Thursday, August 31, 2006
Morning Glories in the Rain
Last year I tried to photograph my morning glories and each time I did, they didn't come out blue. So today, I ran out in the rain to try and capture their wonderful color.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Hurrah for Sam!
A six-grade student in California has offered to read a draft of kids' book #6. I have completed the first draft of the book, but before printing it out to send to Sam, I'm doing another draft.
Thank you, Sam for inspiring me to take the book to the next level. I'm looking forward to getting input from a kid.
Thank you, Sam for inspiring me to take the book to the next level. I'm looking forward to getting input from a kid.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Great Resources for History on the Internet
The digital world keeps expanding and there is so much in cyperspace it is hard to keep up with it all. Kids who like history might explore the Virignia Center for Digital History. The site contains lots of information on Jamestown and several other excellent databases, such as The Geography of Slavery and Encountering the West: The Changing Visions of Lewis, Clark,and Jefferson. http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/
Kids also should check out Colonial Williamsburg for podcasts and information on all kinds of things relating to eighteenth-century America: www.history.org
Kids also should check out Colonial Williamsburg for podcasts and information on all kinds of things relating to eighteenth-century America: www.history.org
Sunday, August 20, 2006
What is going on here?
Who's this?
You guessed it! I am visiting a marina. The top picture is a moon jellyfish or it is sometimes called a figure-eight jellyfish. It is as big as a dinner plate! The two middle pictures show an oyster conveyer belt. Oyster fisherman bring their catch to the dock and unload them onto the conveyer belt and into a processing plant. And our handsome friend on the bottom is positioned to scare away birds from the boathouse.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Please Eat the Flowers
Nasturtiums come in red, yellow, and orange and both the flowers and the leaves are edible. Here they adorn a coucous, summer salad.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Reviews of Media for Kids
While visiting friends in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, I met Sister Judy, a media expert who coordinates IT for a Catholic school in Massena, New York. Hearing that I wrote for kids, Sister Judy told me about a website that reviews tv programs, music, books, video games, and movies for kids: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/
Check it out when you wonder whether you really want to see a movie, read a book, watch a tv program, or buy a video game.
Check it out when you wonder whether you really want to see a movie, read a book, watch a tv program, or buy a video game.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Our Crepe Myrtle
I wish I could send readers the wonderful smell of the crepe myrtle in front of our house. A picture is the next best thing.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Hunter/Ben
Hunter who lives in Western Virginia asked to be a character in one of my books. I explained that in order to write about him, I had to know more about him. I sent him questions and he carefully answered them.
Hunter likes to sing, dance, and act. He has a dog named Cocoa and I was especially interested to hear about two of his grandparents. Hunter is thirteen and loves to READ.
Since Hunter is a popular name today, I asked him to choose a more historic name. He chose Ben. Hunter/Ben especially likes Civil War and Revolutionary War history. He wanted to be a character in one of my books set during those times. However, shortly after Hunter/Ben sent me his profile, I began a new book, set in the twentieth century (kids' book six). Since I knew all about Hunter/Ben, a character named Ben, based on Hunter, emerged and plays an important role in my newest book.
Where would I be without my readers?
Hunter likes to sing, dance, and act. He has a dog named Cocoa and I was especially interested to hear about two of his grandparents. Hunter is thirteen and loves to READ.
Since Hunter is a popular name today, I asked him to choose a more historic name. He chose Ben. Hunter/Ben especially likes Civil War and Revolutionary War history. He wanted to be a character in one of my books set during those times. However, shortly after Hunter/Ben sent me his profile, I began a new book, set in the twentieth century (kids' book six). Since I knew all about Hunter/Ben, a character named Ben, based on Hunter, emerged and plays an important role in my newest book.
Where would I be without my readers?
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Anything can be!
WORDS OF SUCCESS
Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...
Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.
- Shel Silverstein,American poet, cartoonist, and composer best known in children's literature for his poetry, 1930-1999
Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...
Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.
- Shel Silverstein,American poet, cartoonist, and composer best known in children's literature for his poetry, 1930-1999
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Secrets of a Civil War Submarine
I've just read a great book for kids and anyone interested in naval history. It's Secrets of a Civil War Submarine, Solving the mysteries of the H.L. Hunley by Sally M. Walker (Minneapolis, 2005).
The H. L. Hunley was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship and it has been buried beneath the ocean's floor for more than one hundred years. The book tells how the submarine ended up in Charleston Harbor and how archaeologists painstakingly recovered it.
The H. L. Hunley was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship and it has been buried beneath the ocean's floor for more than one hundred years. The book tells how the submarine ended up in Charleston Harbor and how archaeologists painstakingly recovered it.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
New Features
I've added a box that allows you to instant message with me from a company called Meebo We're still testing it out, so please be patient if it doesn't work right away. Try it out. Be sure to put your name in at the bottom of the chat box so I can see who I'm talking to.
Thanks to my son for the technical support. He assures me that this new feature is hot out of Silicon Valley, released today.
Here's a news article about it from SiliconBeat, a popular weblog written by one of my son's friends.
Thanks to my son for the technical support. He assures me that this new feature is hot out of Silicon Valley, released today.
Here's a news article about it from SiliconBeat, a popular weblog written by one of my son's friends.
