Friday, January 26, 2007
Snow flurries in Williamburg
Yesterday, for the first time in two years, it snowed in Williamsburg. The snow only lasted about twenty minutes, but it was long enough to snap a pictures from my front porch.
Note the green grass from all the fine weather we've had in January.
We've have really strange weather this year with daffodils blooming early in January and wonderfully warm days.
Now, at last, we are getting a taste of winter.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Can you find the hummingbird?
My son sent me this marvelous photograph from California. Can you find the hummingbird? Note how he blends with the greenery in the background. We have hummingbirds in Virginia, but only in the spring and summer.Each spring, hummingbirds arrive in Williamsburg after flying all the way from Costa Rica. We start watching for them in the middle of April, and see them by the 18th, if not before.
We put our feeder out in April and enjoy the hummingbirds until early in September. Obviously, if we lived in California, we could enjoy them all year long.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
A Challenge for Harry Potter Fans
Two volumes of the Harry Potter series have been translated into Latin. For those kids stuying Latin, reading Harry Potter in Latin would be a real challenge. Just think of all the Latin vocabulary you would learn.
For those who are not studying Latin, perhaps you can figure out the titles of the books:
For those who are not studying Latin, perhaps you can figure out the titles of the books:
Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis
Harrius Potter et Camera Secretorum
The translator of the books into Latin, Peter Needham, has also translated another book into Latin. Can you figure out the name of the book?Ursus Nomine Paddington
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Poetry Society Student Contest
Every year the Poetry Society of Virginia conducts a free poetry contest for students. The deadline for submitting poems is January 19, 2007, Edgar Allen Poe's birthday. If you are interested in submitting a poem, check out the detail on line at:
Win cash prizes and recognition for your poems!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman
This young adult novel by Eleanor Updale is an intriguing tale set in Victorian London. Readers feel like they are transported back in time to 1875. Careful research, skillful writing, and good storytelling made this book a pleasure to read.
