and MORE tree house!

A friend requested a photo of my tree house, so here it is. Note that this is MY tree house---not my children's--and has screens and steps. My carpenter neighbor built it for me two years ago.  This isn't my studio, but it IS a grand place to observe the critters at Frog Song Pond.

The little froggy here is from SCOOT!

Lazy Afternoon in the Tree House

Greetings from Frog Song Pond! 

A lovely Maine afternoon with happy critters willing to pose for my new camera. A very dead tree crashed into the pond a few days ago, creating a lovely new log for turtles to bask. 

I'm working on a new pond book idea.....stay tuned for updates.

Garden Time

Soggy summer here in Maine, so the garden is looking a little sad this year. Last year's bounty was inspiring, though--especially the mysterious "volunteers" that grow on their own. Last year I picked four gorgeous acorn squash that I didn't plant. Several years ago a mystery vine grew out of my compost heap, and produced 32 little pumpkins! Well, inspite of this year's meager crop, my new book, Mystery Vine, will be ready for harvest in August. 

Greenwillow Books has posted an activity page for the book here,

that includes little growing projects like these:

Ruby Slippers

Shape Capers traveled to Kansas last week by invitation from the The Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, Kansas, and a grant from the Kansas Arts Commission. A grand time was had by nearly 300 shape-making munchkins! 

After leaving Manhattan (also known as the "Little Apple"), we stopped in Wamego, birthplace of my dear Aunt Norma, and home of the Oz Museum. Since I am a devoted fan of The Wizard of Oz, we of course took the tour down the yellow brick road! After a lovely visit with relatives in Eudora, Lawrence, and Overland Park, it was time to click my heals together three times and head back to Maine, where my very own ruby slippers (aka: pink ladies slippers) rest by the pond.

Plant A Tree

Although the creator of this video didn't get permission to use the song, this is a very cute piece with a lovely song by Mike Nobel.
Mike is a friend, and an amazingly talented songwriter and performer. He travels around the country presenting interactive music programs for children and adults. Here's his website:
http://www.freewebs.com/mikenobel/

After Ghandi

Maine Author & Illustrator, Anne Sibley O'Brien, and her son, Perry Edmond O'Brien, have collaborated on a stunning new book, After Ghandi: 100 Years of Nonviolent Resistance, published by Charlesbridge. There's an open house to celebrate the publication of the book next Friday, May 1st, at Arabica Coffee, 2 Free Street, in Portland, Maine, as part of the First Friday Art Walk.

Book Signing & Art Opening
Friday, May 1, 2009 (Art Walk)
5:00-8:00 PM (Open House)

The book is a must-have for social justice awareness, and the illustrations are fabulous. The event is a fundraiser for the Social Action Committee at the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church.

Here is a link for more information: CURIOUS CITY.

http://curiouscitycalendar.blogspot.com/2009/04/may-1-2009.html

The Almost Librarian

Valerie Baartz, grad school student and mother of two young children, has combined her background in Early Childhood Education, her work in Library Science, and her own experience to produce a snappy blog with great recommendations and comments about children's books. The site is chock-full of great links to early childhood sites, early literacy information, and reading lists. She recently featured my books, which I'm delighted to mention! Check out her site by clicking here: The Almost Librarian.