Qq is for Quail

We are back to school this week.  We have two more weeks of curriculum and we will be finished with Kindergarten.  Wow!  It will probably take us four weeks to get through it, but I can still say Wow! Calvin keeps saying that he will be glad to start first grade "after a few weeks break for summer." 

Here he is doing a little breakfast reading.  We have read this book many times, but he sat and read the whole thing to himself a few days ago.  Tyler was so amused that he took pictures and video...all while Calvin was totally engrossed in his book. 

This week is "Qq for Quail" which also includes the study of birds in general.  So we headed to the zoo for a little adventure. 

Andrew chasing a duck. 

 Calvin chasing the same poor duck. 

The duck escaped for a few minutes of peace.  But the lure of sandwich crusts proved too enticing to the duck so she quickly ventured out of the bushes, only to be chased again by two little boys who are eagerly applying their school lessons.  Ha!

How appropriate that we would find this egg.  It's probably been there since I was a kid (yes, I have memories from this zoo from ~30 years ago!) but I've never noticed it before!  I guess that's because we rarely tour the South American loop and we even less frequently visit the aviary.  I wonder if my sister and I have a picture taken in that same egg?  I wouldn't be surprised it the answer is yes. 

It was Truman's first trip to the zoo.  He slept through the whole thing.  

In keeping with our bird theme, we've been very happy to have our cardinal(s) visit each day.  Now that I'm nursing again I spend a lot of time sitting still and observing.  I have been reminded what a joy it is to be at home during the day.   

When Calvin was born and I first became a stay-at-home-mom I was amazed at how different our house and the neighborhood felt during the middle of the day on a weekday.  The light in the house is different.  The birds and ground squirrels are very active.  The neighborhood gets quiet.  I know when the mail woman usually comes and I know when the UPS truck usually arrives.

So now that I am sitting in my living room a couple times a day feeding my little one I have been enjoying listening to and watching the cardinals. 

And here is my own little fuzzy chick to go right along with our lessons. If only I could capture in pictures his little cheeks and arms and face and back which are all still covered with the softest peach fuzz. 

Now if I could just get some pictures of those beautiful Arizona quail.  I'll keep you posted.