Lenkaland

Our field trip.  Our school is small so we don’t have buses.  Parents drive students on trips.  I drove my girl and two of her friends.  Awesome kids.

My favorite part of the day (besides hanging out with the girls and Ian) was the Red Pandas, who were very active.  And the flamingos were courting for the season, so they were flared up and squabbling.  The weather was mild.  A lovely day.

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The first day of spring and I found this orchid.  The plant was a gift last spring that I never expected to see bloom again.  Still, I watered and cared for it just the same, because maybe . . .

And here on the first spring morning, a lovely surprise.  Welcome, spring!

Life sped up this past week.  Anika had school projects to paint.  So Ian must paint, too.  She is becoming an expert on the spotted hyena.

The sunshine inspired us to be outside.  Mom had brought seashells from her trip to Santa Cruz.  Ian was inspired to build his own pixie-homes.

It won’t be much longer that he can wear the monkey pants

Anika and I made her zebra-skirt for her big first grade show.  Tomorrow, now.

They played with a dragon-castle.  They manned the turrets with bunny-knights and Jedis.  Doesn’t get more fun that a dragon castle with bunnies and Jedis.

Time races on . . . and in the evening, we slow down.  For a moment.  Not long.  Long enough for a cuddle, a whispered love you, a memory.

Good memories.  I can forget Anika’s fever and cough and ear infection.  Then Ian’s cough and fever and ear infection.  Oh, and his molars have cut through his gums.  Poor baby.  Not much sleeping around here   Speaking of sleep . . . goodnight.

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A lovely weekend with the sun shining bright.  We got outside even though the wind was bitter cold.  On Saturday we went on  adventures.  First in the backyard. Bubbles!

Ian found the pool equipment .  Don’t worry, there aren’t any dangerous pipes or switches.  Child-safe pool pump

We decided that we must have a bigger adventure. We walked down to the high school track where Anika did some horse-racing.

On the walk home (see the CMT report for how that walk worked (or didn’t work) for me, we found treasures!
We found an oak tree with acorns all over the ground! Fairy hats! We collected pocketfuls for future pixies. Anika and Ian loved finding acorns with hats that they could take off and put back on over and over.

Then we found another treasure- acorns taking root in the ground!
We don’t get to see that very often. We collected one to share with Anika’s first grade and then plant at home.
The next day, we played on the thick green grass in the front yard.
Anika had the brilliant inspiration- Fairy Houses! She pulled out the fairy house kit that Uncle Paul made for her at Christmas. Paul put together a perfect selection of natural wood blocks, moss, and bark. I got her a fairy door that the fairies now use to live in the rock accents along our house. She built a dance floor with daffodil-petal decorations.
Meanwhile, Ian built his own pixie houses which promptly met with earthquakes as he shook the blocks to make them crash. This sent him into fits of giggling.
He watched Anika’s building with thoughtful contemplation.
The set set with warm-butter light over us and the daffodils. We stayed outside until the chill shadows and the reminder of winter returned. We went inside with plans for future fairy houses. Future spring adventures.

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I’ve fallen behind on our story.  We woke up to this one morning.

Not what I expected.  By afternoon, the sun had returned and Ian and I played outside with birds.

And Bear.

Dada came home from work.

Flowers were blooming.

And Ian rode his horse off into the sunset

The next day I set up his scrambled eggs on his little table.  He sat so formal for awhile, his little toes curled around the bars of the chair because he doesn’t touch the floor.

He soon decided that Mama has awkward plans.  He set up his meal in a much better way.

We played, then picked up Anika after school. We visited the library, a wonderland of stories . . .

Then came home to play more . . . Very fun days.

The exciting small delights of days that slip past unnoticed. I catch you, days. Here you stay. Here I remember you. With gratitude.

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Lovely sunshine today.   I expected to see this on such a sunshine-drenched morning.

This image . . . not so much

A dusting of snow over the backyard.  Very pretty in the bright sunlight.

I spent the morning in Anika’s class helping out.  Mom watched Ian, then treated me to breakfast.  Fun indeed!

We started Anika’s school project.  She is becoming an expert on a mammal.  Her mammal? The spotted hyena.  It’s a fun sculpture.  Pictures soon.

Last night I was treated to a night at the ball.  It’s not often the sparkly princess dresses are dusted off anymore.  It was quite a treat, even as she spun around to Boom Boom Pow. The modern princess makes her own rules

Rock on!

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A treat today as the Wild Things animal rescue group visited the Nevada City School of the Arts.  We saw incredible rescued animals.  Many of them were injured by people, which as sad.  I took a few pictures and videos with my phone.

Earlier that morning I read The Umbrella by Jan Brett, which featured a kinkajou as a character.

Hmm, I said to the kids, I’ve never heard of that animal before.

So imagine my surprise when our host walked out with a kinkajou clinging to his arm!  He asked the audience what animal it was and the kids answered, lemur, monkey.  Only my class knew it was a kinkajou.  Wow.  Just as cute in person as it seems in the book. 

A very fun day.  We also saw a desert tortoise and king snake.  A wonderful organization that made a big impression on the kids.  Thanks!

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