Tag: Nature

Friday Faves: Fairy Science by Ashley Spires

kswemba

Hello everyone! I’m excited today to bring you a new book by Ashley Spires, author of the Most Magnificent Thing. We love her previous book for its girl power, ingenuity and STEM, and this book keeps that theme alive but with a twist.

In Fairy Science, Esther is a fairy that does not believe in magic, ironic because magic is what fairies are all about. Instead, she believes in science and prefers facts and evidence over wishing on stars and casting spells with magic wands. She gets to use her knowledge of science when the fairies notice a tree is dying and they need to get to the root of the problem.

This book is wonderful for many reasons. The main character is a girl, going against the social norm, who loves science! A fairy after my own heart….I am a nurse by trade after all, and I love sparkles 🙂 There’s glitter and science sprinkled throughout the book with a dash of humor to bring it all together. I love Ashley Spires’ books and this one is my new favorite. It’s a delightful read with a great message of being yourself.

I do hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Happy reading!

Friday Faves: Dandy by Ame Dyckman illustrated by Charles Santoso

kswemba

Hi everyone! This week’s pick is Dandy by Ame Dyckman illustrated by Charles Santoso. It’s a cute story of a father and daughter lion who find a weed in their manicured lawn. The daughter sees it as beautiful, but the Dad lion and the other Dad neighbors want it gone! Everytime the Dad lion tries to get rid of the weed, the daughter’s there…except for one day where an opportunity arises. This book is about the special relationship between father and child and is filled with hilarious illustrations of the Dad lion’s attempts to get rid of the weed. It includes a surprise twist at the end where everyone wins. I highly recommend this cute book. Happy reading!

Pumpkin Patch Magic

kswemba

Today my son and I went with his school on a field trip to the pumpkin patch. The day was beautiful! The sun shone through sparse clouds, leaves rustled under our feet, and the air was filled with giggles and laughter of children. The kids fed a few farm animals and we headed out on a hayride. I’m amazed at how I forget how great it is just to be surrounded by nature. The morning was a tough one to say the least. Being outside, in the crisp fall air, seemed to be just the cure I needed.

After the hayride, everyone picked a pumpkin and two gourds. I gotta say, my son picked out some pretty awesome gourds! Out of all the ones there, he managed to find the only swan gourd….way to go bud.

On days where things seem less than sunny in your world, try stepping outside for a minute and take in a little nature. It definitely worked for me today. Well that, and a fun trip to a pumpkin patch as seen through the eyes of a child.

How to Catch the Pond Shark

kswemba

Our adventure today takes place at our neighborhood pond. See, a few days ago, my son and I were riding our bikes back from school, and happened to glance at our pond. (Which we do from time to time.) There, sticking out of the water, was a dorsal fin! “What!?” I exclaimed. I called my son over to look at this “fish” for I have never seen anything like it before. Sure enough, he saw the fin sticking out and then the fish took his tail and splashed it around, creating huge ripples. Dear friends, that is the day we laid eyes on the Pond Shark.

It was with great anticipation that we waited for the weekend to come. Could we catch it? How big would it be? These and many other questions filled our heads, waiting to be answered. Finally, the day had come and our troop trecked over to our pond.

I scanned the pond, trying to see if the Pond Shark was wading on the top anywhere. He’s a sneaky one, staying under the water for now. My husband, kids and I baited our hooks (ok, let’s be honest, I did no such thing. It’s awful! My lovely husband does all of that. I just get to cast and then watch our kids reel in their catches.) The fish were biting today! Our kids caught SO many fish! My mother-in-law even joined us and she caught her first fish ever! It was a very eventful day.

I know you’re all wondering, did we catch the Pond Shark? Sadly my friends, we did not. BUT, that just means I’ve got my eye out for him. I’ll be watching the pond on our bike rides, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Til next fishing trip.

Monarch Caterpillar Rescue!

kswemba
Here’s two of eight! Aren’t they stunning!?

Oh my goodness, I am so excited right now! In our backyard, we have 8 monarch caterpillars! It’s unbelievable! My husband planted milkweed specifically to attract monarchs and it worked! It worked too well because it also attracted deer, which have eaten most of our milkweed! Milkweed is the only thing that monarch caterpillars eat and where monarch butterflies lay their eggs. So now, my kids are on a creature rescue, as inspired by The Wild Kratts. (If you don’t know who the Wild Kratts are, I urge you to check out their show on PBS…it’s FANTASTIC, my kids LOVE it.) They’re on a neighborhood hunt with my husband for milkweed. Once found, we’re going to transport the caterpillars to their new home. I’ll keep you posted! Enjoy your day!