(Photo by Steve Rawley)
i swiped all of these from Oprah’s magazine. usually when i find a “must read!” book list, one or maybe two titles appeal to me. but everything on this list sounds good… holiday reading, coming up…
xo
wm
(Photo by Steve Rawley)
Do you think that newt likes to read? Perhaps… Also, doesn’t it look like he’s on a bed of caviar? What a trip.
When I say we are backlogged on book reviews, what I mean is: I can’t find my desk. Cuz it’s buried under a load of books, that’s why. Also, I’m back to teaching, after a long break spent writing and avoiding responsibility. My new students and I have been reading some old and new favorites. I’d like to give “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish” a shout-out here because Dr. Seuss, you’ve never let us down. Thank you.
“This one has a little star/this one has a little car. Say! What a lot of fish there are.”
We’re kind of enamored of “Press Here,” by Herve Tullet (ChronicleKids, 2011, unpaged, $15.99). It’s a picture book, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a game, a work of art, and would be a really fun read-aloud for a class. Blue, red and yellow dots dance across the page. Press here. Tap on the blue. Tilt the page and see what happens. Love. This. Book.
“Zephyr Takes Flight” was written and illustrated by Steve Light (Candlewick Press, 2012, unpaged, $16.99.) Oh, Zephyr, you have a great imagination, little girl. She likes her airplanes and flying machines — making them, building them, and flying off, like Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace in “Peanuts.” The book is beautifully drawn in pen and ink, with added pastels and colored pencil.
Wacky Boy says: “This is a good one for ages 5-10. It’s a really creative book. I liked all of the different kinds of flying machines they had.” (And wait for the surprise, once Zephyr discovers the inhabitants of the wild blue yonder.)
“The Geek Dad Book for Aspiring Mad Scientists: The Coolest Experiments and Projects for Science Fairs and Family Fun” is by Ken Denmead, a husband and father from the Bay area who also works as a civil engineer. (Gotham Books, 2011, 231 pages, $18.00.) He wrote “Geek Dad” and “The Geek Dad’s Guide to Weekend Fun,” too. He lost us at the first chapter: “Extracting Your Own DNA.” Sorry, but I guess I’m just not geeky enough. Wacky Boy is 10 now (5th grade) and is Junior Science geek, but this book was a little beyond us. (Middle school/high school level, perhaps?)
Have a great weekend, y’all.
Wacky Family
Day 10:
Where is your favourite place to blog?
In my head.
from my girl Liz:
My Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gha) turned out amazing! (Thanks Election Stress!) Started with this recipe.
But this is how I make it: Start w/ veg stock (homemade or 2 cans veg or chicken broth in water). Begin heating in a large stock pot on stove less than half full of liquid. Add 1 onion/chopped, 8-10 cloves garlic/chopped, 4-6″ ginger in thin slices and 2 stalks lemongrass (pounded w/ knife handle and sliced into 2 in” pcs). Cook a little on med heat. Add 1-3 jalipenos/sliced, 3 bell peppers cut into chunks, 4 zucchini in 1/2″ slices. Let that cook a little. Add 2 chicken breasts (or tofu) cut into 1+” chunks. Add 1-2 pkgs button mushrooms. Add 1-2 tbsp green curry paste and turmeric sprinkled in. Cook until chicken is done. Add 2 cans coconut milk, 1-2 bunches cilantro/chopped & 1-2 bunches thai basil or reg basil/chopped. Then add squeezed lime juice (1-2 limes). Add salt to taste. Serve right out of the pot or over brown jasmine rice. Yum!
Thank you, Liz! Miss you!
Reading this week:
And for NaBloPoMo:
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Talk about the last compliment you received.
“You are a good teacher.” — one of my students
(happy, happy, thank you!)
I don’t even need to take photographs — Steve and the kids do it for me. Happy… Tuesday!
(Photo by Steve Rawley)
Monday, November 5, 2012
What are your thoughts about tomorrow’s election in the United States?
Gosh, I think it would be nice if we put some money toward jobs, food, housing and education in this country, instead of buying more fighter jets.
What a crazy and whimsical idea that is.
signed,
jaded cynic
We’ve had some big changes around here. For example, the house is way messier than it used to be, and I don’t care. The kids are older and do their own thing and I am kind of blown away by this. I knew they were getting older, it’s just… 10 & 13 is a lot different than 7 & 10. Just sayin’.
I’m worried about the east coast, following Hurricane Sandy. I hope everyone recovers OK, and prayers and blessings for those who were lost, and their families.
Sick of the election brouhahas. Sniping and fighting and… just sick of it. I want everyone working and not talking.
“A little less conversation, a little more action, please.” — Elvis
Also, the NHL is in lockout, players vs. owners (I gotta go with the players on this one), therefore we can’t watch any hockey. Sure, we could drive all the way across town and spend a lot of $$$ on gas, parking, tickets, beers and pretzels (soda for me) and watch the Portland Winter Hawks play, but we’re lazy.
Also (the secrets, they just keep pouring out), I’ve always liked basketball more than hockey.
True that.
And two of my former students are now playing for the NBA. This rocks, especially for them. (ha.) (seriously, though, we are all so flippin’ proud of them. way to go, way to go Terrence and Terrence.)
Yeah, I think you’ve guessed where I’m going with this — Steve has watched a couple of basketball games with me. Will wonders never cease? Honestly, I am pretty psyched about it. It’s so much funner to watch than hockey. More skin and less blood, too. Little puck vs. big orange basketball, there you have it. The kids even watched the Blazer/Houston game with us tonight. (The Blazers are looking good this season and no, I don’t say that every year. Also got my eye on Houston, Toronto and L.A. — Clippers-not-Lakers.)
My dad is up in heaven right now, smiling at us. Watching basketball with my cousins and grandfathers. Smiling some more.
Hoops!!!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
“Tell us your favourite quotation and why.”
That’s not how you spell favorite.
There, that’s my new favorite quote.
Actually, it’s this one, and I think it’s got to be kind of obvious why.
“I stuck the letter back in the envelope, Scotch-taped it together, and readdressed it to Buddy, without putting on a new stamp. I thought the message was worth a good three cents. Then I decided I would spend the summer writing a novel. That would fix a lot of people.”
– Sylvia Plath, “The Bell Jar”
Daylight savings starts (ends?) tomorrow here in the Pacific Northwest. I’m gonna grab that extra hour and make it take a nap with me.
, Barnes and Noble or Powell's Books.
Also available for Kindle
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