Late Night in Texas

A quick update.  We have been on the road all day beginning at 8:00 and ending at midnight in the small town of Childress, Texas.  I’ve never been to Childress; tomorrow it will be interesting to see the area.

This morning when we left Williams, the temperature was 22 degrees, had frost on all the windows and it was cold.  As we headed east on I-40, it was a real mix of landscapes from trees to desert, dry and barren to snow covered mountain tops.  This area has already had their first snow storms!  That actually happened a couple of weeks ago.  Beautiful country, beautiful country.

Not much has changed across the landscape in the five weeks we have been gone, only that the weather has gotten a little colder all across the United States.  We have passed the Borax plant, the Hyundai-Kia Proving Grounds (I didn’t discuss this one with you, so you will have to go research this one on your own), the golf ball house, the windmill farms, and the Cholla Power Plant, to name a few.  I felt a little smarter this time because I knew the names of the landmarks!

 

I am in awe of the mountains.  How they all look so different, some barren, some tree covered.  Some red, some brown; some sheer rocks and others like a pile of rocks.  One of the things I don’t think I mentioned on the way out was a region near Grants, New Mexico that has an abundance of black rock.  This is lava rock from volcanic activity thousands of years ago.  As you drive along, you feel like you are in the crater of the volcano with the way the mountains rise around you.  Just imagine, this is the land of dinosaurs!

We stopped in Albuquerque to visit a friend of mine from Maryland.  She and I used to work together for the government years ago.  Her name is also Kathi (spelled different than mine).  While passing through Albuquerque, I did manage to take a couple of pictures (as promised) of the bridges and artwork of which I spoke.  Albuquerque is very much into the arts!    

By the time we left Albuquerque the evening chill had set in.   The temperature took a quick drop into the low 50s and then the mid-40s.  The wind picked up and was gusting so much that Mr. Bruce had to work to keep the car on the road at times.  We got out at a rest stop and I thought we were going to be blown away it was so windy!  With the open ranges and flat lands, there is nothing to stop the wind.  

Tomorrow we will head to Monroe, Louisiana which is the beginning of our Southern route.  Louisiana is bayou country, totally different than any area we have  traveled through thus far - the land of Spanish moss, alligators, shrimp and more.  If you have some time, research the bayou and see what you learn.  You tell me something new! 

I will post a couple of pictures tomorrow.  It is now 1:15 in the morning and I need to hit the showers and get some sleep. 

Talk to you soon.

POKES AND POSTS – 5TH GRADE

You all were busy on Monday posting to the blog.  I had 65 notes to sort through, so I’m a little behind in my posts.  Playing catch-up!

As I write today, we have begun our trip home.  When I started this post, we were in southern California almost to the Arizona border.  We are staying in Williams, Arizona tonight.  Tomorrow we will travel through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.  Instead of heading due east to Oklahoma, we will cut south toward Dallas, Texas and then east to Lousiana. 

The Baby:  As usual, you all are interested in the baby.  She continues to be the #1 topic.  So this is to:  Destinee, James, Jacqueline, Myieshia, Daiyana, Makayla, Kyree, Shawn, M’smyra, Taylor, Lidia and Anonymous.  Sydney Lyn was born on Halloween, Oct 31^st.  She is so cute; of course I’m prejudice because she is my niece.  While she is still not on a great schedule, she is becoming a little more regulated with her feeding and sleeping.  She spends a little more time awake each day and just follows you with those blue eyes of hers.  Yesterday, she was laying in her port-a-crib and had become a little cranky.  When I walked over to check on her, she had rolled onto her side.  She has very strong neck muscles and loves to hold her head up to look around.  She is going to be a busy little girl!

The dogs and the cat seem to be adjusting just fine to the baby.  Every time Sydney cries or whimpers or coos, the dogs, especially Scrounge, are up and over to where she is laying.  They are like little guard dogs.  The cat is privileged, she gets to go in the bedroom where the baby sleeps and where she is often fed.  The dogs are not allowed in the bedroom.  Junior, the cat, is often found lying on the bed near the baby – both fast asleep.

The Golf Course:  to Giselle, James, Chris and Ms. McSwain.  We have been to the Pebble Beach Golf Course.  I didn’t play the course for a couple of reasons, #! – I don’t golf, #2 – it is very expensive to play, and #3 – it is hard to get on the course if you are a nobody!  The pros play here.  Now if I was a professional golfer, I would definitely play Pebble Beach. 

It is a beautiful golf course and pretty just to walk around the club house, and see the ocean.  There are a number of outstanding golf courses on the peninsula to include Spy Glass and Poppy Hills.  You could play Poppy Hills for $225! 

Earthquakes:  Hats off to Jacqueline, Makayla and Lidia.  You all obviously took a little bit of time to research something about recent earthquakes.  Lidia was right when she said there had been one in Eastern Turkey last week.  Everyone was right about the earthquake in Japan.  The United States has been very fortunate that we have not had the severe earthquakes like they have had in the Middle East and the Far East.  Earthquakes that register so high, like the 9.0, are devastating, often killing hundreds or thousands of people, and destroying property.  Count your blessings!

The Mountains:  to Chelsea, Myieshia, Giselle, Roquon, Chris, Destinee, and Chelsea.  The mountains and trees in Yosemite National Park and around Lake Tahoe are indeed beautiful.  Actually, there are beautiful mountains all across the United States.  Lake Tahoe is a beautiful lake surrounded by trees and mountains.  It is big!

El Capitan is pretty tall as far as I am concerned.  There is a path you can hike that will lead you to the top of the cliff, but it is a long trek. The day we were there, we did not hike it as we did not have a lot of time to spend there.  I did go hiking once in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho.  Those mountains were taller, anywhere between 7,000 feet and 10,000 feet.  I think I made it up to 5-6,000 feet and then came back down.  It was beautiful thought sitting up there – quiet, no sounds but our own.  The mountains echoed when you talked to them.  Even in summer, they had snow on them in spots.  Our guide made it very clear to us to stay OFF THE SNOW.  One boy did not, and he fell and broke his leg.  They had to do a mountain rescue with a helicopter to get him down.  He learned the hard way about paying attention to the adult guide. 

Someone asked about caves.  I am sure there are some caves in this mountain range. How big they are I do not know, but I am sure they would definitely be dark inside.  I’m not a cave person.  I’ll go in a cave that has been mapped and marked and well lit, like Luray Caverns in Virginia. 

The Beach and the Lighthouses:  to Anonymous, Brianca, Chris, Bryan, Roquon, Giselle, The beach at Carmel is beautiful, especially if you love the ocean.  We did not spend a great deal of time there.  Again, our time was limited so most of it was spent driving around to see as many sights as possible. 

As I said, I did not go in the Point Pinos Lighthouse.  That lighthouse has been standing since 1855.  How many years is that?  I have visited the three lighthouses on the Outer Banks.  I’ve walked up the Currituck and the Hatteras lighthouses.  It is beautiful at the top, especially the Currituck lighthouse.  You can see the Pamlico Sound and the ocean.  There is actually a walkway around the top of this lighthouse so you can go outside.  The Currituck lighthouse has a spiral staircase and you can see down through the spirals.  This actually makes some people sick to their stomach.  It didn’t bother me. 

The Pets and Animals:  to Kyree, Chris, and Daiyana.  The animals are adjusting.  The dogs miss the chance to run loose as they have a small back yard now.  They are confused about the new surroundings and often find themselves getting into trouble because they are snooping.  The cat is confused too with these new dogs in the house.  She is an instigator though, always trying to sneak up on the dogs and get them in trouble!  Guess she has decided since she lived there first that she was going to take control.  I think she will either drive the dogs crazy or one day they will all be sleeping together and won’t be scared of each other anymore.

As to bears or deer.  I have not seen any bears on this trip, neither along the roads nor the mountains.  I’m sure they are out there, just not where I have tended to be and that’s okay.  They can stay far, far away from me!   If I had seen a bear and it was close to me, I’d probably faint I’d be so scared.  Hopefully, I would have the common sense not to be close to one and would be able to get away quickly.  I would also be “shaking in my boots.”  I didn’t see any deer out in California, but I did see some deer in Arizona. 

The Fog and the Bridge:  to Giselle, Myieshia, and Destinee. The bridge is very pretty, especially when covered in fog.  Now having said that, the bridge might be pretty, but this would be a very dangerous time to be driving on the bridge if the fog is that thick.  I have been by and on the bridge when foggy, but not when the fog was as dense as the fog in the picture.  That is definitely fog and not smoke!   In the picture, the building towers that you see belong to a church I think.  Don’t think there is a castle anywhere around that area.

The Mystery House:  to M”Smyra, Chris and Destinee.  I did go in the Winchester Mystery House.  I didn’t see any ghosts, I didn’t hear any weird noises.  Frankly, the house felt like a normal house, except that it was really large.  Sorry to disappoint you, but nothing strange happened while we were in the house.

Well, we are at our hotel in Williams, AZ.  It’s about time to get in bed.  Tomorrow will be another early day and we have another long drive ahead of us.  Tomorrow, Amarillo, TX. 

POKES AND POSTS – MRS. BOWEN’S 3RD GRADE CLASS

Good to hear from all of you on Monday.  I’m a little behind in responding to your notes, but was busy packing and getting ready for our trip home.  Yes, we are on the road.  As I write, I am in Southern California crossing the Mojave Desert.  We will drive to Williams or Flagstaff, AZ this evening and spend the night.  Tomorrow will take us through Arizona and New Mexico and probably to Amarillo, Texas.  By the time we get home on Sunday, we will have driven almost 6,000 miles. 

As always, I’m encouraged by your interest in the baby and the trip.  While this post is for anyone wishing to read it, these answers are directed to Lamyah, Keynia, Xavier, Javontae, Alexis, Alyssia, Ahbria and Anonymous.

First the baby.  Sydney Lyn is a little girl and is cute, cute, cute.  She is beginning to sleep less and her eyes are open more frequently.  She was born on Halloween and turned two weeks old on Monday.

The Mountains:  While there are mountains taller than the ones in Yellowstone National Park, I think they are tall when you stand there and have to look up 3,000 feet.  There are caves in the area, but I did not go in them.  Going into caves without a guide can be dangerous.  It is always best to go with someone who knows the cave; and you always go in groups, never alone. 

Animals:  Couple of you asked if I had seen any bears, snakes or ducks.  I have not seen any of these animals on this trip.  I have seen bears in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina?  Have you ever seen a bear in the NC mountains?

Hope you all have a great week and a great weekend!  We will see you next week before you head out for Thanksgiving.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN – THE JEWELS OF THE SIERRA NEVADAS

East of Modesto about two hours driving time, you enter the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.  Located in the Eastern part of California and the western part of Nevada, the mountains lay claim to two California attractions – Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.

Due east of Modesto is Yosemite National Park.  A federal or national park, it is home to waterfalls, pristine creeks and rivers, granite rock formations and cliffs, and the famous giant sequoias or redwoods groves.  It is a famous place for campers, hikers and rock climbers who love the outdoors and the beauty of the park.  It is inhabited by a variety of birds and animals; one always needs to be on the lookout for bears.

The park’s famous granite cliff, El Capitan, is a favorite of rock climbers world-wide.  A sheer rock formation that rises about 3,000 from the valley floor to the top, it is a challenge for even the best climbers.  Most climb with tools such as ropes, carabiners, helmets, harnesses and more; and then there are those who have conquered the climb by free climbing or using minimal tools.  I’ve tried to find a picture that shows the steepness of El Capitan.  It is straight-up!

The giant sequoias or redwood trees also call the park home.  One of the largest trees in the world, the redwood grows to an average height of 160-280 feet tall and 20-26 feet in diameter.  They range in age from hundreds to thousands of years old and carry names such as The Grizzly Giant, the California Tunnel Tree (opening large enough to drive a car through it), or the Telescope Tree. 

This picture from the Extranomical Tours site gives you an appreciation for how tall the redwood tree is compared to a human.

Leaving Yosemite and driving north four to five hours, you come to Lake Tahoe.  The lake area is a grand resort offering activities for all seasons.  In the late fall and winter, people come for the skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding, ice skating and more. In the spring and summer, they come for mountain climbing, hiking, camping and swimming at the lake.

We live near two lakes, Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston with the closest being Kerr Lake.  Let’s do a comparison between Lake Tahoe and Kerr Lake and see what we find.

	LAKE TAHOE	KERR LAKE
Length of Lake	22 miles	45 miles from Nutbush Buoy to Clarksville
Width of Lake	12 miles	Can see shore-to-shore
Depth of Lake	1,645 ft	Average 30 ft; at dam 100 ft
Surface Elevation	6,225 ft	300-320 ft
Shoreline	72 miles	850 miles
Acreage	122,000	55,000
Scenery	Mountains	Trees and flatland
Location	California & Nevada	North Carolina & Virginia

One of the most interesting facts I learned about Lake Tahoe -  “If you were to pour Lake Tahoe out onto an area the size of California, the water would still be 14 inches (36 cm) deep.”  To discover more ineresting facts, visit http://www.virtualtahoe.com/Community/TahoeFAQs.html

That ends our California road trip.  We will be begin our trip home on Wednesday morning, November 16^th.  I will write from the road, as we are planning to take a different route back. 

See you on the highway!

CARMEL AND MONTEREY – BEAUTY BY THE OCEAN

Get your maps out as we continue our California road tour.  About two and half hours southwest of Modesto, you will find the Cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea or Carmel, and Monterey.  Located on the Monterey Peninsula, they are about four miles apart and are situated on the Pacific Ocean.  The towns are filled with quaint buildings filled with great shops (probably not what you are looking to buy) selling a little bit of everything.  The white sand beaches are clean and inviting and are washed daily by the waters of the Pacific.  When we visited the beach in Carmel in 1994, our boys were young – 6, 8, and 12.  The waves are so strong, they knocked our youngest boy Ben off his feet and started pulling him out into the water!   He thought it was great fun at the time.  Dangerous too!

You will also find many famous golf courses on the Peninsula, but none as famous as the Pebble Beach Golf Course.  It is a beautiful, 18-hole course where professional play like the US Open regularly takes place.  It is very expensive to play this course, about $500 per round, so not just anyone plays here.  If you ever take up this sport as you get older, you should put this course on your list of places to play at least one time.  You can see pictures of each hole and its proximity to the ocean by clicking here.  Since the golf course is also located on the Pacific Ocean, I’m sure more than one ball has been hit into the water never to be seen again. 

Another tourist attraction is what is known as the 17-mile Drive.   I am not sure why it is called 17-Mile when in fact it is only a little over 9 miles long.  It is a controlled access roadway which winds past million dollar homes and the famous golf courses.  This is a toll road, charging about $10 per car to enter.   The Lone Cypress, a famous landmark and symbol for Pebble Beach, can be seen on the drive.   It sits atop a rock where it has stood for over 200 years, some say 250 years; and information on the internet indicates it is cabled to keep it from falling into the ocean. 

The Point Pinos Lighthouse on the peninsula at Pacific Grove is the longest, continually operating lighthouse on the West Coast.  I have not visited this lighthouse, but thought I would share about it since lighthouses are common along the waterways.  The coast is very rocky so the light shines to warn the ships that transit the waterways off the coast.  Did you know that we have some famous lighthouses in NC?  Do you know where they are located?  Have you been to any of the NC lighthouses?  I have visited three on the Outer Banks, the Currituck Lighthouse, the Bodie Lighthouse, and the Hatteras Lighthouse.  Each is very different.  I think my favorite is the Currituck Lighthouse because of its location and the scenic surroundings. 

Currituck Lighthouse, Corolla, NC

Well, that ends today’s tour.  You might not have enjoyed this as much I did, but it is beautiful area and the ocean is gorgeous, and I love the ocean. 

Have a great day. 

POKES AND POSTS - 5TH GRADE

And the awards go to the Winchester Mystery House and the baby.  All grades posting today were most interested in the House and Baby Sydney.  So in my effort to answer the 5th grade comments, here goes.

The Bridge and Fog:  to Destinee, Bryan and Taylor.  It can get very foggy around San Francisco and the fog often is what we call "very thick".  So thick, the bridge is often covered as are the surrounding hillsides.  So thick, you can't see.  So thick, it looks like smoke descending or an ocean wave rolling onto the beach.   I found a couple of pictures on the internet that show the thickness of the fog.   Thought I would show this one.   The fog is so thick, you can hardly see anything.   It is eerie! 

The Winchester Mystery House:  to Myieshia, james, Daevon, Kyree, Brianca, Chelsea, Roquon, Taylor, Shawn, Lidia and Anonymous.  First let me make something perfectly clear (and I have had to do this for all the classes today), I DO NOT live in this house.  This is what we call a tourist attraction, like a museum you visit.  I wouldn't want to live in that house.  It is waaaaayyyyy to big.  It might be fun for a couple of days, but I sure would not want to clean the place, not 160 rooms.  Somehow, I doubt any of you would want to clean it either!

Yes I did go in the house on a tour.  It was fun to visit, very interesting, actually very cool to see.  The design of the house is very strange, but it is made with the finest quality materials, especailly considering the time in which it was built, the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Go look up Tiffany stain glass.  Very expensive.  There is a lot of Tiffany glass in this house. 

I didn't see any ghosts and I wasn't scared.  They say that strange things go on in the house - rocking chairs move, footsteps are sometimes heard, doors close on their own -  but I did not see or hear anything strange.

Baby Sydney:  to Brianca, Makayla, Daiyana and Taylor.  Jamie, Sydney's mom says thank you for all your nice comments about the baby.  We think she is pretty and very special.  The baby is doing well and is being spoiled by everyone here.  She spends a lot of time sleeping, eating and demanding that her diaper be changed.

Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39:  to Taylor.  There are lots of sea lions around Fisherman's Wharf down below the piers.  They are pretty and funny to watch; however, they can be dangerous too, so you don't get too close.  Pier 39 is a fun place to visit with lots to see and do.  The Carousel is really quite exquisite.  It is covered in paintings of the different landscapes of the San Francisco Bay Area.  There are hundreds of lights that shine all the time.  It's fun to ride, even for adults.

The Earthquakes:  to Shawn.  I didn't feel the earthquake here.  It registered very small on the Richter scale.  Since California is on a major fault, they say that California is due for another big earthquake someday.  I don't want to live here for that very reason!!  I don't want to be anywhere close to a BIG earthquake!



Junior Lying In-wait for the Dogs

 Binkey, the cat:  to Bryan.  Binkey, like most cats, is very inquisitive.  Cats are good for a laugh if you watch them long enough.  Junior, the other cat, is fun to watch with the dogs.  She prowls around the house and when they are not looking, she runs at them and then stops, puts her back up, and sometimes hisses.  The poor dogs don't know what to do.  She attacks the patio door when the dogs are on the other side of the door.  Poor dogs just run or they try and hid when she stalks them in the house!

Hello back to all of you, especially Myieshia and Giselle who sent a simple "hello". 

Tomorrow I will post on Monterey and Carmel.  See you all soon. Take care. 

POKES AND POSTS - MR. LEAS 4TH GRADE CLASS

Dear Class,

Good to hear from you.  As I suspected, most of you were interested in the Winchester Mystery House and the baby.  I will do my best to answer your comments.  Some of you failed to put your name on your post, so you are addressed as Anonymous in my answer.  So a gentle reminder, put your name on your entry so I know who asked or commented.

The Winchester Mystery House:  to Lori, Davion, Alex, Enya, Rontaja, Nakeya, Javontae, Lora, DeWayne, Niguel, Tajmia, and Anonymous.  First, let me make it very clear, this house is NOT my house; I do NOT live in it!  The Winchester House is very big, pretty, and overwhelming.  While it was nice to take a tour and see part of the house, it is way too big for one person.  The house is so big you could get lost in it?  Think about living in a house with 160 rooms, 40 bedrooms and all those windows - do you want to clean them all or any of them?  I bet most of you are answering "No way!"  Well I wouldn't want to clean all those rooms and windows either!  

If you go to this Wikipedia.com link, you can learn more about the house.  At one time, the house sat on a plot of land approximately 160 acres in size.  Over the years, the land was sold and today the house sits on a plot of about 4 acres.  I do not know if there was ever a swimming pool on the property or not. My guess would be NO, because she was too busy building her house and did not have time for a pool. 

The earthquake of 1906 did do some damage to the house.  As a result, part of the house was closed off for years.  Mrs. Winchester however, did not die in the earthquake.  She lived for 16 more years and died in 1922. 

The Baby:  to Georgene, Nakeya, Javontae and Anonymous.  We do think that Sydney is beautiful!  She is still very small, but boy can she cry when she is hungry or needs a diaper change.  She definitely knows the sound of her father's and mother's voices.  I've posted a new picture of Sydney taken just yesterday (8th) and I also posted a picture on the Pokes and Posts Entry for Mrs. Bowen's class.  Go take a look.

The Golden Gate Bridge:  to Georgene.  Yes, the Golden Gate bridge is very pretty, especially on a sunny day.  It's orange color makes the bridge stand out against the blue sky.  It is a very busy bridge and is a major means of access to San Francisco and the Bay Area.  Before the bridge was built, there was a ferry service.  Can you name a place in North Carolina that uses a ferry to access the land?  Take a look on a map at the Outer Banks and Ocracoke Island?  What does the map say about access to the island?  Let me know what you discover.

Junior Standing Watch
for the Dogs

The Dogs and the Cat:  to Anonymous.  The dogs, Buddy and Scrounge, are learning to get along with the cat, Junior.  Junior is a little instigator.  She tries to antagonize or annoy the dogs, especially when she thinks no one is looking.  Junior is not allowed outside.  When the dogs are outside at the door waiting to come back into the house, she goes to the door and bats at the window and raises her back.  She runs at the dogs in the house and hisses at them.  So far, we have not had a fight.  The dogs tend to run the other way.  Buddy has already been swatted once by Junior.

Buddy and Scrounge also LOVE the baby!  Every time Sydney makes a sound, the dogs are right there watching, especially Scrounge!   Take a look at the two of them standing guard over the baby!

Buddy and Scrounge have not yet been introduced to Shiloh and Bella.  That will probably happen in a couple of weeks.  This is still new to them and they are learning a new schedule and way of living, especially with a cat!

See you soon!  Caio!

POKES AND POST - MRS. BOWEN'S 3RD GRADE CLASS

Good morning class.  Actually, it is afternoon in Middleburg, but still morning here in California.  I enjoyed reading your posts this morning and will do my best to answer your questions.  A gentle reminder, some of you failed to post your name, so please do not be upset when your name doesn't appear with the answers.  You are not forgotten though, you are the Anonymous in my answer. 

A Very Tired Sydney!

The Cute Baby: to Asia, Traon, Tajmia, Symaj, Ahbria, and Anonymous.  The baby is definitely cute and we do love her.  She is my great niece and her name is Sydney, the new baby of my niece Jamie and her husband Wil.   She is being spoiled by all of us, to include Ms. Virginia. 

The Winchester House:  to Alyssia, Autumn, Vondarious, Alexis, and Anonymous.  The Winchester House is indeed very cool - big, lots of rooms and one could get lost in the house there are so many rooms.  The gardens surrounding the house are beautiful and it very relaxing to sit outside and listen to the water fountain and the birds. 

We did take a tour of the house and it was very interesting.  It might be fun to live in the house for a couple of days, especially with 40 bedrooms. Think about this though - if you live in the house, you have to clean the house.  Do you want to clean 160 rooms?  I sure don't!

The lady who had the house built was very wealthy.  She had a great deal of money that she could spend on building her house.  I think I would have rather used some of that money to help people, not build such a big house for one lady!  Seems kind of selfish to me to be so wasteful.  No one can use 160 rooms!

The Fog:  to Alexis and Destinee.  The thick fog is wild!  It can be scary when it is so thick and you cannot see in front of your face.  This can be very dangerous if you are driving a car or walking outside.  I've seen the fog come rolling in like a big wave rolling onto the beach.  It is overwhelming! 

The Seals:  to Ahbria and Javontae.  The pictures were taken from the pier which is where we were standing when we saw the seals.  While the seals are fun to watch and they look like they wouldn't hurt you, they can be very dangerous.  So it is wise not to get too close to them.  If you have ever been to the zoo, the seals are often behind a big fence and often with a large gully between their habitat and the fence.   The barriers are there to protect you and the seal. 

Ms. Virginia Says Hello!

Coming Home:  Many of you have asked when we will return home.  We will begin our trip home on Wednesday, November 16th.   We will be taking a different route home for part of the trip.  We will go through California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas (we traveled through these on our way out) and then we will drop down to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and then into North Carolina.  Go to the map and see if you can plot out our way home!

See you soon! 

SAN JOSE AND THE MYSTERY HOUSE

About an hour and a half southwest of Modesto is the city of San Jose and a mystery house called the Winchester House.  The house, built between 1884 and 1922, was under construction for 38 continuous years. 

The owner, Mrs. Sarah Winchester, was the wife of the inventor of the Winchester Rifle.  The rifle, nicknamed “the Gun that Won the West,”  was given this name because it was used in settling the West.  Mrs. Winchester was very eccentric and it was said she believed in ghosts.  A psychic told her she needed to move west and build a house to appease or calm the spirits of all the people who had been killed by the Winchester Rifle. 

Mrs. Winchester followed the advice of the psychic, moved to California and started to build her house which was under construction day and night for 38 years.  During the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the tremors were felt from Oregon in the North to Los Angeles in the South to include San Jose.  At the time, Mrs. Winchester was sleeping in her favorite room.  When the quake struck, the house was damaged and she was locked in her room.  When her employees rescued her, it is said she sealed up the room and supposedly never slept there again.  There are many odd things in the house – to include a stairway that ends at a wall; doors that open into walls, not rooms; steps that are 2” tall; hidden doors and walkways; and a stain glass window that is installed on a wall that doesn’t get any sun. 

The house has 160 rooms to include 40 bedrooms and 10,000 window panes.  For its time, the house also had modern bathrooms and plumbing.  In today’s dollars, it cost over $70 million dollars to build.  It takes more than 22,000 gallons of paint to paint the house, and once the painters finish, they start all over again.  Today, the Winchester Mystery House and the surrounding gardens are open for guided tours.   There is even a “flashlight tour” on Halloween on every Friday the 13^th.     

Next we will head South to visit the towns of Monterey and Carmel.   

FORGOT ONE THING ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO - EARTHQUAKES

There was a small earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday, November 5, that measured 3.2 on the Richter Scale.  Do you remember the earthquake we had in August?  That one measured 5.9 on the scale.

 

We don’t seem to experience many earthquakes where we live; however, in California earthquakes are more common because of the San Andrea Fault.  This major fault runs north and south through the state for approximately 800 miles. The US Geological Society monitors ALL seismic or earthquake activity to include the earthquake we had in August.  In the San Francisco Bay Area between Saturday and today, Monday, Nov 7, there were eight (8) quakes measuring over 2.0 on the scale.  In California since November 1, there have been 325 earthquakes registering over 1.0.  Generally, quakes registering between 1.0 and 2.9 cannot be felt by us.

In April 1906, there was a major earthquake to hit San Francisco.  It registered 7.9 and destroyed a major part of the city.  Do you know of any other earthquakes that have hit around the world in 2011?  Do a Google search?  See what you find. 

California Road Trip – First Stop San Francisco

California has many places of interest to visit.  Thought I would share a few of these with you, places we’ve enjoyed discovering.  So get your maps out and start locating these hot spots.

First stop on our road trip is San Francisco, located about one hour and 40 minutes Southwest of Modesto.  San Francisco is a large city with a population estimated at 820,000 living in 47 square mile area.  Now compare that to Vance County where we live which has a population of 45,500 people living in an area of 254 square miles.  Without even visiting San Francisco, how would you describe the differences between the two locations? 

San Francisco is built on a series of hills making many of the city streets steep and curvy.  Big difference from our flat and straight highways!  The Golden Gate Bridge is a major attraction in the city as is Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 with a beautiful carousal and the sea lions in the marina.  You can see Alcatraz across the bay.  Anyone ever heard of Alcatraz? 

Found this picture of the bridge covered in fog

The Golden Gate Bridge was built in the 1930s and was opened to traffic in 1937.  One of the world’s largest suspension bridges, the Golden Gate is 4200 feet long.  A suspension bridge uses cables anchored in towers to hold up the bridge.  It has six lanes of traffic for cars, as well as a pedestrian walkway and a cyclists’ path.  According to goldengatebridge.org, “as of April 2011, 1,929,896,448 vehicles have crossed the Golden Gate Bridge (includes northbound and southbound) since opening in 1937.”  That is a lot of cars!  The bridge is painted orange and is often surrounded by fog.  The day we visited, I remember the heavy fog and my inability to see the bridge because of it.

Pier 39 is a mix of shops, restaurants, and entertainment.  Three things I remember most about the pier, the sea lions, the carousel, and Alcatraz.  The marina at Pier 39 is home to noisy, lazy sea lions.  They spend considerable time basking in the sun watching the world go by. The noise they create is a barking sound, much like a dog’s.

The pier is also home to the San Francisco Carousel.  Have you ever ridden a carousel at a fair or carnival?  The San Francisco Carousel is unique.  It is from Italy and was handmade.  The rides are animals of all sorts.  The Pier 39 website offers the following information about the carousel. “The San Francisco Carousel is intricately hand-painted and depicts scenes from famous San Francisco landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Chinatown, Lombard Street, Alcatraz and the popular California sea lions at PIER 39.  It is the only carousel in the country that has artistic renderings of its home city.  Eighteen hundred twinkling LED lights illuminate this carousel, which features 32 animals to ride, including sea dragons, sea lions, dolphins, panda bears, and of course, horses.  Amongst the intricately designed animals are chariots, and for the more adventurous riders there are spinning tubs.”

Standing at the end of Pier 39 and looking across the bay you see Alcatraz.  Ever heard of Alcatraz?  Alcatraz is actually an island with a number of buildings on it to include a prison for hardened, and some very famous, criminals.  It was first used as a federal prison in 1934.  In 1963, Alcatraz was closed as a prison.  Today, it is part of the National Park Service and is open for tours.  Alcatraz was also known as “The Rock.”

Next stop on our tour will be San Jose and the Winchester House.  Take care.

POKES AND POSTS

Hello 5th graders.  My email box was again full with your comments and questions.  Most of you are remembering to sign your name, some of you are forgetting.  So, please do not feel slighted if your name does not appear in the TO line of my response. 

So, this post goes back to:  Destinee, Lidia, Jacqueline, Robert, Brittany, Tar'Naja, Daevon, Demarius and several "Anonymous". 

.

First, the Baby:  Thank you for all your very nice comments about the baby.  I shared them with Jamie and Wil, Sydney's mom and dad.  Some of you asked if Sydney was a boy or a girl; Sydney is a girl!! She is our little princess.  Sydney came home from the hospital yesterday, arriving here around 12:00.  She immediately commanded attention from everyone including the dogs.  Scrounge and Buddy have taken a great interest in her, Scrounge especially.  Everytime Sydney cries, or someone gets up and walks around with her, Scrounge is right at your feet.  Even in the middle of the night, Scrounge was found outside the bedroom door.  He is going to be her protector in years to come! 

Scrounge and Buddy Stand Watch
Above:  Grandpa Tib with Sydney
Right:  Uncle TJ, with Sydney

Binkey, the Cat:  Many of you have enjoyed all the animal pictures.  I think the one that has drawn the most laughter and discussion has certainly been Binkey drinking at the toilet.  That's a cat for you, they will investigate just about anything.


Orchard Elementary:  Several of you commented on the school and its technology.  Perhaps some day, Vance County Schools will be able to provide laptops for in-school use for the 5th graders.  That would be exciting.  A couple of you made a very nice comment about the school and the work of the principal at Orchard.  I passed your comment on this morning to the secretary and principal.  They thought it was very sweet of you.  If any of you are interested in becoming a penpal with a student at Orchard Elementary, let me know when I return.


Supermarket Scramble:  Hats off to Robert!  He is determined to be one of the four winners of the Supermarket Scramble.  I hope some of you well take the challenge and join Robert in this activity. 


Well, its time for dinner and I need to finish with the preparations.  Toodles!

POKES AND POSTS

Thank you for all your notes about the baby.  Sydney is really cute and I will share your comments with her mom and dad.  They will be coming home sometime today from the hospital, so we will be adjusting to the new sounds of a baby in the house.

Supermarket Scramble:  I hope that all of you, or at least some of you, will participate in the Supermarket Scramble activity.  This is a great way for you all to learn about the cost of items that we eat everyday, and it is also a great way to put your math skills to work.  While shopping last week at the local grocery store, I was standing at the cheese case and display and a father was asking his two daughters some questions about the cost of buying two different cheeses.  They didn't know the answer or couldn't come up with the answer very fast.  His comment, "What do you do with the math they are teaching you in school? "  My questions to you, "How do you use the math you are learning in school?" 

BINKY, THE CAT:  As I thought, many of you liked the picture of Binky trying to drink water out of the toilet.  Binky was NOT in the toilet and no one threw her in there.  She was thirsty and just jumped up on the open toilet and walked herself into the toilet to drink some water.  Cats are very nimble so she was able to get part of her body into the toilet.  When done, she pushed herself up and out and down!  Maybe you have a cat or a friend who does.  Maybe your cat has done this before.  Ask a friend with a cat if their cat has been on the toilet drinking water.

It is hard to believe that it is November 1.  Just three weeks to Thanksgiving when you all get a couple of days off from school.   We will be arriving home the same time you all get our for your break!  

More to come.  Have a great day!

SUPERMARKET SCRAMBLE - 4TH & 5TH GRADERS

Ok, here’s a contest for the 4^th and 5^th graders.  Are you game? 

I went shopping last week in the local grocery stores.  I think food prices here are higher than food prices in NC.  I’d like for you to help me confirm if this is true or not true. 

So, here is how to play.  Ask Ms. McSwain for a copy of this list and carefully read the directions which are also below:

·       Take the list with the 11 items on it and go with a parent or adult to Food Lion or Wal-Mart. 

·       Find the items in the store and record the regular price, NOT the sale price. 

·       If you cannot find the exact item, locate an identical item and make a note of that on your paper. 

·       An adult MUST sign your paper indicating that YOU did the work, not your parent, friend or family member. 

·       Return your paper to Ms. McSwain who will verify your list.

The first boy and girl in grade 4 and in grade 5 who successfully complete the task will receive a small prize upon my return.  

 

FOOD ITEM	COST IN CA	COST IN NC
Bush’s red kidney beans; 16 oz can	$ 1.75
Idahoan Mashed Potatoes in a Bag, 14 oz,	4.89
McCormick Taco Seasons Packet	1.19
Newton Fruit Thins (in the cookie aisle)	4.59
Tostitos (Chips)	3.99
Bananas, 1 pound (lb)	0.68
Green Cucumber, 1	0.99
Head of Lettuce	1.49
Block of store brand, Colby Jack cheese, 16 oz.	4.99
Tortillas - Fajita Size (packet of 20)	3.99
Kraft Light 1000 Island Dressing, 16 oz	4.29
TOTAL	$32.84

See what you can learn about shopping for food.  Talk with your parents about the cost of putting food on the family table.  Is there anything you can do to help with the costs of feeding the family?  Which items are the most expensive?  Which are the least expensive?  If you had to buy the food all the time, what would you purchase to eat? 

If my shopping list cost $32.84 and I gave you $40.00, how much change would I get in return? 

Have some fun shopping!