Bugs at the Rose Garden

We found a lovely new place to go and enjoy nature. Oddly, it’s in our own town and we had no idea it existed…shame on us! Rose Haven Heritage Garden is a public garden and home to over 1600 roses of varying kinds. They are interspersed among other flowering plants, succulents and even a small vegetable garden.  It is all maintained by volunteers of the local rose society. 

We attended the March program which focused on garden bugs. The kids got to hear a short talk on beneficial versus pest insects that can be found in the garden or yard. There was also a table of various insects to examine and a knowledgeable volunteer to give the kids info on what they were looking at. My daughter’s favorite was the compost worms box. The children were invited to dig around and search for worms and grubs.

They also received a checklist of nine different bugs and had the opportunity to walk the garden and try and spot as many as they could. The kids were encouraged to pick up any nature bits lying around the grounds to use in a following art project.

Our kids were having too much fun exploring so we didn’t make it to the sit-down-and-craft part of the program. However, we took home our nature finds and J had a great time creating a ladybug picture on her own. 

Many thanks to the sweet and patient volunteers for hosting this event. We are looking forward to our next visit…maybe bring a picnic lunch and our nature journal. 🙂

 

Dripping Springs Nature Walk

 

 

My hubby has been very busy lately, not only with work, but he is one of the musicians for the Southern California tour of LES MISÉRABLES. It is an incredible opportunity for him and I’m bursting with pride…but it’s a lot of hours of rehearsal and shows.

We’ve been missing him for sure, so on his first weekend off, we decided a day out in nature was in order. We took a drive to  Dripping Springs, a little campground tucked away in the Cleveland National Forest. We’ve camped and hiked there before and it’s usually very quiet…exactly what we needed. 

We enjoyed a picnic lunch and let our little one run up and down a hill, peer into several hollow logs and just explore.

 

We walked along a dry river bed and looked for pretty rocks and found a few that were eye catching, to say the least. 

Waterfall & Shoe Rock

We found lots of lichen and moss that were interesting to touch and look at. 

We pretended we were pirates looking for treasure and drew maps in the sand.

I can’t imagine a better way to unwind after several weeks of a tightly packed schedule, than to walk in the wilds and listen to the gentle sounds of nature.

 

A Day With Pirates!

My daughter LOVES pirates…truth be told so do I! We especially love the world of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, fairies, mermaids and all the magic that goes along with it. We of course watch lots of Jake and the Neverland Pirates  too. Yes, we love pirates. It was therefore a necessity that we attend Pirate Days at the San Diego Maritime Museum. The collections of the Maritime Museum are vast and engaging. One of our favorites, among the many incredible ships there, is the Star of India. Built in 1863, it is the world’s oldest active sailing ship. It is a beautiful vessel inside and out. Many volunteers were hard at work cleaning and maintaining her in the midst of festivities and tourists. I was surprised that my three year old daughter stopped to take a look at almost every display. She was fascinated with everything on the ship…from stem to stern, so to speak. There were also plenty of pirates on board that were ready to engage in sword fights and playful banter. My daughter, J, wore her finest and was ready to join the crew! She was picked unanimously as the winner of the girls costume contest. I think she charmed just about everyone on board! 🙂 One of the activities was a scavenger hunt that had you follow clues through several ships. Your prize for all of the effort was a visit to the magical mermaid grotto set up on the Star of  India. This was very enchanting for J! The mermaids handed out jewels and a coveted key necklace to her. It was perfect, for she was sure it opened a treasure chest somewhere on board. This necklace is so special we have since redesigned a new and stronger chain of beads for it. It gets worn regularly! Besides exciting encounters with the buccaneers, there were also other re-enactors aboard the ship HMS Surprise. An admiral made his rounds and hosted a “dance” with ladies and gentlemen in period dress.    The San Diego Maritime Museum is a wonderful opportunity to experience hands on history. There are many educational opportunities for the family. They have many exciting events to attend throughout the year. It is a great day trip and makes for a fun homeschool field trip as well.

San Diego Safari Park 3-16-14

A beautiful Sunday visit to the San Diego Safari Park.

We took a leisurely stroll through the Wings of the World aviary and enjoyed some close and personal attention from the many Golden Breasted Starlings. They were quite eager to have their portraits taken!

We watched the elephant keeper talk. It’s always very informative and fun. Showing off their stuff today was Swazi and her baby Qinisa.

Swazi received an elephant pedicure.

And Qinisa got a little trunk wash.

Kastan the Caracal was the featured animal encounter near the African Outpost. He is such a beautiful wild cat and always astounds with his jumping prowess.

Beautiful spring blooms were on display throughout the park.

The meerkats were out and about and being cute as usual.

The cutest of all, though, are the two new  lion cubs Ken and Dixie. They are currently in the zoo nursery area and guests can see them playing, eating and sleeping. They are full of lion personality and a pleasure to watch and photograph. Every time we visit they are noticeably bigger!

 

 

A Few of Our Fall Activities

We don’t really get going full swing into autumn here in Southern California until around the end of October.  September is usually quite hot where we live and it’s hard to feel the full spirit of the season when it’s still pool weather. I love autumn, though, and couldn’t resist doing some crafting and cooking.  Now that the weather is finally getting crisp and cool, I’m really getting that cozy happy feeling!

We have made several projects as well as a few trips to our favorite orchards and farms and I thought I would share a few of our fun fall activities.

Nature Walk and Fall Nature Jar Activity

My daughter and I love taking nature walks together. I am trying to encourage a love of nature, gardening, plants and animals, etc. and I don’t have to try very hard. She is interested in learning about anything and everything when we go on our walks or to a farm. For this, I am very thankful. I’m thrilled to see her curious about and excited by little things like leaves and snails.

On one of our walks we decided to bring along a bag and collect a few “nature bits.” I found a lovely idea for Fall Sensory Jars and knew this would be a great project for us to try.  I used super glue to seal the lid for some extra spill protection.  I took my photo with the jar upended for aesthetics, but I would recommend displaying right side up for further spill protection! 🙂

Apple Picking

One of our favorite places to visit in the fall is Oak Glen. Going up to the mountains to pick apples means autumn! We spent the day with friends and took in all of the delights this wonderful little town has to offer, including raspberry picking,  the best apple cider in the whole wide world and the always wonderful Riley’s Farm.

Riley’s Farm

Tin Can Jack O’Lanterns

One of my favorite crafts we made are the jack o’ lanterns (appropriately) from reused pumpkin puree cans. The step-by-step tutorial can be found here. The results of the project are so very cute and it’s satisfying to gaze upon the little glowing faces at night. This craft is a job for mom or dad! Punching the holes is WORK! I tried drilling and hand hammering them into the can and both were equally laborious. Also, make sure to hammer down the sharp edge of your can lid to avoid painful mishaps. This project can be as cheap or as costly as you want to make it. I used leftover paint and bought battery operated tea lights at my local dollar store (2 for $1) for each lantern. It’s definitely a worthwhile project, just not one to do with little kids…BUT, they can enjoy the fruits of your labor as they gaze upon the pretty glowing faces and marvel at Mama’s creative skills! Right?

Pumpkin Patch

Autumn fun and activities wouldn’t be complete with out a trip to the pumpkin patch! We have a few farms nearby that have annual pumpkin picking and other delights for the fall season. We usually visit one or all of them. I have to admit, my fun is photographing my beautiful daughter’s enjoyment among all of the gorgeous pumpkins, colors and scenery of the farms.

                    

I hope that all of you enjoy the season and the beauty it has to offer!

San Diego Safari Park 4-28-13

Our trip to the Safari Park this past Sunday was all about the cheetahs! We saw plenty of beautiful and exciting things, as we always do, but the cheetahs stole the show.

These two were lounging in their enclosure when we first walked up. They looked quite majestic stretched out under a shady tree.

Then, as we were about to take off, two keepers entered their area. This caused a bit of a stir, with one of the cheetahs showing a bit of teeth.

The two keepers stayed off to the side for a while, but the big cats kept an eye on them.

This was exciting for us, because it offered a great photo opportunity. It was also nice to see them walking around instead of two napping cats…which is what we mostly see. And, my daughter could get a good view from the stroller as well.

We enjoyed a terrific lunch of chicken and honey mustard dipping sauce with a side of coleslaw made with homemade mayo. It certainly gave us plenty of energy for more walking and running…

and more running…:)

While J was running her daddy silly, I was able to get a few pictures of some lovely giraffes quietly eating and the rhinos enjoying a cooling mud bath.

The newest baby rhino, I believe his name is Kayode, was also out with his mama.

He was galloping and playing…much like my baby!

Right before we left we saw an animal encounter talk with a beautiful Tawny Frogmouth. He was very dignified and had such an “owl-y” expression!

There is always something fun and exciting to see at the San Diego Safari Park!

Lizard Wizard Birthday Party!

My nephew just turned five and for his birthday party my sister booked the Lizard Wizard. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well, this company comes out to your house or party location with a collection of reptiles for the guests to experience and learn about. As I mentioned, this was a party for a five year old boy…of course  he loves spiders, snakes and bugs! I was a bit hesitant, though, but was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I actually had seeing and learning about these creatures. My little girl, on the other hand, was little miss adventurous! She couldn’t wait to hold a bug, touch a snake or grab a frog! I was quite proud of her! 🙂

To start things off, the kids got to hold some frogs. Some were small and sticky and some, like this guy, were large and slimy!

Michael Jordan the Bullfrog

My daughter couldn’t wait to let the giant cockroach climb on her…(insert mother shudder here). Actually, this was a pretty popular, many of the kids wanted their chance to wear a cockroach brooch!

Cockroach Brooch

There were also several volunteers, including my sister and mother, who wanted to have a tarantula placed on their head.  My 2 year old was eager to get close to this one because it was an “itsy bitsy spider.” Hmm, there’s not much itsy, or bitsy about him, methinks.

Tarantula Hair Accessory

The kids got to see a few kinds of lizards and even a skink that would stick out his tongue and give a kiss. He was a lot of fun and I captured the best expressions on their faces in pictures!

Then came an array of snakes for everyone to hold. The boys loved this! I have lots of pictures with snakes wrapped around arms and fists and triumphant smiles. The girls are quite the opposite.  All of  those photos show frightened and repulsed expressions…yet they jumped right in there! This is one of the things I marveled at with this party. Everyone was involved and excited to learn and experience these creatures!

The Lizard Wizard team also set up a little petting zoo for the kids to interact with some frogs and turtles and even a baby alligator.  They showcased a huge 45 lb turtle, Tonka,  who quietly sat in his bucket while all the kids helped wash his shell. This was a brilliant idea! I can’t tell you how exciting it was for all of them to help clean the turtle.

Turtle Wash

Then came the pièce de résistance, Popcorn the python. Everyone was fascinated by this beautiful creature. Even I let them drape Popcorn around my shoulders, because, really, when do you ever get the chance to do that?

This was easily one of the best parties we’ve had. Every kid there was interested and having fun with the animals…even if they were a little scared! We had quite a range of ages, as well, and all enjoyed it. We got lots of positive feedback from the guests. The Lizard Wizards themselves were very professional and knowledgeable about every creature they exhibited. They were two young adults, but they did a fantastic job interacting with all of the children. You definitely get the sense that they love and respect all of their creatures. I can’t say enough good things about this party and I’m sure my sister will be hiring them again. If you have a chance to have a Lizard Wizard party or a similar company near you, please give it a try. You’ll probably be just as surprised as me and all the other squeamish mothers at our party, at how much fun you have!

San Diego Safari Park 3-24-13

This trip to the San Diego Safari Park turned out to be a lazy and meandering walk through the park.  We took it slow and took notice of little things like:

Beautiful exotic plants and huge bumble bees buzzing flowers.

We managed to miss all of the animal encounters, but we got to see two large cats in a car, doing what they do best…

Mina & Oshana

napping in the afternoon sun!

We saw just about the whole herd of elephants being let into their enclosure to eat.

 

We fed and admired the ducks.

 

And, we enjoyed watching the big yellow Balloon Safari go up and down!

 

Sometimes it’s nice to just walk at a slower pace and not do anything in particular. That’s another reason I love the membership pass to the park. I don’t feel that we have to do everything in one visit. It takes the pressure off to “have fun!” The Hubby and I agree, it’s got to be one of the best values for a season pass in Southern California.

San Diego Safari Park

 

Safari Park – Butterfly Jungle 3-17-13

Imagine walking among lush plants and beautiful flowers, while butterflies of every size and color dance their way around you…a few even lilt gracefully on your hand, arms or head. This is what it’s like to walk through San Diego Safari Park’s Butterfly Jungle exhibit. It is held in the Hidden Jungle area, usually a very quiet little enclosure, exhibiting rare plants, birds and insects. It becomes a bustling hub from March 16th to April 7th, while the butterflies make it their home. Although it can be quite crowded, the experience of seeing the butterflies up close is not lost. There wasn’t one person in our family who did not have a butterfly land on them, multiple times! Also, they are perched everywhere on leaves around you, so photo opportunities abound.

What We Saw

The Orange Julia has got to be my favorite! It is such a gorgeous shade or orange and I adore the name! I had only one butterfly land on me while we were there, and it was this one! I consider that special!

Orange Julia

The Paper Kite is a delicate black and yellow butterfly, that looked stunning among all of the brightly colored flowers!

Paper Kite

The Common Blue Morpho is one of the most uncommonly beautiful butterflies. It is quite unassuming, with it’s brown and gold spotted wings…until it opens them!  

Common Blue Morpho

The inside of it’s wings are a striking iridescent blue, that is dazzling to look upon! It is also quite a large butterfly, and when it lands on you, you can’t help but be mesmerized by it’s loveliness.

Common Blue Morpho

The Postman is a small red, black and yellow butterfly that we observed in abundance!

Postman

The Zebra Longwing is a small pale yellow and black striped butterfly, as it’s name implies. They had one of the most delicate flutters of all!

Zebra Longwing

And then there’s this guy.

I still can’t identify him properly. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but this butterfly is huge. It had landed on one of the employees pant leg and he said it had been there for around a couple of hours! I know he said the name of this butterfly, but I can not remember what it was, and I can’t find it in my guide. It is quite beautiful with it’s muted iridescence! I’m sure I’ll find out the proper name for this one, and I’ll be sure to update my information here.

Our trip to Butterfly Jungle was a lot of fun and enjoyable for the whole family. I would highly recommend taking advantage of this fabulous exhibit if you are in the area!

San Diego Safari Park 3-10-13

Our visit to the Safari Park this week was pretty exciting! We weren’t even sure we were going until the evening before, which is kind of unusual for us…you know spontaneity and all! I usually like to prep for a couple of days, because I pack the three of us a lunch that is pretty much all from scratch and  I had that darned daylight savings  time change to deal with. I woke up at 9 am, thinking I had already overslept…until Hubby reminded me it was really 10!  Not the greatest start, but I used my supermom powers and somehow got us all fed, dressed, packed and out the door at a reasonable time. I even managed a homemade lunch and it was one of the best chicken salads I’ve ever made. I will try to remember the recipe to share here sometime. I believe that was my lesson that spontaneity vs over planning can be a good thing!

Back to the Safari Park…

What We Saw

Our first exciting encounter was the Elephant Keeper talk at the Tembo Stadium. We just happened to walk up as it was starting, and I’m glad we we did. This was a chance to see several of the elephants up close, including the newest baby elephant, Qinisa. I couldn’t believe how cute this baby was and my little girl, J was ecstatic watching her run around the enclosure. Heck, so was I! We also got to see the mother elephant, Swazi and another younger elephant.

Baby Qinisa

Mother Swazi

We learned that the adult elephants are all from Swaziland. The trainers use a whistle to alert them to do particular tasks. Swazi showed off her skills by ignoring a  glove tossed by her and then retrieving it on command. Keepers also believe Swazi may have weak eyesight, as she doesn’t always notice scuffles among the other elephants. We also learned that there is a definite hierarchy among the Herd, with Swazi being the dominate female. This gives little Qinisa a bit of an advantage, as her daughter, and apparently she knows it!

To see more of these beautiful and majestic elephants, you can watch them on the Elephant Cam courtesy of the Safari Park’s website.

We were also were excited to make it down to the African Outpost area for an Animal Encounter with Kusikia, the Bat Eared Fox. She is only around 9 months old and is in training for the encounters. She’s a little skittish during the presentation, but once she relaxes a bit she puts on quite a show, chasing her toys and cuddling with her keepers. Kusikia is adorable and we loved watching her up close.

We learned that Kusikia, as mentioned already, is still just a baby. She loves stuffed pandas and always has one in her enclosure to play with. The keepers mentioned that they are hopeful that Kusikia will become comfortable enough with people to one day be touched and pet during her Animal Encounters outings.

We are excited about our next visit to the park, since it is the opening weekend of Butterfly Jungle! It is a thrilling opportunity to walk among hundreds of live butterflies as they float and possibly land for a moment on you! The photo ops are overwhelming, so I hope to get a few interesting ones to share! The Safari Park is also holding several contests to celebrate Butterfly Jungle, so head over to their website for a chance to win a great prize and read more about this exciting event!