Watch out for Gators!

Today had to have been one of my favorite days ever on a road trip. As I was driving north, I saw a sign advertising Okefenokee Swamp Park, so I decided to check it out. It was Awesome! I got to see alligators, take a boat ride through a swamp, take a train ride, pet a snake, and even hold a baby gator. Now wouldn't that make a great class pet?

Loving Louisiana

Lucas, I thought of you today as I drove through Louisiana! :) I hope all of you are having a fun, safe summer. And, of course, that you're all reading books and practicing math facts...

St. Peter's basilica in the French Quarter.

Supreme court of Louisiana

Greetings from Georgia!

Yesterday I drove through Virginia, and North and South Carolina. Wow! There were a lot of things to see along the way. I enjoyed driving through the Shenandoah Valley and taking pictures of the flowers and mountains. The other day I also toured the US Army Heritage and Education Center and learned a lot about the different wars our soldiers have fought in. Tonight I'm going to my very first ballgame! I'm excited!

underground trenches

 How is your summer going so far?

Road trip

Yesterday I began my road trip.
I drove through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, and into Pennsylvania. It was a long drive! I stopped at Dinosaur State Park in Connecticut, and saw some neat fossils that had been discovered there. The best part of the whole trip, though, was pulling into my friends driveway at the end of the day. I'll be staying here with Mrs. Nevengolsky for a couple of days. :)

Geocaching

Yesterday, I went geocaching. 

At Bancroft Tower

It was like going on a scavenger hunt, using my phone as a compass. I explored all around Worcester, hunting for hidden boxes and canisters. Some were tiny -- only enough room for a piece of paper which I signed my name to. A couple of them were big boxes full of treasures. I dug through and picked the prize I wanted, then I put something in the box for someone else to find later. There were three caches that I never found. One was supposed to be at a bus stop, but I think someone may have moved it. It was a really fun day, and I can't wait to go geocaching again sometime.

This cache was a large box hidden in the tree.

There were some neat prizes inside.

A microcache

Checking out Chickens

Today I drove up to Ipswich to visit with my sister-in-law, niece, and nephew. It was hot, but I enjoyed visiting with them and playing with the chickens in the back yard. They have a wide variety of chickens. Some, the araucana, had ear tufts with no tails. Others were covered with big fluffy feathers and looked like they were wearing huge puffy boots. There were also three ducks who just sat in their little pool splashing each other with water. If the water weren't so dirty, I'd probably have splashed around in it a bit, too. :) Watching all of the chickens running around, each doing their own thing (some were playing tag with the dogs, some looking for bugs in the bushes, some checking out my toes wondering if I had food stuck between them), reminded me a bit of teaching second grade...

I hope you're all having a great vacation. Alex, be sure to write all about your camping trip!

Welcome to the blog

Ok Class, let's try something new -- a blog!

I'll post about where I've been or what I've read, and you can respond. Let me know where you've been, and what you've read! It'll be just like we're back in Room 8 -- only without the bells, and no recess, and no math books, work books, anthologies, homework... Ok, it'll be even better then being in back in Room 8. :) 

Enjoy your summer, but please, keep in touch!

Love, 

Miss Nelson