It Was A Dark And Stormy Night

It's science fair time AGAIN.....and STILL....and any other word I can use instead of the expletive that I'd really prefer to think and say. Really--I'm glad the kids like them, but it's driving me CRAZY. The nice thing is that they're getting a little more independent in getting them done.

Independence, however, is a relative term. Tre' is independent, but his project involves driving to opposite sides of our valley at least once a week to collect water samples from natural springs and from golf courses (i.e.--Do golf courses cause pollution? As a side note--was that really a brilliant move on my part to suggest this since I'm employed by a golf course? Thank goodness the pollution is minimal--frankly, the coyotes cause more than the people!)

Our desert doesn't get a lot of rain--so when DJ heard that we were getting a rainstorm this weekend, he told Tre'. Tre' wanted to get samples before and after the storm, SO.....we started collecting water at 6:30. The desert (and golf course) are DARK at 6:30. We got through the golf course, and then headed up to the hills. Our home is a mile or two from the San Andreas fault line and we have a ridge of palm tree oases with natural streams, etc. It's also the home to several packs of coyotes--we can hear them frequently at night. It was blowing, cold, and dark by the time we got out of the car. I looked at my 7 year old, and he was wearing his snowboots from our trip to Utah (I've had to peel them off his feet several mornings on his way out to school. I will NOT have Napolean Dynamite for a child). We started hiking through the desert, and I went into "mom" mode (i.e. "If you let go of my hand the coyotes will eat you"). As a result, Josh was literally glued to my leg. Madi decided that it would be a lot of fun to howl at the coyotes--and I decided to join her--and then the coyotes decided to join in as well! Tre' kept disappearing into gloomy palm tree strands with a zillion coyote footprints leading in as well. I kept imaging a whole herd/flock/pack/snarl of them....waiting in the gloom....

Guess what--it was SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!