This week we were busy every day, yet we didn't have a single birthday celebration! We handled the withdrawal just fine, keeping ourselves occupied with fun visits to The Mariners' Museum for Asian American / Pacific Islander history, and the Watermen's Museum, where we fished! We also had a great work day at Pet Supplies Plus, and enjoyed doing the "honeybee homework" we got from the master gardeners! Here's a recap of our first week without a birthday in a long time...
Tuesday
Our week began on a rainy morning, so it was exciting to see hummingbirds at our feeder. We were worried after not having seen any for a couple of weeks! We only got two in the picture, but there were at least 3 different ones today. Throughout the week we observed 4, and they were at the feeder constantly. For the first time ever, we had to refill it twice in one week!
The rain didn't stop us from making our way to The Mariners' Museum where Wisteria and Erika had a great lesson planned for us on the topic of May being Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The museum has numerous artifacts representing those cultures.
Wisteria told us that within the next year, a new gallery that spotlights China will be up and running. The focal feature in the gallery will be a model of a type of Chinese sailing boat called a "junk." Funny name, but impressive boat!
These are pictures of stick charts, which were used by Polynesians for navigation. Shorter sticks represented swells and currents, and shells that were attached represented islands in the Pacific. Longer sticks helped point to the direction of certain islands. What?!?! This seems challenging to us, but it's also pretty cool!
Now here's something we can relate to: movies! We have seen a lot of these movies that center around Asian and Pacific Islander culture. Wisteria knew we would be on board with this slide!
Here's something else Wisteria knew would get our attention...food! While not really artifacts found in the museum, as Wisteria pointed out, food is still an important part of culture. She reminded us that she and Erika, as museum staff, would be happy to come and help us cook foods from the AAPI cultures! We'll put that on a future plans list!
For the next part of the lesson, Erika led us on a tour in the International Small Craft Center, which is 20 years old this year! There are small vessels from all around the world, and Erika and Wisteria know their stories, which are so interesting! This is an outrigger canoe from the Marshall Islands. There are no nails in it...anything that needs to be attached is held together by rope!
This is a Chinese sampan boat. They are made of wood and could be used as water taxis or fishing boats. Some sampans would include a shelter and could be used as permanent housing. We couldn't imagine living on something this small. We saw several other examples of boats from AAPI cultures, but other boats caught our eye, too. Erika said we will have to come back for more stories!
It was almost 12:30 when we got back to the center for lunch. We were disappointed that the weather kept us from eating outside and exploring the Noland Trail, so Lisa and Carol gave us extra Choice Time this afternoon. 😉 On the left, Kevin worked a puzzle while Drew and Sweet T listened (and sang) to music on Drew's iPad. Alexis and Liz, (not shown) offered to put gaskets on Eaton parts, while Kate chatted with them about the new Little Mermaid movie.
Sam and Devin B enjoyed a game of Uno.
Cameron was hanging out with us today, and he and Erik offered to sort Eaton parts. After Choice Time, we looked at last week's blog and had dance time, since we didn't have time this morning before leaving for the museum. Seems like the afternoon flew by!
Wednesday
The weather was still a bit dreary this morning, but sunshine came through the door when James stopped by to show Ethan where we are located. It's James' last day, and now we will coordinate our Eaton work with Ethan, who seems a little on the quiet side...so far!
Welcome Ethan, and so long, once more, to James!
We spent time this morning updating our calendar for June...even though it's hard to believe we are in the 6th month of 2023 already!
We like to show off how engaged everyone is for this hour or so each month. It's a monthly task that we all enjoy, and each member of our team likes having their own special assignment!
There were a number of days to "celebrate" on today, May 31st. For example, National Flip Flop Day is sponsored by Tropical Smoothie Cafe as a way to welcome the unofficial start to summer, and also raise awareness and collect donations for the No Kid Hungry campaign. Folks who visit the cafe wearing flip flops on this day will receive a free smoothie! We couldn't go out for smoothies (it's from 2-7 p.m.), so we celebrated by watching a video about an organization that collects thousands of flip flops that wash up on beaches each year, and repurposes them into cool animal art.
Next, we played a flip flop relay game, which we've done every year on Flip Flop Day. For some reason, there wasn't much enthusiasm for it this year, so we didn't play our other planned games. Maybe we'll take a break from Flip Flop Day for a few years!
Another day celebrated on May 31 is National Smile Day. So, we brushed up (pun intended) on keeping our teeth healthy, and then we made Peanut Butter Smiles to go with lunch. Annmarie was very focused on spreading peanut butter on her apple slices.
The next step in making Peanut Butter Smiles was to add mini-marshmallows to represent teeth. Kevin did a nice job, and at the table behind him, so did Erik and Kate. The smiles were very tasty, and so easy to make! This activity made us smile!
We potted houseplants in January, but in 5 short months they have outgrown their pots! We hear that talking to plants is good for them, and we do a lot of talking, so maybe that's why our plants are thriving. 😂😂😂! Anway, we ordered larger pots and Erik and Adia repotted the plants for us during Choice Time today. The plants are a nice addition to our tables each day. Thanks, Erik and Adia!
Alexis and Michelle refilled the bird feeders, and were tickled because they saw a couple of birds in the sweet viburnum watching them!
Speaking of the sweet viburnum, we have noticed quite a few bumblebees and honeybees on it lately. We are happy to see the pollinators out and about, especially the honeybees!
For afternoon movement we checked out a seated cardio workout that was new to us. After 15 minutes, we were "sparkling" (not sweating)!
We ended the day learning facts about parrots, since May 31 is also World Parrot Day. Did you know there are about 350 species of parrots, and about 1/2 of them are endangered? There is a parrot called kakapo, which is native to New Zealand. It can weigh up to 9 pounds, and can't fly! There are also parrots that thrive in colder climates such as the endangered thick-billed parrot. We were suprised to learn that not all parrots live in tropical areas! Parrots can also live up to 80-100 years...with larger ones living the longest. Click on this image for a link to a cool fact video about parrots, and find out about the one that got kicked out of a funeral!
On yet another cloudy morning, with drizzling rain coming down, we had sun-shiny faces at the AoA! We sent the Pet Supplies Plus Crew on their way to the store, and the Cooking Crew danced for a while before settling in for a lesson on making a cheese ball! The master gardeners gave us a recipe, which featured chives, and we learned that when you mix them with cream cheese, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and a dash of garlic and Worcestershire sauce, it easily becomes a very tasty spread for crackers or veggies! Laura was happy to don gloves and aid in the mixing!
Next, these sunny faces helped "doctor up" our spaghetti leftovers that Eaton sent with us last Friday. Lexi added a little extra tomato sauce, and Dev B sprinkled mozzarella on top. We popped them into the Nina, and by the time the PSP Crew returned, we had a tasty batch of baked spaghetti ready to serve them!
We also sliced and diced up a batch of fresh veggies, and this is the finished cheese ball tray! Kevin, Patrick, and Annmarie tasted the cheese ball before we placed it on the tray, and gave it 👍👍! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe with us, master gardeners. We just LOVE tasty homework!!
It was cleaning time at Pet Supplies Plus today! You can't imagine how much dog and cat hair flies through the store and gets under the shelves. This crew had a good time working with store manager Sam, and Dev B's dad, Scott. Many thanks for a great work experience, PSP! We noticed there are yellow dog raincoats for sell, but as cute as they are, we are thinking, "Rain, rain, go away!"
As the group was about to leave, guess who walked in?! Mr. Greg Kline, Liz's dad and dedicated Arc Board Member! It's always fun to see him! Thanks so much for supporting, PSP, Greg!
After lunch we completed the "Honeybee Homework" Krafty Karen gave us at the garden last week. MG Elizabeth had given us a short lesson on honeybees, and today we watched a video so we could learn even more. Something we learned today was that worker bees only live 4-6 weeks in summer, and the queen could live for up to 2 years! Karen gave us a worksheet so we could sequence the stages of a honeybee's life. This gave Sweet T a chance to work on his glue stick skills! Michelle encouraged him and showed him by example how to spread glue over a wide area of the paper.
A few of the guys were happy to pose with their completed bee life cycle assignments while a lot of bees buzzed about on the sweet viburnum flowers behind them! Thanks, Karen, for sending us homework that made us think. It was fun!
We don't call her Krafty Karen for nothing! She also sent each of us a kit to make these "bee-utiful" magnets! We're not sure, but we think Adia and Xavier were telling each other to "buzz off." Just kidding...they are actually "beest" buddies! 🐝🐝 Thanks for the craft supplies, Karen. We appreciate the time you put into making fun things for us to create. You're the "bee's knees!"
Friday
Finally! Sunshine, just in time for us to celebrate Free Fishing Days (June 2-4)! We were excited to head to the Watermen's Museum to hook up with Mike and his friends from the National Park Service.
🎣🐟🐠
Before leaving for the Watermen's, we made snack bees using pineapple and apple slices, chocolate frosting, and edible eyes. We ran out of time yesterday during our honeybee lesson, so it was a tasty way to start our Friday! The recipe was Alexis and Adia approved!
Once we arrived at the Watermen's, we realized what a perfect day it was, weather-wise. After rain and drizzle all week, the sun was out, a gentle breeze was coming off the York River, humidity was low, and the temperature was in the mid 70s. We felt lucky to be having this experience on such a gorgeous day. Mike got us started with a quick lesson on using the fishing reel.
There were several National Park Service friends here to help, such as Maggie, who was showing Erik and Annmarie how to bring in the line if they felt a bite.
This was the first group to fish. They were eager, but the fish weren't coming. There was a lot of patience shown on the pier!
It was relaxing, though. Nan and Sweet T enjoyed fishing together! Still, no one was getting any bites.
Finally, when it was just about time to switch groups, Patrick reeled in a little croaker! He was very proud! It was catch and release today, so Mike put the fish in a bucket of water - to show the next group - and then planned to put the little fella back in the river. Congrats, Pat!
Liz was in the next group, and she got a bite. Turns out it was just a little sea squirt!
Michelle was all smiles, even though her catch was just a minnow! Ummm, Michelle? Maybe your shirt scared the big fish away?! Haha!
Again, when time was running short, someone in this group finally caught a fish...or FOUR! In a 5 minute span, Adia caught three croaker and one spot! Kalen, from the NPS, looked on in awe. Adia was understandably very excited, and called herself a "fish whisperer!" We're so happy for you, Adia!!
What a beautiful day to hang out on a pier and fish with friends! Thank you, Mike and friends from the National Park Service. We had a lot of fun fishing today and we appreciate all your tips and assistance! Thanks for inviting us to Free Fishing Days!
When we weren't fishing, we were learning and creating art! Up at the museum tent, other friends from the NPS reminded us of how John Smith explored the waters of the Chesapeake Bay region, and mapped it very well. They also gave us a good review on how the Native Americans made their own fishing tools, such as nets and spears, using trees and plants, and we learned that they would light a small fire in their canoes because the fire's light would attract fish!
Native Americans also used seine nets, which we tried last summer with Mike. When you team up with a partner, you can catch fish and other water creatures using a net like this. John Smith wrote in his journal that the fish were so abundant, and they could be easily seen in the waters of the region.
We also worked on making fish prints and creating a large mural to bring back to our center. Drew and the Devins carefully used paint rollers to cover rubber stamps before placing paper on top to pick up the print.
NPS friends Carrie and Izzy gave us tips on making our prints. Some of us used one color, and others put two colors on the stamps.
Kate, Laura, and Kevin proudly showed their prints to Remy and Jill! We're going to use the prints back at the center where we are decorating our "sea green" wall with an underwater/Little Mermaid theme this month!
Making friends and socializing was a big highlight today. Kate and Sam enjoyed talking with Remy about how Native Americans fished with spears.
Thanks again, Mike, and NPS friends, for a great morning at the Watermen's. We enjoyed it very much!
We also enjoyed our picnic lunch. Our preferred tables under the shelter were being used, but we were able to snag these three which still gave us a scenic view of the York River. Did we mention what a gorgeous day it was?!
Bocce by the river...Carol's van (left) vs. Lisa's van (right)!
We voted to stay longer in Yorktown than we had planned, because it was such a nice day. The fresh air, sunshine, and movement are good for us, so we voted to ride the trolley and take a walk, instead of returning to the center for yoga. A couple of our friends were disappointed at first, but they adapted and ended up enjoying the rest of the afternoon! (There will be many hot and humid Fridays coming up when we will be happy to do yoga in the air conditioning at AFCC!)
We caught the trolley at the Yorktown Battlefield, and rode to the American Revolution Museum. We disembarked and carefully crossed the street so we could walk on the path along the river.
It's a 1/2 mile walk from the American Revolution Museum to the Watermen's Museum, where we were planning to jump on the trolley again for a ride back to our vans at the Battlefield Visitor Center.
The river is beautiful on a day like today, and so are best buddies Laura and Annmarie!
"After all, one can't complain. I have my friends." Eeyore
Just a pretty picture!
We had a great day to cap off a very good week! If you haven't visited Historic Yorktown in a while, we highly recommend it!
Nothing would make us happier than to have beautiful weather next week! But whether it rains or shines, we'll make the most of it. Here's what we have to look forward to in the first full week of June:
Tuesday: We're headed to the lanes for bowling today, followed by pizza for lunch! Many thanks to Kevin's family for sponsoring today's pizza!! The forecast looks iffy, but hopefully we can enjoy our pizza at Freedom Park, and after eating, we'll check on the garden and take a walk. Please wear Arc shirts.
Wednesday: Today is World Food Safety Day, and since we utilize food a lot in our program, we're going to brush up on good food safety practices, which we will use as we prepare pasta salad and hot dogs for lunch. It's also Chocolate Ice Cream Day...we're going to make ice cream in a bag! After lunch, we will welcome guest speakers from The Arc of Virginia, who are going to talk with us about self-advocacy.
Thursday: Get ready for art, joy, and laughter with our artist friend Jeff Helm! He's going to make "big mouth puppets" with us, using cereal boxes! If you haven't brought in a cereal box, try to bring one by today. We have a few extras, just in case. We love to treat Jeff to lunch when he works with us, so today we will make breakfast casseroles and fresh fruit for lunch. (Actually, we are making them ahead of time on Wednesday.) After lunch, we'll have lessons about oceans and ocean animals because today is World Oceans Day!
Friday: Today, we're going to Eaton for our first work day without James. 😕 But...we're looking forward to working with and getting to know Ethan! 😃 Wear Eaton shirts and comfy pants/shorts for yoga when we return to the center. Bring a bag lunch, too!
Have a great weekend,
Lisa, Carol, Nan, and the AoA Gang
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