Bird and Little Bird

Squash-Based Meal Planning.

I realize that there is plenty of talk around the interwebs right now about how fall is Apple Season.  This is, of course, more than true in Vermont where we have been eating apples at nearly every meal for the last few weeks.  I am unabashedly in love with all things apple, so this is a good, good thing.  However, fall is also the official season of another much beloved agricultural goodie; winter squash.  Winter squash, really, is an abbreviated term for "happiness with a peel on the outside."

We've been especially fond of delicata and butternut for the last few years, in part because they are both so adaptable and can be easily served so very many ways.  Annie 2.0 and I planted a ton of both varieties in our shared community garden plot this year, but alas, they were lost in the post-Irene flooding along with everything else.  Plus, our super wet spring and summer had already made the plants very tempremental.  So, we are dependent on the local produce aisles and farmer's market for fufillment of our fall squash needs this year.  Somehow, I think we'll make do.

 

Carmelized Delicata Squash

One delicata squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

a pinch of salt

 

Rinse the squash and cut it in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and then cut each half of the squash into half-moon shaped pieces about 1/2 inch wide. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and then add the squash.  Let the squash cook in the oil, and every few minutes give it a stir to make sure that it is browning evenly.  About ten minutes in, add the brown sugar.  Continue cooking the squash until it is brown and a bit crunchy on the outside and the flesh and peel are soft.  

 

Library Monday: BIG Magazine Launch (and a Giveaway)!

The page featuring artwork by Mariam and me

 

Some of you might remember my post from last spring about the upcoming launch of BIG Kids Magazine and the bit of artwork that Mariam and I were asked to contribute.  Fast forward a few (very busy) months, and it would seem that somehow, the far distant launch date of BIG has suddenly arrived! 

As you can see from these sample pages, Jo and Lilly, the artists and mothers behind the creation of BIG Kids Magazine, have done a beautiful job putting together their first issue.  The magazine focuses on creativity and art as a lens through which both adults and children can view the world, and the content of the magazine ranges from interviews to artwork and projects. 

 One of the things that I immediately loved about the philosophy behind BIG is that the ideas, interviews and artwork featured come from a wide variety of people and places and the artwork of children is given equal treatment to the artwork of adults and "proper" artists.  What a lovely way to encourage children to see that their work is valuable, important and beautiful!  Also very cool? For every issue that someone purchases, BIG Kids Magazine will donate an issue in kind to organizations serving children who wouldn't otherwise have access to such wonderful and unique literary material.

 

Now, for the really good bit.  I have a copy of the first issue of BIG Kids Magazine to give to one of you!  The theme of this issue is "flight" and the bird-centric artwork is contributed by miniature and fully grown artists from around the world.  To enter the giveaway, click over to the BIG Kids Magazine Facebook page and "like" it.  Then leave me a comment telling me that you did so, as well as your favorite type of bird. 

If you would like to go ahead an purchase a single issue or a subscription to BIG, you can do so by visiting their website.  I definitely suggest hopping over there to take a peek and to explore the new site a bit; there are some very interesting things to see.

I'll leave the giveaway open all week and pick a winner via random number next Monday, October 3rd. 

The Appearance of Productivity.

It is not yet clear whether all the time I'm spending on homework these days is an advantage or a hindrance when it comes to the to-do list.  It does keep me focused, which is a plus, but it also sometimes keeps me at the dining room table reading stacks of articles with a highlighter in hand for hours at a time.  In the event that you require translation, that would be less of a plus.

One thing all the table time is good for is bread baking.  If I'm going to be home reading and writing all morning (and sometimes into the afternoon), I might as well throw together a loaf for dinner, right? It makes me feel as though I'm not totally neglecting things on the domestic front. I've been making the herb bread from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food at least a couple of times a week and it has had a very warm reception around these parts.  I tend to like focaccia type breads but am wary of making them at home because they can be on the dry side if not done properly.  This recipe is a reliable one, which I very much appreciate.  I've been replacing an extra 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour with rye flour, and now that I'm feeling fairly confident with my success doing that, I may start experimenting with upping the ratio of whole grain flours.  We shall see. 

I think I have to write a paper or three next week, so I'll likely be making plenty of bread. 

Self-Imposed Limits.

Say it with me, everyone: no new projects allowed! Really. Not until I finish knitting a sweater, sewing a quilt and maybe even actually doing something to get ready for this baby. Apparently he's going to need things like diapers and socks.  I keep having this dream where we have the baby but then can't come back home afterwards because we forgot to get a carseat. Right then.

Oh, the stuff in the photo?  Right. That doesn't count.  I had to.  Stephanie and MAV take the most beautiful photos and we all know that I like Quince & Co. just a little bit.

In other news, Dan just texted from the hospital to say that he helped deliver three babies this morning.  I was like "Yeah, I ate some pasta and folded laundry." Ahem.

Kitchen Table Science: Oobleck.

Oobleck is arguably considered to be the classic small person science experiment.  That and the bit where you sprout bean seeds in wet paper towels. However, I think that it Oobleck is not to be discounted just based on its overwhelming popularity.  It is much, much too entertaining for that.  In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a reason why this stuff has endured so well in houses and science classrooms alike for so very long.  If nothing else, it is extremely messy (which kids love) and ridiculously easy to clean up (which adults love).  There is also the added benefit of being able to go as far down the path of nerd-dom as one might ever want to with this stuff that is both liquid and solid; oobleck is the perfect introduction to states of matter, non-Newtonian fluids and all that good business.  Or, it can just be fun to play with. As evidenced above, Mariam couldn't keep her hands out of the bowl long enough for me to get a picture of the oobleck doing its magic thing as a solid. 

 

 

  Oobleck

1 cup water

1 1/2 to 2 cups cornstarch

Mix the cornstarch into the water a 1/4 cup at a time, taking care to dissolve lumps.  When you get up to about 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch added, you might find it easiest to just begin mixing with your hands rather than a spoon or whisk.  Add up to 2 cups of cornstarch, stopping when your oobleck comes together into a smooth mixture without left over water sitting on the top.

 

Although oobleck is essentially just a suspension of cornstarch in water, it originally got its fancy name from a Dr. Seuss classic where a sticky, gooey liquid comes from the sky.  It's classic Seuss, part ridiculousness and improbability, part morality tale.  A couple of drops of green food coloring or tempera paint added to the basic oobleck recipe should get you a perfect companion substance for the reading of this book.

 

Another great book that would complement the oobleck making quite nicely is What is the World Made Of? from the Let's Read and Find Out Science Series. It's a clearly written book with a subtle sense of humor and easy to understand descriptions of the states of matter.  A perfect choice if you want to get a little more science-like with this experiment and start discussing just how weird it is that oobleck behaves both like a liquid and a solid and crosses the boundaries between states of matter.

Speaking of which, if your kids are old enough to understand the concept of matter in a more detailed way, you might take a look at this great resource on oobleck.  The author goes a little more in depth about non-Newtonian fluids, a fancy name for a very cool thing, and also has a video clip of oobleck in action that is extremely weird and fun to watch.

Note: Just make sure that you don't leave your kids unattended with the cornstarch after watching that video or you'll find them dancing around in a bathtub of oobleck before you know it.

 

 

Alphabet Glue: Volume Three!

I am quite pleased to report that Volume Three of Alphabet Glue has arrived, just in time for fall.  This newest issue boasts all sorts of bookish fun, from sticker books and story buntings to non-fiction reading inspiration and printable story maps to suit all ages.  Pop on over to the Alphabet Glue page to read up on all the important details and even better, to download your very own copy post haste.  I think you'll be oh-so-glad that you did!

In the Glue Department: A Volume Three Preview.

Accordion-fold sticker books

So, library school turns out to be a lot of work. As in, my education M.A. program now looks like a leisure activity.  Of course, it stands to reason that the librarians would be thorough in their coverage of pretty much any topic, so I totally should have seen this coming. Fair enough.

Anyway, when I do have a few spare moments between reading and um, reading, I've been trying to wrap up loose ends on the new issue of Alphabet Glue.  I'm getting close to finished with the whole thing, and I have to say, I like the way that things are coming together. 

 

Fabric covered center-stitched books

 

There are a number of fun and easy activities, along with a collection of reading lists that include some of my very favorite books.  Since I'm getting close enough to launch time to have a good sense of what will make the final cut, I thought I might give you all a little peek at some of the projects. 

 

Science-themed question boxes

 

And, it looks like this issue will be pretty well packed with printables as well.  Which is fun, right?  I've designed the printable activities to be useful for both families who are doing homework and families who are homeschooling.

So far I'm up to 40 odd pages of AG fun.  I can't wait to share it with you all very, very soon!

Library Monday: The Mysterious Benedict Society.

I think that I mentioned early on in the summer that I was hoping to convince Mariam to read The Mysterious Benedict Society with me.  I was a bit skeptical that she would make it through, she is still very, very cautious about anything with much dramatic tension or uncomfortable suspense, and I was aware that this book had plenty of both.  But it just looked so good.  I figured we might as well give it a go, and I'm happy to report that we read all 485 pages and loved each one.

The Mysterious Benedict Society is the first book in a trilogy written by Trenton Lee Stewart.  The first installment features a quartet of child geniuses, each chosen by the mysterious and benevolent Mr. Benedict to act as spies in an attempt to bring down an evil mastermind who is using children to deliver subliminal messages to the general population (via television, of course), and thus take control of society.  Put like this, it does sound a little intense, and at moments it certainly is.  The children are orphans and runaways and there is much discussion of their feelings of lacking a real home and the people that they need.  There are kidnappings, bouts of enforced amnesia and the occasional scuffle.  And, these are all things which my girl generally loathes in a narrative.

So here is the redemption of this book in her eyes: it is also a story of friendship, loyalty, courage and found family.  It is a story in which children are smart, saavy and more than capable of saving the day, with or without the help of the adults around them.  Stewart writes convincingly and quite touchingly about the struggle to be brave in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances and the reader is left feeling triumphant when the young heroes prevail with only their wits and their team work to save them.  Plus, it has some seriously funny moments. 

Of course it is long.  The really good books always seem to be, don't they?  Which means that it is that much more of a committment to read the rest of the trilogy.  Out loud.  We will probably be fourteen hundred pages deep by the time we've finished them all.  But, having enjoyed this first installment so very much, it will take more than that to keep us away. 

 

Busy Days Make a Busy Week.

 

Having made it most of the way through this very busy back-to-school week with minimal progress on the new issue of Alphabet Glue, I finally had a chance to do some necessary paper folding and photography this afternoon.  I think that it took me a couple of days to get over my initial shock at just how different the school year is from our seemingly endless and fairly lazy summer vacation. 

This was one of a few pictures that I managed before the cat came and sat on my nice little paper box.  Well, progress is progress, right? Even if it gets flattened by a surly feline shortly thereafter.  Also, I think we can all agree that this post would have been way better if I had actually managed to get a picture of the cat sitting on the box, but alas, he works quickly and moves on.

And on your end? How are you and yours surviving the shift into a new school year?

Just Like That.

I went to bed on Sunday evening complaining about the opressive heat and humidity.  Windows open, fan aimed at my my side of the bed.  And, I woke up yesterday morning pretty well convinced that summer has indeed gone her way for another year.  Fall is here.  This suspicion was confirmed this morning as I was out walking in the woods near the lake.  There were acorns littering the trail and more than a few yellow and red leaves decorating the trees nearby.

I'm not wholly ready to commit to my proclamation that summer has passed but, I'm pretty sure that it's true.  Additional evidence: today my girl started second grade.