Outside between the rain and the colds

We've had a month of colds!  This cold seems particularly stubborn, hanging on for much longer than usual, giving ear aches, and the need for much sleep.  And we must be on the 3rd round by now... Thankfully Mommy seems to have super immunity and has only gotten it once and a much milder form.
That, and the copious amounts of rain we've been having, has kept us in at home more than usual.  All the same, we managed to see and identify a new local bird...

...a white-throated kingfisher.  And, below him in the rain-filled stream, we saw a monitor lizard too!

Five Minute Friday

Ordinary

Our ordinary Friday
Morning school
Leftover lunch
After lunch nap
Bike to the doctor
On to the beach
Hammok and shells
Sand and surf
Girls' laughter loud on the wind
Blue sky and green leaves
Warm salty breeze
Roti supper take out on the sand
Packing up by the red light of sunset
Biking home in the near dark
Unpacking and bedtime routines
Additional shower to be just about sand-free
Kids asleep by the time parents come to say goodnight
If this is ordinary...
What blessing!

Just Today

So. Daddy's away this week.  Both girls are under the weather with colds/sore throats/ear aches. Aiden has a runny tummy.  We think perhaps he isn't doing well with cow's milk...
   


So school today? We didn't even try this morning. Mommy read aloud until her voice sounded like Grace's.  And then we attempted our drawing time.  This month we're working our way through Drawing with Children doing the Monart method.  It is interesting and engaging so far. This is what we've done today.







We started out copying designs (and then getting carried away with making our own)

And then moving on to copying actual pictures 

And then to following directions to create our own bird pictures.

Grace's

Jasmin's

Grace and Jasmin on the Butterfly Farm

 We had never been to the Butterfly Farm before. There was LOTS of butterflies. Every - every- everywhere! Some butterflies are very fast. Some butterflies are big. Some are small. Sometimes they even land on people! One guy had lots and lots of butterflies on his head.

There is also a place for these strange turtles. There is also a giant centipede area.  When you pass the butterfly area, there is lots of other bugs you can learn about: Scorpions, frogs, snakes, beetles, huge beetles, moths, huge moths until you are finally out of it.

























There are things on sale, facts, and there is a lot of collections of ancient times in the jungle, even statues from Bangkok. Chariots, big statues of dragons. Some things are for sale: pretty jewelry, real rubies, real safires, real jewels, t shirts with butterflies on them, butterfly wings, lots of butterflies - no, not real ones only pretend! And that' the end of the butterfly farm. How far I can explain.
-Jasmin






I'd say it was really great and other people should go there too. If you like insects, butterflies, or reptiles. If you like butterflies, the farm is the place to be.  When I was there I was basically taking pictures of every kind I could see.
-Grace

 It was a fantastic afternoon! Grace started out reading all the information stations, but soon turned to trying to take pictures of as many kinds of butterflies as possible.  Since Jasmin was also doing this, we have a LOT of pictures to sort through!
The best of it for mommy was that Aiden also had a blast running after butterflies, trying to touch them, playing with the chain curtains at the exit, exploring the lower displays of live bugs and reptiles, etc. Even though it was a super stimulating afternoon and in a hot steamy place, he didn't get screechy from missing his nap.  An most welcome extra since we then went to the beach and out to supper!

 

We really liked to horned frogs - the horns gave them a wonderful expression that you could see all sorts in.  Excellent camouflage too - we undertook the challenge to find the 30 in the inclosure, but failed to find the last 5.

 Rather than rotting fruit dishes to feed and attract the butterflies, there were these grates of hand-picked hibiscus... brilliant and beautiful.  Jasmin was tickled by the number of butterflies that she found on the underside.