Views From the Pond May/June

I was hoping to do one post for May and one for June, but life had other plans. So, like last time, I will be sharing pictures from my pond over the last two months. Although May and June proved to be very busy months, I did find moments to sit outside and soak up the sights, sounds, and smells of Spring and early Summer. Of course, much of Mother Nature needs to be absorbed in person and I just wasn't fast enough to catch many of the visitors to the pond and yard. Maybe next time! 

Every day I see the pond and surrounding area look so different depending on the light and shadows. It is beautiful and amazing. I can see why Monet created so many paintings of his water garden. The every changing views are good for the soul! 

And a few of the animals that I saw over the last couple of months. I missed taking pictures of a raccoon that comes down at dusk to wash his hands and face, a red fox, squirrels, a variety of birds, and all the fireflies. 

Last July we began a drought here, which lasted through the early Fall. The pond got down to a puddle and the brook dried up. The frogs and other animals were so sad. I hope this summer will have the right amount of rain for  all the creatures big and small. I'll keep you posted!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: The War I Finally Won l by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 

The War I Finally Won picks up right where The War That Saved My Life ended. Adad had her surgery to correct her foot and there is a world of possibiliries awaiting her. She and her brother, Jamie, are living with Susan Smith, who has been caring for them more than their own mother ever did back in London. Sadly, they are no longer living in Susan‘s comforting house as it was bombed. They’re living in a cottage that belongs to Lady Thorton. This new house is dark and dismal, but they are making do. Lady Thorton is a little sharp tongued and cold, making Ada feel tense. Things become a little more difficult when a teenage girl named Ruth comes to live with them from Germany. Lady Thorton is not happy, but she has to allow it. Could Ruth be a spy? With the war going on and all the changes in her life, Ada has no choice but to change and grow.  Who will she be?

I absolutely adored The War I Finally Won. Ada is a characters who touched my soul and made me care about her and the things that she’s gone though. I was hoping now that she and Jamie are officially with Susan that there life would be easy. But, the times weren't easy and war brings a lot of sadness, and Ada had tough things to experience. I enjoyed getting to see old friends from the first book like Maggie and I enjoyed meeting new ones. It was interesting trying to figure the new characters out!  The characters will definitely stay with me, as they have made their way into my heart! This is a great sequel to a wonderful book and one I would recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction and is 9 years old and up. I bet even people who aren't fans of historical fiction will be captivated by Ida, Jamie, Susan, and their story.  I definitely look forward to reading more books by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

Has anyone else read The War I Finally Won? Or have your read another book by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Flora Fireworks and Forest Feels...

By the faintest breath of Persephone's rise, flowers pick peeping eyes. Conjuring colors to dainty petal, Nature simmers spells in a kettle. Pattern, line, shadow, light; divine elements brewed up right. Once a charm is set in stone, its power ripples through flesh and bone.

Microscopic Modern Art by Jess Haight: Cottagefive.com

"Spring Bouquet"— bleeding heart, azalea, lilac, dandelion, forest flowers

New England is blooming; flora showing off like fireworks, breeze smelling sweet. I invite you to frolic with the flowers and bask in their earthly patterns. Tip-toe through the tulips, eternity spins divine—no matter the measure. 

"Sorcerer Lazuli" 

"Cloud Diary" 

"Kiss of Gold"

"Color Sphere"

"Humming Bird Spell" 

"Portal"

"Inside Patterns"

"Tiny House Party"

"Skull Jam"

"Bewitched"

"Creeper"

"Rise"

Forest Feels

💖✨

Margo's Musings: What Will Happen to the Project?

When we saw The Barnabus Project on display at our local library this past weekend I have to admit, I couldn’t wait to read it. I was curious about what it would be about and totally understood why my little sister, Margo, ran to it and snatched it off the table.

Barnabus lives in a lab because he is a Perfect Pet. He lives near his friends and the men in the green suits come and feed him his favorite foods- cheese and peanuts. One day the guys in green suits come in to check on Barnabus and the others in his area and  they are all rejected. They don't meet the standard for a Perfect Pet and this means they need to go back to the starting point and become a perfect mouse or elephant, not a mouse/elephant. But Barnabus is worried that becoming perfect may mean he doesn’t love his favorite foods or the things that make him him. His friends are worried too and they realize the only thing they can do is escape. But can they do it before the men In green come back? Where will they go? How will they survive? They aren’t sure, but they know they have to do it!

The illustrations in this story are absolutely beautiful. So many details are hidden within the pages and there are new things to discover with every reading. The creatures are fascinating to look at, and I had fun pouring over the pages. The colors really set the mood of the story and turning each page was a true delight. 

I love the messages In this book because teamwork is crucial and it’s important to be who you are. I enjoyed the book for the complexities in the story, and Margo loved the simplicity. The story offers similar takeaways to people of all ages, but it also offers something different depending on the reader's age. That helps make this a truly special book for the whole family. 

I think kids and adults of any age can enjoy this book together (or alone). The Fan Brothers worked together to create this masterpiece and it has been a treat to read and reread. I highly recommend this book and am sure it will become a favorite after the first reading. 

Has anyone else read The Barnabus Project? Or have you read another book by The Fan Brothers? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~F