Cocorico and Kikeriki

Graphis 28, Special Swiss issue, cover by Hans Hartmann, 1949

As it often happens, a series of serendipitous coincidences has led me

to discover this lovely addendum to Sunday's Roosterfest.

It seems that the fantastic Graphis magazine had a thing for roosters too...

Graphis 28, cover by Joseph Binder, 1950

Graphis 56, cover by Picasso, 1954

Graphis 72, cover by Celestino Piatti, 1957

Graphis 97, cover by Hoot von Zitzewitz, 1961

Graphis 110, cover by Walter Greider, 1963

You can buy the PDFs of these beauties and other past issues at the Graphis website, 

or go for the originals at the fantastic Modernism 101 bookstore on ebay. This shop is 

a real collector's heaven and it makes me wish I had a lot more money in my pockets...

Random Dozen Preview #14

This is the day that you read and form you answers. Tomorrow you post your answers and link up here. Enjoy!

1. Which Wizard of Oz character are you most like?

2. When you're deciding what you're going to wear each morning, which item do you select first? Why?

3. What kind of animal do you think the world could live without?

4. How many Christmas trees are in your home?

5. Would you prefer to be emotionless if it mean you didn't have to feel a heartbreak?

6. Do you ever experience holiday let-down or depression?

7. Do you like Michael Jackson's music?

8. Why is it that we never judge people who have their teeth fixed for cosmetic reasons, but every other cosmetic procedure has a stigma?

9. Enjoy horseback riding?

10. Shoes--practical or stylish?

11. What was the name of your first pet? Feel free to post a pic.

See ya back here tomorrow!
12. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done?

Monday Matticchio

True Romance

Boys in Love

It's always assumed that young guys are cold, ruthless predators when it comes to sex. Some obviously are, but the majority are not, according to this study:



Boys and girls report similar feelings of "love" in a relationship, the authors note in an American Sociological Review article, and those feelings don't hinge on having sex. Beneath the bulletproof manner they affect, a lot of young males have hearts made of cotton candy.

In interviews, guys said things like, "Every time I was around her I couldn't talk, I was getting butterflies in my stomach," and "I wouldn't want to live without Jenny," and "I ain't never, like, felt that way about somebody." One boy recounting a breakup confessed, "I wrote her a letter, front and back, crying the whole time, and then I handed the letter to her the next morning." Another filled up 74 pages recounting his romantic history.

What do these boys value most about their girlfriends? Not their toned midriffs. The interviewers got such responses as, "It was like I could talk to her and she could talk to me," and "She always comforted me when I needed a hug."

To read the whole article click here.

Kiddie Tax Revolt Crushed

Reprinted from The Baystate Objectivist June 3, 2000:



The students in Springfield teacher Catherine Crowley's fifth grade class at Mary Walsh Elementary School in 16 Acres learned a hard lesson in politics last week as their efforts to eliminate the sales tax on children's books went down to defeat.

The children became angry over the sales tax after being unable to purchase books at the school book fair because they neglected to bring enough money to cover the tax. As a class project, the young tax resisters have been fighting to convince the state legislature to let kids purchase books tax-free.

Sadly, despite a valiant effort to promote the kid's legislation on the Senate floor by Republican Senator Brian Lees, legislators were spooked as usual by very sound of a tax cut and the proposal was shouted down by a voice vote.

At least the students learned a lot about how their state government works which they would have been unlikely to learn otherwise. Indeed, just as they learned about the evils of taxation, they also learned about the evils of having a legislature dominated by liberal Democrats.

Dead Lensman

Area photographer Jim Anderson put together this slideshow of photos he took at the Grateful Dead show at Dillon Stadium in Hartford in 1974.



To see more of Anderson's great photos of Valley Dead shows and beyond click here.

Local Visions

Greg Saulmon has this pic of a man in red displayed in a photography show about Holyoke. I sometimes see this same guy in Northampton dressed all in purple.



Here's where to see more of Saulmon's work as well as pics of Holyoke by other Valley photogs:

Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Wistariahurst Museum
Street: 238 Cabot Street
City/Town: Holyoke, MA

Mark Alamad captured this stunner yesterday in North Adams.



This must be where the wee people dwell in Amherst.



I wonder what inspired someone to go to the trouble of taping up this message in Northampton?



Today's Video

If only you believe.

Stolen Art Watch, Walnut Treasure Haul Not Cracked up To Much !!!

He's no 'Thomas Crown'; Thief sentenced to 15 years for stealing truckload of antiques

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/he-s-no-thomas-crown-thief-sentenced-to-91546.html

WEST PALM BEACH - — WEST PALM BEACH — When William Sanders, 51, ripped off an unmarked trailer from a Hampton Inn parking lot in 2007, he was high on cocaine likely looking for a quick something to pawn.

What Sanders unwittingly stole though, was what detectives estimated as a million-dollar trove of English antiques, some dating back to the 15th century: burl walnut furniture; tortoise shell tea boxes; ivory and mother-of-pearl business card holders — the stuff of Rockefellers filched for cocaine rock.

"Judge, this is not the Thomas Crown affair ... for all he knew it had yard equipment in it," argued Sanders' defense attorney, Evelyn Ziegler, at Sanders' sentencing today.

Sanders asked he be sentenced to five years in prison following his guilty plea to grand theft over $100,000.

A prosecutor asked that Sanders, a 12-time convicted felon, be sentenced to the maximum: 30 years in prison.

She argued that for months Sanders did not come forward admitting the theft, meanwhile, pieces like a burl walnut dresser valued at $57,000 floated in a canal where Sanders had dumped them.

"I didn't even know what this stuff was," Sanders told Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes. "I had no clue the value that it had."

Kastrenakes asked Sanders how much cash for crack did he get in the end?

"$600 or $700, he answered.

The theft of the trailer from the Hampton Inn set Palm Beach County Sheriff's detectives Jim Brown and Walt Robinson in motion. The FBI had to be called in on the five-month investigation, because things like the tortoise shell items were specially licensed and monitored by federal endangered species laws.

Initially, the detectives said they thought it may well be a Thomas Crown-like affair, a targeted, high-end robbery.

Rather, they ended up tracking down ivory and mother-of-pearl and tortoise shell-inlaid items at a flea market, a barbershop and canals way in western Palm Beach County.

"Although they have to have a certain value, some of them are priceless," Det. Brown told the judge Monday. "It's a shame to find them floating in canal water for months with no chance of salvage."

Antiques dealers Andrew and Kelly Vogel had brought the merchandise to sell at an area show. The Vogels parked their unmarked trailer in front of the Hampton Inn's security cameras for extra protection — and awoke to find it gone.

Detectives Brown and Robinson would help the Vogels recover a good number of the items — $388,000 worth, says Brown.

But not without help from Sanders himself.

Months later, after the detectives tracked him down, Sanders confessed and took them on a tour of the places he had dumped the antiques. Sanders was remorseful and cooperative, argued his defense attorney Ziegler, and for that he deserved a break.

But would the judge agree?

The likelihood of the Vogels recovering money from Sanders was "minuscule" the judge said, and Sanders did deserve the max.

But remorse and confessing guilt and helping recoup some of Vogel's losses must be worth something.

So, 15 years in prison for Sanders, the judge ruled.

Vogel was not present at today's sentencing. He was in Kentucky, on his way to another antiques show.

Contacted by phone, he said all told he is left stunned why Sanders — a convicted felon, imprisoned at least six times before — was out, allowed to commit another crime. Sanders' criminal history includes a capital sexual battery upon a child.

"How many is too many? At one point does someone like this be taken off the street for good?" Vogel said. "It's a revolving door where criminals appear over and over again.

"And the revolving door remains open."

-

Art Hostage Comments:

-

More suitable Robert ???

Christmas Lapbooks

Here are some lapbooks that celebrate the meaning of Christmas. Download them for free and use what you want to make your own Christmas Lapbook.


homeschoolshare.com- The Legend of the Candy Cane


homeschoolhelperonline.com- Christmas Symbols Lapbook


scribd.com- Nativity Lapbook


lulu.com- Nativity Lapbook




Activities to put inside lapbook:

homeschoolforfree.net- Christmas and Advent Resources

Birth of Jesus- word wall, Bible story with questions, songs and/or finger plays, activities, crafts, games, coloring, handwriting, mini books, puzzles, etc.

Birth of Jesus- vocabulary words, Bible story with questions, activities, crafts, games, puzzles, mazes, mini books, worksheets, etc.

Wise Men- vocabulary words, Bible story with questions, activities, crafts, games, puzzles, mazes, mini book, worksheets, etc.

When an ordinary button just won't do

I decided to design and make some special cards for my buttons. Just click and go to my button shop for some unique and one of a kind buttons

The Tale of the Thanksgiving Miracle of 2009

Recently I mentioned that my son, 20, now has a girlfriend. (His name is not actually "20" as it appears in this awkward sentence. It is Jordan. He is 20 years old.) I am very happy about this situation because she is a great girl. I keep trying to make a good impression on her, and yet, I fail.

But this is the tale of the Thanksgiving Miracle, so I'll move on from that unpleasant topic.

Interestingly, since the girlfriend, I've noticed that Jordan is more in touch with his nurturing side.

For instance, he and his girlfriend bought a fish together, a male Beta named "Barry," short for "Barracuda."

I asked him, "So, does this situation make this fish my 'grandfish'?"

Yes, apparently, it does.

I would have preferred to have a LEGITIMATE grandfish, but I have vowed to love this fish unconditionally.

So when he came home for Thanksgiving break Wednesday night, Jordan came in the door with laundry, Barry and a live plant in tow.

I'm having visions of diaper bags and car seats because everyone knows once you have a fish AND a plant, you're just a step or two away from a dog. And then everyone knows what happens after that: diaper bags, strollers and car seats. Oh wait a minute, that's just MY dog. Most people have a baby after the dog and then get the car seats, etc.

Anyway, Jordan brought Barry in a small container and proceeded to put him back into his regular bowl furnished stylishly by the girlfriend with snazzy black pearl foliage and sparkle rocks. Did I mention I like this girl?

As he did this, he told me all about how talented and brilliant Barry is. It seems that Barry has been following Girlfriend's finger up and down. He has also been anticipating his feeding. And he blows bubbles.

Not that I'm bragging, but have you seen my grandfish??

So Barry gets all situated in his bowl, and we put him in the family room. Jordan is on the computer, and I'm watching TV. Occasionally I glance at Barry and note how talented he is.

However, at one point, Barry looked ... sleepy.

I said, "Jordan, does the fish sleep a lot?"

He said, "Yes. He always does that."

I said, "OK. But does he kind of float like that when he sleeps?"

So Jordan goes to Barry and says, "Uh oh." He pokes him with his finger. Barry does not respond.

You can imagine what was going through my head: "The Girlfriend is never going to trust me or my household again!" In an instant, I considered the old sit-com switcheroo where you run out and buy a look-alike replacement and hope the owner is none the wiser.

People on Facebook offered helpful ideas such as: "Maybe he died of SFS, 'Shaken Fish Syndrome' from the car ride."

Jordan tried several times to revive Barry, mainly by poking him, but alack and alas, Barry appeared to have already crossed The Rainbow Bridge.

So my son, being the man of honor that he is, said, "Guess I'd better go make the bad news phone call."

I yelled after him, "Tell her it wasn't my fault! Tell her I didn't cause it!"

So he broke the news and walked away with the fish bowl.

The next day was Thanksgiving. Later in the day, I said, "So did you flush Barry?" Because I'm all sensitive and everything like that.

And he said, no, I put him in my room.

???

I'm not sure why he did this, unless he just needed "time" before the flushing ceremony. But he's 20, not 2.

Anyway, Jordan went to his room and returned with unbelievable good and joyous tidings: "Barry is alive!"

"What?" I say in disbelief. "But I saw you poke him and how he floated! He was, as Ebenezer Scrooge said about Bob Marley (wait, that was Jacob Marley) 'deader than a doornail!'"

Jordan said, "I know, but I just saw his fins moving. It's like he's hibernating or something."

And do you know that as the days have passed, that fish has rebounded. Not 100%, but he's returning to us.

Apparently, he still has work left to do here on Earth. And I get another chance to win over the Girlfriend.

And that is the story of the Thanksgiving Miracle of 2009.

How was your Thanksgiving?

Sunday Safari - Chicchirichì and Cock-a-doodle-do

They are loud, brave and proud, with feathers bright and ready to fight...

Vyaceslav Legkobit, Hto shto malyuє. Kto chto risuet, 1968,

thanks to another great post from Kickcan and Conkers

poster by Waldemar Swierzy for Cepelia, Polish arts and crafts stores, 1999

Coq by Roger Excoffon, 1963

illustration for Dummy magazine by Herr Mueller

Stig Lindberg's ABC, thanks to Fine little day

Rooster candle holder by Lotta Galve and Bengt Lindberg, thanks to The Art Room Plant

Ano del Gallo poster by Naranjo Brand Design, 2005

illustration by John Alcorn from The Fireside Book of Children's Songs, 1966

Rooster, limited edition sculpture by Eric Carle

Gallo e cesta, Michele Ranchetti, 1960

Gallo by Sebastiano Ranchetti, 2006

Vonnegut at Smith

More Flashbacks

Okay people, I've been rummaging through the vaults again and have unearthed a few out of print gems that I'll be posting in the coming days. Let's start with this reprint from the May 22, 2001 edition of Tommy Devine's Online Journal:



Vonnegut Versus the Thought Police

In an article that originally appeared in the Boston Globe and later reprinted in the Springfield Republican, it is reported that best-selling author Kurt Vonnegut is leaving our Valley to return to live in New York City. For the past year he has been teaching at Smith College in Northampton and offending the politically correct types on campus with his irreverent ways. As reported in the Globe:

Vonnegut has always found a certain poetry in vulgarity, and his language hasn't been muted by the tacit taboos of the ivory tower.

And that has stirred a bit of discomfort at Smith. During his public lecture last fall, which he titled ''How to get a job like mine'' or ''A performance with chalk on blackboard,'' Vonnegut strayed into forbidden territory. After getting laughs mocking the National Rifle Association and drubbing the Internet, the legendary technophobe told a self-effacing story about how he lusts for an Indian woman who works at a Manhattan grocery store and wonders whether, like dentures, she puts the jewel she wears between her eyes in a glass of water at night.

More than a few students gasped. The mix of laughter and shock sparked a staff editorial in the student newspaper headlined ''Deify Celebs Much, Smith?'' ''Why did offended audience members feel compelled to tolerate Kurt Vonnegut saying such things, however the statements were intended, when they would have walked out on anyone else who uttered the same things?'' the paper fumed, adding: ''How many of you read your first Vonnegut book in August?''

Smith's writer-in-residence laughed when asked about the tizzy his comments caused. Then he got serious. ''I'll say whatever I want; that's the price of my freedom,'' Vonnegut says. ''If it hurts someone's feelings, too bad! That's the way it goes.''

It isn't just students who have grown uneasy with the novelist's impolitic anecdotes. When he showed up in an old sweater with holes in the elbows to lecture in Elliot Fratkin's anthropology class, the professor remembers squirming a bit when Vonnegut said beauty is everywhere, including ''a young coed leaning over to grab a book.''

''A lot of us just looked down on the ground and wondered, `Where is he going?''' he says. ''At Smith, it's not especially popular to talk about the beauty of the opposite sex.''

Vonnegut has made more of his time at Smith than stirring up trouble. Over the past year, the author has read poems and told jokes at local cafes, scatted as the lead vocalist of a band he called ''Special K and His Crew'' in the city's annual talent show, exhibited what he calls his ''new-cubist'' artwork at a local gallery, and helped a local bar brew a beer his grandfather made more than a century ago.

So what does Vonnegut have planned for his post-Valley life? For one thing, he intends ot file a lawsuit against the tobacco companies, but not for the usual reasons. A heavy smoker even in his late seventies, Vonnegut wants to sue Big Tobacco for not living up to the health warnings printed on every pack. "They promised to kill me on the package," he complains, "and they haven't done it yet." He's also working on a new book, despite a promise he made when he turned 75 to write no more. Instead he soon realized he would "crack-up" psychologically if he stopped writing.



Many of his friends and family are now dead - and that has deeply affected him. But there is a more honest reason why Vonnegut is writing another book: He can't stop writing. If he did, it might really kill him.

''Writers are very lucky. They can treat their neuroses every day,'' he says. ''When writers crack up, when they really end up in the nut house, is when they can't do it anymore. The treatment stops.''

It was nice of the Boston Globe to send a reporter out here to the hinterlands to record such witticisms from Vonnegut before he departed our Valley. What's strange is that no local print, television or radio media ever reported on his political correctness troubles on campus while he was here. Once again we had to rely on media from outside our Valley to tell us what was happening in our own backyard.

Climategate



The stunning revelations that the top scientists and most respected "experts" in the global warming debate plotted to exaggerate the data supporting global warming in what some are calling "the worst scientific scandal of our generation," draws into doubt the necessity of even having the climate summit in Copenhagen next week, says Lorrie Goldstein of the Toronto Sun:



If you’re wondering how the robot-like march of the world’s politicians towards Copenhagen can possibly continue in the face of the scientific scandal dubbed “climategate,” it’s because Big Government, Big Business and Big Green don’t give a s*** about “the science.” They never have.

What “climategate” suggests is many of the world’s leading climate scientists didn’t either. Apparently they stifled their own doubts about recent global cooling not explained by their computer models, manipulated data, plotted ways to avoid releasing it under freedom of information laws and attacked fellow scientists and scientific journals for publishing even peer-reviewed literature of which they did not approve.

Now they and their media shills—who sneered that all who questioned their phony “consensus” were despicable “deniers,” the moral equivalent of those who deny the Holocaust—are the ones in denial about the enormity of the scandal enveloping them.

To read the whole article click here.

Animal Friends

Me and Tippy



Me and Copper.



Today's Video

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Lesson Plan- (Pre K - K): Birth of Jesus

Birth of Jesus (You can break this lesson down into 4 to cover the Birth of Jesus, The Shepherds, The Escape to Egypt, and the Wise Men.)


Objectives: The children will be able to
- retell the story of Jesus’ birth
- identify that Jesus was born in a stable and on Christmas



Review:
Prayer and questions from last week’s lesson



Vocabulary Words:

christianpreschoolprintables.com- Christmas Word Wall (scroll down to this). 4 types to choose from. Word wall templates are large flash card printables that you can hang on the wall to aid children when they are learning or using new vocabulary words.

dltk-bible.com- Christmas Word Wall Word Templates (scroll down to bottom for this). Word wall templates are large flash card printables that you can hang on the wall to aid children when they are learning or using new vocabulary words. Use the cards you want that are posted.



Plan:


Circle Time:

Read story: “A Baby In A Basket” (Snip and Tell Bible Stories by Karyn Henley, page 22 & 24) and do cut outs as the story unfolds. Or you can use your own Bible story book.

Then ask some of the questions from below:

1. What town was Jesus born in? (Bethlehem)

2. Why did Joseph take Mary to Bethlehem? (To register so they could be taxed.)

3. Where was it that there was no room? (The inn.)

4. Where was Jesus born? (In a stable.)

5. How many Wise Men were there? (3)

6. Who came and brought gifts for Jesus? (The Three Wise Men.)

7. How did the Wise Men find Jesus? (They followed a very bright star.)

8. Why did Joseph take Mary and Jesus to Egypt? (So King Herod could not kill Jesus.)

9. When King Herod died where did Joseph take Mary and Jesus? (To live in Nazareth.)



Songs and/or Finger Plays:

Introduce songs and/or finger plays: What town was Jesus born in?

Five Happy Shepherds (finger play)- Pray & Play Bible for Young Children by Group Publishing, page 101.

Going To Bethlehem, Christmas Is Jesus’ Birthday, Jesus Is Our Gift (songs)- Pray & Play Bible 2 by Group Publishing, page 111.

theholidayzone.com- Christian Christmas Songs for Children

apples4theteacher.com- Songs and Christmas Carol Lyrics



Activities:

Introduce activities: Where was it that there was no room?

dltk-bible.com- The Christmas Story lesson with memory verse, teacher's guide, puzzles, take home sheet, coloring pages, crafts, etc.

baptist-church.suite101.com- Birth of Jesus Bible Lesson (ideas and activities)

daniellesplace.com- Bible Themes: Christmas (lesson and activities)

clclutheran.org- The Birth of Jesus lesson with activities

hubbardscupboard.org- Celebrating the Birth of Christ (activities)

southfloridachurch.org- Jesus is Born lesson (4 & 5 year olds)

southfloridachurch.org- The Shepherds lesson (4 & 5 year olds)

southfloridachurch.org- Escape lesson (4 & 5 year olds)

southfloridachurch.org- The Magi lesson (4 & 5 year olds)

missionarlington.org- Jesus is Born (scroll down to Preschool Lesson)
Luke 2:1-20

missionarlington.org- Jesus is Born (scroll down to Preschool Lesson)
Luke 2:1-20



Crafts:

Introduce craft: Where was Jesus born? In a stable.

billybear4kids.com- Christmas Nativity
Scroll down to Christmas Nativity (Paper Doll Cut Outs)

mssscrafts.com- Stable background

Directions: Print out Christmas Nativity and stable background for students. Have students color Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, and the lamb and cut out. Glue characters on stable background.


fcpeace.com- Paper Bag Manger Scene
Preschool Christian Crafts by Linda Standke, page 49 – 52

catholicicing.blogspot.com- DIY Printable Nativity for Kids by Lacy
Complete directions and printable templates

Birth of Jesus Story Wheel- Children turn their story wheel dials to retell the Bible story they learned over and over again. (Preschool Christian Crafts by Linda Standke. Directions on page 37 - 39, craft template on page 40 & 44.)

Christmas- Bible Story Wheel (Bible Wheels to Make and Enjoy by Carmen Sorvillo, page 33 & 34.)



Introduce crafts: How did the Wise Men find Jesus?

crafts.kaboose.com- Star of David Decorations
*Tip- For younger students have the popsicle Star of David already made so all the students have to do is decorate it.

ccrafts.kaboose.com- Sparkling Stars

The Wise Men Visit Jesus- Bible Story Wheel (Bible Wheels to Make and Enjoy by Carmen Sorvillo, page 35 & 36.)



Other crafts-

Shine On- Students make punched-tin candleholders. (Bible Story Crafts & Projects Children Love by Kathy Ross, page 71).

noelnoelnoel.com- Festive Candle Holder
Cute, easy craft made out of a baby food jar and tissue paper. Tip: Make a mixture of half water and half glue in a paper cup. Paint with a paintbrush or a Q-tip a small area on each jar with the glue mixture, then cover the area with small pieces of tissue paper. Use a variety of colored paper to cover the entire jar with two or three layers of tissue paper. Coat the finished jar with thinned glue to seal.

freekidcrafts.com- Christmas Crafts (several listed here)

Glitter and Sugar Ornament- A fun and easy way to make lots of pretty ornaments to decorate your Christmas Tree. A sample craft from Kathy Ross' book: The Best Holiday Crafts Ever!, page 144 & 145.

theideabox.com- Lots of great Christmas ideas listed here.

christiancrafters.com- Scroll down to Christmas & Advent



Games:

Introduce game: What town was Jesus born in? Bethlehem

mormonshare.com- Nativity Matching Game
Play Memory with these nativity cards.

lds.about.com- Nativity Cards
Go Fish game using pictures from the nativity including the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the angel, shepherds, wise-men, and more. The object of the game is to get the most sets of four to win. More directions are at website. Open and print the pdf files either the two part color files or the b/w file. There are 8 different sets (four cards each) for a total of 32 nativity cards. If you have a large family/group print two sets and combine.

learningtreasures.com- Nativity Dominoes to print out and play

diva-girl-parties-and-stuff.com- Right, Left, Christmas Game
A fun way to review the story of the birth of Jesus.

sundayschoolnetwork.com- Christmas Games (8 Christmas games posted here)

buzzle.com- Joyous Christian Christmas Party Games for Family Fun



Snacks:

Introduce snack: Where was baby Jesus laid into?

dltk-kids.com- Edible Manger

sadlierreligion.com- We Believe
A Christmas Treat- Grade K, Chapter 14 (Pick the grade, type of visitor, and click on Go To. Look under Printable Activities and click on Chapters).



Introduce snack: How did the Wise Men find Jesus? They followed a very bright star.

pillsbury.com- Gingerbread Stars

jas.familyfun.go.com- Crispy Cheese Stars

jas.familyfun.go.com- Peanut Butter and Jelly Stars

(You can also get a large star shaped cookie cutter and make star shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.)

Spread peanut butter on star shaped crackers.



Coloring/Puzzles:

Prayers while students are doing worksheets and/or coloring.

sermons4kids.com- Jesus’ Birth (coloring page)

sermons4kids.com- Manger (coloring page)

sermons4kids.com- Jesus is Born (coloring page)

psscentral.com- A Baby in a Manger (mini book)

dltk-teach.com- The Life of Jesus (mini book)

lambsongs.co.nz- 9 Christmas booklets
Print these out for the children to color or print them in color.

C Christmas (handwriting)

first-school-ws- J Jesus (handwriting)

sermons4kids.com- The Birth of Jesus (maze)

sermons4kids.com- An Angel Appears To Mary (dot-to-dot)

christiananswers.net- One Night in Bethlehem (dot-to-dot)

christiananswers.net- The Manger (dot-to-dot)

christiananswers.net- The Wisemen’s Guiding Star (dot-to-dot)

tlsbooks.com- Star (tracing worksheet)
Trace the star and write what shape it is.

handwritingforkids.com- Star (tracing) worksheet

worksheetunivers.com- Color the stars according to the directions given.

Shepherd’s Visit (maze)- Bible Story Puzzles by Linda Standke page 21.

Jesus’ Birth (connect the pictures that go together)- Bible Story Puzzles by Linda Standke page 20.

A Bed of Straw (dot-to-dot)- Dot-To-Dot Bible Pictures by Linda Standke, page 16.

A Star Led Them (dot-to-dot)- Dot-To-Dot Bible Pictures by Linda Standke, page 17.

Magi Visit (dot-to-dot)- Bible Story Puzzles by Linda Standke, page 22.

Escape to Egypt (cut the pictures and glue together on another sheet of paper)- Bible Story Puzzles by Linda Standke, page 23.

Shepherds Find the Savior (find the hidden pictures)- Hidden Pictures Explore Hidden Treasures in God’s Word PK-K by Linda Standke, page 18.

The Magi Seek Jesus (find the hidden pictures)- Hidden Pictures Explore Hidden Treasures in God’s Word PK-K by Linda Standke, page 19.

The Savior Is Born (dot to dot) page 80, Baby Jesus (circle hidden letters) page 81, Jesus’ Birth (connect the pictures) page 82, Baby Jesus Is Born (maze) page 83, A Bed of Straw (dot-to-dot) page 84, Shepherds Visit (maze ) page 85, Shepherds Find the Savior (hidden picture) page 86, Magi Visit (dot-to-to) page 87, The Magi Seek Jesus (hidden picture) page 88, A Star Led Them (dot-to-dot) page 89, Escape to Egypt (cut the pictures and glue together on another sheet of paper - puzzle) page 90- Bible Story Puzzle ‘n’ Learn! PK-K

An Angel Tells Good News- Connect the dots in the picture to see who brought Mary good news. (Big Puzzles for Little Hands: Jesus’ Life and Lessons by Carla Williams, page 9).

Joseph Cares for Mary- In the space draw a picture of what the angel told Joseph in his dream. (Big Puzzles for Little Hands: Jesus’ Life and Lessons by Carla Williams, page 10).

A Trip to Bethlehem- Look at the two pictures. The second picture has 6 missing parts. Circle the missing parts. (Big Puzzles for Little Hands: Jesus’ Life and Lessons by Carla Williams, page 12).

Angels Tell Shepherds the Good News- Match the angels. (Big Puzzles for Little Hands: Jesus’ Life and Lessons by Carla Williams, page 13).

Wise Men Visit Jesus- Find the matching pictures and draw lines to them. (Big Puzzles for Little Hands: Jesus’ Life and Lessons by Carla Williams, page 14).

Go to Egypt- Help Joseph take Mary and Jesus to Egypt (maze). (Big Puzzles for Little Hands: Jesus’ Life and Lessons by Carla Williams, page 15).

True Education

The Kind You Never Forget

I like this David Brooks piece in the New York Times about the too little appreciated importance of what we learn about life through art. I could write a similar piece about the Grateful Dead.



Like many of you, I went to elementary school, high school and college. I took such and such classes, earned such and such grades, and amassed such and such degrees.

But on the night of Feb. 2, 1975, I turned on WMMR in Philadelphia and became mesmerized by a concert the radio station was broadcasting. The concert was by a group I’d never heard of — Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Thus began a part of my second education.

We don’t usually think of this second education. For reasons having to do with the peculiarities of our civilization, we pay a great deal of attention to our scholastic educations, which are formal and supervised, and we devote much less public thought to our emotional educations, which are unsupervised and haphazard. This is odd, since our emotional educations are much more important to our long-term happiness and the quality of our lives.

To read the whole article click here.

Doctor's Orders

There was an article this week in the Worcester Transcript-Telegram on Richie Neal challenger Dr. Jay Fleitman. Here's the Doctor's prescription on healthcare:



“There’s nothing worse for someone’s health than to be out of work and have anxiety about paying rent,” said Dr. Fleitman. “Our deficit spending has been enormous; it has put our economy in the hole, taxes have gone up and all that has put a wet blanket on business and economy.”

Dr. Fleitman said the current push for a public option in health care reform debate is a “Trojan horse.”

“It is a Trojan horse upon which we are building a government-run health care program where the government runs the decisions that should be left between individuals and their physicians.”

To read the whole article click here.

Holiday Pics

Cool table in Rao's in Amherst.



A sure sign of winter is the abandoned courtyard of Amherst's The Pub.



This work of "art" at UMass may be all rusty, but at least it makes a good bike rack.



For some reason the Fine Arts Center at UMass is particularly prone to graffiti. It must be that huge expanse of naked poured concrete. What does this stencil mean? It looks German to me.



The credibility of this political graffiti is undermined by the presence of Urkel.



My sister Donna and niece Emily.



Pumpkin centerpiece on my friend's porch in Northampton.



Window replacement project underway at the Forbes Library.



Jerry Garcia t-shirt and reflection in a Hamp storefront.



Words of wisdom on Green Street.



Today's Video

Psychedelic folk.