Around Home

We have had a few lovely weeks sticking close to home. We go out a bit but have found so much peace and joy within our own space that we have chosen very few activities.  Here are some of my fav pics from our activities around home over the last week!

Early morning coffee with Groovydawg.  While I sit at the other end of the bench and throw the ball, throw the ball, throw the ball for Lilly.  Groovy perches here and watches the sun rise and keeps an eye on her brood.

Early morning also provides a sneak peak into the secret life of our garden.  By mid-morning the heat has returned and we don't see many insects but at 6:30a.m. I caught this little bee snagging pollen in one of our zucchini flowers.  (oh should I mention once again how much I love my 60mm lens? *sigh*)

Lilly keeping herself entertained when I decide I am tired of throwing the ball.

My glorious new camera has lead me to a great magazine called N Photo.  100% Nikon, 100% independent.  What this means is it is a mag dedicated to shooting with a Nikon and has mega tips, tricks and trials for eager amateurs like me.  A short trip to the park and I was able to put my new found skills to use trying panning shots.  Not too bad for a first try!  It sure looks like she is going SUPER fast!  I love all the info and projects this new magazine has to offer.  I highly recommend it to my nikon friends!

And how could I resist just "Sid" shots at our park?  She is such a good climber, her nickname at Karate is Gecko!  Even a dress won't keep her down :)

And our last place around home is Karate of course!  Still going about 5 times a week and Sid has started to learn Kata 5 - 7 and Chung Fa 1 which is a soft form.  Today they also started stick fighting.  We had to have a talk about not practicing stick fighting with Lilly around or Sid would be quickly disarmed.  Her grappling has really improved as well.  Below she and Johnny (also 6.5) take on Jay who is 10.  It was fun to watch and Jay managed to hold his own against the two little ones.

PHEW that was tough!

Now above is Sigung and Sid.  There is a really good reason for posting these pics......

TA-DA!  Needle felted Kajukenbo Sid and Sigung!

This has been my favourite project by far.  I loved doing all the detail in the patches and crests.  I am super pleased with how they turned out and of course the belts are removable so Sid will be able to upgrade her belt as she does higher belt tests!

Ok, off to pick fresh garden veggies and enjoy the yard with the family. 

Cheers!  It is good to be home.

The Many Flavours of Homeschooling

So many people are curious about whether we take a break from school in the summer.  Since we are life learners we continue learning every day when the opportunity presents.  We don't have set goals or curriculum but we thrive on curiosity and creativity!

Today's lesson was an interesting one.  In some of the pictures below, it may look like Sid is crying.  As a matter of fact, she might have wanted to cry a bit due to the flavour of her Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans!  When they say EVERY flavour, they mean every flavour!

 Soap

 Earthworm

 Earwax

 Rotten Egg!

 We found this treasure at a little candy shop.  Real life Bertie Bott's every flavour Beans!!!  First we emptied the package and sorted the flavours.  We were only missing Booger and Cherry.

 

 While Sid did the taste testing and tried to determine which was the best and which was the worst, we graphed the different flavours of beans.

 The end result was about two hours of fun and gross learning.  The rotten egg were truly disgusting and the only flavour I tried.  They made Sid's eyes water and Dad gag!  The earthworm and earwax apparently tasted like rocks.  Sid said "hmmm they aren't so bad, they taste like rocks and I know what rocks taste like."  I didn't explore that any further :)

Mom and Sid being oh so groovy

 This past weekend was Wabafest!  The grrrooooviest music festival in this part of Ontario.  Once again Tie-dye prevailed and 4 Way Street ROCKED the house.  I will post a bunch of pics and links once I get them so everyone can enjoy what a talented and amazing musician Kenny is.  We are so proud of him and so happy that Wabafest VI was a great success once again!

I have been commissioned to create a few more mobiles and completed this one last week.  I am really pleased with how the butterflies turned out.  They were a lot of work but worth the attention to detail.  I am quite excited to be inspired to felt again!

 Monarch, Swallowtail and Blue Morpho Butterflies

And to close off the weekend we had glorious weather, a great bounty from the garden which included, zucchini, carrots, beans, peas, tomatoes and our first cucumber and lots of sunshine and water play.

July is almost over but what an awesome summer it has been so far!

Tourists

The Birthday Boy!

For his birthday dinner, we indulged in a wonderful meal downtown.  We stuffed ourselves senseless then felt a walk was in order.  I often forget that our little one has been born and raised in the country and doesn't often get to see the hustle and beauty of downtown.  She was awed by the Parliament buildings and wants to go back for a tour.

Checking out the eternal flame while Dad teaches Sid some schooly stuff.

Awww, my family!

Insanely intricate and beautiful masonry.

Dad and Sid have another chat down by the river.

Parliamentary bunnies!  I told Sid that if she caught it she could bring it home.  We are still a bunny-less house! (aside from the one in the yard who keeps eating our peas!!!  Why do I have dogs????)

Just about back at the van and the call of Place De Ville's water fountain was just too strong to be ignored.  It was after 9 p.m. and still 28 degrees.  A nice refreshing stroll in the fountain cooled her right down!

Another touristy adventure was a trip to a surprise beach.  We planned to go to this cool water park and then discovered that the drought had caused the river to recede so much that there was now a beach to play at! 

Sid demonstrates Kata 8 for Huwyl

Girlfriends!!!

Don't let your feet touch down!

One of our little friends took the experience to an even higher level.  He is Emma's little wild child and very much his own little person.  He is always fun to have around!

Last stop was the beach spa for a mud treatment.  No better way to stay young than to play in the mud!

Free Family Fishing!

 When I was in my early 20's my oldest brother Greg was an avid fisherman, he went fishing with his friends any chance he could.  I didn't really get the appeal until he gave me his really nice Berkley Power Pole with mitchell reel.  He had purchased a new rod and thought I would enjoy his old one.   20 years later and I am still using the same rod and reel and now I get to share the absolute love I have for fishing with the little one and her friends.  Thank you Greg for having shared your passion for fishing with me.  I don't know what it is... the calm, the quite, the surprise of what might grab my line.   The truth is I LOVE FISHING!!!!!  Sid knows this about me after having gone to the cottage with us.  The entire time I am at the cottage I think about where I will fish next and Sid became quite the experienced fishergirl just by tagging along.   This year we got to share our passion for fishing with two little friends.  July 8 - 15 is family fishing week.  Fish without a licence and share the love. 

 Fist stop was Manotick on the Rideau River.  Above I teach Bella how to cast for the first time.  She was a natural and got a great bite on her first cast.  The little sunfish got off the hook just before she pulled it in!

 Sid catches her first fish of the day, also a sunfish (pumpkin seed)

 It was a great day for fishing!  I caught a dozen fish.  Just tiny ones, but a nice selection of perch, small mouth bass and sunfish.  Sid and Bella caught fish too!

Magda had her camera at the ready and caught some really great pictures, she is such and amazing photographer. Click HERE for the rest of Magda's Manotick fishing pics

 Taking our fishing adventures East we travelled to the boat launch in Casselman and taught another little friend and her mom how to fish.

 This was Sid's day, she caught six fish, a selection of sunfish and bass.

 Brianne catches her first fish, a sunfish!

 Meaghan enjoys a moment of calm while the kids manage to fish on their own without worm, casting, or tangled line help.

 This is my favorite series from the day!  Sid catches a fish and as she is reeling it in, it jumps off the hook.  Her face was priceless!  You can see the fish diving back into the water.

She looks up at me and says "Did you see that?  I caught it and it got away!"

And then laughter!  A true fishergirl :)

We hope to take Daddy out this Sunday for one last fishing adventure.  WE LOVE FISHING!!!!!!