Aquarium Class

Last Wednesday's Aquarium Class--

You may notice that Naomi is conspicuously missing from these pics.

That's because she was the extraordinary photographer for the day.

I am very thankful that the photography captured her imagination and made her quite happy to hang out with a crowd, that for the most part, was younger than she was.

Jacob had some buddies, though--and all the pics you don't see (because I deleted about 100 of them) are the blurs of Lyndon and Davis and Jacob running away from Naomi. : )

Heading up to the top floor of the Salt Water Side of the Aquarium for our little class on butterflies

We learned some new and reviewed some old facts about butterflies.

For instance, did you know that butterflies:

*usually only live about a month

*land with their wings straight up (while moths land with wings flat out to the sides)

*along with moths are the only insects with scales

*with bright colors are usually poisonous

*always lay their eggs on the plant that their babies will want to eat

*have over 28,000 different species

*use their antennae for balance

*communicate with chemicals

The view behind me while I teach

One of the reasons I love to teach is that I never cease to learn--and almost always what I learn gives me a huge fascination for the God who doesn't just paint butterflies, He paints each individual butterfly scale.

And after the butterflies it was on to the rest of the aquarium...

Speaking of amazing facts, did you know that octopi momma die after they lay their eggs? They refuse to eat anymore. If the eggs are fertilized, they'll stay alive til they hatch. If not, they immediately begin to starve themselves. One of the octopi at the aquarium (not the one pictured) has laid her 1000s of rice-sized (unfertilized) eggs and is beginning her natural starvation time. So interesting.

Thanks, Naomi, for great pictures from the day!