September Food Co-op

Farmers Market Share: acorn squash, peppers, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, spaghetti squash and a sweet basil plant

Harvest Share: 6 corn, 5 apples, 5 tomatoes, 3 green peppers, 5 pears, 5 peaches, 3 pomegranates, 1 bread, 1 lb. rice, 5 lb. bag of potatoes, 2 acorn squash

Next month's order is due Friday October 9th. For more info, visit www.foodco-op.net

Author 3: Sharon Hart Addy

How about another light-hearted book-this time incorporating the Wild West? Well, partner, just step right up and hear the tale of a young buckaroo named Zeb. His rip-snortin' adventure of gettin' a bag of flour for his Ma takes a turn on four hooves multiplied many times over. Can one really ever wish for too much and realize that wishes should stay wishes?

Sharon Hart Addy has written a handful of books including: Lucky Jake, When Wishes Were Horses, Right Here On This Spot, In Grandpa's Woods, and A Visit With Great-Grandma. She has always loved stories and has written since the third grade. When asked where she gets her ideas, she responded: "I inhale them. They're everywhere."

So what kind of ideas will we inhale today? What questions will you ask about who, what, why, where, when? Where will you find ideas to explore in the experiences you encounter?

For more information about Sharon Addy, visit her website at: www.sharonhartaddy.com

Peanut, peanut brittle-yum candy!

1) Cook the syrup

2) Have peanuts and butter ready

3) Add them and continue cooking

4) Let cooking continue

5) Cook until it is golden in color

6) Perform secret step (not shown)

7) Pour onto marble slab and quickly pull into separate sections, let cool and enjoy!

Thanks to my cousins Lisa and Dan (and Paul and his recipe), I received a blue ribbon from the state fair this year with this classic crunchy candy.
Yummy prize-winning peanut brittle!

Author/Illustrator 2: G Brian Karas

Another book recently read was The Class Artist by G. Brian Karas. This talented illustrator has shared a sensitive book about a boy, Fred, who has big plans for his art project. Find out what happens by the end of week in this wonderful tale of exclusion turned to inclusion and finding your talents even if they may not be what you had originally thought.

Mr.Karas is the illustrator of many books and the author of a few more. He grew up in suburban Connecticut and lived for some time in a small town that was still wooded and undeveloped as well as a small town on Long Island Sound. "Children's books were a look into other worlds that were just as real to me." (from an interview for SCBWI Bologna Conference, April 12, 2005)

Just a few of the other books that he has illustrated (and won awards) include: Saving Sweetness by Diane Stanley, Car Wash by Sandra Steen, and Muncha, Muncha, Muncha by Candace Fleming. There are many more and an extensive list can be found at his website. Visit his site at: http://www.gbriankaras.com/Site/index.html

Beautiful flowers and light

Thank you to my sweet and generous cousin Leah for finally giving me something worth photographing. Thanks to her I finally had an incentive to try and work on some of the lighting issues with Jessica's camera.

With the first picture above I set it to let in all the light possible. It's pretty but some of the colors are too washed out.

Next I took a shot with closing off as much light as possible. (These were taken outside in the early afternoon.) Much more vibrancy but too much shadow.

This ethereal picture is my favorite-I love the soft edges and delicateness that shines through the ferns in contrast with the pale purples and bright yellows. To better see the effect, click on the picture.
The camera has a feature that lightens up dark pictures-Catherine, Eric, Deanna, Rachel, Salena and all others with photography knowledge-anyone? Feel free to jump in and comment about the "D-lighting" feature.

And for the last picture I thought I should include one that most resembled the actual colors of the bouquet. Consisting of purple, oranges, greens, yellows and reds it was cheerful but not overdone with too little or too much brightness. The real flowers were much prettier and brighter than any picture but we agreed this was the closest we could get to a color match.

Thank you again, Leah, we love the flowers and shows that you've introduced us to. We were watching some episodes just last week like the one with the wise Lion Turtle and traveling sky bison and ancient libraries.

Author 1 : Laura Numeroff and whimsical animals

We recently re-read If You Give A Moose A Muffin by Laura Numeroff. Ms.Numeroff is the author of 30 books ranging from the "An If You Give....Book" to "What (Grandmas, Grandpa, Sisters, Brothers, etc...Do Best set of books as well as many others including:
The Chicken Sisters, Sherman Crunchly, and When Sheep Sleep.

Ms. Numeroff started telling and writing stories at age nine but thought about being a fashion designer until she felt that wasn't "my cup of tea" during her first year at college. She then switched to "illustration, animation and photography". If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, the start of that popular series, was her tenth book. She donates a portion of the proceeds of many different books to charities ranging from The North American Riders for the Handicapped Association-NARHA- to Canine Assistance to First Book and other charities. For the most recent list of charities, visit her website. On her time off she enjoys watching films and driving through the country watching cows (a change from the twenty-five years she spent in New York.)

Our family has enjoyed reading Ms.Numeroff's books over the years and are happy to recommend her to others who may not, as of yet, discovered her fun creatures and cheerful storylines. For more information, visit her website at: www.lauranumeroff.com