More News from Thailand

November 19

There were Stewarts on the elephants' backs... 

So our Thailand adventure has continued.  We've seen more beautiful islands, surfed the waves, ridden elephants, swum with a sea turtle, frolicked on white sand beaches, created hermit crab habitat, received Thai massages, eaten well, read a lot, enjoyed each other's company. One could quickly come to love this type of homeschooling.  If only the money and health insurance could hold out! We are presently on our way to our final port of call in Thailand (on the east side of Phuket) where we will spend our last four nights here.

It has been a wonderful trip on so many levels.  The kids have had fun exploring, we have had time to relax and enjoy eachother's company, it has been eye-opening learning about another culture and place.  As our time here draws to a close, We look forward to being back home to celebrate Thanksgiving, see all of you, start ski season, care for the animals, and continue our special year (taking shape: a January trip to SoCal and the Southwest, a July trip to the Northwest and BC).  I've been having dreams about my return to work at Redwood (nothing approaching nightmares--it will be fine), but adventuring sure is cool!

Here are some selected entries from the kids' journals since I last updated the blog:

November 18, Eli
For the last two days we have been anchored near a beach with huge waves.  Today my grampa found two boogie boards.  While the rest of the family went ashore on the dingy, I dragged behind on one of the boogie boards.  When we got to the surf line, I caught a huge wave to shore.  After a couple hours at that part of the beach, me and my dad went down the beach to some bigger waves.  Some of the ones I caught were so big that the board buckled and skipped.  After lunch I wasn't able to catch many more.

November 16, Sophia
An Unexpected Swim
When the sun finally almost had set and everyone knew it was time to eat, Mana, Bapu, Mama, Eli, Grace and I piled into the dingy and rode halfway to shore.  We only went halfway because as I looked back from the beach, a big, salty, blue wave was coming right at us.  Then the boat tipped and a second later I found myself (fully dressed in wet cotton clothes) in the surf.  Eyeing the others and laughing was Papa [who had gone separately in the kayak].  We looked at our drenched clothing: we were going to go back to the boat and Papa and Eli were going to bring us food [delivered back to the big boat from land via the kayak].

November 15, Eli
A Turtle
Today me and my dad were snorkeling.  I was watching some parrot fish eating coral.  Then my dad yelled "Eli!"  I swam over and saw a green turtle swimming near the surface.  We followed it until we were close enough to call my sisters over.  By the time they got to us, it had gone to the bottom and was taking little bites of coral.  Sometimes it stayed at one feeding spot for a while, sometimes it would move on quickly.  One time, I was very close to it and reached out to touch it. Despite its normal, sluggish pace, it darted away.  We watched it for about 20 minutes but during the whole time it breathed only 3 times.

November 15, Grace
Oh, Goody!
This morning Eli, Sophia, and I were bickering when Papa's voice surprised me: "We have a surprise for you!"  Sophia and I scrambled to meet our gift-bearers/parents.  When we got there, we saw a sweet, speckled hermit crab.  "Oh, goody!", I exclaimed happily.  We made a habitat as quick as a flash.  Sophie also named it Johnny.

November 14, Grace
A Pool by the Sea
Last night we sailed to a new island.  Last night was stormy, but in the morning when I woke up, the warm sun was shining brightly.  We did our school work and set off to the civilized island.  When we got there, we (well Mana and Bapu) got Mama and Papa (*only*) a room at the nearby resort.  The resort had a pool!  I was very excited to swim in the pool!  But we had to wait 'til after lunch.  Lunch was good!  *Finally* we swam in the pool.  It was fun!

November 14, Sophia
A couple days ago, the boat was anchored in a pace called Monkey Beach. Monkey Beach was great.  It had good food and swings.  There was only one problem...monkeys.  For example, I was enjoying a cool, yummy coconut when a monkey ran at me, nearly grabbing the coconut out of my hand.  For the rest of the day, I ate in the water.  Another example was when Mama got a grilled corn and an obese monkey shot up her leg, leaving a sandy red handprint on her upper thigh.  That's when Mama and the other corn and coconut eaters joined me at water's edge!

*

At this point, I encourage you to stop reading and go on with your day.  What follows is my record of our trip.  You are certainly welcome to read it, but I post it here primarily for my own benefit (this is our journal for the year, after all).
Joey

*
DAY DATE, ANCHORAGE, ACTIVITIES OF NOTE: FIRST ANIMAL SIGHTINGS OF NOTE

Mon Oct 31 Halloween, Departure from San Rafael
Tu Nov 1 Departure from SFO

PHUKET ISLAND
W 2 Yacht Haven Marina, Ko (Island) Phuket, Arrival, Hat Nai Yang Beach (Sirinat Nat'l Park) [blog post 1]
Th 3 " , Beach again, Ceramic Kitchen for dinner

PHANG NGA BAY
F 4 Ko Phanak, Cave visit
St 5 Ko Hong, Really cool hong ("room") & inlet @ Koh Phanak, Touristy hong @ Koh Hong: Monkeys, Reef heron, Brahming Kite
Sn 6 Ko Phra At Num, Visit to "James Bond" Island (Ko Ping Kan) w/ small pinnacle, circumnavigation of island in kayak: Cuddle fish, Bats, Sea eagles
M 7 Ko Hong #2 National Park, Visit to fishing village @ Ko Pan Yi
Tu 8 " , Hong visit, walk: Coral and reef fishes

KRABI PROVENCE ISLANDS
W 9 Ao (Bay) Nang, Touristy bay and town: Sea snake @ Ko Hong
Th 10 (North) Koh Dan Hok, Thai food boat at small island: More monkeys
F 11 Ko Phi Phi Don @ Monkey Beach, Rude monkeys: Cuttle fish, trunk fish, good coral
St 12 " , Ton Sai town visit [blog post 2]
Sn 13 Ko Phi Phi Don @ Holiday Inn Beach
M 14 " , Room at P.P.E.Palms Resort, Massage, Pool :)
Tu 15 Ko Phi Phi Le @ Maya Bay, Beautiful National Park--site of "The Beach"

PHUKET ISLAND (ANDAMAN COAST)
W 16 Nai Harn Beach, Cruiser boarding @ Maya Bay and Dingy flip
Th 17 " , Surfing, Windsurfing, Lunch in town
F 18 Kata Noi Beach
St 19 Ao Sapam near Royal Phuket Marina, Elephant ride @ Kok Chang (near Kata Noi): Elephants, Gibbons [this blog post 3 typed]

Sn 20 Royal Phuket Marina, Nice Italian lunch
M 21 Bang Tao Beach (Kris Resort), Island drive to Patong and more
Tu 22 Bang Tao Beach (Kris Resort), Frisbee at the beach, Thai pancakes, FantaSea: Tigers
 W 23 Gift shopping, Departure

Language:
korm kun, krap (thank you [male]) ...ka [female]
sa wat dee, krap (hello [male])
tow rai (how much)
kai (egg)

News from Thailand

November 11, 2011

There was a monkey on Eli's head. We were at the far reaches of Ko Dam Hok beach in Phang Nga Bay and we had made a new friend. Actually, he was looking for one of the many handouts tourists are so willing to give. Eli had only smiles to share, but he got some special time anyway.

We've been in Thailand now for 9 days and there has been a lot of special time. After a couple of nights in the marina (the last place we had internet access and blogged), we headed out into the large bay enclosed by Phuket island and the mainland "trunk" of Thailand. Here we have been surrounded by the amazing limestone krast islands that are a famous geological feature of the region. These islands often have enclosed or semi-enclosed lagoons or "rooms" ("hong" in Thai) in their middle that are accessible only through caves or small passages.

During our first week on the bay, we have fallen into a nice rhythm. We are up early to swim, eat, read, and study. Then, if not staying for the day, we choose a destination and sail for a few hours. If we plan to remain at our present anchorage, we kayak (or swim or motor dinghy) to shore and comb the beach or sit in the shade. It is hot here! In the afternoon, we set anchor, swim, eat, talk about the day and tomorrow, have a cool beverage, sit under the stars, maybe watch a movie on the boat's DVD player, read, and go to sleep early--hopefully with a nice breeze coming in through the hatches.

Besides our first days in the marina on Phuket island, we have only twice anchored outside towns. Otherwise, our interaction with other humans besides ourselves has been limited to tourists and their guides coming for the day to the islands by Thai longtail boat. And if you are reading this, we must have found a new inhabited location with internet access! (I'm writing on an offline computer on the boat).

The kids have been writing as well. Below are some of their journal entries to give you a flavor of the bredth of our experience. We have had no news of the outside world since November 2 (US time), but we have been thinking of you and hope all is well.

Joey

Journal Entries, Thailand Week 1

Eli, November 11:

We are now anchored in a new place on our way to Koh Phi Phi Dan. Here there are some nice reefs and even monkeys.

The monkeys are often given food so they are very bold and sometimes pushy. One of them sometimes will climb on you. Today I didn't give one of the monkeys a piece of bread that I was holding and he pulled my hair. In the reefs we saw lots of clown fish that were in anemones. We also saw some parrot fish which eat coral that they poo out as sand.

 

Grace, November 10:

Even MORE monkeys

Yesterday we sailed to a new island. We read that it had a coral reef, so decided to go snorkeling. In the coral reef I saw: purple coral, orange coral, yellow coral, green coral with blue iridescent spots, and many fish! After that, we went to a near-by beach. At the beach we saw a funny monkey family: a mom, a dad, a little girl, a little boy, a big brother, and a grandpa. The big brother climbed all over me! Later they put on a big show swimming in the shallow water.

Sophia, November 8:

Buddhism

Gautama was an Indian prince whse parents tried to shelter him from the fact that others sometimes were not happy. But one day he discovered that not all were happy. The Indians then renamed him Buddha (the enlightened one or the awakened).

A Buddhist goal in religion is to be enlightened or nirvana. It is so captivating that 95% of Thais are Theravada Buddhist.

Grace, November 8:


Asia is the biggest, most populated continent in the world. It has 730 people on each square kilometer. A huge amount of crops are developed each year. But Asia also has down sides: earthquakes, floods, typhoons are not uncommon. Asia is home to one-fourth of the earth's trees. Culturally, the Asians present an amazing picture showing: Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Taoism. All of these originated in Asia. Thailand is in Asia. Thailand has the population of 58.34 million people. Its capital is Bankok.


Eli, November 7:


Muslim Fishing Village

Today we went to a Muslim fishing village that was almost entirely composed of houses on stilts. It had a shopping street running through most of the village. The stores sold mostly all the same thing and the city was full of tourists. My sisters each got something, but I didn't see anything I wanted. Along the way we even got to shake a monkey's hand.

 

Sophia, November 7:

Bat Cave

Yesterday, Papa and I decided to wanted to explore the beach and island that we had just arrived at by kayak. So, we crammed into the one-person kayak and started to row.

We had gone about 1/4 of the way around when we spotted a big, smelly, loud cave. Then I asked curiously, "are those bats?" "Yes," Papa said, pointing to the grey figures that were flying around over head.

　

Arrival!

After a fun Halloween in San Rafael (and some wonderfully fortifying chili and social time at the Pletcher Hessel residence), we set off for Thailand on Monday night.  Seventeen hours in a plane, a complete skip of Tuesday, and a quick stopover in Hong Kong later, we arrived yesterday (Wednesday local time) in Phuket, Thailand.  The journey was happily uneventful besides the 11 movies we watched amongst us. 

In Phuket, we were greeted by an impressive wall of humidity. A quick cab ride brought us to Juliana's parents on their boat, Quantum Leap, docked on the bay.  That initial cab ride in a new place is always interesting as you soak in some of what is new, perhaps have a conversation with your first local, and begin the acclimation process.  There was little conversation this time as we have no clue about speaking Thai (I have since figured out a close approximation of "thank you") and we were able to gather minimal information from the "writing on the walls" as it is all in Thai which does not use any alphabet we know. But we could gather that the vegetation is tropical and the feel is reminiscent of developing Latin America.  Though Thailand is about 90% Buddhist and we saw some ornate and beautiful temples during our cab ride, the marina where the Quantum Leap is docked is in a distinctly Muslim district complete with mosques and traditional headscarves (hijab).  There were no obvious signs of flooding here or even the devastating tsunami of 2004. 

We only had a bit of time yesterday afternoon to explore further, but we did manage to check out one of the beautiful beaches and sampled some amazing food before I crashed out for the night at 5pm local time.  It is morning now (we all woke up extremely early and read for a while) and the kids have been spending most of their time at the back of the boat checking out the marine life.

Our plans are fairly amorphous (ah, the luxury of staying on a boat on the coast), but ideas include island-hopping, swimming, visiting local markets, riding an elephant, seeing a show, eating lots of Thai food, and observing the wildlife on land and sea.  And those of you out there concerned about the kid's homeschooling education, don't worry, they will stay busy!  We've already had lessons on currency exchange, tropical fish species, mangrove "sprogules", and Thai demographics.

While in port, we have internet access, but we will set sail tomorrow, so not sure when we will be back online.  Nevertheless, your comments and emails are welcome if you have any input or questions.  We will update and reply when we can.

Joey

Almost time to leave!

On Monday our family will leave for Thailand. Today was a clean up/get ready to go day and mostly every thing to do before we leave is done the chicken coop is clean, the duck pen and pool are clean, the goat pen is clean, bags are packed only 9 more math lessons to complete before the trip or on the trip, clean house, school work turned in, and house almost ready to be left.

(Editor's note: Sophia says she is too busy getting ready to add more!)

Field Trip Preparations: Thailand and P.S.

It has been a busy week here at the Stewyurt as we prepare for our biggest field trip of the homeschool year.  As you saw in other posts, these preparations have been both physical and academic.

In addition to a short, but sweet visit from the Walker/Thomas family (see Ruby-Doobie-Doo below)

and our regular routine of the week (we seemed to have found some ease in it lately), my personal focus has been making the animal enclosures as safe as possible while we are away and getting ready for rain.

To these ends, the Stewyurt now boasts an expanded awning over the deck and an expanded and secured backyard for Rosie (to the left of deck in picture). 

Special thanks to Eli who really stepped-up and fully partnered with me in the labor-intensive task of putting up the dog fencing.  For those of you interested in construction and/or geometry, the awning provided some serious problem-solving as I was forced to fit a square roof onto a round wall.  In addition to the expected angular challenges, nautilus-like spiraling and some leveling issues ensued.  I won't bore you all with it, but if any of you want to hear more, let me know.

In addition, we have more fencing for goat security and a new, automatic outdoor light for the garage.

I realize these changes may not be of particular inspiration (or even interest) to our readers, but I can't escape that this, in all its banality, is the news of the day.  I feel obligated to remain true to our blogging mission and report it.

In other events of the week, did anyone else get to enjoy game 6 of the World Series?  Wow.

After a Halloween in San Rafael, we will be on our way.  I'm not sure we will be able to blog much (or at all) while we are away, but we will have lots to share when we return.

We wish you all a November crisp on the outside and warm on the inside. 

Joey

Post script

I can't close without recognizing the most significant event since I last wrote here.  I couldn't find a way to fit it into the week's "routine" described above, though in its devastation it does instill in me a further gratitude for regular-ol' life.

Yesterday, our neighbor's nine-year-old son came over to tell us that the doctors have given his dad only weeks to live.  His words: "he is going Home."  What a brave boy to be able to speak that way of his father's predicted passing: a passing too soon for one too young with too much love and work still to give.

Life is short and unpredictable.  Joy is fleeting; contentment can be elusive.  While this is a special time for our family--an adventure--we forget so often that all of our time is special.   May we remember.  And when we face pain and the unpredictable, may we find strength and support.   We wish, pray, hope, and trust our neighbor and his family have these.

ready to go

I spent my day in the garden. It was a beautiful day.

The Summer garden continues to produce, though I feel almost ready to be done eating cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes. The flowers keep going too.

I've said it before. Life is so sweet. I want each moment of it.

And I feel a heavy awareness this week that it doesn't always go on as long as one hopes or expects.

I can't imagine how one says goodbye, or goes on after the one loved has died.

Tomorrow we'll go home to San Rafael for a couple days of work, then Halloween and onto a plane for Phuket, Thailand via Hong Kong.

I feel ready to not work for a while. I haven't taken an away vacation since I broke my foot our first day at Hornby Island, B.C. I spent all my remaining time off having surgery, then recovering. I'll be more cautious this trip. No skim boards for me.

I'll see my parents, who I've missed.

We'll report back with photos and stories of our adventures.

A Thailand Overveiw

On Monday, we are leaving for Thailand, so I thought I'd give an overview of it's history, environment and culture.

The furthest back history recorded is 4000 B.C. Scientists found pottery and metal work from that time. In the first millennium A.D., there was the arrival of the Thai people. Then, 283 years later, written Thai language was invented. Much later, during 1850-1874, Western influence increased and slavery was abolished. Later, in 1973, Thailand switched to democracy, but in 1997-2006 the country was in turmoil.

Thailand also has a very rich environment. It has many rain forests which are full of birds and monkeys. There are also 7 types of venomous snakes living throughout Thailand. Thailand, which some think is shaped like an elephant, has 3 seasons: a hot season, a dry season, and a cold season. During the cold season, there is sometimes even ice.

One of the ways Thailand is very different than America is their culture. Their manners are very different. You can eat as soon as you are served with a spoon fork or chop sticks. Your bottom half is considered dirty especially your feet. Because of this, things touching the bottom half must be kept separate. Monks can not touch women in any way, so if a woman even wants to give a monk something, they have to pass it through some one else. The people of Thailand also greatly respect their king and expect the same from you so be careful.

Hopefully that will give you and idea about where we are going.



Eli

Creative Writing: Lilly, Chapter 4

See previous entries for other chapters.

Chapter 4

Hours later, a short plump woman skipped happily through the barn door.  She was carrying a large plate of of eggs and potatoes with a dollop of ketchup. "You must be starving, child!'' she said, looking at Caroline. ''You know that there is a lost sign on practically every post in town!"

Caroline was amazed.  Her mother didn't love her.  Or did she? "Well, lets call your parents then," the plump lady said with a sigh.

A sudden feeling of panic washed over Caroline, she didn't want to go back!

To be continued...

Grace

Field Trip: Bishop's pumpkin farm

A few days ago, we took a trip to Bishop's pumpkin farm with the charter school and our neighbors Ruthie and Caleb. 

First on our schedule was a pig race/eating healthy thing. It wasn't really a pig race it was mainly a play of the three little pigs heathy style. Next on our list was a wagon ride that started in about 20 minutes. We all had our eye on a carmel apple so Papa let us get some to share (one every two people). As soon as carmel apples were wedged into every hand(well almost every hand, we were sharing), we loaded the Hay Wagon. 

Once the Hay Wagon had reached it's destination ( the pumpkin picking place ) and stopped moving, I jumped out of the wagon and ran around determined to find a good pumpkin. Finally, my eyes rested on the one and only warty pumpkin! 

Then when everyone was satisfied with their pumpkin we were again loaded onto a vehicle. But this time not a Hay Wagon, a train! The train showed us old - fashion stuff. When the train finally screeched to a stop Mama went over to the giant pumpkins (that were rotting) and took some seeds to plant next Spring. 

Now that the Charter school had left we entered the famous corn maze for some fun. 

Now you know why only a few of us wrote...

Sophia

A Saturday Moment

Today was a typical Saturday in a lot of ways: soccer games, work around the house and land, a friend of the kids' over.  The games were fun to watch, it was nice to get some stuff done, the friend was well-behaved.  It was good, just what one hopes for from a Saturday.  Saturday is the middle of the weekend, after all: arguably the best day of the week.  But for a forty-something with family, home, work, and social life, it seldom affords much peace.  Something a little special happened today. 

After finishing a couple of projects, I grabbed a book and strung up a hammock under the deck.  It was late afternoon and the sun was well below its high point for the day.  The land is transformed around here since rain came a couple of weeks ago; everything has a glisten.  Tree leaves passed speckled light in different shades of green, vibrant and rich.  Bright mossy edges bordered the oak branches growing dense with their unpredictable directionality. 

I settled into my hammock and it was easy to let go.  I swung gently from a warm ray of the sun into the cool shadow of tree branches, then back again to the sun.  The temperature was perfect.  The kids were crafting inside together (cooperatively!).  I wasn't worried about something else I should get done.  I drifted and dozed a bit, didn't bother to crack the book.  I was just there. 

We've changed our look

New appearance, same great blog.

Presentation: Life in the Sierra Foothills. Available for reservation!

Sophia and Grace created the presentation summarized below to give to their class at Laurel Dell.   They share some of what they have learned about California history and some of what they have learned working with their animals.  Please contact us if you would like to book a showing (presentation subject to some editing).

The Stewyurt Nature Guide

We've been working on a "Nature Guide" that presents the natural history of our land.  Though it continues to be a work in progress, below are samples of our entries--one from each of the contributors.  We hope to eventually catalog most of the larger species found here (in other words, things bigger than bugs), some of the smaller ones, and perhaps even some of the important non-living components of our ecosystem.

Creative Writing: Lilly (Chapter 2 continued, Chapter 3)

by Grace

See previous posts for earlier chapters.

Chapter 2 (continued)

Caroline took a cheese and celery sandwich from her bag. Seeing this, Lilly trotted over, hoping to entice Caroline to give her a piece or two too. Looking into Lilly's eyes so vast and brown, Caroline reluctantly ripped a piece off and gave it to the little animal in front of her. The rest, she ate herself.

As the day passed, Caroline's love for Lilly grew and grew to the point where Caroline would tell her elaborate long stories every night. Also, Caroline started to slowly become lithe. That combination was a good one, because she now started building a shelter.

Chapter 3

Food was becoming a big problem for Lilly and Caroline. Caroline started to dwindle down in size and have intense stomach aches. Finally, Caroline decided she had to do something. So the next day she and Lilly set out to find some chestnuts. She picked and gathered all day so by the end of the day she had about 20 pounds worth (at least she thought).

She had barely closed her eyes that night when the loud sound of a rooster awakened her. "What, but I thought no one else was living here," she said to herself. Caroline was astonished when she opened her eyes. Around her was the red and white inside of a barn. Caroline's heart started beating when she realized that Lilly was not beside her. For a minute there was silence. Then suddenly, from the depths of a pile of clean hay, a small head popped up.

Caroline recognized the small face at once...it was Lilly! So Caroline started to entice Lilly to get off the pile. "Yes!", Caroline thought as Lilly started sneaking slowly towards the sandwich she was holding. But Caroline was once again disappointed. As soon as Lilly got close to the sandwich, she stole it and was back in her hay pile.

To be continued...

Book Review: The Son of Neptune

In the previous installment of this series, Jason, son of Jupiter (or Zeus), wakes up and remembers nothing about his old life. He learns about Greek mythology and hears a prophecy at Camp Half Blood, a camp for Greek half bloods (half gods, half humans).

In this book, while Jason is a Camp Half Blood, Percy Jackson, the Son of Neptune, also loses his memory and finds himself in a Roman camp. He and some new friends go on a quest and learn that Greeks and Romans must work together to defeat the most powerful goddess of all: Gea the goddess of the earth.

Even though all these series by Rick Riordan are a little repetitive, I couldn't stop reading it. It was a fun, easy read.

-Eli

Creative Writing: The Talking Power (Chapter 3)

By Sophia

Previous Chapters in earlier posts.

Chapter 3

Magic was never a big fan of me (my name is C.D.) going to school and leaving her by herself all day. So, one day Magic must have slipped inside of my backpack just before I woke because the first thing I heard when I got to school was: "C.D. had a little goat, little goat, little goat, C.D. had a little goat its scar as blue as sky. Every were that C.D. went, C.D. went, C.D. went, everywhere that C.D. went her goat was sure to go." I was shocked as I turned around to see little Magic sticking her head out of my backpack. I glared at her, she seemed to be having the time of her life.

To be continued...

today

Today I am moving slow and went back to bed after morning milking.

Steel cut oatmeal for breakfast. Pickles moved into the fridge and ready to eat, if one is brave.

Sophia is finishing up a knitting project-- following a pattern, a new skill.

Eli and Joey are digging fence holes to enlarge Rosie's enclosure.

Today I'll pack for Thailand, install my winter clothes, and dig some holes for Jerusalem artichoke and our new mandarin tree (Thanks Larissa and MaiMai, Ellie and Charley.)

I had a moment of sweetness, laughing about alpacas (Joey had an offer on one) with the family. I decided I never wanted to leave. Just to stay here with my people and our 10 goats and (hypothetical) alpaca, chickens and ducks, drinking milk, eating mini melons, hanging clothes on the line, growing food, and making things. Could we live on less? Could we work less? I think we could.

The Children's Science Experiments

Over the past month, each of the kids has designed and conducted a science experiment.  The links (and urls) below are to their reports.  Your comments and/or email feedback are appreciated (we hope to do some revisions/alterations for entry in competitions in the spring).

Sophia's Experiment: The effect of soil on the height of plants
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ES198rbHiuWkGZe6iaWj1iQooVFa7lUrQ0o6BKoJuiY/edit?hl=en_US

Grace's Experiment: The effect of different kinds of Manure on a bean’s length.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13VvfExua7_owP-KtdfK75BqpNNBHcVNFR36Y1AnPYK4/edit?hl=en_US

Eli's Experiment: To find the effect of water quantity on a bottle rocket and find the one that flies the highest.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Os1G20rgi3qKLsvEc8R8e9C9yedmVnecRJdKNmexu1w/edit?hl=en_US

Free style sewing

I made a couple new things!

When it got cold last week, I rejoiced at the break from 100 degrees. And then I got really chilly and started looking for the sweaters I'd boxed up in June. And my slippers. And a hat.

I decided to try my hand at pattern making. I have a pair of Old Navy yoga pants I like. They are thick and stretchy and warm. And the broad waist band keeps my belly toasty. I wear them under skirts or dresses if I can get away with it. And they are worn out.

I laid them out on wrapping paper and traced both sides. It was a little tricky. But the result was... pretty close. I'll wear them.



 

The second project is a skirt from a knitting book I like. I'm too lazy to knit all six panels, but I was able to sketch one out and cut out the pieces in thick fleece (again, super cozy.) Because I so love the warm belly phenomenon in winter, I decided to make a wide waist band for this too, which gave it some versatility as a dress. I like the external seams. It makes it a little architectural, I think. I guess I could wear it with seams hidden as well. I think I'll do a little applique on this at some point. (Joey was trying to coach me in proper posing techniques.. How to look thin in photos etc... Neither of us seem to know.)

Finally, my 5 year knit project: the hippie capelet. It still needs some refinement, but it is also warm. And finished.

Thanks for listening.

Community Service

l am doing a community service this year for part of my Bar Mitzvah. Community service is a mitzvah or good deed. Community services are important to me because they help people who need it and make me feel good about myself. Community services can be hard too because they require time and energy and also might cause you to step out of your comfort zone. Last week l did some gleaning at green gulch. The food we collected was donated to Saint Vincent De Paul. I had a good time picking food with my friends and felt good about all the food we were donating. In the future I will do more community services such as volunteering at soup kitchens or a animal shelter.