Doodles

There is something soothing about doodling - no expectations. Just move the pen around on the page.

Global Voices

Listened to this fascinating talk today. Lots to marinate on.

Markers

A page created using kids markers. They are quite fun to play with.
The fortune cookie text: There is no such thing as an ordinary cat.
Ain't that the truth?

Visual Journal

A double page spread using acrylic paints and collage materials. I'm finding that I like a handwritten background to my pages. A personal style seems to be developing.

Book Light

It is getting harder and harder to find a good book light. I bought one several years ago from Levenger and love it. As is usually the case with things you love it is no longer in stock. Babes has gone through several brands and all of them are useless, so was determined to find a good one for her birthday. Found this one at Barnes and Noble. Took the first one back - the light flickered - but the second one works just fine. Light. Nice design. Rechargeable.

Do you use a book light? Which one?

Visual Journal

Some magazine had an article about how people dress their dogs. Incredible really. Inspired this page.

Recent Reads

1. Small Island
This is quite a stunning read. Set in Jamaica and post-war Britain, the novel explores racism, family, war and the ties that bind us. The story is told in 4 voices - a style that I quite enjoy.

2. A Favorite of the Queen
I love the Tudor period, so was looking forward to this read. The first time I've read this author, and will not be going back. I actually stopped about 60 pages in - the writing seems juvenile and has no depth. Not worth the time.

3. Playing with Books
Interesting, but not quite what I was expecting. Sometimes I wonder how books like this get published.

4. Two Lives
My book club selection for the month, and while there are parts I quite enjoyed, I could not wait for the book to end. As fascinated I am by Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas, this book does not make me want to go out and read their work - the author seems to have culled the best parts for a tasty nibble. I enjoyed this fictional account much more.

5. The Indigo Notebook
This YA book is an okay read. I particularly enjoyed the travel bits of the story.

Frogs

We are having such a great summer in these parts. My parents are in town for several weeks, and we took the boys out to the local park to look for frogs. A fun afternoon was had by all. You can see more pics from the afternoon here.

Nook

I've got a new toy! After lusting after the Amazon Kindle for what seems like years, I weighed my options, read the reviews and finally decided to get the Barnes & Noble Nook. And I love it!

My tipping point list:

• Prices have finally come down to a reasonable number. The wireless Nook sells for $149.
• The Nook allows access to the battery (for replacements) and has a memory expansion slot - the Kindle has neither.
• The Nook supports standards - the Adobe epub format. The Kindle uses a proprietary format. I'm all for standards.
• Because the Nook supports standards, I can load ebooks from my library and download tons of free books - huge savings over buying every ebook I read.
• The Nook has rudimentary web browsing - in Beta - nothing great - but a nice feature.
• I dislike the hard key pad of the Kindle - pefer the Nook's soft navigation.
• Love the e-ink technology.
  

I've been using my Nook for about 2 weeks now and love it. What I notice missing are the tactile pleasures I get from holding a book in my hands - the smell, the feel of the paper, the heft. But not having to carry stacks of books with me every time I leave the house is really wonderful. I currently have about 40 books loaded and am in dual reading mode at the moment - reading both ebooks and hard copy, and expect to continue in that manner. There are some books you just want to hold close to you no?

Viva Espana!

Not a great game today, but love that Spain beat Germany. Only 2 more games - the one for 3rd place and the finals. What the heck will I do after that?

Finals on Sunday. Spain versus Holland. Plan is to make food from each country for the game. So far we have sangria, paella, Heineken and Gouda cheese on the menu.

Go Spain Go!

World Cup

Back from several days on the boat. Love the summer.

Ooh, we are down to the last 4 teams - looking forward to some great football the next several days.

We watched the Argentina/Germany game in the North End with lots of fans. I was rooting for Argentina; they lost 0-4. Emotions ran high - fans almost started a fight. Germany was by far the better team - no doubt about that. I actually prefer games that are won in regular time. The shootout is painful to watch. I was crying by the end of the Ghana/Uruguay game. Such a horrible way to loose.

But onward - will we have a Germany/Netherlands final?

Recent Reads

1. The Titan's Curse
Book 3 in the Percy Jackson series continues the story of the demigods who fight monsters. Fun YA book. Have had fun discussions with my nieces about this series.

2. The Wives of Henry Oades
Enjoyed this book. An interesting story. What would happen if your spouse and kids were presumed dead. You then remarry and the original family show up at your doorstep? The complexity of the situation is fascinating.

3. 200 Projects to Strengthen Your Art Skills
Chock full of ideas to play.

4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
Book 4 in the Percy Jackson series. The drama continues, with new monsters added each book. Actually had bad dreams from this one!

5. Off The Tourist Trail
Fantastic arm chair travels with this book. Loved it. So many places to yet explore, though I have been to quite a few of the ones listed. Reading this book gave me the travel itch. Gotta scratch.

6. The Last Olympian
The 5th and final book in the Percy Jackson series. Action packed. Finished this book while my nieces were heading home, so will have to call them to discuss the plot. It is so much fun to see what kids are into reading these days. The books I read at that age - 6/7 were quite tame in comparison - not as much violence. Anyone else remember Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and the Fab Five?

Reading with kids

1. High Tide in Hawaii
Luke and I continue to read our way through the Magic Tree House series. In book # 28, Jack and Annie are in Hawaii and learn to surf and narrowly escape a tsunami. Luke and I discussed tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes. So much material, so little time!

2. Christmas in Camelot
In MTH # 29, Jack and Annie are summoned to Camelot by Merlin. So begins the Merlin series. It is an interesting discussion with kids - the difference between fiction and non-fiction. Or in their words: real and not real.

3. Toy Boat
A bedtime read while the boys were over for a sleepover last week. Cute story about a little boat. The graphics are quite fun.

4. The Monkey and the Crocodile
The boys loved this story about a cunning crocodile and a wily monkey. Recall hearing this story as a kid.

5. Never Take a Shark to the Dentist
And other things not to do. Both boys loved the graphics and the silliness of this book.

6. An Extraordinary Egg
Jonah loved the story about frogs who find a rock, which was declared to be a "chicken" egg. Turns out to be a alligator. Cute.

A Group of Three

The photo theme for June is A Group of Three. Here are my pics:

Random Musings

• I am in the midst of world cup fever. Fantastic games. Incredible soccer skills. Cool uniforms. And talk about fit guys. Love it.
• Am having lots of family time - all members are in town except for my sis. So cool to see the little ones connect.
• We are in the midst of a fantastic weather window. Delightful. Sailing on the agenda.
• Why is it that fried food and ice-cream taste so good in the summer? Been having lots of both.

Happy Summer Solstice

It is the longest day of the year in these parts, and that is cause to celebrate.

And if that was not enough, here are some other things: an anniversary. world cup football. summer day. fresh fruit. letter from a friend. stack of books by the bed. ice-cream. sailing. long walks. thunderstorms. snugs.

Recent Movies

1. Born Rich
An inside look at the lives of the heirs to the world’s greatest family fortunes. This is a fascinating and disturbing documentary.

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Such a disappointing film considering how good a read the book was. Simply lost the thread of the story and focused on special effects. Too bad.

3. North Face
Based on a true story, North Face is a film about a competition to climb the most dangerous rock face in the Alps. This movie is really well done. I was actually cold while watching it.

Birthday Baby

My partner in life and best friend is celebrating a birthday today. The festivities include opening cards and presents. A long walk in our fave park. Bear Claw ice-cream. World cup soccer. Sailing.
Happy birthday babes. 82.

World Cup

Most of the world is in the midst of football fever. A fantastic season to watch some great football. , Use this great calendar to keep track of the action.

Glowing

Is there anything as fun and satisfying as time spent with a good friend? My pal Shanna visited for the weekend and we laughed, got caught up and talked ourselves hoarse. An example of spending time with people who charge my batts instead of draining it. Am in a golden glow of friendship.

Love the colors of this page. I'm having fun using images from Indian mags for a change.

Ephemera

Another page using ephemera collected on my travels. Love how these pages capture a place and time. Am currently working in 3 visual journals. How the heck did that happen? I created a couple of books for trips and did not fill them up. Since I don't like unused pages - seems like a waste to me, I am playing in all 3 at once. Good thing I date my pages!

Recent Reads

1. The Tourist
First book I have read by this popular author. This is a classic spy thriller and is supposed to be the first in a trilogy. I love spy thrillers and miss the great writing that came out of the cold war era. This book was an okay read - neither really interesting nor a great ride. Ah well, my search for the new writers of this genre continues.

2. The Sea of Monsters
Book 2 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. A fun, quick, light read - written for kids. My nieces love the series, so am catching up on the books so we can discuss them.

3. Marley and Me
This is our current read aloud book on the boat. Cute story.

Reading with kids

1. Thanksgiving on Thursday
In Magic Tree House #27, Jack and Annie are transported back to the eve of the first Thanksgiving.

2. The Earth Book
Read this book to Jonah - he loved the vivid pictures and we talked about how the little things we do can help the earth and all the animals. His fave idea? On a hot day put your underpants in the freezer! Am going to have to try that myself.

3. Biscuit Loves Mother's Day
Read this cute book with Jonah. He is still learning how to read, so many of the words are still hard for him. It is funny to see how he makes up the story based on the pictures, not the actual words.

10 minutes

There is something about drawing that lowers blood pressure, lengthens time, puts me in the zone. I tend to forget this, but when things seem a bit too much, putting pen to paper can put things into perspective. Don't have enough time? Yeah right. How many hours are spent in front of the TV? Or computer? 10 minutes. That is how long this quick sketch of the vacuum cleaner took me. Besides, that was an additional 10 minutes that I did not have to turn it on and actually vacuum!

Storm Clouds

Back home after several days on the boat. It always feels like I've been gone a long time when I'm on the water. There is a cold front headed our way bringing with it plummeting temps and rain.

This page from my journal is about the current oil spill.

Bellagio

It is a tradition that every time I am in Las Vegas we head to the Bellagio. We go for two things:

1. To gawk in awe at the creations in the atrium. The themes change every quarter and the theme this trip was SPRING. To really appreciate what you are seeing, you must consider that most of the design is made with live plants. Simply incredible.

2. To sample the ice-cream and other goodies at Jean Philippe - home of the world's largest chocolate fountain. Yum.

To see pics from our latest excursion click here.

Recent Reads

1. Peace Like a River
This book got rave reviews so I was really looking forward to a good read. It was not that. I did love the style of writing and the imagery, but in the end was disappointed with the book and would not recommend it.

2. How to Be an Explorer of the World
I read through this book every now and again. It reminds me to really look at things and people around me. I always find something to inspire me.

3. I'll Mature When I'm Dead
I have not read a book by the author in a while, and I loved all but one of his short essays. I found myself smiling, giggling or in hysterical laughter for much of it. Is there a better recommendation than that?

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo when it first came out and am completely puzzled about the popularity of the book and the series. I found the pace good, but simply could not get into the book - and found the Salander character not believable. Yes, there were some interesting ideas - but enough to get such critical acclaim? Everyone I know, except for one friend, raves about the book - something I find fascinating. I disliked the book so much that I have not bothered to read the other 2 books in the series. It was the cover review in the NY Times book review last week, and the reviewer was rather ambivalent about the series as well. Well, just goes to show that you cannot please everyone.

Kavita Ramdas

To see an excellent talk by Kavita Ramdas on radical women, embracing tradition click here.

Recent Movies

1. Easy Virtue
This is a fun, light and delicious movie about the clash between two cultures and classes. Enjoyed every minute of it.

2. Phoebe in Wonderland
It seems to me that many parents want their kids to be unique. But then worry about them being too different and not fitting in. This beautiful movie examines the joys and heart-aches of being different.

Inspiration

Sometimes ideas comes from the unlikeliest places. The cover art on a recently ordered pizza box was the inspiration for this spread. I played with markers - been ages since I used them. There is something soothing about laying down thick strokes of vibrant color.

What inspires you lately?

Girls Rock

The thing about carrying my journal around with me, is that I always can find some time to play in it. There is always downtime when you are away from home - waiting for friends, waiting to be called, etc. Sometimes I start with a blank page. Other times, like this one, I start with a page that was ready for some journaling.

Art Journal

My art journal group prompt for the month was to use images of ourselves in our pages. I opted to sketch a self portrait. It does not quite look like me, but captures how I felt at the time.

Reading with kids

1. Earthquake in the Early Morning
Luke continues to read through this Magic Tree House series. In book # 24, Jack and Annie are transported to San Francisco in 1906 during the terrible earthquake. Luke was fascinated that an entire city could burn down and asked if that could happen today. Also he did not understand why adults did not believe that kids could help in a crisis. Good question!

2. Stage Fright on a Summer Night
In MTH #25, Jack and Annie meet William Shakespeare, act in one of his plays and help save a bear.

3. Good Morning Gorillas
In MTH #26, Jack and Annie find themselves in the mountains of Africa. They meet the giant mountain gorillas and learn that they are quite gentle animals.

Habitats

The news of the BP oil spill continues to be depressing. How does one deal with the news that you are witnessing the worst oil spill on record? I am angry. Sad. Millions of gallons. Such large habitat destruction is hard to even comprehend. My nephews are outraged at the plight of birds and animals affected. My nieces voiced concern about swimming in the ocean on their upcoming visit. What if the oil makes its way up here to New England?

A page from my Vegas journal - don't you find that flowers are good for the soul?

Where there's smoke....

Well, we had just about the most perfect weather possible for Memorial Weekend in these parts. The strangest thing though - while listening to NOAA weather, heard the forecast for smoke. Smoke?! Must be a typo. Peeked out the hatch and in fact there was smoke outside that reduced visibility to about 3 miles in Boston Harbor. What the heck? Turns out that the smoke was from fires in Quebec and the winds brought them down all over New England. We had less or more smoke throughout the next couple of days depending on wind direction. Was quite spooky.

Another page from my Vegas journal - love these ads - they are so dang creative. Though cannot tell you who does them - a phone company I think.

Migrations

Looks like we have great weather on tap for this Memorial Day weekend. It has been so warm here lately that it feels like summer has been here for ages. Love that. Decided to finally start the clothes and shoes migration - a ritual that happens twice a year. All the cold weather stuff is packed away and out come the shorts. Just looking at flip flops make me happy.

Another spread from my Vegas journal. My Mom brought me some mags from India so I finally have some Indian models for my pages. My nieces also created collages using the mags. Fun.

Moment of Zen

I've started creating this page in all of my travel journals. The entire page was created while at home, and all I had to do while traveling was fill in the bubbles.

Travel journal

I made a new journal for my trip to Vegas. One of the things I do is prep some of the pages ahead of time - so all I need to do is add text or images while on the road. Here is the first full spread of the journal.

Lime Green

The Theme of the Month this time is LIME GREEN. Love color themes. These pics were all captured in Las Vegas on my recent trip out there.

Recent Reads

Ah whiling away summer days rocking on the boat - a delicious way to read.

1. Dewey
I like all cats and have loved one in particular, but did not get through this book. Lots of aaah pics and anecdotes, but in the end, simply could not get through it - was kinda like a love letter to the cat.

2. Fallen Skies
Love, love books by the author. Did not love this one, but it was a good read. Historical fiction set in Britain after WW1 - deals really well with many issues of the time - class, damaged vets, lack of women's rights.

Recent Reads

1. Moloka'i
Loved, loved this book. Historical fiction is one of my fave genres, and this one is so well written. Learned something new as well - had no idea about the history of the leper colony in Hawaii.

2. The Lightning Thief
This is the first in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. When I visited my nieces, they are all reading their way through this YA series and I love how the books have revived Greek mythology. We had debates about which god we would choose to be and why. Love that! This is a fun, quick read. Not as good as some of the other books in the same category, but fun none-the-less. Think I've found my beach/boating books for the summer - have to read them so I can discuss them with my nieces.

3. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
This book was recommended to me by Shiny - a fellow reader - and all I can say is Wow! This is an incredible gem of a book. Yes it is a young adult (YA) book, but the honesty, directness and poignancy is breathtaking.

Mountain's Edge

On a beautiful sunny day we walked up to the summit of Mountain's Edge. Great views. Very windy day. My nieces are adorable. You can see more pics here.

Reading with kids

1. Revolutionary War on Wednesday
Luke (7) is so proud of the number of books he has now read. In Magic Tree House (MTH) # 22 Jack and Annie go back to Colonial America. They arrive just as General George Washington is planning the crossing of the Delaware.

2. Twister on Tuesday
In MTH # 23 Jack and Annie are whisked to a Midwestern prairie in the 1870s. They visit a one-room schoolhouse and learn about the hard life of the pioneers. Luke was impressed that Jack and Annie decided to go back to save people from a twister.

3. Never Let Your Cat Make Lunch for You
Jonah (5) loved the idea of a cat making lunch - and the surprises you'd find.

4. The Kissing Hand
Cute story about a scared little raccoon and his loving mother.

Recent Movies

1. The Hurt Locker
Loved everything about this movie. It has been dubbed a war story - but I think it is a human story set during war time. Big difference. Not a single shot or word was extraneous. Wow.

2. Bliss
A well done Turkish film about the cultural mores of honor killing. I was drawn into the story and also realized that there is some good sailing to be had in that country.

3. Departures
A beautiful Japanese movie about death. It takes a little while to figure out what is going on, but so well done. Can see why it won an academy award for best foreign film.

4. Duplicity
Ah, could have been so good with some editing. But falls way short - and with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen that is really a shame.

5. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
Another movie that could have been so much better. Love both Denzel and Travolta but the movie was disappointing.

Self Care

Keeping one's batts charged while on the road can be a challenge. I mean your personal batts - not your electronics. Those tend to be much easier to charge - simply plug them into an outlet. If only it was so simple for people! Some of the things I do include getting exercise outside, carving out me time to process stuff that comes up, making time to play and getting enough sleep. What do you do to keep your batts charged?

I almost always get to gatherings early, so having a journal in my bag lets me play while I wait.

Bella

My goddaughter Bella celebrated her first communion last Saturday. She was simply lovely.
You can see more pics from the day here.

Viva Las Vegas

Am in Vegas. My niece had her first communion this yesterday. She was lovely. Photos to come.

And of course I celebrated Derby Day by asking each of my nieces to pick a horse, and then we rooted for them as they raced in the muck - was that the worst track ever or what? I was rooting for the only filly in the race - but of course - Devil May Care - and with a name like to boot! She placed 10th. Ah the joys and heartbreak of sports.

Journaling with kids

Last time I visited my nieces in Las Vegas I took along journals for them. They loved playing with them and we had fun journaling sessions. Decided to make them new journals for this trip. Also taking along little journals that I will teach them how to bind using a simple pamphlet stitch. It was one of the things they were interested in - how do you bind a book? Fun times ahead.

Already bound journals:


Journals to bind:

Journal pages

I capture interesting quotes from books I am reading. I make a note of daily life. The highs and the lows. I use the time as a way to reflect on where I am at the moment.

Packing List

I use a packing list when I travel. Over the years, I've kept track of what I used and what I did not. What I wish I had brought. And now, use that list whenever I start to pack. I delete things per a specific trip, but find it easiest to start with a list than to simply wing it. Do you use a list?

These journal pages were created in Portland, Maine.

Collaborative Journaling

At my art journaling group yesterday, we did some collaborative journaling. The six women in attendance had created background pages as the starting point. Then every ten minutes, the books moved to the right until they ended back with their owners. It is a fun way to get outside your comfort zone. Every ten minutes or so a new set of pages arrived in front of you and you had to add to what was already there. Fun. This was how my turn page turned out. Nothing like the pages I create, but then again that is what makes it so cool.

Recent Reads

1. The Paris Vendetta
Was looking for a light read - but this was a little too light if you know what I mean. Not well written conspiracy theory book, and I love conspiracies. Do not bother.

2. The South Beach Diet
Fascinating read. Helped me connect dots. I find the body's capacity to heal itself encouraging.

3. 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
Love this book. So many old familiars and quite a few I have never even heard of.

4. Shanghai Girls
Not as good as this book by the author, but I liked it. The story of two sisters who survive despite the odds stacked against them.

5. Watercolor Pencil Magic
Pure inspiration.

Random Musings

• It is rather incredible the effect the erupting volcano in Iceland is having on air travel. I feel bad for travelers stranded. Cannot even begin to imagine the chaos caused by the 95,000 cancelled flights. There is something rather ironic about countries sending ships to help move people about - kinda like we've gone back in time.
• The sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church continue to escalate with news about the Pope covering up for his pedophile brother. The Pope. Who is supposed to talk directly to God. Where are the outraged congregations calling for a total overhaul of the system? Can one impeach the Pope?
• On a more positive note Kenyans did well in the Boston Marathon. Salina Kosgei finished third for the women, while Robert Cheruiyot was the first man to cross the finish line. Dang good finishes on all races too. Was singing the Kenyan national anthem all day. Umm, you might think that watching all that running would make me want to go out for a run. You would be wrong.
  

Reading with kids

1. Dingoes at Dinnertime
In Magic Tree House (MTH) # 20, Jack and Annie end up in Australia and learn about some of the unique animals that live there. Luke's fave part was the when the Joey climbed into Jack's backpack.

2. Civil War on Sunday
MTH #21 Jack and Annie are whisked back to the Civil War where they meet Clara Barton and save the life of their very own great-great-great-grand-father. Luke's fave part was the drummer boy.

3. Jonah read two books with help: Crab Trap and Frog Cops. These are part of a series for beginner readers.

4. Stop Bugging Me
A fun book that I have read to the boys over the years. There are textures to feel and they love shouting "stop bugging me!".

Signs

Have yet to download the pics from our trip to Maine, but here are some fun pics from downtown Portland. Love that town.

RIMS

The April photo theme of the month is RIMS. Here are four interpretations of the theme.

Recent Movies

1. Amelia
How, how could Mira Nair make this a boring movie? I love her other work. I love Hilary and Richard and am fascinated by Amelia. And yet. And yet. What was story that the movie tried to tell? I do not know. How does one make a story about an incredible woman boring? Sigh.

2. Girls Rock
Loved this little documentary. A week long rock n roll camp for girls aged 8-18. Girls are not Barbies - why does popular culture insist that they must be? For a wonderfully refreshing change of pace check this movie out.

Recent Reads

1. Eco Books
This is a fun book with interesting ideas. Who knew you could make a book using egg cartons?

2. Possession
Read this for a book club and it was a mental workout for me. It is not often that I feel that my education is lacking - and this was one of those times. Loved the story, the letters, the journal entries, the many voices. Struggled with the poetry - I must have missed that week in school. But kept at it - my way of celebrating National Poetry Month. There were at least a couple of words on each page I did not know - so my vocabulary is stronger for reading it. This is certainly not a young adult book - a pleasant change. I know that I saw the movie many moons ago - am going to watch it again to see how true to the book it is.

What are you reading? Anything good?

DeCordova

Last week had a lovely picnic and walk at the DeCordova. So wonderful the weather we have had lately. Happy that I got a chance to get out and soak it in.

Home Again

Back from a lovely trip to Southern Maine. More details on that to come.

This page was a reflection of age. Aging in particular. Why are so many people wiggy about their age? Never been an issue for me. I've earned every one of these dang grey hairs.

Ephemera

Here is my latest journal spread using ephemera collected on my travels. A snapshot of place and time.

Stamps

Don't you just love stamps? Such incredible tiny pieces of art. Here is the sheet I am currently using. So very cool.

Recent Movies

1. God on Trial
Incredible movie. Excellent script, direction and acting. Passionate arguments - debating at its best.

2. The Lost Room
If you are a Heroes fan, this mini-series is your kind of thing. There are magical objects that enable people to do interesting things. Fun.

What are you watching? Anything good?

Portraits

It's an easy thing to capture a person's portrait by capturing a head shot. An interesting variant is to capture something that is unique about that person. Here one such portrait of Susan. Love it.

April

is National Letter Writing Month.

Remember the days when we actually got interesting things in the mail, not just junk and bills (which could also be classified as junk I suppose)? Well, here is your chance to make someone's day. How else can you spread such joy for a mere 44 cents?

As a kid I used to have several pen pals. Remember those? I loved hearing about their lives, countries and oh the delight of those stamps from far away places! I do believe that those stamps gave me the travel bug I have to this day.

Yes, phones and email have made getting in touch much easier and more immediate. But I think something is lost in the process. Where is the magic of getting something in the mail? The cancelled stamps. The sense that the letter traveled through many hands, lands, oceans?

So, if it has been a while since you wrote a letter, or even a postcard, here is your month. Reach out and touch someone. Happy writing!

Reading with kids

Little Jonah is on a roll these days and his reading vocabulary keeps expanding. Love his excitement.

1. Biscuit Goes to School
These are a fun series of books about a puppy named Biscuit. In this book, Biscuit decides to go to school too.

2. Biscuit Wants to Play
Biscuit makes new friends with little kittens and helps them when they get stuck up in a tree.

3. Pat the Cat
Could not find a link to this book. Easy rhyming book.