John Masefield

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 –

 

The 11th Hour

clock

The eleventh hour, the twelfth hour, the oneth hour – Usually my son and I are up in his room ready for STORIES AND STUDIES by 10 pm, but a few times a year something upsets the schedule

train wreck

(let’s not go there right now) and we aren’t able to start until maybe 11 pm?  Midnight?  1 am?  Despite the pitifully late hour, despite the fact that my eyes are one eyelash away from slamming shut, my son is still counts on his STORIES AND STUDIES time.  We had such a late-nighter earlier this week.

It was time for THE EXPRESS PLAN:

wonder

  1. one chapter from one book – right now we are mesmerized by R.J. Palacio’s blockbuster “Wonder” – not only an outstanding read for us, but the chapters are mostly only two or three pages long.
  2. one poem – something soporific…something like Robert Lewis Stevenson’s wonderfully rhythmic “The Swing” or John Masefield’s “Sea Fever”.
  3. quick math computation problems instead of a story problem – a few nights ago I had my son figure out the age difference between himself and 4 members of the family.
  4. three of our shorter classical music recordings:
  • May we suggest Chopin’s “Minute Waltz”, more formally known as “Waltz in D-flat major”, composed in 1847.  It is only two minutes in length (the “Minute” refers to the “tiny” definition (mine-oot), not the “60 second” definition).  Perfect:
  • followed by a few pieces to induce drowsiness…something like Bruch’s “Scottish Fantasy”, the last half of movement 1 (the adagio cantabile) (5 min), composed in 1880:
  • and wrapping up with Peter Lutkin’s “May the Lord Bless You and Keep You”  (2 minutes), written in 1900:

– zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz –

Even when we are on the express plan, this is the best part of my day.
– Jane BH

Imagine That

Back to Kansas – Last night we finished reading “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, but we weren’t ready to put the book away until we discussed the concept of IMAGINATION.  We defined imagination (forming mental images of things not perceived by the senses) (then we had to discuss the definition) and we acknowledged the relentless imagination of author L. Frank Baum:  winged monkeys, a magical golden cap, a tin man, a country of movable china figurines, Winkies, Munchkins, Quadlings, and on and on.  We thought Baum’s imagination well matched with the imagination of contemporary illustrator, Olimpia Zagnoli. Enjoying all aspects of this book was such a worthy use of our time.

 cat mouse      oz book      cyclone

Math Surprise – A few nights ago my son had to multiply 9 x 16 and I was stunned by the speed with which he arrived at the answer.  Like in 0 seconds.  Was this a fluke?  Was my hand guiding his answer?  Last night, I set up multiplication and division problems that were difficult enough for me to have to figure out ahead of time.  I used a multiple-choice format on his iPad, so I would not be directing his hand.  He again answered swiftly and correctly, calculating in his head.  The bummer here is that if he is a bright as I think he is, this will place me as the WEAKEST INTELLECTUAL LINK in our family. DRAT.

snowball

Last night’s “Farmer Brown Story Problem” revolved around Farmer Brown’s idea to store snowballs in his large freezer (with the intention of bringing them out for surprise treats on the Fourth of July).  We had to review the concept of cubic feet.  We figured out how many snowballs would fit into one cubic foot and then it was easy to calculate how many snowballs would fit into Farmer Brown’s 18 cubic foot freezer.

Poems of Tribute – last night we acknowledged the 7th anniversary of my father (my son’s grandfather) passing on, by reading a few poems that honored this really neat man.

- the kind of grandfather that would take a kid fishing -

– the kind of grandfather that would take a kid fishing –

  • Because he loved deep-sea fishing, we read “Sea Fever” by John Masefield
  • Because he grew up in San Francisco, we read “Fog” by Carl Sandburg
  • Because this seemed like a message a grandfather would give to his grandson, we read “If” by Rudyard Kipling

Music of Tribute – we selected melodies that would have pleased my son’s grandfather .

  • Because he was a UC Berkeley alum, we listened to “Fight for California”

  • Because he had been an Army engineer during WWII, we listened to “The Army Song”

  • Because we needed to say goodbye again, we listened to “Ashokan Farewell” by Jay Ungar

Welcome to the best part of my day!

– Jane BH