Perry Hill Farm

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Sunday, 01 April 2012

  • Computer Art

    Joshua is still creating art almost every day.  Recently he downloaded sketch-up that works with google earth and has been drawing trains, roundhouses, stations etc.    A friend of ours created a family portrait of us that she drew on her computer. 

     

     

    Then we watched her via livestream actually do some drawings online.  Joshua felt very inspired and about an hour later he surprised me with this drawing of a supernova that he created using the paint program on his computer. 

     

     

    Joshua has taught himself how to use all of these computer programs and I'm just amazed at how quickly he figures them out. 

     

    In about another hour I was emailed this drawing he did. 

     

     

    Joshua really enjoys drawing on his computer.  I honestly don't know how well I would do using a mouse to draw with. 

     

     

     

    Now Joshua is creating art in so many ways. We had a really nice conversation about animation the other day after watching the previews for an animated movie in which they talk about how the movie was made.  He was quite interested in it.  I guess it's time for me to look at some animation software for him.  I think he would be really thrilled drawing a picture and then animating it. 

  • Joshua's 9th Birthday

    Wow!  It's been a while since I posted here.  We've been super busy. 

     

    Joshua had his 9th birthday on February 25th.  It was a fun filled action packed day.  We got up really early and headed out to the Danbury Train Station.  Joshua's birthday wish was to ride on the Metro North New Haven Line.  (Last year's birthday wish was to ride on Metro North's Hudson Line.)  We  boarded the train at the Danbury station and took it to South Norwalk.  We changed trains at South Norwalk and took that train to New Haven.  We hung out a while in the New Haven train station, had lunch, got to see an Acela Train up close and then took the train back. Joshua loved, loved his day.

     

     

    Sitting on the train and taking pictures of ourselves.

     

    South Norwalk also had a nice station.

     

    Union Station had a lot of model trains on the back of these wonderful wood benches.  It is a nice station.

     

    The Acela stops at New Haven for about 10 minutes while it changes train engineers.  Joshua was so excited to stand on the platform near this train.

     

     

    Waiting on a train to take us back.

     

    After our train ride,  we stopped by the Danbury rail museum.  This is one of Joshua's favorite museums.  After the whirlwind tour of the museum we headed home to do some farm chores and then we left again to meet Joshua's grandparents for dinner at a wonderful restaurant by major CSX line.  Yes,  Joshua's birthday really did have a train theme! 

     

     

     

Tuesday, 07 February 2012

  • Farmers' Markets

    I really love participating in Farmers' Markets.  What better way to meet your customers!  Or what better way for the customers to meet the farmers.   Right now I'm participating in three markets.   Come May it will be four and hopefully five! 

     

    The latest market I added to the mix is the Beacon Farmers' Market.   I love going there on Sundays.  Meeting new people in an absolutely gorgeous setting. 

     

     

    My table this past Sunday.  When folks ask,  I can proudly say,  I made all the products on my table. 

     

     

     

     

    my latest heart shaped soaps:

     

     

    After the market I walked around and took some photo's of the Hudson River.

     

     

    Sunset on the way home from the market.

     

     

    When I got home the boys had a nice surprise for me.  A bonfire just waiting to be lit.  We enjoyed our dinner by the fire.   We then used the telescope for some star gazing.

     

     

  • Steam Town Part 2

    Our visit to Steam Town included an activity to become a Jr. Park Ranger of Steam Town.   Joshua had an activity sheet that had four pages of questions all about Steam Town.   We had to search for the answers.  This activity took over 2.5 hours to complete.  Joshua searched for answers throughout the exhibits. 

     

     

     

    The questions were tough and it required a lot of research through the exhibits.

     

     

    Questions on how Steam Engines work, how much does water expand to make steam, components of Steam engines, history of the railroad,  history of Scranton, PA,  immigrants, jobs of the railway, telegraphs, and the list went on and on.  He also had to draw his own round house and explain why he drew it that way. 

     

     

    Then he had to sign his worksheet and turn it in. 

     

     

     

    Job well done!

     

    He received a certificate and badge.

     

     

    Congratulations to our Jr. Park Ranger of Steamtown!!

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

  • A Day at Steamtown- Part1

    On Monday we celebrated the holiday by driving to Steamtown National Park.  It was one of their  *free* days for admittance.  We wondered if it would be packed due to the fact most kids were not in school and the admission was free.  Sadly,  there were only a handful of families there.   Although we enjoyed having the museum all to ourselves,  it is sad that a wonderful park like this was not being utilized. 

     

    Joshua's joy and excitement in the car was incredible on the way over.  He has always wanted to see a *Big Boy* Steam engine in person.  As soon as we pulled into the parking lot,  there she sat.  This massive engine is as long as our house! 

     

     

     

    It was a bit chilly outside but most of the exhibits were inside in a heated space!

     

     

    Trying on various hats.

     

     

     

    Joshua was very interested and engaged in all of the exhibits.  This is his passion...trains!

     

     

     

    Who's excited about being at Steamtown?  MEEEEEEEE!!!

     

     

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

  • Dinosaurs and Trains Oh My

    Joshua recently spent the day riding commuter trains to NYC to AMNH,  his favorite museum. 

     

    Joshua and his dad saw a big fire across the Hudson River on their way into the city.

     

     

    He was quite proud to pull out *his* membership card to get in. 

    Simulating what is it like for astronauts to work with their gloves in outer-space.

     

    This is how much he weighs on a neutron star.

     

     

      After seeing a few exhibits, he and his dad headed off to his monthly Paleontology meeting.  This was a great meeting on discussing fossils in the Northeast.  It was also a 2-hour meeting. 

     

    They also walked around the city to admire and discuss various architecture.  Then back to Grand Central for one of Joshua's favorite meals....vegetarian sushi!

     

    Oh boy I have WASABI!

     

    Yeah!  WASABI!!!

     

    ACK!!!   THAT BURNS!  TOO MUCH WASABI!!

     

     

     

     

Sunday, 08 January 2012

  • What's Joshua been doing?

     

    Each week we meet with a group of homeschoolers and have Lego Club.  It's a lot of fun and Joshua really enjoys it!

     

     

    He's also been enjoying this mild weather with hikes in the woods.  While I was at the Farmers' Market today, he went for hike with his Dad.  He loves to climb trees and was quite excited about being "on top" of this tree.

     

     

     

Wednesday, 04 January 2012

Sunday, 01 January 2012

  • Happy New Years and a New Tradition

    We had planned to have a New Year's eve bonfire to ring in the new year.   But we were all tired from the day's work on the farm and farmers' market. Joshua suggested we do a sunrise bonfire to bring in the first day of the new year.  We loved his suggestion and so we did it. 

     

     

     

    The bonfire was built in our fire pit.  We also managed to clean up some brush that we had laying around.

     

     

    We decided to write out our wishes for the new year.

     

     

    Fold them up...

     

    ....and toss them in the fire.

     

     The fire was lovely and warm.  As we sat by the fire, we realized we were hungry.  I looked at this fantastic fire and knew I needed to cook our breakfast. 

     

     

    Toast

     

    Scrambled eggs

     

     

    Joshua said they were delicious and we think so too.  I'm so glad our hens are back to laying eggs again. 

     

     

    A wonderful tradition we have started on the first day of the new year. 

     

    Happy New Year wishes!!!

     

  • Santa and His Magic

    Christmas morning Joshua woke up to some gifts from Santa.  All day he kept wondering how Santa lifted our Christmas tree and put a train set under it.  It was magical indeed.

     

     

    He could hear this noise coming from the room where the tree was.  It was a Union Pacific train going around and around the track.  Do you see that little Santa?  He was actually in his bedroom,  how did he end up on the track?  Santa also left him a note and even left a train car in the kitchen where he ate some cookies. We had purposely left off our breakable ornaments because our tree was so tall and we were concerned it may fall over.  We actually tied it to a beam.  On Christmas day we had planned to finish decorating the tree but our little blind dog wandered off. We spent most of Christmas day looking for him.  A few minutes before dark we found him.  Over five hours of searching for him.    

     

     

     

    Here's another reason we had held off on the breakable ornaments.  I threw in another picture of how busy my sweet hubby has been.  Look at all that firewood and it's four rows thick!  Did you know we have never cut down a live tree for our firewood.  We just use the trees that are already dead.

     

     

    Our Christmas day in Joshua's words, "The best Christmas ever to almost the worst Christmas ever to the best Christmas ever!"