For the Love of Science and Learning...

It has been Science Fair time around here. They began last fall, and while I am glad they learn a lot, they don't tend to choose traditional projects that fit into the mold of the competitions, so they don't compare well to some of their peers, but they can explain some really cool science that often I don't even know about until they get these projects going!

Okay, so this isn't a photo from the science experiment she did, but her experiment was all about goats and stifle alignment. For those of you who followed it, I will try to get her to post it here after the regional science fair is over. The truth is, there were very few goats who had alignment issues of those she surveyed, and when she had gotten the weight of those she had with stifle issues back under control (a certain young buck really likes his alfalfa) the stifles went back in. She hope to do more and track does over the summer and fall who are pregnant to track the change across pregnancy, so should be interesting to see if she finds changes there. That is an oversimplification of her work, but let me know if you have questions about it and she can explain it all!

Wyatt wanted to build a cycle generator, preferably one that would charge a hovercraft. Yup, that's my kid. He did learn a lot about circuits and wiring and how to store alternative energy for later use along the way.

On Monday, they took their projects to SARSEF, the regional science fair for setup day. We have taken to stopping for photos of these cutouts annually now, so we got into it again this year.

Wyatt found the headless scientists pretty fun, but wouldn't stick his head in, wanted to be extra goofy instead.

Bailey thought it was pretty funny to stand between Spock and Dr Jane Goodall.

Tuesday wasa interview day. The kids were lucky enough to spend much of the day up at the Biosphere 2 labs attending classes, then the SARSEF folks were kind enough to let Bailey arrive late for her interviews so she could still do both. So sweet of them to work with us!

Somehow I thought the Biosphere 2 was a dome shape. Really impressive, though! Someday maybe I will get to take a tour or class!

According to the website for SARSEF, Bailey won an award, thought we won't know what that would be until the Awards nights on Friday. Some of her friends from around town were also on the list when i just checked. WOOHOO! (A big congrats to Cristine too!!!)

Monday Adventures

I woke up this morning to noises in the incubator, This little Light Brahma decided not to wait the full 21 days, and came along today!  I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to need to move chickens around until Tuesday or Wednesday, but it just got me rolling a little early.

The little ones in the brooder are feathered out, and were needing to move outside, but I had been hesitating. When I went to teach Step, I told the kids there was a little one drying and that we could move everyone when I got home. While I was gone the ones int he brooder picked today to make their escape! The kids put them back twice, and when I got home, the largest Light Brahma and the Buckeye escaped for Shadow and I.  I suppose if I needed any confirmation that they were ready to move to the next grow out step, they gave it to me!

In order for the little ones to move to their next spot, the two new roosters bringing new blood to the Silkie program got to move in with the remaining Silkies!

The new boys are young, and Buff and Partridge. It was definitely time, generation-wise to bring in some new boys, so the older hen, Trooper decided to give these boys the lay of the land. She used the top of her head and nudged the more dominant one backwards to the pen fence, then gave him a piece of her mind.

After that, the young roosters kept to themselves, enjoyed the snacks and treats, and did what the girls wanted.  I love it!  THey will settle in in another day or so.

While the kids were working on science fair, and I was watering before starting dinner, I got bust with the pruning on my list.  This is the Pichu plant that I posted for advice the other day. Folks told me to hurry up and prune it just above the new growth before the plant wakes up much more, 

so I did! I hope I did it correctly! We shall see, since only time will tell. This is the first time we have grown or overwintered Pichu fruit.  I did save some fruit though, so plan to harvest some seeds later this week to start for the next ones.

What do you think? This is the other, smaller Pichu plant. It struggle last year, as the puppy liked to sit in the pot with it.

These are the little tiny new leaves of it.

So I cut just above the leaves. Not sure what I think, though, since the stalk is rather leaned over. This is the finish trim, any thoughts or advice?

I also got a couple minutes to add dirt and expand the new little asparagus patch. I think I need to water better with both of them in the record heat.I will add some more dirt and move that low pot to the other end, too, I think.

Charlie helped Wyatt with his science fair pedal powered generator. The wheel doesn't always want to set up, so they did a few trial runs so he will be ready to set it all up and explain it tomorrow at the fair.

And he did a few trials proving that he was generating and storing power.

I also added the two new jars of soaking barley to the fodder system as well.  The fodder is growing slowly right now. I am not sure whether the issue is the heat int he window, or something else, but the aren't moving much beyond the sprout stage. I will have to keep watching and working with it.

Well, another busy day in the books.  Tomorrow looks to be another busy day, lots to do with the kids, and fun times ahead.  But for today, I made a little dent, got to talk to my sister online on her birthday, and even got to face the fact that my eleven year-old is now taller than me. Just another day in this crazy life, but more blessings along the way.

You all have a great one, we'll check in again soon. Love to all!

The homemade space heater...

Part of the fun of homeschooling is the random experiments, right?

This was the Tuesday morning experiment. You see, when I got up, it was 48 degrees in the house. I know, much of the country has it far worse than us, so I am trying not to complain. As I tried to get going, and scratched Vegas' ears, I saw the Facebook post again where folks were using tea light candles in a bread pan with flower pots to heat small rooms.

So we figured, why not try it out?

I don't know if the rooms were too big for the heater, or if the candles not having a casing made a difference, but it wasn't warm beyond the pot!  Maybe we just had too much heat differential to make up, who knows?

Have you tried it? Did it work for you?

Once in a lifetime!

Okay, I admit it.  Never actually tried to hide it, in all honesty.  I am an airplane junkie.  I love paper airplanes, jets, and cool biplanes that do funny loops at the airshows.  My dad and I even took flying lessons together when I was in High School, I learned to fly an airplane before I learned to drive a car.

When we were looking at colleges for my sister in Florida, we went to Cape Canaveral.  The tour was outstanding.  Space shuttles AND bald eagles!

Wyatt and I re-watch every launch on the NASA website, and we are both rather depressed about the end of the shuttle program.  It was such an amazing push for American innovation and ingenuity.  Kids in the pool would pretend that they were training for space walks underwater.

And today, the Endeavor flew over Tucson on its way to display in California after formal decommissioning. I stood outside of work, waiting for the 747 with the shuttle on top to fly by, since Mark Kelly had requested the flyover.

I even got a little video.  But now I am actually pretty sad.  The end of an era.  For now, I will remind myself of what an amazing once in a lifetime these photos represent.  And that here, as it was flying away - that as I was filming this it was flying over Wyatt's class int he schoolyard cheering it on.  Because, to be true, their generation will have to pick this one up and see where we go next- to the moon, to Mars, and beyond...