Not so sweet - but a SWEET valentine

Kindermusik mom and daughter Amy and Alex Marotz have shared this great valentine idea - easy to make with left over crayons for all your friends. All the directions you need are here

Happy Birthday Mr. Presidents

There was a great story on NPR this morning about what President Lincoln would have loaded onto his ipod (if he had one). He had eclectic taste in music from "Dixie" to Opera. Learn more HERE

Where did Ground Hogs Day Come From?

Some history about Ground Hogs Day.

Today we celebrate three holidays, all of them from the same source.

February 2nd is a "cross-quarter" day in the solar calendar, which means that it falls exactly between a solstice and an equinox.

It's the ancient Celtic celebration of Imbolc, in honor of Brigit, the goddess of fire, poetry, healing, and childbirth. Brigit brings the healing power of the sun back to the world on Imbolc, a day that carries the first promise of spring. Imbolc comes from the Old Irish i mbolg, meaning "in the belly," because this is the time when ewes became pregnant to deliver spring lambs.

The Christians took over the Celtic celebration and made February 2nd into a Christian holiday, Candlemas Day. Candlemas Day celebrates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple exactly 40 days after Christmas.

There are many old sayings about today — about the emergence of animals from their winter dens and omens that predict the season ahead. One English saying goes:

If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight.
But if Candlemas day bring clouds and rain,
Winter is gone and won't come again.

There was a tradition in many European countries of watching animals — especially badgers — to see how they acted on this day. If they returned to their dens, it meant that there was still a long winter ahead.

German immigrants in Pennsylvania found that there weren't a lot of badgers in America, but there were a lot of groundhogs, so the holiday evolved into Groundhog Day. The first reference to Groundhog Day is from 1841, in the diary of a storekeeper in Morgantown, Pennsylvania. He wrote: "Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks' nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."

hat tip: The writer's almanac by Garrison Keeler

Rise and Shine

Happy New Year!!

Helen Peterson Day!

Memorial

With the tears a Land hath shed
Their graves should ever be green.

~Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Mother's Day

Happy May Day!

Make your own May Day picture at ART PAD - its fun!

Valentine Idea

This heart garden grows thyme. From The Wishing Fish - sweet!

To Serve

Happy Thanksgiving

I couldn't resist borrowing this picture from my friend Amy from Kansas City. Here is a link to a fun Thanksgiving quiz. (I got 11 right - you?)

Have a happy Thanksgiving - eat, play, sing, dance, enjoy every minute.

Another Great use for sponges

Who knew? Besides perfectly great sand blocks sponges can provide protection from other prehistoric predators. More cute costume ideas here

Thanks Molly

Happy . . . . day

Yes, it is the first day of school and Peter Rabbit Day, the first story of this curious friend was released on September 4 1893. My sister Elizabeth is starting a new teaching job today, and we were surfing the web for good circle time ideas when we came across a calendar that lists a special thing for everyday. I was delighted to know that Peter Rabbit Day coincides with the first day of school. By the way - it is also "eat an extra dessert day", "Beetle Bailey day" and "newspaper carriers day" - who knew?

Happy Labor Day

By Imani Oasis Love
Take rest; A field that has rested gives a bountiful crop
Ovid

yum

This is what we are planning for our 4th of July Picnic this week. This
Peach Vanilla Pie just sounds too good to pass up. Maple Brined Turkey roasted on grill.

The sweet corn isn't quite sweet yet up here - so maybe something else, baked sweet potato fries sound good.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! Enjoy the celebrations
Click on the patriotic family to see a great parade.

May 15, 2007

Happy freedom from self improvement day.

Happy Siblings Day

To my 5 fun loving, smart, hard working brothers and sisters - Happy Siblings Day!
(from left) Christa, Helen, Jenny Don, Elizabeth, Charlie

More Eggs?

If you haven't quite had enough with coloring eggs, egg hunts, etc. Here is a sweet website that has some fun egg games, eggtivities, egg jokes and more. If you have had enough - save it fr next Easter.

Happy Easter

What about those Eggs on Easter Sunday? (from The Writer's Almanac)

The word "Easter" comes from an ancient pagan goddess worshipped by Anglo Saxons named Eostre. According to legend, Eostre once saved a bird whose wings had frozen during the winter by turning it into a rabbit. Because the rabbit had once been a bird, it could still lay eggs, and that rabbit became our Easter Bunny. Eggs were a symbol of fertility in part because they used to be so scarce during the winter. There are records of people giving each other decorated eggs at Easter as far back as the 11th century.