July 24, 2009
The sunset over Reno tonight wasn’t that spectacular but the clouds put on a show of their own. The clouds to the west over the Sierras were all golden with highlights of Naples yellow. The clouds to the east were all red and rust hues.
The tiny baby Quail chicks that we saw two weeks ago are now about half the size of their parents. They still clammer and quick-step to keep up with the lead adult while the sentry adult in the back keeps chirping at them to keep moving. They run to and from the quail feeder we have for them at the edge of the patio. We counted 17 chicks this afternoon. We think it is three families…..
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Nature Activities | Tagged: clouds, quail, Reno, sunset | 
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Posted by mygrandmasue
July 22, 2009
ScienceDude has a blog with a video of a surfer catching a giant Humbolt Squid instead of a wave. When I told Don P., a co-worker who surfs, about the blog title this morning, he mentioned he’s seen more dolphins than usual but no squid. If I had read the blog below the first time I saw the article, I would have known to tell him they were probably Risso’s Dolphins — and Risso’s Dolphins feed on Humboldt Squid!
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore | Tagged: Bolsa Chica, Bolsa Chica State Beach, dolphins, Gary Robbins, giant squid, Humbolt Squid, Huntington Beach, jumbo squid, ScienceDude, squid, surfing | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 21, 2009
I’m sure you are just jumping up and down in anticipation of learning the winners of the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Race! Presley from Plancentia won out of almost one hundred dachshunds for the $1000.00 prize. Here is a slideshow of the fun had by all!
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore | Tagged: child, children, Cypress, dachshund, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, kids, Los Alamitos, Los Alamitos Race Course, Places to Go, Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, Wienerschnitzel Wiener Race | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 19, 2009
I know lots of young parents like my daughter aren’t old enough to remember July 20, 1969, the day Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon for the first time. But I am! And I remember what I was doing on that day! My guess is that a lot of people do! I was in Tirol, Austria on a summer German language program for high school students. The newspaper headline on the street shouted “Der Mond ist jetzt ein Ami!” which translated means “The moon is now American!” We were proud but puzzled because we saw it as “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” just as Neil Armstrong had said – for the whole world, not just the United States. It was my first “grown-up” lesson on different points of view – how one action could be understood so differently, depending on your own experiences and family/cultural teachings. Of course, how many different ways can you interpret the planting of the US flag on the surface of the moon??
Also see National Air and Space Museum Apollo 11
website for more info on the moon landing. Here is a 3 minute video from there on Apollo 11. Of course, there are lots of other interesting things to see at the National Air and Space Museum both in person and on-line.
Relive the Apollo 11 timeline by following the Twitter until July 24. It started on July 16th, when the mission launched. Follow @ReliveApollo11 or use #Apollo11
Leave a Comment » | Indoor Activities, Places to Explore | Tagged: Apollo 11, Apollo Moon Landing, child, children, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, museum, National Air and Space Museum, Places to Go, Wash DC | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 18, 2009
Once again the Orange County Register ScienceDude, Gary Robbins, has some interesting blogs posted. The first one is about all the giant squid that have been off the coast of Huntington Beach. The second one is about the Dolphins playing and slapping their tails off Bolsa Chica State Beach. The third one is about a C-17 body that will be moving from Long Beach through Seal Beach on its way to become a static training vehicle on the East Coast. Neat stuff!
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore | Tagged: Bolsa Chica, Bolsa Chica State Beach, C-17, child, children, dolphin tail slapping, dolphins, family, fun, Gary Robbins, giant squid, Humbolt Squid, Huntington Beach, jumbo squid, kids, Long Beach, Places to Go, ScienceDude, Seal Beach | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 17, 2009
In Cypress, CA, at the Los Alamitos Race Course the 14th Annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals will be held on Saturday, July 18th at the race course at 4961 Katella Avenue. Almost 100 dachshunds from Southern California will be racing to win the title “fastest wiener in the west!” Check out this article in the Orange County Register. Here are various slide shows of past races.
Tickets are $3 for adults. Children under 17 are free. General parking is free. The first race is set to start at 6:15 pm.
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore, Uncategorized | Tagged: child, children, Cypress, dachshund, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, Los Alamitos, Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, Wienerschnitzel Wiener Race | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 17, 2009
Bolsa Chica Land Trust offers free tours for the public at the Bolsa Chica State Ecological Reserve on the third Sunday of the month from 10 till noon. Meet at the parking lot on Pacific Coast Highway across from the entrance to the Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, CA. Call 74-846-1001 for more info or click the link here.
Leave a Comment » | Nature Activities, Places to Explore, Uncategorized | Tagged: Bolsa Chica, Bolsa Chica Land Trust, child, children, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, Green Hour, hiking, hiking trails, Huntington Beach, kids, nature, Places to Go, Wetlands, Wetlands Tour | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 14, 2009
Several people were interested in my last post about the Grunion Run, so here is an update on this year’s run from today’s Orange County Register. Vik Jolly interviewed Pepperdine University marine biologist Karen Martin, who has been keeping records of the Orange County grunion runs since 2004. Again, the take-away information is what us humans can do to not disturb nature at work. Here are several photos taken by Cheryl A. Guerrero for the OCR.
Leave a Comment » | Nature Activities, Places to Explore | Tagged: beach, Cheryl Guerrero, Dana Point, Doheny State Beach, fish, Grunion, Grunion Run, Karen Martin, marine biology, Ocean Institute, Salt Creek, Vik Jolly | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 11, 2009
In today’s Reno Gazette-Journal there is a great article by Maggie O’Neill called A Hike With A View. In it she relates her experience with meeting the author (Mike White) of the guide book she was using (Afoot & Afield: Reno-Tahoe). The one take-away I get from the article is how ordinary people need to follow the “Leave No Trace” mantra when enjoying the outdoors. With the cutbacks in staffing at the U.S. Forest Service, the limited maintenance on the Jones Creek-White’s Creek Loop is even less. The Nevada All-State Trail Riders have done on-going trail maintenance for years. Kudos to them! But the public needs to stay aware and pick-up after themselves (leave no trace that you’ve been there!) so that we all can enjoy the parks and outdoors for many more generations.
Leave a Comment » | Nature Activities, Places to Explore | Tagged: child, children, family, fun, Galena Creek Regional Park, grandchild, grandchildren, grandma, grandpa, grandparent, Green Hour, hiking, hiking trails, horseback riding, horseback riding trails, Jones Creek-White's Creek Loop, kids, Leave No Trace, Mount Rose Highway, Mt Rose, nature, Places to Go, Reno, Reno-Tahoe | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
July 10, 2009
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA, still has spaces available in their day camp program. Grandpa Ron and I are members of this wonderful aquarium.
We received this email:
“Treat your child to day camp at the Aquarium of the Pacific this Summer! They will experience the wonder of marine life through hands-on activities, games, crafts, experiments, behind-the-scenes tours, animal interactions, and more. Whether your child just turned three-years-old or is entering the ninth grade, the Aquarium’s day camps will make their summer a splash. Spaces are still available but limited so make your child’s reservation for this unique opportunity today by calling (562)951-1630 or clicking here.”
There are programs for:
•Ages 3-4, with an adult partner
•Ages 5-6
•Grades 2-4 (must be at least 7)
•Grades 5-7
•Grades 7-9
Check it out!
Leave a Comment » | Places to Explore | Tagged: aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific, child, children, day camp, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, kids, Long Beach, Places to Go, summer camp | Permalink
Posted by mygrandmasue
MyGrandmaSue 