A Day for Remembrance

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

Friendly Chemistry Giveaway!

Freely Educate, a favorite blog of mine, is hosting a giveaway of the Friendly Chemistry curriculum.  The winner will receive a student book and a teacher book.  Find out more about this great giveaway at the Freely Educate site.

Ambleside on Librivox

I'm not sure if I'm the last person on earth to know this, but Librivox now has a Wiki!!!  And low and behold they have a page dedicated to the Amblesideonline reading selections that are available as audiobooks on Librivox.  I hope you're as excited as I am.

Free Easter Devotional

Ann Voskamp's Blog, A Holy Experience, is one of my favorite blogs.  Ann is a very gifted writer and I am always convicted, moved, humbled or filled with joy as I read her words.  Her openness and honesty are a great blessing.

I had the privilege a few years ago to review her Advent devotional, The Glorious Coming, which my children and I have read together.  Now she is making her Lent Devotional, Trail to the Tree, available for free on her blog.   You should definitely check it out.

Seeds of Change Sowing Millions

Seeds of Change , an organic seed and food company, is making available 25 packets of seeds of their choice for only 4.99 shipping and handling.  If you like an adventure this is a great deal on seeds.  For ever seed request they receive they will send a matching donation to the American Horticultural Society. 

Give Up Yer Aul Sins - Story of Saint Patrick

Who better to tell the story of Patrick then an Irish school girl? This has got to be my favorite version ever but I've got lots of other things to help you celebrate one of my favorite days. Don't forget my favorite Irish Soda Bread recipe!

Enjoy.

Old Time Radio for St. Patricks Day

St Patrick's Day Old Time Radio

Win a Hamilton Beach Crockpot!

Cheeseslave is hosting a great giveaway of a new crockpot on her blog.  Check it out here: http://www.cheeseslave.com/2011/03/01/monthly-drawing-hamilton-beach-crockpot-45-value/#comment-101118
I really enjoy reading her blog so take a look around while your there.

Hope for Spring

...is getting primroses on sale for my living room.

Happy Sesquicentennial Kansas!!!

150 years ago today Kansas gained Statehood in the United States of America.  I am proud to be a Missourian and I love my home state, but I've adopted Kansas as my home and I love it here too.  There is so much I love about this state that I've now lived in for more than a decade that it would be hard for me to put it all down here.  But I do have a few things to share.

Kansas Public Radio is my favorite radio station in my area.  The station is in Lawrence, Kansas which is the first city I lived in here. The station recently aired a reading in two parts of the book S is for Sunflower.  You can listen to it here and here.  I learned a lot about Kansas listening to this children's book.  For example the Empire State Building was designed by two Kansas brothers and the Chrysler Building was built by another Kansan who also happened to be the founder of the Chrysler Corporation.  Of course President Eisenhower and Amelia Earhart are famous Kansans. Jack St. Clair Kilby, the inventor of the microchip was born in Jefferson City, Missouri and raised in Great Bend, Kansas. A fellow Missourian who spent time in Kansas. Lest anyone thing we transplanted Kansans aren't great, he won the Noble Prize for science.

There is a lot to be said for Kansas. For one thing it's not all flat which surprised me when I lived in Lawrence and drove to Baldwin, Kansas through hills everyday that reminded me of Southern Missouri.  But I will warn you that once you head west from Topeka you'll be learning to appreciate the beauty of wide open spaces. 

If you want to know more I've written about Kansas before and you can find out more about the state there.