Horsing around on Naushon Island!

This fall we went on a field trip to the easternmost island of the Elizabeth Island chain, Naushon Island.   Most of the Elizabeth Islands are privately owned by the Forbes family except for our Cuttyhunk Island and Penikese Island.  We were invited to Naushon to stay there overnight and met another Gosnold student, 5-year-old Spike.  We learned how to groom and ride a horse!   This was our first time ever riding a horse and we were pretty excited!

Here we are outside the Naushon stables with our new friend Spike who is 5 years old.

Then we met Spike's Dad Clay who runs the stables.  He taught us how to groom the horses and be safe inside the stable.  You have to use quiet voices and not run around.  
Clay is showing Carter how to detangle the horse Rosie's tail. 

Gwen is grooming the mane of Peanut the horse.

Gwen is using a tool to clean out the bottom of Peanut's hoof while Spike watches her. 

Carter is grooming Rosie with a curry brush.  
There are lots of steps involved in grooming a horse.

We got into our chaps and helmets and got ready to ride! 

We learned how to get on the horse, sit in the saddle, hold the reins, use our heels and talk to our horse.  Gwen was so nervous her knees were shaking but she did a great job riding! 

Carter felt a little nervous but rode very well! 

Carter is off and riding down the trail but he's checking to make sure we are following him! 

Our teacher, Ms. Dunn, had ridden horses before so she wasn't nervous, just happy! 

                  Our Mom's horse wanted to stop and eat everything along the trail. 

Then all of our horses' friends came running down the hill to say "hello" to them! And one decided to join us for the rest of the ride. 

                      Carter is leading his horse through and around the visiting horses. 

         It was fun watching all of the sheep being herded into their pen before sunset. 

We met a llama who guarded the flock of sheep, a herd of goats, and a very friendly sheep named "Chocolate".  She had a very thick coat, liked to eat leaves from our hands, and was so sweet we wanted to bring her home! 

After our ride, we visited Naushon's solar field which makes most of the island's electricity and surprised a White-tailed deer.

                                                

                                                             What a pretty place!

                                       This was the view from our bedroom windows! 

Our Dad arrived with his boat at the dock the next morning. We couldn't believe it was already time to go home! 

        Goodbye to Naushon and thank you to our friend Spike and his family for a great visit! 

                                                                   Until Next Time,
                                                                The Cuttyhunk Kids

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL FROM CUTTYHUNK ISLAND!

As Christmas arrives we would like to wish each one of you the happiest of holidays, good times and memories shared with family and friends, hugs full of love, lots of fun and laughter, delicious food and treats to eat, and most importantly peace on Earth!  Merry Christmas Everyone!

Please click on the link below to view our funny holiday video - it may take a few minutes to load - turn on your sound and enjoy!  Starring Carter, Gwen, Ms. Dunn, Toby on guitar and Bella.  :)

CuttyhunkElementaryElfYourselfvideo

Until 2014!

See you next year! 

The Cuttyhunk Kids

What's Cooking on Cuttyhunk?

Ciao! This month we have been learning how to cook some foods from the country of Italy.   Each Wednesday afternoon we go to our Culinary Arts class with Chef Kathy Olsen.   Culinary Arts is another name for Cooking.  We have our own chef jackets and hats to keep our clothes and the food clean.  We froze some of the Italian food and then served it all to our parents and teachers in a 4-course Italian meal!

This is Carter and Gwen making an Italian dinner for their parents and seven other friends.
We learned how to set the table for a special occasion.  

Carter is making a Caesar dressing for the salad.

They're now putting it on the Caesar salad and it looks good!

Mangia!  Everyone is eating now and they are really enjoying it!

Carter is topping the cheesecake and it looks so yummy!

The Ricotta Cheesecake is all ready to eat!

Here are our chefs Carter, Gwen, and Chef Kathy. 

They're getting ready for cooking!

 As you can see,  it takes a lot of work to make a big dinner.  Gwen is making meatballs with hamburger.

Gwen is making the meat into round meatballs!

They will be delicious!

Gwen has made a funny meat face ha ha!

Carter is cooking the meatballs in a frying pan.

Carter is happy to make make meatballs and has a milk mustache.

Gwen is chopping some celery for the meatballs.

Gwen is crying from chopping the onions.

Carter is chopping away!

Carter is stirring the sauce and……...

……….they made tomato sauce!

Carter and Gwen made stuffed mushrooms and they look good!

"Want one?"
Until next time Arrivederci from the Cuttyhunk kids!

Have you ever fed jelly to a Black bear?

Last week, we visited the Buttonwood Zoo in New Bedford, MA.   This is a beautiful small zoo and we had an exciting day there doing a special "Behind the Scenes" guided tour.  On a gorgeous late summer day we headed off island for a great day of learning.  We met one of our School Committee members, Jay Hess, at the main gate and he toured the zoo with us. Our first surprise was meeting another Toby!

Carter is feeling very excited about going to the zoo.  Cuttyhunk Island is in the background.

Gwen is having a good time on the boat ride to New Bedford, MA.

When we first got to the zoo we saw a bison - he was HUGE!

This is Toby, the bear, and he is having a treat right now. 

Toby can sit down like a dog and it's very cool.

Toby has another treat while we watch him. He weighs almost 500 pounds!

Carter is scratching the bear and the trainer who feeds Toby is also giving him treats at the same time. 

Toby is licking off some jelly off a spoon (yum!)

Carter is hand feeding Toby some jelly.

Now, Gwen is hand feeding Toby some jelly. 

Carter is putting some peppermint water drops around the bear habitat so it gets the bears' noses going. 

Carter is putting some in a bush to try and trick the bears.

Gwen is throwing some treats around the bears' habitat. 

Toby the bear is looking for some treats that Gwen just hid.   We are watching them from behind a glass wall now.

Its time to say goodbye to the bears and to go and see the elephants. 

This is Emily the Asian elephant and she is eating some carrots, apples and bananas. 

On the right is Ruth the elephant, she likes carrots too.  They are 49 and 55 years old!

Gwen feeding carrots to Emily the elephant.

Carter feeding Ruth the Asian elephant.

At the Harbor seals we tossed rings into them in the water and they brought them back to their trainer for a small fish.

After we left the zoo we got some excellent ice cream at Coldstones and then we went home!

 Until next time,
The Cuttyhunk Kids