What's new Pussycat?

Along with our other schoolwork, I have been trying to focus some time on Nature studies.

It has been very easy to do so, what with our Nature tree on the other side of the window! Much of our time has been spent on birds, so imagine my delight when The Heart of the Matter had a whole Birding Nature Study write-up with links! Lots of great stuff there, my favorite was the downloadable coloring book.

I love Cornell. Perhaps it is because Matt went to school there. Perhaps because he worked there for a time. Perhaps because it is well known. Or maybe because it has a GREAT ornithology department. The guy who made the drawings for the coloring book was a native of Ithaca, and a Cornell alum. Anyway...that was a bunny trail!

I printed out the pages (many) and then let Corynn sift through them all to find the birds that frequent our feeders and tree. There are many! We are working on those first-coloring the pages with the details we see on them as they flit around our window.

When we finish the 'common' birds, we will use our much-loved bird book to help us give the unfamiliar birds their colors.



It was hard to stop Corynn off at two-she had so much fun! She kept begging to do more. (May I just say how fabulous it is to hear your child begging for more learning?!?) As you can see, she also drew a picture of a cardinal...with a surprisingly good likeness.

Perhaps it is because she has been inspired lately? ;-)



Finally, a while ago I mentioned I had another Valentine's project up my sleeve but couldn't talk about it until is was received? Well, it was received!

I made a heating bag for my sister, who is getting migraines with pregnancy. Inside is scented rice using lavendar, vanilla, sage, and mint (some herbies I had dried) and some essential oils. It is an odd combination but smells pretty good, I think. I made a flannel cover, removable (and washable) with straps and I made it twice as long as normal, hoping that it might help with delivery pains later on.

Corynn chose the fabrics and suggested the heart. ;-)

In other news:

It's official. Six little ears have infections. A man once said to me (no joke) "you have such cute little mouse ears!" I have always had ear problems, and they always have to use the pediatric ear-things for my ears. So yes, mine are the ones included in that number.

And we still have the noses, coughs and droopy eyes...

But nothing that we can't handle.

And that is the latest and greatest.