Up by 6:30 this morning to get ready to head home. We were on the road by 9 a.m. and back home by around 11 a.m.
Got enough food out of the camper to have lunch, and then Hubbie and I went out to the vet's clinic to pick up the mama cat and kittens. The vet had treated the eyes of the two kittens with problems, and they are much better now. The vet's assistant said she wanted one of the cats...either the mama or the black kitten (we could choose). I gave her the black kitten, because he's so rambunctious and keeps annoying the other two kittens. Also the mama cat is so used to our place, I don't think she'd be happy in another home now.
When we brought the cats home, it was obvious the other cats were glad to see the mama, because they rubbed against her and licked her in greeting.
Now it was time for the long task of unloading the camper, washing clothes, and otherwise getting organized again. Yesterday was an overcast, pleasant day, but today has been really humid-muggy, so carrying things in from the camper was a sweaty job.
We were so hot that I made a big container of lemonade, and we each downed two ice cold glasses of it. Very cooling.
Supper tonight was "the week in review"...leftovers from several past meals. After that, Hubbie and I watched TV.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Friday, July 9
Up at 6 a.m., because both the cat and the dog needed attention. After breakfast, Hubbie and I went to see the submarine that is docked nearby. It is a tourist attraction, but it wasn't scheduled to open until 10 a.m.
So we decided to walk along the railroad bridge that has been converted to a pedestrian bridge. From there, I was able to get snapshots of the submarine. We would have liked to walk the entire bridge, but it began sprinkling, so we returned to the van and to camp.
I didn't do much for the rest of the morning except read the newspaper and play on the laptop. Today was the last day of the photography workshop. One participant couldn't come today, and three others had to leave early, so we got right down to business.
First, we constructed viewfinders, using large oatmeal boxes. The boxes are painted black inside, and the top is covered either with plastic lids or wax paper. A length of poster board in wrapped around the boxes, and the bottom of the box is pierced with a large tack. When the kids looked through the black poster board tube outdoors, they were able to see objects, like trees, buildings and people, projected upside down on the lids or wax paper. Kids are always fascinated with this simple device. Back in the classroom, we discussed how the viewfinder acts like a camera and like our eyes.
After that, each participant went into the darkroom to turn the negatives they had gotten with the oatmeal box pinhole cameras yesterday into positive images.
Then, I gave the students the color images that they shot with the one-time-use cameras on Wednesday. I was very disappointed with the Walgreen store where we got the film developed. Not only did they ruin a lot of the shots in developing, but they mixed the photos up into the eight packages so that I was unable to determine whose photos were whose.
When we went on the photo safari, I made sure to take a picture of each child before they began shooting so that I would be able to tell which package belonged to which participant. Thanks to that Walgreen store, though, it took quite a bit of time showing the kids over 200 photos one-by-one in an effort to get the right ones to the right participants.
By the time we finished that project, it was break time, and time for three of the participants to be picked up by their parents. Yesterday, a staff member stopped by my classroom and offered me a stack of various sized certificate frames to give to the kids, and they were glad to get these. Since I had nothing else to offer the kids, we called it a day. Those who were to stay until 4:30 entertained themselves in the museum, and Hubbie and I cleaned up the classroom and the darkroom, loaded everything into the van, and headed back to camp.
Before we left, I picked up my check and talked to staff members, who thanked me for bringing my program to the museum, and asked if I would be interested in returning next summer. I agreed, though who knows what will come up between now and then. This is the second time I've worked at the museum. My program fits right in, since it's a mix of primitive and sophisticated photography, and is very hands on.
We had time today to enjoy a live animal program at the museum...a staff member exhibited two
Australian walking sticks, and a red tail boa constrictor. The walking sticks look like dried leaves that have split and curled. The staff member brought two of the little creatures out on a dried limb. If we hadn't known they were there, we'd have thought they were just part of the limb. Wonderful camouflage.
The boa constrictor was beautiful, with combination red,-brown diamond shapes (or saddles) on a cream colored base. Those of who wanted could touch the snake. I did...the snake was warm and smooth.
As we were traveling in the market district on the way back to camp, we stopped at a traffic light. We were amused to see a Michael Jackson mime on a street corner. He was dressed all in black, with white gloves, a white ball cap, and white makeup on his face. He stood perfectly still until a tourist approached, and then he went into a Jackson dance routine, including a Moon Walk.
Back at camp, I finished fixing a supper that Mother had started...potatoes fried with onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers, omelets with the same veggies plus cheese, and toast. Mother ate her whole supper, which she said she really, really enjoyed.
Just as we sat down to supper, Nephew and his family arrived. They had already eaten, so they entertained themselves at the pavilion while we ate. We joined them as soon as we finished. Nephew and Niece stayed on the go trying to keep up with a two-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl. Three older children were also present. The family stayed about an hour, and Mother was very glad to visit with them. We were particularly thrilled to learn that Nephew has recently been promoted to the position of supervisor at his job.
After Nephew and family left, Hubbie and I walked the entire length of the railroad walking bridge, where I took lots of photos of the city. Then, we went to the wholesale club to get several bulk food items.
Back at camp, we noticed that the paddlewheeler boat was cruising on the river past the campgound. It was so prettily lighted, that I decided to grab my camera and tripod and go catch shots of it and the city lights.
After that, we had time to play one game of Skipbo, which Hubbie won. Tomorrow, we head home. It's been a busy, but good week.
So we decided to walk along the railroad bridge that has been converted to a pedestrian bridge. From there, I was able to get snapshots of the submarine. We would have liked to walk the entire bridge, but it began sprinkling, so we returned to the van and to camp.
I didn't do much for the rest of the morning except read the newspaper and play on the laptop. Today was the last day of the photography workshop. One participant couldn't come today, and three others had to leave early, so we got right down to business.
First, we constructed viewfinders, using large oatmeal boxes. The boxes are painted black inside, and the top is covered either with plastic lids or wax paper. A length of poster board in wrapped around the boxes, and the bottom of the box is pierced with a large tack. When the kids looked through the black poster board tube outdoors, they were able to see objects, like trees, buildings and people, projected upside down on the lids or wax paper. Kids are always fascinated with this simple device. Back in the classroom, we discussed how the viewfinder acts like a camera and like our eyes.
After that, each participant went into the darkroom to turn the negatives they had gotten with the oatmeal box pinhole cameras yesterday into positive images.
Then, I gave the students the color images that they shot with the one-time-use cameras on Wednesday. I was very disappointed with the Walgreen store where we got the film developed. Not only did they ruin a lot of the shots in developing, but they mixed the photos up into the eight packages so that I was unable to determine whose photos were whose.
When we went on the photo safari, I made sure to take a picture of each child before they began shooting so that I would be able to tell which package belonged to which participant. Thanks to that Walgreen store, though, it took quite a bit of time showing the kids over 200 photos one-by-one in an effort to get the right ones to the right participants.
By the time we finished that project, it was break time, and time for three of the participants to be picked up by their parents. Yesterday, a staff member stopped by my classroom and offered me a stack of various sized certificate frames to give to the kids, and they were glad to get these. Since I had nothing else to offer the kids, we called it a day. Those who were to stay until 4:30 entertained themselves in the museum, and Hubbie and I cleaned up the classroom and the darkroom, loaded everything into the van, and headed back to camp.
Before we left, I picked up my check and talked to staff members, who thanked me for bringing my program to the museum, and asked if I would be interested in returning next summer. I agreed, though who knows what will come up between now and then. This is the second time I've worked at the museum. My program fits right in, since it's a mix of primitive and sophisticated photography, and is very hands on.
We had time today to enjoy a live animal program at the museum...a staff member exhibited two
Australian walking sticks, and a red tail boa constrictor. The walking sticks look like dried leaves that have split and curled. The staff member brought two of the little creatures out on a dried limb. If we hadn't known they were there, we'd have thought they were just part of the limb. Wonderful camouflage.
The boa constrictor was beautiful, with combination red,-brown diamond shapes (or saddles) on a cream colored base. Those of who wanted could touch the snake. I did...the snake was warm and smooth.
As we were traveling in the market district on the way back to camp, we stopped at a traffic light. We were amused to see a Michael Jackson mime on a street corner. He was dressed all in black, with white gloves, a white ball cap, and white makeup on his face. He stood perfectly still until a tourist approached, and then he went into a Jackson dance routine, including a Moon Walk.
Back at camp, I finished fixing a supper that Mother had started...potatoes fried with onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers, omelets with the same veggies plus cheese, and toast. Mother ate her whole supper, which she said she really, really enjoyed.
Just as we sat down to supper, Nephew and his family arrived. They had already eaten, so they entertained themselves at the pavilion while we ate. We joined them as soon as we finished. Nephew and Niece stayed on the go trying to keep up with a two-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl. Three older children were also present. The family stayed about an hour, and Mother was very glad to visit with them. We were particularly thrilled to learn that Nephew has recently been promoted to the position of supervisor at his job.
After Nephew and family left, Hubbie and I walked the entire length of the railroad walking bridge, where I took lots of photos of the city. Then, we went to the wholesale club to get several bulk food items.
Back at camp, we noticed that the paddlewheeler boat was cruising on the river past the campgound. It was so prettily lighted, that I decided to grab my camera and tripod and go catch shots of it and the city lights.
After that, we had time to play one game of Skipbo, which Hubbie won. Tomorrow, we head home. It's been a busy, but good week.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Thursday, July 8
Forgot to mention that after everyone left Tuesday evening, we decided to make a trip to the WDCS. On the way out, we noticed that a group of Hooters girls was sitting in the back of a bass boat. They were there to serve food to the college guys who are here for a bass tournament. I took advantage of the situation and snapped a couple of pictures of the young, buxom beauties. Hubbie stayed in the van, though I'm sure his view wasn't a bit obstructed. Of course, all the young ladies are the age of some of our granddaughters, and even younger.
We were awakened before 6 a.m. this morning by someone talking on a loudspeaker, and the revving motor noises of fishing boats. Got up to see boats racing upriver and downriver, as the college bass fishing tournament got off to a start. Two ESPN boats recorded the action...one boat had floodlights, and in the other was a man standing up with a video camera on his shoulder. I couldn't see how, but there must have been some sort of device on the boat that held the cameraman up. Otherwise, he would have been tossed into the drink on the boats' wakes.
After breakfast, Hubbie and I shopped at the WDCS, mainly to pick up heavy duty foil to wrap the corn that Son and Daughter-in-Law brought us from their garden. We have several ears in the freezer, now.
Then Hubbie and I went into town to catch the trolley for a tour of parts of the cities on both sides of the river. The trolleys are beautiful...very colorfully painted on the outside, and featuring highly polished oak and cherry woods on the interior walls and seats.
The ride lasted about thirty-five minutes and took us through historic neighborhoods and business districts, and over the bridge connecting the two cities. Our driver was Hispanic and a comedian. He was a highly entertaining and informative tour guide. He was also very accommodating, offering to use folks' cameras to take snapshots of them. He took one of Hubbie and me, standing in the aisle, so that the beautiful interior shows.
At this point, we had arrived at the end of the line...a dead end. I wondered if we would have to ride backwards for the return trip. I knew that the trolley was equipped so the operator moved from back to front to access the mechanisms, but what about the riders? Turns out there is a brass handle on each seat, used for flipping the seats over so they are facing in the other direction.
We were back at camp well before lunch. I had learned that the trolley is equipped with a wheelchair lift, and we offered to take Mother to ride on it later, but she said she was in no mood to get out today.
After lunch, we were off to the museum. Today, the kids made foil lenses for the covers to oatmeal boxes, so they could take pinhole photographs. The kids found it fascinating that they could get photographic images with nothing but an oatmeal box...no sophisticated lenses.
I assigned exposure times to each kid, and Hubbie took the group outside to expose the photographic paper in each box. Four of the eight kids got good images, and by this we were able to determine a good exposure time. So after break time, we loaded the cameras again, and off they went. This time, everyone got an image.
This is a slow process, since the kids came into the darkroom one at a time to get their boxes loaded, and then one at a time again to develop their film. So we used the whole three and a half hours for this project.
Back at camp, we had a supper of ham, sweet potatoes, corn-on-the-cob (fresh from Son's and Daughter-in-Law's garden...yum!), coleslaw, and slices of tomato/cheese/herb bread.
Later, near dusk, we went to The Big Old Bridge, where I took pictures of the pylons that feature red, white, and blue revolving colors. I talked Mother into going with us on this excursion, though she stayed in the van while I took pictures.
Before we left to go to the bridge and after we came back, we played a couple of games of Skipbo. Hubbie won both games.
Note: the museum loses no opportunity to teach kids: in the ladies bathroom, there is a sign that says, "Tinkle, tinkle, little star; you produce eight cups of urine a day; your kidneys wash your blood; now you wash your hands.
We were awakened before 6 a.m. this morning by someone talking on a loudspeaker, and the revving motor noises of fishing boats. Got up to see boats racing upriver and downriver, as the college bass fishing tournament got off to a start. Two ESPN boats recorded the action...one boat had floodlights, and in the other was a man standing up with a video camera on his shoulder. I couldn't see how, but there must have been some sort of device on the boat that held the cameraman up. Otherwise, he would have been tossed into the drink on the boats' wakes.
After breakfast, Hubbie and I shopped at the WDCS, mainly to pick up heavy duty foil to wrap the corn that Son and Daughter-in-Law brought us from their garden. We have several ears in the freezer, now.
Then Hubbie and I went into town to catch the trolley for a tour of parts of the cities on both sides of the river. The trolleys are beautiful...very colorfully painted on the outside, and featuring highly polished oak and cherry woods on the interior walls and seats.
The ride lasted about thirty-five minutes and took us through historic neighborhoods and business districts, and over the bridge connecting the two cities. Our driver was Hispanic and a comedian. He was a highly entertaining and informative tour guide. He was also very accommodating, offering to use folks' cameras to take snapshots of them. He took one of Hubbie and me, standing in the aisle, so that the beautiful interior shows.
At this point, we had arrived at the end of the line...a dead end. I wondered if we would have to ride backwards for the return trip. I knew that the trolley was equipped so the operator moved from back to front to access the mechanisms, but what about the riders? Turns out there is a brass handle on each seat, used for flipping the seats over so they are facing in the other direction.
We were back at camp well before lunch. I had learned that the trolley is equipped with a wheelchair lift, and we offered to take Mother to ride on it later, but she said she was in no mood to get out today.
After lunch, we were off to the museum. Today, the kids made foil lenses for the covers to oatmeal boxes, so they could take pinhole photographs. The kids found it fascinating that they could get photographic images with nothing but an oatmeal box...no sophisticated lenses.
I assigned exposure times to each kid, and Hubbie took the group outside to expose the photographic paper in each box. Four of the eight kids got good images, and by this we were able to determine a good exposure time. So after break time, we loaded the cameras again, and off they went. This time, everyone got an image.
This is a slow process, since the kids came into the darkroom one at a time to get their boxes loaded, and then one at a time again to develop their film. So we used the whole three and a half hours for this project.
Back at camp, we had a supper of ham, sweet potatoes, corn-on-the-cob (fresh from Son's and Daughter-in-Law's garden...yum!), coleslaw, and slices of tomato/cheese/herb bread.
Later, near dusk, we went to The Big Old Bridge, where I took pictures of the pylons that feature red, white, and blue revolving colors. I talked Mother into going with us on this excursion, though she stayed in the van while I took pictures.
Before we left to go to the bridge and after we came back, we played a couple of games of Skipbo. Hubbie won both games.
Note: the museum loses no opportunity to teach kids: in the ladies bathroom, there is a sign that says, "Tinkle, tinkle, little star; you produce eight cups of urine a day; your kidneys wash your blood; now you wash your hands.
Wednesday, July 7
Forgot to mention in yesterday's blog that as Hubbie and I were on our way back to camp from the museum after the photography workshop, we saw a strange sight...a man on the sidewalk casually wearing a yellow boa constrictor around his neck.
We were up about 7 a.m. this morning, and had a breakfast of fruit and quick breads. Just after we were dressed the the day, around 9:30 a.m., Son, Daughter-in-Law, Grandson, and a friend of Grandson's arrived for a visit.
Son and Daughter-in-Law brought us a bag of corn, grown in their garden. We'll be cooking some for supper tomorrow night, and wrapping the rest, shucks and all, in foil for the freezer. Later, we can clean the corn for boiling, or just remove the silks, add butter and seasoning, re-wrap them in foil, and throw them on the grill.
At lunchtime, we decided to heat some barbecue in the microwave to have with chips and cherry tomatoes from our garden, at the pavilion. Everybody helped haul our lunch and paraphrenalia to the picnic tables. Son did the honors of wheeling Mother down there.
Hubbie and I had to leave right after lunch, around noon, to be at the museum by 12:30. But Son and Daughter-in-Law and the boys helped clean up after the picnic, and Daughter-in-Law washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen area, for which we were grateful.
At the museum, Hubbie and I led the group of kids on a ten minute photo safari hike down to a public park sponsored by one of the hotels. It's a really great area, with a cooling pad that sprays water for kids to play in, has rocks to climb on, and tunnels to go through, including a long tunnel slide. The park also has a wooden breezeway with large poster information about the area and river, several large sculptures, a decorative pavilion painted in bright colors, a walking path, flower gardens, and other features. It's a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, and a great place for picture-taking.
We spent about an hour there...each child was provided with a one-time-use camera that contained 27 shots. So each child should surely have been able to capture a few pleasing photos. The assignment was to concentrate on shapes, lines, and compositions.
Hubbie had brought along a cooler of bottled water, and after an hour, we were ready to re-hydrate. After that, we hiked back to the museum, where we spent thirty minutes cooling off and watching an educational video about the planets. I learned that it takes 84 plus years for Uranus to circle the sun, about a human lifetime. Several other planets take two or more lifetimes to make the circuit.
While we watched the video, Hubbie ran to the photo one-hour printing service and retrieved the black and white photos taken on Tuesday. There was great excitement among the participants as they looked through their snapshots.
I asked the kids to select one negative each to use in making 5x7 prints in the darkroom. We spent the rest of the afternoon in this activity.
Back at camp, I heated leftovers for supper. Later, Daughter-in-Law, two granddaughters, a grandson, two male friends of the granddaughters, and six very young great-grandkids, one an infant, came for a visit. It was good to see everyone, and Mother and I loved taking turns holding the new little one.
The family visited for about an hour. Afterward, Hubbie, Mother, and I played Skipbo. Hubbie won two games, and I won one. It's time for Mother to win again.
Note: I failed to mention that our visitors Monday included another niece and my daughter. They left before I got back from the museum, but Hubbie saw them briefly when he returned to camp to fetch hairdryers for the workshop. I guess since I didn't get to see them, I forgot they had visited.
We were up about 7 a.m. this morning, and had a breakfast of fruit and quick breads. Just after we were dressed the the day, around 9:30 a.m., Son, Daughter-in-Law, Grandson, and a friend of Grandson's arrived for a visit.
Son and Daughter-in-Law brought us a bag of corn, grown in their garden. We'll be cooking some for supper tomorrow night, and wrapping the rest, shucks and all, in foil for the freezer. Later, we can clean the corn for boiling, or just remove the silks, add butter and seasoning, re-wrap them in foil, and throw them on the grill.
At lunchtime, we decided to heat some barbecue in the microwave to have with chips and cherry tomatoes from our garden, at the pavilion. Everybody helped haul our lunch and paraphrenalia to the picnic tables. Son did the honors of wheeling Mother down there.
Hubbie and I had to leave right after lunch, around noon, to be at the museum by 12:30. But Son and Daughter-in-Law and the boys helped clean up after the picnic, and Daughter-in-Law washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen area, for which we were grateful.
At the museum, Hubbie and I led the group of kids on a ten minute photo safari hike down to a public park sponsored by one of the hotels. It's a really great area, with a cooling pad that sprays water for kids to play in, has rocks to climb on, and tunnels to go through, including a long tunnel slide. The park also has a wooden breezeway with large poster information about the area and river, several large sculptures, a decorative pavilion painted in bright colors, a walking path, flower gardens, and other features. It's a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, and a great place for picture-taking.
We spent about an hour there...each child was provided with a one-time-use camera that contained 27 shots. So each child should surely have been able to capture a few pleasing photos. The assignment was to concentrate on shapes, lines, and compositions.
Hubbie had brought along a cooler of bottled water, and after an hour, we were ready to re-hydrate. After that, we hiked back to the museum, where we spent thirty minutes cooling off and watching an educational video about the planets. I learned that it takes 84 plus years for Uranus to circle the sun, about a human lifetime. Several other planets take two or more lifetimes to make the circuit.
While we watched the video, Hubbie ran to the photo one-hour printing service and retrieved the black and white photos taken on Tuesday. There was great excitement among the participants as they looked through their snapshots.
I asked the kids to select one negative each to use in making 5x7 prints in the darkroom. We spent the rest of the afternoon in this activity.
Back at camp, I heated leftovers for supper. Later, Daughter-in-Law, two granddaughters, a grandson, two male friends of the granddaughters, and six very young great-grandkids, one an infant, came for a visit. It was good to see everyone, and Mother and I loved taking turns holding the new little one.
The family visited for about an hour. Afterward, Hubbie, Mother, and I played Skipbo. Hubbie won two games, and I won one. It's time for Mother to win again.
Note: I failed to mention that our visitors Monday included another niece and my daughter. They left before I got back from the museum, but Hubbie saw them briefly when he returned to camp to fetch hairdryers for the workshop. I guess since I didn't get to see them, I forgot they had visited.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 6
Oh, there was another glitch at the photography workshop yesterday. Hubbie took the eight kids and the assistant outdoors to do sunprints, which should have taken no more than five minutes. But they stayed gone for over twenty minutes. Just as I was about to go check on them, they trooped in. Seems the museum back door had locked behind them, and they couldn't get back in. Hubbie had to hunt a security person to unlock the door.
Today, Tuesday, we all got up at just a little after 6 a.m., because we wanted to get ready to go to the Farmer's Market, which opened at 7 a.m. Sis, who had stayed overnight, went with us. We had a really good time at the market, which features not only local produce, but also jewelry and other handmade items. Musicians also play for donations. Today a guitarist was performing. Another man performed on an Indian flute at a booth, where he was selling such instruments.
At one end of the market, several tables were set up with various crafts made by a children's organization. The kids were selling the items to raise money for a charity. The crafts were all clever and appealing, particularly a variety of colorful clay Raku pendants with pleasing designs impressed in them. They are so attractive that I bought one for myself, and Sis bought about ten.The pendants were made by fifth grade level kids.
Hubbie bought me a pendant necklace and earrings from a vendor. There were only two such sets left in the lady's stock, both of which originated in Africa, and she said she is unable to obtain any more. The pendant, of blown glass, is golden colored, with an embedded brown swirl design. At another booth, I bought a blown glass pendant in a star shape with brown swirls.
Besides those items, I also bought peaches, blackberries, a couple of carbon heirloom tomatoes, and a loaf of tomato/herb/cheese bread.
While we were at the market, we walked down to the park area, where there are large bronze statues, a mosaic wall, and a large entertainment pavilion...a good place for picture-taking. Sis and I took several shots.
Back at camp, I made a big pan of macaroni and cheese to have for supper, and then we enjoyed a lunch of sandwiches made from toasted tomato/herb/cheeese bread and slices of heirloom tomatoes, followed by a dessert of ice cream and blackberries, and sliced peaches. Sis, who is lactose intolerant, had vanilla yogurt with her berries.
At noon, Hubbie and I went to the museum for the second day of the workshop. Today, we finished Monday's darkroom project, watched a video about how to take better pictures, and then went on a photo safari to the park, where the kids used black and white film to take portrait pictures. The film can be developed one-hour, like color film.
It was sunny and hot outdoors, and we were glad for a break in the air conditioned museum. Since we didn't have a lot more planned for the afternoon, I gave the kids a longer break, which they used to play around the museum.
Hubbie and I took advantage of the longer break, too, to tour the museum. Currently, the facility is featuring an "Adventures of Alice in Wonderland" exhibit, which is interesting. We learned about the book's writer, Lewis Carroll (whose real name is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), and about the girl that he based the Alice character on. I'm used to Alice (whose real name was Alice Liddell) being a blonde little girl, but the real Alice in fact had dark hair. Carroll was a friend of Liddell's family. Sadly, after Alice grew up and married, she and her husband lost two sons in World War I. She died at age 82, in 1934.
We also meandered through various other exhibits, including one that displayed a frontier "odometer" which was a large wheel that attached to the wagon. A certain number of revolutions equaled a mile. There was also a "wheel of fate" in the exhibit. Visitors spin the wheel to see what they're fate might be on a long an arduous trip across country in a covered wagon. Hubbie landed on "a bear attacked your friend," and I landed on "you found honey in the forest."
Following the break, we provided black or white poster board, cut 8x10, for the kids to mount their sunprints on. Once they were mounted, the kids used markers and crayons to decorate their "frames." The kids were very creative with their projects.
At the end of the workshop, one tall boy, who is only eleven years old, took me aside to complain that one of the younger boys was clicking his tongue, or something, and I needed to address the issue, because it was interfering with his ability to learn. I promised I'd take care of the situation. This boy is the son of alternate lifestyle parents...he has two mothers.
Back at camp, Sis had heated the macaroni and cheese, and leftover cranberry beans from the freezer, which we had with coleslaw, sliced carbon heirloom tomatoes, and sliced herb/cheese/tomato bread.
After supper, Sis waited for the traffic to ease, around 6 p.m., and then she headed home. Hubbie, Mother and I played a couple of games of Skipbo...Hubbie won one game, and I won the other. By this time, it was 10:30 p.m., and we were plenty ready for bed.
Today, Tuesday, we all got up at just a little after 6 a.m., because we wanted to get ready to go to the Farmer's Market, which opened at 7 a.m. Sis, who had stayed overnight, went with us. We had a really good time at the market, which features not only local produce, but also jewelry and other handmade items. Musicians also play for donations. Today a guitarist was performing. Another man performed on an Indian flute at a booth, where he was selling such instruments.
At one end of the market, several tables were set up with various crafts made by a children's organization. The kids were selling the items to raise money for a charity. The crafts were all clever and appealing, particularly a variety of colorful clay Raku pendants with pleasing designs impressed in them. They are so attractive that I bought one for myself, and Sis bought about ten.The pendants were made by fifth grade level kids.
Hubbie bought me a pendant necklace and earrings from a vendor. There were only two such sets left in the lady's stock, both of which originated in Africa, and she said she is unable to obtain any more. The pendant, of blown glass, is golden colored, with an embedded brown swirl design. At another booth, I bought a blown glass pendant in a star shape with brown swirls.
Besides those items, I also bought peaches, blackberries, a couple of carbon heirloom tomatoes, and a loaf of tomato/herb/cheese bread.
While we were at the market, we walked down to the park area, where there are large bronze statues, a mosaic wall, and a large entertainment pavilion...a good place for picture-taking. Sis and I took several shots.
Back at camp, I made a big pan of macaroni and cheese to have for supper, and then we enjoyed a lunch of sandwiches made from toasted tomato/herb/cheeese bread and slices of heirloom tomatoes, followed by a dessert of ice cream and blackberries, and sliced peaches. Sis, who is lactose intolerant, had vanilla yogurt with her berries.
At noon, Hubbie and I went to the museum for the second day of the workshop. Today, we finished Monday's darkroom project, watched a video about how to take better pictures, and then went on a photo safari to the park, where the kids used black and white film to take portrait pictures. The film can be developed one-hour, like color film.
It was sunny and hot outdoors, and we were glad for a break in the air conditioned museum. Since we didn't have a lot more planned for the afternoon, I gave the kids a longer break, which they used to play around the museum.
Hubbie and I took advantage of the longer break, too, to tour the museum. Currently, the facility is featuring an "Adventures of Alice in Wonderland" exhibit, which is interesting. We learned about the book's writer, Lewis Carroll (whose real name is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), and about the girl that he based the Alice character on. I'm used to Alice (whose real name was Alice Liddell) being a blonde little girl, but the real Alice in fact had dark hair. Carroll was a friend of Liddell's family. Sadly, after Alice grew up and married, she and her husband lost two sons in World War I. She died at age 82, in 1934.
We also meandered through various other exhibits, including one that displayed a frontier "odometer" which was a large wheel that attached to the wagon. A certain number of revolutions equaled a mile. There was also a "wheel of fate" in the exhibit. Visitors spin the wheel to see what they're fate might be on a long an arduous trip across country in a covered wagon. Hubbie landed on "a bear attacked your friend," and I landed on "you found honey in the forest."
Following the break, we provided black or white poster board, cut 8x10, for the kids to mount their sunprints on. Once they were mounted, the kids used markers and crayons to decorate their "frames." The kids were very creative with their projects.
At the end of the workshop, one tall boy, who is only eleven years old, took me aside to complain that one of the younger boys was clicking his tongue, or something, and I needed to address the issue, because it was interfering with his ability to learn. I promised I'd take care of the situation. This boy is the son of alternate lifestyle parents...he has two mothers.
Back at camp, Sis had heated the macaroni and cheese, and leftover cranberry beans from the freezer, which we had with coleslaw, sliced carbon heirloom tomatoes, and sliced herb/cheese/tomato bread.
After supper, Sis waited for the traffic to ease, around 6 p.m., and then she headed home. Hubbie, Mother and I played a couple of games of Skipbo...Hubbie won one game, and I won the other. By this time, it was 10:30 p.m., and we were plenty ready for bed.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, July 5
Well, there goes the neighborhood...most of the campers packed it in and left early this morning, soon to be replaced by other campers. The current crop is a bunch of guys, who are here for a fishing derby. It must be an important derby, because in the evening, an ESPN RV rolled in, with a crew to cover the event.
We were up at 7 a.m. to shower and get ready for the first day of the photography camp at the Capital City children's museum. Sis arrived today to keep Mother company while we were at the museum.
This morning, we needed to be at the museum by 11:30 a.m., to get things set up before the kids arrived. The "darkroom" is again the elevator maintenance room, which is not only a narrow space, but is near the elevator mechanisms (enclosed), which make a huge noise when the elevator is in use. Obviously, the room hasn't been swept since I used it two years ago, because there is still a strip of film on the floor. But it is servicable and adequately dark, so I can make do with it.
We have been assigned a nice big workshop room with a sink (wish the sink was in the elevator room, though). There are plenty of tables and chairs in the room, so the kids are seated comfortably.
When we first arrived, we needed to close a partition to the adjacent room, where a dissecting workshop was being held. But because the museum was short-staffed, no one seemed to know how to operate the partition. Hubbie and the workshop leader for the other room struggled with it and got it nearly closed. To completely close it required a special tool, however, so the museum director searched for a tool and someone to operate it. She finally succeeded, and we were ready to begin the session.
Eight kids, ranging in age from eight years old to thirteen are enrolled in the workshop. The first thing I did was write some words on the blackboard I wanted to impress upon the kids. I wrote "opaque," "translucent," and, and....(I drew a blank). What was the word I wanted for a (for instance) clear pane of glass? Hubbie offered the word clear. No, there was another word for it. Neither of us could think of it. A young helper arrived, and we asked her if she could cough up the word. No, she was flummoxed, too. When the kids filed in, I pointed out the two words I'd written, and confessed I couldn't think of the third. The eight-year-old said, "transparent?" YES, I exclaimed, hugging him. Thank you!
Today's project was to make sunprints. The kids created designs using "found objects" on sheets of photography paper, and then exposing them in the sun. From those designs...positive images that are a brownish color...we made black and white negative images in the darkroom, and then used the negative images to make black and white positive images.
During a break time, while the kids were in the break room, Hubbie and I watched a live animal show. A museum staff member showed the audience a tarantula, which she allowed to rest in the palm of her hand, and which she brought around for us to look at close up. The kids in the audience (and I) were fascinated with it, but the other adults were repulsed by it.
The other animal the staff member brought out was an Autralian bearded dragon, which is a lizard about a foot and a half long that has a rough, scaly back that we were allowed to touch (the kids and I touched it, that is). The scales feel a little like Velcro, I think. These lizards are often kept as pets.
The workshop went off without a hitch, except for a couple of things...we forgot to bring hairdryers with us for drying sunprints, and Hubbie had to return to camp for them. Then one of the kids (a boy, naturally) caused one of the dryers to overheat, when he held his hand over it. Fortunately, once the dryer cooled down, it worked again.
For this workshop, we have five boys and three girls...not my favorite gender divide. Boys are just so all-over-the-place, hard to keep quiet, and prone to annoying each other and everybody else.
The workshop ended at 4:30, and once we'd cleaned up, we were ready to head back to camp. Arrived about 5 p.m. Niece and Nephew had arrived earlier. Sis and Mother had cooked spaghetti and sauce, and we decided to take our supper to the pavillion, where again, a pleasant breeze was blowing off the river. We enjoyed the spaghetti with sides of a corn/green bean combo, salad, cottage cheese, and slices of sourdough bread.
Niece and Nephew left around 7:30 p.m., and Mother, Sis, Hubbie and I played a few games of Skipbo. Mother won two games (yay!), and Hubbie won one. Sis and I were left out in the cold.
After that, we were all ready for bed.
We were up at 7 a.m. to shower and get ready for the first day of the photography camp at the Capital City children's museum. Sis arrived today to keep Mother company while we were at the museum.
This morning, we needed to be at the museum by 11:30 a.m., to get things set up before the kids arrived. The "darkroom" is again the elevator maintenance room, which is not only a narrow space, but is near the elevator mechanisms (enclosed), which make a huge noise when the elevator is in use. Obviously, the room hasn't been swept since I used it two years ago, because there is still a strip of film on the floor. But it is servicable and adequately dark, so I can make do with it.
We have been assigned a nice big workshop room with a sink (wish the sink was in the elevator room, though). There are plenty of tables and chairs in the room, so the kids are seated comfortably.
When we first arrived, we needed to close a partition to the adjacent room, where a dissecting workshop was being held. But because the museum was short-staffed, no one seemed to know how to operate the partition. Hubbie and the workshop leader for the other room struggled with it and got it nearly closed. To completely close it required a special tool, however, so the museum director searched for a tool and someone to operate it. She finally succeeded, and we were ready to begin the session.
Eight kids, ranging in age from eight years old to thirteen are enrolled in the workshop. The first thing I did was write some words on the blackboard I wanted to impress upon the kids. I wrote "opaque," "translucent," and, and....(I drew a blank). What was the word I wanted for a (for instance) clear pane of glass? Hubbie offered the word clear. No, there was another word for it. Neither of us could think of it. A young helper arrived, and we asked her if she could cough up the word. No, she was flummoxed, too. When the kids filed in, I pointed out the two words I'd written, and confessed I couldn't think of the third. The eight-year-old said, "transparent?" YES, I exclaimed, hugging him. Thank you!
Today's project was to make sunprints. The kids created designs using "found objects" on sheets of photography paper, and then exposing them in the sun. From those designs...positive images that are a brownish color...we made black and white negative images in the darkroom, and then used the negative images to make black and white positive images.
During a break time, while the kids were in the break room, Hubbie and I watched a live animal show. A museum staff member showed the audience a tarantula, which she allowed to rest in the palm of her hand, and which she brought around for us to look at close up. The kids in the audience (and I) were fascinated with it, but the other adults were repulsed by it.
The other animal the staff member brought out was an Autralian bearded dragon, which is a lizard about a foot and a half long that has a rough, scaly back that we were allowed to touch (the kids and I touched it, that is). The scales feel a little like Velcro, I think. These lizards are often kept as pets.
The workshop went off without a hitch, except for a couple of things...we forgot to bring hairdryers with us for drying sunprints, and Hubbie had to return to camp for them. Then one of the kids (a boy, naturally) caused one of the dryers to overheat, when he held his hand over it. Fortunately, once the dryer cooled down, it worked again.
For this workshop, we have five boys and three girls...not my favorite gender divide. Boys are just so all-over-the-place, hard to keep quiet, and prone to annoying each other and everybody else.
The workshop ended at 4:30, and once we'd cleaned up, we were ready to head back to camp. Arrived about 5 p.m. Niece and Nephew had arrived earlier. Sis and Mother had cooked spaghetti and sauce, and we decided to take our supper to the pavillion, where again, a pleasant breeze was blowing off the river. We enjoyed the spaghetti with sides of a corn/green bean combo, salad, cottage cheese, and slices of sourdough bread.
Niece and Nephew left around 7:30 p.m., and Mother, Sis, Hubbie and I played a few games of Skipbo. Mother won two games (yay!), and Hubbie won one. Sis and I were left out in the cold.
After that, we were all ready for bed.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 4...Independence Day
Happy Independence Day, everyone!
We were up around 7 a.m. this morning, and spent a little while wondering what to have for breakfast. Mother decided on a slice of sourdough bread with butter, I had half a whole wheat toasted bagel with light cream cheese and cherry jelly, and Hubbie had cereal and the other half of the toasted bagel.
Once we were ready for the day, Hubbie and I made another trip to the WDCS for a few hygiene articles and food items. Back at camp, we entertained ourselves reading the newspaper, working puzzle books, playing on the laptop computer, and checking the digital camera for the fireworks show tonight.
Son, Daughter-in-Law, and Great-Grandson arrived around 4 p.m., bringing deli rotisserie chicken for our supper. I baked potatoes in the microwave, made a salad, and heated canned corn to go with it. Also had sourdough bread.
We took the food to the large picnic pavillion at one end of the campground. We had reserved tables earlier, and placed tableclothes on them, weighted down with boards. It was very pleasant there, where a brisk, cool breeze blew off the river. Mother was comfortable, transported in her wheelchair.
After supper, we stayed in the cool of the pavillion area until time for the fireworks show at around 9:30 p.m. It was a nice show, if shorter than previous years...no doubt in response to the current economic recession. But we certainly had front row seats for viewing. It was much more relaxing watching the display from this vantage point, rather than crammed into the crowd across the river in the park. There were lots of people in the campground...all relatives and friends of the campers, but it was no where near as crowded as the festival site.
I was frustrated, however, when I discovered that an important part of my camera tripod was missing, so I had to hand hold my camera. I probably got all blurred and shaky shots.
Niece and her family left to go home shortly after the fireworks display, but Son and family stayed a little while, waiting for the traffic to clear out of the park. We enjoyed snacks of ice cream and either homemade chocolate cake or spice bars.
By 10:30 p.m., everyone had departed, and we lost no time going to bed. It was a good day.
As we were getting ready to serve the food, Niece and her family arrived. They had already eaten, so they didn't join us for supper.
We were up around 7 a.m. this morning, and spent a little while wondering what to have for breakfast. Mother decided on a slice of sourdough bread with butter, I had half a whole wheat toasted bagel with light cream cheese and cherry jelly, and Hubbie had cereal and the other half of the toasted bagel.
Once we were ready for the day, Hubbie and I made another trip to the WDCS for a few hygiene articles and food items. Back at camp, we entertained ourselves reading the newspaper, working puzzle books, playing on the laptop computer, and checking the digital camera for the fireworks show tonight.
Son, Daughter-in-Law, and Great-Grandson arrived around 4 p.m., bringing deli rotisserie chicken for our supper. I baked potatoes in the microwave, made a salad, and heated canned corn to go with it. Also had sourdough bread.
We took the food to the large picnic pavillion at one end of the campground. We had reserved tables earlier, and placed tableclothes on them, weighted down with boards. It was very pleasant there, where a brisk, cool breeze blew off the river. Mother was comfortable, transported in her wheelchair.
After supper, we stayed in the cool of the pavillion area until time for the fireworks show at around 9:30 p.m. It was a nice show, if shorter than previous years...no doubt in response to the current economic recession. But we certainly had front row seats for viewing. It was much more relaxing watching the display from this vantage point, rather than crammed into the crowd across the river in the park. There were lots of people in the campground...all relatives and friends of the campers, but it was no where near as crowded as the festival site.
I was frustrated, however, when I discovered that an important part of my camera tripod was missing, so I had to hand hold my camera. I probably got all blurred and shaky shots.
Niece and her family left to go home shortly after the fireworks display, but Son and family stayed a little while, waiting for the traffic to clear out of the park. We enjoyed snacks of ice cream and either homemade chocolate cake or spice bars.
By 10:30 p.m., everyone had departed, and we lost no time going to bed. It was a good day.
As we were getting ready to serve the food, Niece and her family arrived. They had already eaten, so they didn't join us for supper.
Saturday, July 3
Left home around 9:30 a.m. We traveled in both the truck and the van, since Mother could not climb up into the truck. Arrived camp around 11:30. Our campsite was reserved, but the campers are so tightly packed into the sites, that we could not get our slideout out, because our neighbor on that side of the camper had his awning down. Camp staff helped guide Hubbie in moving our camper over a couple of feet to accommodate the two units. There is enough space on the other side of the camper to park our van, as well as another camper, plus awnings for both of us.
Since this is July 4 weekend, the campground is fully packed. We've had our reservations for about five months. The man in the camper to the right of us said his family lives here in the Capital City, but they camp here so they can watch the fireworks over the river. That's a good plan, since about 25,000 people gather each year in the park just across the river from here to enjoy July 4 festivities an the fireworks display.
A couple of years ago, we went to the festival. Son and Daughter-in-Law accompanied us that time. We feared we'd have a terrible time finding a parking spot, or a spot in the park where Mother would be comfortable in her wheelchair, but a nice gentleman held a parking space for us that he was about to vacate. The parking lot was fairly close to the festival, too. We were also surprised at how fast we were able to exit the city after the festivities. It just all went very smoothly that time, but I don't think we could be as lucky every year! Better to have this nice, secure place from which to watch the display.
Once we'd set up camp and had our lunch, Hubbie and I went to a pharmacy to see if the store would give me a discount on one-time-use cameras and film development. Unfortunately, the manager will not be available until Monday, so I'll have to contact him then.
The pharmacy is located right next door to a hobby and craft store, so of course I had to go in and look around. Found some more rubber stamps clearance and 40% off, so picked up a few for making greeting cards for Caring Hands Hospice.
Back home, we had a supper of barbecued pork, leftover veggies from the beef roast, coleslaw, and cherry tomatoes from our garden. Afterward, Hubbie and I walked around the campground. The RV park is located right on the river, so we have a nice view of the city skyline, as well as an old railroad bridge. At night, the skyline is lovely. One well-lighted building sits atop a hill and reminds me of the Acropolis.
Mother discovered today that she had forgotten to bring her puzzle books, so Hubbie and I ran to the WDCS to buy a couple for her. While we were there, we picked up some fat-free, sugar-free ice cream to have for a snack, before we played a couple of games of Skipbo. Mother got down to one card in the first game, before Hubbie stole the win from her. I won the second game.
By the end of the second game, we were very ready for bed. I spent 30 minutes reading before going to sleep, though, and I finished a book by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet called, "Sundays at Tiffany's," and then started a John Grisham book called, "Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer." One of the ladies at water aerobics loaned this book to me. It's in Grisham's family series, suited to younger readers.
"Sundays at Tiffany's" and easy read, is about a girl who has an invisible friend...a grown man, who has to leave her when she's nine years old. She is supposed to forget about him, but never does, and later, when she's an adult, she meets him again...and, well, you can guess the rest.
Since this is July 4 weekend, the campground is fully packed. We've had our reservations for about five months. The man in the camper to the right of us said his family lives here in the Capital City, but they camp here so they can watch the fireworks over the river. That's a good plan, since about 25,000 people gather each year in the park just across the river from here to enjoy July 4 festivities an the fireworks display.
A couple of years ago, we went to the festival. Son and Daughter-in-Law accompanied us that time. We feared we'd have a terrible time finding a parking spot, or a spot in the park where Mother would be comfortable in her wheelchair, but a nice gentleman held a parking space for us that he was about to vacate. The parking lot was fairly close to the festival, too. We were also surprised at how fast we were able to exit the city after the festivities. It just all went very smoothly that time, but I don't think we could be as lucky every year! Better to have this nice, secure place from which to watch the display.
Once we'd set up camp and had our lunch, Hubbie and I went to a pharmacy to see if the store would give me a discount on one-time-use cameras and film development. Unfortunately, the manager will not be available until Monday, so I'll have to contact him then.
The pharmacy is located right next door to a hobby and craft store, so of course I had to go in and look around. Found some more rubber stamps clearance and 40% off, so picked up a few for making greeting cards for Caring Hands Hospice.
Back home, we had a supper of barbecued pork, leftover veggies from the beef roast, coleslaw, and cherry tomatoes from our garden. Afterward, Hubbie and I walked around the campground. The RV park is located right on the river, so we have a nice view of the city skyline, as well as an old railroad bridge. At night, the skyline is lovely. One well-lighted building sits atop a hill and reminds me of the Acropolis.
Mother discovered today that she had forgotten to bring her puzzle books, so Hubbie and I ran to the WDCS to buy a couple for her. While we were there, we picked up some fat-free, sugar-free ice cream to have for a snack, before we played a couple of games of Skipbo. Mother got down to one card in the first game, before Hubbie stole the win from her. I won the second game.
By the end of the second game, we were very ready for bed. I spent 30 minutes reading before going to sleep, though, and I finished a book by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet called, "Sundays at Tiffany's," and then started a John Grisham book called, "Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer." One of the ladies at water aerobics loaned this book to me. It's in Grisham's family series, suited to younger readers.
"Sundays at Tiffany's" and easy read, is about a girl who has an invisible friend...a grown man, who has to leave her when she's nine years old. She is supposed to forget about him, but never does, and later, when she's an adult, she meets him again...and, well, you can guess the rest.
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