Scribblings from a twenty-year homeschool veteran about homeschooling, life after homeschooling, occasional peeks into the world of writing for children, and the ups and downs of life in general.
Click the graphic for more S&Ts from Mary!
It's a "birthday" theme for Show and Tell this week! The closest I can come to joining in the fun with that is the fact that this month is my young homeschooling friend's 21st birthday! To honor her (but mostly because it happened to work out that way) I am going to post a picture of the two-page spread the July issue of Focus on the Family's Brio Magazine printed. So, with no further ado, Happy Birthday, Jessica! Brio did a nice job with the article she (and I) wrote over a year ago (these things take time to get published). Jessica, at 16 years old, portrayed my main character, Andi, a 12-year-old. Another trivia fact: Jessica was the first youngster to read my Andi stories, so it seems fitting that she should be on the cover.
Happy Birthday, Jessica!
It's probably best that the print is too small to read. I'd no doubt get in real trouble for posting this otherwise. As it is, it's an advertisement for Brio, so how can they object to that? Go on over to your local Christian bookstore and pick up a copy if you'd like to know what the article says.
Yikes! Show and Tell Friday creeps up on a person during the summer, doesn't it?
Visit Mary (AKA Canada girl) for more S&Ts!
OK, this is desperation. I just put together a book trailer for my first book, Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home. Yes, I know the book came out in 2005, but I didn't know anything about book trailers in those days. Then I figured it out in time to do trailers for the rest of the books. I'm not quite ready to unveil the book trailer for the upcoming book, San Francisco Smugglers, but please....somebody watch this book trailer! They take a long time to make, and although both my sons Andrew and Chad think the music is a little corny, I like it, as it is real country and light and for...kids! So, here you go. (I LOVE the Homeschool Lounge's video hosting feature. They do a much, much better job making the graphics nice than YouTube, which makes the trailer fuzzy. Enjoy!
Do you want to put this trailer on your blog? Here is a code for your sidebar that makes it small--just the right size! (make sure you use the "select all" feature.)
Show and Tell with Mary! Just click here: SHOW AND TELL
It was raining at Wild Waves last Friday, so I didn't think it would hurt to go on the "Log Ride"--especially when we asked the ride attendant, "Do you get very wet?" And she answered, "Not too bad." HA!
In the smartest move I've made in years, we removed our sweatshirts and other outerwear "just in case." Then myself, my grandson Nathan, my granddaughter Kaetlyn, and my DinL Joanna, took the plunge.
Judge for yourselves: Is this a ride that sane people choose when it is 57 degrees and you have to wear your clothes?
(Video courtesy of my DS, Chad, who wisely decided not to join us on the ride and was laughing the entire time he was shooting our finale).
Click MARY for more great show and tells.
Here it is! Kregel sent me the cover they chose. Luckily, it is also the cover that most of YOU chose during the cover contest. (If you would like to see all three of the choices, click here: CIRCLE C RANCH). One slight change: they made the little Chinese girl's shirt a blue color rather than that rich (but pretty) red. In the story, this little girl (Lin Mei) is a slave. A slave would not wear red so I suggested they make it a little less wealthy-looking. I'm thrilled that they took my suggestion! So...with no further ado, here is the cover: (Click on the cover if you'd like to read an excerpt from the forthcoming book)
Thank you all for participating in the contest. And yes, JewelStuddedPen (AKA Julianne) did respond, so I will be sending her a book later this summer or early fall. And YES, I will have another contest (probably as part of the Fall Bloggy Giveaway).
Now...I'm off to Wild Waves. Yes, it's raining. But lightly. No need for sunglasses today.
Show and Tell with Mary! Click the graphic.
A couple of grandkids have been nagging about my spinning wheel that sits in the corner of my living room and never gets used (no time). Especially Kevan, who is fascinated with all things that have moving parts.
So...at last...I showed them how it works.
First we need to card the angora/silk mix. Ladies first!
Kevan did it by himself...
Now the tricky part....spinning the bunny/silk wool. Kevan wanted to work the pedal, too, but that was going a bit too far (It takes awhile to learn how to pedal and spin at the same time). I let him spin the wool while I controlled the spinning wheel. He actually didn't do too badly (I was feeding it into his little fingers).
Here is an angora/silk hat I crocheted with fur from our own bunnies, years ago: 100 times warmer than wool and 100 times softer, also.
Hope you enjoyed our spinning lesson! I hope to spin more when we head for our homestead in Tonasket. I've accumulated quite a bit of angora and silk over the years--enough to keep me busy for many months.
It's Show and Tell with Mary. Click the graphic to see more!
For this final Costa Rica entry, I'm going to share some just-plain-fun-times with our Tico friends. They laugh and have fun every day, even though their lives are not what we'd call well-to-do in the States. The joy of knowing the Lord and sharing in each other's lives was easily seen in their generosity and spontaneity.
By far, the greatest laughs came from the fake smiles (a dental postcard ad). There were plenty to go around.
This is Erick Jose, Ryan's partner in "crime" (the crime being playing Play Station at every opportunity. And I paid $$$ so he could play video games in a foreign country?)
Caught in the act---again!
Osama bin Laden was on everyone's minds, so Pastor Erick got into the spirit of things and dressed up as Mrs. Osama.
The Chicken Dance was a ritual, and if Ryan knew I was posting this picture (note chicken thingy on head), he'd KILL me!
I've searched and searched but I can't find the picture of Blanca and the kids making donuts; or all of us playing SuperBanco (Monopoly). That was the one game we could all play in Spanish, because it was identical to Monopoly (at least the important parts like the amounts of dollars--uh--colones, rather). And the chance and community cards were easy to translate, as was everything else. That game was a lot of fun to play in Spanish.
We went with Blanca's sister one evening to visit a dairy farm. The "boy scouts" were having a camp out there. Go figure.... Not MY idea of a camp out. But the cows were interesting. Little did I realize then that I had walked into "forbidden" territory. Forbidden, that is, by the U.S. Customs. As the plane was getting ready to land in Houston, we had to fill out a form--the normal stuff. Except for this one question: "Have you been in contact with any farm animals?" Oops. Well, I cannot tell a lie, so I checked "yes" (like how bad can that be?)
We landed and I was standing in a LONG line (but it was shorter than the non-citizens' line) to go through customs. I was singled out because of this one thing and had to go to a separate room. Yikes! But don't despair. They asked me a couple of questions about what I was doing on the dairy farm--how much contact with the animals, etc., then let me go. Guess what! I got to circumvent the entire line and go out the other door into....freedom! Hooray!
All in all, our trip to Costa Rica was one of a kind--an experience I'm so glad I went on. But I confess that I felt like I was "coming home" when I saw the "Welcome to the United States" in Houston. I knew that in spite of the difficult times (the heat, the Tarcoles experience, in general feeling like a stranger in a strange land), I knew that in a little while I'd be HOME. I enjoyed the trip with that thought of "home" in the back of my mind.
I liken it to our journey here on earth. As long as I live here with the thought of "home" in the back of my mind (heaven, that is), the stay here is enjoyable and worthy. But oh, when I see my HOME it will be so nice to let out a deep breath like I did when I stepped off the plane and say, "I'm home!"
It's Show and Tell time again. I missed Mary being gone last week! Click the graphic for more.
If you think the sermons at your church are long, try listening to a sermon in Spanish! I was doing pretty well one-on-one, as long as folks spoke s..l..o..w..l..y to me (¡Más despacio, por favor!). However, general talking (preaching, television, shopping) might as well have been in Chinese for as much as I understood it. I'm a visual learner--not audio at all. So I did OK reading La Biblia as Erick preached, but....
Come along with me for a peek inside a typical Sunday afternoon worship service in Costa Rica.
Here is their new building. About 50 people gather together to fellowship and worship.
Here is the worship team. Erick is the preacher, but he is also the worship leader.
"Alabad al Señor porque El es bueno" says part of the wall decoration. "Praise the Lord, for He is good."
The entire congregation really knows how to worship the Lord during this time--the kids are actively involved. One highlight of the service is when we sang "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High." I knew the motions for the song, so I was doing them. Pretty soon the gal next to me got into the act. It was fun singing in English while she sang in Spanish, and doing the same motions. As long as there was an overhead of the words, I could sing in Spanish, but without the visual...uh..no.
Erick really tries to include the children. Here the little ones are doing an interpretive dance to a CD. They were adorable! I always tried to grab a pew where I could sit with the kids. We were drawn to each other.
On my last Sunday there, I had to talk in front of the congregation. "You talk; I'll translate," Erick promised. By now, I was understanding more, but I couldn't speak well enough to say anything important.
Erick was preaching through the Purpose-Driven Life book (2004). You'd think I could catch some of it! He even passed out sermon "notes." I understood those.
Even Ryan participated--but not vocally. Note the glassy eyes. This whole trip wore him out, but at the end of the 2 weeks he said he wanted to stay (but he probably said that knowing we couldn't really stay). Pastor Erick's son, Erick José, is the left teen in this trio.
Notice the corrugated metal roof. Very typical. I don't think there is any such thing as a furnace or heat source in Costa Rica. And not many "ceilings" either.
Our first Saturday morning in Costa Rica, the Corderos, Ryan, and I went to the soccer field (a dirt-packed rectangular field down the hill from their home). They said early (8am), but early translated itself into Tico-time, which was about 10 or 10:30am. There's something to be said about the relaxed lifestyle. Nobody is ever in a hurry (with the exception of the motor traffic. I saw an ad on TV--a public service announcement about the importance of being careful when crossing the streets. It showed people with large "bulls-eyes" on their backs. A timely ad and so true).
Here is Ryan on the front porch of the Cordero's place, overlooking Granadilla. This area has as many hills as Seattle!
Then, from 2-4pm, the Corderos host a neighborhood Bible Club for kids 3yr.-15yr. The kids pile in from the neighboring homes and from their small church body for songs, activities, and Bible lessons.
Here are some of the youth goofing off with the "lips." Ryan joined them--for what it was worth--as his Spanish was shaky at best. He'd been limiting his speaking vocabulary to "Quiere jugar Play Station, Erick José?" It's like he took a giant leap....backwards!
I hung out with the 3-6 year-olds and taught them "Cuidado mis ojitos al mirar" ("Oh, Be Careful Little Eyes What You See"). They were adorable--muy preciosos! (I'm hidden in the middle of the group.)
Blanca taught the grade school children. That day Jasmine received her very own Bible (from the stack our church had sent along with Ryan and me). Isn't she precious?
Later that evening, Blanca and I attended a surprise Kitchen Tea for Cecilia, a neighbor and church member. Think "Tupperware Party" reversed. Instead of everyone coming and buying kitchen supplies, everyone who attends the party brings a needed item for the hostess. She was duly surprised. The party was a joyous occasion--everyone delighting in giving this dear woman a simple item from their own small stock: a dish towel, a sugar bowl, etc. The Ticas (Costa Rican women) are warm and expressive. They laugh all the time, and they welcomed me with open hearts. They wanted so much to talk with me and I with them. Cecilia invited me for coffee another day. The infamous "Chicken Dance" (Costa Rican national dance?) was performed, and I participated, to riotous laughter. I think these parties are an excuse to get together to eat and visit. And the kids come, too.
A few camera-shy ladies?
Next week: A delightful glimpse into Sunday services
By far, the greatest laughs came from the fake smiles (a dental postcard ad). There were plenty to go around. 
This is Erick Jose, Ryan's partner in "crime" (the crime being playing Play Station at every opportunity. And I paid $$$ so he could play video games in a foreign country?)
Caught in the act---again!
Osama bin Laden was on everyone's minds, so Pastor Erick got into the spirit of things and dressed up as Mrs. Osama. 
The Chicken Dance was a ritual, and if Ryan knew I was posting this picture (note chicken thingy on head), he'd KILL me!
We went with Blanca's sister one evening to visit a dairy farm. The "boy scouts" were having a camp out there. Go figure.... Not MY idea of a camp out. But the cows were interesting. Little did I realize then that I had walked into "forbidden" territory. Forbidden, that is, by the U.S. Customs. As the plane was getting ready to land in Houston, we had to fill out a form--the normal stuff. Except for this one question: "Have you been in contact with any farm animals?" Oops. Well, I cannot tell a lie, so I checked "yes" (like how bad can that be?)
Here is Ryan on the front porch of the Cordero's place, overlooking Granadilla. This area has as many hills as Seattle!
Here are some of the youth goofing off with the "lips." Ryan joined them--for what it was worth--as his Spanish was shaky at best. He'd been limiting his speaking vocabulary to "Quiere jugar Play Station, Erick José?" It's like he took a giant leap....backwards!
A few camera-shy ladies? 
