The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Happy 40th anniversary to "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle!



Many a bedtime was spent reading this picturebook to our children and waiting while they poked their fingers into each hole the caterpillar had nibbled. I think they used to know the text by heart.

Bright sunny colors, collage, and whimsy--Carle's artwork in a nutshell.

Here's a video of the illustrator and author talking about the making of his well-loved book.

Clementine

I liked the animation on this video for Megan Washington's song, "Clementine." Lovely voice too.

Found it on Lenzi's blog:

http://christylenzi.blogspot.com/

Reflections

"Little Venice" in Colmar, France


Staatstheater in Stuttgart, Germany

Odd Warnings

In our instruction manual for a newly purchased hair straightener (one that heats up after it's plugged in):

"WARNING -- NEVER USE WHILE SLEEPING"

I assume the company's afraid buyers will sleepwalk and then electrocute themselves in the midst of beautifying. All while still deep in sleep, of course.

Fire

"A kind heart he hath. A woman would run through fire and water for such a kind heart."
--William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor

"Poetry is either something that lives like fire inside you -- like music to the musician or Marxism to the Communist -- or else it is nothing, an empty, formalized bore around which pedants can endlessly drone their notes and explanations."
--F. Scott Fitzgerald's letters to his daughter Scottie

"You are ice and fire the touch of you burns my hands like snow"
--Amy Lowell

Strength In What Remains

You can bet I'm snatching this book up the day it comes out from the publisher.



Deo grew up in the mountains of Burundi, and survived a civil war and genocide before seeking a new life in America. In New York City he lived homeless in Central Park before finding his way to Columbia University. But Deo’s story really begins with his will to turn his life into something truly remarkable; he returns to his native country to help people there, as well as people in the United States.

Strength in What Remains is a testament to the power of will and friendship, and of the endurance of the soul.

Murphy Chicken-Legs

One of the family nicknames for our dog is "Murphy Chicken-Legs." If you look even briefly at his photo, you'll see why. Murphy has such cute drumsticks!


Don't know if he's double-jointed or what--but it makes me chuckle when Murphy spreads out on the floor like this. Our tabby cat, Seashell (God rest his soul), used to do it all the time, but I didn't know dogs were as flexible.

Maybe he should take up yoga. And just because I think it's funny, a bonus link for you--found it when I googled chicken legs: Gummy Chicken Legs Candy. I quote their ad: "Nothing hits the spot more than a hearty candy chicken leg!" Uh-huh.

OK. That's enough.