Valentines Activities to Increase Fine Motor Skills
I. Valentine Hearts Fine Motor Lacing Supplies: Colored Felt (red, white and black) Fabric Scissors Googly Eyes Yarn Masking Tape Hot Glue Gun Directions (For one child): – Fold felt in half and cut out half of a heart. – Cut out three hearts of various sizes in each of the three colors. – Fold […]
David Day’s “Guide to Tolkien’s World: A Bestiary”
This week, I am reviewing a book that is more on the informative side of reading, though it is certainly fictional in nature: David Day’s Guide to Tolkien’s World: A Bestiary. I received this book as a gift from family, and let me just say, it is an incredible collection of information on some of […]
‘Creepy’ with a C
I have no problem admitting I am spelling impaired. In my opinion, Samuel Clemens was on to something when he said, “Simplified spelling is all right, but, like chastity, you can carry it too far.” Make no mistake, I know this means I have opened myself to criticism by a certain crusty, old English teacher […]
Where to Go For Mineral Rights Info?
I was wondering where I would go to find if I own my mineral rights? Much would depend on how long you have owned your home. You could start with taking a look at your deed. The Registrars Office also has documents that are filed regarding mineral rights but you may have to do a […]
Round Peg Round Hole
In case you hadn’t noticed, sometimes life makes me say, “Really?” It happened again this past week, and I was left shaking my head, wondering if perhaps I had slipped into the Twilight Zone. It started with a garbage container at a barbecue fast food restaurant. Thought had apparently been put into making this container. […]
Stranded
Ice… not my favorite topic! I do not step outside when ice is present. This past snowstorm was no exception. I kept looking at the power lines and praying they would hold the weight. Ice can look so innocent, but be so deceptive. I remember two really bad ice storms in the 80’s. The first […]
Social Maturity
Do you ever wonder why some preteens and teens seem so immature, making bad choices in their daily lives? And there will always be the child that seems to “have it together” even in those turbulent years. There are many things that garners confidence in a child, but the one we will discuss today is […]
Wesley Chu’s “Time Salvager”
There’s one problem that plagues the sci-fi genre more than just about any other genre: most of it has been done before. In a genre dedicated to the flaunting of imagination, there is a startling amount of sameness among many books, with plots so interchangeable that the nuances are quickly forgotten once the read is […]
Pack Goats
I recently discovered that there is actually such a thing as a pack goat. Tell me that’s not the most brilliant idea mankind has put forth. Oh, the things I’d do with my very own pack goat. I would enroll in a college class and have it carry my books. I’d take a vacation somewhere […]
Restless Snowy Days
As we push into the end of January, it seems likely that at least a bit more snow is going to come our way. Snow days do not have to be restless mornings and afternoons spent locked indoors. There are many different and fun ways to pass the hours. Whether you’re a parent staying home […]
Dandridge Water Concerns
I would like to know if there are any indications that the water in Dandridge is clearing up? My water still has an usual color and I am afraid to wash my light colored clothes in case they get stained. I have informed the Water Department and am trying to be patient but it is […]
Snow Days!
Well, we finally got snow… and watching the snow fall was almost mesmerizing. It was so beautiful, with large flakes falling to the earth, in numbers too numerous to count. It reminded me of the snow globes of my youth. I loved to turn them over and over in my hands, slowly watching the beautiful […]
Cow Psychology
I’ve always been a little curious about cow psychology. Take, for instance, the cowbell. Now, I’m not referencing the dinner cowbell which is, of course, purely Pavlovian. I mean a bell hanging around the lead cow’s neck. Is this so called bell cow popular because they have a bell or do they have a bell […]
Will Friday Count as a School Day?
I was wondering if the students will be able to count Friday as a school day and how many days do we have before it will shorten spring break? Generally, it requires that school be in session for half the day to be able to count it as a school day but there are always […]
Thomas Bulfinch’s “Bulfinch’s Mythologies”
You may have noticed that sometimes I like to review specific books, like a collection of an author’s works, rather than the individual pieces; this is one of those times. For Christmas, I had the good fortune to get a copy of Bulfinch’s Mythologies, a collection of The Age of Fable, The Age of Chivalry, […]
Let it Snow
It’s January, and I am loving the snow! For some reason it seems comforting. I love its silence, as it falls to the ground. I love the clean slate look, where everything is white. I wait for the first snow like a child, and when it comes, I feel exuberant and childlike. Outside is not […]
