Field Trip to - King Gillette Ranch

 Yesterday, the whole third grade at my school took a marvelous field trip to King Gillette Ranch!  They told our class that we could go the day before we went.  That meant that we had to get all of the permission slips to our teacher the next day or we couldn't go on the field trip.  Successfully, everybody got there slips in except one person who was sick.  


I was so sad that I did not bring my camera to take pictures of the beautiful sights, but I felt sensational when Mrs. Yollis said that the class can use the pictures she took for our blogs!  I am giving all of the credit for the pictures to Mrs. Yollis, not myself. 

When we first got to King Gillette Ranch, we got to meet our great naturalist, Nick.  (A naturalist is a person who shows you or your group around and explains things if we have questions).  This is his  patch that makes him part of the staff. 

After the third grade got off of the buses, we were led to the "Big Backyard!" The big backyard is King Gillette Ranch because each one of us can go to our "Big Backyard" anytime we want for free!  In this photo, the naturalists, like Nick introduce themselves and tells us which naturalist we were getting for our class. 

Nick taught our group a lot about the Chumash Indians and how they lived.  Most of the women made baskets like the one above.  If you look carefully, the pattern is like stairs. 

One of the funnest things we did on the field trip was play Chumash instruments!   This is one of the instruments Nick pasted around in a circle.  It is a maraca filled with beans!  When the Chumash had their ceremonies, they would sing songs and play instruments like this. 

This is another instrument the Chumash used.  It is like drumsticks.    Your bang them together and makes a percussion noise.  

This instrument was probably the most relaxing.  It is a branch with little seeds.  When you turn the branch around, it sounds like rain pelting on the ground.  

This is a photo of Mrs. Yollis spinning the "bull roar."  

The bull roar looks like a book mark tied with a long string at the end.  You wrap the string around your hand and swing your arm in a circle.  When you have got the hang of it, it sounds like an airplane taking off. 

It was very fun taking nature walks or hikes in our "Big Backyard."    It was very calming walking threw the trail, although it was scary when I almost stepped on a beetle.  I know insects can't harm you, but I am still scared of them.

This tree is beautiful.  It grows pink, hairy flowers all over the place.  This tree has a funny name, the eucalyptus.  It is hard to say, and hard to spell. 

This tree was probably the most beautiful tree I saw at King Gillette Ranch.  The sad thing about the tree is that in a storm, a big branch plunged to the ground making a big gap in the trunk.  

This is a photograph of a great blue heron.  I truly admire the shape of the heron.  It is very astonishing.  On the right of the heron, there is its nest where it lives.  

Right before we were going to leave the spot we were in, Jakob spotted a white bird called the snowy egret.  I and other people thought it was a swan, but Nick said that it wasn't.

In this photo, Nick was teaching us about an owl.   I thought that an owl could spin its head 360 degrees, but it can only spin its head 270 degrees.  Did you know that?

This is a nice picture of the state senator with our naturalist, Nick, and our class.  I had a magnificent time and I hope I can visit the King Gillette Ranch again. 

Have you ever been to the King Gillette Ranch?

If so, what was your favorite part?

What was your favorite plant, animal, or tree?

Fruits and Plants Are Growing!

I am so happy to announce that plants and fruits are starting to bloom in my backyard!  

  

I've always wanted a garden or fruits and vegetables, and my wish has come true!  Some magnificent fruits and plants are coming to life in my backyard!  Thank you gardeners!  The people that used to live in our house probably planted them before they moved because plants can't just pop up out of nowhere.  As you can see, this is a photograph of a sour cumquat. I'm not that big of a fan of cumquats because they are sour, but I think that they look like mini oranges.  They are so cute!  Here are some facts about cumquats: ∆  Cumquats are the size and shape of an olive.  ∆  The English name "cumquat" came from a Cantonese word "gam gwat".  ∆  Cumquats grow on evergreen shrubs or short trees.  ∆  A cumquat tree can produce hundreds or thousands of fruits each year.  That is a lot of cumquats!

This is a photograph of a shrub with bright little red flowers that only have a few on that shrub.  After a month, that shrub is going to be covered with little red flowers!  I'm excited for that because this big shrub is like a gate, it surrounds a huge part of grassland.  It will look like a real garden!  

Here is a photograph of a beautiful branch with a couple of figs!  When I saw them blossoming, I thought they were green apples or pears.  I had no idea they were figs!  Here are a couple of facts about figs:  ∆  Figs contains vitamin A and C.  ∆  The figs sap can seriously irritate the eye. 

 

Finally, roses!  Roses are probably my favorite flower, and there are a lot of flowers!  This rose has a beautiful color.   This color is probably orange mixed with yellow.  The middle is orange, and the rim in orangey-yellow.   Here are some facts about roses:  ∆  Roses are usually harvested and cut when they are a bud.  ∆  Roses are held in refrigerated condition so they are ready for display at point of sale.  ∆  They usually grow in grass houses, and warmer countries and under cover to ensure that they are not damaged by the weather. 

Can you add any facts to mine about any of these fruits/plants?

Do you know any of these fruits/plants?

                              

Beautiful Flowers in My Neighborhood!

When I went to my grandparent's townhouse building, I asked my grandma if we could go on a walk and pick flowers.  It was a great success!  We picked and took beautiful pictures of flowers!  

This is probably my favorite fountain
because it is surrounded by nature.

My favorite part of taking a walk in this neighborhood, is the magnificent fountains!  There is one probably about in every corner.  They are in all differint shapes.  People, fruit,...

In my grandparents community, they have 
a circle.  This is what is in the circle. 

I think that the main thing we took pictures of would have to be flowers.  Flowers are one of my favorite things in the world!  They have everything!  Amazing scent, wondrous beauty, and vibrant color.  

Wondrous Flowers! on PhotoPeach

What is your favorite flower? Why?

Do you have a garden?