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.

Worn

The photo theme of the month is WORN. I had fun with this one. The tree bark pics are from Vermont. The other 3 are from the MFA exhibit Tomb 10A.

Recent Reads

1. The Naturalist's Path
I love the author's art, so decided to read her books. This is a great book for a beginner naturalist.

2. A Dirty Job
Just the book I needed to unwind. If it seems odd that a book about death would help one unwind, you must have not read any of this author's books. The book is a quick read and made me laugh out loud at times.

3. Frommer's Las Vegas
Am prepping for an upcoming trip. Some good tips.

4. Fun with the Family Las Vegas
Am prepping for an upcoming trip. Some great tips.

5. Mummies Made in Egypt
I've been searching for books on Mummies for the boys, and this one is easy to read and understand.

White Belt

My nephews are taking Taekwondo classes, and Luke passed the test to earn his white belt. Such a proud day for him.

Things that make me go hmmm ....

• Filled out the 2010 census the other day and was surprised by the ethnicity section. If you were a person-of-color, there were so many options to choose from. However, if you were Caucasian, you had a single choice: "white". What I found most surprising is that there was no box to check if you were multi-racial.
• I stopped in at my local Staples to pick up a couple of things and as I approached the building saw a line of 5 monks in saffron robes walking out. They got into a minivan and drove away. The older monks had on thick socks and hats. Must have been quite cold. What were they buying I wonder?

Here is my 3rd art journal page using paint chips. I actually created this one first. Seemed to have a sunset/sunrise theme.

Recent Movies

1. Recount
This is such an incredibly well done film about the 2000 election. Only problem is that my blood pressure rose steadily while watching it.

2. Amreeka
Immigrant stories are all so similar and yet so very specific. Love this one.

Visual Journal

Playing with paint samples - really like how this one turned out.

Recent Reads

1. Altar of Eden
The final book in my last thriller ride. This is an interesting story - a cross between Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones. As always I find the science fascinating. Not one of his better books, but a good read.

2. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders
Simply beautifully interconnected short stories set in Pakistan. Loved the writing.

3. The Unthinkable
My friend Shanna recommended this amazing book. We are reading it aloud, and having great discussions. Simply fascinating.

Tree House

Last week I explored the damage caused by the flooding in Arlington with my friend Maria. It was a lovely day for a walk, and our 5 mile loop took us along the Mystic River. The 11 inches or so of rainfall, had the sewers overflowing, and there was TP and sewage in the streets. Yuck. More rain expected the next couple of days ...

On our walk passed this tree house - it has stained glass windows! How cool is that?

Vernal Equinox

This past Saturday the vernal equinox marked the start of spring. Love the equinox - equal amount of light and dark - there is a beauty to that balance. Am so happy that the scales have now tipped to longer days than night.

My art journal group's prompt for this month was to create pages using paint chips - those samples you pick up at hardware stores. Here is one of my pages.

Reading with kids

1. Tonight on the Titanic
In Magic Tree House (MTH) book # 17, Jack and Annie are aboard the Titanic shortly before she sinks - at 2:20. Luke's fave part was when the tree house disappeared - would Jack and Annie survive? Quite scary.

2. Buffalo Before Breakfast
In MTH # 18, Jack and Annie visit with the Lakota in the time when huge herds of bison roamed the plains. I love the book's conservationist theme.

3. Tigers at Twilight
In MTH # 19, Jack and Annie visit the jungles of India, meet a hermit and help a tiger. Luke has the fierce outrage of a child as he learns about how people killed so many animals to near extinction.

4. Froggy Rides a Bike
Read this book to Jonah. He liked the story - he too can ride a bike without training wheels.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Anyone who chased snakes out of someplace deserves a holiday in my book.

And speaking of far lands, was traipsing down memory lane while looking through my sister's photos from Kerala, and loved the architecture of the Indian Coffee House. Just had to sketch it. Cool no?

Here comes the sun

After days of pouring rain, it is quite lovely to see that big yellow ball in the sky. I have missed it. I spent the rainy days reading, cleaning house and playing with art supplies.

Ephemera

As I've discussed in previous posts, there is something fun about seeing a page that captures a place and time. This is my latest ephemera spread. Looks like lots of chocolate was consumed.

Peace, Love and Ice-Cream

Sometimes I simply need a mini-vacation. Decided on Stowe, Vermont. I love this town. The food is excellent and the views are stunning. We did not have any snow at home, so was not sure if we'd be able to snowshoe. No worries. We lucked out with perfect spring weather - warm days, cool nights, plus snow. Love that.

Recently watched "Sound of Music". Have watched it dozens of time, and was in the play in school, so have always had a fondness for the story and the music. The day we spent exploring the Trapp Family ski/snowshoe trails I kept singing "the hills are alive... with the sound of music.."

And a visit is never complete without a stop at Ben and Jerry's. Peace, love and ice-cream. Could not have said it better myself.

You can see pics of the trip here.

Perspective

Perspective is harder than it looks - both in life as in art. This is a page created recently when I arrived early to my book club brunch meeting. By the way the brunch at Johnny D's and the subsequent discussion was fab.

R&R

Back from a mini-vacation to Stowe, Vermont. The hills were alive...with the sound of music....
Am refreshed, recharged and happy. Priceless.

Met up with some other art journalers recently and had a sketchsit (as opposed to a sketchcrawl). We each brought along an object or prop, our journals and some art materials to create together. Fun.

Click it

Embrace life. Putting on your seat belt takes one little click. Do it for those you love. Do it for those who love you.
Watch this.

Connect

My word for 2010 is Connect. I created a page to capture my intentions in that theme. So far so good.

Recent Reads

Have been in the mood for literary candy lately, and thrillers are so much fun.

1. Sandstorm
This book starts the Sigma Force series - I read the 2nd book first and liked it so thought I'd try out the series. I love how the book weaves science and history into a fun story. The virgin birth is explained! Well not quite, but so much fun to consider.

2. Black Order
I just finished the 3rd book in the Sigma Force series. Another fun romp through history and science - quantum physics and the Nazi eugenics program. Can one reconcile intelligent design and evolution? Fun exploration.

Reading with kids

1. Polar Bears Past Bedtime
Luke and I continue to read through the Magic Tree House (MTH) series. In book #12, Jack and Annie end up in the Arctic and learn cool things about polar bears.

2. Vacation Under the Volcano
MTH #13 finds Jack and Annie in the town of Pompeii, right before the volcano erupts. They get there just in time to rescue a story written on a scroll and Hercules comes to their rescue when things look really dire.

3. Day of the Dragon King
MTH #14 finds Jack and Annie in ancient China saving a story written on bamboo. They learn about the Great Wall and terracotta soldiers.

4. Viking Ships at Sunrise
MTH# 15 finds Jack and Annie in old Ireland in the time of the Vikings. They rescue an illustrated manuscript just in time, and are helped by a giant sea serpent.

5. Hour of the Olympics
MTH #16 finds Jack and Annie in ancient Greece at the time of the first Olympic games. They learn that girls and women are not allowed to go to school or even attend the games. They meet Plato who takes them to find the scroll they need to save - a story written by a woman under the name anonymous. Pegasus comes to their rescue when they get in trouble.

6. The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners
Read this with Jonah. The story stresses the importance of good manners.

7. Tae Kwon Do!
Jonah read this book with a little help. I look for books with stories he might be interested in. He is currently taking Tae Kwon Do, so we had a good discussion about how the kids in this book do some different things than he does in his classes.

Podcasts

I hardly ever listen to the radio anymore. I have a long list of podcast episodes downloaded for my listening pleasure. Here are the shows I currently have on my iPod (in no particular order):

1. This American Life
2. The Moth
3. This I Believe
4. On Point
5. PRI Selected Shorts
6. The Economist Audio Edition
   
7. Dr. Kiki's Science Hour
8. New Yorker Fiction
9. Planet Money

What podcasts do you listen to?

Reading with kids

1. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
The boys had seen the movie and were curious to see how close the book was to what they saw. An interesting introduction as to how the story is modified based on how it is presented. They loved this book. We talked about what we would want if we lived in this town. Luke - grapes. Jonah - doughnuts.

2. Diary of a Spider
The boys loved this series - Jonah in particular. A great way to learn a little more about spiders.

3. Diary of a Fly
The boys loved this series - Jonah in particular. A great way to learn a little more about flies. They eat regurgitated food? Weird says Luke.

4. Diary of a Worm
The boys loved this series - Jonah in particular. A great way to learn a little more about worms.

5. Olivia
Our first time reading about this little pig. Very cute.

6. Olivia Saves the Circus
Olivia tells her class about what she did on vacation. She has quite the imagination.

7. Never Smile at a Monkey
Brilliant book. It is both educational and there is the chance of death or dismemberment - what is not to love? The boys loved it.

8. What's Wrong With My Hair?
Cute book about a lion getting ready for a party. Which hairstyle would be best?

Love

Here are my photos for the Feb theme: LOVE