Groundhog Day

image via National Geographic

February.

You just have to love the month of February.  No other month do we anxiously await the appearance of a rather rotund rodent,  shower our sweethearts with sugar,  party with dead presidents and sometimes end the month with a carnival named "Fat Tuesday" before we dive into forty days of contemplation and meditation.

Last night I reminded Roger Thursday is Groundhog Day.  He look at me with a blank stare.  He said, "I honestly never think of Groundhog Day until you say something about it".  Seriously?  Groundhog Day is one of my favorite holidays.  It is the day I await all winter.  I wake up early just to find out if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow.  Will we have six more weeks of winter or an early spring?  Never mind my man Phil lives in Pennsylvania, and I am here in the south.  I depend on him each year to forecast Spring's arrival.  I need someone more reliable than the local meteorologist. 

Tomorrow, in my classroom, we will be cutting and gluing, constructing our own groundhogs.  We will talk a little about the animal and how shadows are made.  Thursday morning we will take our little fellows outside to check out our own shadows.  We will work a little on fine motor skills and  maybe, learn a little science.  For certain we will use our imagination and have fun, rain or shine.  .

Phil...Please see your shadow.  We've really have not had much of a winter, and  I would really love to have a snow day.  I'm not greedy.  Just one.  Think of children laughing and having a great time playing in the snow.  A day to curl up by the fire with a book and not feel guilty.   I'm giving you a day to think about it.  I'll share my valentine treats with you; you don't seem to be too concerned with your waistline.  I promise I will keep Groundhog Day in my heart throughout the year (oops, wrong holiday).  Phil, seriously, you really are my favorite.  I'm counting on you big guy!

My Learning Curve

Yesterday Roger decided to update the Mac with Lion.  I was a little suspicious.  I've been feeling quite comfortable with Mac.  So much so Dell seldom comes out to play.  Dell just can't keep up. 

As I said I have been feeling confident about manuevering around with Mac.  Okay, sometimes I might need a little help from my personal apple tech...she knows who she is.   She has assured me I really can't destroy anything.  So I've become a bit of a hacker; I have a tendency to just start playing around hoping to figure things out as I go.  

I must admit I am a bit intimidated with this new update.  It is faster, more efficient and everything is accessible with a touch of a finger,  two or three, on the touch pad.  Here is my problem.  My fingers and the pad are not compatible.  I think they are too cold.  Roger thinks they are too smooth and my touch is too soft. 

Last night after trying numerous times to scroll down my page I  became frustrated and just shut Mac down and put him away.  I had thoughts of quietly disappearing from the cyber world.

Today the sun was shining through the window and I was beginning to feel a little more open minded and maybe confident about the changes.  I've listened to the tutorial multiple times and have begun playing around a little bit.  My sense of adventure and experimentation is returning.

This lion and I might learn to get along after all.

China, Dragons and...Big Bird?

Today is the third day of the Chinese New Year.  It is the year of the Dragon.  I have always been fascinated  by the Chinese New Year.  I really have no reason for this interest other than I love celebrations and I am naturally curious about traditions other than my own.  Which, if you think of it, fits in with the sign I was born under....the horse.

In recognition of this Chinese New Year,  Spring Festival,  I thought I might highlight three of my favorite books related to China.

Monday, after talking to my children about the Chinese New Year, I went in search for a book to share with them.  I couldn't immediately find anything on Chinese New Year, but I found a fabulous book about dragons.

This beautiful poem written by Fay Robinson and illustrated by Victor Lee tells the story of the dragons.  The dragon was feared by adults, "but children always understood that dragons in their hearts were good".

One night the leader's voice is heard to say, "Now's the time".  The dragons fly away.

"Where did all the dragons go?
The smartest scholars still don't know.
But the next time there's a thunderstorm,
watch the smoky gray clouds form,
watch the lightning flash its light,
hear the thunder in the night."

Are they lurking just beyond?

If you haven't picked up a children's book lately, check this one out.  The story is lyrical and the illustrations are beautiful.

When my daughter was a pre-schooler we loved Sesame Street and anything having to do with Big Bird.  I'm not for sure who enjoyed the show more.  One of our favorite movies was "Big Bird goes to China".   There was a song from the movie that has stuck with me through the years.  I've been singing it all week.  (I hope I have all the spellings correct, and I'm sorry I am not able to show all the accent marks above the letters.  I am sure they are in my computer somewhere.)

Ni Hao, Ni Hao that means hello, and

Good bye, Zai jian, Zai jain I have to go.

And if you want to say I love you

Say Wa ai ni,

Wa ai ni, I love you Zai jian.

And so tonight,

Wa ai ni, I love you Zai jian.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Here's to the Kindness of Strangers

Several of you have mentioned you were having trouble commenting on my posts.  I think the mystery is solved.  I am not for sure how they knew (I've only mentioned it on.....oh I won't tell you how many sites) about my issue with your not being able to comment here at Living Life.  It seems the problem is with Internet Explorer and Blogger.  Two wonderful strangers emailed the simple suggested of changing a setting from embedded to popup.  I think it might have been the answer.  They both tested by leaving lovely comments and it is working.

Thank you so much Marsha at Marsha's Creekside Creations and Poppy at Poppyjuice.  I hope one day I might be able to return the favor.