"What is that?" You ask? Don't tell me your son doesn't dissect owl pellets and reconstruct mice skeletons too?But that's exactly what he gave me. It was a school science project where the children were given little fur balls that owls cough up after a meal, the ones that contain all the undigestable parts of the meal, only they're not called fur balls but owl pellets. Spencer told me with pride how he got an A on the assignment because his bones were in the correct order and that he'd cleaned them so well. Gulp.
"You cleaned the bones yourself?"
"Yup," he said with a smile.
I looked at his rather dirty hands with new-found horror.
"Oh." Gulp. "Thanks, uh, it's lovely Spencer. I'll put it on the fridge."
It ought to help me diet. I think I've lost my appetite.
Technorati tags: Wordless Wednesday, biology, Alaska, photographs
I remember goinging on a hike once and finding the mother load...a ton of owl pellets...or some other predator bird. I happily took them all apart.
ReplyDeleteNow that I think about it. It is kind of gross.
greetings by way of Heffalump!
You know our cat coughs up some scary-looking pellets as well. Just give me an email if your son needs another science project. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteThat is WAY cool. Gross, but way cool!
ReplyDeleteI think that's pretty cool. I guess they are wrapped in fur so they don't hurt their insides?
ReplyDeleteIs that seriously a mouse? It's more the size of a rat. But I suppose that's not the point. The real point is your son opened owl pellets and cleaned mouse bones and somehow put the bones in the correct order. I am both gagging and impressed... but more just gagging.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and Happy WW.
Angel Mama ():)
He did great work...but I think I'd gulp. too!!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet this is a first for your fridge decor.
ReplyDeleteI remember doing this same thing when I was in school :) !!
ReplyDeleteI remember doing the same thing as a student. I actually thought it was pretty cool....but then again I like anatomy and knowing how the body works together. I think this exhibit looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteI did it in school, too. Where did you guys grow up? I did it at a children's museum in North Carolina.
ReplyDeleteMy brothers did a cat skeleton once for a science fair. It was a long and involved process including bleaching bones in a big vat in the backyard, but man it was cool once it was complete!
ReplyDeleteWell done boys!
Uhhh, very nice and... astute, what did his teacher think?
ReplyDeleteMakes me thinl awww but there again its nature. happy Peaceful WW x x
ReplyDeleteThat's really cool! Mine is up at
ReplyDeleteBeing An Air Force Wife
Much cooler than dissecting frogs!
ReplyDeleteThat's either fascinating or really gross. I can't decide.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, and I had to read this before breakfast. Great entry!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Seriously, that WOULD be a great appetite suppressant!
ReplyDeleteWe did this in junior high in my Life Science class. I promise you, there was a hamster skeleton in mine. I've always wondered how on earth that owl got ahold of a hamster...and if it was mine that ran away.
ReplyDeleteI've just lost my appetite, too. And here I was, eating breakfast ~ LOL!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous project! My young'un and I may have to search the woods and try this ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWow, you need to have the boy watch that cop show called bones. Aside from the great dialogue and lines, the lady Dr. that the show is about is nicknamed bones, and when a murder case turns up bones, they get her and her amazing bone reading powers to reconstruct the death and help find the killer or killers.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I said all of that to say this, on the show, they always thoroughly boil the bones in water to clean them of any remaining, um, meat.
Buy the boy a pot and let it be dedicated to bone boiling, kind of like I would be in deep trouble if I used my wifes cast iron corn bread skillet for something other than making cornbread.
(Do I win the dumbest comment of the day award?)
A coworker's daughter did the same thing and in now hanges on her office wall. But then engineers think it is pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteUh, I'm glad I'm a few years away from this stuff.
ReplyDeleteEwwww.....I think I lost my appetite too.
ReplyDeleteOh, the science teacher part of my LOVES your son.
ReplyDeleteUhm he did a good job....I don't think I could keep it anywhere I'd be eating....or maybe that would work for my diet also. That or my checkbook would dwindle down to nothing....
ReplyDeleteMmmm that would definitely make me hesitate going in the fridge!
ReplyDeleteExcellent work though!
Thank goodness I have girls! LOL!
ReplyDeleteKailani
An Island Life
That is way cool.
ReplyDeletehe did a great job!
ReplyDeleteI remember this fondly from my middle school days in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. It was one of my favorite science projects.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good memories!
Yikes!
ReplyDeleteI must admit, though, his project is definitely deserving of an A. It looks very well done.
It needs to be mentioned that the owl pellets are sterilized before they ever reach the classrooms. They are great homeschool projects, too. They don't cost a fortune and they teach! Your soon did a really good job on his! Sue B.
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