Gem and Flower Show

Every year we read about the Gem and Flower show at the NYS Museum and generally we end up not making it there! This year we made it into a field trip and had a great time. We saw so many interesting gems and rocks.



This was a whole table setting made out of rocks. It was so neat!! The man said it took him 15 years to create everything.



Maddie had many interesting conversations with the exhibitors. Almost every time she would start the conversation with "I want to be a scientist when I grow up."...the kid knows her audience. One man showed us a rock with garnet that had been created by a volcano and another lady had a long conversation about science in general. Another exhibitor did a quick glance around then gave Maddie a piece of amethyst. She charmed him with her discussion of science and Momma pointing out that one of his gems came from Pierrepont, NY. He was checking to make sure there were no other kids around! Maddie gave him a great thank you.
In the middle was a table set up by the Capital District Mineral Club with boxes of sand and rocks to dig through. For $1.25 Maddie was able to bring home 5 rocks of her choosing. They even labeled the bags with the the rock's name and where it came from. Now we have to examine them with a magnifying glass and the microscope and look them up in the rock and mineral book.



Brian, good Dad to Maddie that he is, held Elizabeth Bitty Baby during some of this hunting which was causing some chuckles around us. I told him it takes a real Dad to hold a baby doll.
After we got our fill of gems we headed downstairs to the main museum to check out the flower arrangements. They were so well done and many fit in with the exhibits really well! Here are some of our favorites.
On the steps of Sesame Street:

In the traveling exhibit about ants:


After all the snow yesterday the flowers were a welcome sight!!




We also took Maddie through the exhibit about 9-11 for the first time. She got a general idea, remembered the books we read and seemed to take everything Ok. She got quiet here and there so I think my deep thinker was thinking about things so questions may come up again later. Fortunately Brian and I had already been through the exhibit so we knew what was there and managed without getting too emotional about it. Certainly a sad time for our country and I hope we conveyed it to Maddie correctly!
We are busy with schoolwork!! Maddie is still practicing the presidents and is also working on learning a King Arthur story to tell for her 4H presentation which is coming up soon. We are also busy planning for next year already and getting ready to attend a homeschool convention in June. So much to do and so much to look forward to also!!