Stargazers (Because Planet-Gazers Just Sounds Weird)

Finally! After forgetting about it several nights in a row. Then remembering too late at night a few more. Then several cloudy nights. We got to see two of the three planets that are visible and lined up right now!

The big kids and I did anyway. It has been our quest for the last few days.

Last night while driving around looking for a good spot to stargaze I did catch a brief glimpse of all three. From top to bottom, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter, all in a diagonal line with each other! But Jupiter is only visible for a few minutes after sunset, and it is very low on the horizon, so it is easily obscured by trees, buildings, or even lights in a far away horizon.

Tonight though our obstacle was very low laying clouds along the horizon. But we got to see the other two beautifully.

We found the perfect spot atop a crosswalk over the interstate! So while we waited for the planets to emerge through the beautiful sunset, the kids entertained themselves by signaling the under-passing truckers to blow their horns. And they got plenty of nice, loud honks!

It was a fun evening! And free (except for the ice cream cones). If you feel so inclined, and can find a spot that you can get a high enough view of the horizon, all three planets will be visible in the western sky during and just after sunset. Jupiter will only be visible for a few more days.

Happy stargazing!

Totally giddy with every honk!

Venus was the only one bright enough to get a picture of. You can see it in the middle of the legs of the top clouds shaped like an X.

Comments

Le Petite Chef: Mud Pie

Here it is, as promised, Grace's Mud Pie recipe! She did all the work, I helped explain terms and measurements, stirred at the very end to make sure everything was evenly coated (at her request), and helped hold the pot. She let one of her friends spread the Nutella and add the "dirt" to one of the pies while she did the other. This is a very kid friendly recipe, I highly recommend it for ages 8 and up! The original recipe is in the book The Cooking Book, by Jane Bull. But we modified it just a bit. Here are our supplies: 3/4 c butter 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1/2 c sugar 1 c graham cracker crumbs 1/2 c dried fruit 1 chocolate bar (we used Nutella spread instead) We added: Heath chocolate and toffee bits Black Sixletts (found in the party aisle) These are the original measurements, we doubled the recipe though. Step 1: Crush graham crackers. We used a gallon size zipper bag and a coffee mug (I don't own ...

Saying Goodbye

For the entire month of August, I just didn't let myself think about it beyond the facts. For the last two weeks, I just focused on anything else that took my mind off of it. Over the weekend I was busy getting things ready, so I was too busy to think about it. Tuesday came. Miss V came. It was a good visit, with laughing and smiling, and questions asked and answered, and Kit played with her, and smiled and made us laugh like usual. But it was different, and we felt it. I didn't let myself go there, because I didn't want to break down, not that it would have been the first time in front of her (nor the second, or third, or even fourth probably.) And then it was time for her to go, and we took some pictures, and all the kids hugged her, and I held Kit on my shoulder on the steps so she could wave goodbye until Miss V is out of sight like she has every week for at least five months. And then we closed the door, and Kit went on with business as usual, beca...

Preschool at Home! Chalkboard Painting

Here is another treasure from the backfiles. This started as an act of desperation on my part, I just needed her to be occupied so I could finish something, but it quickly became one of her favorite activities. If you have a chalkboard (we made ours on a half wall with chalkboard paint), all you need is a paintbrush, sponge, or washcloth, and a cup of water. Dip the brush in the water and have at it! Kit LOVES how the water turns the board black. So often, she will be at this so long that by the time she gets across the board, the first area she painted will be dry and a fresh pallet once again. You can get creative with the things you use as paintbrushes, but she has been completely happy with our basic art brushes from Walmart. I love watching her do this.

hide-n-(sensory)-seeking

Search This Blog