April Fool Stuff

England

In the Lake District, an April Fool is a - 'April noddy'.
April noddy's past and gone,You're the fool an' I'm none.

In Cornwall, an April Fool is a 'guckaw' or 'gowk', another word for cuckoo (a bird). If a child succeeded in 'taking in' another, he used to shout after him ~ "Fool, fool, the guckaw." On the other hand if the person resisited the trick, he would say ~ "The gowk and the titlene sit on a tree, You're a gowk as weel as me." Titlene refers to a hedge sparrow (a bird).

In Cheshire, an April Fool is a 'April gawby' or 'gobby or gob'.

In Christow in Devon, pranks had to be played in the afternoon. The day there was known as ‘Tail-pipe Day', because it was a custom to pin an inscription ‘Please kick me' to the coat-tails of an unsupecting victim.

Scotland

The day is known ‘Gowkie Day' or ‘Hunt the Gowk'.

In the Orkney Isles, the pranks are transferred to 2nd April, which is known as ‘Tailing Day'.

France
An April Fool is called a 'fish' - 'poisson d'Avril' - and it is the custom to send friends a dainty present made up in the form of a small fish.

Join us for a Migratory Bird Walk?

There is a migratory bird walk being held here in Plainfield on Saturday!
The kids and I are planning to go, unless it is snowing & our colds have gotten worse :(
The free program is sponsored by the Forest Preserve Dist. of Will County. A naturalist will lead the hike in search of migratory birds. The rookery is located on Renwick Road just east of Route 30 & the walk is scheduled for Saturday March 29th at 8am. 7 year olds & up.

Nature Photos Slideshow

Here comes the green!

Yesterday, before the snow of today (GRRRR) hit, we went for a nature walk with friends and spotted all of this lovely green popping up through the brown & grey...I just hope the snow doesn't freeze the poor little sprouts!

Holy Thursday

I love this poem...

Sorry! I'm posting this a bit late for Holy Thursday reflections... but read & reflect anyhow...

The Last Supper

Perhaps at first they talked of little things
At supper-time that evening in the spring-
The upper room was dim with candle-shrine
As Jesus sat with twelve, remembering.

Then quietly He said, "There is one here
Whose kiss will bring betrayal by and by."
They did not look at Judas curiously,
But each man murmured, "Master, is it I?"

Each one looked inward, frightened lest he find
A shoddy place where he had dreamed of steel,
None placed the guilt on any other guest
Who had partaken of that gracious meal...

When they are hungry on my little street,
When I see tears or hear a heart's hurt cry
Because some one has failed to keep high faith,
May I, too, murmur, "Master, is it I?"

Helen Welshimer

It's like magic!

I love it when stuff like this happens...Decide to learn more about birds, and a new species appears!


How cool is it that just as we're immersed in all-things-birdy, a new bird species is "officially discovered"!!!




Ah, poor Togian white-eye from remote area of Indonesia ...
(which, incidentally we just studied & did our 4-H International Fair project on!!!)
- you can hide no more! Read all about them here

Bird humor for kids

What do you call a minor bird accident?A feather bender.
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Why did the duck go ring-ring?He got a phone bill.
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What did the little bird say to the big bird?Peck on someone your own size.
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What do you call a formal dance for ducks?A fowl ball.
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What kind of ducks rob banks?Safe quackers.
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Why was the duck unhappy?His bill was in the mail.
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Why did the pigeon need to get out?He was cooped up at home all week.
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Which bird does construction work?The crane!
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Which birds work underground?Myna (miner) birds.
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What kind of doctor treats a duck?A quack doctor!
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What kind of weather excites a pet duck?Fowl weather, of course!
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What holiday is strictly observed by all birds?Feather's Day!
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Where can birds play professional baseball?In the mynah leagues!