Desert Land

I'm in Arizona visiting my folks, courtesy of a Christmas ticket in my stocking. So each day, we walk past prickly pear, saguaro, and a host of other cacti. Off in the distance looms the jagged outline of the Superstition Mountains. And most of all, an abundance of sun shines down! A neighbor gave us an entire box of home-grown tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit to snack on. I begin to see why Mom and Dad like living here...

My Dog Is A Noodlehead

I'm sorry to say, but sometimes I wonder about Murphy.

It started when we moved to Germany three and a half years ago. Before, we trekked to the end of our Oregon cul-de-sac and grabbed mail from the mail box. Now, envelopes and magazines are shoved daily through a little swinging mail slot in our front door. Sounds great, you say?

Well, think again. Murphy takes it as a personal affront that SOME HORRIBLE MONSTER IS TRYING TO SNEAK INTO OUR HOME! MUST ATTACK! So each time, he charges the mail slot, hoping to dismember an evil sneaker--who's obviously entering to rape and pillage.

He's actually torn the mail slot off the front door...and I'm afraid for the day when Murphy gets hold of a thumb or set of fingers.

We've tried positive reinforcement--one of us restrains the dog while another family member flips the mail slot back and forth--then we reward Murphy for not attacking. But this dog has incredibly short-term memory. Maybe if we spent twelve hours of intensive training, then he'd learn?

He's usually a sweetie. Just not when mail slots are involved.

P.S. In the photo, Murphy's sitting in front of a massive mound of sugar beets, a crop that's harvested in this part of Germany during late fall.

The 2nd Newbery!

Calvin College professor Gary Schmidt just won his second Newbery Honor--I'm even happier because he teaches at the college from which our oldest daughter, Danielle, graduated and where our son, David, is now a junior.

Hooray!

Newbery Awards

Watched the Newbery Awards just half an hour ago via webcam...thank God for technology!

Newbery Medal:
Good Master, Sweet Ladies by Laura Amy Schlitz
Newbery Honor Books:
Elijah of Buxton -- Christopher Paul Curtis
Wednesday Wars -- Gary Schmidt
Feathers -- Jacqueline Woodson

Editorial Anonymous

I've added a new link on the right to Editorial Anonymous: A Blog Of A Children's Book Editor. Lots of good questions and answers about the kid's book business. Take a look. You can even email him/her questions.

2007 Pics

October--Gaudi Window, Barcelona, Spain

November--Leaves & Seeds

December--Strasbourg Carousel, France

More Pictures From 2007

June--Swan Princesses, Oslo, Norway

July--Nürnberg Church

August--Black-Eyed Susans, Oregon

September--Unterlinden Museum, Colmar, France

Pictures From 2007

January--Elephant At Stuttgart Zoo

February--Horse & Buggy In Fields Near Our Town

March--Schwetzingen Garden Mosque

April--Beach Flowers In Sardinia

May--Strasbourg Flowers For Sale

A Blue, Blue Feeling

Another of the famous doors. Blue paint vendors must make a killing in this town.

When Will The Door Open?

In Tunisia, we visited the town of Sidi Bou Said, known for its whitewashed walls and intensely blue-painted doors and window shutters. Paul Klee, one of my favorite artists, spent time in this town, along with many other painters and illustrators.

Perhaps these cats await lunch?

Increasing Tension in Kenya

I just read an article in the New York Times about increasing tension in Kenya after a disputed election last week, which was almost certainly rigged. Back in 1974, I attended Rift Valley boarding school in Kenya (outside of Nairobi) for a year, so I still feel as if it's home, even if only in a small way.

Pray for Kenya and the people of Kenya -- that further violence would be averted, and that the president and government leaders act honestly and with consideration for all ethnic groups.

Remember leaders of other countries too...I know presidential primaries are just around the corner in the US.

For Those Who Live With Depression

Just wanted to say, as we roll over into 2008, that I've gained a greater respect this year for those who live with depression each day of their lives and "keep on keeping on."

For insights from Jon, who lives with his wife Heather's chronic depression, visit Blurbomat.

Milton says, "My depression has beaten me like a rented mule this past week," writing with his usual straightforwardness -- even as he reminds himself and all of us -- "I am not alone."

For any of you out there who fight the beast named depression, know that I admire your guts and perseverance. And your honesty.

On a slightly different topic -- Cynthia recently wrote a very personal post about rape and its aftermath -- required reading for anyone who wants to understand how a victim feels and offer them help. Hint: First, practice saying "it's not your fault. No one deserves to be raped."

Have a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of you!

See if you can read the sign on the wall next to Anna (click on photo for a closer view). We took a trip to Tunisia over Christmas.
David flies back to Grand Rapids on January 2nd. It's been fun rubbing elbows and getting chummy as a family again.

Oh, in other breaking news--Danielle's appointed to a Peace Corps position in Romania, teaching English to middle and secondary-schoolers. If the rest of her papers go through fine, she departs mid-May for training in the States, and then to somewhere in Romania. Have any of you visited or lived there?

Here's a family picture, now that we're all five together. It's taken in Carthage, which I never realized belonged to Tunisia. Piles and piles of Roman ruins all around the country.

A Christmas Poem

"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a poem I've always liked, and this seems an appropriate time of year to post it.

In the Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

--Christina Rossetti (1872)

Little People Art

For your enjoyment, two different links I've come across with miniature people posed in artful ways...

Little People--A Tiny Street Art Project (little handpainted people, left in London to fend for themselves)
and
another group of photos, with little people and food (can you really mow a kiwi?).

Better Than Crack (Ha Ha, Mom)

A great cookie recipe. My oldest daughter baked two separate batches this week and they both disappeared within 24 hours.

Raspberry Chocolate Triangles

Oven -- 350 degrees.

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter (soft)
1-10 oz. package frozen sweetened raspberries (or add sugar to unsweetened berries)
1/4 cup orange juice (or I've substituted lemon juice)
1 T. cornstarch
1 cup chocolate chips
Melted vanilla chips

Mix flour, sugar and butter.
Press flour mixture in 9 x 13 inch pan & bake 15 minutes.
Mix raspberries, orange juice and cornstarch.
Heat to boil, stirring.
Boil and stir 1 minute, cool 10 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust.
Spread carefully.
Spoon raspberry mix over chocolate.
Bake 20 minutes or until mix is set.
Refrigerate until firm.
You may drizzle melted vanilla chips over the top.
Cut into 3 inch squares.
Cut each square into 4 triangles. Voila!

Weihnachtsmarkt Time

Once again, it's Christmas market time in Germany. Heidelberg has a few different markets along the Hauptstrasse, all offering Glühwein (hot spiced wine), waffles dusted with powdered sugar, pork steak and onion sandwiches, deep fried potato pancakes topped with berries and cream, crepes, and many other food offerings. As you can see, most of them won't improve your chloresterol count...except for the Kräuter Bonbons (herb candy), that is.
Anna said that when we move back to the States (whenever that is...) she's going to miss these Christmas markets. So will I--they're better than glitzy malls and flashing lights everywhere. Portland's Saturday Market is the closest I've seen in the U.S.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

I got Barbara Kingsolver's book--Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life--and am in the middle of reading it. Then this morning, I discovered that Milton (of Don't Eat Alone)just reviewed her book on another site. Check it out.

Happy Birthday to My Baby Brother

Happy Birthday to my brother, Dan--as proof of his craziness, he ran the Death Valley Marathon last weekend. Will the Antarctic Marathon be next??

Love you, Dan.

Free Rice

Free Rice is a fun place to learn new words and help donate rice at the same time. Innovative idea. And Snopes confirms the claim--the rice is truly being donated, it's no urban legend.