Starry Sky Ranch

America the Beautiful - Deception Pass, Washington (and some state study freebies)

One of the beautiful places my friend Michelle took us when we visited the Pacific Northwest this year was Deception Pass. Joseph Whitby found the pass in 1792.  George Vancouver dubbed it aptly since the sailors were duped initially, thinking the islands they were mapping were actually a long peninsula. Not so.  The water was just shallow and the twists and turns of inlets tricky.  On this beautiful morning they showed off a range of spectacular blues as our crew explored the tide pools. 

We do a lot of mountains but not as much water, much less ocean.  The new ecosystem captivated them. 

 

Wherever we go I am drawn to the people.  I've realized that while I love being out in nature, I am most likely to pull the camera out where people and planet intersect.  While we were exploring the water's edge we found a group of men from a local hobby boat club.  Good clean fun.

After climbing all over the shoreline Michelle took us to Deception Pass Bridge.  

This is me standing 180 feet above the water after following the kids allllll the way across the bridge. Ok you can't actually see me because I am holding the camera.  But still.  Bravery points right there.  We weren't planning to get all the way out there but it is a single lane path and no one told the first person so he just kept walking. 

And thought the whole thing was pretty funny. 

With any luck I am going to catch up on travel stories this month. Or at least make a dent in them!  It's been so fascinating to study the states as we visit amathem.  

Some resources for US States Studies we are playing around with:

state cards 

notebook pages by state

state songs  Did you know Connecticut has Yankee Doodle?  

Because each state has unique landforms this set of manipulatives is a great tie-in

Since I ADORE vintage state plates you know I am all over this project

Literature by state

 

turkey day - no, for real...

Sometime mid-summer we were visited by a handful of wild turkeys who wandered across the back yard, into the neighbors', and on off down the side of the mountain not to be seen again.  Knowing how weird enthusiastic I am about unexpected wildlife sightings, when Aidan spotted them coming down the drive today he told me I better get my camera.  I don't generally need to be told twice so I grabbed it and got out front in time to see the last one waddle past.  

Turning on my heel I beelined through the house again.  When I got out the back door there was a gobble....overhead.  Not a turkey in sight.  Another gobble.  Then I looked up to see several crepey necked fowl peeking over the gutter.  

Coming around the house I saw the last one climbing the garage roof.... where he joined the other ten.  

A few flew into the trees.  The rest crept along the shingles til one inspired the rest with a noble, if less than graceful, flight over the trees towards the base flight line.  Pretty sure they didn't reach the runway.  In fact gravity likely landed them in the farm pasture at the bottom of the hill.  

It was impressive none the less.  

A Moveable Feast

 

Because it is said that Paris is always a good idea. Even when you are packing for a transatlantic move.  Even when the tiny girl who wanted so badly to go may well not remember it clearly.  Even if it's bitter mid-winter cold.  Paris seemed like a very good idea before we left, at least for the girls.  

Tess has longed to see the Eiffel Tower for as long as she could ask to go anywhere. It was her particular bucket list trip.   We earnestly desired to make this happen but since we had already had a couple trip early in the Euro-adventure and no boys were quite as excited about the City of Lights, it became a short Dad-daughter road trip.   

 

It's hard to say what an 8yo will remember. I hope she remembers crepes and looking out over the city in the tower, and walking by the Seine.   If not though, I hope she remembers adventure and family and the importance of making dreams come true whenever we can. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” - Hemmingway

Ultimately this was the whole point of the past five years. The moveable feast. To instill adventure and curiosity and awe. To be brave and open and to say yes to the unknown.  It was never about a particular destination, but about journeying, about taking that fascination with people and places wherever you go. 

Time will tell how these years will shape them.  Us.  My prayer is that we meet each day with the same enthusiasm that little face radiates. Embracing it all. 

Maytime

"Winter is many months of the year
But now at last Maytime is here;
And birds sing from a leafy screen
In the trees and hedgerow freshly green;
And the wood-anemone is out in the shade,
With its blushing petals which too soon fade;
Once more the bracken is unfurling there,
And bluebells gently perfume the damp air."

-  Veronica Ann Twells, Maytime

A very happy May Day to you from our woodland fairies. 

 

 

I Heart Faces - Beautiful Black and White

 

 

Read more at http://www.iheartfaces.com/how-it-works/grab-a-button/#MYL8e4hIhGRHlp6s.99

Cintra

 

So, really, I never did post the pictures from Portugal?  Well, that's just not right. Looking at these makes me take back everything I ever said about four seasons. 

Someone get me back to Portugal please.  : )

 

 

 

 

 

everywhere you look

 

to the falls

 

 

It was a little drizzly the day we decided to hike to the falls in Wales.  It was apparently "that" kind of cloudy day where it would be staying overcast but not going to progress to a downpour.  I still have not become savvy enough at reading clouds to know for sure which is which, but Alannah and Allen seemed pretty confident and sure enough we had a good climb. 

This was a remarkably steep trail but it led to some incredible views. Also an incredibly high overlook which tempted one boy enough to earn him a tongue wagging from his sisters.  It's like having 3 mama's for the second set of kids around here.  We don't miss much between us. ; ) 

We lunched at the top and then made our way back down in time to cross the little wooden bridge (by car) across the lake to the cabin side before the toll man closed up shop. I wish I had gotten a shot of that.  The girls were joking it was only missing some goats and a troll.  White painted wood bridge.  One lane.  Across the whooooole lake. I couldn't shoot.  I was busy breathing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lisbon in black and white

 

no words, just pictures tonight

 

 

 

ringing out the summer

 

at the seaside carnival