We were back at full speed this week with no snow, ice, or other inclement weather in sight! The weather was gorgeous and allowed us to enjoy being outdoors for the first time in a while. We began the week at Jamestown Settlement where our friends Jay and Lara were excellent guides and storytellers. On Wednesday we volunteered at Grove and on Thursday we welcomed a new member to the Parks & Rec team with a luncheon that also celebrated National Chili Day. We wrapped up our great week with an Eaton work day on Friday and a surprise visit from Pam. It's nice to be on the move again!
Tuesday, February 25
By the time we arrived at Jamestown Settlement the sun was shining brightly and we were happy to see our friends and guides, Jay and Lara. They began today's lesson with a segment called "Heroes and Villains." They gave us the scoop on John Smith, who contributed to the success of the Jamestown colony in many ways, but who was also something of a "villain" because his methods weren't always "nice." 😕 We also learned about Opechancanough, Chief Powhatan's brother who took over after Powhatan's death, and was beloved by his tribe for his efforts to stop the advancement of the Europeans (which was largely unsuccessful).
Another hero we learned about was Queen Nzinga from what is present-day Angola. She literally led her people into combat (check out her battle axe) to defend against Portuguese slave traders.
Before heading outside, Jay and Lara pointed out the Virginia artists on display for Black History Month, and they include our very own, Steve Prince, Xavier's stepfather! A couple of his prints are featured, which makes Xavier (and us) very proud! 👐
This print depicts James Baldwin, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement. It's called Ubuntu: Baldwin's House. Ubuntu being a concept from an African proverb and meaning related to the idea of community and mutual support.
After we made our way outside, we stopped to meet a muskeeter named Fred who taught us how muskets were used by the colonists. One thing we learned was that a fired musket ball had about twice the range of a shot arrow.
Next, Jay and Lara stopped to explain the use of armor as protection, and of course, we had a few models!
In the governor's house we met a surgeon, and Lara explained that he would have attended medical school in England. When we were surprised that there were medical schools back then, she added that medical schools had been around since ancient Greece!
The only ship at the dock today was the Godspeed as the Susan Constant and Discovery are away for repair. Something cool we learned about the ships is that their colors and/or color patterns were different from each other so the ships would be easily recognized when they were docked at bigger ports, such as London.
Our wonderful tour with Jay and Lara ended in the Powhatan Village where we learned about making a dugout canoe from a tree trunk, using fire and oyster shells (for scraping and scooping). We also sat on deer pelt covered benches in a yehakin, which is what the Powhatan called their house. We learned that the Powhatan spent most of their time working outside of the yehakin, though!
Thank you, Jay and Lara, for this interesting and educational visit. We enjoy the stories you share, and learning new things each visit we spend with you.
We were pleased with the amount of walking we did outside at Jamestown on this gorgeous day!
Lunch was enjoyed at Jamestown Beach along with some leisure time before we returned to the center to call it a perfect day!
Wednesday, February 26
Today was a productive day as we spent it working at the library, vounteering at GCOC, and preparing for tomorrow's luncheon. We like being busy!
Our library helpers are proud of their shelving abilities. Laura is showing the guide letter "I." She places books on the floor by the first letter of the author's last name Lexi, Liz, and Emma alphabetize the books within each letter and place them on the shelves in order. We appreciate Mr. Nonnemacher and Ms. Ortega for trusting us with this task that requires attention to detail!
At GCOC today, the group helped unload the truck and set up the assembly line. Next, they worked with Peggy, Joel, Tom, and Thom to fill the distribution bags. It was a great workout, and another task that requires attention to detail! We missed Ursula, who was traveling to New Jersey to visit family.
This group held down the fort at the center and worked on preparing decorations for tomorrow's luncheon. We are hosting Tracy and her new supervisor, Conor. We'll be meeting Conor for the first time and welcoming him to the Arc/Parks & Rec partnership. Great job, guys!
Check out the bulb pot we planted with the master gardeners last October. We have enjoyed the colorful pansies all winter, but now the bulbs have started to grow. We're expecting tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths! Can't wait for their bursts of color...and also to begin working the the MGs again in April!
A highlight today was learning about pistachios as we celebrated National Pistachio Day! We learned that pistachios are actually the seeds of the pistachio tree, but we all call them "nuts." The shell grows inside of a pinkish and green outer covering, like a soft husk. As the nut grows, the shell cracks open. (The outer husk/covering is removed during harvesting.)
Today's brain work consisted of each group reading a fact sheet on pistachios which included a recipe for making pistachio pudding in a plastic sandwich bag...which we did!
To make the pudding we had to shell a few pistachios, put them in a plastic bag, and crush them gently using our water bottles.
The next step was to mix 2 tablespoons of pistachio pudding mix (instant) with 1/2 cup of milk in another bag. Shaking the bag was fun!
The final step was to cut the tip off the plastic bag and squirt the pudding into small cups, top with the crushed pistachios, and enjoy! We also sampled whole pistachios. What a fun and tasty day!
Thursday, February 27
This morning was spent dancing, cooking, talking about our pets, and playing cornhole. Doesn't get much better than that!
.jpg)
After the dance warm up, we prepared to celebrate National Chili Day. Kevin and Xavier mixed beans, tomatoes, and spices while Bryan browned the onions.
Erik and Sam encouraged Drew in his meat-browning skills!
.jpg)
Pat, Liz, Nan, and Michelle made sure we had a colorful veggie tray, while Thomas and Emma whipped up chocolate cookies for dessert. Lexi, Laura, and Kate prepped soup spoons and napkins which they wrapped in napkin rings that said "WELCOME." We had a new friend joining us for lunch...
We always have plenty of taste-testers!
While the chili simmered and the cookies baked, we took advantage of the warm weather to have our movement outside with a game of cornhole. Everyone had fun, but the boys won today!
.jpg)
We'd like to introduce everyone to Conor Dibble, who is working for Parks & Rec now as Operations Manager for Community Recreation. Tracy and Katrina brought him to meet us today and join in our celebration of National Chili Day. He said he enjoyed lunch very much!!
Welcome to the Parks & Rec team and the Arc team, Conor! We look forward to working with you. Thanks in advance for your support of us!
Friday, February 28
Well, February is behind us. Wow, that was quick! Our Friday seemed to pass by quickly, too. We worked at Eaton, had time to take a walk at New Quarter Park, enjoyed cookies with Pam to end her "birthday week," relaxed with yoga, and got an update from Devin who was in Florida. It was a really good day!
There was a lot of unpacking at Eaton today, and moving parts from large containers to smaller ones
Something for everyone!
We share the work space in this room with Ereka, who always takes time to chat with us and catch up. Today, Ereka was touched by the beautiful drawings Emma gave her to brighten the wall space above her work area!
Time for a quick group shot before our brisk walk at New Quarter Park. We had to return to AFCC for lunch because the bathrooms at the picnic area were closed and we didn't wish to use the porta-potties! 😆😲
Pam stopped by to meet with Lisa, Carol, and Nan, and also to thank us for the birthday cards we sent earlier this week. She brought us a sweet treat, too! Thanks, Pam. We hope all your wishes come true. It's always a pleasure to see you!
While the staff meeting took place, we relaxed with a yoga session from our online instructor, Jaime. Thanks, Liz, for taking a couple of shots for the blog!
Our friend Devin was here on Tuesday, then he and his dad headed to Tampa for spring training camp with the Phillies. Scott sent us a few pics, and it's clear that Devin was having a great time. A highlight for him was getting the autograph of 3rd baseman, #82, Otto Kemp! WOW! We missed you Dev, but we're so happy for you to have this experience! Thanks for the pictures, Scott!
What a great week for all of us! Last week, we thought the groundhog's prediction for 6 more weeks of winter was true, but this week, we're doubting him because it felt like early spring to us!
Next week looks a little cooler, with the possibility of some rain, but we won't let that hamper our plans as we kick off Spring (almost) Birthday Season with celebrations for Drew and Annmarie! Here's a look at our plans for the first week of March:
Wednesday: Today we will volunteer at Grove, so please wear Arc shirts. We will also update our calendar and room decorations for March, and make up our bug/symmetry lesson that we didn't get to last week. Lunch on your own. JRES Cafeteria is offering something we've not seen on the menu before: Chicken and Waffles! Or, you can choose Yogurt Combo. 😏
Thursday: It will be kind of low key today as we spend time this morning making birthday cards for Annmarie, and having a lesson about Polar Bears since we missed Polar Bear Day last week. We'll play card games after lunch, and continue our read aloud, The Wild Robot. Lunch on your own. JRES Cafeteria is serving Domino's Pizza, Meatball Sub, or Chef Salad.
Friday: It's another day for us to be thankful for what we get to celebrate - Annmarie's birthday! Her family is treating us to fried chicken and fixings for lunch! Thank you, Andy and Teresa, for this special treat that has become a favorite tradition. We know how much Annmarie loves her fried chicken! BUT, before the celebrating, we will be working at Pet Supplies Plus, so please wear PSP shirts today. The group that stays at AFCC will clean, organize, and get the room ready for the birthday party! We'll end the week with yoga, too.
Enjoy the weekend,
Lisa, Carol, Nan, and the AoA Gang
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.