Science Experiment

ILLUMINATION

This is the first annual entry into the Hiebert Family & Friends Science Fair.

The entry is titled "Illumination".

The idea came from a link on Facebook and it follows at the end of the blog. Please view it to see the application of this project. The object is to create illumination or light with simple objects.

We filled a 2 litre pop bottle with clean tap water and added 2 capfuls of household bleach. An empty box served as a "house" and a hole was cut in the top for the bottle to stick through and a hole at the bottom of one side to serve as a "door". A sheet of tinfoil was used to seal out the light around the bottle, around the edge of the hole in the box.





bottle & tinfoil bleach

The bottle of water was inserted through the open lid of the box and raised slightly on a platform made of a tin can, so that about a quarter of the bottle was sticking out the top of the box. The lid was closed and tin foil pushed around the edge so that only the top of the bottle was visible.

Papa Larry with project Grandma Pearl with project

We took the box outside in the sunlight and covered the top of the bottle with a dark cloth and took a picture of what the inside looked like.

Then we uncovered the top of the bottle and allowed the sun to shine on it and took pictures of what the inside of the box looked like with the light or illumination of the sun through the bottle of water looked like.bottle of water

uncovered bottle uncovered - close-up

Then we tried doing the same thing adding figures to the inside of the box, pretending it was their house, covered and then uncovered. (looks like light off and then on).

family in dark house family in illuminated house

It was a fun and easy experiment.

Unfortunately, the box was too small a space to do a true experiment of how much light would enter with only a hole cut in the top, but the bottle of water certainly disperses the light or illuminates over a larger area.

Please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zMAWztZ6TI&noredirect=1

Hopefully this works for you. If not, go on youtube and type in lite in a litre.

Seems like a great invention for those living where they do not have access to electricity like we have!
Have fun with the science fair and learn lots!

Out of Town Times

The spring and summer has been dotted with short jaunts, like work weekends at Sioux Narrows,

meeting our Californian friends in Minnesota watching them construct their log cabin,

an amazing fishing weekend in Sioux Narrows with our friend Perry and our Winnipeg kids and grandkids, an overnighter in Kenora with friends. So many great times.

Chad, Larry and Perry flew out (thanks Perry)for early morning fishing. They returned with a successful catch of pickerel and crappie

It was exciting to see how pumped the grandgirls were to go up in the air in this float plane, and going fishing to a fly-in lake.

The sunsets were incredible over the lake and we enjoyed the tranquil evenings (tired out).

Springtime in Winnipeg

With projects completed and after final farewells from Dominican friends, we headed home almost 3 weeks ago. We were greeted at the airport after midnight by Chad and it was so good to see him after 3 months away. He took us through the frosty night and deposited us at home, rather weary. Tannis met us at the door! She and their 3 children had taken a road trip from their home in BC and got here a couple of hours ahead of us. The kids were tucked in for the night at 1:00 am but Tan got up to welcome us.

The first week at home was a real treat with lots of family time, including day to day activity and some outings like exploring The Forks, Wildewood playground and the public library on a rainy day. We got together several times with Chad and Crystal and the girls, to hang out at their house, go swimming, have pizza supper, had a grandkids sleepover in our livingroom, and goodbye sundaes at McDonalds. The bonding time passed quickly and they were on their way home again. They got to spend some time with Mark and almost got bogged down in late spring snow.

So, we are again processing all the changes, jumping from culture to culture, hot country for a frozen land coming back to life. The spring flooding is happening in the Red River Valley once more but it appears the crest will not be as extreme as forecast earlier. There are communities evacuated and highways closed and we are following the development with interest.

We are glad to be home and happy to have had the chance to see extended family as well. Larry's family gathered at our house for an Easter dinner with the traditional baked ham, pan fried potatoes, salads, some plumi moos and lots of treats. As usual, it was a blast with all that Friesen humour out of hand.

We are not sure what lies ahead, but for now getting into a routine sounds good.

One month left (written in March 2011)

Life has assumed a normal day to day. We realize how much so when we get visitors from home and they comment on the novelties and we again see through their eyes. You got to love the donkeys and horses plodding along the country roads, same time every day, carrying the two big milk cans and a man in the saddle, occasionally an added sack of rice over the back for the man to sit on. Poor beast.

The house construction is progressing quickly. Though a small house, it takes time to get materials out there over that holey road, and everything takes longer with the lack of modern tools. A machete is a versatile tool, cutting through poles, cutting planks or tin for the roof. (Kind of like our multi-use utility knife or duct tape which is good for everything.)

The electricity is in, doors are installed, windows still missing. An outdoor kitchen with a firepit to cook on has been begun, with poles in place.

The family continues to be a joy. The father works hard everyday (little employment available right now anyway)helping the contractor. Mama tries to keep clothes washed, rice cooked and pigeon peas cooked, and tries to earn a little by selling lollipops, homemade peanut brittle and pencils to tourists coming by. The 2 girls are mostly just smiling and hugging while little brother is shy and does not yet speak.

We have had interesting involvement with work groups like Dominican Connection International and the Open Door Group from Winnipeg and Morris. As a result, we have been active in areas like Arroyo Seco, Los Charamicos, Villa Paraiso, and Los Algodones. We have assisted in picking and digging dirt, then compacting it for floors and going on fun outings like taking the cable car up the mountain in Puerto Plata. Amazing view of the Caribbean water, the city and rolling hills.

Here's a sampling of these activities.

These groups are so energetic (did I mention I turned 65 in the meanwhile?!) and inspiring in their compassion for the people.

Oh yeah, we were happy to assist an upstart church group in Villa Liberacion with pouring cement for their floor. What a transformation. At least now their plastic lawn chairs won't wobble around on rocks. They take this all in stride, happy without and happier with.

Most have been raised in poverty and we marvel at their positive attitudes and grateful worship of God who meets their daily needs.

We have had friends come and go, most sharing whole heartedly in our activities, opening their hearts to those they meet. Right now Lee & Gerri are here, with Lee staying till the end of the month. They are in the condo next to ours and we get to share work, food and friends.

There has been busyness and we have to deliberately remind ourselves to stop to see the beauty and quaintness around us, as well as enjoy our Dominican friends. Three months away from home seems like a very long time sometimes, especially when special occasions come and we miss our family and would love to be there with them. Always the balance.

One month down

It is already February which means we have spent one month here in the Dominican Republic. Life is good. The weather has been pretty much perfect from our perspective, with lots of sun and heat. We have had a few overnight showers to clean the air and keep dust down. Unfortunately, we made it to the beach only once last week when we went touring to Playa Grande with Lon & Pat (Larry's brother). They (http://pfriesen@blogspot.com) were here for a week and thoroughly enjoyed the change from the record snowfall back home. Much has happened since the last blog. Our friends Bert & Elma came for two weeks all inclusive vacation to the Casa Marina and while they were here, we came across a family in the country who were losing their rented shack and were hoping to finish purchasing a piece of property so they could build a house. As they have barely enough to put food on the table, their plan was to go cut wood on the hillsides and use that for constructing a shelter.

We and our friends felt compelled to assist them in their plight and so there is a simple brick house under contruction out in the country, on top of a little hill, in a valley between larger hills.

We are enjoying the happy people but are not that crazy about the road leading to the construction site. A 4x4 vehicle would better navigate the gouges (or a motorbike could skirt them?).

Dominican Republic de nuevo

Yes, we are back in the lovely breezy caribbean island. After a wonderful Christmas season with our Winnipeg and Calgary kids and grandkids and pets, (yeah, warm communication with the BC kids and grandkids), we again left Jan 4 for Sosua.

We have rented the same condo we were in last winter and have been re-connecting with so many Dominican friends. They always graciously welcome us and it is a pleasure to see everyone again. We entertained the first week back by inviting a family of 5 to our condo for espegetti and meatballs. There was a power outage just after the meal was done so we had our dessert on the balcony by dollarama led light.

There is always a transition time, from closer family & friends times during the holiday season at home to returning to relationships that have grown slightly distant over the last 9 months. It helps when, as in this year, the weather is beautiful rather than rainy for 2 weeks like last year. We are adjusting and are so thankful for internet for communication with you all.

This year, we will be assisting several work groups coming out from Manitoba and are expecting some friends and also some family to come check out the scene and enjoy a holiday. We are excited about that.

We are asking God to direct our involvement and know it will be an interesting time.

Thanksgiving 2010

Oh, way overdue on this posting.
Our family travelled to Canmore, Alberta some from BC, some from Manitoba and from Alberta for the Thanksgiving weekend. Unfortunately our car developed a mechanical problem and we had to stop for a quick repair in Calgary before moving on. We all booked in at the Poccaterra Inn where we again enjoyed the pool (with fast waterslide), hot tub, great complementary breakfasts and ping pong in the games room. The area is breathtakingly beautiful and everyone got out to hike a local trail.

It was fun to watch the cousins re-connecting after a year, as though no time had elapsed. They spent hours in the pool and slide, running the hallways and just hanging out. The energy was pretty impressive.

Family times like this are memory makers and we returned home after a quick visit to the Okanagan to see Tannis & Jer and the family in their home, and spending an ovenighter with Mark & Roel in Calgary.
p.s. we have the best family ever.