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Ryan the Explorer

                                         

Good morning, Ryan.  Come on in to Breakfast.

Oh – I like Fruit, Daddy.
Will you please put Honey on my Cereal, too?
Look, Ryan!  You’ve got Mail!
Oh!  A Package for Me?  Oh– Wow!
What’s in it, Ryan?
Daddy! – Look!  It’s a Safari Outfit just like I wanted!
Now, I can be an Explorer and Hunt for Fossils like You!
Oh!–  There’s even Noculars!  Thank you So much!
They’re ‘Bi’ -noculars, Ryan.  Go put on your New Outfit.  


Look!, Dog.  I have a Safari Outfit.  I am going to be an Explorer!
Do you Like my Safari Jacket, Explorer Hat and Noculars, Dog?
Daddy.  Dog Likes my Safari Outfit!
I’m Thinking Explorer Thoughts.
Look, Dog!  I can see you in my Noculars.
These Noculars are Really Neat, Daddy!
That’s ‘Bi’ -noculars, Ryan.


Dog, do you want to Try my ‘Bi’… -noculars?
They are kind of Big for you, Dog.  I’ll tell you what I see, OK?
The ‘Bi’… -noculars are Really, really, Neat!
I see You, Dog – and you’ve got Fleas!!!  
Just kidding!!!!  :-}

Daddy.  I want to Go and Explore.  Now!
Sorry, Ryan.  I can not go Exploring with you Today.  I have to Work.

Why don’t you Explore around the House, today, Ryan?
Why not start at the Kitchen Table?  Here!  Look at the Fruit.



Daddy, Fruit has Bumps!
I think I’ll Explore the Bread.
Daddy, Bread costs Money!
What’s there to Explore in this Bowl?
Oh– Look!  The Feather has got ???! …Daddy?
Those are called ‘Barbs’, Ryan.  Birds always use their beaks to comb their Barbs together smoothly.  Together, the Barbs make up a Feather.


Daddy, I see your Truck through my Binoculars.
You’ve got a Company!
Oh!, Daddy!  I can hardly wait to go Outside and Explore!  
Hurry back from Work, Daddy!  Hurry!  Hurry!
I will, Ryan.  Tomorrow, we can go out and Explore together.
We’ll Hunt for Fossils!  You’ll Like That, Ryan.  Be Good for Mommy!

End of Part 1
(If you are reading this to a child… this is a good stopping point – tomorrow is another day!)



Part 2

(Ryan has been Patiently Waiting for Daddy to have Time to take him Outside to Explore)

Today is Daddy’s Day Off – and Away they GO!)



Before we go off to Explore, we should Learn about What we are Looking for.
Here is our Library.  What a Pretty Library Fish Tank they have, Ryan.


Let’s ask these ladies about Exploring for Fossils.


They gave us this Number.  
The Number tells us Where the Books we want are Located in All These Many Books. 


I think that we will find Fossils much like that one today, Ryan.  It’s a Trilobite.


The Fossils we may find are all going to be Underwater Fossils from Animals that lived Under the Sea.  We may even see some Similar to These.


All of the Fossils we find will be from the Same Time that Dinosaurs lived – but we will not find any Dinosaurs.  Where we live now was all Under Water long ago – but the Dinosaurs lived on Land.


I think we may find Underwater Fossils like those fish and that Ammonite, Ryan.


Look, Daddy.  I am Using my Magnifying Glass to Explore the Am… –nite.
We may also find Fossils of Animals that lived in Swamps 
–– and we Will Certainly Find Fossils of Sharks Teeth.


O.K. – I’m ready Daddy!  Let’s EXPLORE !


Let’s stop here, Ryan.  Places where People are Digging with Big Machines are Good Places to Explore for Fossils.  Since it Rained Very Hard last Night many Fossils may be Easy for us to See.  Let’s Ask if we may Explore here, Ryan.









Sure, you may Explore for Fossils here, Ryan.  But you and your Daddy must Stay Far, Far Away from our Really Big Machines.  We are So Busy moving Dirt that we may not See you and we may Accidentally Hurt You.  See here – I move this Big Machine with my Hands using these six Control Sticks, Ryan.


You’re welcome to go ahead and Climb Up and Explore my Big Machine while I stop for Lunch, Ryan.


Oh!  Daddy!  It’s High up here – but I’m not too Scared!  Exploring is Great Fun!  
Daddy, now I feel Very Small… and a little Scared of these Big Machines…
Well, my dear Ryan – you have a Big Heart and Big Ideas and your Mommy and I have always Believed that you can Do Big Things.  Remember, Ryan – we build Big Machines to do Big Jobs – but We make them Work for Us… so don’t be too Scared of them.  Now, let’s go somewhere Safe and Explore for Fossils!


Let’s go to that Hill way over there.  It is Safe.  There are no Big Machines working there Today.


O.K.  Follow, me, Daddy.
Is this a good enough Place to Explore for Fossils, Daddy?
Sure, Ryan.  Look down by your feet.  There is a Fossil of a Shell that got Exposed by all that Rain last night.  A Hard Rain will Wash Off some of the Dirt that covers Fossils.


We just found a Lovely Example of a Fossil Shell.


Look, Ryan.  While we were Walking, I Found and Picked Up these small Sharks Teeth.  I can see them easily because they are Black and Grey on the lighter colored Dirt.  This will be a Good Place to Stop and Explore.


Daddy!  I Found Something!  Come Quick!
Oh!  Ryan!  You found a Fossil just like in the Book at the Library.


It is a Creature that Crawled on the Bottom of the Sea that used to be here a Long, Long Time Ago.


I’m Digging over here now, Daddy.
I think I Found Something Else!
Very Nice, Ryan.  It is a Ammonite of some kind.  Pretty!



Exploring for Fossils is Hot, Hard Work, Daddy.  But it is Fun!  
Look, Ryan!  See what I Found here.  It is a Trilobite.


It looks like I found a Whole Family of Trilobites, Ryan!


Daddy – I Found More Fossils!  They look like Fish, Daddy!
Oh!  Ryan!  Remember at the Library, I said we might Find Fish Fossils?  These are Wonderful Fossils of Fish from a Very Long Time Ago.  What a Great Find!


Look what I Found in my Fossil Sifting Pan, Daddy!
I think it is one of those Am… –nites, Daddy.
Yes, Ryan.  It is a Fine Example of an Ammonite.  You really are a Great Explorer, Ryan.  A Great Explorer is someone who not only Works Hard – like you – but is Lucky, too.  Wait till Mommy hears what an Excellent Explorer you are.  She will be So Proud of You.


Daddy…?  The Wind Blew my Hat Off of my Head and my Fossil Sifting Pan Rolled all the way Down the Hill.  I’m tired and my Eyes Hurt from the Sun and the Blowing Dirt.  Can we go Home?
You look Quite Tired, Ryan.  Why don’t you Nap on the way Home?
Adventuresome Dreams, little Explorer!


Note to readers: Please do not tell Ryan – but Daddy did ‘help’ with the fossils on his fossil hunting adventure.  Florida does indeed have a great many fossils – just NOT the fossils pictured in this story for the sake of making the story flow well – these lovely (polished) fossils are from Morocco, North Africa 
(except the first grey fossil shell and the sharks teeth). 




























13 Responses to “Ryan the Explorer”

  1. Found art blog April 29, 2010 at 11:31 am #

    I WANT TO COME EXPLORING TOO!!! I tried fossil hunting once on Isle of Wight but I never found all those things!!! You’re SOOOO lucky!!

  2. Teddy April 29, 2010 at 7:08 pm #

    oh wow! what a greit explorer outfit! i would looove to have own binocoulars like yu have! such a fun!

  3. Buttons the Bear April 29, 2010 at 10:34 pm #

    Hi Ryan!
    Wow, you are quite the explorer bear!
    It’s nice that you have all the equipement to help you. What a great outing with your daddy.

    Buttons

    P.S.
    I like your jammies!

  4. Marlowe April 30, 2010 at 4:13 am #

    I would love to go fossil hunting! It’s really amazing how many fossils you found. Did your dad let you keep any of them? What a great adventure!

    I have an explorer outfit– but no binoculars. Maybe I need to talk my mom into taking me exploring!!

  5. Spgety April 30, 2010 at 5:02 pm #

    Would make a very nice childrens book!

  6. Hammie en Gea April 30, 2010 at 5:30 pm #

    WOW! What an exciting adventure! I know two people who are going to be very jealous of you when I show them your post about the fossils! G.’s parents have a large collection of fossils but I don’t think they have those like you have! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us!

  7. WendyCarole May 2, 2010 at 8:05 am #

    hat all looked very exciting.
    We love your outfit

  8. Found art blog May 5, 2010 at 9:52 am #

    Hello Ryan! Tell Daddy to watch your mailbox very carefully. There’s something Special on its’ way to you!!!

  9. The Teddy Bear Family May 6, 2010 at 10:33 pm #

    Our Mommy is jealous. She and her brother used to go fossil hunting all the time when they were young. (We checked. She swears there were no dinosaurs when she was young.) We have a tiny trilobite, but it’s really the hole it made in the rock, not the animal. It is the only fossil Mommy ever found. Her brother found a piece of slate with a full fern prawn in it and, they think, the arm of an octopus. Fish! Shark teeth! Anneenimilees! Way Cool! You should get your name in the play-ee-o-tonolist jurmel!

  10. Jed Bramwell May 8, 2010 at 6:40 am #

    What a pawsome adventure outfit and adventures you’ve had so far!!! Looking forward to see more! YAY!!!

  11. coral_rose April 29, 2012 at 11:59 am #

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  12. coral_rose April 29, 2012 at 12:07 pm #

    As a librarian, I think Ryan was smart to come to the library first to look up the subject of fossils! Not only is he a great explorer, but he also knows the Dewey Decimal System! :) I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan and his daddy today when they visited my library looking for more books! I can’t wait to read about their next exploration adventure!

  13. Alexander Mackenzie Bear June 22, 2012 at 2:22 pm #

    Wow Ryan! Great adventure! I’m working my way through your blog and am jealous of all of the different outfits you have… binoculars too! Mama says I always have to be ready for snow up here in Canada, so that’s why I just have my winter outfit on all the time. Mama is a pal..ee..on…tolo…gist (what a big word!). And ammonites were her type of fossils. You did very well on your expedition!

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