Temperatures:  Our temperatures ranged from a low of 46-51 F. to a high range of 60 to 72.  There has been a warming trend since Sunday and our highest temperature was Friday, March 7, at 72 degrees.

Sky: Our skies have been overcast, cloudy, partly cloudy, foggy in the morning, rainy last week, mostly sunny and totally sunny beginning, Thursday, March 6.

Land: For a few days early in the week water was in the grass from the rain, puddles. It dried up later in the week. The mountains are green because of all the rain and low grass growing around the plants.

Water:  We had no rain this week, but the first week we had several days of rain.  See sky pictures . Pools are warming up, but no swimming yet!  A few weeks ago, one student jumped in her pool for $5. She reported that the water was COOOLD, burrr!

Plants:  Everything is growing because we finally had rain. The grass is growing and green; trees are greening. Flowers are blooming. Most of the desert flowers are yellow.  The oranges, lemons, tangerines and grapefruits are ripe and falling off the trees. Eleven of our third graders and 17 of our fourth and fifth graders have fruit trees in their yards. Fruit trees that have lost their fruit are starting to blossom, give off a sweet fragrance, and are surrounded with bees. Some trees and bushes have buds.  Weeds have popped up quickly and keep popping up each day after the rain. Winter grass is starting to die.  Palm trees are showing signs of fruit growing. Clover plants are growing in yards and on the playground.

Animals:  Bees are buzzing in flowers, birds are chirping in the morning and flying all over (crows, doves, pigeons, cardinals, hummingbird, bats, owls, chickadees, hawk, falcon, vultures in the desert, and quail) Squirrels are scurrying in trees. Ducks are in the lake and were in a swimming pool. (8 third graders and 10 fourth and fifth graders have pools in their yards.) A great horned owl lives in one student's yard and was hooting.   Ants were seen busily building their anthill in the desert. Turtles in a local lake are starting to come up out of the water on a platform. Frogs were seen hopping. A big red lizard and a newt were seen climbing up a wall. A heron was seen flying near a lake.  Birds were seen digging and eating the grass and seeds. A crane was eating a fish in a small nearby lake. Dead bees were seen floating in a swimming pool.

People:  Everyone is wearing light jackets, sweaters and sweatshirts in the morning.  By lunch it is warm enough to play on the playground without a jacket.  Students are wearing long pants, jeans, and short and long sleeved tee shirts.  It has been a little too cold for shorts, but at after school soccer practice, shorts were worn. Some warm -bodied students do wear shorts even though it is still a little cool.