One of the joys and necessities of summer is to read many books. Some from my own stacks of books from around my house but many from my school library. I read during the year but the books that are constantly in the hands of young readers escape me until I get them all back, inventoried, and then brought home in a box for me to read.
I've started off the summer with two very popular books and I loved both of these quirky, mystery-filled books.
Capture the Flag by Kate Messner (2012/what took me so long?):
I don't know why I didn't read this one when it first came out. I love Messner's work. I love books with both male and female main characters especially when they work in synchronicity as Jose, Henry, and Anna did. I love that this book takes place almost entirely in the DC airport after a fancy event at the Smithsonian Museum. Getting snowed in was the a great way to keep all the characters in one place until the mystery could be solved. The interesting idea of a Silver Jaguar Society made up of descendents of famous concerned people is the perfect vehicle for a series. Even though I had the mystery figured out right after I met the villain (I'm quick that way and I'm not an elementary student) I thought the plot twists and how the kids worked as a team makes this a great classroom read-aloud. I will now be forced to read the rest of this series probably before school begins in August.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (2013): What a unique story created by Grabenstein! This book would have to get students excited about reading and other books because so many are used to create the game. On the way to school one morning Kyle is reminded by his best friend Akimi about an essay contest to earn entry into the new Alexandriaville library created by gaming genius and bazillionaire Mr. Lemoncello. Kyle, by some miracle wins a spot with 11 other students including Akimi. Once in the library for a sleepover a challenge is made for the students to find a secret way out using clues in the library. Kyle and his friends work together to solve the many-layered puzzles to win. I read this book in exactly 2 days because I loved the kids, the teamwork, and the many book references as well as the amazing look at how libraries and librarians are more than relevant in the 21st century. This one is also the first in a series.
My mind worked overtime as I read this book trying to think of a way to recreate a library game based on this book's ideas to start the year off at Hansen. The wheels are still spinning.
If you are looking for a good, quick summer read to make you smile or need a book recommendation for a student both of these books will work!
Last week I had the privilege of attending a PLC conference at the convention center which had the best recycling stations. Yeah for eco-friendly services.
So by day we absorbed a great amount of information-some days to explosion. And by night we explored the downtown Nicollet Mall neighborhood. As a crazy foodie person I had done my research on a few places to eat. I did NOT want to be stuck eating at chain restaurants or fast food. I went with a plan and had hopes that the teaching crew from Hansen would join or so their own thing. I knew my friend and roommate for this trip Beth would jump right into my foodie plan.
Hell's Kitchen: this has been on my list for quite awhile. Delicious. I had the walleye with asparagus and sweet potato fries. I was in Minnesota after all and my fish-obsessed nephews would be proud. We had fun drinks there and all 6 teachers loved their food as well.
The Newsroom: another amazing choice. As the daughter of a newspaper man I loved all the news walls to look at throughout the restaurant. I had the ahi fish tacos appetizer as my meal. I didn't snap a photo-I must have been too hungry. There were three petite tacos and they were melt in your mouth delicious. Everyone enjoyed their meals here as well; most everyone else at the table chose steaks. While I didn't take a photo of my food or drink I did snap a great shot of Caitlin, Pre-k teacher, with her pineapple rum drink.
After both dinners we had fun at two close by clubs. At Brit's Pub we ordered beers and ciders while we watched the US lose to Argentina on their rooftop lawn! And then on our last night like everyone else at the conference we had heard about an amazing dueling piano bar The Shout House. Crazy loud, super fun, and it was 90's night. Can't get much better than that!
I would return to any of these places with family/friends and am very grateful that my Hansen/Holmes family were willing to try these new places!
Tomorrow morning I'm meeting up with my team from school. We were supposed to go for a boat ride but the river is too high so we are going to just sit on her deck (our friend Mary who lives on the river here) and relax together. No children. Just us. The deck and the muffins I'm bringing.
I knew as soon as I decided to bring a morning treat where to look; The Cottage (from La Jolla's favorite beachside bungalow)-many times I google or Pinterest a recipe but every once in awhile I know what to get from my own shelves. Tried and true excellent recipes. If you love brunch and fresh food this book is a must.
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and line one 12-cup or two 6-cup muffin tins. In a large bowl beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing after each addition. Mix in the sour cream until blended. In a small bowl mix together the flour and baking powder. Stir the flour mixture into the batter until just blended. {At this point I squeezed in a little fresh lemon juice} Add the blueberries and stir gently. Pour the batter into muffin cups to the top. Bake for 25 minutes. {I added grated lemon peel to the top half way through the baking process}
Makes 12 muffins
Enjoy your day tomorrow. I'll be on a deck, watching the river flow, with friends and muffins.
We are back from the crazy music festival. Almost all of the music was amazing. We took a lot of pictures with our Nikon (which of course are not uploaded yet) I created the above video from just the few pictures I had on my iPhone.
We had a great time with the friends we went with and we now have other friends who are interested. We met some cool people while there (Lindsey and Joel stood out as true kind folk) and we ate some interesting festival food. We had camping neighbors that were parents of the harmonica player for Horseshoes and Handgrenades. Another camping neighbor and I exchanged books; she gave me Wild by Cheryl Strayed and I gave her Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. I also ran into an old friend that I've not seen for like 20 years. Strange things happen when you listen to the music.
Camping was good. I do not have a sore back. Positive. It stormed pretty crazily Friday afternoon but we all survived. One car did get crushed by a tree though. Coming home we found a small bakery (donuts and great bread) and a cute diner in Wabash that fed us real meals on real plates with a real bathroom.
Getting back inside my lovely house I was happy to have indoor plumbing once again, a kitchen to cook in, and I bathed for the first time in four days! Yes, that felt great. Whispering Pines Campground DID have a shower house but it was ice cold water as two of my camping mates experienced. I opted to be happy with the dirty hippie brigade instead of cold water spraying over me. My hot bath last night brought joy and order back to my world. That and creating a feast for my two children who took care of each other while we were camping. As we sat and ate together, just the 3 of us, I felt so grateful for my children who I love to the moon and back. They, in return, were over the moon for the meal I made them.
Groovy Girl is on Pinterest and she'd asked me if over the summer we could make it a goal to make some of the meals on her "yum" board so I made one last night. Only 28 more "Yum" recipes to go!
From The Recipe Critic-Crispy Parmesan Chicken with lemon pasta. It says boldly on her page that this recipe takes only 30 minutes to prepare which must mean if you have all ingredients completely ready to go. It took me an hour to prepare which is no big deal especially because I made my own breadcrumbs. My kids laughed about that-but of course I could not use something so pre-packaged! They know me so well.
It was also devastating to wake up on Sunday morning and hear about the tragedy in Orlando. I can only hope (and beg the people who govern us) to change our gun laws.
Thinking back Blue Ox cues me to our time as a family visiting Paul Bunyon Park in Northern Minnesota. Gorgeous and fun. I do remember a childhood video ( I grew up with a photographer father) of me losing my pristine white sandal in the muddy Babe, the Blue Ox area. I cried.
That's what the whole video is about, me sad about losing my shoe in the mud, knowing there might be hell to pay. There are also highlights of Babe and Paul speaking to us. Super cool technology for the day-the badass 70's.
Fast forward in crazy time warp speed I'm now at the Blue Ox Music festival, camping, and listening to amazing bands. Leftover Salmon 💜, the Big Wu, the Last Revel, Sam Bush, Shovels and Rope, The Del McCoury Band, and Bela and the Flecktones. That's just the bands that I personally recognize or have heard. Wow! F-(/)/&:& yes.
Dynamic music, beautiful WI scenery, great Bell's beer. Come on over. Sit a spell- my husband and Paulie will be happy to play a bit with you.
Summer has started. School has ended. Teachers and students need to rejuvenate. That said we are all still working. Students, hopefully, are still reading something (books, cereal boxes, road signs, etc.) and teachers are truly resting but in the back of their minds they are planning. Next year always looms ahead like a beacon. What can I do differently? How can I implement that into my classroom next year?
We all do it. Well I don't know that for sure; I just know that I think that way and I've heard tell from other teacher friends that they plan that way as well. As a librarian I have the whole upkeep of the library to take care of and summer is a major cleanser for me. I'm working on inventory and have just started nonfiction. I finished fiction chapter books yesterday. They are all in the right order now, inventoried and reorganized. I'm taking out old copies, weeding, as I move through the shelves. It's thrilling stuff.
I've also started working out with someone named Jillian Michaels who has kind of a fast mouth and likes to push it. Working out is something that gets pushed to the back burner during school and my mission is to get some strength back and to combat all the lounge treats I ate of the year.
I have lots of other plans for the summer and the first thing up on my travel agenda is coming up this week. We are heading to the Blue Ox festival in Eau Claire, WI with some friends. Camping, music, festival food, fun cocktails, sun dresses, and possibly some rain...all sounds like the perfect way to begin summer.
"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. 'Pooh?' he whispered.
'Yes, Piglet?'
'Nothing,' said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. 'I just wanted to be sure of you.'"— A.A. Milne
