Saturday, November 28, 2015

Saratoga Battlefield Hike

Happy Thanksgiving! We decided to go to the Saratoga Battlefield the day after Thanksgiving to take a hike. We had never done the whole Wilkinson Trail and decided to give it a try. Maddie took along her camera and her GPS unit so she could gather information and try making a tour at home. That is still in the works! It was a beautiful day! Almost 60 degrees and sunny with a warm wind blowing. We could see for quite a long distance too. We have been following Fall Outside with Mud Puddles to Meteors. The prompt for Friday was to listen to nature. As we walked along the trail we realized that the different grasses were making different sounds which was fun! We may have noticed this regardless of the prompt but we have been having a good time trying each day's prompt and discovering new things as we go along.

View from the Visitor Center



We were attempting to get a Christmas picture here. We will see how that turns out! We may need a less windy day.


I told Maddie to be careful. That looked like a tree that likes to swallow Hobbits! 
Cannons from below

I kept seeing pinecones stuck in bushes! 

I believe this is a house sparrow. She was having a drink in a puddle and flew into the bush as we approached.


A quote from Brian while Maddie and I were taking this picture and he was trying to read to us "Have you two never seen milkweed before??" 






Maddie asked for her picture next to the tree because it was so cool!



It was a fun day! We hope to go back and try again. We also need to see how Maddie's map comes out!

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Yarn Along



When we made our weekly library trip last Friday the illustrated Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was just sitting there waiting for Maddie to snap it up. We decided that we had to re-read the book together and are enjoying it so much! The illustrations are beautiful and detailed.

I am slowly working on my Pioneer Girl shawl. My day care re-registration paperwork is due at the state so everything else (including dinner a couple of nights!) has taken a back seat. However I got that mailed off yesterday so hopefully things get back on an even keel here! 

Happy Veteran's Day to all the veterans. Thank you for your service!

Joining Ginny at Small Things for the Yarn Along.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Nature Walk at Five Rivers


On Saturday we took a nature walk at the Five Rivers Environmental Center. We had a bit of fun in the visitor center before heading out to the Beaver Tree Trail.

Moose Consultation


Maddie took a heading in the parking lot before we headed out. She marked some way points as we walked along and later we will try to put her photos into those waypoints on a map. Well, maybe I should say Maddie and Brian will figure those out! 



This trail was very short but it still took us quite a long time to get around it. This was due to our need to stop and examine everything we saw that might be new! This included checking out the trees. We had just read in the past week that trees put out their buds in the fall when the light is better than in the spring.It was so much fun to look for them on the trees! 




We are participating in Fall Outside from Mud Puddles to Meteors. The challenge for the day was to look at things from an insects view so Maddie was crawling around to get some shots. You can see her photos here.


This was my shot from the bugs view. 



We are still trying to figure out the tree these cones were on. It had cones and long seed pods. No leaves so we are stumbling a bit!





Dam built by the Civilian Conservation Corp.



The green in the water is called duckweed. We pulled some up on our fingertip and were able to see the tiny rootlets!


When we headed back up to the parking lot to trade cameras for lunch another photographer stopped us and asked Maddie if we had seen the owl. No, where! was the quick response. The man was nice enough to take us right over to the spot on another trail right off the parking lot and point out the eastern screech owl snoozing away. He even made sure Maddie was able to get the owl with her camera before going back to his car to pack up. Maddie was so excited that all tips from Poppa Bill on how to get up close without a telephoto lens went right out of her head. She was very cute. Here is my shot. The owl is reddish brown but blends really well with the tree.



That was an excellent cap to a great day!







Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Finished Objects and new Projects!



I finished all the socks for the day care kiddos! I think they are pretty cute because they are so small. I hope they keep their little toes nice and warm. 


I've also finished Maddie's new mittens and started a hat to match. The stitch marker is from Knit Girl in Idaho and it has Maddie's photo on it! It was a Mother's Day gift from Maddie and I love it. I have another one with one of the photographs she has taken on it. They are my favorites of course! 


This weekend I started my Pioneer Girl shawl. I love the color but am hoping the yarn softens up a bit when I wash it.

I am still reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and Waldorf Education. One is upstairs by my bed and the other is downstairs next to the couch. I can't be the only one who does that, right? 

What are you reading and crafting? Joining Ginny at Small Things.


Sunday, November 1, 2015

Halloween 2015 and the Dead End Street Project!


Yesterday was Halloween. Maddie stayed home and handed out candy this year. We did take a walk around the neighborhood to get cider and doughnuts from the firemen and to check out the houses. Maddie dressed up as Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter who, as Mamaw Mary and I predicted so long ago, is one of her favorite characters.



We had a variety of pumpkins! One was a glittery blue pumpkin that Maddie painted and glittered. The others were carved by Maddie and Brian.



Voldemort and Harry

We saw this on our walk!


Today we started what Maddie and I have named "The Dead End Street Project". Our usual walk includes going to the end of a dead end street where we can see the river. It is usually quiet there and wildlife has peeked out to see us often! Lots of birds including baby Canada Geese and adult Cormorants among them. Squirrels and chipmunks. Even a bunny once or twice! Maddie will be taking a photo on the first of the month for the next year. It should be fun! Hopefully we can always make it on the first! Here are my photos from today.