Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Baby Chicks Day 9 (3-5-2017)

Baby Chicks - Day 9
(3-5-2017)

When I pick up some of these chicks they put up a bit of a fuss, so I lay them back in my hand and they usually relax very quickly.  This chick started to fall asleep within seconds!!!  

See the tail feathers?  They are really sprouting now!

Last year a friend let us use her incubator to hatch some Buff Orpington's.  This year we went to Tractor Supply.  So far they have only had Amber Link, Tetra Brown, Leghorn, and another one.  I would have rathered more Buff Orpington's, but they were not an option!  So, we are trying two new hybrid breeds.  

The pale yellow chicks are Tetra Brown, and the chicks with brown spots are the Amber Links.  The Tetra Browns are a cross between Rhode Island Red and White Leghorns.  These hybrids were listed as females.

Tetra Brown chick - she is pale now, but the pictures I've seen when researching this breed shows the adults to be a dark red with some white on the end of the tail feathers.  Tetra Browns are known for being a good producer of brown eggs.

Amber Link chick, you can see the stripes and brown spots on their backs.  Amberlinks are a cross between the Isa Brown family.  They are good foragers and have brown eggs.

Our Buff Orpington eggs are a pale brown, and the Black Sex Link eggs are darker brown with spots on them.




Tetra Brown, so far, have no spots or colors--all pale yellow--I wonder how long it will be until their feathers change?

Isn't this chick so pitifully cute?!



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Sonlight Core H (World History Year 2 of 2) Week 8A (1600's) Feb. 27 - March 5, 2017 (Ensemble)

Sonlight Core H (World History Year 2 of 2) 
Week 8A (1600's) 
Feb. 27 - March 5, 2017
 (Ensemble: Alto Sax Duet with Olivia)

Hello, Friends!

Hyacynth from Aldi and maple syrup we bought after seeing the 'Sugar Shack' last week in Sarnac, MI.

Feb. 28th---I saw my first ROBIN!  Spring is here!  I'm hearing the Sandhill Cranes and the Barred Owls!

Already blooming and making the kitchen smell wonderful!

This was a good week!  Because the violin teacher wasn't the right teacher for Dd we switched to a new teacher on Monday.  Our new teacher, Christie, is very positive and has shares specific things Dd can do to correct her technique!  Our other teacher didn't share any specific things that Dd needed to do to improve, but Christie really spelled it all out for Dd.  I am SO glad we switched teachers, and only wish I had listened to Dd after the first lesson with the prior teacher.  Dd told me immediately after the first lesson that she didn't like her, but I was listening to another orchestra teacher that told me ahead of time to stick with our teacher for at least a month before considering changing; maybe this would be good advice in most situations, but not in this particular instance.  Dd had a great private lesson on Monday! Yay!

Dh made a special tomato soup and the chickens enjoyed the veg pulp that was left over.  
Strings Group- Ukelele 
Sarah, one of the leaders in our church's' Strings Group, offered to bring her Ukelele for Dd to try out.  Boy, Dd has taken to it!  She has been playing off and on throughout each day since getting it.  Half way through the Strings Group practice Dd asked me to leave as she felt nauseous.  It wasn't much after our return home that she redecorated my bathroom!! Ugh.  At least my bathroom is now spotlessly clean and disinfected.  Luckily, her vomiting was limited to that one stint.

Zeus, our rooster
Ensemble-Alto Sax Duet
This was our last week to practice for the upcoming "Ensemble" musical audition Dd signed up for over a month ago.  She and her good friend, Olivia, decided to play their alto sax's together in a duet.  Mrs. March picked out a specific music book for them to choose their material.  Dd spent the night with Olivia on Tuesday night to have many practice sessions to prepare for the event on Saturday.  Dd said they had about six practice sessions, they played so much she hurt her mouth!! 
Wednesday, during Dd's usual piano lesson with Mrs. March, they played their songs (2) and received feedback on what they needed to do to improve. 
Friday I drove Dd out to Olivia's house for another two hour practice session--not that they played their sax's that whole time!  But, they got to refine their songs.
Saturday was the big event!  We paid to have a professional musician critique their playing.  This was also a competition and many students had also signed up for this "Ensemble."  After they played their two songs, they received feedback on what they did good and bad.  Afterward, they were awarded a blue ribbon and received the score of "1" out of "5" (one is the highest).  They really were very surprised and delighted!!!  me too!

The ukelele that Dd is borrowing---and loving!

So, this week was really all about music.  She had practiced so much on Tuesday and Wednesday that she had to take Thursday off.  Having the new ukelele to play while her mouth healed was perfect timing.  She struggled with learning all the strings on her guitar, and this easier uke is just right.  She has been watching video's on YouTube on learning to play the ukelele and practicing a lot.  For the past year, Dd has said she wants to be a music teacher when she grows up, and all this time learning about music will help her in that endeavor.  Of course, she might change her mind, but we will help her as she grows and adapt to help her as she does.

Agnes

Sunday we went to church and Sunday School.  Dd's Sunday School teacher has been replaced and the new teacher is doing a new program called, "God is in Control."  Dd is liking this program and has been working on it at home, as she has homework to do each week.  Dd is still volunteering each week to help out with the Games section of the night.  She is doing a good job and learning how to get the young kids to do what she wants them to do...not easy!

Our academic lessons of the week:

Bible:
We are LOVING our new devotional:
Walking With Frodo by Sarah Arthur!!!  I'm going to do a separate post on this great book...
pg's: XII-31

Bible Verse in Cursive, in her journal

How the Bible Came to Us by Meryl Doney
pg 4-7


Sunday School: God is in Control
Ch. 1 Isaac and Rebekah

Sophie wanting me to open the french doors to the sun room so she can go visit the new chicks!

Poetry:
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Slave's Dream
Seaweed

Agnes watching the french doors...and hoping.

Writing:
IEW SWI-B: COMPLETED!!!
we watched the last section of the DVD's and completed this set!
we watched the first segment of our new program:
IEW SWI-B Continuation Course
Lesson 1: In process 


History:
BiblioPlan Companion: Early Modern (1600-1850's)
Ch. 8: The Puritan Migration; the Englis Civil War
Ch. 9: Church and State in New England, the Peace of Westphalia
(I have no ties to any curriculum, just sharing what we are enjoying.)

He really has such fluffy feathers! So pretty!

Story of the World, Early Modern History:
Ch. 16 (Newton, Locke)
Ch. 17 (Peter the Great)
Ch. 18 
Ch. 23 American Constitution
Ch. 24 (Captain Cook)
Ch. 25 (Storming of the Bastille)
Ch. 26 (Catherine the Great)

Aphrodite on the left, notice how pretty (and full) she is!

Reader 1:
Stowaway by Karen Hesse (in process)


Reader 2:
George Washington's World by Foster (in process)


Read Aloud:
The Ravenmaster's Secret by Elvira Woodruff
*loving this easy read!*


Math: 
Math U See: Geometry 
11 A-E


Science:
Apologia Physical Science
Module 4: The Wonder of Water
Text: 81-93
Student Notebook: 48-52

Home Economic's:


Dd made chocolate cupcakes (GF)


Special Potatoes,


chicken care,


Agnes care,

Dd's french fries

dishes, 

etc.


Music Classes:
Beginning Band: Tenor Sax 1:30 hours
Intermediate Band: Alto Sax 1:30 hours
Piano lesson--this week they did duet practice with alto's :30 min.
Violin Lesson (Christie): 30 min.
Strings Group: 30 min.
Ensemble Event: 30 min.

Music Practices:
ukelele: 4:45 hours
violin: 2:45 hours
alto sax: 5:15 hours
tenor sax:?
piano: 4:15 hours

Zeus, wishing you all a "Happy Spring!"
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Baby Chicks Day Seven (3-3-2017)

Baby Chicks Day Seven
 (3-3-2017)





Notice Sophie and her keen interest....or the nosiest dog in Michigan!


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Baby Chicks Day Five (3-1-17)

Baby Chicks Day Five
 (3-1-17)
Six Amber Link
Six Tetra Brown

Baby chicks act just like older chicks, they have such a natural desire to get up as high as they can, as soon as they can!  The downfall is that the chicks poop in their waterer all the time and I have to clean their water dishes throughout the day!  I keep two waterers in their box.


Can you see Sophie's nose poking into the box?! She is just so curious about the chicks!  This is as close as she is allowed and only while being monitored.




It is hard to beat how cute these chicks are!  Dd is still hoping the ducks arrive at Tractor supply, until then she is having to enjoy the chicks!


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Baby Chicks Day Four 2-28-2017

Baby Chicks Day Four 
2-28-2017

It is fun watching the wings and tail feathers coming out.



We try to spend as much time with the chicks as we can, and do some of our reading time with them.





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