crying squirrel

This is what I heard as I was reading “In a Bosnian Trench.” So I got up to see what kind of bird was on our front porch, but it was a partly grown squirrel making a racket. I took a video with my phone, but can’t figure out how to put it on here. So I present a youtube video of a like-sounding squirrel.

I am trying to learn all about Bosnia and the war there in the early and mid ’90s (since we have a significant Bosnian population living among us presently). I wish I had known more when I met some of them at at the neighborhood/soccer game day over a week ago now. I read the Bosnian Anne Frank story, which was very good.

This is not the book I read, but I did read Nadja’s book, “My Childhood Under Fire.”

home activities

I fixed a pan handle that we’ve had since our wedding.

I also pulled up this avocado plant, not knowing what it was. There are 3 more growing also in the compost heap I was clearing out to make room for bunches of leaves. I may bring the 3 avocado plants in for the winter and see how they do. Also got 1 tomato from the garden 🙂

 

chicken roll-ups

CHICKEN ENCHILADA ROLL-UPS

2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 cups shredded chicken
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, well drained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 green onions sliced
½ cup chopped cilantro
8 burrito sized tortillas

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Spread the mixture evenly over the entire tortilla and roll it up tightly. Chill the rolls until ready to serve and then slice them up.

SURE TO BE A CROWD FAVORITE!

4 tips for teaching English

There are so many non English speakers in our area and more and more as time goes by.  I found these ideas helpful should we ever have a chance to help these people learn English. I hope we will.

The 42 main sounds in English:

5 minute hand exercise

This hand exercise looks like a good thing to read about when I get time.

And some hand exercises, since I really have given my hands a workout most of my life.

 

the golden ratio

We learn something new every day apparently ! I just now learned about the “golden ratio” from the last sentence here.

I am wanting to paint a few more pictures, so this will surely be helpful.

I learned a long time ago that it’s fun and easier to learn about a subject through children’s books so here is Craft Whack’s information on the golden ratio.

tatoo – what about them ? ? ?

My dear son I talked to on the phone the other day was getting another tatoo. I don’t care for them personally, but each of us makes our own decisions after we are grown.

At the grocery store yesterday I witnessed a tatooed mom with a young son and daughter who were rather loud and the mom was very loud to them. I could hear them over the whole store 😦

Later, another tatooed mom came into the store pushing a baby in a stroller with 3 older children quietly following her. What was the difference. I asked my husband. He said, “One has it together, the other doesn’t.” The tatoos were not the issue.

How do we get it together?

It means “to become fit or organized; to organize one’s thinking; to become relaxed and rational” or “to get organized.” (from the free dictionary)

I think that is the key – be organized – focus on the task ahead of you. There’s no reason for children to rant and rave and the mother to have to yell (it doesn’t do any good anyway!) Children are quite pliable. They love games. There are all kinds of ways to deal with a trip to the grocery store.

25 activities for kids in grocery stores

Make it a learning fun experience – fun!

 

♥ knot

survival doll

This may be a good idea.

a few pictures from yesterday – my former step-dad had a heart attack and died last Sunday evening. We went to the visitation – was a wonderful time of talking to so many people! ! ! ! ! First we stopped at a couple of nature areas.