Farmer Brown

$hopping $pree

Lately, we’ve been spending money right and left.  All in the name of academics, of course.

        

$ – We bought a geological era poster because we were reading –

Why We Went Extinct, by Tadaaki Imaizumi and Takashi Maruyama.  How did these authors take a sobering topic and make it so readable?  59 extinct animals are showcased, each species presented on a 2 page spread.  But wait!  The final section celebrates 10 species who AGAINST ALL ODDS managed to adapt and have a presence today (we have new respect for the opossums that traipse across our back yard…these guys have dealt with rather a lot in the past 65 million years).   A mountain of research went into this book.  We learned a LOT, we smiled a LOT, and I said, “this is hilarious” a LOT.
So, on each 2 page spread:
– a lengthy, highly amusing explanatory quote from the very voice (ranging from streetwise to “not the sharpest knife in the drawer”) of each animal (my son and I are sort of fans of anthropomorphizing)
– a “regret” or “key to success”
– an illustration
– a factual paragraph
– a tiny era/period chart (which is why we had to buy a poster sized chart), showing when said species bid farewell

$ – We bought a periodic table poster because we were reading – 
Marie Curie (for Kids), Her Life and Scientific Discoveries, authored  by Amy M. O’Quinn.  What a role model:  focused scientist (2 Nobel Prizes), devoted to family, brilliant contributor to the French cause in WWI (master-minded how to get mobile x-ray units to wounded troops).  Grabbing our attention:
– Marie’s husband Pierre Curie was killed when he was mowed down by a horse-drawn cart!
– Marie hid all of her intensely toxic radium in a secured lead box during WWI.  How much?  ONE HALF TEASPOON FULL  (my son and I examined my measuring spoons.  1/2 tsp.  Whoa.).
– Marie Curie passed away at age 66, her daughter Irene, also a Nobel Prize winning scientist passed away at age 58, but daughter, Eve, journalist and pianist, made it to 102.  Message received:  write, play the piano, keep a safe distance from radioactive metals, live long.
– we needed to see where polonium and radium (for which she received Nobel Prizes) were positioned on the periodic table (which is why we bought the poster).

$ – We bought a half pound of Chinese fortune cookies because we were reading – 
Top Story, 5th in an important series by Kelly Yang (engaging story lines that weave in an awareness of the meanness and (HELLO) the short-sightedness of racism).  This book finds protagonist Mia Tang attending journalism camp in San Francisco….once there,  she makes friends with someone who helps out at a fortune cookie factory (my son was not familiar with fortune cookies, so that was reason enough for the purchase).  But there is so much more to the story.  The book has a triumphant conclusion and we are looking forward to the next in the series (Chef’s Secret). 

Because my son and I were impressed by the community support in Yang’s depiction of San Francisco’s Chinatown, we read San Francisco’s Chinatown – and the tight community spirit came through on every page with text by Kathy Chin Leong and vibrant photographs by Dick Evans.  For us, most eye-opening essay:  SRO (single room occupancy) Apartments.  Our favorite essay:  Red Envelopes.

Story Problem:  It is “Strawberry Spree” time at Farmer Brown’s roadside stand.  The stand is selling strawberries of course, but also their strawberry glacé pie and strawberry jam (both of which recently earned blue ribbons at the state fair!).
Sold separately:
– the pie sells for $15
– a jar of jam sells for $6
– a small box of strawberries sells for $4
– a “Strawberry Spree” basket with a pie, a jar of jam, and a small basket of strawberries sells for $20.
Last Saturday, the roadside stand sold:
– 10 pies
– 10 jars of jam
– 30 boxes of strawberries
– 15 strawberry spree baskets
Did the roadside stand make more money from the items sold separately or from the “strawberry spree” baskets?  (answer at bottom of post)

Orchestral Music Time – 

$ – We bought a harmonica because everyone should have a chance at making music with this pocket sized marvel –
1) I was hopeless on our harmonica and 2) when I tried to hand it over to my son he reacted as if I were offering him a poisonous snake.  We settled for listening to some harmonica pros – 

Sigmund Groven:  Strawberry Fair –  this old English folk song (first published in 1891) is just the very thing to accompany our “strawberry spree” story problem.  Sweet and well played – 

Jack Harrison:  Moon River – from Henry Mancini’s motion picture score for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, winning the 1962 Academy Award for Best Original Song.  This is a lush adaptation –

Stevie Wonder:  Isn’t She Lovely – his sensation from 1976.  I had no idea that Stevie Wonder was a harmonica virtuoso.  His harmonica playing starts about a minute into the recording.  My son was vigorously tapping his toes the whole way through.  Wonder performed the song for Queen Elizabeth II at her Diamond Jubilee Concert in June of 2012 – 

Welcome to the best part of my day!
 – Jane BH
(story problem answer:  the roadside stand made more money from the “strawberry spree” basket sales)

The Spring Academic Banquet

Oooooh!  The Spring Academic Banquet! – actually, we host an academic banquet every night up in my son’s room.  Here is our basic template, gussied up to welcome spring – 

The hors d’oeuvre platter:  this past week, academic thinking mode was activated with mini warm-up exercises, along the line of:
– a word scramble (FLIDAFOD = DAFFODIL)
– iPad keyboard practice (sprout, trout, about, shout, clout, pout, grout)
– practicing: “>”(larger than) and “<“ (smaller than)
– matching:  composer and composition
– tracking the travels of Breton (our favorite shark) on ocearch.org
– ooohing and ahhhing over photos we took to celebrate my son’s 200th volunteer day at the local nursery. 

The main course:  two hearty, satisfying topics: 

– The Physics Book, 250 milestones in physics, arranged chronologically by Clifford A. Pickover, published in 2011. Oh my gosh – I never thought we would be reading about physics and bless our hearts, we are pretty much not comprehending most of the entries – AND YET, we are LOVING THIS BOOK!   Each “milestone” gets a two page spread;  one page for an illustration/photograph and one page for historical references and technical, bewildering explanations.  We skip milestones that are too confusing for the likes of us (the majority of milestones) but – oh! – the feeling of elation when we find a topic we can grasp.

The sort of milestones we have skipped:
The Antikythera Mechanism
Coulomb’s Law of Electrostatics
Soliton

The sort of milestones that fill us with wonder:
the physics of the boomerang – dynamite – the hourglass – Ben Franklin’s kite
the acceleration of falling objects – X-rays – the stethoscope
the thermos – neon signs – Schrödinger’s cat (which we are familiar with thanx to BBT)

Here is something cool we learned: The first Nobel Prize (funded by the invention of dynamite, 1866) ever awarded went to Wilhelm Röntgen for his original work with X-rays (1895). 
This is the book we can’t wait to open every night!

– Polar Explorers – for Kids, Maxine Snowden.  We have just completed part one (Arctic explorers), and are geared up to start part 2 (Antarctic explorers).  Our globe and compass are out every night so we can trace routes attempted by the explorers.  We are now REALLY familiar with:
– the concept of the Northwest Passage 
– the contentious race to the North Pole 
– the difference between the geographic North Pole and the magnetic north pole
– our favorite explorer:  Fridtjof Nansen (brilliant, thoughtful, honest, focused) 
– our least favorite explorer:  Robert Peary (apparently a self centered #$%&+*&%$#)

The salad course:  a Farmer Brown story problem involving veggies necessary for perking up a bowl of tossed greens:

– Farmer Brown is teaching a gardening class the first Saturday of every spring month  (March, April, and May).  Students will be given gardening gloves, clay pots, potting soil and will learn how to plant radishes, cucumbers and tomatoes from seeds.  Farmer Brown figures to spend $15 on supplies per student and has priced the course at $25.
– If 15 eager beginner gardeners sign up for each class, how much profit will Farmer Brown realize? 
A)  $10     B)  $150     C)  $375     D)  $450
– How many students will Farmer Brown prepare for if 20% of the radish/cuke/tomato students decide to enroll in his “Let’s Grow Bell Peppers” summer class?
A)  9  students     B)  15 students     C)  20 students     D)  45 students
(answers at bottom of post)

The dessert:  the icing on our spring banquet cake:

We just finished “Grandpa’s Great Escape”, by David Walliams.   A lot of full throttle wackiness (story AND illustrations) in this book: can friendships, bravery, and a special relationship between a grandfather and his grandson triumph over the mean, the greedy, and the cheaters? (Of course they can, but hold onto your hat, cuz we found this book to be a roller coaster ride from start to finish.)  To top it off (icing on the cake), we learned a bit about the pride of Britain’s Royal Air Force of WWII:  the Spitfire!

Classical Music for a Spring Banquet – 

“Spring”, from the “Victorian Kitchen Garden Suite”, composed by Paul Reade.  We learned that “The Victorian Kitchen Garden” was a British TV series, produced in 1987 (winning an award for best TV music in 1991).  The short recording we listened to features Emma Johnson (on clarinet), of the original theme soundtrack.  Perfect for spring, with bird song scattered throughout the piece –

“Appalachian Spring”, music composed by Aaron Copland for Martha Graham in 1944.  We like the weirdly named “Doppio Movimento” section (yes, we looked this up, we understand what doppio movimento means, but we still think it is a weird name), a respectful interpretation of the Shaker hymn, “Simple Gifts”, accented with with regal fanfare and waves of majestic strength.  We listen for the spring raindrops (or is it the clip clop of horses’ hooves?).  We love this piece –

“Spring Song”, composed in 1841 and found in Book 5 of Felix Mendelssohn’s “Songs without Words”.  We wonder whether Herr M would be amused that this piece would feature prominently in loads of cartoons (most notably, “Spring Song” was the central music theme of the 1939 “Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur” animated cartoon short).  Oh, the royalties he missed out on!

Welcome to the best part of my day!
– Jane BH
(story problem answers:  D)  $450 and A)  9 students)

Inspiration Point

We are mid-way through a unit on National Parks of the United States and while each park’s history/wildlife/vegetation/altitude is interesting, we do love to see what qualifies as a National Park Service “Inspiration Point”.  According to an internet search, over 50 designated scenic spots – selected by the NPS, to highlight natural and cultural resources – are worthy of the appellation, “Inspiration Point”.  We especially love the sites that make us wonder if we exist on the same planet.

Bryce Canyon National Park’s Hoodoos!

Our journey to investigate so-labeled inspiration points is fueled by the pretty funny, yet reverently observant “Subpar Parks”, written and illustrated by Amber Share.  Ms. Share begins each park’s page with a petulant complaint somebody posted on the internet, along the line of:  “just something to look at and leave” – “a bunch of rocks:  big deal” – “somewhat bland” and maybe the very best:  “looks nothing like the license plate”.  (I am wondering if most of the reviews might be attributed to pre-teens?)

We have learned the difference between a National Park and a National Monument.  We were sort of jarred to find out that “monument” is not necessarily a statue or structure.  Hmmm.

  • National Monuments such as Craters of the Moon (Idaho), Muir Woods (California), Devils Tower (Wyoming), are designated by presidential executive order under the Antiquities Act.
  • National Parks are established by acts of Congress and have stricter guidelines, regulations, and standards.

We are inspired (new topic) –

I took a deep breath each night before opening Nancy I. Sanders’ book, “Frederick Douglass – for Kids”.  Important, non-frivolous reading awaited.  We encountered a person that faced cruel laws and cruel people and (we held our breath) triumphed (we released our breath).  We encountered a treasure trove of vocabulary and concepts to define and grasp:  fortitude – strategic thinking – command of language.  

We followed Frederick Douglass’ life from slavery – escape attempt – successful escape – dodging slave hunters – speaking persuasively on the cause of abolition (one sobering speech was entitled “What, to the slave, is the 4th of July?”) – outspoken newspaper publisher – consultant to 4 presidents – statesman – family man raising 4 responsible children.  Douglass knew his cause was just and he persevered.  We are inspired.  

Final note:  this well written, well researched book could easily serve as text book for a semester study at any level:  it is NOT JUST FOR KIDS. 

Current fiction reading:  two books that got better and better with each chapter – 

  • Because of Winn-Dixie, Kate DiCamillo’s classic.  This book was probably a bit young for my son, but in its sweet way it reminded us of the positives to be found in inclusiveness, and in a likewise tender manner, provided an inspiring example of acceptance of loss. We really liked Ms. DiCamillo’s final notes to reader in our updated edition’s “Afterword”.
  • Mouse and His Dog, second in the series by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko.  As much fun as the first book, Dogtown, with a twist in the conclusion that absolutely cheered us.

Story problem:  Farmer Brown, inspired by soup bowls!

Farmer Brown always shops the winter craft fair at the local high school.  This year he purchased so many sturdy soup bowls (made by ceramics class students) that he was inspired to host a hot soup night for his 8 farmhands (each worker invited to bring a friend).  Farmer Brown prepared three soups to showcase farm produce:  

French Onion Soup – Baked Potato Soup – Pozole Soup

  • If each farmhand slurps down all three soups (in 3 different bowls) because quite an appetite has been worked up from farm chores, and each additional guest (including Farmer Brown) seems satisfied with a single bowl of soup, how many bowls does Farmer Brown need?

a)  8 bowls     b)  24 bowls     c)  33 bowls     d)  51 bowls

  • If Farmer Brown purchased 3 dozen bowls at the craft fair, will he have enough for hot soup night?  (answers at bottom of post)

Classical Music Inspirations – 

Youth orchestras – Obviously, the very future of orchestral music lies in the hands of young musicians.  But maybe the real future of orchestral music lies in the hands of conductors with vision and enthusiasm who inspire commitment and focus.  Conductors who select compositions that young musicians can’t wait to play.  My son and I paid attention to the conductors working magic in the following three selections.  We saw youth orchestras taking serious ownership of their respective compositions.  Bravo conductors!

Inspiring Conductor:  Gustavo Dudamel – conducting Sinfónica Simón Bolívar Orchestra with infectious enthusiasm and energy.  Do the musicians look like they are fully engaged?  Uh, YES.  Here they present an exuberant Mambo from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story (1957) –

Inspiring Conductor:  Malgorzata Kobierska – conducting the Kamerton Orchestra during the Polish Nationwide Music Schools’ Symphonic Orchestras Competition of 2014 (so she might not look like she is having the time of her life).  The ensemble is performing Camille Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre (1874) to the highest standards and this might be our favorite filmed performance ever –

Inspiring Conductor:  Benjamin Zander – leading the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in a zesty Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila (Mikhail Glinka, 1840).  Zander exudes joy conducting  this speedy piece.  If Ruslan and Lyudmila is on our nightly music suggestion list, my son will scrawl a giant “YES” next to it – 

Welcome to the best part of my day!
 – Jane BH
(story problem answers:  c)  33 bowls, and yes, 3 dozen bowls is enough for hot soup night)

Newfangled

The past few weeks my son and I time-traveled back 100+ years and placed ourselves in a general population confronted by such newfangled shockers as – 

– the paintings of Pablo Picasso – 
– a WOMAN in the USA President’s cabinet – 
– Frank Lloyd Wright’s radical approach to home design –

While most of the newfangled ideas of this time frame enjoyed short-lived popularity (we read about hippo farming, teaching science by dance, and I think, our favorite: the coat parachute), Picasso, Perkins, and Wright were game changers –

  
Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973).  We loved 100 Pablo Picassos – an engaging and actually fun introduction to Pablo Picasso and his many distinct painting styles, authored by Mauricio Velasquez de Leon, illustrated by Violet Lemay.  The book has a young person’s vibe to it, while maintaining respectable reference book standards.  It’s in our basket for another read through.

Frances Perkins (1880 – 1965).  The Only Woman in the Photo by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Alexandra Bye.  We learned how the eminently qualified, workers rights advocate Frances Perkins came to be the first woman in a President’s cabinet, serving as Secretary of Labor for FDR (1933 – 1945). A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, which her grandmother Mary Lyon (chemist and educator) had founded (!), Perkins was instigator of groundbreaking workplace and fire safety laws for the state of New York.  As Secretary of Labor,  triumphs included the concept of a minimum wage and the Social Security Act.

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 – 1959).  Thanks to Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids – His Life and Ideas, by Kathleen Thorene-Thomsen, my son and I are starting to recognize signature components of Frank Lloyd Wright houses:  nature driven, organic, long horizontal lines, geometric shapes, and at all times blending into the landscape.  (Note to self:  FLW never built house with basements because he felt that anything stored in a basement should be thrown away.)  The book also references his splendid building commissions, our favorite being the Guggenheim Museum, (the shape based on a common garden snail’s shell). Plans began in 1946, building was completed in late 1959, facing controversy every step of the way. (sigh)

Easy story problem:  Farmer Brown needs a new truck –  

Farmer Brown needs a new vehicle for, you know, farm stuff.  Before he visited local truck dealerships he made a lengthy list of “wants and dislikes”.  Frankly, some of the newfangled vehicle “improvements” make him crazy.  Among other things, he does NOT want to be distracted by information projected onto his windshield and is it too much to ask for a CD player in the cab?  Anyway, Farmer Brown has taken test drives at 6 of the 8 vehicle dealerships within a 10 mile range of his ranch.  What percentage of these dealerships have not yet had the pleasure of dealing with Farmer Brown’s list of “wants and dislikes”?

A)  6%     B)  10%     C)  20%     D)  25%     (answer at bottom of post)

Good old fashioned fiction (nothing newfangled here) – 

Hope was Here, written by Joan Bauer.  This wonderful book made us consider the possibilities of non-traditional  families, diner waitressing as an art, taking action against corrupt politicians.  We both enjoyed the book and were sort of sad to have it end.

The Further Adventures of Miss Petitfour, by Anne Michaels, illustrations by Emma Block.  If possible, this book is more fun than its predecessor, The Adventures of Miss Petitfour.  Clever way with vocabulary, clever story lines, clever cats.  Write more, Ms. Michaels.

Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh.  We heaved a big “oh, brother!” when we learned that members of a school district in Ohio tried to ban this book in 1983, on grounds that the protagonist (Harriet) was a bad role model (spying/talking back/cursing).  Meanwhile, WE are enjoying the many layers of this book, and I am pretty sure that my son can read about spying on neighbors without actually deciding to spy on neighbors.  However, as he is non-verbal, I would sort of be pleased if my son “talked back” or “cursed”. 

Classical Music:  back to the newfangledness  – we listened to music that certainly fell into the “new and NOT improved” category according to critics of the day (late 1800’s – early 1900’s).  Music that Picasso, Frances Perkins, and Frank Lloyd Wright may well have been aware of –

Jeux de Vagues (Play of the Waves) from Claude Debussy’s 3-movement composition of 1904, La Mer.  Initially met with confusion, maybe because there seems to be no introduction or conclusion?  It is as if Debussy has transported us into the middle of a mildly turbulent ocean, capturing in music the movement of  wind and water.  My son and I like listening for the comforting sounds of the harp woven in throughout this piece.

Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat major, movement 3. Sergei Prokofiev premiered this piece in 1911 and although there were some who could recognize its brilliance, the general reaction was, “THE IMPERTINENCE!”.  And consider this:  Prokofiev played this piece for a competition, reasoning that the jury would be unable to judge whether he was playing well or not.  My son and I haven’t really got a grasp on this brisk paced, marching, squeaking, tantruming, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink whirlwind.  For us, even 114 years after its premiere, it remains newfangled (but we are intrigued).

Les Bulles de Savon (The Soap Bubbles), from Georges Bizet’s Jeux d’Enfants suite of 1871.  This short, abrupt (soap bubbles popping?), adorable piece for “piano with four hands” sparkles with sassy, clearly discordant tones.  As discordant and sassy as this piece is, it was embraced, not criticized, by its first audiences….maybe because it was part of a suite for (discordant and sassy) children. We love this piece.

Welcome to the best part of my day!
– Jane BH
(story problem answer:  D)  25%)

The Pre-Test

When I was earning a teaching credential at UCLA (this would be during the bronze age), esteemed professor of education, Dr. P., stressed the importance of THE PRE-TEST.  How could one possibly know what to teach without evidence of a student’s grasp of particular subject matter? 

Thus, from a recent “Around the World” unit PRE-TEST: 

1)  If given a blank map of Africa (with border outlines), how many countries can you identify?
– My son could color in Egypt and Algeria (we have studied both)
– Me?  Oh my gosh, this is so unacceptable:  I could correctly label Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Madagascar.  The end.  There are 54 countries and 4 territories in Africa and I could identify 5.  Yikes.  

2)  List everything you know about Africa:
– Both my son and I:  the pyramids, the Sahara Desert, Victoria Falls, Nelson Mandela.  The end.  

Pre-test results are in –  the students pretty much need to know EVERYTHING:

So, Africa.  Only half way through this unit, we are alternately perplexed and fascinated, as we become more aware citizens of the world –

– Two different countries: Niger and Nigeria
– Two different countries: the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Like the Euro, several African countries use the same currency:
          West African CFA Franc: 8 countries
          Central African CFA Franc:  6 countries
– Newest country:  South Sudan (established 2011)
– Côte d’Ivoire’s Basilica of our Lady of Peace is the largest church in the world
– The territory of Western Sahara confuses us.  Why is this a territory?
– We found out where Timbuktu is (Mali).  We didn’t know Timbuktu was a real place
– There are 2,000 distinct languages spoken in Africa

(pre-test and African countries studied so far)

Our “Around the World” Unit – We are augmenting our Lonely Planet Kids book, “The Travel Book – a journey through every country in the world”, with two atlases and we love them both:  

–  “Maps”, by Alessandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski.  We refer to this most enchanting atlas nightly.
–  “The Hammond World Atlas – Super Edition”, printed in 1966.  We love comparing the new with the way out-of-date.  Always a discussion starter.

Even More Maps? –  my son is also learning the location of states in the USA.  We locate few states at a time, each night a new theme.  So far: 

– States we have lived in:  California, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, and Texas
– Fun shaped states:  the “L”-shaped Louisiana, and the mitten-shaped Michigan, the square states Wyoming and Colorado
– The four “corners” of continental USA:  California (again), Washington, Maine, and Florida
– States of the “Four Corners” region:  Utah, Colorado (again), Arizona, and New Mexico
– “Compass” states:  North and South Dakota,  North and South Carolina, West Virginia
– “New” states:  New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and New Mexico
– Dream destination states:  Hawaii and Alaska

Story Problem Time (YAY!):

Pickle Day at Farmer Brown’s Roadside Stand – There’s an excited buzz around Hankville:  it’s almost Pickle Day at Farmer Brown’s Roadside Stand!  Pickle Day is held every spring and features Farmer Brown’s favorite cousin, Miss Kate (state fair champion in both sweet pickle AND dill pickle divisions!) giving a pickling demonstration.  

– After the demonstration, Miss Kate autographs her pickling instruction booklet (which sells for $10).  
– Jars of her dill pickles sell for $5.  
– Jars of her sweet pickles sell for $6.  
– Also for sale:  a festive basket, suitable for gift giving, containing the booklet PLUS a jar of each pickle style, priced at $18.

If the roadside stand receives 10% of Miss Kate’s sales, how much money will the stand realize if 400 booklets, 100 jars of dill pickles, 120 jars of sweet pickles, and 20 gift-giving baskets are sold?
a)  $64     b)  $225     c)  $360     d)  $558 
(answer at bottom of post)

Finding the original A.A. Milne, “The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh” (“Winnie-the-Pooh” and “The House at Pooh Corner”) on our bookshelf, enrobed in a thin (it wasn’t really thin) layer of dust, was like finding buried treasure (literally, a treasure buried in dust).  Would it be just as good a read as it was 25 years ago?  YES!

– Milne’s refreshing manner with words –
– unpretentious poems (hums) that beg to be read out loud over and over –
– the capital letters strewn about –
– perceptively defined characters who assist each other in and out of situations –
–  the winsome illustrations of Ernest Shephard – 

What a most pleasant way to conclude each night’s studies.  (I just came across an A.A. Milne quote that has apparently been taped to my office wall since 2009:  “One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.”.  This speaks to me.  Maybe this is how we rediscovered our dust covered book.)

Classical Music, The Pre-Test –

The majority of my acquaintances seem to have limited knowledge regarding classical music:
–  I was jolted into reality when one of my more educated friends asked what a symphony “movement” was.  
– When another acquaintance asked me what type of music I would like to listen to, I responded, “how about anything recorded by the New York Philharmonic?”  Acquaintance squinted his eyes and said, “hmmmm, I’ve never heard of that band.”  

Whoa. OK, that is what I am here for.  Anyway, if my son and I were giving an introductory class in orchestral music, we might pre-test by asking –
– What distinguishes music from the classical and romantic eras?
– Traditionally, how many movements in a concerto?
– Can you put these composers in order, according to when they composed:  Bach, Beethoven, Brahms?
– Can you tell the difference between a viola and a clarinet? (Please, can you at least get this right?)

Here is a micro-sampler of what we think everyone should have a chance to listen to. My son and I have renamed these pieces to reflect what we can hear in the music.  There’s no law that says we can’t.

– The Goat Symphony – really, Alexander Glazunov’s, Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, movement II, composed in 1893.  It is so easy to visualize a team of goats on meadow clearing detail, pouncing about in the fresh air.

– Popcorn Pizzicato – really, Leroy Anderson’s Jazz Pizzicato, composed in 1939.  Before we changed the name, we had listened to the piece about 3 times and thought it was sort of OK.  Then, we matched the music up with a popcorn cart story problem.  Game changer!  This piece has become one of my son’s favorite evening selections.  Every pluck of the violin strings tells us popcorn is popping.

– Elephants! – really, Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome, movement I (Villa Borghese), composed in 1924.  We can hear elephants trumpeting throughout the piece.  We know Respighi was capturing children pretending to be soldiers in battle (and we do hear that), but darn it, we cannot ignore the elephants!

Welcome to the best part of my day!
– Jane BH
(story problem answers:  d).  $558)

Stat Chat

The Statistics:  How many books did we read in 2024?

Number of books started:  53
Number finished:  46
46 might seem commendable, but my friend Shannon made it a goal to read 1,000 books to her toddler grandson in 2024.  On December 24th they shared book number 1,000.  Whoa.  Shannon!  You are making us look like slackers!
Number abandoned:  5
We do not believe that we would be better people if we continued to read books that did not entice. 
Number still being read:  2
Number of fiction books:  19
Number of non-fiction books:  34

Books to be re-read because they rank high on the awesome scale:
The Labors of Hercules Beal, Gary D. Schmidt
Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums, Bob Eckstein
The Mona Lisa Vanishes, Nicholas Day
While Mrs. Coverlet was Away, Mary Nash
Mrs. Coverlet’s Magicians, Mary Nash
Schooled, Gordon Korman
Home of the Brave, Katherine Applegate

Our very very favorite reads of 2024:
Fiction:  The Labors of Hercules Beal, Gary D. Schmidt
Non-fiction:  The Mona Lisa Vanishes, Nicholas Day

Currently reading:

– Marine One, by Colonel Ray “Frenchy” L’Heureux.  Compellingly written.  We are learning what it takes to be in charge of the US presidential helicopter (always referred to as “Marine One”, as presidential helicopter transport falls under the management of the US Marines).   These helicopters are so well maintained and the pilots are so well trained that since its first commission (1947) there have been NO accidents or mishaps.  New concepts for my son:  Marine boot camp – hovering – a squadron – a lift package. 

– The Travel Book, a Journey through Every Country in the World, a Lonely Planet Kids book.  So, first question:  as of January 1, 2025, how many countries are there in the world?  Sorry, trick question:  an internet search has totals ranging form 195 to 257.  (sigh)  In The Travel Book, 204 countries are showcased  (each gets a single page of facts and quirky points of interest), so we are going with 204.  We are learning about one country a night and finding its location on our globe.  We should be reporting back in a little less than 7 months.

Reading Comprehension:  Since last report, my son is still smiling over our Clem and Clyde stories.  Latest antics involve:

sports fans – treasure hunting – whittling – Halloween socks – Thanksgiving napkins   
orchestra membership – creating a dazzling Christmas tree

The Poetry Project:  memorization is coming along for the three poems we began with (“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, “Keep a Goin’”, and “The Swing”).  Newest addition to the unit is “Sea Fever” by John Masefield.

New new new!  We are starting to do VERY EASY crossword puzzles!  Santa brought a book that looks youngster-ish, but I am guessing that whomever put it together had some sort of teaching background.  It advances from the simplistic to mid-level difficulty crossword puzzles at a thoughtful pace.  My son is experiencing success and likes delving into this book.

A Long and Complicated Farmer Brown Story Problem:  

Weather is chilly in January on the ranch, so Farmer Brown decided to purchase 4 pair of thick wool socks for each of his 5 farm hands.  The socks cost $30 per pair, but the “Sock Hop Sock Shop” was having a special deal for the month of January:  2 pair of socks for $50!  
– So, Farmer Brown purchased how many pair of socks?
a)  4 pair     b)  5 pair     c)  20 pair     d)  30 pair
– And how much did Farmer Brown pay (not including tax) for his farm hands’ socks?
a)  $120     b)  $150     c)  $200     d)  $500
– And how much more would he have paid if he had bought the socks in February?
a)  $100     b)  $50     c)  $30     d)  $20

But here is the thing:  Farmer Brown was so busy chatting with his old friend Hank (you know, of Hank’s Harmonica Orchestra), that instead of buying MEN’S sized socks, he purchased WOMEN’S sized socks and there was a “no return” policy on the “special deal” merchandise.  So Farmer Brown decided to donate the socks to the town’s silent auction fundraiser (to repair the roof on the town’s bingo parlor) and had to return to the “Sock Hop Sock Shop” and buy the right sized socks for his farm hands.
– How many pair of socks did Farmer Brown purchase when all was said and done?
a)  8 pair     b)  20 pair     c)  30 pair     d)  40 pair
– How much did Farmer Brown spend (not including tax) buying all the socks (good thing it was January!)?
a)  $1,200     b)  $1,000    c)  $350     d)  $80  
(answers at bottom of post)

Classical Music to Welcome 2025 – 

La Réjouissance, movement IV, from Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks”, composed in 1749.  This is a robust fanfare worthy of welcoming 2025.  Should the occasion arise where we require a fanfare, this piece would be the one –

Pines of the Appian Way, movement IV, from Ottorino Respighi’s “Pines of Rome”, composed in 1924.  We join the composer trudging through discord, sorrow, darkness in the first half of this movement, but the back half of the movement – OH!  An overwhelming and lengthy crescendo gives reason for turning from sadness and welcoming the glories a new year can bring –

Sunrise, movement I, from Ferde Grofé’s “Grand Canyon Suite”, composed in 1930. This  music reminds us of the sheer privilege of welcoming a new day (and why not a new year?).  Bird song at the beginning of the piece is the first hint that all is going as it should be going – and it is NONE of OUR doing.  Sunrise in the hands of a higher power.  We have added “Sunrise” onto our Sunday night classical music list –

Welcome to the best part of my day.
– Jane BH
(story problem answers:  c)  20 pair, d)  $500,  a)  $100, d)  40 pair,  b)  $100.  Inspiration for this story problem:  my husband gifted me with 4 pair of MEN’S SIZED wool socks for Christmas.  Ooops.)

P.S.  My biggest news!  I was part of a BBC Radio 4 program that was broadcast on New Year’s Day!  The program series (“Soul Music”) presents superbly constructed half-hour episodes that focus on a single piece of music.  “Sailing By”, composed by Ronald Binge in 1963, was chosen for the New Year’s Day show.  It is a composition that is well recognized by British citizens as it is played every night before the late shipping report broadcast.  I have written short thoughts about this sweet slumberous waltz in 3 different blog posts.  Anyway, if you have a spare half hour, here is the link.  My raspy/twangy voice is positioned about 2/3rds into the program.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0026999

and here is the entire piece –

 

32 and counting!

How many books do we read in a year?  We have no idea.  So, this past January my son and I decided this would be the year to track the number of books.  Reporting midway through 2024:  32 books on the tally sheet.  Currently in the stories and studies book basket:

Studies – 

Arctic Tern Migration, Susan H. Gray.  In the autumn, these global traveling birds take 3 months to fly from the Arctic to the Antarctic.  In springtime, they head back to the Arctic – this trip taking less than two months due to wind currents.  We have layers and layers of “how do they do this and why do they do this?” questions.

Birdology, Sy Montgomery.  Favorite chapters:  “Chickens” (because each and every one is wacky) and “Pigeons”  (author Montgomery takes the reader to a pigeon racing club and we learn the specifics – we love it when a book opens a whole new world for us).

Mother Teresa, Navin Chawla.  This particular book – based upon extensive interviews with those who influenced (or were influenced by) Mother Teresa –  is the only authorized biography of Saint Teresa of Calcutta (as per her canonization by the Catholic Church in 2016).  It is THE book.  We were riveted by the work of this brilliant visionary leader.  How could one person, with no income, starting with 1 room and 2 postulants, turn this into a multi-national effort (hundreds of homes for the destitute, dying, leprosy affected, poorest of the poor) with a support system of 4,000 enthusiastic, committed nuns? 

Can I Recycle This?, Jennie Romer.  This is not our first recycling book, but this one leaves the other one (which was patronizing and jammed with platitudes) in the dust.  This author is interesting and specific.  We learned what goes on at a recycling center.  We learned what cannot (at this point) be recycled:  plastic forks and knives, straws, restaurant “to-go” cartons that have been sprayed with a plastic coating, eyeglasses, coat hangers, plastic baggies, potato chip bags.  We are sort of feeling bad about all the potato chip bags we go through.

Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums, Bob Eckstein.  Each entry includes a short list of facts about the museum, charming illustrations, and a few personal reflections from museum goers/employees (this is the best part!).  I was happy to see one of my favorite, NAY, perhaps my favorite museum, included in the book:  The Museum of Bad Art (Boston).  Also, we learned that there are museums/museum grounds that host 200,000 bees (Clark Art Institute), and 1,000 dolls (Wenham Museum House).  We were touched to the soul by the “National Museum of African American History and Culture” and Baltimore’s “American Visionary Art Museum”.  We learned that a WOMAN (Betty Willis) designed the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign (from The Neon Museum).  I learned of this book from James Breakwell’s hilarious Instagram site.  Many thanks!  This is the perfect type of book for us!

Stories – 

The Teacher’s Funeral – Author Richard Peck takes us to the one room country school house of the early 1900’s.  The surprisingly effective teacher is a high school student, sister of two of her 8 pupils (who do not want to be in school at all).  And then, just as we are settling into her spelling bees and geography lessons – WHAT THE H-E-DOUBLE-TOOTHPICKS??? –  the author takes us along to a neighborly gathering to observe the butchering of a pig.  Oh dear oh dear oh dear.  Do I skip over this part or do I come to terms with this part of long ago rural life?  I mean seriously, to be invited to a pig slaughter? Honored with the responsibility of handling the shotgun that would kill said pig?  Then the book goes right back to being its pleasant self (romance, school yard antics, teacher certification worries, the town poet mystery).  We do love Richard Peck’s books and have read loads of them.  This pig business was a jarring surprise.

The Trials of Hercules Beal, Gary D. Schmidt.  An excellent use of our reading time.  Yes, it is highly entertaining.  Yes, its writing style nudges close to poetic.  Yes,  we are learning about the mythical trials of the Roman god Hercules and how they parallel the life of current student, Hercules Beal.  But we are also given front row seats to the best of  thoughtful and focused teaching skills.  On so many levels, a superb book.

Schooled, Gordon Korman.  This is probably our 4th time through this book.  There is a clash and then a melding of 1960’s hippie style culture with a present day 8th grade social environment.  So well written, fun to read.   

Story Problem from Farmer Brown’s Roadside Stand – The 4 full time employees at Farmer Brown’s roadside stand will now be identified by the wearing of heavy duty green canvas aprons.  Each employee looks so professional now.  The aprons cost $15 and this includes “Farmer Brown’s Roadside Stand” embroidery work.  Farmer Brown decided to order 10 aprons.  Good thing he did.  The week after the aprons were ordered, the price shot up to $25 per apron.  How much money did Farmer Brown save by ordering before the price skyrocketed?

a)  $10     b)  $100     c)  $250     d)  $1,000 (answer at bottom of post)

Counting on Classical Music – 

The Cuckoo, from Ottorino Respighi’s suite, “The Birds” (1928).  Here is a tough assignment:  tally up the number of two-note cuckoo motifs in this 4 minute composition.  Sometimes the motif is produced by a  single instrument, sometimes full orchestra, sometimes the notes are high, sometimes low, sometimes the motif stands alone, sometimes it is mixed into a collage of sounds.  Like I said, tough.  Our tally sheet totals are different every time we try this. 

 Bolero, Maurice Ravel (also 1928!) – ya gotta feel sorry for the percussionist who ends up playing snare drum for this 15-plus minute piece.  It is calculated that the snare drum is struck 5,144 times.  The worst part is that the musician has to play the same short rhythm over and over and over and over.  We would go bonkers.  That being said, we cannot resist anything that is conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. 

3,000 and counting! – According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most prolific classical composer (with over 3,000 compositions) was Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767).  We are not sure we found the final composition (our goal), but his Overture-Suite in G minor was written during his final year.  We listened to the short second movement (the “Gavotte en Rondeau”), a marvelously fussy piece – clearly baroque – that moves right along.

 Welcome to the best part of my day,
– Jane BH
(story problem answer:  b)  $100)

January Jabber

Here is something we didn’t know: the number of books we read a year.  So, the plan for 2024: TRACKING OUR READING –  How many books will my son and I read this year?  How many will we start?  How many will we finish?  How many are good enough to make it into the re-read basket? 

Speaking of reading (from our Farmer Brown story problem collection) – Farmer Brown has a library in his farmhands’ bunkhouse.  The library has 200 books, some on ranch animal care, some on tending crops, some are rip-roaring tales of the old west.  Farmer Brown noticed that 20 of the books have never been read (mostly books on personal hygiene and healthy snacks).  

– What percentage of books have been read by the farmhands?
a)    10%     b)     20%     c)     75%     d)     90%

– There are 60 wild west fiction books that have been read over and over by the farmhands.  These books comprise what percentage of the bunkhouse library? (answers at bottom of post)
a)  15%     b)  30%     c)  45%     d)  60%

Our Current Sy Montgomery Books – Sy Montgomery is an author whose writing appeals to us.  Her journal-style books take us around the world as we join her in following the work of dedicated animal researchers (and we especially love her “researcher bios”) –

 – The Hyena Scientist”:   For this study, Sy Montgomery journeys to Kenya to join a team of scientists focused on and fascinated by hyenas.  For us, the most intriguing takeaway:  hyenas gather in tightly knit clans (and there are CLAN WARS) with an extremely structured hierarchy, and the females RULE.  Do not mess with the matriarch.

– “Amazon Adventure – How Tiny Fish are Saving the World’s Largest Rain Forest”:  Cardinal Tetras, bitty sized fish from the Rio Negro (a tributary of the Amazon River, near Barcelos, Brazil) are sought after by home aquarium owners all over the world, and Montgomery spells out why this fish gathering/transporting industry is ecologically important.  OK, OK, but here is the best part of this book:  learning about Barcelos’ FESTIVAL OF ORNAMENTAL FISH!  Oh my gosh, THE FESTIVAL!  Citizens of this teeny town spend months preparing parade floats, stitching flamboyant costumes, and rehearsing for grand “cast-of-a-thousand” performances in the town stadium.  The festival is also a competition:  town citizens are either on the Cardinal team or the Discus (another small aquarium fish) team.  Teams are judged on costumes and performance AND how politely team members watch their rival’s performance! Yes!  Etiquette always!  The Festival of Ornamental Fish is so on the bucket list.

January Jeopardy – We are quiz show ready!  A sampling  of quirky info from our latest batch of books –

1.  The hippo is the most dangerous animal in Africa.  (from “The Hyena Scientist”,  Sy Montgomery)
2. The didgeridoo is the oldest musical instrument in the world.  (from “A Time to Celebrate”, a Lonely Planet Kids book)
3.  Some of the Olympic swimming medalists from the 1948, 1952 and 1956 games started their aquatic training in Maui’s sugar plantation irrigation ditches.  (from “Sakamoto’s Swim Club”, Julie Abery)
4.  Omaha, Nebraska was the home town of dancing sensations Fred Astaire and sister Adele. (from “Footwork – The Story of Freed and Adele Astaire”, Roxane Orvill)
5.  Crescent-shaped, sword-shaped, and star-shaped are three different types of sand dunes found in Algeria’s Sahara Desert.  (from “Algeria, Enchantment of the World”, Martin Hintz)
6.  According to botanists, there are 8 different types of vegetables (leaf, bulb, flower bud, root, tuber, stem, fruit, and seed veggies – it grieves me that my son does not acknowledge 7 types of vegetables). (from “The Vegetables We Eat”, by Gail Gibbons) (answers at bottom of post)

Music + Academics = A+

  • Philip Glass’s “Negro River”, from his 9 movement “Aquas da Amazonia” (composed for a ballet in the late 1990’s), transports us to the site of our “Amazon Adventure” reading experience.   We hear rhythms and echoes of the river – birds, bugs, frogs, water bubbles, an intruder (a snake?) –   

  • Who wouldn’t want to hear the music of the didgeridoo, the oldest instrument in the world!  The didgeridoo (traditionally made of eucalyptus) in this video clip is certainly elegant.  For us, the drone sound it produces takes us by surprise every single time – 

  • And how about some background music for Farmer Brown’s farmhands as they read through the novels of the American west?  We are really liking Virgil Thomson’s “Cattle” movement from his suite that accompanied the 1936 documentary, “The Plow that Broke the Plains”. This short piece is a comforting patchwork of old west melodies –  

Welcome to the best part of my day,
– Jane BH
(story problem answers:  d)  90% have been read, b)  wild west fiction comprises 30% of the library)
Left over from last post:  our San Francisco family member finally sent us a photo from aboard a cable car: 

Bird Nerds

Us?  Bird nerds?  You must have us confused with real ornithological enthusiasts.  It is true that we have our bird-watching binoculars at the ready and since May, 2022 (when we read our first bird watching book – Mike O’Connor’s hilarious and informative “Why Don’t Woodpeckers Get Headaches”) we have served up pounds & pounds & pounds of sunflower seeds, but other than that we have only accumulated:

  • 5 bird reference books
  • 3 bird posters
  • 3 bird baths
  • 1 bird feeder
  • 1 nesting box

Us?  Bird nerds?  I am not sure we aspire to nerd status, but birdwatching has turned out to be a lot more fun than we could have imagined pre-May 2022.

We comment upon our bird feeder visitors – 
We probably know about 2% of what bird people know about birds, so our amateur observations may understandably provoke criticism:

– Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal:  our resident senior citizens (through the binoculars, they look pretty shabby, poor things, but they are a class act).  Very dignified, they perch for a moment, take a sunflower seed, fly off.  We give them an “A”.

– The Chickadees:  we think of these cuties as the “little sports cars” of our backyard birds.  Compact and swift, they perch for a moment, take a sunflower seed, fly off.  We give them an “A”.

– Our Tufted Titmouse:  this soft looking, dear bird seems to keep himself to himself.  He perches for a moment, takes a sunflower seed, flies off.  We give him an “A”.

– Our Mourning Dove:  we haven’t seen this handsome bird perch on the feeder –  he seems content to dine on seeds that have fallen to the ground.  This bird is quiet, sweet, appears thoughtful, and we have to give him an “A”.

– And finally, THE FINCHES:  house finches, purple finches, American goldfinches.  These birds hog the feeder and spit seeds all over the place.  They are like the non-productive workers that hang around the office water cooler.  They are like the relatives you wish you didn’t have to invite to the wedding reception.  We give these birds a “C-”, and that is a gift.

“Rome Antics”, by David Macaulay – how clever is this book? 

  • the pun-intended title and a homing pigeon tie page one to the final page  
  • the exquisite illustrations of the architecture of Rome, presented pigeon-style (upside down/sideways/twirly-whirly)  

My son and I enthusiastically read this book 3 times in a row to appreciate Macaulay’s efforts.  A+ all over the place.

Big Birds – Speaking of birds, we did get out the measuring tape to see for ourselves the wingspan of some REALLY LARGE birds.  Example:  the Laysan Albatross – 82”.  Whoa.

Current Re-Read – “The Penguin Lessons”, by Tom Michell – so much to learn from this captivating non-fiction book – lots about penguins, lots about Argentina in the 1970’s (hoo boy, talk about inflation).  Well worth the re-read.

We’re not just about birds:

Fandex Kids “Ocean” – this Fandex-Kids card deck is surprisingly good.  An enticing variety of sea life presented with skilled humorous writing.  Our favorite entries:  ocean depth zones (new vocabulary “pelagic”, rhymes with “magic”), the coelacanth, giant kelp, giant squid (measuring tape out again to envision this 40 foot wonder), the graceful decorator crab.  If we were employed as Fandex editors we would replace the cartoony illustrations with photographs.  Other than that, fun resource with a most helpful glossary.

Story Problem:  Farmer Brown upgrades the bunk house – It is time for Farmer Brown to replace all the bedding in the ranch hands’ bunk house.  For each bed, new sheets (at $75 per set), new blankets (at $100 each) and a new quilt (at $100 each) will be purchased.  If there are 8 ranch hands and Farmer Brown wants  2 sets of sheets, 2 blankets, and 2 quilts for each bed, will Farmer Brown spend more or less than $4,000 to replace the bedding? (answer at bottom of post)

’22  in Review – our academic goal for 2022 was to find the location on the globe of everything we studied.  In all, we “visited” 44 countries.  The only large landmass we missed was Greenland, so this is ASSIGNMENT ONE for 2023.

Classical Music is for the Birds – 

The Aviary, from “Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saens.  The suite was composed in 1886, but not published until after Saint-Saens’ death (1921).  He thought his reputation as a serious composer would be tarnished by this “too frivolous” work (of course he was wrong).  A jewel of a performance by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andre Previn –

The Dove (La Colomba), Ottorino Respighi.  Perfect way to honor our mourning dove.  Respighi based this 1928 composition on the music of 17th century lute virtuoso Jacques de Gallot.  We can hear the dove cooing throughout and we love the magical flute and harp ending –

Bird Feeder Banquet Music –   How about “Tafelmusik” (literally “table music”, composed  specifically to provide light background music while people AND MAYBE BIRDS were banqueting)?  We chose an absolutely delightful piece by Georg Philipp Telemann (his Quartet in G major, movement 4, composed in 1733)(and BTW, Telemann wrote lots of tafelmusik).  We can hear the birds darting to and from the bird feeder throughout the movement –

Welcome to the best part of my day,
Jane BH
(Story problem answer:  Farmer Brown will spend more than $4,000.  He will, in fact, spend $4,400 plus tax)

Hey, Rhododend!

Hey, rhododend! Courage, little friend. Ev’rything’ll end rhododandy. Hurry! It’s lovely up here!

My son and I are experiencing the satisfaction of growing plants from seeds, and I have been humming the GO TO gardener cheerleading tune, “Hurry! It’s Lovely Up Here”, from the 1965 Lane/Lerner Broadway musical, “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever”.  How this came to be – 

First, back in December, my son started a microscopic volunteer job at the most wonderful local nursery.  Mr. Paul, the manager, as well as every single employee we have encountered, has been accommodating, tolerant, and welcoming.  So, when we arrive for the once-a-week “job”, my son literally bursts from the car and yanks on his garden gloves, revved up to walk through the magic land of plants and get to work.  At completion of the day’s task, we purchase a seed packet (so far:  radishes, sunflowers, thyme, cucumbers, peppers, turnips) for planting that very afternoon. 

Then, we learned so much from Riz Reyes’ “Grow”, a superbly organized book offering a four-page spread for each of 15 different types of plants (plants that my son can understand, like mushrooms, bamboo, maple trees, daffodils), enhanced by the vibrant illustrations of Sara Boccaccini Meadows.  This A+ book has inspired us to plant tomatoes, pumpkins, and carrots from seeds.  (And speaking of “A+”, this book was written by a former high school student of my best college room-mate, (top flight language arts teacher) Miss Jeanette – who has made it into a few of my story problems).  We are already on our second read through. We just love every page of this book AND his Instagram page:  rhrhorticulture. Finally, a few months ago I paid a visit to the very best kind of new relative (a half-sister!), whose backyard produces such an abundance of fruits/citrus/vegetables that I knew, right then, that I wanted my son to be able to witness the slow motion miracle of all sorts of plant growing cycles.

Change of topic, but still in the backyard –  “Why Don’t Woodpeckers Get Headaches”, by Mike O’Connor, of the “Bird Watchers General Store” in Orleans, Massachusetts.  First of all, this is the work of a skilled and knowledgeable writer and almost more importantly, THIS BOOK IS NON-STOP HILARIOUS.  It is comprised of letters of inquiry to Mr. O’Connor, whose responses make me shriek with laughter, and are filled with information we had never considered (how can we be responsible citizens if we don’t have a birdbath in our back yard?????)(we are SO getting a birdbath).  Learning while we are laughing is THE BEST. More outdoor stuff – We have just finished “The Northern Lights – Celestial Performances of the Aurora Borealis”, dazzler photos by Daryl Pederson and Calvin Hall and relevant accompanying essay by Ned Rozell – prompting us to discuss the commitment a photographer would need to spend endless nights in the freezing cold environs of the North Pole, just waiting and waiting and waiting to capture aurora phenomena.  (Of course, we learned what causes the aurora:  solar winds jousting with the earth’s electromagnetic field.  Sort of FREAKY STUFF.)  We augmented our study (Wikipedia) by learning that  “aurora borealis” means  “northern lights”.  Is there a similar phenomena by the South Pole?  Yes, the “aurora australis” (australis meaning “south”, not a reference to Australia).  Damn, we know a lot.

Story problem from the nursery – a project my son is currently working on (at his volunteer job) involves moving pavers (that have been stacked on a falling-apart wood palate) to a brand new palate.  Over the course of the past few weeks he has moved: week 1 – 25 pavers week 2 – 30 pavers week 3 – 30 pavers week 4 – 33 pavers Question:  If the pavers sell for $3 each, and Farmer Brown needs 50% of the pavers on the new palate to create flooring for his new birdbath sanctuary, how much cash will he need to retrieve from his secret safe (not including tax)? a)  $60     b)  $177     c)  $300     d)  $354  (answer at bottom of post)

And more outdoor stuff  – We’ve just finished the Gordon Korman YA book, “Unplugged”, which takes place in the great outdoors (a remote camp in Arkansas) and involves a ban on electronics, a vegetable-forward diet, quirky new friends AND a sinister, illegal alligator enterprise. This is the most advanced mystery/adventure book I have tackled with my son.  He liked it!  As per usual with a Gordon Korman work:  excellent book, excellent message.

Classical Music Time: celebrating the growing season – “Spring”, movement I – from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, composed around 1720.  About 30 seconds into this spirited performance we can hear jillions of insects buzzing like crazy in the meadow.  We love this part!

“Spring Song” – from Mendelssohn’s “Songs without Words”, book 5 (of 8 books), composed around 1844.  My son is familiar with the main theme of this composition because it has been used more than once in cartoons (case in point, Disney’s 1937 “Clock Cleaners” – about 6 minutes into the cartoon) – 

And of course, “Hurry! It’s Lovely Up Here” – Adorably sung in this video clip by Audra McDonald – my fave lines (about the “rhododend”) are stuck right in the middle of the song – 

Welcome to the best part of my day! – Jane BH (Story problem answer:  b)  $177)