The Robins are Back!
J+M+J
Spring is on its way!
A+M+D+G
Journal
Monocots and Dicots-A Composition
J+M+J
I am studying botany this year in science. Today I learned about monocots and dicots.
A monocot is a seed with only one Cotyledon. They have long leaves with veins running vertically. There is no midrib in leaves of this catagory. Often their roots are fiberous. Another interesting thing about monocots is the number of petals the flowers have are usually multiples of three!
A dicot is a seed with two Cotyledons. Their leaves have a midrib and veins branching out on both sides. Often their root system is a tap root systemhe number of petals in a dicot flower is usually a multiple of four or five.
These pictures are a mix of moncots and dicots. If you want to break the code of the previous post, Figure out the pattern of monocots and dicots. A monocot would have a #1, and a dicot would have a #2. For example: if the pictures went monocot dicot monocot monocot the code would be: 1211. Have fun!
A+M+D+G
Quiz Bowl
J+M+J
Last night there was another quiz bowl. I was not a captain this time. My team came in 7th place. That might sound pretty good until I tell you that there was seven teams. Oh well. There is always next time.
A+M+D+G
In Like a Lion
J+M+J
It is blowing snow and sleet everywhere. We are scheduled to get 20 inches of snow and forty miles an hour winds today, tonight, and tomorrow. A number of things were cancelled for the blizzard, including the homeschool ballet and tap classes we have every Thursday.
As I do yearly on March first, I began the countdown to my birthday, which is March thirteenth. This year I shall be twelve years old.
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Dedication of March
J+M+J
The month of March is dedicated to Saint Joseph.
Prayer to St. Joseph 500 years old
Oh, St Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. Oh, St Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, out Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power,
I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.
Oh, St Joseph, I never weary contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arm; I dare not approach while he resposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His find head for me and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.
St Joseph, patron of departing souls – Pray for me.Amen
A+M+D+G
Twin Block Appliance
J+M+J
The othodontist said it would take only three days for this thing to stop hurting. He was wrong. It took a whole five days for my teeth to stop hurting. Now, I can (almost) chew and am starting to talk better. I have given up the letter S as a hopeless cause though.
A+M+D+G
My First Babysitting Session!
J+M+J
Last night I went on my first babysitting session for another family than my own. It was great fun. I babysat for a eight-year-old girl and a six and a half-year old boy for three hours. We colored, played candyland, and read some books. Their mother gave me $17!
If you are looking for two wonderful books that are not two long, I highly recomend these: Cheaper by the Dozen by Ernestine and Fred Jr. Gilbreth (hilarious true story about a family of twelve children) and Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (Based on a true story of a girl stranded on an island for 18 years.) You will not be disappointed.
A+M+D+G
Insectile Farmers-A Composition
Insectile Farmers
Fungi play an important part in the lives of leaf cutting ants. For when a young queen leaves her colony to start a new one, she takes with her some of her mothers chewed up leaves. It is not the leaves that matter so, but what is on them, fungi.
After a queen mates and finds a home, she cultivates her new garden carefully, alongside her first larvae. If this batch of fungi fails her colony will have no chance of survival. If her garden succeeds, the gray springy heap of fungi will grow long hyphae, which will eventually form swollen tips.
By this time some workers may have become adults. They will harvest these tips as food, and weed out objectionable varieties of fungus.
Meanwhile the fungi are being pampered. They are fertilized with ant dung and provided chewed leaves as a food source.
In conclusion, fungi unmistakably are essential to leaf cutting ants.
Ash Wednesday
J+M+J
It is Ash Wednesday, the begining of lent. Our Family has given up sweets and TV (except on my birthday, which is coming up on March 13.)
This Ash Wednesday also marks another important date in my life. Teeth-fixing time. Today I got a appliance called a twin block appliance. The purpose is to grow my lower jaw forward, correcting a 100% overbite.
Have a blessed Ash Wednesday!
A+M+D+G
Perfect Pair-A Composition
Perfect Pair
Lichens are not one, but two organisms, a partnership of two kingdoms. Lichen is made of a fungus (usually ascomycete) and an alga (gray or green).
There are 20,000 kinds of lichen, each with a different variety of fungus. There are fewer algae in many lichens; so fewer algae are involved.
A lichen body is made of sturdy fungus hyphae, and the alga is sheltered within. The fungus provides the alga with water and mineral nutrients; the alga in turn leaks out nutrients, which is absorbed by the fungus.
This partnership is so tough that lichen can live where no other creature can live. If the weather turns too hot, cold, or dry, the lichen goes into a state of suspended animation until the environment is desirable.
Because lichens are only 5% algae, and because the alga grows very slowly, lichen grow only about 5 mm a year. Therefore lichen live for centuries, or in a few cases, millennia.
Lichens only weakness is that in getting nutrients from rain in polluted areas where sulphur dioxide is dissolved into the rain, lichen absorbs the poison and often dies as a result.
This is a perfect example of symbiotic relationship.
Our 911 Episode
It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. Maria was teasing Landon with the phone. “I am going to dial 911, Landon. I am going to call the police.” Landon grabbed the phone from her, and someway or another the button to call was pushed, then the button to hang up.
Ring-a-ling-a-ling! My dad answered. “Hello… No it must have been one of the kids… That’s fine… OK, sorry about that… Bye.” Turning around to Landon and I he said, “That was the police! They’re coming over here to make sure we are all right.”
When the Police car finally pulled up, Maria was nowhere to be seen. The policeman who came to the doors name was Officer Bill. “So, who was on the phone?” he asked promptly. “I think she is hiding.” my Dad replied. “I will go down and try to dig her out.” Dad did not succeed in getting her out. So Of. Bill came downstairs to Maria, who was crying hysterically. Despite all persuasions, Maria would not come out from the covers of her bed. Eventually we returned upstairs, where Of. Bill gave John Paul, whom the officer had named “his buddy,” stickers for himself, Alex (who was at the docter,) and Maria.
Five minutes after Of. Bill departed, Landon and John Paul were patroling the basement with belts on, toy guns in their belts, and their junior officer stickers on their shirts, pretending to be policemen.
This is the true account of our 911 episode.
Fungus — A Composition
Days on which there is nothing to write, I will post compositions and other things I have written. I wote this to use in a science fair project, which won first place. There are other things about fungus I have written, check back later to read them.
When one thinks of fungi, one’s first impression is probably bad. One may think of mildewy shower curtain, moldy food, or a rotting house. But not all fungi are bad. For example: fungi play an important part in decomposing, medicine, and food. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at fungi.
Humans have put many fungi to work for us; others naturally are helpful. Yeasts, which when feeding give off carbon dioxide and ethanol, are put in dough or juice and these gases are trapped, resulting in fermentation. Further, farmers spray parasite spores on fields to exterminate insects. We utilize mould to ferment soy sauce, give flavor to cheese, and save lives by exercising moulds ability to eat harmful bacteria such as typhoid. Moreover, without symbiotic fungi, which reach out with their hyphae to find nutrients to bring a plant friend, there could not be forests of trees, or some plants. Above all, without fungi to decompose organic matter, we would be buried in carcasses!
But there’s also a bad side to fungus. Mushrooms appear in otherwise perfect lawns. It rots our crops, food and houses. Also, there’s natural yeast in us all, and if this gets too plentiful it causes a candida infection. Poisonous toadstools cause a number of deaths each year. Parasites can be an annoyance, others kill the host altogether; Dutch elm disease destroys forests of elm trees all over the world!
In conclusion, fungus is essential in many different ways. It also can be a nuisance. But maybe the next time you see fungi on your lunch, you will give a thought to its importance before throwing it away.
Happy St Valentines Day
My Valentines Day was spent holding Joseph, (who is sick, and running an almost 102 temp) and wiping Alexanders nose (you may have already guessed that he is sick also, with the same temp.) There was a party today, but because of obvious reasons we had to stay home. The last five days we have done little or no school (we homeschool) and have spent most of the time watching the sick ones. So much for having a good full week of school. Happy Saint Valentines Day!