Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover


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Meeting in the Middle Really Works

meet in the middle

drive separate roads to where

catching up is fun

~ Haiku by Angie Quantrell

 

Meeting in the middle works.

Yes, the sort of meeting in the middle that signifies compromise and working together – that works.

But also the physical, drive and meet in the middle between two far flung locations – that works as well.

Making the most of a federal holiday, a friend and I recently met in the middle for a fun day of rubber stamping, visiting, and eating. We’ve been discussing the idea for quite a long time, but could never put wheels on our vision.

Until we stopped talking and started driving. She booked a hotel room for her daughter and a friend and herself. I met them. We took over the hotel’s business conference room table, where we were front and center for the excitement of the day.

It was great!

Due to the limited amount of time, we really focused. We only brought some of our mountains of supplies and ideas. We only shared one meal. We only began some projects, stacking them for completion later at home (one of the best unintended parts of the day). We only spent a short time visiting a local thrift shop.

Success.

Now we know where the middle is and plan to take advantage of this knowledge again.

You should try it. Who do you want to meet in the middle?


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Salmon with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Homemade sauces are a cook’s most valuable asset. The béchamel, the hollandaise, the mornay, the romesco—they’re all lovely. You know what else they require? Time. On Mondays, I have a lot of things: an onslaught of work to complete, laundry to fold, blog comments to respond to, events to plan, babies to make giggle, and […]

Source: Salmon with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

This recipe sounds delicious! We love salmon and have recently been enjoying teriyaki salmon – but the store bought sauce is soooo salty. Thanks, Vicky, for this recipe. Can’t wait to try it.


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Sunflower House ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Sunflower House

By Eve Bunting

Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt

(Voyager Books, 1996)

I have been reading tons of picture books lately. At least my back considers the weight of them to be tons as I haul them back and forth to the library.

Sunflower House is a colorful story about a child who plants a sunflower house with his parents. I suppose that is where the name for the book comes from, right?

Father and child first removed grass to make a large circle, leaving the middle of the circle grassy. Seeds were then planted in the soil and the waiting began.

Once the sunflowers began to grow tall, the child invited friends to play in the sunflower house. Eventually, the sunflowers grew so large and wide that the parents no longer fit inside and the flower house became a kids-only place to enjoy nature.

I love the idea of creating a fun space for children by planting sunflowers. I am considering it for this summer…if I can find a place that my husband won’t mind too much if the grass is removed and seeds upon seeds will eventually fall and resprout next spring!

KID KANDY:

Plant a Sunflower House

Materials: sunflower seeds, large area to plant, yard tools

1. Read Sunflower House. Once you see the pictures you will know how to plant one.

2. Choose a sunny location for your sunflower house. They love the sun. Remove grass to form a ring of dirt around a circle of grass. Make your ring at least 4 feet in diameter. Sunflowers get HUGE!

3. Plant seeds in the dirt. Water them and wait.

4. Once the seeds have sprouted, watch them grow. You can pull weeds but only after you make sure you are not pulling up sunflowers.

5. After the sunflowers are as tall as you, the house is ready for play. Of course, it will keep growing, especially if you have planted JUMBO sunflowers.

6. What to do inside a sunflower house?

– rest on your back and look at the sky

– watch birds that flock to eat the seeds

– listen to the bees buzzing as they pollinate the flowers

– have a picnic in the sunflower house

– invite friends over to play

– campout overnight in the sunflower house

– look for insects that live in and around the flowers

– draw your sunflowers or the sunflower house

– use a magnifying glass to look really close at the plants and animals

– take photos of your house

 

Isn’t that a fun project? What will you grow next summer?

Thanks for reading!


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How to Get Over Bad Book Reviews

Phew! What a whirlwind this week has been! The weather flip-flopped between winter and summer, the Bat Mitzvah RSVPs flooded in and my fourth book released to critical and commercial acclaim. It wa…

Source: How to Get Over Bad Book Reviews

You hang in there, Tara!


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Wrap Them in Love – Baby Quilts

What a whirlwind! 

 The last two weeks have been filled with anticipation, preparation, and organization to get ready to welcome our two new baby girls to this big world.

 

But the desire to love and welcome them makes it all worth while.

 Even when one has to borrow a sewing machine (since hers is broken), one has extra furry help (though it is not requested), and one has to shuffle to meet all those little deadlines so all could enjoy the parties.

Baby quilts are my favorite gift to make for newborns. The last go-round included several boys, so this crafter was excited to add some pink and flowers!

 Love them, snuggle them, wrap them in quilts.

 Congratulations mommy’s, daddy’s, sisters, and brothers

(and grandmas and grandpas).

 Wrapped in love.

 Way to go, Amplify!


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Top Ten Reasons Picture Books Rock…

I am thrilled to count myself among the ranks of children’s picture book writers. I believe, whole-heartedly, in the power of picture books. Of course, there are thousands of reasons to love pictur…

Source: Top Ten Reasons Picture Books Rock…

Picture books rock! Thanks, Michelle!