Friends from Across the Pond

My internet friend Mary arrived the other night to stay with me three nights before heading out to Sisters.  We've swapped blocks for several years now, but this is the first time we've met.

And she's just wonderful.  As anticipated.

She came with our other internet friend, Judi, who has come to the US before, and stayed with my sister several times.  She's a lot of fun.

Both women are so generous.  Judi has some project/technique that she's going to teach to our hand-sewing group  that is having a special meeting on Thursday.  And Mary brought me these wonderful African indigo fabrics and a copy of a British quilting magazine that features an article that she wrote!  Isn't that block terrific?  Can't you just see it made in batiks?  I certainly can.  And probably will.  Very soon.

What do students like to do in CCD?

What to do with the students in your CCD classroom depends upon their age. Coming up with activities that excite your students and invites them to learn about our faith can sometimes be overwhelming. Keeping students involved and engaged in activities that have them moving, working in groups, and discovering information for themselves allows students to become excited about their learning and they are motivated to come to class. Having engaging and fun activities for your students to do each week can also keep absenteeism down to a minimum. The students will know they will do something fun in the class and want to be there.

The key to being a good catechist is to have your students anticipate activities that are fun and challenging so they will want to come to CCD each and every week. A good way to accomplish this is before you dismiss your students give them a little teaser of what they will do in class next week. Make it sound fun and exciting.

Example: “Why do problems come into our lives? People face problems each and every day. Some are harder than others. There are many choices that the person can have to solve his/her problem, but which one is the best? Next week we will play a game to see if you can choose the right thing to do.”



So what do students like to do in CCD?


All Students
How To Review Material- You just completed a chapter with your class and you need to review it to make sure your students understand it and/or get them ready for a test. What should you do? How can you make it interesting and fun and the students will learn? Try to incorporate a game to review the material in your classroom.


Pre K – K students like singing and doing finger plays, coloring, making simple crafts, and playing games. The more movement the better so that the catechist can burn up some of their never ending pent up energy. Changing activities about every 15 minutes is also a good idea since their attention spans are extremely short. Interest Centers are important for any Preschool or Kindergarten classroom. These center activities: Art, Block, Book, Creation, Home Living, Manipulative, etc. gives the students a chance to “Learn by Doing”.

Having a God’s Helping Hands Chart encourages teamwork and self-esteem as students take responsibility for their classroom. This also builds community and dependability and it could also get the children to help more around the house as well. By assigning students various tasks to do will keep them busy and they will not get bored. It will also cut down on behavior problems because they will be moving and not sitting so much.


Pre K – K lesson plans- with: Objectives, Word Wall, Bible Story with questions, Songs and/or Finger Plays, Activities, Crafts, Games, Snacks, Coloring/Puzzles

hennypenny.ourjunction.com- lessons for ages 2 – 5

hubbardscupboard.org- lessons for ages 2 - 6

dltk-bible.com- Old and New Testament lesson for preschool posted. Lessons include memory verse, teacher's guide, puzzles, take home sheet, coloring pages, crafts and activities, etc.

southfloridachurch.org- lessons for 2 – 3 Year Olds and 4 – K. Lessons consist of: Lesson Objectives, Lesson Text, Scripture Memory Verse, Crafts, Bible Story, Games, Activities, etc.

clclutheran.org- lessons for preschool (click on Lessons on the left side and then click on Old or New Testament Lessons)

missionarlilngton.org- Click on a lesson and scroll down to Preschool Lessons

sermons4kids.com- Index of Coloring Pages

tiredtwang.blogspot.com- saint coloring sheets. You can find all of her coloring pages listed up at the top of her blog by clicking on the tab called Catholic Coloring Pages.

paperdali.blogspot.com- Saint paper dolls that you can download for free. Scroll down the right sidebar to FREE PAPER DOLLS and click on the saint you want. The link will take you directly where you can download a black and white PDF file of the saint.

Bible Story Mini Books- Bible Story Mini Books are a great way to review a Bible story or concept with young students. Here are some online for free to print out for the students to take home. Students can read these to their parents or the parents can read them to their child.

Interactive Crafts for Bible Stories- Children love to make interactive crafts for Bible stories. It makes the Bible story come alive and they can reenact the story over and over again.



Bible Wheels To Make and Enjoy by Carmen Sorvillo- Bible Wheels are Bible stories on wheels that help reinforce Bible stories. Children ages 4 to 7 can make the Bible Wheels easily by cutting them out, coloring, and assembling. Each wheel is made from two reproducible patterns that you can print out on cardstock and are secured with a brass fastener. A window in the wheel reveals what happens in the Bible story and the children can turn the wheel dial to retell the Bible story they just learned over and over again. Bible Wheels are a great way to supplement your Bible stories and help your students to remember the lesson. Children are fascinated by how they work and the Bible Wheels in this book will surely keep the children’s attention and spark their imagination. The book contains 30 (14 Old and 16 New Testament) Bible Wheels that have limited text with the title of the story, the Bible reference and pictures telling the Bible story on each one. Cutting is simple but for younger students you might want to cut out all or some of the craft prior to class. Bible Wheels are a great take home activity for children to do with their parents and they are an excellent way to help the children remember the Bible story.

Click here to see some of the book then click on Excerpt.






Elementary age students enjoy crafts, games, and creative puzzles such as hidden pictures, word shape, word jumble decoder, spiral, etc. Usually boys at this age absolutely despise coloring and as soon as you whip out a coloring sheet for them to do, discipline problems immediately erupt. Students at this age like object lessons and activities that involve movement and learning. Nothing is more fun than doing activities that use all the students’ senses and challenges them.

Lesson Plans for 1st Grade On Up- with: Objectives, Review, Vocabulary Words, Bible Story with questions, Activities, Crafts, Games, Snacks, Puzzles/Mazes/Worksheets

dltk-bible.com- Old and New Testament lesson for preschool through 3rd grade. Lessons include memory verse, teacher's guide, puzzles, take home sheet, coloring pages, crafts and activities, etc.

southfloridachurch.org- lessons for children ages first grade to pre teens. (Click on the grade level you want.)

clclutheran.org- lessons for 1st through 8th grade (click on Lessons on the left side and then click on Old or New Testament Lessons)

missionarlilngton.org- Lessons consist of: Scripture Memory Verse, Lesson Goals, Welcome Time, Bible Story, Review Questions, Prayer Time, Life Application

sermons4kids.com- find various kinds of puzzles for your students to do that are posted in alphabetical order

sermons4kids.com- Click on Sermon Index to find the subject or sermon you want. Tons of object lessons for you to choose from.

Bible Story Mini Books- Bible Story Mini Books are a great way to review a Bible story or concept with young students. Here are some online for free to print out for the students to take home. Give these to your students every week so they can read these to their parents.

catholicicing.blogspot.com- Embrace your amazing Catholic Culture by "icing" your Catholic Cake with all of these yummy "extras"! This is a place to find Catholic Arts and Crafts, Fun Food, Feast Day Celebration ideas, and much, much more!

thereligionteacher.com- Scroll down for: Feast of the Epiphany in the Modern Day- Lesson Plan Activities, Catholic Thanksgiving Day Lesson Plans on the Eucharist as “Thanksgiving”, Teaching the Mysteries of the Rosary to Elementary Students, etc.

thatresourcesite.com- Fantastic resources for Catholic homeschoolers and CCD teachers. They put fun in learning and all the activities are free! Activities include: Games, Help For Homeschoolers, Printables, Notebooking, Lapbooking, Lessons, Faith Study, Books (Mini Books, Book & Novel Studies, Book Reports, etc.), Worksheets, etc. (*Please follow the copyright rules concerning the activities.)



Hidden Pictures Explore Hidden Treasures in God’s Word: Grade 1 - 3 (Fun Faith-Builders) by Linda Standke- Children will absolutely love the fun and creative Bible story based hidden picture puzzles in this book! My students are just wild about hidden picture puzzles and ask for them every week at CCD. The students start these puzzles by looking up the scripture reference to answer the question about each story. Then they find and circle the story related items hidden in the picture. Each puzzle has a list of 8 items to find. To make it easier for the students, drawings of the 8 items are next to each word and these look exactly like the ones in the puzzle. The book has 27 (13 Old and 14 New Testament) hidden picture puzzles and also an answer key for each. These hidden puzzles are a fantastic fill in activity for CCD or great to do just before the parents come to pick up their children.

Click here to see some of the book then click on Sample.





The Encyclopedia Of Bible Games For Children's Ministry by Group Publishing- This book is a collection of 175 creative and entertaining games that will add fun and enhance your lessons for your class, vacation Bible school, retreats, etc. The games get students involved and allows them to learn through activities that will help reinforce Bible stories or various Bible subjects. The activities are broken down into 9 categories: Bible Story Games (75), Jesus Is… Games (10) that connect your students to Christ, The Bible Is… Games (10) to teach the truths, Holiday Games (10), Wild ‘n’ Wacky Games (10) to get your students up and moving, Total Silence Games (10), Travel Games (10) to try when you are going from here to there, Icebreaker Games (20), and Group Builder Games (20). Each game specifies the scripture, the Bible theme, energy level with complete directions, supply list, what to say, and post game discussions. All supplies that are needed for each game are found easily around the home or church. You can also search the indexes by type of game, Bible point or passage, and energy level. The games can be easily adapted for all ages, class size, indoor or outdoor, etc. and a suggestion page is in the book to help you with any situation so all children can enjoy playing the games. This is must have in any youth ministry!

Limited preview- To see some of the book.






Older students enjoy discussions and a variety of activities that lets them manipulate the information physically and mentally. They like breaking off into small groups to work together for a common goal and present it later to the class. Group projects are a hit as well as field trips to places they have previously studied about. They also like playing games that involves the whole class reviewing previously learned material that is fun and educational too.

thatresourcesite.com- Fantastic resources for Catholic homeschoolers and CCD teachers. They put fun in learning and all the activities are free! Activities include: Games, Help For Homeschoolers, Printables, Notebooking, Lapbooking, Lessons, Faith Study, Books (Mini Books, Book & Novel Studies, Book Reports, etc.), Worksheets, etc. (*Please follow the copyright rules concerning the activities.)

thereligionteacher.com- How To Get Students To Participate In Class Discussions

thereligionteacher.com- Scroll down for: Feast of the Epiphany in the Modern Day- Lesson Plan Activities, Catholic Thanksgiving Day Lesson Plans on the Eucharist as “Thanksgiving”, Teaching the Mysteries of the Rosary to Elementary Students, etc.

avemariapress.com- Great lesson plans for older students that really get them involved and allows them to learn through activities that reinforce teachings of the Catholic Church.

Play a game show that quizzes your students about the subject. Make it fun and exciting by using a game that is created on PowerPoint. Download the template and modify the game to fit your curriculum needs.

Play a game that reviews previously learned material. These activities make the Bible stories and aspects of the Catholic Church more concrete and easier for the students to understand and also a lot of fun. (There are several games posted here that can be used for older students.)



Faith Facts for Young Catholics: Drills, Games and Activities for Middle School Students by Kieran Sawyer- This is an incredible activity book of drills, games and activities for middle school students that all will enjoy. The 25 activities include: Sacraments, Ten Commandments, Parts of the Mass, Review Games, Seven Gifts, Scriptures, Gospel Trivia, etc. There are pages and pages of review cards, key word cards, flash cards, Gospel trivia cards, Scripture passage cards, etc. to go with all the activities in the book with answers included. Teachers need to from time to time supplement their curriculum with activities to help teach their students and review material and by using the creative activities in this book it will help enhance the lessons and allow the students to understand more and have a lot of fun in the process. The games will also be great in a variety of religious education settings such as religion class in school, CCD, youth group meetings and youth retreats. (*This book is spiral bound to make copying easier.)



What do your students like to do in CCD class?

Something Fishy

When I was in Richmond at the time of Nate's birth, I bought a charm pack and a yard from the Odyssea line with the plan of making a little quilt for the little boy.  I just loved the fabrics!  When I got home and into jacket making, I wished I had enough of the fishy print to make a little jacket.

Finally I have the flimsy assembled and I'm pleased with it.  I think I'll tie it with brown floss and bind it with brown fabric and get it off to its rightful owner as soon as I can.

Speaking of whom, here he is in his jacket.  Which is just gorgeous with his blue, blue eyes.  And it will likely fit him for approximately one more week.

So perhaps a fishy jacket in the next size is going to happen after all!  Am headed out to Lancaster County in a week and a half and I'm hoping that Log Cabin shop will have some Odyssea.  If not, I imagine I can find it on line.

Anniversary Pictures

See the little blonde angel next to my little angel about 13 years ago? (The're 17 and 18 now). Her name is Laura, and she is all grown up and has a photography business called "Snaphappy."



We have known Laura all her life, even before she was born (on a Mother's Day, along with a twin brother), so what an honor and joy it was to have Miss Snaphappy take 25th anniversary pics of Jorge and me last Sunday.



Here are a few of the many shots she took. I hope you like the photos; we sure do! Thanks, Laura!

Missed Bus

Oh no! I knew as I approached the deserted stop that I had missed the bus.



Well, nothing to do but kill some time walking around downtown Northampton. I paused to chat with a friendly Deadhead.



Longtime Hamp street musician Ox was out busking for a day's pay. Here he is posing with someone I was in rehab with.



An old gent with a mandolin plays for a penguin.



Do you think a political liberal might own this truck?



I'm curious to know what sort of person has these bumperstickers.



An alien presence on the back of a street sign.



When the bus finally came a dog got on, sitting very nicely at his master's feet.



A hawk atop a perch in Holyoke by Greg Saulmon.



Doing flips at UMass, Amherst College and the Holyoke Mall.

Don't Waste Your Time

More years ago than I remember, I read Conroy's The Great Santini and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I've read most of his other novels, less impressed with each as time went by.

When we were ready to leave for our trip to North Carolina, I picked up South of Broad to take along.  Set in the South, I thought it would be just the ticket.  People had said good things about it, so I thought Conroy might have his mojo back.

Oy.  I can't think when I've read such a dreadful book.  The folks who populate the story are all shallow, vapid creatures, who make long, ridiculous speeches to each other as a way of providing history.  They're not real; they are caricatures rather than characters.  I've never met anyone remotely like any of them.

How's this for an example of dreadful dialogue:

"'I've loved you since the day I first met you, like I told you the other night,' I tell her.

'Why?  That's stupid.  That's unheard-of.  You didn't know me, or one thing about me.'

'I knew your style.  The way you carried yourself.  Your courtesy and attentiveness to everything going on around you.  I loved your defense of Fraser the day I first met you.  I knew you were a match for Chad.  A match for anyone.  I felt your strength.  Then there was your beauty, your extraordinary beauty.  Does that answer your question, Molly, you pain in the ass?  Does that mean you won't punch me again?'"

Or this:

"Fraser says, 'It was mostly liquor talk.  You know the kind: "I love you" slurred in a hundred different ways.  "I miss all of you" slurred in a hundered others.  Classic Trevor.  If he'd been born straight, he'd have married me or Molly.  If he'd been born a girl, he'd've married Leo.  It was drunk talk sure enough, but pure Trevor.  I tried to call him the next day at his flat on Union Street, but his phone was disconnected.  I wrote him a letter, but it came back with address unknown.  So I figured he'd moved.'"

Good grief.   Do you know people who talk like that?  I don't.  (And I'm glad.)

Sure, Conroy is a master of description.  He really has a way with adjectives.  But that's about it.  The critics raved about this book.  I don't get it.  It's purely awful.  Tripe, as my mother would have said.  I'm halfway through -- haven't even reached the hurricane scene -- and don't think I can bear to go any further.

Perhaps I'll hear from the library tomorrow that my next reserve book is in.

Between Nature & Geometry

illustration for Diner journal

Martina in front of her mural at Creature Festival 2009

Martina Merlini aka P0na is a young and gifted Italian artist-illustrator from Bologna.

I really enjoy her very personal style, elegant sense of color and strong graphic compositions. 

And also her love of Constructivism! Of course I am not the only one, and Martina's  artworks, 

often featuring a combination of enigmatic animal forms and abstract geometric elements,

 have started to increasingly appear in various blogs, exhibitons, record covers, 

magazines and walls around the country.

illustration for Qbick free press magazine

Bull God 

poster and cover illustration for Edgar Ep

illustration for Link magazine 9

cover from My Awesome Mixtape's Day after day Lp

Crow

Pelican

Scafandro #2 and Scafandro

My own loop limited edition screenprint

illustration for MIAMI mag

illustration from the Vodoo series

 Catch more of Martina's creatures at her blog and flickr... 

And don't miss her interview on fashion blah blah.

Stolen Art Watch, Firle Place Robber At It Again, Michael Hurley Gang ??

Firle Place Raider
Antiques shop raid suspect caught on CCTV

AN image has been released of a bearded man police want to speak to in connection with an antiques shop burglary in which thousands of pounds worth of items were stolen.

They included valuable oil paintings and pieces of furniture, and were taken at around 7.40pm on Sunday, June 13 when two men broke into Antique Elegance in Dorking’s West Street.

It was the latest in a series of raids at antiques stores in the road, and traders have voiced their frustration about the thieves avoiding detection on CCTV systems.

But police have a picture of one man loading a table into the back of a van during last week’s incident, and they are hopeful someone will be able to help identify him.

The flat above Antique Elegance was broken into and attempts were then made to enter the shop using a pickaxe and spade. When this failed, the front window was smashed.

A member of public spotted the men and they then jumped into a dirty white van and drove off.

The vehicle was described as a Mercedes Sprinter van with a distinctive near-side sliding door. It was dark coloured and had some writing on the near-side rear panel.

Police described the first suspect as a white man in his mid-50s who was 6ft 3in tall and had short, scruffy light grey hair and a grey beard.

He was wearing a navy blue jacket with a red strip on the collar and light or green coloured trousers, as well as a black baseball cap with a distinctive piping round the edge. The man spoke with a southern accent.

The second man was white and in his mid to late 50s, 5ft 7in tall, of medium build and with scruffy white hair. He was wearing neutral coloured clothes, a cloth cap and tan coloured gloves.

Detective Constable Dion O’Shea said: "The image clearly shows the first suspect loading a small table into the back of the van and you can see the stolen paintings which are already loaded into the van.

“We know the van, a white Mercedes Sprinter with false number plates, was driven off in the direction of the High Street and then along Dene Street, but after that we have no further sightings.

“Can you help? Do you remember seeing these men and the van in the Dorking area on Sunday evening?”

The crime followed a dawn raid at the nearby Surrey Hills Antiques Centre on June 7, and two break-ins at Talbot House Antiques Centre earlier this year.

Shopkeepers from West Street, who have spoken of their frustration at being persistently targeted by thieves, are to meet with police and Mole Valley MP Sir Paul Beresford on July 8 to discuss the issue.

Art Hostage Comments;

Top photo is the one released today by Police of the man who robbed the Butchers Antiques shop in Dorking called Antique Elegance.

Middle and bottom photo's are images of the man who robbed Firle Place last year.

Notice the similarities, with beard top, minus beard in the two below ??

The Firle Place images have never been revealed before, but as usual Art Hostage is ahead of the curve.

Want more images, all in good time.

As said before, please just call Sussex Police anonymously with the location of the Firle Place porcelain so that raid can be put to bed.

O'h and not to forget it was the same guys who attempted to raid Patrick Moorheads warehouse in Church Street Brighton, failed and tried to torch the place, and also his step brother Lennox Cato fell victim to these guys.

As Art Hostage stated before:

Dick Ellis has named Michael Hurley as the chief suspect in this recent raid and members of his gang for previous raids, including some of the Stately home raids over the last two years, Firle Place, and Glynde Place being the two most high profile raids.

Mark Dalrymple went further, Michael Hurley is the main focus of attention and efforts have been made for Police to put Michael Hurley and his associates under 24/7 surveillance.


Dick Ellis and Mark Dalrymple have even tried to use Tim Corfield the Art dealer to infiltrate the Michael Hurley syndicate with no luck. Seems Nice but Dim Tim Corfield failed and was exposed straight away.

However Police are said to be confident they will make a breakthrough soon according to Dick Ellis and Mark Dalrymple.

Plans to slip an undercover Police officer from S.O.C.A. into the Michael Hurley Gang, as a buyer of stolen art and antiques, have so far failed to bear fruit, but efforts continue.

However, as usual Police are reluctant to put the Michael Hurley Gang under 24/7 surveillance, although pressure is coming from Political circles as well as the Historic Houses Association and Belted Earls.

Update:
Dick Ellis has just said:

"If I had any hair, I would be pulling it out"

Mark Dalrymple followed suit:

"If I go down, I'll take everyone with me"

Stolen Art Watch, Art Loss Register, Julian Radcliffe in UAE, Abu Dhabi !!

Art Loss Register Guru Julian Radcliffe in the UAE, Sharjah Sunset !!!

Tell you more later, "I like it alot", to quote Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_X8ZZwcs4k

funny bike picture

funny bike picture ...... this picture is taken from;;;;http://katroboy.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/lucu7.jpg

baby drink

funny picture baby drink, alcohol??? maybe..... this picture is taken from;;;http://bocahkureng.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/humor-lucu-bayi-nyusu.jpg

The Little Things

Y'know, over the years of this blog, I've certainly never hesitated to complain about a company or a product.  This time is different.  I'm going to compliment a company and a product.

As much as I love a long weekend getaway at a romantic B&B with beautiful antique furnishings and scandalous breakfasts, when we're traveling and needing a place just to sleep for a night, I can't see spending a lot of money on a room. 

Several years ago we stopped at our first Holiday Inn and quickly became "Priority Club" members.  We gather "points" for each stay and over time accumulate enough points to earn free nights.  Back in April or May, I contacted Holiday Inn to make reservations for a total of six nights at five different hotels.  I'd earned enough points from past stays that we only paid for four of those six nights. 

This past weekend we stayed at three different Holiday Inn Express properties and had good experiences at each of them.  All of them were pet-friendly and gave us rooms on the ground floor, not far from the end entrance -- this really made it easier to move in not just our luggage but Blackberry's paraphernalia and crate.  All three hotels had firm and soft pillows on the bed.  All had nice curved shower rods and very nice showerheads and plenty of towels.  All had complimentary toiletries and soap with a faint clove-cinnamon fragrance that was very pleasant.  I imagine that all had excellent cable TV, but we didn't turn it on.  All had predictable but more-than-acceptable free breakfasts -- so nice for getting an efficient start to the day's travel.  Two had very enticing swimming pools, though we didn't have the opportunity to indulge.

Holiday Inns are pretty standard; we kind of expect a similar decor and similar amenities and similar complimentary breakfasts at every one. But there are individual pleasant peculiarities.The place in Lexington, Virginia, is a place we've visited before.  I am delighted by the little rubber duckies that they place in the bathroom for their guests to take home.  A very little, very inexpensive thing.  But it won me over completely!  The place in Brevard, North Carolina, was the most expensive of the three (at about $135 per night as opposed to the usual $89 -- $109), but the room was huge and at a corner, giving us more windows than usual.  The last place was in Dublin, Virginia.  We'd set out heading north from Brevard around 6 p.m. and knew we had a net drive of four hours.  But we had to stop a couple of time for Blackberry and once for our supper, and then there was some traffic and it was much later than ten when we arrived.  The woman at the desk was so warm and so welcoming as we sort of stumbled into the lobby.  The room was convenient and on the desk was a complimentary bottle of water and a mysterious little brown grocery bag -- that contained a shiny red apple and a bag of microwave popcorn!  Into the microwave it went and our tired crankiness just popped away!

Talk about the little things making the difference . . . .

Monday Matticchio - Play it again, dog!