Bolsa Chica Wetlands

Wednesday, October 20th
Enjoying a day out in NATURE after the rain...

Nature Study at Santiago Oaks

Thursday we met with our friends for a day of nature study at Santiago Oaks. While in wait for all to arrive we discovered the beauties of nature hovering over our heads and under our feet. What we thought were limes on the ground and dangling from their branches were actually oranges, baby oranges still growing. Our little friend Conley spotted an Acorn Woodpecker in the adjacent Oak, most likely looking for food. Covering the dry ground were leaves of the Orange tree and Coast Live Oak as well as a few scattered acorns.

Mama's Nature Journal

The children wanted to watch this little guy of a lizard swim; in the stream he was placed and all watched that in fact this little guy could swim. He swam and swam and when he reached the closest twig, climbed up to catch his breath. Several of the children were thinking of a way to go and capture or 'rescue' him without getting their feet too wet, when from the opposite side comes a little girl, sandals on, without hesitation, wading through the stream and grabs the lizard. So cute!!!

There were so many little frogs in the stream...

Olive Tree
Olea Europea

I walked right up to this tree and thought it must be an olive tree! Observing raw olives attached to their mother tree was a first for my eyes. Unbeknown to me this MEDITERRANEAN native is commonly grown in California.

Not one of us tasted as there was fear that it may be poisonous in its raw form. I did a little research tonight and learned that many believe this common misconception of the raw olive. The reason being is that they are extremely BITTER! The olive is put through a curing process of soaking in a brine or lye to remove the bitterness, making it more edible. A quote from the article linked:

"Now, you have to wonder why people who believed that Raw Olives were toxic never stopped to asked themselves why olive oil, which is pressed from raw olives, isn't."

Silly Mamas! We were just trying to be on the safe side. Really though, I have never inquired about the process of collecting oil from the olive and therefore had no knowledge...now I do! I love learning along with my children and friends that share a common interest of things living and beautiful.

Golden Garden Spider

Argiope Aurantia

A rather large spider, one I have never seen, that is completely HARMLESS!

Vintage French Picture Books

I found these gorgeous books at my favorite place to find book treasures! With little understanding of the French language I am afraid they will not be read, but that will not matter much as I so enjoy the beauty in the illustrations alone.

RABIER 1936

Picture books are a child's first introduction to the world of reading. A child reads pictures, expecting the pictures to tell the story and to tell it accurately. Who can know all the impressions and data children store up in their private world from picture books? Such books provide the fun of looking, but they also give an experience. By sharing their own observations, parents teach their children how to look at pictures.

Some concept of art values will begin to form in the child's mind as he looks at pictures.

Many times children say, "Now I'll read you this story," and then proceed to read what the pictures are saying. Or, sometimes a child says, "Don't read the writing, read the pictures." Begin to notice illustrators you and your children like and look for their work. Honey for a Child's Heart pages 30-31

BRUNHOFF 1941

A good book is always an experience containing spiritual, emotional, and intellectual dimensions. Honey for a Child's Heart page 30

Harvest Time at Riley's Farm

This year at Riley's Farm the children enjoyed what life was like on the homestead way back when...

James, not quite trusting those horns!

Friends enjoying a hay ride!

Hand washing the clothes

Thinking about dinner

Churning butter

Old games

...and caramel apples

Sticky chewy caramel...

APPLE PICKING at Riley's Farm

RASPBERRY PICKING at Snow-Line

ALPACAS of Oak Glen