Tampa Bay Watch Field-trip

We had a fun time at Tampa Bay Watch for a field trip today. We got a long lecture on safety, behavior and expectations. I think they forget that usually homeschoolers are more civilized than some of the groups that come through. We went on a boat ride to collect some samples. We weren’t allowed to move and had to talk very quietly. The ride was about 30 minutes total and that was all we did. The crew did the nets and water samples.

We got back to shore and got to check out all of the samples that were found. We learned about all the samples and other facts.

Up next was the lab with the microscopes. This was cool to see the various microorganisms under the microscopes. They were able to project a microscope up on the screen so we could all see the items too. Finally we made our own organisms that could float int he water column. The team that took the longest to fall to the bottom was the winner. The design of my teammate and I didn’t win but we had fun trying.

  • Learning about our day
  • The boring boat
  • Watching but not seeing
  • Examining specimen
  • Checking out the catch
  • Learning about the catch
  • Working with microscopes
  • Microscope projector
  • Making our critter for the float tank
  • Enjoying the boat ride?

October Madness

October seems to be a crazy time for us with all new activities getting ramped up for the year. We are back to our 4-H County Council meetings. B gave a fun talk about entomophagy and sustainable protein sources. We volunteered at the Florida Botanical Gardens Pumpkin Festival for 4-H. We helped set up the entire event, decorated, set up the carving stations, hauled tables and chairs, and then helped with the carving stations by collecting and cleaning up as people carved. Our archery club won 1st place with their scarecrow too!

We picked out some beautiful pumpkins at Publix this week and were eager to carve them. We kept them safely in the garage to keep them cool. I cut into mine and by the time I got about 1/2 the guts out it started to collapse, the entire bottom was rotten. SO we raced to Publix hoping there were still large pumpkins left. I found a weird long shaped one and knew just what to do. I changed my design from a dragon into a tarantula! We roasted pumpkin seeds for an evening snack when dad was away in Washington state. Dad missed Halloween too so we had Grandma Susie over and some friends to go trick-or-treating with in the neighborhood.

Preston stayed over on the weekend before Dad came home. We had a fun time at the house and park with Preston. The next day we dropped him home and we went to Eagle Lake Park for B to go to a SPC Honors college picnic. Mom and I wandered the trails and around the late while B hang with his college friends. We got back and they weren’t done so we watched the end of the contests and games and had a snack. It was a super fun event and I can’t wait to hopefully qualify for the honors program too!

  • B giving a talk for 4-H County Council
  • Helping at Pumpkin Fest
  • So many pumpkins
  • carving station tools
  • Watching the madness unfold
  • Vendors pouring in
  • Our winning scarecrow!
  • My rotten pumpkin
  • Moved inside with new pumpkin
  • in the light
  • in the dark
  • Christmas Decorations?
  • my candy haul
  • Hanging with friends
  • Who can jump the furthest
  • tree time
  • hi!

4-H State Field Match

This weekend we attended the Florida 4-H Field Archery Match in Newberry, Florida. This has always been a match we miss because it is so early in the year. I was happy to attend this year and actually have competition in my bow class! I had an amazing day at my first tournament as an intermediates. So now I am on the younger end of the 11 to 13 age group. This distances are much longer but I stuck with it and really did well. I was most proud of the lane where you have 4 targets and have to start at the top and put one arrow in each target. I was one of two intermediates in all the bow classes to accomplish this all day!

  • Maleah, Ellis, B and E
  • Aim true!
  • My awesome shots. one arrow per target top to bottom
  • Having fun in the field course
  • All this earns first place!

Other Shenanigans

I am really enjoying archery this year. I hope to do well in the tournaments. It will be a challenge as I moved up a catagory so I will have to work even harder. My form is excellent. I am aiming very low because we were shooting at pumpkins for Halloween at the club meeting. I am kicking butt in karate. I hope to get my purple belt by the end of the year. I got a new tarantula. I love it so much!

Kitchen Garden Fieldtrip

We went to Orlando to the Emerald Lagase Kitchen Garden. We met a group of homeschoolers from all over the state. We toured the garden. Got the low down of the day. Broke into assigned teams. Learned what our goals were and some basic directions. Followed the recipe and chefs guidelines.
I LOVED making tamales. After we finished with all the cooking we had a giant feast. Vegetarian feast! We made killer guac! Bean stew.
Tamales… that I gobbled up!  We made some new friends and had a wonderful experience.