The kids and I went to the Jepson Museum yesterday for a Free Family Day. We viewed the travelling exhibit of Dutch-inspired paintings by Americans and we listened to a lutenist for a while. We also bought things in the gift shop, of course! The kids made a lion and dinosaur last night from their new clay model set, which had the skeletons included for a structural base.
Michael stayed home, abandoned by us, to work on the chicken coop--as colder weather is approaching and we've had an issue with an opossum letting itself into the coop! He built a nesting box for the chickens, which is exciting, though we don't expect eggs for a few months. The coop isn't finished yet, but it's getting there. It is enclosed, though, as it's always been, with wire fencing, but he's putting up walls and such.
I hope the chickens survive the hazards of predators... This business of staying alive is difficult for a chicken. Last week alone, we had two episodes with an opossum and another with a cat prowling and pouncing at the coop. The cat incident was during the day, actually, when I normally let them out of the coop to roam the back yard (which is enclosed with a privacy fence). It's enough to consider keeping them cooped up, but they are so very wonderful running all over the yard, scratching and eating up the nuisance bugs. Besides, I'm convinced that they are some of the prettiest chickens in the whole world, and I love seeing them running around the yard through the kitchen windows. Maybe it's 'parental' bias, as I think that my own children are unbelievably gorgeous, too! I'd miss the chickens if they were stuck in their coop and run.
Anyhow, I should have stayed home to help him, I suppose, but I jump at these educational opportunities, and these travelling museum exhibits are really once-in-a-lifetime events. Speaking of which, I believe there's a Leonardo da Vinci exhibit currently at the High Museum in Atlanta through February... we must go! Some of the pieces are on display in the Unites States for the first time ever. It would be a shame to miss his art when they've brought it so close to us, while I can completely imagine happily travelling to Europe and spending time there to view his work!
Hmm, I do have a personal da Vinci anecdote... When I was 9 years old, my father was stationed in Germany for 3 years. We only took one real vacation in Europe, aside from day trips, and that was to spend a week in Barcelona, Spain. While rummaging around in some small street shops, we found a junk shop which sold paintings in an alley. Being only nine, I became extremely excited when I found the Mona Lisa in an antique frame there. I bought the painting for 350 pesetas (about $3.50) and secretly thought that I may have found the original but long-lost famous painting in the shop and that it might be worth millions! I toted that painting all over the city with me that day, and the print currently hangs in our kitchen, next to my window view of the chickens!
Anyhow, I don't believe the Mona Lisa is in this High Museum exhibit, but I've got that one covered:). The Louvre probably doesn't want to give that one up very often, I'd imagine!
So...I'm feeling terribly guilty about skipping out on working on the coop this weekend, though I know Michael had it covered. He could have used some help, and we had planned to work on the coop this weekend, but I didn't really hear about the exhibit/family day until just a couple of days before and hated to miss a cultural opportunity for the kids (and myself!).
Guess I'll have to make it up to him later! Sometimes there just doesn't seem to be enough time for everything...
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