The Author’s Advantage – Ben Franklin
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07, 2023
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07, 2023
Hot? Blame the stars!
Summer’s hottest days , better known as the “dog days of summer” are officially upon us.
According to the National Weather Service, Dog days can be traced back thousands of years to the days of the Roman Empire. The dates July 3 through August 11 are the twenty days prior and twenty days after the star Sirius rises and falls in conjunction with the sun.
Source: Almanac.com
Sirius is nicknamed the “Dog Star” and the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog). The name Sirius comes from the ancient Greek word for “scorching” or “glowing.”
Ancient Egyptians were star watchers and noted Sirius rising in the morning sky then traveling across the sky with the sun all day and blamed the double-whammy from Sirius and the sun for the heat in July and August.
Greeks and Romans believed Dog Days to be a time of drought, bad luck, unrest, and sickness where the extreme heat would drive dogs and men mad.
They might have been on to something.
An Old Farmers’ article says: “A 2009 Finnish study tested the traditional claim that the rate of infections is higher during the Dog Days. The authors wrote, ‘This study was conducted to challenge the myth that the rate of infections is higher during the dog days. To our surprise, the myth was found to be true.'”
Truth is, Sirius doesn’t affect seasonal weather here on Earth. The tilt of the earth on its axis is what makes it so much warmer in the summer and the Dog Day dates change along with the sky shifts.
But, as long as Sirius the dog star continues to appear during the hottest part of summer, the Dog Days of summer will live on.
14
07, 2023
Old Ladies
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
One of my favorite things about my job is getting to read to children. I have a vast collection of children’s books, most of which are songs. In almost every class I will read (sing) one to the students.
A friend of mine owns a children’s book and toy store in our town called Whimsy & Wild Emporium
I asked her if I could come read for Storytime during the summer and she said yes!
The first week I took my old lady puppet and sang “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.”
The puppet includes all the animals that she swallowed so it is great fun. It has all the animals except the spider which “wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.”
I took it out to use it while singing “Spider on the Floor” and it must have crawled off. I explain to the children that we will have to pretend to make a spider with our hands. It is still great fun.
What was even more fun was introducing our grandson, Alex, to the old lady. He loved taking the animals out and then having her swallow them over and over.
It is like reading to my classes multiplied 1000 times. He particularly liked the “tickle spider” part.
Sometimes when I look at pictures of myself, I see an old lady.
Then I also see a grandchild – the greatest perk of getting old!
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07, 2023
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07, 2023
Ah, Summer!
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Some people believe that teachers chose their profession so they would have summers off. That may be true for some but I really enjoy my job all year long. During the school year, I can play, sing, and dance five days a week. During the summer, I spend the time differently.
I bake. (The pound cake was great. The angel food cake needs a little more practice.)
I work jigsaw puzzles:
But most importantly – I take naps.
I went by my school recently to drop off some keyboards I have acquired. I’m hoping to teach class piano at some point.
Anyway, I talked to the secretary who told me they are moving some people around. I will actually get my own room which is very exciting! I won’t have to set up every morning and move everything back into my office when classes are over.
The only problem is I have to move all the things out of my office into my new room.
I’m thinking I will need to take more naps before that happens!
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07, 2023
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07, 2023
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07, 2023
A Couple of my Favorite 4th of July Things
My first favorite thing is this family photo.
My very talented photographer daughter snapped the shot years ago when her two boys were young. You may have seen the image on a highway billboard or in an airport or a store ad.
Her boys running freely on the park path reminds me of the many freedoms we have in this country that are not granted in so many other places in the world.
Second, this very old Chevy commercial with its catchy tune. I don’t drive a Chevy, but I do love this song and think about the great country we live in every time I hear it.
30
06, 2023
More Chicks
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Rachel helped a third-grade class at her school hatch chicks this spring. She procured the eggs, monitored the process, and found homes for the chicks once they hatched.
One of those homes was Miller Farm. They lived in the brooder for a while.
Eventually, they outgrew the brooder and were ready to join the rest of the flock. I neglected to check the fence for escape hatches and the chick managed to wander into the neighbor’s yard.
I fixed that gap and they found another one and began to explore our backyard.
I think I have secured the chicken yard.
The good news is it looks like most of the chicks are hens. We can always use more chicken eggs!
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06, 2023
