row. The first night I was coughing, the second night I took cough syrup and stopped coughing, but also didn't sleep.

We had fun soaking up some sunshine before the storm comes tomorrow.

 

On another note, do you ever feel like you are on the brink of something big? Like something big is about to happen?

 

Sept 14 2010

This past Saturday we went up north a bit with some friends for that town's rodeo day. We hit the parade in the morning, visited the booths in the park and then headed up on top of the mountain for a bit of hiking.

At the park we were able to visit the prairie falcon we first met in June. She's all grown up now and is supposed to be released this week.

My berry pickers.

It was a really fun day. Unfortunately we weren't able to gather enough currant berries to do much with, although there was talk of scones.

May 10 2010

A photo summary of the past few days:

In short:

the last lacrosse games/tournament of the season. We won the last one and Steven was able to play d-pole and was totally awesome.

While 3 of us were in the other city watching lacrosse and shopping Trader Joes, the other three went lizard hunting.

Mother's day brought more for my cactus collection as well as a hanging fuchsia, which Talisa says looks like fairies.

The garden is starting to go crazy! Look at the lettuce! I really need to spend a few hours out there, soon.

Zac pulled a MacGyver today and fixed the broken lamp I bought 2 years ago. I rearranged the living room and now I can fit more books and have a light to craft by.

Hope you all had a lovely Mother's day and wonderful weekend.

MAY 4 2010

Today Zac was out at the local National Park to do a flint napping demonstration and show some of his native arts. We made a field trip out of it and met some of our friends out there to hike around.

(those aren't his pots in the picture, but the arrows and bows in the background are his. I just thought the pot was cool.)

It was a fun, tiring day. Can't wait to do it again soon! And next time without a time limit due to carpools!

April 26 2010

Scenes from the weekend...picture heavy post

 

13th birthday party: hiking with the family

April 11 2010

Today started off with Zac and I heading out for a morning walk to deliver some eggs to a neighbor. On the way back we took the river trail so that I could feed my obsession with orange quartz. We filled  our pockets and headed home. I think it'll be my new workout program--walking with gradually increasing weights. :)

We picked up two of the kids and headed to the other side of the river to pick up some sand. Zac is working on replanting grass and just plain improving our horrible soil.  While they filled buckets and played in the sand I headed for the rock banks.

They quickly followed. I think everyone is amused by my sudden rock interest.

 

The picture above is Jack showing me and I quote, "The most beautiful, amazing rock I have ever seen in the whole wide world."

Talisa getting in on the fun.

On the way back Jack couldn't resist cooling off in the river.

Once home, Jack couldn't stay out of the sand. Instead of using it for the grass we re-purposed the old kiddie pools into a sand box. This works good because I can throw an old fitted bed sheet over it at night to keep the cats and other critters out. He played in it for hours today.

And finally I guess the neighborhood peacock hasn't been relocated yet. He is still making nightly appearances in the backyard.

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apples and more apples

Okay I think I'm about done with apples for the year. In fact I am not even feeling the need to go to the apple festival this year, which is good because we probably wouldn't be able to make it anyways.  Yesterday we did our apple picking/hiking field trip. It was so much fun!

The baby ostriches. 

Seriously fun day! Now off to deal with the apples. But look what I got to help:

Isn't she pretty? I love her.

a little sand

Yesterday we finished school early and had some time to spare before afternoon pickup.  We decided to use the time to hit the dunes. Unfortunately we didn't stay long because I ended up having an allergy attack, not fun.

just peachy

Zac, Alex, Jack and I went to the local peach festival today. Alex and I had grand ideas of making peach cobbler. Unfortunately  there wasn't a peach to be found. Not sure if we got there too late or if they even had them to begin with.  Jack was able to build a project at the Home Depot workshop there.

 

He built a bug house.

 

 

He finished and as I took this pic said, "Now I need a bug!"

 

A few minutes later while we were walking Zac snatched this beetle out of the air for him.
The rest of the time he walked around showing everyone his bug.

 

After that we headed up to the back country of Zion park for some hiking.

 

Zac and the kids picked chokecherries.

 

 

Alex played with the camera some more. A lot more.

 

 

 

We did the Wildcat canyon hike-- out to where you drop down into the subway.  Gorgeous views.

While picking chokecherries we had let the beetle go and caught a butterfly to replace it. On our hike Jack picked a bouquet of flowers for his pet, Mountain Trees--the butterfly.

And tonight I saw the silver lining.

cooling off

Zac had to go put a trim on a job up in the mountains today. We decided to go with him and enjoy the cooler weather. It was a really nice day. The kids got plenty of outdoor time and we had lots of FFF--forced family fun. We put a blanket out next to the river and just let the kids come and go. Jack stayed nearby and practiced hopping rocks out to the big boulder in the middle and he crossed a log by himself for the first time. I should probably mention the river--is more of a creek.

 We found mushrooms, identified wildflowers, caught water snakes, caught a skink, did some sketching and birdwatching, collected some treasures for the nature table, saw some cool worms in the lake, and did lots of talking and laughing. Steven also caught a fish by hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

playing in the mud

Zac has always wanted to build an adobe house.  This past week he started an adobe play house in the back yard.

Friday he started the mudding process with Jack's help.

Yesterday the older kids got in on the fun.

We also got out for a short walk yesterday.

The lizards are starting to come out.

Jack feeling the spikes on the tail.

Looking under rocks for bugs and lizards.

finally

It was warm enough to go for a hike today.

We found what we were looking for... good climbing rocks,  a good hiding place, and a good day.