Away for the summer

This summer my grandma and I are going to be driving to Texas. I won't be able to write anything for a while, for about a month. I'll make sure to write when I get back. I just wanted to tell everybody why I won't be writing. I'll try to take as many pictures as I can. I hope you have a good rest of your summer.

Cora

This is my dog Cora. I took her picture this morning with the crowns that I made at the Medieval fare at Kid's camp. She is a good girl. You can see my dog Charlie in the back. He's a sleepy boy.

Medieval fair and Rojo

Last Friday at Kid's Camp the theme was Medieval Times. We had our own little medieval fair. We had games and activities, arts and crafts. The Medieval fair lasted all day, but I don't know how long it lasted as I got picked up around 4:00.

For morning snack we made Apple crumlettes. Mine fell apart a little bit because I put too much apple in mine. For the most part, the Medieval fair was pretty fun. I made lots of things, some of them were a necklace, a pouch, and two crowns. At the end of the day I got a Peacock feather.

In the middle of the fair one of the counselors who works at Rancho El Chorro brought out a Red Tailed Hawk. His name is Rojo. Rojo was a very pretty bird. He spun his head around a lot. His wing span is about two feet across. He eats reptiles and basically anything he can get his beak on. The reason why Rancho El Chorro has Rojo is because he had a broken wing when he was a baby and he couldn't survive in the wild.

So all in all, I had a pretty good Medieval fair day.

Our Garden

Where we live we planted a garden. In it we have a lot of different vegetables. Some of the vegetables we have are radishes, corn, sugar peas, squash, pumpkin, beets, beans, onions, and carrots. We also have three different kinds of tomatoes, basil, strawberries, and eight giant sunflowers that are as tall as me.

My job is every Sunday to weed the garden. Usually my job is to water and weed the garden, but now I don't need to weed it so often because the squash is growing every where and I have to be careful not to step on it.
So far we've eaten carrots, beets, strawberries, sugar peas and radishes. The corn is almost ready to be picked. We have about 26 ears of corn. We are growing our second batch of beets and radishes. My favorite thing about the garden is the strawberries and the beets. I really like to eat beets.

Santa Barbara Zoo

For one of our Kid's Camp field trips we went to the zoo in Santa Barbara. I thought we were going to go on a normal school bus, but we didn't. It was one of those big busses that you would take to go across the country. It took 2 1/2 hrs. to get there.

We were separated into groups. We were allowed to bring $8.00 to buy something to eat, or spend at a gift shop. I only had $1. to spend because when we were looking at the Toucans I sat down for a minute, my hand slipped and I dropped my money into their moat. Nothing really caught my eye at the gift shop anyway. At least I didn't drop my camera! I took a lot of pictures with my digital camera.

My favorite things were the parrots. The reason why I liked them is because they were very colorful. I also liked the Toucans because they had a pretty beak.

The Santa Barbara zoo is really big and was busy when I was there. It looked like a big forest because there were a lot of trees and plants. There were a lot of animals there, more than the zoo that I'm used to going to in L.A.

Mom said that later this summer we may end up going back to the zoo. I'm really glad I went to the Santa Barbara zoo.

Our Afternoon at the Movies

My mom and I went to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We walked there from our house, the movie theater is only a few blocks away. On our way there we stopped at an Apricot tree. There wasn't any ripe Apricots yet.

When we got to the theater we were a little bit early, so we got some drinks and snacks. They didn't have any Nerd's which is basically my favorite candy. Instead of Nerds my mom gave me some money and I got some Sweet Tarts and some Red Licorice for her. With our licorice we bit off the ends and stuck it in where our straws were, but my drink was too sour. I had a cherry cola. I like sweet. We didn't eat all of the licorice so we brought some home for Dern.

Then we went in to get a good seat. When we were settled down a family sat in front of us so we moved. The family had two boys. The youngest one got mad cause he wanted to sit in the back, but the dad said no. Then he started whining and complaining. The mom said that she really wanted to see the movie, but the dad made her give up her candy and popcorn to take the little boy home. We moved back to our original seats and had a better view.

We really had a good time. The movie was very good. My favorite part of the movie was when Willy Wonka took them on the boat ride because it looked really fun. My mom's favorite part was when Charlie's family was more important to him than all the chocolate in the world and she liked the end where the Bucket family ended up living.

After the movie we headed back to the Apricot tree, but we didn't find any ripe ones, but we brought one home to ripen here. We gave Dern his licorice and then I ate the other half of my sandwich and we are figuring out what we're having for dinner.

Our Beach Morning

This morning my step dad had a really bad head ache but we still had to go to work. We all went to work this morning and at first he was ok, but then he started to have the flu. We decided to take him and our dogs home, then my mom and I went back to work. First we had to stop by Miner's Hardware where one of our Employees works. We saw her and waited in line to talk to her. While we were waiting I got my mom and me some popcorn. When it was our turn we told Ava that my step dad had the flu and wanted to know if she could take his place tonight, but she had to work late.

Then we went to Carlock's to pick up the bread for work. My mom and I also got a muffin. We went back to work. My mom cleaned up and she came to the truck where I was reading and waiting. She said that she was going to take me somewhere where I've never been.
We ended up going to Montana de Oro beach. It was really pretty going there. It looked like we were in a forest of Eucalyptus trees.

At the beach there was a fresh water creek flowing from the mountains into the ocean. The water felt kinda warm. It was warm, clear water and at the bottom there was a lot of slippery moss. We walked up the side of the creek as far as we could until it came to a stop. You would have to swim if you wanted to go any further.

We walked back to the beach. The sand is made out of rocks, it was really rocky there. Some of the rocks were shaped like squares and rectangles. Some of them had holes in them. We collected some to take home. We walked along the edge of the water for the whole length of the beach. It reminded me of Baja.

We walked back to the truck and had a sandwich for lunch before going home.

The Diary of Anne Frank

My mom and I borrowed a movie from the library called The Diary of Anne Frank. It's about two families that have to go into hiding because they are Jewish. If the Germans find them, they'll send them to a concentration camp. A concentration camp is a very bad place where many Jewish people died.
Their hiding place was in the attic of Anne's father's work. There was also another family hiding with them and a dentist too. Two of Mr. Frank's employees took care of them and provided them with food.
When Anne had to go into hiding, she was 13. The reason why it's called The Diary of Anne Frank is because her father gave her a diary to write in. She felt very private about her diary. She wanted to be a writer and maybe publish her diary after the war.
In the middle of the movie they began to get hungry and bicker at each other a lot. The lady who took care of them, Miep brought them news that some of the good guys were going to fight the Germans to try to end the war. She also brought them a radio so they could listen to what was going on.
The German police would come around and check for any Jews that were hiding. When this time came, the Franks, the other family and the Dentist had to be very quiet or they would be discovered. They also had to be quiet all day long while people were working in the factory downstairs.
The other family had a son named Peter. He had a cat named Mushie. One day when the German's were looking in the office below where they were hiding because of a burglar, Mushie was very naughty and getting into the food. He knocked a dish over and made a lot of noise. When Mushie began to meow the police started to laugh and said, "It's just a cat."
They were hiding there for about 2 years and 28 days. By the time they were discovered Anne was 15. No one really knows who ratted them out.
They all got sent to concentration camps. The only one who lived was Anne's father, Otto Frank. Anne ended up dying at a concentration camp because she got a very bad disease call Typhoid. Mr. Frank went back to where they were hiding. Miep gave Anne's father the diary. He kept the diary and made it into a book.
I learned that it must have been very hard to keep quiet all the time. I also learned that we are very lucky that wars like that won't happen any more. If you ask me, Predjudice is something that Americans and other people should be ashamed of because most people on this Earth are on the same level. That means that no matter if you're white or black, Mexican or American, we are all people. Even though we may not have the same religions or the same color skin we still all have feelings and families who love us.

Pools and Opossums

Yesterday my Kid's Camp went to Hardy pool in Cayucos. We stayed there for a couple hours then we went across the street to have snack. After snack we went back to the pool. At the pool we stayed there for a while, then it was time to go across the street to Hardy Park and play for a while. For the most part we just threw stone and pebbles in the creek. A couple of kids played dodge ball. Our ride came and took us back to school.

When we got back to school we did arts and crafts until it was time to go. My mom signed me out of Kid's Camp and we went to the grocery store on our way home. When we got home we got my mom's library book and went to the library.

At the library I picked up a movie that I ordered called "The Diary of Anne Frank". When we got back home we watched some of our movie and ate dinner. Then my step dad came home from work. I took a shower and that's when I realized I got sunburned! After my shower I came out and watched a little bit of t.v. and went to bed.

Today when I got home from Kid's Camp I went into the laundry room to feed the dogs. When I walked in and turned on the light, there was a giant dead opossum with no eyes on the floor. I screamed and ran out of the laundry room. My asked me what was wrong and I told her a giant opossum was in the laundry room! She came down and looked at it. Then she said that it could have been our neighbor's cat, or it could have been our dog Cora. Cora went outside last night as was out for a very long time. After that my mom fed the dogs so I wouldn't have to go by the opossum.

I asked my mom who would get the opossum out cause we don't want to touch it. She said that she didn't know. I said that we better tell the neighbors that share the laundry room with us. My mom said that they would hear the laundry going and not come in. I said it would probably serve our neighbor Tina right to go in there cause she takes our laundry out when it's not her's and throws it around or puts it in the trash.

We went upstairs and started our movie and started cooking dinner.

My day at Camp

This summer I have to go to Summer School. After Summer School I go to Kid's Camp. I don't have Summer School on Fridays. So, every Friday we go on field trips. Today we went to Del Mar Park and we got to take our scooters.

For our Kid's Camp field trips we have to have a buddy and my buddy didn't have a scooter so I let her borrow mine. When we got to the park we headed down to the hockey ring. After a while Dana and I decided to go up to the playground. When we got there we were separated and I didn't know where my scooter was. I went on a big hill to see if I could see her. One of the counselors saw me and told me that I was not allowed up there unless I told a counselor and had a buddy. I told her that I was sorry and that I didn't know that was the rule and I was looking for my buddy. She asked me who was my buddy and I told her Dana was and she said that she thought that Dana went back down to the hockey ring. So, I went down with her to the hockey ring where I saw a couple of my friends.

I asked them where Dana was. A girl named Maya was eaves dropping and she said that I shouldn't need to know where Dana was unless she had my scooter. I told her that I know where my scooter is, it was up at the picnic table, and I still need to talk to her and it was none of her business to say when I should be talking to my buddy. Then I went back up to the play ground with the counselor and I found Dana. When I was done talking with Dana I went up the water fountain to get a drink. When I came back and headed back down to the playground I ran into Maya and she said I was being a big meanie. I tried to tell her that she was hurting my feelings she walked away very rude. I went and told the counselor what happened and she said that she would talk to Maya.

After that I met up with a couple of my friends and they asked me what happened. I told them and a couple of them decided to go under a tree where it was shady. Maya came and called one of them over. When she came back she said that Maya told the counselor that I called her a pig. Maya was just trying to turn my friends against me and for them to become her friends but it didn't work. Counselor Sam came up and told me that Maya and I should keep our space today and not go by each other and if we did we'd just be looking for trouble. I said I would give her space and I would leave her alone.

My friends and I went to the playground, then to the hockey ring. At the hockey ring Maya was there and tried to talk to me. I slowed down on my scooter and told her that Sam told me to stay away from you, so I can't talk to you or else I'll get in trouble. Maya wanted to say that she was sorry, so I accepted the apology and then my friends and I went back to the playground and it was time for snack.

After snack everyone went back to the hockey ring. My friend David and I skated for a while then we went back to the playground. When Sam saw us she asked if we wanted to go to the pond. We went and got Dana and then David, Raven, Counselor Sam and I went to the pond. There were a lot of fish. We tried to catch them, but they were too fast.

After that we went back to Camp where I waited for my mom to pick me up.

Our 4th of July

For our 4th of July we went to Cayucos and saw the 4th of July sand castle contest. We saw some very cool sand castles down there and these are some of the pictures. I hope you enjoy them.