sunflower forest
shadowing minions below,
giant bird fodder
sunflower forest by Angie Quantrell
This year, another garden experiment. Last season, giant birds (to the minions living below) messily (and carelessly) tossed seeds as they gobbled from sunflower trees. This season, let’s see what grows.
A forest!
The Broken Bees’ Nest
Beekeeping, Makers Make It Work
By Lydia Lukidis
Illustrated by Andre Ceolin
Kane Press, Inc., 2019
I won a copy of Lydia’s book, The Broken Bees’ Nest, through Kathy Temean and her blog, Writing and Illustrating. Thanks to Lydia for the delightful copy and to Kathy for introducing me to The Broken Bees’ Nest.
What I like about this book:
I love bees, so this picture book is perfect for me. My current dream is to capture a swarm and put a hive out in our pasture. Guess what The Broken Bees’ Nest is about? Capturing a swarm from a broken hive!
This book is about a beekeeper and how she helps two children rescue bees from a broken hive. It’s also about family and being outdoors and engaging in fun play while enjoying nature. I loved learning more about bees-from the story, the sidebars, and the back matter pages.
This book is easy to read, includes vibrant illustrations, and provides lots of bee information in a fun, engaging way. As my granddaughter said the first time we read it, “Again!”
We’ll keep reading The Broken Bees’ Nest! I think this will help her overcome her fear of bees.
Amazon Blurb:
Arun and Keya find the perfect tree for a tree house. Too bad it comes with a battered bees’ nest! These bees need a new home―right away! Tying into the popular Makers Movement, Makers Make It Work is a series of fun easy-to-read stories that focus on problem-solving and hands-on action. This charming story explores the Makers theme of Beekeeping and includes explanatory sidebars and an insect-related activity for young makers to try themselves!
a child, needing mom
for guidance, encouragement,
model to follow.
a mother, aging
ill, failing, needing her child,
someone to grasp hands.
from birth, you held me,
fed, tended, loved, taught, mothered.
reversing the care.
mama reversal by Angie Quantrell
For my mama. Missing you! Honored to reverse the care.
There are moms, and there are MOMS.
And I’m not just talking about women who give birth to babies and become mothers. Well, yes, those sorts of moms.
But also, moms who have adopted, claimed, or otherwise taken in extra babies, children, and adults and made them a part of the family. Moms who have mothered others through tough times or through career choices. Moms who have taught more than just their own offspring, baked cookies for the neighborhood kids, shared/traded hand-me-downs and kid-paraphernalia, or tucked in all the littles who happened to be around at nap or bedtime. Moms who embrace the friendless, welcome in the newcomers, stand up for the picked-on. No nonsense moms who tell it like it is, teach how it should be, and show by example how to do it.
Moms not limited to birth or adoption or choice, but also by caring. Moms of fur babies, next-door-neighbors, or troops, clubs, or teams. And those dads. Dads who mother their children in so many ways, again by choice or circumstances.
Moms. All of them.
Thank you, moms (mothers, mamas, mommys), for all you have done, are doing, and will do to mother us! We love you!
This Mother’s Day, heaven has two new mothers. My mommy, Bonnie, passed away on May 7, and is up there rejoicing in Heaven with Jesus, daddy, and all of her loved ones. My other mommy, Carole (Kevin’s mama), passed away last June 7. I’m sure she was ready to welcome mom with a cup of coffee and lots of catching up. This was our first Mother’s Day without our moms. We be sad. But up there? The celebrating just jumped up a notch!
While our Mother’s Day took a turn towards the side of mourning, and we have mom-sized holes in our hearts, we KNOW we will see them again when it’s our turn to go. No more tears, pain, broken and failing bodies. Just love, joy, and reunion.
Peace to all who miss their mothers.
Freedom’s Highest Flight
Written by Casey McCall Corbett
Illustrated by Patrick Powell
Mascot Books, 2019
I received a review copy of Freedom’s Highest Flight from Mascot Books. Thank you!
Happy May 7, 2019, book birthday, Freedom’s Highest Flight!
I was attracted to Freedom’s Highest Flight because of the bald eagle and football connections. I’ve always been interested in birds of prey and football is on my list of favorite fall activities.
Written in rhyme, Freedom’s Highest Flight tells the tale of both Freedom, the bald eagle mascot for Georgia Southern, and Erk Russell, one of the most famous football coaches for that university.
I enjoyed the imaginative story telling by Erk as he shared Georgia Southern football history with Freedom. I learned more about football strategies, plays, and players. By the end of the book, I was proud of GSU and all of their championship accomplishments. Interesting backmatter is a great addition to the story. Freedom’s Highest Flight is a fun read!
For lovers of college football, team mascots, and football history, Freedom’s Highest Flight is the perfect book choice.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mascot Books Publishes Freedom’s Highest Flight
By Casey McCall Corbett
Herndon, VA, May 7, 2019: Mascot Books announces the release of Freedom’s Highest Flight by Casey McCall Corbett; Illustrated by Patrick Powell.
Fans of Georgia Southern University will love this tale about one of the most famous football coaches in school history, Erk Russell. Join Freedom the eagle and his pal Erk on a high-flying journey through history to recount the rise of GSU’s football program to winning multiple championships.
Growing up with a father as a football coach immersed Casey into the world of football at an early age. Several of her father’s high school athletes went on to play with Georgia Southern during its infancy of Erk Russell football, when the school was just a college and the program itself had very little funding. Little did she realize she was watching the history and legacy of Georgia Southern football develop and where it would lead her later on in her life.
Her affection for the outdoors and wildlife led Casey to a career as the education coordinator at the Center for Wildlife Education at Georgia Southern University in 2009. It was in this position while being trained to fly Freedom, and the other raptors, that ideas of a book about Georgia Southern Football began to form. The memories of her football past and growing up with a connection to Erk Russell football made her realize she had come full circle with an exciting story to tell.
To set up an interview, reading, signing, or for information regarding Freedom’s Highest Flight, please contact Chris Baker at chris@mascotbooks.com.
Freedom’s Highest Flight is registered with the American Wholesale Book Company, Baker & Taylor, Follett Library Resources, and Ingram, and available online with the following retailers:
About Mascot Books
Mascot Books is a full-service, multi-genre, independent book publisher and distributor. It is a hybrid publishing company headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. Co-founded in 2003 by Naren Aryal, Mascot has published more than 2,500 books in a variety of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, children’s, cookbooks, and coffee table books. Learn more at www.mascotbooks.com.
cotton candy clouds
effervescence, bees’ delight
pink blossom carpet
cotton candy by Angie Quantrell
I love spring blossoms and the buzz of happy bees. Welcome, pink!
Love, Laughter, and Life 