is the horse running?
do huckleberries burst, smile?
pahto watches, waits
pahto watches by Angie Quantrell
photo by Angie Quantrell
Pahto (Mount Adams), Washington
Haiku Moment: pahto watches
Category Archives: The Daily Grind
Sunday Inspiration
photo by Angie Quantrell
Bush Pioneer County Park, Bay Center, WA
Book Review: Not Yet, Yeti! by Bethany V. Freitas and Maddie Frost
Not Yet, Yeti!
Written by Bethany V. Freitas
Illustrated by Maddie Frost
Clarion Books, HarperCollins Publishers LLC; 2022
Thank you, Jena Benton and Maddie Frost, for sending me this lovely copy of Not Yet, Yeti! I love Yeti, all the bright colors, and the theme of starting school. Yeti and his first day of school speak to my former-preschool and kindergarten teacher’s heart!
Be sure to visit Jena’s blog to read the original post, Simply 7 with Maddie Frost & GIVEAWAY: NOT YET, YETI! You can find Jena and Maddie on Twitter.
Why I Love This Book:
~the fun story
~the going-to-school-for-the-first-time theme
~learning new things
~the encouragement to try again, because you might not get it right the first time, and that just means “not yet, Yeti”
~big, colorful illustrations
~Yeti! I mean, just look at him!
~the friends Yeti makes (too adorable)
I would definitely read this book the first day of school! Congratulations, Bethany and Maddie! Thanks for introducing me to Yeti, Jena!
Look at the little cubbies and friends!
Amazon Blurb:
Yeti learns about the importance of patience and perseverance as he uses growth mindset on his first day of kindergarten.
It’s Yeti’s first day of school and there are so many new things to try! Maybe he can’t do everything he wants to do perfectly just yet, but his supportive teacher and helpful classmates are there to remind him that he can always try again.
Yeti’s journey to achieving his goals highlights the importance of nurturing a positive self-image and a growth mindset in early learners. With gentle humor, expressive illustrations, and a lovable protagonist, this simple and effective story is a perfect teaching aid for both parents and educators alike.
Haiku Moment: yellow tree
yellow tree with bee
how’d you get so tall? standing
with your family
yellow tree
by Angie Quantrell
photo by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Rubber Stamping Fun in Seattle
Total card count: 83
23 recycled cards. Yes, I do recycle cards people give back to me! It’s like greeting and hanging out with old friends.
1 towel tag card (see cat wearing a chef’s hat). ANYTHING can be an inspiration and become a greeting card.
15 cards for my celebrant/funeral home working honey.
I was loving the bears! Happy birthday cards and bear hug cards. Two thumbs up.
Also. Loved my trucks. And the trees. And the time I spent with my stamping buddy (waves, Hi, Alyson!) and her helpful kitties. Scroll to the bottom to meet our feline assistants.
Played with some new stamps.
Revisited the bears. And mushrooms. And trees.
Tried a monochromatic card for my honey. Alyson had the perfect stamps for this idea. Shared resources doubles (or triples) the fun, creativity, and card count.
Thanks for our stamping sleepover, Alyson, Daisy, Honey, and Jubilee! I keep finding kitty fur, though that could also be from my kitty, Monet.
What is one hobby you enjoy? How long have you been doing it? Maybe it’s a hobby I might enjoy!
Top left: Daisy giving me the buff-off after snuggling all night!
Top middle and right: Jubilee giving me the eye AND demanding attention and cessation of stamping for cuddles.
Bottom: Honey minding her own business and having a cat nap. Until I took her picture.
Cascades Hike: Lodge Lake, Snoqualmie Pass
At nearly 4 miles round trip, Lodge Lake is a perfect hike if you have a small window of time. We went on a rainy Tuesday, which was perfect, since I love hiking in the rain!
At the top of Snoqualmie Pass (I-90), go to the far far west parking area and you will find the parking lot for the Pacific Crest Trail and the trail for Lodge Lake, both of which share the path until you reach the lake. A Northwest Forest Pass is required for this parking area.
The hike first travels across the ski slopes. The view across I-90 is gorgeous, and it’s fun to walk where normally 10+ feet of a snow base covers the slopes. Traffic from I-90 and the buildings from the top of the pass are easily visible (and audible). But once you crest the hill and start down the other side, the noise disappears (other than occasional air traffic) and it feels like you are out in the middle of nowhere. The sun and heat from open slopes cools right away once you reach tree cover. Ahhh.
This is not a busy trail. We saw a total of 9 people (including us), 1 dog, and 1 cell tower service worker. There is some rock scrambling, sections of roots to watch, and even a pretty stream to ford, but it’s not difficult. The trail is well-maintained. The peace and quiet, forest scents, bird song, views, and exercise were just what I needed.
There are two places to watch. I read one report on the Washington Trails Association website, which warned us about both. Once you reach the top of the slopes, do not follow the steep path up towards the cell tower. Instead, find the path to the far right and take that. When you see the I-90 sign on a tall tree, look to the right for the trail. It has an edging of rocks.
The other section is knowing how far to go on the trail. You WILL see the Lodge Lake sign on a tree. Just take that path. You will glimpse the lake through the trees. If you miss this sign and find one for Stampede Pass, you’ve gone too far. Turn around.
The lake was so beautiful! Just as we arrived, it started to rain-my favorite! Plan to keep moving or bring along the bug spray. The mosquitos were starving and aggressive. We only stayed a short while and had to leave to get away from them.
Pretty views streamed out in every direction, from wildflowers to tiny waterfalls. Other than the skeeters, the Lodge Lake hike is a gem! Plan this hike in spring, summer, or fall. Come snow (and skiing season), you will need skills and equipment beyond what I have!
Sunday Inspiration
Photo by Angie Quantrell
Selah Ridge Lavender Farm, Selah, WA
Happy Independence Day!
Photo by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley Trolleys Powerhouse Museum, Yakima, WA
Sunday Inspiration
Photo by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley, WA
Book Review: Cayuga Island Kids, THE CASE OF THE MESSY MESSAGE AND THE MISSING FACTS by Judy Bradbury
The Case of the Messy Message and the Missing Facts, Cayuga Island Kids
by Judy Bradbury
illustrations by Gabriella Vagnoli
City of Light Publishing, 2022
Thanks to Kathy Temean and her Writing and Illustrating blog, I received a copy of this fun chapter book mystery! Thank you, Kathy, Judy Bradbury, and City of Lights Publishing!
I thoroughly enjoyed this chapter book. In part, I liked learning about a new area to me. Just check out this map at the front of the book! The writing was clean and understandable, characters engaging, the mystery lots of fun, illustrations just right, and current topics were spot on.
Why I Liked This Book:
~believable characters
~great premise
~mystery
~key words: misinformation, research, fact detectives, disinformation
~kindness rocks and Little Libraries
~fun setting, normal school adventures for elementary students (homework, projects)
~just right illustrations and back matter
This book is definitely a keeper.
Amazon Blurb:
It’s Fall now and the Cayuga Island Kids are busy with homework, projects, and after school activities. But there’s still plenty of time for mystery and adventure! In the third book in the Cayuga Island Kids chapter book series, Julian is exploring food science as he experiments with recipes on his quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Being a cookie sampler takes Mac’s mind off his troubles with fractions. Yoko is practicing gestures and facial expressions in anticipation of the school play tryouts. Maya is Ms. Choi’s helper in the after-school Make-and-Take-Club for younger crafters. Lacey is taking care of the little community library that Gram built—and searching for the next mystery to solve. When two of Ms. Choi’s glitter pens go missing, Maya turns to Lacey for help. The clues and evidence point to a suspect, but are they jumping to conclusions? When a classmate jumps to conclusions and shares false information about Julian’s cookies, the Cayuga Island Kids join forces to set the facts straight. When the kids research explorers for a school project, they uncover misinformation that blurs the truth, and makes the reasons for being a fact detective crystal clear. As the fall leaves turn color, the Cayuga Island Kids come to realize that sorting through clues and evidence—just like research—means making sure information is factual, and not just a fraction of the truth. Young readers will cheer for the Cayuga Island Kids as they embark on this latest adventure involving faulty assumptions, missing facts, flour bugs, and chocolate chip cookies.
Love, Laughter, and Life 