Clams, mice, cats
On Friday, I went on a clam-digging field trip with the 2nd and 4th grade classes. I had never been clam-digging before, so I didn't know what to expect. Holy crap, there were a lot of people there.
We got a ton of clams.
Some random kid, unconnected with us, dropped a skeleton on the ground at our feet. We were speculating that it might have been an eel. I really wanted to take it home and give it to Jeff for his birthday, but the kid wanted it back.
I was full of great ideas for how to prepare our hundred small and three large clams. I put 'em in salt water, I shucked 'em all, and cooked 'em up in chowder and fried some with butter and garlic to serve on top of spaghetti. Sadly, the chowder was too clammy to be palatable, and the spaghetti ended up with sand in it. A lot of work for little reward. See more pictures of the clam beach, including M and friends getting buried, here.
Sunday, after a late-night whist championship with Helen, we went to a BBQ/Field Day event at a park with the school. It took us awhile to find the location of the events, but the one game I did see was the greatest idea ever. All the kids had to run around in a circle until they couldn't run anymore. The last kids standing were the winners. This game should be required for every event that includes children.
The park also included a petting zoo. Of the mice, chicken, baby chick, and guinea pig variety. I decided I hate these places, because all these small animals are being handled, rather roughly, by hundreds of small children. After trying to explain to one tiny girl how to hold a mouse without squeezing the life out of it, I finally rescued the rodent from her tiny clutches and it 'accidentally' crawled into my backpack and came home with me. Her name is Ruby. This isn't the exact mouse, but they all look pretty much the same. She is, hopefully, much happier and safer at my house, and I have something mammalian to play with at last. Yes, stealing is wrong, but saving a life is good. Right?
Monday was a random day off for the kids. Supposedly it was the observance of the school's anniversary. Whatever. In any case, Jeff had also taken a day off to recuperate from his trip. We went to Sankeien Gardens, where we had tried to go with Josh (it was closing that day). We took Kumi along, and Janie came with Hana and baby Owen.
Sankeien Garden was built by Tomitaro Hara (1868-1939), a silk trader most widely known by his pseudonym, Sankei Hara. He originally developed this garden as his private residence, but then opened it for public viewing on May 1, 1906. This authentic Japanese garden extends over 18 hectares and incorporates the natural terrains of undulating hills, glens, streams and ponds. The wooden structures, some of which were relocated from Japan's ancient capital cities of Kyoto and Kamakura, blend beautifully and harmoniously with flowers, trees and other natural landscapes. Moreover each season accentuates the buildings and the natural environment with a different hue to create a scene unique to its own.
You could go inside one of the houses, a cool 2-story structure.
There was a cool pagoda, too.
There were numerous little cafes and teahouses on the grounds. We had a snack here. There were cats all over the park, and this particular liked to hang out and beg for food. I discovered that it liked ramen. I fed it some noodles, and then gave it the rest of my broth, which it lapped up in spite of the spices. Then it bit D, maybe because he didn't have any food.
The kids.
The grownups. Mostly.
The kids fed the koi a bunch of old bread purchased on site. We saw many turtles, too.
See more pictures of this gorgeous place here.
We got a ton of clams.
Some random kid, unconnected with us, dropped a skeleton on the ground at our feet. We were speculating that it might have been an eel. I really wanted to take it home and give it to Jeff for his birthday, but the kid wanted it back.
I was full of great ideas for how to prepare our hundred small and three large clams. I put 'em in salt water, I shucked 'em all, and cooked 'em up in chowder and fried some with butter and garlic to serve on top of spaghetti. Sadly, the chowder was too clammy to be palatable, and the spaghetti ended up with sand in it. A lot of work for little reward. See more pictures of the clam beach, including M and friends getting buried, here.
Sunday, after a late-night whist championship with Helen, we went to a BBQ/Field Day event at a park with the school. It took us awhile to find the location of the events, but the one game I did see was the greatest idea ever. All the kids had to run around in a circle until they couldn't run anymore. The last kids standing were the winners. This game should be required for every event that includes children.
The park also included a petting zoo. Of the mice, chicken, baby chick, and guinea pig variety. I decided I hate these places, because all these small animals are being handled, rather roughly, by hundreds of small children. After trying to explain to one tiny girl how to hold a mouse without squeezing the life out of it, I finally rescued the rodent from her tiny clutches and it 'accidentally' crawled into my backpack and came home with me. Her name is Ruby. This isn't the exact mouse, but they all look pretty much the same. She is, hopefully, much happier and safer at my house, and I have something mammalian to play with at last. Yes, stealing is wrong, but saving a life is good. Right?
Monday was a random day off for the kids. Supposedly it was the observance of the school's anniversary. Whatever. In any case, Jeff had also taken a day off to recuperate from his trip. We went to Sankeien Gardens, where we had tried to go with Josh (it was closing that day). We took Kumi along, and Janie came with Hana and baby Owen.
Sankeien Garden was built by Tomitaro Hara (1868-1939), a silk trader most widely known by his pseudonym, Sankei Hara. He originally developed this garden as his private residence, but then opened it for public viewing on May 1, 1906. This authentic Japanese garden extends over 18 hectares and incorporates the natural terrains of undulating hills, glens, streams and ponds. The wooden structures, some of which were relocated from Japan's ancient capital cities of Kyoto and Kamakura, blend beautifully and harmoniously with flowers, trees and other natural landscapes. Moreover each season accentuates the buildings and the natural environment with a different hue to create a scene unique to its own.
You could go inside one of the houses, a cool 2-story structure.
There was a cool pagoda, too.
There were numerous little cafes and teahouses on the grounds. We had a snack here. There were cats all over the park, and this particular liked to hang out and beg for food. I discovered that it liked ramen. I fed it some noodles, and then gave it the rest of my broth, which it lapped up in spite of the spices. Then it bit D, maybe because he didn't have any food.
The kids.
The grownups. Mostly.
The kids fed the koi a bunch of old bread purchased on site. We saw many turtles, too.
See more pictures of this gorgeous place here.
posted by Sandi at 5:23 PM
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