Three little words

Three little words

The lovable rogue
The lovable rogue

My four year old decided to join me in the room this morning, while I dressed.

Immediately my ego was on high alert! This guy doesn’t hold back with his critiques.

“What are you doing Mammy?”

“Getting dressed”

“Are you going to wear THAT dress?”

“Yes! Yes I am!” (starting to get very tense now)

“Can I jump on the bed?” (He is already in full flight, don’t know why he bothered to ask!)

“No”

“This isn’t really jumping you know?” … gives a good demo of dive bombing across the bed!

“Are they some kind of trousers?”

“No, they’re tights”… No one should ever have an audience when putting on tights!

“Can you walk in those?”

“Yes, funnily enough, I can!”

“Mum?…”

“Yeees???” Steeling myself for what follows….you have a WOBBLY tummy, your bum is VERY big... or maybe…

I think you are getting FAT!

Eventually… and with much reluctance, I meet his gaze…

His face breaks into an unexpected smile.

“….I love you” he says simply.

My heart melts.

With those three little words I know….it is going to be a VERY good day!

 

Colorine Wonderful Mug review

Colorine Wonderful Mug review

There is nothing quite like a cup of tea really, is there?

Well actually I have just discovered something even better and that is… a cup of tea in my very own personalized mug!

I love the blog over at Colorines Wonderful, so when I heard that the talent behind those wonderful doodles was expanding into personalised mugs I was delighted, especially when one was designed just for me!

I know its my mug because it says so on the side!
I know its my mug because it says so on the side!

 

I gave Patricia (the talent behind all this creativity) a couple of ideas and a few days later the mug arrived in the post.

I was so pleased with the results…

this mug really is for me

(it even says so on it!)

 

 

 

I love all the different features that Patricia added to the mug… especially the coke and mentos experiment!

Dr. How has her very own mug!
Dr. How has her very own mug!

Each mug is hand painted and they are all dishwasher and microwave safe.

 

They really do make a lovely gift, so if you fancy treating yourself, or someone else, then check out all the great options and designs at the Colorine Wonderful Etsy shop.

These mugs now come in mini versions…. perfect for the smaller people in your life 😉 There are lots of great Easter ideas on the facebook page and shop. My family is planning a big gathering of the clan soon with the traditional Easter Egg hunt for all the children. I think a personalised mug for each child at the end of the hunt would be a perfect find.

If you haven’t already done so, please check out Colorine Wonderful’s blog and facebook page.

Disclamer: Although I did receive a Colorine Wonderful mug, this is not a sponsored post. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

 

Mystery Creature reveal – the Wolf Eel

Mystery Creature reveal – the Wolf Eel

Did you guess this week’s Mystery Creature? It was the Wolf Eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus) a bit of a misnomer really as it is not an eel at all, but a fish.

 

photo credit: guppiecat via photopin cc
photo credit: guppiecat via photopin cc

 

Here are ten other interesting facts about the wolf eel…

 

1. They belong to the wolffish family but are the only species within the family with these long eel like bodies; their appearance is quite like a normal fish at the head end but then their bodies can extend to eight feet (nearly two and a half metres) long; 

2. Wolf eels are found in the North pacific ocean – covering a range from Japan to Southern California

3. They like to live in deep crevices or caves and often compete with octopus for such prized dwellings

4. They are quiet, solitary creatures, but can be quite aggressive when it comes to their territory; they will fight other wolf eels, octopus and, it has been suggested that they will even ward off sharks

5. They have a mouth full of powerful teeth… three rows on the top and two on the bottom; these teeth are helpful for cracking open the shells of the crabs, sea urchins and other shellfish on which they like to dine.

6. These animals do not pose much of a threat to humans in the water, divers usually report them as gentle and curious

Wolf Eels usually mate for life
Wolf Eels usually mate for life
photo credit: Eva Funderburgh via photopin cc

7. Wolf eels usually mate for life; A female can lay up to 10,000 eggs at a time, coiling her body around the eggs protectively

8. Both parents guard the eggs, the male will often take his turn coiled around the eggs or even coiled around the female as she guards the egg, for added protection

9. They lack a swim bladder and much therefore stay in constant swimming motion to stay afloat. They swim by moving their bodies in an S shape, much like a snake moves across the ground; they are slow moving creatures

10. Wolf eels can live for more than 20 years. They usually do not start to reproduce until about seven years old.

 

Suggested further reading:

The Marine Detective – No ugly fish

Monterey Bay Aquarium on the Wolf Eel

 

Fun Friday…. multi-coloured rose experiment

Fun Friday…. multi-coloured rose experiment

This week’s Fun Friday post is a variation on a previous blog…. but after Greenside Up shared a photo with me of a multi-coloured rose, I just had to try to recreate it.

This experiment is a great way of explaining transpiration… or just creating a colourful rose to dazzle and amaze your friends.

 

You will need...
You will need…

You will need…

 

  • One white (or pale coloured) flower, preferably a rose
  • A number of different food colourings… I used red, green and blue
  • Some small vases or jars
  • A sharp knife

 

What to do…

 

Place an entire bottle of food colouring into each jar and then top up with water until the jar is about half full

Now for the tricky bit, slice the stem of the flower into three pieces* (vertically)… so that the stem splits into three at the end;

Place each piece of the stem into a different jar and prop up if necessary

Leave overnight

*It may be easier to split the stem into four pieces and then either put the fourth part into a jar of water, a jar of a fourth colour, or simply add it into one of the other three jars

 

Split the stem and place each piece in a jar of coloured water
Split the stem and place each piece in a jar of coloured water

 

The results…

 

You should find your rose looks something like this…

The rose gets a make over
The rose gets a make over

 

What is happening…

 

Water is transported up the stem of the flower through little tubes called xylem. The coloured water will travel through the xylem all the way up the stem to various parts of the plant and right up to the flower. The water ultimately evaporates out of the plant through little pores called stromata. This process is called transpiration and is much like perspiration in humans.

The food colouring is drawn up the xylem along with the water, and changes the colour of the petals when it reaches the flower. Different parts of the flower receive their water supply from different xylem, hence different parts of the flower end up different colours.

 Now I have a question for you…. if you remove the flower once the petals are coloured and place it back in plain water…. will the petals retain their colours or lose them? Let me know what you think, or even better, try it out and see!