Hey, What Are YOU Doing Here?

Patriots' Day Celebration at Eureka Elementary

2011-09-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

Pete the Cat - Book and Song

2010-10-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some cute little girls with this fun book about what to do when things don't go the way you planned. My school principal read this to all the primary classes at the beginning of the school year and they loved it.

Pearls Before Swine - Aug 23, 2010

2010-08-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Library Humor - Again

2010-07-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the Old Spice commercials? Here's a clever takeoff.

Animals Always: 100 Years at the Saint Louis Zoo

2010-07-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

Author: Mary Delach Leonard

If you love St. Louis and the history of this town, this book is for you. If you are ambivalent toward St. Louis, but love zoos, this book is for you. If you don't care about St. Louis or zoos, but care about me, read this book.

Mary Delach Leonard, a past feature writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has done a magnificent job of telling the story of what is often rated as the best zoo in the world, the Saint Louis Zoo. When I got the book from the St. Louis County Library, I did not have time to read it right then, so I handed it off to my 86-year-old mother, who has lived in St. Louis her whole life. The book captivated her, and when I was finally able to pry it from her hands, I was captivated as well.

In this book you will find story after story about the earlier days at the zoo. The author brings you up to the present day with text boxes of interesting "then and now" statistics. One that demonstrates our changing times shows items most often left at the zoo in 1932 compared to today's lost and found. Take a guess.

Did you know that the zoo's first elephant, Miss Jim, was purchased through the donation of 238,400 pennies collected by the city school children? Do you know why, in 1910, the zoo's financial backers refused to purchase what would have been the first camel for the zoo? Did you know that in all of North America you can only find the horned guan, an endangered bird, at the Saint Louis Zoo? Do you remember the story of the spitting cobra that escaped from his cage and prompted a 40-day city-wide search?

Sharing this book with my mother was really special to me because she remembered so many of the stories from the earlier days. In fact, my maternal grandmother worked for a sewing company in downtown St. Louis. The sewers were scheduled to start work on the outfits for the zoo's monkey show when World War II began and the sewing company's plans were redirected.

Containing beautiful photos and many older photos that have never been published before, this book is a treasure.

(The St. Louis County Library system has thirty copies available for checkout.)

Bohemian Rhapsody as sung by The Muppets

2010-06-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

More Librarian Humor

2010-06-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Librarian Humor

2010-06-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Swagger Wagon

2010-05-24T16:50:00.001-07:00

Just got back from a wonderful visit in Spring Hill, TN with my brother and his family. My niece, Julie, showed me this clever Toyota commercial, part of a series of viral spots featuring the "Sierra family."

Trying My Hand at Glogster

2010-04-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

Recently I found out about a site called Glogster and have been thinking of ways I can use it for class projects, specifically book talks on the order of the old Reading Rainbow series. While visiting at my sister's house today, one of her sons, Kevin, graciously agreed to let me videotape him doing a mock booktalk, so that I could, in turn, show it to students to give them an example of reading with enthusiasm and expression. I got more than I bargained for...Kevin is a very clever and funny guy. He hasn't read the book, just the blurb on the back cover. Here's the end result. Excuse the laughter...I'm still trying to learn how to edit videos.

Twenty Years Ago this Month - Olympic Flashback

2010-02-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

Are you old enough to remember the "Miracle on Ice," the ice hockey game in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY? Russia was highly-favored to win the gold but the US team, made up of college and non-professional hockey players, defeated them in one of the medal rounds and went on to take the gold.

So inspirational was the victory, that twice the story was told on the big screen. The first movie, Miracle on Ice came out in 1981. In the second movie, Miracle (2004) there is a well-known scene where Herb Brooks (played by Kurt Russell), the coach gives a pre-game pep talk to the US team. For reference, you can see the clip here:

Miracle - Coach Brooks Addresses Team Pre Game

Here's a young boy who has memorized that speech and delivers it here. Cute.

BookBook

2010-02-18T04:50:00.001-08:00

Hardback leather case for MacBook Pro available at Twelve South

February 14th Birthday: Paul O. Zelinsky

2010-02-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

For the past few weeks I have been reading folktales from various countries to my students in preparation for Rockwood Reading Week: Read Around the World. One of my (many) favorites is Paul O. Zelinsky's version of Rapunzel.

Not only has Zelinsky crafted the words, but he is the illustrator as well. I love how he has captured the Italian Renaissance style in his oil paintings. He truly is a gifted artist.

He has shown similar style in other picture books, two of which are Rumpelstiltskin

and Hansel and Gretel

So I am always interested when an artist takes on another style that seems so unassociated to what I have come to expect from him/her. Here's Zelinsky's cover art for a more current book called Shivers in the Fridge, written by Fran Mahushkin.

This is the story of a family who live in a cold, dark place. They are not happy here, always startled and frightened by sudden blinding light accompanied by a monster's hand reaching in to remove part of their edible furnishings. They need a new place to call home.

Clever story and artwork, but I find it's always good to look at other examples of work in order to get a better picture of the scope of the artist's talent.

Known for his versatility, Mr. Zelinsky does not feel his work represents a specific style. He said the following in an interview:

"I want the pictures to speak in the same voice as the words. This desire has led me to try various kinds of drawings in different books. I have used quite a wide stretch of styles, and I'm fortunate to have been asked to illustrate such a range of stories."

You can find out more about Zelinsky and his books at his website.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T17:13:00.000-08:00

Here's a nice, inspirational website:

Photo of the Day

Today's photo is "True Hearts" by Mark Westlake. Awwwww...fitting for the day!

A Fun Game to Play

2010-01-27T15:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a sophisticated, amazingly well-made game that is lots of fun to play. It's called Get the Glass! and is produced by the California Milk Processor's Board. You will see the "Got Milk?" logo at the bottom of the opening screen.

The storyline for the game is this: The Adachi family are in search of milk and they are in trouble with the law because they will go to any lengths to procure a glass of the white stuff. You roll the dice to move them along on the gameboard, but the police are always in hot pursuit. When the family is caught they are taken to Milkatraz, get it? Alcatraz, Milkatraz. They have various ways to escape and continue on the gameboard. Here are a couple screen shots from the game. When you have a few minutes, give it a try.

Oh, and the Got Milk website is really clever, too.

...and here's another reason why I need an iPhone

2010-01-09T19:36:00.000-08:00

You can use the Brushes application to create drawings and then send them to your friends.

Read Through the Bible in a Year

2010-01-03T11:05:00.001-08:00

Pastor Chris Smith, of Resurrection Presbyterian Church here in St. Louis, offers links to various Bible reading plans in his December 31st blog entry. I like the one called "Bible Reading Plan for Shirkers and Slackers," 'cause, hey, that's me! So I'm going for it. And the good thing is, there's no pressure. Shirkers and slackers have low expectations.

Need Books?

2010-01-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

The St. Louis County Library is in the process of converting a number of the branches into self-checkout. It's quite an undertaking as the materials for the new system are quite expensive. So, right now there's a lot of "weeding" going on in all sections (fiction, non-fiction, childrens, etc) at a number of the branches. Except for the processing labels, many of the books are library-bound and in new condition. I know that Oak Bend is just starting, Daniel Boone and Eureka Hills have been underway for awhile. Others, too, I just don't know which ones. Toward the end of January there will be a big sale, 10 cents a book, but I noticed that some of the books are already going out on the sale table at my local library. I'm sure they will be advertising, so, if interested, be on the lookout or ask your friendly neighborhood librarian for more information.

Photo: Copyright FreeStockImages.org

Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain performing the Theme from Shaft

2009-12-29T08:50:00.001-08:00

This is fun, and it really gets particularly good around the one minute mark.

I think I may like this one (Theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) even better.

The Power of an Inspirational Teacher

2009-12-26T17:54:00.001-08:00

I think you'll enjoy this video:

These are the students in the Chorus at PS22, Staten Island, NY. This is not a magnet or fine arts school, but a typical big city public school, with a different group of fifth grades making up the chorus each year. Wow! The faces and the body language! Note the two girls on the right side of the aisle playing their imaginary pianos during the introduction. No doubt these kids are involved and loving it.

You can read more about the chorus and their instructor, Gregg Breinberg, in this ABC News article: Music Class Is Hit With Kids, Online Viewers

The chorus was formed in 2000 and Breinberg started blogging about their activities a few years ago. If you scroll to the bottom of the home page there are many links to past performances. They've been on various TV programs and performed at major special events, but I had never heard of them. Of course, I live under a rock. Had you heard of them before now?

Free Entertaiment at the Expense of Your Family and Friends

2009-12-05T17:05:00.000-08:00

There are a thousand things I should be doing right now, but this somehow seems more important. Have you seen the fun OfficeMax site where you can turn yourself and your friends into dancing elves? Check out this one of Fran, my mother and me getting down with our bad selves at JibJab ElfYourself. Yeah, I know, pretty impressive. Try to wipe that image out of your mind.

You can have hours of fun at this site, creating "elves" who can perform five different dances. Email your creations to anyone who needs a good laugh. Or put them on your blog. Or post them on Facebook for the world to see.

Marshmallow Experiment

2009-11-30T05:32:00.000-08:00

Good, but I bet they can't do this with their eyes closed. Now that would be something!

2009-11-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

FAO Schwarz - Big Piano
Uploaded by soanepowate. - See the latest featured music videos.

It Just Dropped Out of the Sky and Came to Rest in Our Neighborhood...

2009-11-14T18:50:00.000-08:00

...right at the top of our driveway, to be exact. At about 3 this afternoon, I happened to look out our bedroom window, did a double-take and then grabbed my camera. Within five minutes the balloon was deflated. Another five minutes and it was packed in the trailer and gone. I almost missed this wonderfully unexpected sight!

A Nod to Bob - A Nod to Palindromes

2009-09-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Another video...the easy way out when I don't have time to blog. Palindromes + Weird Al Yankovic + Bob Dylan = good stuff. For more palindromes go to http://www.rinkworks.com/words/palindromes.shtml

Inspector Gadget Theme

2009-09-19T05:10:00.001-07:00

Hmmmm...I'm thinking Bill at the next Providence Talent Show.

Fall! Leaves, Apples, and Gourds

2009-09-17T04:21:00.001-07:00

Some great sites for Fall:

Remember that old song?

The falling leaves...

drift by my window...

I feel a craft project coming on...

so I must go...

...or something like that. I know the first two lines are right. Here's a project for you if you just don't know what to do with all those pretty maple leaves that will be falling soon:

How to make roses from maple leaves

...and if you are like me and don't know a maple leaf from a ginko, here's a nice leaf identification guide from the Missouri Botanical Garden:

Autumn Leaf Scrapbook

Mmmmmm...apples. Beautiful pictures of a number of varieties at:
Apple Journal: Photo Gallery

Gourds: In my spare time I would love to learn how to do this:

Marilyn Sunderland Studio

Aren't those beautiful?

Interview with Michael Snyder, Part Two

2009-09-09T17:57:00.000-07:00

As promised, here's part two. Read to the end to find out how to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Return Policy.

RH: You’re sitting in Starbucks and three authors walk in and ask to share your table. They are:

MS: -Hmmm, I’m tempted to say Grisham or King, so we could get all the refills we want. But I think I’m going to go with Hornby, Russo, and Coupland. When we ran out of writerly things to talk about, we could have an arm wrestling contest.

RH: A character in your book is serving raccoon at a candlelit dinner. Red or white wine? Side dishes? Condiments? Background music?

MS:-I’m really glad you went with raccoon as opposed to inebriated basset hound or badger! So I’m thinking red Kool-Aid, white vinegar, with a side dish of a large takeout pizza. The condiments would have to include dental floss for sure. The background music would obviously be the theme song to the old Daniel Boone series.

(This photo has absolutely nothing to do with the interview, but I just find that pictures heighten interest, don't you agree?)

RH: Any new titles/projects that you are currently working on that you can tell us about?

MS:-My current novel-in-progress is called A Stand-Up Guy. It attempts to answer the question, “What if a stand-up comic resolved to only tell the truth in his act, no matter who gets hurt?”

I’ve also described it this way… “A classic tale of girl meets boy, boy catches girl stealing.”

The story’s really not as funny as I’m making it sound. It should have plenty of jokes and humorous observations, but hopefully will have a pretty big heart beating inside between the pages as well. (And maybe even a few more mixed metaphors like the one I just doled out there…)

RH: What is a word or phrase that you need to be careful to not overuse in your books?

MS: -It really changes with every book. I know in the first draft of Russell Fink it seemed like every character grinned and nodded a lot. So it was like I was writing about a cast of maniacal bobble-head dolls.

And my wife is always catching me misspelling the word “from.” I spell it f-o-r-m, which obviously changes the meaning quite a bit.

RH: Do you listen to music as you write? If so, whose music brings out the best in you?

MS: -Absolutely! When I first started writing, I could only listen to a handful of albums—namely, Jonatha Brooke’s early stuff, Miles Davis’ Ballads & Blues, and a couple of Keith Jarrett solo piano things.

Thankfully, my muse has grown more agreeable and I can listen to pretty much anything I like now. For some reason lately, I’ve been on a Wilco kick. Ryan Adams is getting a lot of play as well. And a newish band called Roman Candle.

RH: Is there something that you wish an interviewer would ask you but never does? Feel free to ask and answer it here.

MS:-“How can you be so incredibly rich AND good-looking?”

Frankly, I’m a little bummed (not to mention surprised!) that you didn’t ask. I’ve read and reread these questions numerous times and still can’t find it. I’m trying to forgive you.

RH: Have you ever won a prize in a contest?

MS: -I suppose you mean writing contests. Obviously, I’d prefer not go into detail on my long and storied legacy as a body-builder, a cake decorator, a moose hunter, and the world’s-fastest-nail-clipper.

A few years ago a short story of mine was named the editor’s choice in a literary journal called Relief. Also, My Name Is Russell Fink was nominated for the Book of the Year (2009) by Christianity Today—Marilyn Robinson actually won the award. Can you believe she beat me?

RH: Please direct us to your blog/website. Can you direct us to any websites where we can read some of your short stories/writings?

MS: - www.michaelsnyderwrites.com

I have just paid someone to update my website and blog. So hopefully I’ll be adding content worth reading in the very near future!

And of course, I’m noodling around with some regularity on Facebook and Twitter.

RH: Do you need another dog?

MS:-Only if it promises to either a) educate, or b) quietly dispose of, my current dog.

RH: What are you thinking right now?

MS:-“I wonder if Rhonda remembers she owes me ten bucks…”

Ahem...at this point I abruptly ended the interview. I could tell you that Michael left me with these words: "Rhonda, you ask amazing cool questions. And you’re one of the best aunts in the business." Yes, I could mention that but it would be self-serving, so I won't.

Interview with Michael Snyder, Author of Return Policy

2009-09-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

---Today I am posting the first half of an interview that I conducted with Michael Snyder, whose second novel, Return Policy, was released a few months ago. I've written about Michael in a previous post.

RH: Let’s start with the most important question first: At what point after you married my lovely niece, Alicia, did you realize the incredible bonus of having me as your aunt? Describe your feelings in as many words needed. Take your time...no rush...

MS:-Oh, I realized the benefits immediately, if not before.

The actual sensation is difficult to describe, but not terribly unlike an early onset bout of the giggles, followed close behind with that funny bone feeling that began in my toenails and swirled upward until my spine was practically dancing with joy (or possibly shimmying…a close call), ending with euphoric hangover that included (but was in no way limited to) whooping cough, slight gas pains, and a small patch of acne behind my left knee.

But I’m sure you get that answer all the time.

RH: Return Policy is your second novel, following the equally enjoyable My Name is Russell Fink. How did you grow as a writer from one to the next?

MS: -Definitely not taller.

I think more than anything it’s getting a little easier to discern what to leave out of my stories. There are a lot of details and anecdotes that an author needs to know that don’t necessarily need to make it onto the page. This is especially true with character-driven stories (as opposed to plot-driven).

I heard a great musician comment once that he liked to think of the notes he played as stepping-stones to the next silence. Sometimes, what’s implied is as powerful as what makes it into print. So it’s difficult sometimes to leave things out, to “kill my darlings.” But if it makes the book better, it must be done.

RH: The three main characters in Return Policy are Willy, Ozena and Shaq. The story alternates between these characters, all speaking in the first person. What do you do to make sure that their voices are distinct one from the other?

MS: -That’s a great question. And I just hope, on some level, that I actually did make their voices unique. There are lots of ways to accomplish this, some more subtle than others. It really has to do with knowing your characters well...and frankly, loving them well.

The real difficulty in this book was Shaq. He was an educated homeless man. He’s also a bit delusional. So saddling him with specific speech patterns or jargon was all but impossible. It was very important for Shaq to feel credible, no matter who he was talking to. As such, his speech patterns tended to change based on the conversation he was having at the time.

For Willy and Ozena, I just had to spend time getting to know them. Then it’s just a matter of staying true to their character.

RH: It is evident in your writing that you are one funny guy. How do you come up with those witty descriptions and scenarios?

MS: -Wow, thanks! And I don’t really have a very good answer for this question. I’m just glad you asked it. So I’m providing this non-answer to ensure that the question stays in the interview!

RH: What is your process when you begin to write a book?

MS: -Procrastinate, panic, pray, repeat. Eventually I sit down and actually start typing. Then back to my three P’s above.

I’m not much of a plotter, more of a seat-of-the-pants writer. In fact, my favorite part of the process is the actual composing. I love it when something completely unplanned and/or unscripted comes flying into my brain and out of my fingers onto the page.

It’s been said that good story endings need to feel both surprising and inevitable. When the writing is going well, it all feels like that, not just the ending.

The first order of business is getting to know the characters. If there’s a reliable or consistent way to do this however, I haven’t figured it out yet. Eventually, if I plant my butt in the chair and keep typing, it all works out.

RH: Describe your workspace to us.

MS: -I wrote My Name Is Russell Fink in the bonus room or our first house. I started it on a clunky PC and finished it on a sleek Mac laptop. (And yes, that makes me a Mac snob!)

Return Policy was written at our dining room table, which just happened to be parked for nineteen months at my brother/sister-in-law’s house.

Now, I write tucked away in an odd rectangle just off the rec room in our new house. I did eventually wear the old Mac out and have “new” one. Most nights I sit on a rickety office chair, bellied up to Alicia’s grandfather’s old desk.

Sometimes, just for the sake of variety, I will rearrange all the clutter.

RH: What were your favorite picture books as a child? What are your children’s favorite picture books?

MS: -Are You My Mother?

Legend has it, that I used to read this book upside down. RH: (Why am I not surprised?)

As for my kids, they LOVE books. And we have tons of them. I really don’t know if they have favorites, per se. But they too love the Dr. Seuss books, as well as Silverstein and Milne. And I’m not sure these qualify as picture books, but we’re all huge fans of Patricia Polacco books.

RH: What books or authors influenced you most as a writer?

MS: -The easy (and true) answer is: Every writer I’ve ever read.

Specifically though, I credit Richard Russo’s Straight Man as the book that finally convinced me to try my hand at writing. I’m a pretty big fan of Nick Hornby, Douglas Coupland, Flannery O’Connor, John Irving, and Lorrie Moore as well.

RH: What is one thing most people don’t know about you?

MS: -To quote one of my least favorite songwriters ever: “I’m a sexy man trapped in an ugly man’s body.”

---Well, that's it for now. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow...or the next day...or the day after that. There will be a give-away, too. And no, it's not a pair of goofy glasses.

David Scofield Hoard

2009-08-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

October 13, 1970 - August 31, 1999

It seems like yesterday

It seems like forever

Psalm 116:15

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Meet Michael Snyder: Talented Author, Funny Guy, International Olive-Pitting Champion, and oh yes, My Nephew

2009-08-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

...well, most everything in the title above is true.

Yes, we have a published author in my family. Michael is married to Alicia, the oldest of my six favorite nieces, and he doesn't know it, but I liked him before I ever met him. Fran and I happened to visit Alicia right after she started dating Michael and I could tell by the look on her face when she talked about him that he was someone very special.

Shortly after he became part of our family, he gave Ellen, the youngest of my six favorite nieces, a drawing, that if we had thought about it, would have been a tip-off of things to come. Somehow, this little 3/4 inch X 1 1/2 inch drawing came into my mother's possession, and I am able to show it to you here because my mother doesn’t throw anything away. Case in point: she still has taped on an index card half of a sewing needle that came out of my foot years after it went in. But, enough about me. Back to Michael’s drawing.

At first glance, you might think that the little man is holding a piece of paper behind his back. No. That white box is actually a cut-out, which is very important because, you see, if you take your index finger and bend it down at the second knuckle and strategically place it behind the picture, it will appear that the little man's little draaars have fallen down to reveal the little man's little bottom. (Now you can see how the addition of Michael to our family gave us the sophistication we so desperately craved.)

So, fourteen years and four children later, when he is not working his regular job, being a devoted family man and fixing things around the house, Michael writes (and drinks a lot of coffee).

His second book, Return Policy, published by Zondervan, was just released a couple months ago. I really liked his first book, My Name is Russell Fink, but I really, really enjoyed this new one. Michael's writing is wonderfully funny and I find myself resisting the urge to highlight some of his observations, memorize them and then drop these witticisms into conversation at appropriate times to impress friends and acquaintances.

"Once a year my senile aunt tries to kill me." - That's how Return Policy begins. Over the course of the novel we are introduced to three main characters, Willy, Ozena, and Shah, whose narratives and complicated lives intertwine before too long. I won't tell you much more except to say that early in the story we find Willy trying every which way (and without success) to destroy his espresso machine.

I have to admit, I don't read a lot of Christian fiction, mainly because I find much of it predictable and preachy. But Michael's writing is edgy, and filled with humor and compassion. He tackles tough issues and causes me to examine my own life and charity toward others. I would classify the genre as contemporarily quirky, or quirkily contemporary. Hey, Michael, if you are reading this, what do you think?

At Amazon you can read some great reviews by folks who do a much better job expressing my sentiments about Michael's writing.

In a few days I will post an interview with Michael that I think you will enjoy. Perhaps you would like to know that I will be giving a signed copy of Return Policy to one lucky person. But more about that next time. Thanks for stopping by!

School School School School School

2009-08-18T17:28:00.001-07:00

...and more school. I'll feel much better in a few weeks. Everything seems to change from school year to school year: schedules, staff, procedures. Handling change well...not one of my gifts.

Save the World, er, I mean...Save the Words!

2009-08-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

This is a screen shot of the home page of the Save the Words website. Here you will find a collage of various obscure words. Visiting this wall of words and having them call out to you ("pick me" or "yo, over here") is reminiscent of going to the Human Society, but without the guilt and emotional angst. There's that, and in addition, if you adopt a word you won't have to feed it or take it out for a walk, or have someone (Lori) callously suggest that you shoot it.

If you move your mouse outside of the white frame the words scroll from side to side or top to bottom. The idea is that these words are not used often enough and they are in danger of becoming extinct. You are called upon to step up, get involved and adopt one of these words.

In adopting you agree to this pledge: "I hereby promise to use this word in conversation and correspondence, as frequently as possible to the best of my ability."

So I ambitiously adopted two words today. I will use them in a sentence right now: Having been a foppotee for as long as I can remember, I am murklins as to what I should say next. Bet you can't guess the words I adopted. If you can, then you are not as much of a foppotee as I thought.

So what are you waiting for? There are lots of words that need a-savin'. Adopt one today! Use it in a sentence here, and then go out and share it with the world. You will feel so much better.

I'm Learning to Knit!

2009-08-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

It's true! This is only something that I've wanted to do for forty years. I come from a family of crocheters (crochettes? -- crochetians? -- crochetarians? -- crochetsters?) so I've known how to crochet since I was young, but it seems that when I look at patterns, the ones I gravitate toward involve knitting. So I got Knitting for Dummies and a how-to video from the library, some knitting needles and yarn and I'm on my way. It really isn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

So, now that I am picking up a little speed, I thought this would be a good time to tell you that whatever gift you get from me in the next few years will probably be something knitted. In fact I'm working on Christmas gifts for some of you now. Here are a few photos of what I hope will be finished in time to bless you with a little special handmade something. You'll notice these are mainly hats or legwarms, the easier stuff, because, well, I'm still learning.

Expect more ambitious gifts next year: jumpsuits, ponchos, sweatercoats, things like that. See if you can guess which one is yours.

This might be a good time to disown me as a friend, forget my blog address and block my emails. Don't say you weren't warned.

Gratitude

2009-08-03T10:46:00.001-07:00

Next Wednesday I will report back to school after a ten-week summer break. Each year at this time I start grumbling about having to return. My job is great, I love being around the kids, the staff is wonderful, and school is two miles from my house. It's just hard to give up the freedom. So I decided this year I need an attitude adjustment. When I start hearing that grumbling going on in my head or spilling out through my mouth, I am trying to remind myself of all God's blessings. So, if you hear me complaining about going back to work, you have my permission to wag your finger at me and give me your best scowl. That should make me feel guilty.

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good,

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

Smoky Mountain Vacation - July 2009

2009-07-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Fran and I returned from one of the best vacations we have ever had. We went to the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area and stayed in a wonderful cabin in the mountains. What made the trip particularly enjoyable was sharing it with our grandson, daughter-in-law, and her parents. After a stop-over in Nashville to see Alison Krauss and others perform at the Grand Ole Opry, we headed to a little cabin in the mountains. This first photo is the view from a rocking chair on the back porch.

Our cabin was located in the Legacy Mountain Resort, conveniently located right outside of Pigeon Forge. I had reserved the cabin, site unseen, by doing a Google search and then looking over various websites. Everything Legacy Mountain advertised was there...we had no disappointments. In fact, it exceeded our expectations and it would be difficult to stay anywhere else in the area after this wonderful experience. We highly recommend it.

Here are some shots of the inside of the cabin. It was a one bedroom unit with the addition of two sofa sleepers. And if you have two willing folks who don't mind climbing up a ladder to sleep in the crow's nest (see photo below) you really could sleep eight. Our grandson loved the crow's nest!

There were two porches, one on each level, with a hot tub on the upper porch. Pool table, foosball, and my personal favorite, air hockey. Full kitchen with cook- and eating-ware provided. It was fun.

And our daughter-in-law's mom, Becky, is a phenominal cook. She loves to cook breakfasts, so every morning, before heading out, we ate the kind of breakfast that makes you forget about eating again until suppertime.
If you ask people what to do in the Smoky Mountains, they will usually tell you to be sure to take the Cades Cove scenic drive. It is nice, although there are often traffic jams, because apparently there are many people who have never seen deer or wild turkeys. Our very favorite drive is the Roaring Fork Loop. If you can only take one scenic drive in the park, make it this one.

The road begins in Gatlinburg and winds through deep old forest and alongside a flowing stream. Back in the 1830's there was a settlement here, and some of the homes are still standing. There are various waterfalls and great hiking trails. Oh, and we did get a passing glance at the backside of a black bear in a blackberry patch. The photo below shows a tub mill, used for grinding corn into meal.

On another day we drove the Newfoundland Gap road across the Smoky Mountains from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, NC. At one point, the Appalachian Trail crosses over. Seeing the sign below reminded me of how much I enjoyed reading Bill Bryson's book A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. I may need to re-read that book. But I digress.

You can only ask a ten-year-old to spend so much time in the car, so this drive was nice as it offered several opportunities to get out at overlooks and look around. As Khale headed up the Appalachian Trail, I thought I heard him say that he would meet us back at the cabin.

Babies and Wild Things - Synonymous?

2009-07-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

Two fun websites today:

Having a bad day? Visit Tom Arma Collections and see if you can keep from smiling. A couple of my favorites are the caterpillar and the fly in the "Baby Bugs" gallery, and the buffalo in the "Please Save the Animals" gallery. What's your favorite?

Do you remember reading Where the Wild Things Are, the Maurice Sendak classic? You probably have heard that it is being made into a movie, scheduled to be released in mid-October. How they are building a feature-length movie out of a picture book is beyond me, but I'm interested. Recently I discovered Terrible Yellow Eyes, a website created by Cory Godbey, an artist/illustrator living in South Carolina. Graphic artists are invited to use this site to pay tribute to Where the Wild Things Are by sharing their creative interpretation of Max and the Wild Things. It is truly amazing to see the work of these talented artist and then to be able to visit their websites or blogs to see what else they have in the works. Wow, what an inspiration!

Oh, and you can view the movie trailer at Warner Brother's site: http://wherethewildthingsare.warnerbros.com/

Do You Know...

2009-07-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

...what these words have in common?

Keepsies
Marrididdles
Alley
Taw

Extra credit: Give the definition of each.

A free pair of these glasses to someone.

You don't have to have the right answer to win, so take a guess!
NO cheating (as in googling, wiki-ing)

Tim Hawkins - Funny Man

2009-07-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

We just returned from our vacation and I hope to blog about it soon. In the meantime:

Need a Good Laugh?

I have had the opportunity to go to a Tim Hawkins Comedy Night not once, but twice, this year. What a funny guy. If you are not familiar with him, you can see some of his comedy routines at http://www.timhawkins.net/. He not only has a wonderfully quirky view on life, but he plays the guitar and sings as well. He parodies a lot of songs, one of my favorites is his music video Cletus Take the Reel (Jesus Take the Wheel) which you can watch on his website.

Check out his calendar to see if he is coming to your town anytime soon.

Remember the William Wegman dogs?

2009-07-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

These dogs were popular on Sesame Street several decades ago.

Question 1: What is the breed of these dogs?

Question 2: Do you find it peculiar that they have human-looking hands?

Question 3: Would you eat bread made by dogs? What if they agreed to wear gloves and those hair net thingies?

Question 4: Is this a PETA-approved activity? Why or why not? Defend your answer in 25 words or less.

Wish I could get my dog to bake bread...

Here's another cute one...

Khale is 10 Today!

2009-07-08T03:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Khale!

We are so proud of you!

The Palm of Your Hand - Alison Krauss

2009-07-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

This song makes me cry (in a good way) every time.

"If I trust the One who died for me,
Who shed His blood to set me free,
If I live my life to trust in You
Your grace will see me through.

***

I'd rather be in the palm of Your hand,

Tho' rich or poor I might be.

Faith can see right through the circumstance,

Sees the forest in spite of the trees.

Your grace provides for me."

Happy Anniversary!

2009-07-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here are three interesting websites that I hope you enjoy:

There I Fixed It: This first site is in honor of my husband, Fran. Today we celebrate our 31st anniversary. We probably wouldn't have ever met except for the fact that my car broke down 32 years ago. When I told my friend, Nick, that my car was in trouble, he said "Let's take it to my friend, Fran. He can fix anything." And that's how I met Fran. Our first date was to Hood's Discount Store. Isn't that romantic? He won my father's practical heart almost immediately, and truth be told, my parents have always liked him better than me. So this site shows examples of repairs that would never be attributed to Fran. By the way, I think cooking multiple hotdogs on a rake (above) is actually a pretty good idea. Go to the site to see more "creative" ways to fix things.

25 Awesome Virtual Learning Experiences Online:
Well, you could spend all day and then some here. What incredible learning experiences are available through the Internet! From panoramas of the Seven Wonders of the World to a virtual tour of The Louvre to a virtual walking tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of National History. Pretty cool stuff.

And finally, Plantware just makes me laugh. I have trouble enough getting things to grow around my house, let alone adding the extra pressure of trying to make plants grow around things or be funtional.

The Little Engine That Could

2009-07-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the Watty Piper book The Little Engine That Could from your childhood? Or perhaps you have read it to your children or grandchildren?

I am the librarian in a school that is over 50 years old. Back in 1978, before I was there, the school suffered a fire which resulted in total damage of the library and other rooms. A new library was built, but there were no books. All the other elementary schools were asked to donate duplicate copies of books, or books that they did not want, so that the library could be back in business. Consequently, when I came along about 10 years ago, there were still many old books in the collection. Some are in such bad shape that I have to remove them from our collection, but there are others which are passable and might even fetch a little money if they could be up for sale.

One book that is still hanging around is the 1954 Platt & Munk Co. edition of The Little Engine That Could. I recently discovered a 2005 edition with new art work by one of my favorite children's author/illustrators, Loren Long. Much of his art work is remeniscent of the WPA artwork from the mid-1930's, particularly the landscapes of Grant Wood.

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.
Illustrations by Loren Long. Copyright 2005

Here are the two styles, taken from the same area of the story that reads: "Up, up, up. Faster and faster and faster and faster the little engine climbed, until at last they reached the top of the mountain." Sorry for the poor quality of the page above...check out the book from the library to see the beauty of this new artwork.

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.
Illustrations by George & Doris Hauman.
Copyright 1954

I love what Loren Long has done with this classic. He has turned dated art into illustrations that breathe life into every page. It's a real treat to enjoy an old story in a new way.

Self-Inventory - Quiz #2

2009-06-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today let's revisit the topic of "Growing Up Born Again." You may find my earlier blog posts about this topic helpful, or even if you don't, just humor me and go read them, okay? Just as We Were and Self-Inventory - Quiz #1.

Here's a quiz from the book Just As We Were: A Nostalgic Look at Growing Up Born Again written by Patricia Klein, Evelyn Bence, Jane Campbell, Laura Pearson, and David Wimbish, c2002.

Which of the following sayings would you NOT find in a Daily Bread Promise Box?

1. Haste makes waste.
2. There is no new thing under the sun.
3. To every thing there is a season.
4. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
5. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
6. Money is the root of all evil.
7. Out of the mouths of babes.
8. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
9. Am I my brother's keeper?
10. The borrower is servant to the lender.
11. Let it be.
12. God helps those who help themselves.
13. A watched pot never boileth.
14. A little child shall lead them.
15. Because you're mine, I walk the line.

Wildlife, Watermelon and Wide Open Spaces

2009-06-26T04:59:00.000-07:00

Librarian that I am, I feel that it is my solemn duty to pass along links to websites that I find either: entertaining, educational, enlightening, weird, or all or any combination of these. So, in no particular order, and with no rhyme or reason, I give you the following links:

It's summer so it must be time for WATERMELON! Did you know that watermelon is a vegetable? It is a cousin to cucumbers, squash and pumpkins. Did you know that the largest known watermelon was grown in Tennessee and weighed 262 pounds? At the National Watermelon Promotion Board's website, you can find all things watermelon, from recipes to how to select a watermelon, a Kids' Activities section, and even lesson plans for educators. Be sure to check out the photos of carved watermelons. It's amazing what you can do with a sharp knife, a watermelon and a little time on your hands.

Bembo's Zoo This is a good one to share with younger children or grandchild. Or maybe just for your inner play-baby. The designer has managed to create a menagerie of animals using only letters and punctuation marks. Very creative and fun.

And for those of us who just need to get away, if only in our minds, consider a free mini-vacation at Fabulous Nature. Breathtaking photos. Stay as long as you like.

That's it for now. Hope you enjoy these websites.

Seth

2009-06-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Seth is doing well after surgery. Thanks for your prayers. If interested, you can read about it at The Johnson Family Blog: Seth's Surgery

This little guy belongs to Dave and Leanna (my niece). He has been a wonderful addition to their family.

Please pray for Seth today. He has a three-hour surgery ahead of him this afternoon. The surgeons will be repairing his cleft palette. Pray that they will have wisdom and steady hands. Oh, and I'm sure Dave and Leanna would appreciate your prayers for them as well as they wait for the surgery to be completed.

Thanks!

Children's Picture Books

2009-06-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

In the future I will probably talk about some of my favorite picture book illustrators, but for now, I'll just tell you that one of my all-time favorites is David Wiesner. The montage at the top of this post shows covers of some of his books. He tells his story through his artwork, with very few words, if any. Several titles have won the coveted Caldecott Award, most recently, my personal favorite, Flotsam. (Of course, it seems that his most recent book is always my favorite.)

Why You Should Read Children's Books as an Adult

by Jen Robinson http://jkrbooks.typepad.com/blog/

It's fun.
It keeps your imagination active.
It strenghtens your relationship with the children in your life who read.
It sets an example for the children in your life, making them more likely to become readers.
It clues you in on cultural references that you may have missed (both current and classical).
It's fast. Children's books are usually shorter than adult books, so if you don't think you have time to read, you DO have time to read children's books.
It allows you to read across genres. Children's books aren't limited to mystery OR science fiction OR fantasy OR literary fiction. They can have it all.
It's like time travel -- it's an easy way to remember the child that you once were, when you first read a book.
It's often inspirational -- reading about heroes and bravery and loyalty makes you want to be a better person. And couldn't we all do with some of that?
Did I mention that it's fun? Source: Jen Robinson's Book Page, 2005.

A very wonderful list, but I would add three more:

Children's books are written with children in mind, so the plot moves along in a way designed to keep the reader's attention.
Children's books are written with children in mind, so they usually have purer content.
And the one I always mention to anyone who will listen: The art work in picture books is jaw-dropping. Some of the very best artists and illustrators can be found inside the covers of picture books. Sometime try to read a picture book just by the illustrations. Imagine an illustrator reading the copy for a future picture book and then working up 32 pages of artwork...each illustration designed in a way to flow with the text and hopefully capture the essence of the author's intent.

Father's Day

2009-06-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

We spent Father's Day in Dixon with our daughter-in-law, Tara, grandson, Khale, and Tara's parents, Stan and Becky. We had lunch at the Senior Center. They have a Hog Roast a couple times a year in order to raise money for their Meals on Wheels program. Let me tell you, that was the best hog I ever tasted! And the rest of the food wasn't bad, either.

Khale with his favorite dog, Coco

Khale gave Grandpa Fran and Grandpa Stan each a card with a special fill-in-the-blank note he had completed at school. The last line is: "My Grandfather is as handsome as..." and Khale completed the sentence with "the handsomest man on earth." Fran was feeling pretty good about himself until he read the same line on Grandpa Stan's card. His read: "My Grandfather is as handsome as...God himself!" How do you top that? Score one for Stan!

Coco, the miniature pinscher in the photo above, had a near-death experience recently. She wandered out into the highway in front of Tara's house and four cars passed over her before someone could stop and scoop her up from the highway. (Good thing she only remembered the first two points of the "stop, drop and roll" fire safety commands.) Tara and Khale rushed her to the vet's and they observed her for a few days for swelling, since she took a blow to her head. It was during the time when she was back home and, shall we say, a little medicated, that Tara painted her nails.

Anyway, it was a great day. Thanks, Tara and Khale, for always making us smile!

Self-Inventory - Quiz #1

2009-06-19T06:22:00.000-07:00

The Growing Up Born Again Self-Inventory
(from the book, Just As We Were: A Nostalgic Look at Growing Up Born Again;

written by Patricia Klein, Evelyn Bence, Jane Campbell, Laura Pearson and David Wimbish; c2002)

Question 1. A sword drill is:
A. an instrument of torture used during the Inquisition.
B. a cadet exercise at West Point.
C. a contest to see who can look up Bible verses fastest.
D. what a dentist uses before he says "Rinse and spit."

Question 2. When you hear the expression "the Fall," you immediately think of:
A. autumn.
B. Rome's decline.
C. man's depravity.
D. Lady Godiva's hairpiece.

Question 3. You generously contribute to YFC because you have a deep concern for:

A. Yiddish factory clerks.
B. euthanasia.
C. euthenafrica.
D. euth everywhere.

Question 4. Mom overslept and didn't start the roast before leaving for church. The family should:
A. go to a nice restaurant for dinner.
B. refuse to eat in a restaurant on Sunday since that would signal approval of working on the Lord's Day.
C. compromise by going to a fast food restaurant.
D. This is a trick question; born again moms never oversleep.

Question 5. Four cars with dashboard accessories arrive simultaneously at an intersection. The born again Christian's car is the one with:
A. the fluffy dice.
B. the plastic statue of Saint Christopher.
C. the compass inscribed with Psalm 103:12.
D. the lady's red garter.

Just As We Were

2009-06-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful childhood, fantastic parents and a brother and sister who were always there for me.

I grew up in the 50's in a Christian family. We attended a little Bible Chapel in St. Louis County and were there whenever the doors were open. Our social and spiritual life pretty much revolved around activities at the church or with church friends. Ever present at our frequent Potluck Suppers were tuna casserole and one or two molded jello salads internally adorned with canned fruit and miniature marshmallows. One Friday evening a month the youth group would go to Sunshine Mission to serve meals and conduct the evening service.

At home we had evening family devotionals, or "family altar time" as some at our church called it. Most of the time they were nice; a few Bible verses read and briefly discussed, then a closing prayer. However, one particular year my mother decided to try something new for the December days leading up to Christmas. She bought a big candle, one that was about 12 inches high and maybe 4 inches in diameter. Down the side of the candle, in a straight vertical row, she attached 24 sequins, equally spaced apart. Alternating the red and green sequins added a festive touch. Then, (Pay attention. Here's were it gets exciting) every evening after supper, we would gather in the living room, mom or dad would light the candle at the beginning of family devotions. Our togetherness would last until the candle burned from the top sequin to the next one down. The idea was to get to the last sequin on Christmas eve.

The devotion would go something like this:

Dad would open in prayer, then read a chapter or two from one of the Gospels.
Dad would expound on what we had just read and then ask for our thoughts.
Awkward silence.
Mom would interject something.
More awkward silence.
My sister would say that she had to go to the bathroom.
We waited until she returned.
Dad would add another thought.
Say it with me: awkward silence.
Dad would say something like "Well, if there are no other thoughts, then we'll close in prayer."
Dad would close in prayer.
We would run for the hills, vamoose, go while the getting was good.

It didn't take too many evenings of this before my brother, sister and I decided my folks needed an "intervention," for their sakes as well as ours. Well, okay, mostly for ours. So we took turns sneaking into the living room during the day when no one was around and we would light that candle and let it burn down a bit. Just a bit. Not all the way to the next sequin. No, that would be too obvious. But down enough to make the evening's togetherness ~~a little more meaningful~~. ~~A little more bearable~~. A little shorter. Hey, we had homework to do.

I don't remember hearing the phrase "born again" at that time, although we knew the verse "Jesus sayeth unto him, 'Ye must be born again.'" And we did sing a song that started with "Do you know that you've been born again?" I don't want my tone to be construed as cynical, because my parents were great (as I've already mentioned, but had to say again to cover any residual guilty feelings I ~~may~~ have in writing this), our church family was wonderful, always putting actions behind words. But it was the '50s and out of that emerged, I assume, the prevalence of the phrase "born again."

So do you have similar church memories? Come back tomorrow because there will be a multiple choice quiz that will help you determine your own personal born again quotient. It will be fun. I'll light a candle and tell you when you are finished.

Tree Octopi, Velcro Farming and Camping Computer

2009-06-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

Every year I teach the fifth graders a unit on evaluating websites, tying it in with one of their research projects. I show them a variety of bogus websites and we discuss various methods for checking the "facts" presented there. There a quite a few available, but here are a few of my favorites that are appropriate for elementary students:

Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus - http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

Place a tenacle ribbon on your computer at work in a show of solidarity.

(Left): Rare photo of the elusive tree octopus

California's Velcro Crop Under Challenge - http://home.inreach.com/kumbach/velcro.html This is a very simple site, but a good one for the students to think about. I mean, it is written with a serious tone, complete with a chart, even. Consider:

"Velcro, an engineered crop, consists of two distinct strains: hooks and loops. For obvious reasons, of course, the hook strain must be grown in fields separated from those with the loop strain. "

HA!

World's First Camping Computer - http://www.members.shaw.ca/carsondesign/pages/colemac.html

And then there's Dog Island Free Forever - http://www.thedogisland.com/
"Separated from the anxieties of urban life, dogs on Dog Island are healthy dogs who live a natural, healthy and happy life, free from the stress and hardship associated with daily live among humans."

And here are a few other bogus sites in case you need more:
P.E.T.PU. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Pumpkins) - http://www.geocities.com/petpu4/
Panexa - http://www.panexa.com/ from Merd Pharmaceuticals - read "Important Safety Information"

The Book Whisperer

2009-06-14T13:20:00.001-07:00

I'm reading a book called The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. The author, Donalyn Miller, is a sixth-grade teacher who also writes a blog for teachermagazine.org.

The book is great and I would highly recommend it to any teacher, reading specialist, librarian, or parent interested in helping children discover the joy of reading without being overbearing. I am also enjoying some of the quotes scattered throughout the book. Here are a few:

"To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life. " -- W. Somerset Maugham

"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." -- Harper Lee

"Reading is not a duty, and has consequently no business to be made disagreeable." -- Augustine Birrell

"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance." -- Atwood H. Townsend

Miller also includes this little list written by Daniel Pennac. Do you disagree with any of these points?

The right not to read
The right to skip pages.
The right to not finish.
The right to reread.
The right to read anything.
The right to escapism.
The right to read anywhere.
The right to browse.
The right to read out loud.
The right not to defend your tastes.

Summer Vacation Begins

2009-06-12T05:07:00.000-07:00

In an effort to keep from whittling away my ten glorious weeks of summer, I keep a reverse wish list. Rather than writing out a "to do" list at the beginning of the day, I see how many things I have accomplished by the end of the day and log those into one of my favorite free online applications: Evernote (www.evernote.com/). This way, I'm challenged to be productive each day, instead of feeling let down by what remains undone on my list.

Speaking of Evernote, here are some of the features that I like:

You can search your notes by tags, or what I like ever more, you can type in a word or phrase in the search box and if it appears in any of your notes, it highlights that word. This is how it helps me as a school librarian: I read hundreds of children's books each year, and as I complete them, I type the title/author into a note on Evernote. After the title, I write a few descriptive words. (Hills, Tad:What's Up, Duck? - picture book, opposites, birds, friends, possible purchase) Then, at a later date, if I need to put together a list for a teacher who is introducing the concept of opposites, by typing "opposites" in the search box, I will pull up all areas where I have written that word.

Another use: I have one note that has only my log ins and passwords for various sites that require log ins. Now, the only thing that I need to remember is the log in and password for http://www.evernote.com/. Of course, I don't use this for those few sites that need high security protect.

I also have a note that contains phone numbers that I use but don't have memorized: physician, dog groomer, library, etc.

Miracle Camp and BMA

2009-06-02T01:53:00.001-07:00

After reading and commenting on a friend's blog entry about memorizing poetry and songs and Bible verses, I took a stroll down memory lane. It all came back to me: Bible Memory Association, Miracle Camp, Dr. W, and those wonderful little memory books. I suddenly recalled humid nights at Miracle Camp in Shreveport, LA and the song we would sing every night: "Miracle Camp." A few years later, when I heard the anthem "God of Our Fathers," I thought "Hey, they took the Miracle Camp song tune and changed the words!" (Yes, I lived under a rock.) Here are what I thought were the original words to the song:

Miracle Camp, we gather here again.
Miracle Camp, the place that God did plan.
Through many years, Thy wisdom did design
This lovely place for fellowship divine.

Here are the original lyrics:

God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies.
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Which do you like the best?

Immigration Unit for Third Grade

2009-04-28T03:52:00.001-07:00

Third grade does a huge immigration unit, usually toward the end of the school year. In collaborating with the teachers, I selected some books for read-alouds during the past few weeks. The first one, Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O'Hara, is not in my school collection but I read a review about it somewhere and was able to reserve it through the St. Louis County Library system. This is a wonderfully sweet book about a little girl, who in the midst of hardships in her native land of Ireland, is able to find the beauty in simple things. Her collection of special items, sewn into the hem of her dress is cherished by her family when they settle into their new home in America. Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the story for an interesting surprise about the genesis of this story.

Author: Elvira Woodruff -- Illustrator: Adam Rex

The second week I read two books. "She could have picked a chiming clock or a porcelain figurine, but Miss Bridie chose a shovel back in 1856". So begins the story Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel. We follow Miss Bridie as she leaves her home and family behind to travel to America. This not only is a story about immigration, but also about the usefulness of the shovel as it comes into play throughout Miss Bridie's life. Author: Leslie Connor -- Illustrator: Mary Azarian

Next up, Henry and the Kite Dragon, a Missouri "Show Me Book" nominee a few years ago. This story, a lesson in tolerance and understanding, takes place between two neighborhoods in New York : Chinatown and Little Italy. Written well, with stunning illustrations, the message is "there are always two sides to every story." Author: Bruce Edward Hall -- Illustrator: William Low

And, the third week, capping the unit off, students watched a "Reading Rainbow" episode from the Sea to Shining Sea: Stories of America DVD entitled "Watch the Stars Come Out." This is an inspirational episode, beginning with footage of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, through LaVar Burton's field trip up the scaffolding around the Statue of Liberty during it's restoration in the mid-1980s (look for the Twin Towers in the background), to an ethnic fair in New York city. Neil Diamond's "They're Coming to America" as the backdrop for the final footage in this episode was particularly moving to me. The students and their teachers really enjoyed this DVD.

Watch the Stars Come Out: author: Riki Levinson -- illustrator: Diane Goode

Revenge of the Spellmans

2009-04-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Revenge of the Spellmans, the third book in the Spellman Files series came out a few weeks ago and I have just finished reading it. It is every bit as good as the first two, The Spellman Files and Curse of the Spellmans. I love, love, love this series.

The Spellmans are a quirky family who run a detective agency, but spend a lot of time spying on/investigating each other. The author, Lisa Lutz, scatters footnotes thoughout the pages and her humor has me laughing out loud.

Last summer I ran into my local Saint Louis County Library branch to pick up a few books to take on our vacation. Curse of the Spellmans was on the "new releases" shelf, so I picked it up, never having heard of the author or her work. A day into our road trip I had finished the book (there's not a lot to look at in Western Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma) and upon returning home picked up the first book in the series. I know, that's not the order one would usually pick for reading a series, but I was hooked.

Lutz's writing style and characters remind me of the type of books that my nephew, Michael Snyder writes. His second book, Return Policy, should be released soon.

If you like funny stories with quirky characters and snappy dialog, this is the series for you. I've read that plans are underway to make the first book into a movie, though production has not yet started.

You can read more about Lisa Lutz on her website: http://lisalutz.com/

Libraries and Bookstores!

2009-03-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Most Interesting Libraries of the World

http://www.miragebookmark.ch/most-interesting-libraries.htm

The reading room of the Suzzallo library of the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, was built in 1926 and has a Gothic interieur. Photography by Cap'n Surly Flickr.com

Most Interesting Bookstores of the World

http://www.miragebookmark.ch/most-interesting-bookstores.htm

The Lello bookstore in Porto, Portugal, is open since 1906 and is surely one of the most beautiful bookstores of the world. Photography by delviking Flickr.com

Will It Ever End?

2009-03-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

We are tired of doing yard work, but we sure feel a sense of accomplishment with each task done. Today we cleared and mulched the ground around the trees below our bedroom bay window. Here are some pictures.

Has Anyone Seen My Friends, Deb and Dan?

2009-03-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

Here are two of the best people in the state of New York.

If they had only told me that they were joining the Witness Protection Program I would have advised them on a different look. Actually there are three people shown here, aren't there? The man with his arm around Deb? I have no idea who he is...maybe he's part of the FBI assigned to relocate McDannyboy and O'Deb Shamrock to their new potato patch.

I first talked to Deb probably 20 years ago when Fran and I ran a home-based craft business and Deb called to order some of our personalized prints. She became a good customer, ordering often, and in the process we became good friends. We used to say that we were best friends who wouldn't recognize each other if we passed on the street. We remedied that about eight years later when two friends and I traveled to Block Island and made a side trip to meet Deb and Dan. Maybe I'll write about that some day...it involves Johnette, Evelyn, nun outfits, guns and seagulls.

Subsequently, Fran and I visited them on a trip East a few years ago. They served us a delicious meal and Fran and I gave Dan some helpful hints in straightening up the rock edgings in their yard. Hahaha! Then a few years later Deb came to Eureka for a 36 hour visit, during which time we visited the Downtown Post Office. She was in postal heaven. Listening to two postal workers talk shop is like being in a foreign country with no knowledge of the language.

So...Deb and Dan both work at a post office in New York state and up until a year or so ago, they worked the evening shift, side by side at a sorting machine. I don't know about you, but if Fran and I had had to work together like that, one of us (...not saying which one) would have already been pushed through the sorting machine, bundled, stamped and delivered to a location far, far away. Just having an honest moment here...

Anyway, it's a testament to their relationship that they survived years and years of togetherness at work and home. And it's evident that these two liven up the post office.

Road Trip

2009-03-21T03:39:00.000-07:00

Fran and I took a little road trip to Indiana a couple days ago. It was nice to get away. I have an old Reader's Digest book of best scenic drives, and the one suggested for Indiana was Highway 135, from Corydon to Nashville. This is south of Indianapolis, southeast of Bloomington. Nashville is a quaint town populated by artists and artisans. There are many craft and antique shops in the heart of the town, maybe eight blocks in either direction. Many years ago I visited Nashville with a busload of college students who had come to Indiana for Spring Break revival meetings at various churches across the state. Since then, I had always wanted to return. We roamed in and out of the shops, met a nice man at a bookstore there who is a retired Lutheran pastor who spent several years in St. Louis at Concordia Seminary, and ate at a little coffee shop/deli called "The Daily Grind."

But the best place by far on the drive was Story, a little ghost town just south of Nashville (http://storyinn.com/). Their byline is "One Inconvenient Location Since 1851." The town of Story is comprised of: a general store with a restaurant on the main floor and maybe four or five bedrooms above, several rental cabins, the Old Mill (lodging on the upper level), and an old barn in the back. The proprietor told us that they are usually booked up on the weekends from late March until winter and it's a very popular spot for wedding events.

Old gas pumps - of course, we're too young to remember these! :-)

Word has it that at least one ghost, referred to as "The Blue Lady", is in residence above the restaurant. (http://storyinn.com/page/is_story_haunted) They say the ghost is friendly and harmless, but just the possibility of a ghost is enough for me to never ever want to stay there. No thanks. Creepy. Fran and I roamed upstairs and on the way up met a very nice cat, but that's all. We weren't particularly hungry, but sat down in the restaurant to enjoy a cup of coffee. When we saw the menu, we decided to each get a homemade biscuit with gravy. Very enjoyable, and the red raspberry preserves were fantastic (of course, we HAD to buy a jar).

Seth Matthew

2009-03-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

Look at that face...

Dave and Leanna have returned from China with their new son, Seth.

Bootsie and Murphy and What You Don't Know about Your Friends

2009-03-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

Bootsie was our first dog. She was a Boston Bull and she moved with us from the house pictured here (in Overland, MO) to our house in Florissant. We had a fenced in back yard, but a big dog jumped the fence and, well, you know what happened. Bootsie was five or six years old by then, had never had puppies, and the vet said that delivering the pups would be a big risk to her. We all decided that we wanted Bootsie to be safe. So the vet aborted the puppies. The sad thing was that Bootsie died on the operating table. We were so upset. I remember mom telling us when we came home from school that day. I walked down to the end of the street and sat on the curb, crying for a long time. Funny, as I'm telling the story, it's the first time I've wondered why I left the house to go cry on the curb.

I was relating this story to my good college friend and comedy partner, Kris, and she disclosed that she, too, had a Boston Bull Terrier when she was a child. We have known each other now for close to 40 years, have laughed and cried together, been roommates for a time, even did some amateur detective work to bring to justice the man who slammed his car into the side of my car and fled. Once we took a trip to Riverside, California to visit Kris's mom and dad. I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time and nearly drown in it as Kris stood on the shore laughing at me. We have both always been dog lovers and when we graduated from college, we shared a little apartment in Abilene, TX with her beautiful Irish Setter, Shawn. And yet, we were amazed to find out that we did not know that we both had Boston Bulls as our first family pet. Here's a picture of Kris with her dog, Murphy. Cute, huh? I'm thinking it's Eastertime and Kris is going to have to fight Murphy off from her basket with that big lollipop in her hand.

Yard Work - Day Three

2009-03-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

Today we cleaned up and mulched the rock ledge area directly across the driveway from our front door. It looks great. We plan to extend the mulched area back about six more feet, but that will have to wait until we recover from today's work. Fran says we are too old for this!

Welcome, Seth!

2009-03-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

My niece, Leanna, and her husband, Dave,

are now the proud parents of Seth Matthew Johnson.

Congratulations!

Their blog is http://djohnson-family.blogspot.com/

Anyone Want a Dog? - Part 2

2009-03-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

So then, a few days later (read Anyone Want a Dog - Part 1) my brother drove in for a very short visit, less than 24 hours. He had driven from his home in Orlando, Florida to drop off his wife, Carol at my niece's home in Nashville, to babysit my niece's children while she and her husband travelled to China to adopt their new son, Seth.

As you can see, his phone charger won't be working any time soon. Good dog.

Darryl's phone charger...ooops...

Darryl strangling Smudge

Anyone Want a Dog? - Part 1

2009-03-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

So this is what my dog, Smudge, did to my glasses. For some reason, Smudge is fascinated with the top of my nightstand, so I am careful to take anything of value off when I first get up the morning. She particularly likes my earphones and glasses and little alarm clock. I had just the day before commented to myself that I was doing a mighty fine job keeping one step ahead of her. Well, you know what they say: pride cometh before a fall. I think the glasses are beyond repair.

Yard Work - Day Two

2009-03-15T15:39:00.001-07:00

Sweet Spire (Itea) Bye Bye

House minus Sweet Spire (was in front of window on left)

This is Spring Break week. I always complain that our Spring Break comes at a time when the weather is lousy...either too cold, or too rainy, or too cold and rainy. Then I use that as an excuse for not getting started on yard work. So, now, here we are, and the weather has been ideal! Not too cold, not too hot, very little wind and clear skies.

So now what shall I complain about? Well, my back hurts and my sides ache! Yesterday Fran and I pulled up several plants (itea) that had decided that they wanted the whole garden to themselves. Talk about invasive plants. After we (Fran) pulled up the plants, we spent the next hour pulling up the runners from the plants. It was unbelievable how many runners there were, and I'm sure we've missed many more that are still underground, just waiting to rear their ugly heads.

We raked out leaves, transplanted a few day lily clumps and then mulched half of the garden. Today, after church we continued with the rest of the area and still have two or three days of work remaining. It sure feels good to get that going, and although my back and sides do hurt, I am mostly thankful for the beautiful weather God has provided these last few days!

Good News!

2009-03-11T05:17:00.000-07:00

My lovely niece, Leanna, and her wonderful husband, Dave, are on their way this week to China to receive and bring back their new son, Seth! Couldn't be happier for them. And the added benefit for the St. Louis relatives is that after my brother, Darryl, drops off my sister-in-law at Dave and Leanna's home (babysitting Seth's soon-to-be brother and sisters) he will drive on up to St. Louis to spend a day with us! Safe travels, everyone!

Dave and Leanna will be blogging their experiences to China and back on their new blog:
http://djohnson-family.blogspot.com/

Working in the School Library

2009-02-11T08:09:00.001-08:00

I have the privilege of working with many fine people at my school...from the cafeteria ladies to the teachers and even our mighty fine principal. But two of the finest people I work with are the teacher assistants who help in the library each day. Brownie works in the morning and Fish Stixs works in the afternoon. They both are the kind of people who know what to do and do it without being asked. Self-starters,God love 'em!!! I am honored to work with them and hope they stay for a long time.

Let's Hear It for Old Dogs!

2009-02-11T04:31:00.000-08:00

Great story at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090211/ap_on_sp_ot/dog_show

Eileen and Fish

2009-02-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

My friend Eileen has a running joke with me. She loves fish and everything in her life revolves around fish. That's all. You can imagine how boring it is to be around her. I wrote this because she didn't believe I had a blog.

Smudge

2008-05-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

Happy 1/2 year birthday!

Sock Monkeys

2007-09-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

Last week I read the picture book Sock Monkey Rides Again (Cece Bell) to Connie's second grade class. It was very silly and the kids liked it. This book led to a discuss by Connie and myself about the old sock monkey toys of our youth. Connie and I decided that it would be fun to have a "Make a Sock Monkey" party one evening after school. Hopefully other staff members will join us.

I found this site: http://www.sockcompany.com/index.html to have a good price on the red heel socks. Right now you can get two pair for $7.59. The direct site for these socks is: http://www.sockcompany.com/or1.html

Also, this site: http://www.ciaspalette.com/ has sock monkey fabric. Select "Novelties."

Possible AR Themes

2007-09-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

Something to do with travel: Reading is a Grand Adventure ??? with a map displayed in foyer and marker is moved acroos the map from point to point as the school reading points accumulate.

Come Back To

2007-09-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

Trelease, Jim: The Read-Aloud Handbook, 2006-2007 edition

Reminder - Popcorn Day

2007-08-31T20:49:00.000-07:00

Talk to Brian about new plan for Popcorn Day: deliver popcorn to the classes after lunch. Teachers use the time for sustained silent reading.

Read Alouds Favorites

2007-08-28T21:06:00.000-07:00

I read cowboy-themed books to 1st, 2nd, and 4th grade classes today in preparation for our AR kick-off next week.

The fourth graders loved the book The Toughest Cowboy...great success

First and second graders thought Adventures of Cow Two was very funny and second graders really enjoyed Lasso Lou and Cowboy McCoy

Add these three books to book order.

Children Book Illustrators from the 50's

2007-08-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

Great collection of classic '50s artist/illustrators in collection at http://www.flickr.com/photos/leifpeng/collections/

Professional Books for the Library

2007-08-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

May want to come back to these sometime...

Baxter, Kathleen and Marcia Agness Kochel - Gotcha for Guys!: Nonfiction Books to Get Boys Excited About Reading

Reid, Rob - Storytime Slam!: 15 Lesson Plans for Preschool and Primary Story Programs

Oppenheim Toy Portfolio - Read It! Play It!: Building Literacy through Reading and Play

Trelease, Jim - The Read-Aloud Handbook, 2006-07 Edition

Picture Books

2007-08-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

Donaldson, Julia and Axel Scheffler, ill. - The Snail and the Whale - Donaldson is the author of The Gruffalo, one of my favorites. This one is cute too with the themes of adventure, teamwork, cooperation. Nice story.

Korchek, Lori and Marshall Taylor - Adventures of Cow Too by Cow - A very excited toy cow takes an adventurous trip to a grocery store. This begs to be read aloud as children discover that what the text says does not match the photograph: Cow is in the middle of pineapples in the produce section and the text reads: "Yum, bananas." There are other books in this series.

Beaumont, Karen; Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, ills. - Duck, Duck, Goose! (A Coyote's on the Loose!) - could be a pre-school, K read aloud choice with an additional book.

Unfinished Book - that's okay!

2007-08-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

I checked out the book Let Me Finish by Roger Angell. Iwas interested in reading it because the author is the step-son of E.B. White of Charlotte's Web fame. The book is good and interesting enough, but I have a lot of reading material waiting, and what I really wanted to know about was E.B. White and his relationship with his step-son and others. About a third of the way into the book is a chapter entitled "Andy" (Andy is E.B.'s nickname). So now that I've finished reading that chapter which concludes with E.B.'s death, I'm returning the book to the library. What a nice chapter...I'm glad I read it.

More Cowboy-Themed Books

2007-08-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

Tucker, Kathy and Nadine Bernard Westcott, ill. - Do Cowboys Ride Bikes? Humorous rhyming answers to fourteen questions about what it's like to be a cowboy.

Wheeler, Lisa and Kurt Cyrus, ill. - Sixteen Cows - Rhyming tale of Cowboy Gene and Cowgirl Sue, whose beloved cows get mixed up when a storm blows down the fence between their ranches. - not sure this would work so well as a read aloud

Frank, John and Zachary Pullen - The Toughest Cowboy: or How the Wild West was Tamed - this is really a neat book, funny with great illustrations; the tough cowboy ends up with a free dog that happens to be a french poodle named "Foofy" - a little crude humor, the kind that boys like, lengthy for a read aloud

Books to Come Back To

2007-08-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

I'd like to read these, but it's time to return them to the library...after renewing them twice, I think I'd just better find another time to check them out again:

Winter, Richard - Perfecting Ourselves to Death (recommended by my pastor)

Kimmel, Haven - The Solace of Leaving Early - I loved Kimmel's non-fiction books A Girl Named Zippy and She Got Up Off the Couch. This one is fiction. I definitely want to come back to this book.

Tammet, Daniel - Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinay Life of an Autistic Savant - recommended by a friend.

Helpful Websites

2007-08-25T03:53:00.000-07:00

Some good PowerPoint lessons at this site:

http://www.seaford.k12.de.us/it/pp/home.htm

Good slides on fiction and non-fiction at:

clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/literacy/MSSDLRC/ppt/LrcOrientationJan17.ppt
(may need to copy & paste this link into Google to get to the right spot)

Read Alouds

2007-08-25T03:45:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon I read to a second grade class immediately after a very strong storm passed through our area. The loud thunder and heavy rains caused a lot of fear and much crying throughout the building. Taking that into consideration, that the kids were somewhat distracted, they did a good job listening to the two stories that I read:

Lasso Lou and Cowboy McCoy (Failing/Tedd Arnold, ill.) and Old Little Big Beard and Young Big Little Beard (Charlip)

At the end of our time together I asked the students, as I often do, which story they liked best. They vote by show of hands, and the vote was split pretty much in half.

These are both good read alouds, tho' the Charlip book may be too confusing to students below second grade.

Note to self

2007-08-23T02:48:00.001-07:00

Search:

Wallpaper patterns for livng room wall painting

How to make a fake campfire and other western-type props
****************
Email Alicia and Leanna about available books for Darryl to take to Nashville
****************
Thursday evening: finish setting up the Mark Twain book covers in Word doc - save on flash drive

Cowboy-themed books

2007-08-22T17:55:00.001-07:00

I'm reading through a couple dozen picture books that have cowboys as the main subject. Next week we will kick off our AR reading program and I've offered read-alouds to all classes. The books that I liked the best and that I think will do well as read-alouds are:

Charlip, Remy: Little Old Big Beard and Big Young Little Beard

Sauer, Tammi and Mike Reed, ill.: Cowboy Camp

Failing, Barbara Larmon and Tedd Arnold, ill.: Lasso Lou and Cowboy McCoy

Mitchell, Marianne and Bryan Langdo, ill.: Joe Cinders (Southwestern retelling of the Cinderella story)

Bell, Cece: Sock Monkey Rides Again

Icenoggle, Jodi and Normand Chartier, ill: 'Til the Cows Come Home (pair this with Joseph Had a Little Overcoat)

Funny book

2007-08-22T05:07:00.000-07:00

Way Off the Road: Discovering the Peculiar Charms of Small-Town America - Bill Geist - very funny and quirky.