The Banana made this mask at art class, and it was chosen to go on display at the district wide school student art display.  When it came home, I couldn’t help but to giggle, because it’s so crazy and strange that only she could have come up with something quite…

Yay!  It’s poem in your pocket day!  I had plans for sharing the poem in my pocket on my blog today, but then I started wondering about copyright laws and if that’s legal.  So just to be extra careful, I’m linking to another site where the poem is electronically published.…

He is a boy inspired by school, this fourth child, and luckily he has pretty much the greatest first grade teacher ever, who is always working everything they are learning in school together.  For example, a few months ago they studied sled dog races, and all of their math, science,…

April is National Poetry month!  Hooray!  I was a bit lax about celebrating last year, so this year I decided to make a concentrated effort to incorporate more poetry in my daily life during April, and I have really been enjoying it. Here are some of the extra things I…

His practice place of choice is the cupboard under the basement stairs.

I live in a house of fruit monsters.  Every week I purchase at least 5 bags of apples, and they are gone.  Yesterday they ate 3 tote bags of bananas in a matter of five hours, the kind the store sells for people to bake banana bread. When I walk…

It’s our lucky month at the grocery store! We walked past the plants and saw this terrific little Venus Fly Trap, and couldn’t resist bringing him home.  We haven’t had a carnivorous plant around here for quite some time, and Mr. TOF didn’t even remember ever having seen one before.  He…

Just a few hours south of here in Minnesota and Wisconsin, they are getting feet of snow.  But here,  gale winds are keeping most of it at bay, and we have some amazing waves to watch.  This morning Mr. TOF had swimming lessons.  Afterward, he, The Banana and I headed…

Despite the fact that Brutus is a strong willed, determined, and obstinate  cat, a cat too smart for his own good, he also offers up some great snuggles  . . . when he feels like it.

A few weeks ago I threw performance parties for my piano students.  This always involves lots of delicious refreshments, and it’s very much anticipated by my own kidlets because after they share their music, there are really no limits on cookie consumption.  Because I had fewer students able to come…