In Winston-Salem last week, Paul set up his telescope so Simon could (for the first time) see the stars & planets in the sky, instead of in his (increasingly large) collection of books and encyclopedias about outer space, which feature the latest and most magnificent photos from the Hubble Space Telescope.
Paul worked hard for a long time to get the telescope set up and pointed in the right direction. You could see Saturn, with its articulated rings!
Simon looks through the telescope and looks back up, kind of confused. "But why isn't it in color?"
He did, however, spend the rest of the week making sure I understood (since I wasn't there) that he saw the real Saturn in the real sky. And the real Mars. And the real Orion Nebula.
Monday, March 31, 2008
How very 21st Century
We're at the Pee Dee Town Creek Indian Mounds historic site somewhere in the piedmont of North Carolina.
There is a recreated Pee Dee village (one of the Mississippian tribes) which includes a palisades and several structures, including one we are told is a ceremonial building. Simon decrees that we should pretend we are visiting Pee Dees from another town and we are here for a special ceremony. We sit on the benches. He declares that Jay is the "Mayor-Rabbi" and must lead the ceremony. Jay stands up and begins to make an inspiring speech.
About halfway through, Simon raises his hand. "Excuse me, Mayor-Rabbi," he says, "I have to step out for a minute, I have a call on my cell and I have to take it."
There is a recreated Pee Dee village (one of the Mississippian tribes) which includes a palisades and several structures, including one we are told is a ceremonial building. Simon decrees that we should pretend we are visiting Pee Dees from another town and we are here for a special ceremony. We sit on the benches. He declares that Jay is the "Mayor-Rabbi" and must lead the ceremony. Jay stands up and begins to make an inspiring speech.
About halfway through, Simon raises his hand. "Excuse me, Mayor-Rabbi," he says, "I have to step out for a minute, I have a call on my cell and I have to take it."
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
what is "old"?
We were at the Bonsai Museum the other day looking at trees. Each tree's label said how old the tree was. David & Marnie had promised a 17th century tree, so we were on the lookout. Simon saw many trees from the 1880s, the 1850s, the 1830s...still no 1600s trees. We keep looking.
Finally, we see it...a tree in the Japanese Pavilion from 1640 or so. Jay & I go on and on about old the tree is, this tree is so old, it was around before the United States was a country. This tree is so old, it's older than George Washington. This tree is so old....etc. Simon is looking at us skeptically.
"Well," he finally says. "it's not as old as a shark fossil."
Finally, we see it...a tree in the Japanese Pavilion from 1640 or so. Jay & I go on and on about old the tree is, this tree is so old, it was around before the United States was a country. This tree is so old, it's older than George Washington. This tree is so old....etc. Simon is looking at us skeptically.
"Well," he finally says. "it's not as old as a shark fossil."
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Leaving the Majestic 20
Moments after viewing the film "Horton Hears A Who," I asked Simon what he thought of the movie.He thought for a moment.
"It's on my list of top 10 movies of all time," he answered.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
if only...
Simon got a little papercut today, no big deal but he got a bandaid anyway.
Getting into the bath, he took off the bandaid (since it would get wet) and looked carefully at his thumb where the cut used to be.
"I think the carrots I had for dinner worked! My cut is totally healed!"
Getting into the bath, he took off the bandaid (since it would get wet) and looked carefully at his thumb where the cut used to be.
"I think the carrots I had for dinner worked! My cut is totally healed!"
Monday, March 3, 2008
Looking forward...
Me: "what are you going to be when you grow up?"
Simon: "a meteorologist."
Me: "I thought you were going to be a paleontologist."
Simon: "well, they study olden times. Meteorologists study the future."
Simon: "a meteorologist."
Me: "I thought you were going to be a paleontologist."
Simon: "well, they study olden times. Meteorologists study the future."
on being a 'real' author
Simon & I made a book this weekend, it's about space and galaxies. Simon wanted it to look as real as possible (the cover is contact-paper-covered cardboard, and the pages are taped in there together).
On the cover, to show people that it was going to be a "real book" with "real pictures," he drew a special picture of a galaxy and wrote "National Geographic" on top ("because everybody knows how good their pictures are."). He asked me to help him color in the planets on the cover, making sure to remind me that "it's a National Geographic book so you have to use your best coloring."
On the title page, he started writing "by..." and then decided that he wouldn't write "Simon," he'd pick a pen name. "Because I want it to look like it's a real book so it has to have the name of a real author. Like David MacMillan." [who is that? I have no idea.]
I pointed out that since he would be writing the book, he was, in fact, the author.
"No," he said. "I'm not a book writer, I'm 5. Maybe when I grow up I will be a book writer. That's my choice, but I haven't chosen yet."
On the cover, to show people that it was going to be a "real book" with "real pictures," he drew a special picture of a galaxy and wrote "National Geographic" on top ("because everybody knows how good their pictures are."). He asked me to help him color in the planets on the cover, making sure to remind me that "it's a National Geographic book so you have to use your best coloring."
On the title page, he started writing "by..." and then decided that he wouldn't write "Simon," he'd pick a pen name. "Because I want it to look like it's a real book so it has to have the name of a real author. Like David MacMillan." [who is that? I have no idea.]
I pointed out that since he would be writing the book, he was, in fact, the author.
"No," he said. "I'm not a book writer, I'm 5. Maybe when I grow up I will be a book writer. That's my choice, but I haven't chosen yet."
that's one way to put it...
Simon learned about the story of Purim in Sunday School this week. In the story, Haman plots to kill the Jews. When his evil scheme is discovered, he is hanged on the same gallows that he had prepared. (Or at least that's how I heard it).
I was curious to know how the teacher dealt with this story with her class of impressionable kindergartners. Simon recounted the story to me. He noted that at the end of the story, Queen Esther and King Ahashuarus lived happily ever after. I asked what happened to Haman.
"Well," he said, "he pretty much went out of business."
[still not sure what exactly the teacher said...but this was his interpretation.]
I was curious to know how the teacher dealt with this story with her class of impressionable kindergartners. Simon recounted the story to me. He noted that at the end of the story, Queen Esther and King Ahashuarus lived happily ever after. I asked what happened to Haman.
"Well," he said, "he pretty much went out of business."
[still not sure what exactly the teacher said...but this was his interpretation.]
Questions of the weekend...
[when making a list of colors:] "is white a color?"
[when organizing his bookshelves into 'fiction' and 'nonfiction':] "is the Bible fiction?"
[when discussing his uncle & grandfather's recent trip to the equatorially-located Ecuador:] "is there really a dotted line on the actual earth where the equator is?"
[when organizing his bookshelves into 'fiction' and 'nonfiction':] "is the Bible fiction?"
[when discussing his uncle & grandfather's recent trip to the equatorially-located Ecuador:] "is there really a dotted line on the actual earth where the equator is?"
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