Monday, December 13, 2021

2021 Western Oddysey: Jingle Terrace Lights 12/13

 We drove to Anza to babysit Susannah and Ruth while Bran took Clem to school.  We pick Clemmie up from school about noon. It just didn't work out for me to begin my morning walk till about 11:30. I figured Clem would be busy with her best buddy Jane who would visit right after school. I walked up Anza to Cabrillo Circle, up past the water tank then down toward Vista Village. I walked up Vale Terrace and cut through to the Conservancy Nature Walk then up it and back then down to Wildwood Park and back. Along the way I noticed lots of the long pointy acorns that Clemmie has been collecting from Brengle Terrace Park. It had occuered to me earlier that those could be drilled to make interesting beads for play "jewelry". So I filled my jacket pocket with several dozen of 'em. 

Arriving back after my walk to find the kids occupied I decided to comandeer John's workshop again to see if I could drill the acorns. They are slippery little things so I put a small bit in the drill press and held each acorn with a pair of pliers as I carefully drilled a small hole through the big end. It worked pretty well, though the process produced a fair amount of slimy acorn butter which gave me a minor clean up job when I'd finished. 

As I worked in the shop I heard my favorite word: "Grandshaw!" It turn out not to be one of my granddaughters but her visitor Jane who want to show me her climbing skills on the garden gate. 

Brannon had some pipe-cleaners that worked well for stringing the acorns. She also had some acorn cups - from different, larger acorns, she'd collected for crafts. Some of them have been painted. I took those to the workshop and drilled them as well.

Here are our creations. Clementine seems to like her bracelet.


In the evening we bundled up and drove to Brengle Terrace Park for the "Jingle Terrace" light show. We drove through twice and what fun! Once we were in the drive we let Ruthie out of her carseat to ride in my lap. We had a ball driving through the light displays. Another idea we should import to Rome. They especially loved the animated-light tunnel.


(You will want to kill the sound on this one-minute video of the light tunnel to avoid obnoxious grandfather noises.)


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