This weekend, our little town hosted its annual Barbecue and Blues festival. The food was great, the weather was even better and the music was fantastic.
The best part, however, was our discovery that Olivia digs The Blues! She was a little wary at first, but after some first rate barbecue pulled pork she was hooked. We grooved out to some great music and she danced her little heart out!
Now, she's ready for some Muddy Waters or Buddy Guy. For the uninitiated little one, Taj Mahal's album for kids, "Shake Sugaree" is great introduction to The Blues. You're on your own for the pulled pork.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Olivia's Pick--14 September 2008
Last week, I lamented my little one's growing feet and how they were outpacing my shopping capabilities. Fortunately, we have been able to make some new footwear purchases since then, for all kinds of weather.
Olivia's new favorite? Her Wellies.We bought them in the midst of a total downpour, and so she wore them home. But when we got to our house, she didn't want to take them off! She wanted to show them to Papa, to our dog, and to all of her animals. She wanted to eat lunch in them. And then, she wanted to nap in them.
Somehow, with much coaxing, we managed to remove them before naptime. And she has resigned herself to not wearing them around the house.They remain, however, her go-to footwear for every outdoor activity. She hasn't worn them to the playground at the beach yet, but she does enjoy wearing them to the supermarket.
Olivia's new favorite? Her Wellies.We bought them in the midst of a total downpour, and so she wore them home. But when we got to our house, she didn't want to take them off! She wanted to show them to Papa, to our dog, and to all of her animals. She wanted to eat lunch in them. And then, she wanted to nap in them.
Somehow, with much coaxing, we managed to remove them before naptime. And she has resigned herself to not wearing them around the house.They remain, however, her go-to footwear for every outdoor activity. She hasn't worn them to the playground at the beach yet, but she does enjoy wearing them to the supermarket.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Olivia's Pick--7 September 2008
Olivia has found a new favorite book. A soft, sweet story by Karma Wilson, beautifully illustrated by Jane Chapman. We picked up the book, Bear Feels Scared, as a further study in the emotions which were brought on by her in depth experience of Peter and the Wolf. My goal was to deal with the emotion of fear, which she was experiencing and expressing through the Prokofiev classic.
This book, Bear Feels Scared, is simply wonderful in this capacity. With illustrations you feel like you could crawl into--which Olivia tries to do saying "I want to get in the book!"--this sweet story of a bear lost in an autumn storm, and his animal friends who form a search party to find him is, quite simply, heart warming.
The best part--the entire reason I chose this particular book, for this particular reason--is that, at the end, the search party locates Bear. They warm him with hugs and lead him home.
At the end, cuddled in a heap, warm and cozy with those he loves the most, Bear feels safe.
This book, Bear Feels Scared, is simply wonderful in this capacity. With illustrations you feel like you could crawl into--which Olivia tries to do saying "I want to get in the book!"--this sweet story of a bear lost in an autumn storm, and his animal friends who form a search party to find him is, quite simply, heart warming.
The best part--the entire reason I chose this particular book, for this particular reason--is that, at the end, the search party locates Bear. They warm him with hugs and lead him home.
At the end, cuddled in a heap, warm and cozy with those he loves the most, Bear feels safe.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Olivia's Pick--31 August 2008
This week marks the symbolic passing of summer and launches us, feet first, into the promise and adventure of autumn. I anticipate that, this autumn, some of Olivia's favorite picks will be:
-Heading to an apple orchard to pick some of her favorite snacks.
-Running through the pumpkin patch, choosing all the pumpkins--big and small--that we will use to decorate our yard.-
Taking our dog to the beach, once the summer people have gone home and we have our piece of shoreline back to ourselves again.
-Going trick-or-treating for the very first time!
-Running and playing in the brisk autumn air, smiling through ruddy cheeks.
-Warming up with warm apple cider, from a nearby farm.
-Heading to an apple orchard to pick some of her favorite snacks.
-Running through the pumpkin patch, choosing all the pumpkins--big and small--that we will use to decorate our yard.-
Taking our dog to the beach, once the summer people have gone home and we have our piece of shoreline back to ourselves again.
-Going trick-or-treating for the very first time!
-Running and playing in the brisk autumn air, smiling through ruddy cheeks.
-Warming up with warm apple cider, from a nearby farm.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Olivia's Pick--24 August 2008
A few weeks ago, I told you about this awesome version of Prokofiev's classic, Peter and the Wolf, narrated by Sting. Honestly, it doesn't get much cooler. We've been listening a lot these days to Sir John Gielgud's version, which is dramatic and spectacular, even if it lacks the 80s rock factor.
Olivia has been having so much fun listening, that we decided to check out an illustrated book version, to enhance her experience. We found this lovely copy, with folktale style illustrations by Ian Beck.
The child is now obsessed.
Returning again and again to the page where "big, grey wolf" comes out of the forest, she will say "I'm scared," just as she does at the same point in the recorded symphony. But she can't get enough! She talks about Peter all day long, and tells me that she wants to go into the meadow with him to catch the wolf.
And so I must warn our poor, old Jack Russell terrier, lest Olivia decide to cast her in the role of "Wolf" in her first production of Prokofiev's childhood masterpiece.
Olivia has been having so much fun listening, that we decided to check out an illustrated book version, to enhance her experience. We found this lovely copy, with folktale style illustrations by Ian Beck.
The child is now obsessed.
Returning again and again to the page where "big, grey wolf" comes out of the forest, she will say "I'm scared," just as she does at the same point in the recorded symphony. But she can't get enough! She talks about Peter all day long, and tells me that she wants to go into the meadow with him to catch the wolf.
And so I must warn our poor, old Jack Russell terrier, lest Olivia decide to cast her in the role of "Wolf" in her first production of Prokofiev's childhood masterpiece.
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