We are back from Joshua Tree in time to Celebrate our Planet and her Amazing Diversity of Life: Plant, Animal and Geological. I will be hosting an Earthday Show & Tell. Kids can bring or share special 
memories of their planet, or how they have made it better. Here are a few ways my family and our involved friends have made a difference by protecting as well as enjoying Earth. 
One way we can is by planting seeds, growing our own food, and experiencing the cycle of plantlife. 
The craft for Earthday is PLANTING.
We will need: Seeds and Seedlings you wish to share. And a stack of Newspapers so I can show everyone how to make biodegradable potters to bring your plants home and put in your indoor or outdoor gardens. If anyone has Milkweed plants which is the only food for Monarchs, bring those to share too.
My family has taken many conservation “walk-abouts” with Tracker Rob. 
In conjunction with the Tree people, we have taken out invasive plants and planted indigenous species. As members of the Topanga Wildlife Youth Group, my children participated in a sacred red-tailed hawk release as well as helped biologists record, research and remove invasive crayfish from the Topangacreek. For several years, I volunteered by going out around midnight to count the elusive grunion fish that come ashore to mate during sprint and summertime full moons. 
Find out a way that you can get involved to help protect your environments and the your personal web-of-life. Your family will have a sense of pride and an added connection to the world outdoors. This is one of the best ways to prevent cynicism and complacency from taking hold of a human being.
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Recently, Esme and I took in a concert with Samite , born and raised in Uganda, fled to Kenya as a refuge in 92′. He has founded a few organizations including Musicians for World Harmony. 
Samite was the subject of the documentary, “Song of the Refuge” and featured in the doc that is freestreaming on Netflix, “Alive Inside,” about using music to awaken the spirit of those in later stages of Alzheimers. Samite, played many instruments for us including the Kalimba. He also had us join in with him as he sang a beautiful song that he calls his Dalia Lama song, as he performed it for him once. Samite joked about how silly it seemed to him how everyone backstage cried after the Dalai Lama thanked them for their songs, until he did the exact same thing.
Samite is also one of the artists on Putumayo’s African Playground album – track #8 titled – Munomuno
With a bit of wood-working (sanding and maybe even sawing) as well as screwing into wood – anyone can create their own hand held finger piano or Kalima/Mbira.
I will also get the kids to join in on the live telling/acting out of a Griot tale (African Folktale). Drums and other instruments will make great accompaniments – so bring your instruments.
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One of our most recent additions to parkday is a great Dad who is from Venezuela. With his family’s assistance, Enrique will take us through a tour of his country, share bits of Venezuela culture and give us a mini-Spanish lesson to boot! (and Potluck will take place from 11:30-12:30.)
Home to a huge diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats, Venezuela is considered to be among the 17 most megadiverse countries in the world
. For those of you who have seen the Pixar movie, UP, you might remember the destination was Paradise Falls. It was based on the longest uninterrupted waterfall on our planet, Angel Falls. Wanna guess where that is? Yup – Venezuela!
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Jaguars, Mountain Lion, Snow Leopard, Leopard, & Cheetah. Visit online, Discover Kids on Big Cats to be amazed and inspired for our crafts. With the craft supplies I provide, you can make a Tiger, Snow Leopard, Cougar or Jaguar out of paper that can run. 
And if you bring an all white or solid-colored T-shirt, you can stencil a Big Cat of your choice and 
add the words, “Save the Big Cats!” Feel free to check out the Lesson Plan by National Geographic for ages 8-11 that I will be utilizing for our blanket learning time.
Last week at the Broad Stage, some of us had the opportunity to learn from Steve Winter, a 20 year veteran of National Geographic, about Big Cats, their habitats and how to help protect them. With his videos and photos, he enthralled us with stories of how he photographed and wrote the first Jaguar story to make it in National Geographic; his coldest adventures capturing the image of Snow leopards in the Himalayas; evading charging Rhinoceroses while shooting tigers, and his most recent photo stake-out to collect images of LA’s Puma, P-22 whilst roaming near the Hollywood sign in Griffith park.
Steve Winters also lit a fire about the possible LAND BRIDGE that Los Angeles is considering, that would allow wild animals, like our resident Mountain Lion P-22 to go back and forth from Griffith Park to Santa Monica Mountain Range. One location proposed is less than a mile from where our homeschool co-op meets up weekly.
To see some of these African and Asiatic cats in person, about a dozen MudPies and Butterflies Families have visited CatHaven just outside Sequoia national Park during on our annual Family Campouts. Here we met Clouded Leopards, Jaguars, Jaguarundis, Cervils, Caracals, Tigers, Lions, Leopard cubs, a Cheetah and a Snow Leopard that licked the founder’s bald spot (through a fence, but still!) These creatures are ambassadors for all North American humans to better understand the need to protect not only Big Cats of Asia and Africa, but why protecting their habitats and the surrounding villagers is also crucial. Take the time with us, or with your families, to experience the majesty of these animals and your role in ensuring your descendants will also have them in their world.
Inspired by Steve Winter’s stake-out in Griffith Park, my daughters picked Mountain Lions to investigate and study at a deeper level. Ula drew their favorite prey, the Mule Deer. Esme drew the camouflaged cub, and to highlight what we learned about the “crepuscular” hunter’s eyes, I drew the face of a Mother Mountain lion.
(More cones than rods, pupils dilate 3 times wider than humans, etc).
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Is there a City in the world that you can dress in their fashion? Is there [...]]]>
What City will you Show us?
Is there a City in the world that you can dress in their fashion? Is there a City or Country you can tell us about and we get to guess which one it is? Bring a flag, make one at home, or use the supplies at our craft tables. 
I will outline the world in chalk on the basketball court and each family can plot up to 3 cities on the GIANT Map and help color in the country where it is located.
And as it is our 3rd Thursday Dinner Potluck…Bring a dish from one o
f these cities/countries for our Int’l Potluck that starts at 5:00. Don’t forget to bring your own plates, utensils (carbon-footprint thing) and a mug, as I will have a cooking stove with a kettle on to go with our wonderful assortment of donated teas (bring some filtered water from home to fill up the kettle).
And the fun doesn’t stop there. Immediately following our potluck, we will start our all Ages Talent Show (as our Sequoia Talent show was cancelled due to rain). And to keep the Camping Talent Show energy alive, we will convert the park’s BBQ into a fire pit…so bring sticks and Marshmallows. And don’t forget your fold-out chairs to make our large circle around the fire for the Talent show.
Curious as what talent you want to bring to the impromptu stage? Storytelling, Songs, Musical instruments, Magic Tricks, performances of any kind. It is all welcome and well-received. Don’t forget the props or musical accompaniment before you pull out of the driveway. FYI – Potlucks are open to all of your family and friends. Show off your homeschool mojo to people who care!
