Thursday, June 24, 2010

Water Science in Stillwater

As part of the Stillwater Free Library's summer reading program launch, I presented "SPLASH! into New York State Water Science" last evening. Over 60 participants attended.

We made rain in the gym (without spilling a single drop of water!).

After reviewing syllable counts (or beats) of words, we wrote water haiku.

Rolls over pebbles
Colors dance before my eyes
Relaxing yet nice


- Hannah

In the hot summer
I like to go in the pool
Splishy, splashy fun!


-Emma

Water is so fun
Swim, float, spray, sprinkle, drip, drop
Dive right in and SPLASH!


-Breanna

We listened to peepers and frogs and imagined what their music might look like in shapes and colors.

We created our own music using water and glasses.






And, we made a memory of the evening's activities with gyotaku, or Japanese fish printing, where we

... painted a replica of a trout

... transferred that image onto cloth

... and witnessed the results of our creative efforts.








Special thanks to Director Sara Kipp and the many parent and adult volunteers who made the evening a success. A special thanks to Fulton-Montgomery Community College student Kyna Kuhlman who traveled with me, helped me set up and tear down, washed many paint brushes, and helped the young naturalists with their many projects.

Have a splashy good summer, everyone!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Print Making at Pember

Thank you to the young readers and naturalists at Pember Library in Granville, New York, where today, to launch the summer reading program, we ...

made fish prints (gyotaku) of the state fish, the trout ...






created a water xylophone to make music to accompany the frogs in the bog ...






and wrote water haiku too.

Flowing blue water
Splashing others and go under
Water in my mouth.

- Genni, age 11

Tum-bl-ing water
Water, water, everywhere
Purified water.

- Devin, age 12

Rivers flowing blue
Mettowee and Indian
Keeping Granville new.

- a "big kid"

A special thanks to Lucy, the library cat, for being part of our rain-making circle today! (You should receive a special fish treat for your literary efforts.) And, a special thank you to Ryan, for helping me move program materials into and out of the library.

May you splash all summer long, inside and outside the library!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Frank Lloyd Squirrel

We are watching a construction project in action.

A squirrel has moved in -- between an old stain-glass window (on the outside) and a clear window (on the inside) -- in our kitchen.

We wonder if she has a little internal construction project of her own in progress!

Wait until the two Siamese kittens take notice of this activity! Our menagerie continues to grow! Should be fun.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Who's Counting?


I am!

Today is the 11th anniversary of my 39th birthday ...

Or, today I turn 40-10 ...

Oh, what the heck!

Today I'm the BIG 5-0!

I can now wear each of my gray hairs proudly!

This is a napkin that was in an assortment of gifts from one of my beach buddies. (Thank you!)

Leave a message ... I'm in a meeting today.