Yesterday, Geek Girl and I went to the library and checked out some books. One of the books was called The Old Woman and the Eagle by Idries Shah.
Description of book by Geek Girl:
"There was an old woman who never saw an eagle. An eagle was flying by and took a rest in front of the old woman's house. The old woman thought it was a pigeon because even though she had never seen an eagle she had seen lots of pigeons. So she took the eagle inside and she trimmed its claws, and she straightened its beak, and she brushed the tuft of feathers down. Then when she let it go the eagle sat on a branch wondering what to do. Then another eagle came and brushed its feathers back to a tuft and curved its beak and told it its claws would grow back soon. The two friends flew to their nests and never went near that silly old woman again."
Here are some drawings inspired by the book.
"Four pigeons are having fun."
"Two eagles saw the pigeons and decided to make the pigeons look more like eagles. The box holds the stuff they need."
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday Stroll: One Dog, 13 Ducks, and a Ham
Today, we took advantage of a lovely spring Sunday to wander around the National Mall and enjoy the sights. First, we had a picnic lunch along the Ellipse just south of the White House, enjoying the view of the futbol players and the Washington Monument. Then we had a leisurely stroll to view the south side of the White House and glimpsed a member of the First Family playing with Bo on the South Lawn before we, and all our fellow gawkers, were shooed away by the Secret Service.
Next, the Mall proper, starting at the Washington Monument and heading toward Capitol Hill. We kept being passed by tons of folks leaving the 2010 commencement ceremony for George Washington University - where the speaker was the First Lady. (We never saw or heard her.) Our second, very distant brush with the First Family today...
Afterward, we visited the Sculpture Garden for the National Gallery of Art (Geek Girl loves House 1 by Roy Lichtenstein) and watched lots of happy grads taking pictures there and on the steps of the various museums.
Eventually, we ended up at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, where we had some unexpected sights. First, we came across a mother duck (let's call her Suspicious Duck) with four juvenile ducks. Suspicious Duck was quite vigilant for people - any time someone came a bit too close, she craned her neck, started quacking in a low growl (if you can imagine such a thing), and spread out her feathers. Here is a distant shot:
Geek Girl wanted to sketch Suspicious Duck and her young ducks, so we walked around the pool to sit in the shade of a big tree. While we were sitting there, she drew quite a nice picture and Mama Geek and I chatted. We were pretty oblivious, but eventually we realized that a crowd had gathered, so we looked around and down. Here's what we saw:
That's Trusting Duck with her seven baby ducklings! She was quacking quietly and they were quacking back - almost cheeps. Really cute, and quite literally within my arm's reach as we sat together.
Trusting Duck wanted to take her babies to swim in the Reflecting Pool, so first, she had to get them off the planter and down onto the ground about two feet below. Here's what that looked like:
It was time to start heading home, so we wandered past the Air and Space Museum to take in the planet walk along the sidewalk. Geek Girl was fascinated and read every sign in detail, and we talked about some fun facts for each planet, like the fact that a Venusian day is longer than a Venusian year and that the tilt of Uranus' axis of rotation is 82 degrees with respect to the plane of the ecliptic (this involved a pen and some twirling).
Between Uranus and Neptune, we stopped off to see some of Geek Girl's favorite art at the Hirshorn Gallery:
Pluto comes at the Smithsonian Castle, which meant we saw the lovely rose garden - and our Ham in Chief wearing The Giraffe Hat Nai-Nai Sent:
We walked on back to the car, stopping along the way for a snack while watching people play kickball at the Washington Monument and then to toss a certain rubber duck around like a baseball (it's a therapy thing). A yummy zvieri with good coffee and yesterday's dessert leftovers, a really yummy dinner made by Mama Geek, and time for this post.
The postscript: I have just been informed that I am #3 on The Official Geek Girl List of The Best Things in the World, behind drawing and reading ("Because you're sooooo funny, Daddy!"). Mama Geek is none too pleased with being #4. If Geek Girl knows what's good for her, she'll bump Mama Geek up to a tie for third. One thing's for sure, Mama Geek and I will never take the top spot.
Next, the Mall proper, starting at the Washington Monument and heading toward Capitol Hill. We kept being passed by tons of folks leaving the 2010 commencement ceremony for George Washington University - where the speaker was the First Lady. (We never saw or heard her.) Our second, very distant brush with the First Family today...
Afterward, we visited the Sculpture Garden for the National Gallery of Art (Geek Girl loves House 1 by Roy Lichtenstein) and watched lots of happy grads taking pictures there and on the steps of the various museums.
Eventually, we ended up at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, where we had some unexpected sights. First, we came across a mother duck (let's call her Suspicious Duck) with four juvenile ducks. Suspicious Duck was quite vigilant for people - any time someone came a bit too close, she craned her neck, started quacking in a low growl (if you can imagine such a thing), and spread out her feathers. Here is a distant shot:
Geek Girl wanted to sketch Suspicious Duck and her young ducks, so we walked around the pool to sit in the shade of a big tree. While we were sitting there, she drew quite a nice picture and Mama Geek and I chatted. We were pretty oblivious, but eventually we realized that a crowd had gathered, so we looked around and down. Here's what we saw:
That's Trusting Duck with her seven baby ducklings! She was quacking quietly and they were quacking back - almost cheeps. Really cute, and quite literally within my arm's reach as we sat together.
Trusting Duck wanted to take her babies to swim in the Reflecting Pool, so first, she had to get them off the planter and down onto the ground about two feet below. Here's what that looked like:
Ready...
Set...
Go!
Set...
Go!
All seven ducklings made the big hop and followed Trusting Duck around the edge of the pool. She kept quacking to guide them, and they very politely waddled along behind her. (How does she get them to do that? Never works for us...) Soon, it became apparent that Trusting Duck didn't really know how she was going to get her babies over the decorative edge into the pool, as it is about two feet high, and the babies were definitely having trouble getting that high with their stubby wings. In the end, Trusting Duck and her babies got a helping hand, or four, from me and two of the other bystanders - we each lifted some very soft, fuzzy duckies onto the lip and they slid on down into the water. Yes, Nai Nai, the hat you gave me does double duty as a duck carrier.
Here is a video of Trusting Duck and her babies swimming around in the Reflecting Pool:
Here is a video of Trusting Duck and her babies swimming around in the Reflecting Pool:
It was time to start heading home, so we wandered past the Air and Space Museum to take in the planet walk along the sidewalk. Geek Girl was fascinated and read every sign in detail, and we talked about some fun facts for each planet, like the fact that a Venusian day is longer than a Venusian year and that the tilt of Uranus' axis of rotation is 82 degrees with respect to the plane of the ecliptic (this involved a pen and some twirling).
Between Uranus and Neptune, we stopped off to see some of Geek Girl's favorite art at the Hirshorn Gallery:
Pluto comes at the Smithsonian Castle, which meant we saw the lovely rose garden - and our Ham in Chief wearing The Giraffe Hat Nai-Nai Sent:
We walked on back to the car, stopping along the way for a snack while watching people play kickball at the Washington Monument and then to toss a certain rubber duck around like a baseball (it's a therapy thing). A yummy zvieri with good coffee and yesterday's dessert leftovers, a really yummy dinner made by Mama Geek, and time for this post.
The postscript: I have just been informed that I am #3 on The Official Geek Girl List of The Best Things in the World, behind drawing and reading ("Because you're sooooo funny, Daddy!"). Mama Geek is none too pleased with being #4. If Geek Girl knows what's good for her, she'll bump Mama Geek up to a tie for third. One thing's for sure, Mama Geek and I will never take the top spot.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Windy Mother's Day weekend
After a very hot week, it was nice to have a cold front cool things off. However, there was also a lot of wind. On Saturday, we had planned to go to a state park with Long Lost Cousin and family, but when we talked in the morning, we realized that might not be the best plan. So we met them at their place and then went to a local park to play, then an Indian Buffet for lunch, and then some more playtime while Daddy Geek helped build some tree supports.
On Mother's Day I received lovely gifts that Geek Girl had made in school. A card, a paper flower, and a book. We had our usual Sunday pancakes and I went to the store while Daddy Geek helped Geek girl finish her homework (my choice to shop rather than supervise homework). After lunch we decided to go for a hike on part of the Fairfax County Connector Trail. We had a nice leisurely stroll along Dangerous Run (a run is a stream) through a heavily forested trail.
Daddy Geek and Girl Geek went to get some Peruvian rotisserie chicken and sides for dinner (yuca is yummy) and we were good to go.
On Mother's Day I received lovely gifts that Geek Girl had made in school. A card, a paper flower, and a book. We had our usual Sunday pancakes and I went to the store while Daddy Geek helped Geek girl finish her homework (my choice to shop rather than supervise homework). After lunch we decided to go for a hike on part of the Fairfax County Connector Trail. We had a nice leisurely stroll along Dangerous Run (a run is a stream) through a heavily forested trail.
Daddy Geek and Girl Geek went to get some Peruvian rotisserie chicken and sides for dinner (yuca is yummy) and we were good to go.
Sleeping Child
Daddy Geek was in San Diego last week, so Geek Girl slept with me. It's a good thing he's not traveling as often, because she hogs the bed and has very sharp elbows and ankles. However, when she's hogging our bed, the light is good to photograph our sleeping child.
See her little fist? Not much has changed...
I just can't resist posting baby pictures of Geek Girl.
See her little fist? Not much has changed...
I just can't resist posting baby pictures of Geek Girl.
Up close with Albert
The weather for the first weekend of May was predicted to be hot and humid, so we knew if we were to enjoy the outdoors it would have to be early on Saturday.
We put the bikes on the bike rack (thanks both sets of grandparents for the REI giftcards) and headed down to Gravelly Point, just north of National Airport. We got on the Mount Vernon trail and headed north, then crossed the Potomac River on the Memorial Bridge, and then south towards East Potomac Park. Girl Geek started complaining about her legs being tired, until she saw a playground and explained that her legs were tired of pedaling, but not too tired for playing. So we stopped at the playground near Hains Point where the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers meet. Then we circled back north and did a loop of the mall. Geek Girl really wanted to go into a museum, so we popped into the Natural History museum (and got her out again by promising to return soon). On our way back, we decided to stop at the Academy of Sciences to visit this guy.
Geek Girl tried climbing to the top of his head, but got stuck at his shoulder.
The ride was about a 14 - 15 miles and once again, Geek Girl did a great job.
We put the bikes on the bike rack (thanks both sets of grandparents for the REI giftcards) and headed down to Gravelly Point, just north of National Airport. We got on the Mount Vernon trail and headed north, then crossed the Potomac River on the Memorial Bridge, and then south towards East Potomac Park. Girl Geek started complaining about her legs being tired, until she saw a playground and explained that her legs were tired of pedaling, but not too tired for playing. So we stopped at the playground near Hains Point where the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers meet. Then we circled back north and did a loop of the mall. Geek Girl really wanted to go into a museum, so we popped into the Natural History museum (and got her out again by promising to return soon). On our way back, we decided to stop at the Academy of Sciences to visit this guy.
Geek Girl tried climbing to the top of his head, but got stuck at his shoulder.
The ride was about a 14 - 15 miles and once again, Geek Girl did a great job.
Sugarloaf Mountain pictures
A couple weeks late, but better late than never.
Geek Girl at the top of a mini mountain. If she climbs something, I have to climb it too. (grumble, grumble).
A cold family portrait.
Carnivorous pitcher plants in the wild.
Thanks for the kiss, Geek Girl.
She should actually be kissing Daddy Geek -- he carried her down a very steep and sandy path after this shot was taken.
Geek Girl at the top of a mini mountain. If she climbs something, I have to climb it too. (grumble, grumble).
A cold family portrait.
Carnivorous pitcher plants in the wild.
Thanks for the kiss, Geek Girl.
She should actually be kissing Daddy Geek -- he carried her down a very steep and sandy path after this shot was taken.
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