What's In My Teapot?

There's a baby a wee bit overdue around here... And her name is Spring!!! (Maybe someone got the due date a little mixed up?) We've cleaned the pantry & the attic,  put away snow suits,   and gotten out the seasonal decor... All to no avail!!! (Maybe someone forgot to send the signal that all is ready?) And yet... despite the waiting and the false alarms, there is undeniable enthusiasm in the air. And hopes are soaring!!! Why? Because... soon and very soon  the wait will be over and   Spring is going to arrive in a rush of pink and blossom! And the sun is going to be so bright Someone is going to need shades!!! (Black ones with polka dots, for that matter.)   And that same someone is going to take a Spring Break from all the work that new arrivals bring with them! And they are going to sip on iced tea (from the cutest glass sipper ever!) and munch away on ...

This book was hard. Harder, even, than I expected. Hard to the point that at times it was almost agony to turn the page, and yet it would have been equal agony not to! And yet, if I thought reading it was hard, analyzing it for this review was even harder, and that was something I didn't anticipate when I chose it for March's book of the month . I tried to come up with a list of discussion questions, like I did in  January and February , but it just wasn't coming, and I think it was because of how complex and sensitive the subject matter is, as well as what I am working through with this book. And that is the horrifying clash between good and evil and the clash between the book's worldview and mine. Because of this "clash", I intend to give a few thoughts on the book, instead of a list of questions, and hope those of you who have read it will do the same! First of all, it must be said that The Auschwitz Escape is a riveting work of historical...

Dear Spring, I apologize for the welcome you received on the day of your big debut!  The calendar had your name written all over March 20th,  and instead,  an imposter dressed in the form of snow & slush came around  and stole the show!  Please don't be offended and take your business elsewhere!  I was not terribly enamored with your replacement,  or with the pile of wet snow suits and mittens left in my children's wake. Winter has been a hard-nosed master this year  and he may try to frighten you off,  but have no fear... the calendar is all yours now for three glorious months,  and if I were you,  I would take full advantage of that fact!  The robins are here,  the daffodils are sprouting,  and I took a peek at my flip flops today, just to be sure I knew where they were. All we need, now, is you!  Your warmth will be the breath of kindness we've all been...

Have no fear, this is not a post on the merits of taking your own bags to the grocery store and planting trees and turning the water off while brushing your teeth! It's not even about the joys of recycling, although our big blue recycling container is currently overflowing in a way that gives me no end of pleasure these days, which means I am making headway in the cleaning frenzy purge that is underway at our house! No, all of these things are right and good, but this post is about feeling Irish for a day, making corned beef and cabbage, and finding out what, exactly, a three leaf clover has to do with March 17th! In other words, it's about how our little family enjoys a few fun traditions and a bit of extra green on St. Patrick's Day. To begin with, what is St. Patrick's Day? Well, to make a long explanation short, it is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around March 17. It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland's patron saints, w...

I do not have a cat. Nor do I expect to have one anytime soon, if my husband's allergies have anything to say about it. However, if I did own a cat, I would want it to be like Mr. Putter's good cat, Tabby. You see, Tabby likes tea with lots of cream and warm English muffins. She likes morning naps and afternoon puddings. She likes funny stories and tulips. She is also very fond of Mr. Putter. And who wouldn't be? Mr. Putter is an adorable older gentleman with some of the same great tastes as his cat! He just takes his tea with sugar instead of cream. The Mr. Putter and Tabby books , written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Arthur Howard, are so incredibly lovable and funny! This may come as a surprise, as the two main characters happen to be an old man and his cat, but the books are so well written that it's hard to find a nicer series for children and the parents who read them!  We first meet this particular duo in Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour th...

There are many curious things in life, but here are several that came to mind today: Why would our biggest snowfall of the winter wait for March? Why I would wait until this late in the season to actually put on my boots and go out in it? And why would we wait until the watermelon goes completely rotten in the wheelbarrow before we dispose of it? The only good answer I have is that some things in life are meant to be a mystery. That said, if you would like to see what my Snowy Day looked like, curiosities & all, you're welcome to come with me for a tour... There may not be such a thing as our little school closing down on account of the weather, but Elasa's workload is light enough that she still had plenty of time to enjoy the snow and I find that keeping on schedule does us all good. Even though we're not officially counting, today was day 119 of school, which I know isn't as far along as many, but since we'll just be going until her book...