Friday, May 12, 2017


Field Journal




Date: April 28, 2017

Day of the week: Friday

Location: Wilson Borough, PA (My Backyard)

Time: 3:35 PM

Observers: Jasmin Jackson, Peyton B.(son), Parker J. (son)

Habitat: Big open field of grass. The apartment complex buildings surrounding the north and west outskirt of the property. Trees surround the east and south side of the property. The grass is freshly cut and various trees are newly planted through out the yard.

Weather: 82°  Mostly Sunny and Warm 

Remarks: I feel relaxed and free. Seeing that i have my children participate in this activity, i feel happy because they are happy to be outside. There is no one out here but us three. We have a blanket laid out over the grass so that we can lye down and enjoy the son. 

Comments: I learned that sitting in a calm relaxing environment made us all relaxed. I realized that the talks with my children were more calm and the quality time felt more memorable.
We noticed fresh trees planted but no flowers which prompted us to request fresh flowers planted from management. Our day flowed more positively and it also inspired me to get back into my artwork.  





Personal Account: I was initially worried about my children and if they were going to be a distraction while trying to complete this activity. I was as calm as possible when explaining to them about what were going to do. They were instantly excited because of the thought of going outside. I laid out the blanket and we all sat and talked about our morning and afternoon. My talk about relaxation caused the children to sit Indian style with their middle and thumb fingers touching as if they were meditating. We admired the freshly planted trees and how adorably small they were. We spotted a tan wild rabbit, who hopped close enough for us to see but ran once we inched our way to get close enough to take pictures. We saw lots of squirrels, red & brown birds, and of course ants. Everyone was
inspired to draw and color so we collected the materials needed and did so. After about an hour we noticed our neighbors come out to sit and relax in the yard as well. Due to the overwhelming heat we decided to end the activity. 






Monday, February 27, 2017


         My family is such an important part of my life. Wherever we choose to Live, Grow, and make memories becomes our home. Every apartment or home we reside in never feels complete, but having my family by my side will always make it whole. Starting fresh in our empty apartments just gives us a chance to start a new chapter in our family story. I believe home
is something that we carry with us in our hearts. Home is where I found love and the people that I love. Our family goal is to buy our own home and have a permanent place where we can mark it up with all our memories. Until then, we’re enjoying our home where we are. Home is not a place, home is a feeling. If we have each other, love, comfort, and safety we are home. Being able to share these things with my family is what make life complete. Throughout my childhood, I grew up in my great grandmothers’ home. Although that was home to me then, whenever I go and visit it just doesn’t feel the same. I guess it’s because it’s my childhood that I miss and not particularly the home its self.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Memory Lane


  Five little monkeys jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped his head. Did you catch yourself singing along? That was the first book I ever learned to read. I can remember the day that my aunt purchased the book for me. The day I learned to take a nursery rhyme and apply the words to a book with understanding of which word was which. It was exciting feeling so independent without having to constantly ask an adult “what’s this word?” or “can you read this to me?”.


Since birth I had been spending summers with my aunt, who was a kindergarten school teacher. She had also held various titles throughout the board of education. She had managed to get me registered for kindergarten at her school, where I would start in September. I spent my summer learning everything to get prepared for school. I had taken a proficiency test, which showed I was a bit advanced and was eligible to start kindergarten at as early as 4 years old. She never had children and I had become her muse. She spent her time scheduling my day as if I was being home schooled. She taught me the alphabet, sight words, Colors, Shapes, Nursery rhymes, and Numbers past 100. 

            Applying nursery rhymes to its corresponding book had become my way of learning. I would always ask her to purchase books to songs she had taught. I could sing along to the book and remember what the words were. I was taking the words I started to remember and applying them to new books that were a bit out of my age group. Soon enough I was reading books that no longer needed pictures to help me comprehend words and ideas of what the story was about.

Coney Island, the day trip my mom had decided to surprise my sister and I with. She had invited a host of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents to attend. Since I had been so small, they weren’t many rides that I could enjoy. I remember seeing an attraction called wild woman, a woman who had lived in a snake pit. My older cousins were so excited to see her, that even I begged my mom to let me go up as well. My hands cringed as I walked up those four flights of stairs occasionally looking down at mom in somewhat nervousness. I maneuvered my way to the front, and there she was, standing there behind a huge glass with dozens of large snakes everywhere.

 Many of the children beside me banged on the glass and requested for “Wild Woman” to
move closer, and to everyone’s surprise she did. As she moved closer, I moved back. There she was facing us directly in front of the glass holding her snakes. She paused and looked side to side. She had banged back on the glass, causing the biggest commotion. Everyone started pushing and running and then it happened. I was pushed to the back of the railing and had fallen through the bars down four flights of stairs. My mom quickly picked me up and wrapped my head with her jacket to cover my head injury. After surgery at the hospital, my family was told that I wouldn’t have much of a memory, but my mother and aunt decided that wouldn’t be my fate.

            By middle school, I had won many awards like Honor roll, spelling bees, student of the month, and super reader despite my bad memory. The more I won, the more I desired to learn. While I always ended up being the youngest in my class, I watched quite a few of the older children struggle with words. Class participation was often very minimal, mostly the same student volunteering every day. I hated seeing my class mates hide when the teacher asked “Would anyone like to read next?” The embarrassment on their faces made me want to expand my vocabulary and learn all that I could. I didn’t want to become the student hiding behind my ability.

           
New Year’s Day of 2010 I had become a mom. All that I had learned from my childhood I was destined to teach my child. I had started him with nursery rhymes, alphabets, and counting to 100. Of course, Five little monkeys jumping on the bed would be the first nursery rhyme taught and book purchased. I sat back in awe watching him apply the song to the words in the book as I did years ago, I had taught my child literature, I have taught my child to teach himself.




Monday, February 6, 2017

Meet Julia!



What is your full name?:
Julia Solosky

Where do you currently live?:
Bethlehem, PA

Have you always lived there?:
Yes! All my life!

Well how old are you ?:
I am 24

When is your birthday ?
Dec 16

So you’re a Sagittarius?
Yes I am !

That’s pretty cool, so am I. So what are you majoring in?
I initially planned to major in UT Tech but planning to switch to Assistant Management

Where do you currently work?
I work at A Rare coins gold and silver exchange

So do you have children?
Yes I do! I have two, well they're more of my boyfriends’ children but I love them just as much!

Boyfriend?! Really so how long have you and the lucky guy been together?
We’ve been together for 3 years

So what are his children’s names?
Nia who is 5 years old and cotton who’s 4 years old

Cotton? That’s a weird name ?
Yes Nia and cotton are dogs ( we both burst into laughter) Nia is Malti-Poo and Cotton is a Pittbull.