Sustainable Farming

After reading The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood, (and its predecessor Oryx and Crake), I became increasingly interested in where my food comes from.  Jenna over at Cold Antler Farm, posted this video.  It's food for thought.

Books of Wonder - Help!

Today for KBWT I am featuring Books of Wonder, the wonderful children's book store in New York City.  Mid-Atlantic book lovers have been able to meet so many of their favorite authors because of this great store.  Visitors to the Big Apple have made a stop at this store a MUST. 

Last year, Books of Wonder lost the tenant who helped pay the bookstore's bills and now, Books of Wonder may close.  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

There is a movement afoot to save Books of Wonder - more about that later.

For now, delve into the virtual shelves of this treasure of a store.   Look at the photos of authors and events.  Gaze with wonder at the framed artwork.  Check out upcoming events.  Look at the vintage titles, the World of Oz collection and more, more, more.

OK, now about saving the store!  Books of Wonder has started a fundraiser on Indiegogo to raise enough money to save the store.  Donate as little as $10 and receive something from Books of Wonder.  For $25, you receive a Robert Sabuda pop-up notecard!!!  The more you give the more amazing the thank you gifts become.  Awesome. 

Just click here to find out how you can keep this national treasure open and available to everyone who visits NYC.  Someday, that will be YOU!

Things to Do Instead....

This week I decided to post the following list of To-Dos on my Nook and in every game and puzzle magazine that I own:

DON'T PLAY THAT GAME!!!!!  DO ONE OF THESE INSTEAD!

- Practice a musical instrument
- Learn Spanish or brush up on your French
- Write!
- Make something!
- Take care of a committee commitment
- Write
- Talk to the Hub
- Take a walk
- Write!
- Dig in the garden
- Organize a drawer
- Read one of the dozens of ARCs lying around this house
- Write
- Blog
- Plan that BIG birthday party in Feb. 2013
- Write
- Skype a sibling far away
- Make something from the last few crocheted rectangles
- Write!
- Sew a bunch of fabric blocks

Whew!  I'm so exhausted now.  I think I'll go play some......  NO!!!

Joey!

So, anyway, before I go off to do all those Other Things, I want to introduce you to Joey Hartmann-Dow, the artist of the Craft Fair graphic, and creator of Countries Anonymous.  Joey uses her art to amuse and to inform, as well as to underscore her values.

Those critters are all made from the shapes of countries.  Visit Joey's website to learn more.

So So Tired....

Craft Fair was lovely with fresh pressed cider and soup and bread and many wonderful crafts including candle ornaments made of pasta!!!  I will post pictures.

I will be not be here for the few days.  Reader's Theatre prep and family stuff will keep me away form the computer.   Don't forget me while I'm off doing other things.

Craft FAIR!!!

Anyone who has coordinated anything big or small that involves more than 4 people knows how I feel right now.  Say it with me!  AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I feel better.

Craft Fair.  October 13th, 2012. 4116 Bath Pike (Rte. 512) Bethlehem, PA 10 am to 3 pm.   Please, please come.  It's so much fun.  And here is that lovely graphic once again.

We have glass items, needle felted wool, crocheted and knit things, pottery, clay figurines, ornaments, fine jewelry, honey and beeswax products and more and more and more.

Tell you all about it when it's done.

Wrote a Book

Mike Jung wrote a book (which I haven't read but I really really want to- you will, too), titled Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities.  And then he wrote a song about writing a book!

Thanks to Greg over at GottaBook for sharing this!

CRAFT FAIR WHOOT!!!!

So the Lehigh Valley Friends Meeting is holding their Annual Craft, Book and Bake Sale on Saturday, October 13th from 10 am to 3 pm.  Guess who is the Coordinator of this event??  Three guesses.  Nope.

Nah-uh.

RIGHT!! ME!  And the amazing Connections Committee, whose charge is to make sure all the Lehigh Valley Friends (Quakers) and Attenders stay connected, is helping out big time.  May The Light be with each and every one of them.

 October 13th from 10 am to 3 pm

4116 Bath Pike/ Rte. 512, Bethlehem, PA

Lunch and Used Books and Baked Goods and Cool Crafts.

For a more complete line up, please go to my Let's Make Stuff page. 

That lovely artwork was done by Joey Hartmann-Dow.  She'll be at Craft Fair with more of her artwork.  Get yourself and everyone you know over there on Saturday.

Stories CAN Change Us

Much thanks to storyteller, Robin Reichert, for bringing this to my attention.

Over on Brain Pickings, Maria Popova highlights experiments done by Paul Zak, a neuroeconomics engineer.  (And, no, I don't know what a neuroeconomics engineer is.  It sounds a little scary, though.) These experiments showed how listening to a story effected brain chemistry and changed test subjects behavior.

You can watch the video and read Popova's article here.

 It's nice to have empirical data that confirms what we storytellers have known all along.  Stories change us.  So, be careful what you tell.  Stories are not just for entertainment - and they never have been.

Ten Good and Bad Things

When Pearl Littlefield starts fifth grade she is assigned an essay on her summer vacation.  Sigh.  Her summer was nothing like she expected.  Her teacher asks for an outline and Pearl's first item is
I.  My dad got fired.

Set in New York City, Ann M. Martins' Ten Good and Bad Things about My Life (So Far), follows Pearl's family as they cope with two work at home parents, one of whom is also looking for a job. 

Pearl's older sister, Lexie, out-matures Pearl at every turn. 

Day camp was already paid for but Lexie ends up being Pearl's CIT. 

Pearl has a falling out with her best friend.  And then Pearl causes a horrible accident!

The whole family goes on a "staycation".

And then, Pearl, with the brilliant help of her best friend who forgave her, starts a business! 

I love this family.  I love the way they take care of each other.  I love the way they fight and make up.  I love Ann M. Martin and her books.

There are a lot of adventures of the believable everyday kind, a lot of humor, a lot of age-appropriate behavior, a lot of fun and some ahhhh! moments, too.

Pearl makes some observations that seem a bit too mature for a fifth grade girl.  However, as an oldest sister I have noticed that my younger sisters seemed more mature than I was at every stage.  Maybe having an older sister ups the ante on maturity.  I, not having an older sister for most of my life (do foster sisters count? I have an older one of those) wouldn't know.  AND, letting a ten year old have revelations in a book for other ten year olds is sometimes part of the point.

Anyway, I give this book a healthy 4 stars out of a possible five.  I read the ARC and maybe the finished copy will be a five of five.  Ann M. Martin still has her writing- for- kids chops.

Clarification - Ten Good and Bad Things

When I started this blog - back in the Cretaceous period - I was not the only contributor.  I was also clueless as to how one goes about announcing that this post or that were written by someone else.  Blog posts that mention textbooks, school, Oriental Medicine - all with authority - were written by some of my very good friends.

This was in the percolating stage of blogdom before a purpose and direction were more fully formed.  Oh wait, that's still now. 

I just feel the need to let the wider readership know that a lot of the posts herein during year one and two are not mine.  So don't be confused.  I was not working in a library, going to school, practicing Oriental Medicine in three different states all at the same time.  I am awesome, truly, but not....spoiler alert...I am not a superhero.  Sigh.

Read Ann M. Martin's latest yesterday.  Ten Good and Bad Things about My Life (So Far).  I liked it.  So in honor of that book here is my list of 10 good and bad things about my life today.

1.  It is pouring down rain.                 Good                   &                     Bad
2.  I am still in my pjs.                        Good
3.  It is after 12 noon.                          Good!                                    But also bad
4.  My office is a mess                                                                           Bad.
5.  I need  to exercise.                            ???                                            !!!
6.  I am not a superhero.                      Thank goodness!  No pressure.
7.  Some people do not know #6.  ;)                                                  they are very demanding.
8.  I do not practice Oriental Medicine                 Probably good!
9.  I do not have a pet.                          Good - no work                          Bad - pets are sweet!
10. I have to go to the drs. with Dad           Good, someone has to.        Bad, I want a healthy Dad

Tomorrow, I will review Ten Good and Bad Things About my Life (So Far).    We've come a long way since The Babysitters' Club (a fun series indeed!)