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Monday Pumpkin Science Minute, week 4

I believe this weeks look at the pumpkins can be summed up by the words of a very wise 4 year old girl:

"This is gross."

Until next week.

Monday Pumpkin Science Minute, week 3

Oh yes, it is that crazy time of the week again, the time when you just can't help but click on my blog to see how the pumpkins decompostion has progressed.  Forget the laundry.  Dinner can wait.  But checking on the pumpkins, now that is a priority.  And boy are they progressing, fewer animals chewing on them (but, can you really blame them with all that mold growth?)  They are full of rain and slugs and some dead bugs.  They look bad and smell worse.  But they certainly give me something to write about on a dark and stormy day.  And if you have missed any of this exciting science experiment just click on the link below, see you next Monday!

Week One and Week Two

Monday Pumpkin Science Minute, week 2

A little mold, a little sinkage, a little nibble here and there, why, it must be time for this weeks installment of Monday Pumpkin Science Minute.  Yes, it is nothing if not exciting around the ol' Ackerman household this fall, for a view of last weeks pumpkin photo click here.

And until next Monday, try not to have more excitement than us, it just makes us feel bad...

Monday Pumpkin Science Minute

There used to be 2 pumpkins on the deck but thanks to one hungry squirrel this is all that is left of one of them (I guess he didn't like the seeds much, must have needed salt.)So in an attempt to add a little science to our everyday life, every Monday I plan on posting a photo of our pumpkins out in the garden.  Ben and Emma get a kick out of watching various critters eat the pumpkins, as well as watching the carved faces as they decompose.

I know, I know, life does not get much more exciting than this.

Be sure to mark your calendars :)

Dragonfly Walk

At the beginning of September (yes, I realize it is now the beginning of October) my dad, Steve, and his friend Cary, and co-author of the book, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Oregon: A Field Guide, took our family and some friends on a nature walk where the kids and adults alike were able to observe, as well as catch and release, several species of dragonflies and damselflies.  The trail we walked on was near the freeway and behind an industrial area, but the preservation and restoration of the area made you almost forget that you weren't miles from civilization.

And being surrounded by all that natural beauty, as well as the magical feeling of having a dragonfly rest briefly on your hand, made for an unforgettable morning.