My Very First Blog Award (the Liebster Award)

Many thamks to J. R. Barker for granting me the honour of  nomination for this award it is received with much appreciation.

“Liebsters Award is a way for blogs with less than 200 followers to connect with other bloggers, share a little more about you, and a way to help promote other small blogs”

How does this work? Here are the rules.

Post 11 random fact about yourself.

Answer 11 Questions from your Nominator.

Visit the other 1o blogs that were nominated with you.

Nominate 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers and ask them 11 questions – NO TAG BACKS!

Visit your Nominees and let them know they won the award.

Ring of Kerry

11 Random Facts about myself.

1. I love to go bushwalking even though I have two left feet which inevitably cause all sorts of problems.
2. I am constantly on the lookout for more native trees to plant on our property which will help encourage the native birds and animals to feel welcome.
3. Fairies nest at the bottom of my garden, (ok they are fairy wrens) but it sounds good!
4. I’ve hunted for the Loch Ness Monster and skipped stones across the Loch with my sons in true adventure style.
5. Searched for Leprechauns under rocks and shrubs around the lakes of the “Ring of Kerry” in Ireland.
6. Sipped champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower like a true romatic heroine.
   

   Top of the Eiffel Tower
7. Rode a camel at sunset along Cable Beach in Broome, Western Australia.
8. Swum under a waterfall in an Outback waterhole.
9. When I am not writing or reading I am creating stained glass windows.
10. I adore sunsets, red wine, good comapny and a warm fire on a cold winter evening.
11. When all is said and done, there’s no place like home!

Cable Beach

Python pool Millstream National Park.

Questions to me.

1. What is your favourite children’s book? Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French. Simple, yet very cute and clever.
2. Who’s your favourite story tale villain? Professor Severus Snape. J.K. Rowling wrote a fantastic antagonist and Alan Rickman portrayed him superbly. You love to hate him and yet he has a lost soul you can’t help but feel sorry for.
3. Who’s your favourite story tale hero? Who else? Harry Potter! Need I say more! Thanks to Jo Rowling so many more kids started reading again!
4. What’s your favourite fairy tale? Rumpelstiltskin (I just love saying that name and hearing kids try to read it), but then I love Snow White and all the seven dwarves. Far too many fairy tale choices.
5. What’s your favourite childhood memory? Family days out in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Where we had picnics, bushwalks, apple picking, BBQ’s and toffee apples to munch on all the long drive home.
6. Sweet or Savoury? Can’t go past a bit of chocolate, but I lean more towards the savoury platter these days.
7. What genre of books do you prefer?  I read an abundance of children’s books both for my own writing and when I was a teacher as well as a general love of them, but really enjoy  historical fiction as they take me to places I get to learn about while I immerse myself in the lives of the characters.
8. Watching sport or playing sport? Definately watching sport. When my youngest son played soccer I really got into being  one of those soccer mum’s on the sidelines, (although I said I never would).
9. Cats or dogs? Dogs, we’ve always had one of man’s best friends in the family.
10. Name one story book that you feel has touched your life or changed it in some way. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. From the minute I read these as a ten year old and entered through the wardrobe into a world full of fantasy and imagination I knew I too wanted to write.
11. Name one act of kindness that you have witnessed.
    I had a flat tyre at the supermarket a while back. A very kind gentleman noticed the problem while I was busy loading the weeks groceries into the boot. He offered to change the tyre for me. In return I offered to buy him a coffee or even lunch to which he declined saying it was all part of his civic duty.

My Nominees.

(I am extremely knew to blogging so my list of other bloggers is quite small. My apolgies if a few of my nominees have gone slightly over the limit.)

http://canberraluxurytours.com/

http://claudiaowen.wordpress.com/

http://blog.birthjourneys.com.au/

http://alisonwriteruk.wordpress.com/

http://tutordoctorofwny.wordpress.com/

http://triotravelogue.wordpress.com/

http://warriorechidna.blogspot.com.au/

http://notyouraveragelassie.blogspot.com.au/

http://hazelwest.blogspot.com.au

http://www.wrevs.blogspot.com.au/

http://damyantiwrites.wordpress.com

My Questions to you.

1. What has been your greatest adventure in life?
2. Who is your favourite Action or Super Hero?
3. What do you consider to be yout greatest strength?
4. If you were a Super Hero what would your special power be?
5. Tea or Coffee?
6. Name your favourite binge food while reading or writing?
7. What was your favourite subject at school?
8. What is your all time favourite movie that you have watched over and over again?
9. Which is better, the book or the movie?
10. When do you prefer to read? In the afternoon sun or tucked up in bed late at night?
11. Who has inspired you in your life? 

 Tagged with: Alan Rickman, Chronicles of Narnia, J.K. Rowling, Jackie French, Leprechauns, Loch Ness Monster, Severus Snape
Posted in Children's Books

Did you wear your towel on May 25?

DON’T PANIC!‘ in the immortal words of Douglas Adams from The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, I forgot too! Never mind, we all get another chance same time next year.

For those of you who may wonder what on earth this peculiar idea is all about, towel day celebrates the life and works of the above mentioned Douglas Adams (1952-2001). http://towelday.org/
I was lucky enough to discover his quirky sense of humour as a teenager when I first read The Hitch Hikers Guide and its “trilogy in five parts”. I then followed along eagerly each week for the next installment of the TV series and finally the movie when it was at last released in 2005. By then my eldest son had reached his teens and also appreciated the humour of Douglas Adams. It was wonderful to be able to share the experience of  both the book and film with him. I’m sure he didn’t forget to wear his towel on Saturday, but as he now lives on the opposite side of the country to me he neglected to remind me. As a starving uni student he had even been known to attend fancy dress parties dressed as Arthur Dent in his dressing gown and towel.
Authors and their characters can have such an impact on our lives. Take J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter for example. Think of how many children all around the world have found the delight of books and reading through her wonderful imagination and story telling. It was amazing to watch thoussands of children dress up as theri favourite characters each time a new book or movie was released.
I believe it is wonderful to see our children reading no matter what the genre.  All fantastic authors need to be celebrated and thanked for bringing joy, imagination, entertainment and knowlede to our youth. Most of us have memories of growing up reading at least one favourite special author. That may change as we grow from childhood to our teenage years, my sons went from Paul Jennings to John Marsden and on to Douglass Adams with a whole lot of other fantastic authors in between including J.K. Rowling. At least their tastes were varied so that they read a wide range of material on offer and kept an open mind to the possibilties of the delights of different genres.
Is there a special place in your heart for a particular author that brought meaning to reading while you grew up? Do you ever take a moment to celebrate or thank that author for their work? I’d love to hear who it was and why?
Thanks to my awesome blogging freind JR Baker for reminding me about this  years Towel Day. http://jrbarker101.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/happy-towel-day-the-awesome-power-of-reading/
I’d like to close with one last quote from Douglass Adams, “So long and thanks for all the fish!’

Have fun reading.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbGNcoB2Y4I

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I Am A Self-Confessed Bookaholic

Ok, I admit it! I am addicted to books even more so than chocolate!
When it comes to reading there is nothing like the smell and touch of a real book. The aroma of the freshly pressed ink, the feel of the paper as your fingers glide across to turn the page.
A line of paperbacks resting neatly in a row along the bookshelf beckoning you over to scan their contents.
As for a bookshop, I haven’t a hope in passing by one without venturing inside inevitably to depart arms loaded with more reading material than I have a hope of finding the time to wade through.
I can’t stand to borrow a book from someone else, if I’m going to read it, I have to own it myself. To be placed on my shelf for all time. (Maybe one day I just might get around to re-reading it).
A lot of my children’s books that I have bought over the years have been used over and over again. They are an invaluable resource to be used in the classroom, and I treasure them.

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French is  my all time favouite children’s story. The wombat is such a lovable character that manages to get into so much trouble using so little dialogue and simple yet gorgeous illustrations. I have used this book in lessons with Kindergarten through to year 6 and it never ceases to surprise and delight the students in my classes.
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak are two more children’s books I can’t go past when it comes to children’s literature and their education.
I love books of all shapes and sizes, especially big colourful books for little kids.
Books that make them laugh and have fun.
Books that entertain during the learning process.
When I was still teaching my favourite part of the day was always the literacy block.  I am passionate about helping litle ones learn to read and it always gave me so much joy to watch their reading skills grow in cofidence until they became independent readers. When I had the opportunity to teach ESL and Literacy Assistance I was happier than ever as I was teaching reading all day! I admit the hardest time in my classes came when we use to have “DEAR” time (Drop Everything And Read).When the time was up and we had to move onto the next lesson I found that even I (the teacher) had trouble putting down my book. So I understood when there was always at least one person somewhere up the back of the classroom so engrossed in their novel they found it very difficult to re-join the rest of us.
One year I had a year 4 class I decided to read Roald Dahl’s The Witches to. Before I began to read each day I signalled the time by donning my own witches hat. Instantly the class knew it was time for the book. They packed away and sat quietly ever eager to hear and laugh along with Mr Dahl’s marvelous story telling.
Another year while I had Kindergarten I used a dragon puppet and read How to Train Your Dragon  by Cressida Cowell. Each lunchtime while they ate, the dragon and I read the story to an enraptured silently chewing audience.
I can think of nothing better than to engage children in the love of books when they are young and beginning to learn. That is what has prompted me to write my own series of books for early and reluctant readers. I want to continue to share the joy that books have brought into my world with the next generation of readers so that they are able to grow and fulfill their own dreams and passions in life.

Reading is for all Seasons.

As the weather begins to close in around Canberra, the Autumn leaves are ablaze of maginficent bursts of reds and oranges. They whirl and tumble through the winds enabling piles of glorious crackling and shuffling underfoot. Fog and frost blanket the mountains and valleys that surround my little rural community and reminds me that winter is creeping up on me very quickly. Now is the time to sit in the sun on the verandah (out of the wind) and read a good book before the weather closes in.
Mind you I can’t wait to read in a comfy chair in front of a warm glowing fire with a hot cup of tea (or maybe a glass of red wine) beside me either.
Meanwhile in the Northern Hemisphere Spring has everyone excited and preparing for the long hot Summer months ahead. This means holidays and plenty of hours to spend reading that favourite book. Whether at home, camping or a simple day at the beach, there is always time for a little self indulgent quiet reading.
Whether you and your family are packing to go skiing in the Snowy Mountains this winter or you are planning a trip to the seaside for some much needed rest and recreation, don’t forget to pack the books for the kids too! Not only do you need some down time, but so do they.
Reading over the summer months or any holidays keeps the kids minds mentally active and is just as important as physical activity.

• Reading keeps the mind stimulated.
• Encourages imagination and creativity.
• Promotes healthy discussion and debate.
• Enhances divergent thinking.
• Increaes skills and abilities.
• Relieves boredom.
• Is a lot of fun.
• Promotes opportunities to snuggle and share as you read together.

Thinking of that last point, I was at a neighbours house yesterday and she showed me her “Story Chair.” A delightful place to sit and cuddle with her grandchildren while reading a favourite book together. One of which just happens to be my book, Gingerbread Aliens. (One of her grandsons likes to sleep with it under his pillow as he is so proud to have an autographed copy). She told me how the chair use to sit outside on the verandah but was unusable there as it tended to habour so many redback spiders it was not an inviting place to sit. Now the “Story Chair” has a very special place inside where everyone can enjoy it so much more! I thought this was such a wonderful idea I asked if I could share it with everyone. Imagine if we all had our very own special “story chairs” to read with our kids or grandchildren, I think we would all make the time to read with them a lot more no matter what the weather happens to be like, winter or summer.This is a great spot to snuggle under a blanket and keep warm and read in winter or a cool spot to relax and read in summer. I just love it!
Before I close I just wanted to add this spectacular clip I have reblogged from http://jrbarker101.wordpress.com/201 

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKVcQnyEIT8&feature=player_embedded


If you don’t already love books with their wonderful characters and the amazing places that you find inside them, this will surely help you see the life of books in a new way. It reminded me of  a fabulous book that was made into a movie when my kids were little, “The Pagemaster,” by David Kirschner. I have always loved the concept of the characters in all my books on my shelf coming to life at night while we sleep.
Have fun reading.

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Mothers Day- A day to show we care.

 Mothers Day in Australia is this Sunday, May 12, but regardless of whenever you celebrate mum's special day of the year it is always appreciated if you take a moment to show her you care.

Let's face it, Mother's day. like so many other holidays has become too comercialised but in these economic times who can blame businesses for trying to get your hard earned dollar. This is however not necessary. Some of the best gifts mums receive are those that are hand made. Gifts that are made with love and come from the heart are so much more special, thoughtful and show her how much you apprecaite all the wonderful things she does for you.

Below is a copy of a homemade card I found on Pinterest for you to make with your child at home for either mum, Grandma or for an entire class at school for their mums. It is very similar to one I use to make with my Kindergarten classes. I couldn't find my original so thought this one is just as good (if not better). Inside my cards I would write "Have a cup of tea on me." I didn't have the box to add the teabags to, I simply folded the teapot and sticky taped the teabag inside. It is up to you to choose which way you prefer. I rather like this new design idea, but it is probably a bit tricky if making with a class of 20 or more kids. You can vary the design by asking the children to draw the flowers on the teapot themselves or glue on various flower pictures from magazines and wrapping paper. Either way, it will come up beautifully.

 Reprinted from Teachers Ideas and Resources via Pinterest Teresa Parish via Laura Solomon
http://pinterest.com/pin/165788830003145714/








 

  Taking the time to make a card for mum is so worth it, and not such a big ask when you think about all the things a mothr does for her children not only in a year but a lifetime. There is nothing that irritates me more than hearing someone say "Oh she doesn't work, she's just a mum." Being a mum is one of the most important jobs in the world and it begins not at birth but conception and never ends. A mum is on the job 24/7, from day 1. She is nourishing her children, nurturing, keeping them healthy and safe, constantly worrying about them and never has a sick day off. Mums have a job list a mile long and they never complain. They are the cleaning lady, cook, chauffeur, teacher, bank loans officer, conflict resolutions manager, team leader, coach, time management consultant, driving instructor, advice consultant, travel planner, education liason, birthday party planner and the list goes on and on and on.......

A lot of mums manage all this and manage a full-time working position as well. So please this Sunday, don't forget to say "thanks mum, I love you," and why not take a moment or two to make her a card with her favourite cup of tea. I know she'll really appreciate the love and thought behind it. Kids really enjoy making their own cards rather than a store bought card and again it helps with their reading and writing skills.

As always, until next time, have fun reading. :)

In Commemoration of ANZAC Day

 As Australian and New Zealanders we are born and bred to understand the significance of ANZAC Day to our two nations. A day to stop and remember all the soldiers fallen and returned that have fought battles in all too many wars for our great nations and kept our shores safe. We live in peace and harmony because of these great men and women that sacrificed themselves for us. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts and we remember them with gratitdue and fondness.

There are however members of a younger generation still to learn and develop a respect and understanding that comes with knowledge. I wanted to provide a list of reading material suitable for kids of varying ages and abilities, but decided it was better if they were read with a parent anyway, so ability level doesn't quite come into it as much as I originally pondered. I found this great site linked below titled "kid size living" which not only lists some brilliant ANZAC Day books, but gives a brief synopsis of each book as well. Among them are  "A Day to Remember - the Story of ANZAC Day" by Jackie French ,(one of my favourite authors), and "Why Are They Marching Daddy?" by Di Burke. A great book that not only discusses war and its consequences both good and bad but also our reasons for commemorating on April 25th. The list is definately worth a look at and consider worth buying one or two books to read to/with  your children.
 

http://www.kidsizeliving.com.au/members/anzacdaybooksforkids

Another site that lists a number of different books of varying levels including chapter books for older children to read and discuss the deeper issues of war is linked below.

http://www.mybookcorner.com.au/articles/899-anzac-day-books-for-children.html

After that to lighten things up a little, curious little minds might be interested in finding out about their ancestry. Do they have a grandparent, Uncle or Aunt that has been an ANZAC?  Why not help them

draw up a family tree? How far back in the generations can you go? My grandfather was involved in WW11 and ao was my husbands father. I also have very dear friends whose son has completed two tours of Afghanistan. It doesn't take very long to think of people we know who have experienced war. It touches our lives in so many ways.

Another great family activity that also includes reading is making traditional ANZAC bisuits. Following a procedure (or recipe) is loads of fun and yummy too! ANZAC biscuits were sent to our troops in WW1 due to the fact that they had excellent keeping properties.

ANZAC BISCUITS
Ingredients

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup desicated coconut

125g soft butter or margarine

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1 tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon bicarb soda

Method

1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add sugar, oats and coconut.

2. Melt butter in saucepan, add the golden syrup and water.

3. Stir the bicarb into the liquid mixture.

4, Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

5. Using a teaspoon drop small balls of mixture on a greased oven tray and bake at 175C for 15-20 minutes.

6. Biscuits will harden when cool.

Note: If you like your ANZACs a little crunchier, add a little more golden syrup.

I use to cook these when we lived in Thailand for our International school's Harmony Day. They were always a great treat, but for some reason my oven always made them spread so that they appeared lace-like around the edges. I could never work out why? They looked great though. :)

The very first writing competition I ever won was for a poem I wrote about ANZAC Day when I was sixteen years old. I would have loved to share it here but I was young and foolish back then and didn't realise the significance of it at the time. Over the years I let it get lost. I've tried to write to the NSW RSL to see if they have a copy in their archives but have never had any response. The lesson here is never throw away any of your writing, keep it safe!

Hope you found something of interest here.

Have an ANZAC story or poem you would like to share? 

Maybe write one about this years commemorations.

I'd love to read it. Add it below.

Remember...have fun reading. :)

Let's Celebrate!

 I have several things I am lucky enough to be able to celebrate and share today.

1. My first guest blog thanks to Morgen Baily is now viewable at http://wp.me/p18Ztn-6m2

2. My first Giveaway on Goodreads is almost complete. The response has been far more than I could ever have imagined. 578 requests at time of writing and still rising!Thankyou to all those wonderful people who have entered the giveaway.

Gingerbread Aliens
by Sandra Bennett (Goodreads Author), Hayley Welsh (Illustrator)

Meet the three cheeky Bradberrie brothers, Brian the curious scientist, Simon the youngest and most mischievous and David who is always nervous about…more View Details »

Enter to win

Giveaway dates: Mar 17 - Apr 17, 2013

10 copies available, 578 people requesting

3. On a persoanl note, my second son and his lovely girlfriend announced their engagement! I am so pleased and happy for them both and wish them all the best for a wonderful future together. :)

This brought me to thinking about parties....... 

birthday parties for kids! Over the years we certainly have had our share. Some that were really successful and others not quite so good! One in particular comes to mind that we thought should have been a fantastic experience for our eldest son and his friends.
 
Mr 12 yr old informed us he was big enough to have a bushwalk for his birthday party and we didn't need to go with them ! "Oh No!" I hear you say. "You didn't agree!" Well, we kind of did. We gathered the boys together, at a local bushwalking track that our family had been on many times before. The boys were determined to go it alone. My husband drew a map in the sand with a stick to explain where they needed to go. They all nodded in agreement that they understood. BIG MISTAKE!

Never assume a 12yr old knows what he is looking at or what he is doing! I had a bad feeling, but agreed to let them go on ahead, giving them a 5 minute start. We would then follow, seemed like a reasonable compromise to me. After all, how much trouble could a group of boys get into if only 5 minutes ahead of us?

We finished the bushwalk and returned to the designated meeting place, but surprise, surprise, the boys were not there!

Fortunately one of them had a mobile phone, which my husband promptly rang. Where were they? Down by the waterfall....but there was no waterfall on the walk they should have been on!

We had to try to get them to backtrack, but the more they did, the more lost they became. Have you ever watched the 'Blair Witch Project"? Fear and terror could be heard in the voices in the background over the phone rather similar to that movie. I went home  to try to calmly explain to waiting parents that the boys had gone on a longer walk than planned, while my husband desperately tried to talk them out. Luckily, just as he was ready to give up and prepared to call Search and Rescue, the boys finally appeared. Exhausted, thirsty and elated !

The moral to this story, keep the party organised and never let your child or your husband talk you into anything you can't control !!





In other words party games at home are probably the best solution all round. As usual being keen to keep the kids reading while having fun, here's a few ideas for games that the kids will love and be reading along as they go!


1. Celebrity Heads: / Animal Heads (For younger kids)
   Use thick strips of cardboard to print names of celebrities (or animals) and staple together in a circle to fit heads.
One person at a time sits out the front with a celebrity name on their head. They have to guess who they are by asking questions. The audience can only reply with yes or no.


2. Charades:
 Always a fun one. You can use a ready bought pack of cards or make a stack of cards  yourself. Use TV shows, movies, books etc the kids will know.

3. Pass the Parcel with a Twist:
As the parcel is passed around the circle, when the music stops and the person with the parcel has to open a layer, inside they find a note they must read. It will tell them to perform an action, sing a song, tell a tale etc.

4.Secret Message Mystery:
A fun relay race for indoors or out.
Write an invisible message on two sheets of paper. Use Magical ink to write the message. (Magic Ink is easily made with lemon and water.) When the pages are dry add them to two seperate stacks of paper. Diviide the party goers into two groups. One player from each team must race down to their plie and take the top sheet of paper. Return to the team and using a torch see if they can read the message. Keep going until they find the message and perform the task.

5. Word Scramble.
Think of appropriate party words,(themed if the party is themed.) Write each word in large print on cardboard that you can cut into pieces so that each letter is seperated. Place each word in a pile of its own.
Each team may have three or more words to unscramble.
To make this a little quicker and easier to prepare, if you have the game Scrabble you can use the tiles. 

6. Story Challenge Game.
Great for sleep-overs when it is time to settle down into sleeping bags.
Give each team a funny or unusual setting, character etc to start their story written on a piece of paper. It can be used anywhere in the story, not necessarily at the beginning. Each person in the team must add their sentence or two to complete the story. It can go for 2 minutes, 5 or even 10, depending on their imagination. The other team has to try and work out which line was the story starter. eg "In a candy striped house beside the chocolate flowing river an orange bird chirped."

Last but not least Read them a favourite story to settle.

As always have lots of fun reading. :)