tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28988947883475860452024-03-13T05:57:15.815-05:00The Indigo QuillA Librarian's BlogThe Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.comBlogger331125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-66271879626232566662019-04-17T16:03:00.002-05:002020-02-03T09:14:42.951-06:00Review: We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines and Kids<div class="wg-blockq">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Title:</b> We Are the Gardeners</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Author:</b> Joanna Gaines and Kids</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Illustrator:</b> <a href="http://www.juliannaswaney.com/">Julianna Swaney</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Date: </b>March 26, 2019</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publisher:</b> Thomas Nelson</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Picture Book</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pages:</b> 40</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>ISBN: </b>1400314224</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Source:</b> Library/Purchased</span></div>
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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER<br />
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In We Are the Gardeners, Joanna and the kids chronicle the adventures of starting their own family garden. From their failed endeavors, obstacles to overcome (bunnies that eat everything!), and all the knowledge they've gained along the way, the Gaines family shares how they learned to grow a happy, successful garden. As it turns out, trying something new isn't always easy, but the hardest work often yields the greatest reward. There are always new lessons to be learned in the garden!<br />
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You and your children can learn all about the Gaines family's story of becoming gardeners in Joanna's first children’s book—starting with the first little fern Chip bought for Jo. Over the years, the family's love for gardening blossomed into what is now a beautiful, bustling garden.<br />
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Julianna Swaney’s illustrations bring the Gaines family garden to life with colorful, whimsical watercolors and invite you to enjoy the beauty of a thriving garden.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400314224/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_PF4TCbFE2J5FQ" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43544494-we-are-the-gardeners?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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Joanna Gaines is co-owner, co-founder and lead designer of Magnolia Homes, and previous co-stars in HGTV’s Fixer Upper with her husband Chip. She appreciates the old ways of living, simple and hard-working with home at the center. Joanna was born in Kansas and raised in the Lone Star State. She graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Communications and was inspired to join the world of design while interning in New York. Off-the-beaten-path boutiques felt like home in the midst of the big city. These shops were the influence for what came next. </div>
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Joanna decided to open her own shop in 2003, bringing her NYC-inspired ideas and eye for design back to her roots—Waco, Texas. She soon discovered this emerging passion complemented Chip’s experience, and together they began remodeling and flipping homes. Joanna self identifies as a driver, and takes pride in her work. But she also loves to have fun with Chip and appreciates his hilarious antics. </div>
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Joanna’s design preference is simple, fresh and timeless. She loves the use of industrial pieces that are a glimpse of how life used to be. Her specialty is making old things new and seeing the potential in every project-no matter how hopeless it may seem in the beginning. By preserving and highlighting the character of each home, Joanna keeps things original and one of a kind. Her passion is to create functional rooms that inspire and encourage others to own their space. </div>
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In between filming for Fixer Upper, their many renovation projects, and running Magnolia, Joanna enjoys life on the farm and spending time cooking family recipes in her kitchen. Gardening soothes her soul and being with her five kids dominates all other favorites.</div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="https://magnolia.com/">Magnolia</a></span> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magnolia/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MagnoliaMarket/">Facebook </a>| <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/themagnoliamom/">Pinterest</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/magnolia">Twitter</a></span></center>
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I had a rough weekend in the garden. I’d been planning a strategy since Fall and just finally started seeing my seeds sprouting in the greenhouse. Unfortunately, most of Middle Tennessee was under a wind advisory for the next 24 hours. I was inside the greenhouse when a major gust of wind came hurling against every solid object it could find. It became so windy, the above-ground pool lifted up and flew against the house.<br />
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It wasn't even ten minutes after sharing my excitement about my sprouts, the greenhouse starts crushing in on me. All of my seeds tipped over and spilled to the ground as I tried to hold the roof up while the metal bent. It felt like I was trapped in a tornado! After I got out, I just stood there in shock. My beautiful greenhouse and all of my plants were destroyed, and this wasn’t long after losing most of my childhood in the recent flood. I wasn't ready for another disappointment.<br />
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To cheer me up, my boyfriend surprised me with Joanna Gaines' new book, <i>We Are the Gardeners</i>. It had recently come across my desk (I was anticipating it), but I hadn’t gotten a chance to read it yet. I read through my gift copy and I can’t even tell you how much it encouraged me when I really needed it.<br />
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<i>We Are the Gardeners</i> tells the story of America's most beloved family's adventures in learning how to garden. Like most of us, it all began with a small house plant. In the case of the Gaines family, a fern that soon met its demise after being over-watered and overexposed to sunlight. Eventually, they bought a new fern and expanded to several houseplants (can't we all relate?) which inevitably inspired the beginnings of an outside garden.<br />
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As you journey with the Gaines children through their disappointments and lessons-learned, you are encouraged not to give up when you hit a snag in your plans.<br />
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<i>"We debated if we should just give up. Was it really worth it to start all over again? Then we remembered one very important detail:</i></div>
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<i>WE ARE THE GARDENERS.</i></div>
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<i>It was our responsibility not only to grow this garden but also to protect it" (Gaines 35).</i></div>
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It’s just a children’s picture book, but even at 31 years old it inspired me when I felt really bummed about my garden dreams being crushed. The message is sweet and inspiring for all ages.<br />
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In addition to the message, this is a beautiful book. Julianna Swaney's folk-style botanical designs are the perfect ornament to the narrative, making this an ideal gift book for aspiring gardeners.<br />
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<i>We Are the Gardeners</i> could not have landed in my hands at a more opportune time. I feel it will hold special meaning for me for years to come, especially as I rebirth my garden and watch it grow. I fell in love with it so much, I decided to read it for storytime the next day accompanied with DIY mini-greenhouses complete with flower seeds! My library families loved it.<br />
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If you're starting a family garden, or need an extra boost of encouragement during your own journey, pick up a copy of <i>We Are the Gardeners</i> by Joanna Gaines. You won't be disappointed!<br />
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Some of the wind damage: </div>
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Luckily, I have a 5 year warranty on it and was informed I can still get a full refund. Instead we'll be building a bigger, sturdier hoop house, which we weren't planning to do until next year. If you're curious about what that is or how to build one, check out <a href="https://youtu.be/i5Zn0nYTGHY">this video</a>. </div>
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If you'd like to see the press release for my Seed Library, you may find it <a href="https://www.t-g.com/story/2601535.html?fbclid=IwAR1ay0L40xjT2I_XAg-Y8N006BuryKXM4_4Kl2VjgLE9Sn7ix5_eiaBT8dM">HERE</a>.<br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-25389439996436246352019-04-09T04:00:00.000-05:002019-04-09T04:00:03.282-05:00Spotlight & Giveaway: The Haunting of Elmwood Manor (A Pekin Dewlap Mystery) by Pamelo McCord<div style="margin: 0 auto 15px; text-align: center;">
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<b>The Haunting of Elmwood Manor </b><br /><b>Pamela McCord </b><br />(a Pekin Dewlap Mystery)<br />Published by: Acorn Publishing<br />Publication date: March 1st 2019<br />Genres: Middle-Grade, Mystery<br />
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Pekin Dewlap hasn’t seen a ghost since she was twelve. But she’d do anything to get them back. Starting a ghostbusting business with her two best friends, Amber and Scout, seems like the perfect way to accomplish her goal. Of course, playing with ghosts isn’t high on their wish list, so Pekin has to do some arm-twisting to get them on board.<br />
Once committed, Pekin and her friends find themselves in deep, trying to solve the disappearance of fourteen-year-old Miranda Talbert. Miranda went missing in 1918, and her spirit has wandered the halls of Elmwood Manor for the last hundred years.<br />
In the midst of finding Miranda, discovering her budding feelings for Scout, and consoling a terrified Amber, Pekin is met by an angry ghost set on thwarting her plans. Will the Ghosties be able to help Miranda, or will Pekin’s business die before she solves the mystery?</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42770560-the-haunting-of-elmwood-manor-a-pekin-dewlap-mystery?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://books2read.com/u/mZLaZR?store=amazon" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130546375" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/the-haunting-of-elmwood-manor/id1452018257?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank">iBooks</a></div>
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Author Bio:<br />
Pam was born in Arkansas several decades ago. She’s not sure if that makes her a Southern Girl or if moving to Southern California when she was five revokes her Southern Girl card. She started writing later in life when she was challenged by a friend to create a book out of his story idea. Reaching the first 5,000 words was a milestone, but with time and hard work she managed to finish an entire book, much to her surprise. Since then, she’s written several novels, in several genres. Romance, middle grade and paranormal comprise most of her work. Pam has spent over 40 years working as a legal secretary at a law firm in Orange County, California. Aside from writing, she follows the stock market, buying, selling and trading stocks and options. In contrast to that, she loves trips to Las Vegas where she can spend many happy hours at the Pai Gow tables. She shares a condo with her very own My Cat From Hell TV star, Allie, who manages to exude just enough affection to make her scary feral ways tolerable.<br />
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<a href="https://www.pamelamccordbooks.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pamela.mccord.9" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div>
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-80083744118067679282019-04-08T04:00:00.000-05:002019-04-08T04:00:06.905-05:00Book Blitz & Giveaway: Bulwark by Brit Lunden<div style="margin: 0 auto 15px; text-align: center;">
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<b>Bulwark</b><br />
<b>Brit Lunden </b><br />
Publication date: January 24th 2018<br />
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Thriller<br />
<blockquote>
Clay Finnes is the sheriff of a small town in Georgia called Bulwark. Recently separated from his wife, all he can think about is what went wrong, and will Jenna ever come back to him. He’s troubled by a bothersome reporter trying to build a story from what he thinks is a normal day in his life. Clay has to admit that the fantastical stories, told by an accident victim as well as unusual sightings of wolves, things are getting a bit strange. A visit to the ominous Gingerbread House makes him realize that his life as he knows it will never be the same.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44764774-bulwark?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://books2read.com/u/b5xqV1?store=amazon" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bulwark-brit-lunden/1127784459" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/bulwark/id1332136576?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/bulwark" target="_blank">Kobo</a></div>
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<b>This book is part of the Bulwark anthology!</b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
—</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>EXCERPT:</b></div>
PRIMORDIAL SOUP<br />
“It’s like a primordial soup,” Clay Finnes muttered, his hands on his hips.<br />
“A primordial what?” Owen Bishop raised his hangdog face to look at the town sheriff.<br />
“Primordial, ancient, prehistoric . . .” Clay looked at the deputy’s blank face and finished with, “old . . . really, really old.”<br />
“Oh,” Owen shook his craggy head. His bulbous eyes looked like two hard-boiled eggs, and his hair was matted as if glued to the top of his round head. Owen never passed any of the tests allowing him to advance in the force. He was a deputy when Clay first got a job in Bulwark, right out of the army. As the promotions started coming, Clay eventually became his boss. He wondered if it bothered the older man to be taking direction from someone who had trained under him.<br />
“You mean like dinosaurs?” Owen scratched his head. “Dino . . . no . . . forget it, Owen. What else did the couple say?” He listened to Owen drone on about the car that was now sitting in the middle of the greenish pond.<br />
“Appears they were coming from the other side.” Owen pointed vaguely in the other direction.<br />
“How could they? There’s nothing there. That road’s been closed off for years.”<br />
Something was wrong. Clay wasn’t sure what, but a feeling of unease enveloped him until his body fairly vibrated with it.<br />
Clay looked up, his deep brown eyes scanning the thicket of trees surrounding the strange body of water that seemed to have appeared overnight. He crinkled his nose; the pond smelled pretty bad too. It was a greenish color, like dirty army fatigues. It seemed shallow. He resisted the urge to stick the toe of his boot in the water. It was still, the surface like polished glass. The Ford Fusion was trapped in what appeared to be the deepest part of the puddle, as if the driver had tried to speed through it. Clay estimated the brackish water was about two feet deep.<br />
“If they had skirted the edges, they would have made it through. He shoulda used the choke, probably got an entire engine full of water.” Once Owen started talking, he could go on about something forever.<br />
“Where the hell were they coming from?” Clay muttered to himself. He moved away as if to see through the gloom. “It’s a road that leads to nowhere.”<br />
He took off his hat, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. It was hotter than usual. No breeze ruffled the leafy trees or relieved the stifling humidity that made his shirt stick to his back.<br />
There was nothing—no sound, not the buzzing of bees or the droning sound of mosquitoes. Not a bird in sight or the croaking music of frogs in the late afternoon. When he got home, he’d mention it to Jenna—his wandering thoughts came to an abrupt halt. There would be no conversation. Jenna wasn’t there anymore. His family’s old farmhouse only had one occupant now. His wife had up and left him. Clay’s chest tightened, his throat closing up. His entire life changed and would never be the same. Losing Claire was just the beginning of the end. After that had happened, it was as though they were stuck in some nightmare and couldn’t get out.<br />
“Well,” Owen continued, oblivious to his boss’s distracted air. “The car hit the . . . um . . . water, at a high rate of speed, I think. It must’ve started to sink.”<br />
“It’s not deep enough to sink,” Clay watched his deputy scratch his bald head then turned to look at the enormous puddle. It covered the road from one end to the other. He chewed the inside of his cheek. He had to admit, it appeared larger than when he had arrived. It couldn’t be that deep, could it? Clay forced his attention back to Owen. It helped him stop thinking of his own life. “Where are they?”<br />
“Over at JB’s house. The wife’s pretty freaked out.”<br />
“JB?” Clay liked the retired football pro, had shared quite a few stories with the old vet.<br />
“Over what? The puddle?” The interruption came from Dayna Dalton, a reporter from the Bulwark Advance. She was walking toward them, a camera hung around her exposed neck, a spiral notebook clasped in her hand. “Think somebody dropped a load of waste here?”<br />
Clay looked at her. His cheek twitched. Her buttons straining, her clothes were so tight, they looked like they had been painted on her body. She shook her mane of red hair like an angry mare. He turned his gaze away, knowing it annoyed her. No matter how much she pranced around in her tight jeans, he wasn’t interested. She hadn’t done anything for him in high school, and she didn’t do anything for him now. Somehow, it never stopped her from trying to get him to notice her. Clay was tired of it. He sighed heavily.<br />
She came around the back of the car, moving into his personal space. For a minute, Clay thought about backing up, but damn it all, he was the sheriff. He stood his ground, daydreaming how Dayna would react if he threw her into the stinky, green lake that had seemingly developed overnight.<br />
Dayna repeated her comment about someone dropping waste. Clay shrugged indifferently then turned to Owen, ignoring her.<br />
He could feel her bristling but refused to move. He dug his feet in the dark soil, his arms folded over his chest. “JB see anything? Maybe notice something out of place?”<br />
Owen shook his head. “Nope. Nada. I asked. Been quiet. JB said this started small. Says he has a few pictures on his laptop he can send us.” Owen paused and then said, “Wait, he mentioned they had a wolf problem lately.”<br />
Clay looked at Owen sharply. “Wolves, there haven’t been—hey!”<br />
He saw Dayna take off, her feet scurrying around a clump of bushes.<br />
“Dayna!” Clay called after the reporter, who was dashing up the incline straight to JB Straton’s cabin.<br />
<br />
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<blockquote style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;">
Author Bio:<br />
Brit Lunden is also known as prolific children's author, Carole P. Roman. She has published over fifty books.<br />
Whether it's pirates, princesses, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children. She hosts two blog radio programs and is one of the founders of a new magazine, Indie Author's Monthly. She's been interviewed twice by Forbes Magazine. Carole has co-authored a self-help book, Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing.<br />
Bulwark is her first book of adult fiction.<br />
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<a href="https://www.britlunden.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17077291.Brit_Lunden" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/britlunden" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/britlunden" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-56719572741714419442019-04-04T04:00:00.000-05:002019-04-04T04:00:01.339-05:00Book Blitz: Ruins of Fate (The Omni Towers, Prequel) by Jamie A. Waters<div style="margin: 0 auto 15px; text-align: center;">
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<b>Ruins of Fate </b><br /><b>Jamie A. Waters </b><br />(The Omni Towers, Prequel)<br />Publication date: April 4th 2019<br />Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic<br />
<blockquote>
One wrong decision, and the future will crumble…<br />
Skye Levanthe traded everything she owned in order to secure a place for herself and her son, Veridian, in a scavenging camp.<br />
But all contracts have an expiration date.<br />
Desperate to obtain the resources they need to survive, Skye agreed to navigate the dangerous ruins of fallen cities to search for tradeable materials. When a strange storm forced Skye and her scavenging partner into forbidden territory controlled by The Omni Towers, a ruin collapsed, nearly taking their lives and destroying countless others.<br />
Only one other person survived the ruin collapse: a mysterious young girl named Kayla.<br />
Faced with the decision to save her son or abandon her new foster daughter to a terrible fate, Skye agreed to the only possible course of action—to go into exile and take on the Omni traders in their own den.<br />
No one ever said survival would be easy.<br />
And every choice has consequences.</blockquote>
<div style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44211487-ruins-of-fate?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://books2read.com/u/bQxN6v?store=amazon" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130789995?ean=2940156503186" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ruins-of-fate/id1455178385?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4" target="_blank">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/ruins-of-fate-1" target="_blank">Kobo</a> / <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=NjOLDwAAQBAJ" target="_blank">Google Play</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
—</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>EXCERPT:</b></div>
Another gust of wind kicked up, throwing her off balance. The antenna whipped out of her hand and she fell backward, tumbling off the edge of the lookout and onto the roof. A scream ripped out of her throat. Skye scrambled, grabbing at anything to stop her rapid descent as she slid down the roof and toward the ground.<br />
Her fingers brushed against an exposed metal beam, and she bit back a curse as the jagged edge cut through her gloves and into the meat of her hands. Grabbing it, she struggled against the pain to hold on. The roof underneath her boots gave way and fell inward. She gripped the beam tightly, trying desperately to pull herself back up.<br />
“Skye!” Leo shouted over her headset.<br />
Reaching out with her other hand, Skye tried to find purchase on the roof. Her feet flailed, but there was nothing beneath her. Between her angle and the slope of the roof, it was impossible to pull herself back up.<br />
“I can’t hold on, Leo,” she managed, trying to suppress the panic rising inside her. She couldn’t die. Not like this.<br />
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<blockquote style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;">
Author Bio:<br />
Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning writer of science-fiction and fantasy romance. Her first novel was a winner of the Readers' Favorite Award in Science-Fiction/Fantasy Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science-Fiction. <br />
Jamie currently resides in Florida with two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks. When she's not pursuing her passion of writing, she's usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading on her Kindle, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.<br />
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<a href="https://www.jamieawaters.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/jamieawaters" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/booksbyjamiewaters/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/jawatersbooks" target="_blank">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jamie-a-waters" target="_blank">Bookbub</a> / <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jamie-A.-Waters/e/B00JXT4VTK/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mCsntgDi-bFVySDwxLhgw" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div>
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-31760927589889445592018-12-29T16:27:00.002-06:002023-06-08T15:20:52.679-05:00Review: Tales from a Forager's Kitchen: The Ultimate Field Guide to Evoke Curiosity and Wonderment with More Than 80 Recipes and Foraging Tips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37534739">Tales from a Forager's Kitchen: The Ultimate Field Guide to Evoke Curiosity and Wonderment with More Than 80 Recipes and Foraging Tips</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17495294">Johnna Holmgren</a><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">My rating: </span><img border="0" data-original-height="26" data-original-width="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWixP07NWzMVfsXnw9k_gZNUsYIF1_icJ-JYd9lqrOqSW0MktgCBjfl1PEVMKWA4mBE5aU3UX-fAQPu9CVRX0oDJflWyFQJCU82Wtn7ZvTsqqhzowd0eNUR8brOYSItnBXD27VLQyR_V4/s1600/Ratings4.png" style="text-align: center;" /><br />
<br />
I have been wanting to review this book for a while, but due to the circumstances surrounding its publication and pulling it off the shelves I wanted to truly take time to absorb its contents and research its legitimacy.<br />
<br />
First, I would like to preface this with my own credentials: I have been reviewing books since 2013, I am a librarian, a closet writer, an herbalist, a forager, and teach foraging classes to families. I am NOT a medical doctor, health practitioner, or health professional that obtains the right to diagnose, treat, or act as a nutritionist. <br />
<br />
After months of observing the build up and unfortunate downfall of this title, I've sat on the outside of its structure and watched it burn not from the inside out, but the outside in. It was set ablaze by some ruthless reviewers, and sadly the publisher made a drastic move to erase it from history. I am appalled at the way some of these reviews had been drafted. If you are a seasoned reviewer, you understand the general rule is to respectfully and professionally conduct your reviews in a way that does not damage the author's reputation, or in this case, their life. Not to mention reviewing a book in all caps lock is messy, amateur, and shouldn't be taken seriously. Because of the carelessness of these reviews, an author's life and the life of their family (including young children) was horribly affected. However, the entire fiasco raises a very important question: <b>Should foraging books be treated the same as cookbooks?</b><br />
<br />
The major claim about this book is that it is unsafe and could even be deadly for users. Here's the thing: <b>ALL foraging books contain toxic components.</b> Yes, even books by rockstar herbalists like Rosemary Gladstar, David Winston, Dina Falconi, and Michael Moore. Any field guide you pick up will have deadly or toxic plants and will not always list precautions. To prove my point further, I went through some of my other books and looked up the same plants people were upset about, and was provided the same amount of information found in Ms. Holmgren's book. In many books, you will not find the proper way to prepare elderberry to remove the toxic coating before consumption. In fact, I only found this information in <b>one</b> book, and that was the curriculum I use to teach foraging to children. <br />
<br />
Why the lack of vital life-or-death information in all these books, you may ask? Because <b>the number one rule of herbalism is that it is the forager's responsibility to research and understand their plants so they may be safely consumed.</b> No one else is responsible for what you put in your mouth. There are thousands of cookbooks on the market filled with ingredients that will slowly kill you by clogging your arteries, and people still continue to purchase and use them. If you buy a foraging book and blindly start whipping up recipes from ingredients you picked from outdoors without truly understanding what you are using, how you are using it, and why, then you are putting yourself at risk as a result of negligence. Foraging requires a lot of background work that is absolutely <i>required</i> for your own safety. That is why foragers, including Johnna Holmgren herself, come with a disclaimer. Holmgren's disclaimer states on her website, <i>"While I strive to be 100% accurate, it is solely up to the reader to ensure proper plant identification. Some wild plants are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects. I am not a health professional, medical doctor, nor a nutritionist. It is up to the reader to verify nutritional information and health benefits with qualified professionals for all edible plants listed in this web site and any published content."</i><br />
<br />
Some reviews I have read make some pretty blind claims as to the plants they are considering "deadly." For instance, morels. Herbalists will tell you time and time again, DO NOT eat plants unless you are 1000% sure you have it properly identified or know how to prepare it. That being said, plants come in many species and genus (families) with both edible and poisonous family members, morels being one of them. In the wild, you may encounter True Morels (members of the genus <i>Morchella</i>) and False Morels (members of the genus <i>Helvellaceae</i>). The two may be confused by someone who has never set eyes on morels before, but true morels are a very common edible fungi used for cooking. Very much like elderberry (another plant that caused uproar due to a smoothie recipe in the book), if I were to eat it raw in large amounts I could get ill. Should you eat morels raw? I would not advise it, especially because raw mushrooms contain mild toxins that can build up in the system over time or give you digestive issues within hours, but it's no different than consuming a raw potato, apple seeds, or too many cloves. As for the recipe that called for raw elderberries, the small amount required is not dangerous. To be safe, cook the berries. Most recipes I've seen in books will not tell you this. The recipe requires the elderberries to be frozen, thus I would hope you would've taken care of this part before you stick them in your freezer. <br />
<br />I<b>t is solely YOUR responsibility to know how to prepare and consume the food you put in your mouth.</b><br />
<br />
Next, let's talk about the publisher, Rodale Books. Was the publisher right in pulling the book from the shelves? I don't know all the elements that went into recalling the book, so I can't make a fair assessment. However, I believe a big part of the problem began with the editing process. I understand editors are not going to be educated on every topic they are given, but back to what I mentioned in the beginning, I would hope with a book like this some foundational rules would be set in place. If the readers are responsible for researching their ingredients, editors should be as well. I also don't know how many galleys went out or to whom galleys were delivered to, but this would be an opportunity to fill in those unknown gaps by allowing readers a sneak peak before the final edits. In my own opinion, I believe the recall was hasty. <br />
<br />
Aside from all of the uproar, I think this is a beautiful book with some awesome recipes. It has some great tips, and Holmgren includes a lot of the health benefits within a small narrative accompanying each recipe. As with <b>any other foraging book,</b> I recommend familiarizing yourself with the world of herbalism. Grab a journal, and get to know the plants before you begin using them. Research every plant in a recipe before you make that recipe. Understand the benefits, side effects, preparation, precautions, and even how those plants mix with any medications you are taking. <b>Foraging books are not in the same league as cookbooks.</b> I believe this is the biggest misguided assumption that was made about this book. Should Johnna Holmgren be held responsible for withholding safety information in her recipes? Sure, but so should the reader be held responsible for knowing what they are consuming. So should the editor be responsible for understanding what it is they are editing. <br />
<br />
I would love to see the publisher give this book a second chance with an updated, well-edited edition. There is nothing like it on the market that I have seen, but unfortunately, you will simply have to take my word for it.<br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-26350669705428767982018-12-29T09:21:00.001-06:002018-12-29T09:21:39.479-06:00Review: Sustainable Home: Practical projects, tips and advice for maintaining a more eco-friendly household
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38526343" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1539750695m/38526343.jpg" border="0" alt="Sustainable Home: Practical projects, tips and advice for maintaining a more eco-friendly household" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38526343">Sustainable Home: Practical projects, tips and advice for maintaining a more eco-friendly household</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18212880">Christine Liu</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2644351412">3 of 5 stars</a>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2644351412">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-60369316005793239042018-11-28T08:59:00.001-06:002018-11-28T08:59:28.485-06:00Review: Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373587" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521258515m/36373587.jpg" border="0" alt="Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373587">Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17212210">Linda Kay Klein</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2548094008">4 of 5 stars</a>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2548094008">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-29001833014492921412018-11-28T08:58:00.001-06:002018-11-28T08:58:39.089-06:00Review: I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068432" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499131009m/35068432.jpg" border="0" alt="I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068432">I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16819959">Michelle McNamara</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2492354507">5 of 5 stars</a>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2492354507">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-14255552943173315172018-11-03T16:20:00.002-05:002018-11-07T15:48:49.036-06:00Herb Fairies: Lemon Balm<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sbcplibrary.org/">Shelbyville-Bedford County Public Library</a> and <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Herbalism is one of many hobbies that I'm passionate about. I've always preferred the outdoors, but as I've gotten older, my imagination that used to conjure fairies and gnomes (and sometimes still does) has learned that personifying plants may not be too far-fetched. I love to watch documentaries, and after checking out titles such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Attenborough">David Attenborough's</a> The Private Life of Plants and <a href="http://a.co/d/fM5p69P">Nature: What Plants Talk About</a> from my local library, I became enchanted by the life around us that is often overlooked. With increasing concerns over the food we put in our bodies and the growing rate of poverty, I decided to begin harvesting my own food and medicines (within reason). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In addition to this program, I have also developed a Seed Library to encourage a more sustainable community. So far, the response has been positive and I have received an increasing number of participants in the exchange. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Herb Fairies came about during some research I was doing. The family-owned company is called <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a> and they developed this amazing learning system with Herbalists <a href="https://theherbalacademy.com/author/kbrown/">Kristine Brown</a> and <a href="https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/">Rosalee de la Foret</a> for kids to learn about safely foraging plants they likely come across every day. There is a book series that pairs with the curriculum to make the lessons entertaining and are delivered to you in various formats, including audiobook, ebook, and print (when offered). Materials include, crafts, recipes (food and medicinal), materia medica, songs, activities, journals, calendars, and more. The information is so rich, I can only hope to skim the surface in one hour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I focus on four of the five senses. How may kids learn about this plant through touch, smell, taste, and sight? It is through our senses we create memories, and through this method I have had several parents tell me how excited their children get when they start identifying the plants in their yards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>It is important to note that teaching herbalism is NOT giving medical advice. It is not to encourage families to avoid seeking medical attention when needed. There is a note that comes in the kit that should be distributed to parents about the safety of proper identification and consumption of plants. You may want to produce a contract for parents to sign. </b>Before every class I make every child raise their right hand and promise they will not eat any plants without asking an adult first. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>One last thing:</i> before distributing materials, please be sure to give credit where credit is due. I always tell parents how they can go more in depth by purchasing the system for themselves, and be sure to follow copyright laws when handing out resources. Libraries are permitted to circulate the <a href="https://www.herbalrootszine.com/product/annual-subscription/">Herbal Roots Zine</a> as part of the collection, and we have subscribed to the zine for easy access and expansion beyond the 13 original plants presented in the books. To aid in memorizing plants and their uses even further, I created <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dJzKD1DPBWYZjV6FFcIMHXDqeaxrDNhI/view?usp=sharing">flash cards</a> (all artwork is property of <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a>) that I hand out for each plant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://learningherbs.com/herb-fairies/">Click here to learn more about Herb Fairies and how to purchase your kit.</a></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Each book takes less than 30 minutes to read and will help children understand how each plant may be applicable in real-life situations. Per LearningHerbs.com:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><i>Each of the 13 Herb Fairies books has a story of its own, but they’re all connected to tell the much bigger story of a time when the plant magic was fading from the world. </i><i>When four young friends discover an herb fairy at the park, they are drawn into a healing adventure beyond their wildest dreams. </i></div>
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<i>The Old Man of the Forest has cast a terrible spell, locking up much of the plant magic and draining the magic from the world. The Herb Fairies turn to the children for help, and they all discover that only by working together and healing the magic keepers from all of the different magical races can the magic be fully restored.</i>"</div>
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A key element in the storyline is the discovery of a creature's name through riddles that surface each time an ailment is healed. The name discovered in the first book is <i>Play</i>. I like talking about the names and why they are important. It's a simple way of adding a short lesson on character.<br />
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<b>USING YOUR SENSES</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">My neighbor, who was a friend of mine before I moved into my house, is also a forager and we spend a lot of afternoons walking around our yards identifying and taste-testing plants. The mint family is a fun one to study because there are just so many members in the mint family! Between the two of us, my neighbor and I were able to come up with a few different types of mint so my kids could compare them to lemon balm.</span></div>
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We began by smelling the plant to see if it had any kind of aromatics. Lemon balm is a good one for this because you can compare the scent with peppermint, spearmint, perilla, etc. The "lemon" in lemon balm is what sets it apart from the rest.</div>
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<b style="text-align: start;">TASTING - Lemon Balm Tea</b></div>
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<i style="text-align: start;">Learning Herbs Recipes - Lemon Balm</i><br />
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As kids arrived at their seats, they had a cup of lemon balm tea I had brewed at home with fresh lemon balm leaves, dried rose hips, lavender (the recipe calls for oat straw, but I did not have any), and honey. I also froze lemon balm leaves in ice cubes to drop in. Some kids enjoyed it, others didn't. The drink itself is very refreshing and calming while cooling the body. Great for Summer! Here's how to make it (original recipe from <i>Learning Herbs Recipes - Lemon Balm</i>)</div>
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<i>Ingredients: </i></div>
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2 Loosely packed cups of chopped fresh lemon balm leaves</div>
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OR</div>
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4 TBS of dried lemon balm leaves</div>
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1/2C dried oatstraw</div>
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1/4C dried rose hips</div>
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Hot water</div>
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Honey</div>
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Half gallon jar (or other container)</div>
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Add herbs to a half gallon jar. Fill with hot water and let steep for 20 minutes.</div>
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Strain off leaves and add honey to taste.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>CRAFTY MEDICINE - Lemon Balm Lip Balm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Taken from Herbal Roots Zine: Volume 1 Issue 9</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This time, our craft and medicine came together in the form of a lip balm. This lip balm is great for cold sores, and of course, general moisture. The first part of the recipe you will want to do at home since I'm assuming you won't have an extra 2 hours for your program to allow the lemon balm to infuse into your oil/shea butter mix</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And although it's a last resort, if you need to use a microwave to assist you in melting things down in a timely manner, it isn't the end of the world. If you do not have one nearby, you may want to melt things down before your program and do this part at the beginning.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">Materials:</i></span><br />
1/2C Lemon balm leaves</div>
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1oz almond or jojoba or mix</div>
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1oz Shea butter</div>
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1oz beeswax</div>
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1/4tsp Honey</div>
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1/8tsp Vitamin E</div>
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Lemon, rosemary, or lavender essential oil</div>
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12-24 Lip balm containers</div>
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Double boiler</div>
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In a double boiler, combine lemon balm, almond/jojoba, and shea butter. Gently heat for about 2 hours to infuse lemon balm in oil. Do not let the oil boil! Strain out the lemon balm leaves and return the oil mixture to the double boiler.</div>
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Add beeswax and let melt. Add honey, vitamin E oil, and 10 drops of essential oil of choice and stir well. Pour into containers and allow to cool.</div>
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Don't forget your labels (a simple "Lemon Balm Lip Balm" will do)!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>PLAY</b></span><br />
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To revisit our keyword for this lesson's book, <i>Play</i>, I brought out a game for us to play at the end. This was just an extra I got free with a book order; you could use anything you wanted. </div>
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If you've ever played "Heads Up!" made famous by Ellen DeGeneres, this is a very simplified version. One kid holds a card up to their head, not knowing what is on it, and has to ask questions until they guess what is on the card. Kids had a lot of fun ending the program this way!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>RECEPTION: </b>In terms of recipes, lemon balm is a very easy herb that pairs with many things. In terms of crafts, I struggled with this one and that's why I combined the craft and medicine into the lip balm. Lip balm isn't very showy as it is aromatic, so you could make cards like you did with plantain or just make another recipe. </span></div>
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-89148241733278527812018-10-31T14:56:00.000-05:002018-11-07T15:49:08.155-06:00Herb Fairies: Plantain<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sbcplibrary.org/">Shelbyville-Bedford County Public Library</a> and <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Herbalism is one of many hobbies that I'm passionate about. I've always preferred the outdoors, but as I've gotten older, my imagination that used to conjure fairies and gnomes (and sometimes still does) has learned that personifying plants may not be too far-fetched. I love to watch documentaries, and after checking out titles such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Attenborough">David Attenborough's</a> The Private Life of Plants and <a href="http://a.co/d/fM5p69P">Nature: What Plants Talk About</a> from my local library, I became enchanted by the life around us that is often overlooked. With increasing concerns over the food we put in our bodies and the growing rate of poverty, I decided to begin harvesting my own food and medicines (within reason). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In addition to this program, I have also developed a Seed Library to encourage a more sustainable community. So far, the response has been positive and I have received an increasing number of participants in the exchange. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Herb Fairies came about during some research I was doing. The family-owned company is called <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a> and they developed this amazing learning system with Herbalists <a href="https://theherbalacademy.com/author/kbrown/">Kristine Brown</a> and <a href="https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/">Rosalee de la Foret</a> for kids to learn about safely foraging plants they likely come across every day. There is a book series that pairs with the curriculum to make the lessons entertaining and are delivered to you in various formats, including audiobook, ebook, and print (when offered). Materials include, crafts, recipes (food and medicinal), materia medica, songs, activities, journals, calendars, and more. The information is so rich, I can only hope to skim the surface in one hour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I focus on four of the five senses. How may kids learn about this plant through touch, smell, taste, and sight? It is through our senses we create memories, and through this method I have had several parents tell me how excited their children get when they start identifying the plants in their yards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>It is important to note that teaching herbalism is NOT giving medical advice. It is not to encourage families to avoid seeking medical attention when needed. There is a note that comes in the kit that should be distributed to parents about the safety of proper identification and consumption of plants. You may want to produce a contract for parents to sign. </b>Before every class I make every child raise their right hand and promise they will not eat any plants without asking an adult first. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>One last thing:</i> before distributing materials, please be sure to give credit where credit is due. I always tell parents how they can go more in depth by purchasing the system for themselves, and be sure to follow copyright laws when handing out resources. Libraries are permitted to circulate the <a href="https://www.herbalrootszine.com/product/annual-subscription/">Herbal Roots Zine</a> as part of the collection, and we have subscribed to the zine for easy access and expansion beyond the 13 original plants presented in the books. To aid in memorizing plants and their uses even further, I created <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dJzKD1DPBWYZjV6FFcIMHXDqeaxrDNhI/view?usp=sharing">flash cards</a> (all artwork is property of <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a>) that I hand out for each plant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://learningherbs.com/herb-fairies/">Click here to learn more about Herb Fairies and how to purchase your kit.</a></span></div>
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Each book takes less than 30 minutes to read and will help children understand how each plant may be applicable in real-life situations. Per LearningHerbs.com:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><i>Each of the 13 Herb Fairies books has a story of its own, but they’re all connected to tell the much bigger story of a time when the plant magic was fading from the world. </i><i>When four young friends discover an herb fairy at the park, they are drawn into a healing adventure beyond their wildest dreams. </i></div>
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<i>The Old Man of the Forest has cast a terrible spell, locking up much of the plant magic and draining the magic from the world. The Herb Fairies turn to the children for help, and they all discover that only by working together and healing the magic keepers from all of the different magical races can the magic be fully restored.</i>"</div>
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A key element in the storyline is the discovery of a creature's name through riddles that surface each time an ailment is healed. The name discovered in the first book is <i>Inspiration</i>. I like talking about the names and why they are important. It's a simple way of adding a short lesson on character.<br />
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For <i>Inspiration</i> we did a short acronym activity where I provided a piece of paper that had "INSPIRATION" typed out on the side in colorful letters, and kids wrote something that inspired them that began with each letter. You may need to give them a few ideas and simplify the term a bit.<br />
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<b>USING YOUR SENSES</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">No, we are not talking about the small banana plantain. Broadleaf Plantain is very easy to find almost all year and is likely a "weed" you see all the time. It tends to hang out where there's a lot of traffic (walking, parking, etc.). It's very hardy and can is a highly medicinal plant that can be used in many ways. </span><span style="background-color: white;">With the help of </span><i>Herbal Roots Zine: Volume 1 Issue 5</i><span style="background-color: white;"> we worked through how to identify the Plantago Major species of plantain. The Zines have worksheets and puzzles that I print off for plant identification and exercises. Going through the sheets takes a bit of time, so the more you can allow kids to connect what the paper says to the actual plant, the better. However, you may not always be able to get the fresh herb and that is perfectly okay.</span><br />
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We began by smelling the plant to see if it had any kind of aromatics. Some plants are more obvious than others (mint, lavender, chamomile, etc.) and at times you can use the sense of smell to determine if you're dealing with a look-alike or not. Plantain is not a plant that has a strong, distinctive scent.<br />
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<b style="text-align: start;">TASTING - Plantain, Orange, and Mint Butter</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><i>Taken from Herb Fairies Recipes - Plantain</i></span></div>
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I did not take a picture of this, but each child had a small piece of bread at their seat and some pre-made plantain, orange, and mint butter. Very much like the violet oil, I also simulated how I made the butter in front of everyone, but this time I let them put the ingredients in themselves.<br />
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We did not eat the butter we made together for sanitary reasons, but they were still able to taste the mixture I made at home. <b>Be sure to disclose ingredients in any food you prepare in case anyone has allergies.</b><br />
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Above I've included the recipe from the plantain booklet in the kit in case you'd like to give this one a try. After this, we tried the plantain leaves by themselves. As usual, some kids loved it and others didn't care for it by itself.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>CRAFT - Greeting Card</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Taken from Herbal Roots Zine: Volume 1 Issue 5</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Materials:</i></span></span><br />
Plantain leaves<br />
White or pastel tissue paper<br />
Crayons and/or colored pencils<br />
Scissors<br />
Paper or cardstock cut and folded to make cards<br />
Stickers or extra pieces of paper to decorate<br />
Glue stick<br />
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I slacked on getting photos from this class, so I hope you can bear with me.<br />
Plantain doesn't seem like a very pretty plant to make a card out of, but you can still get creative and make it look nice.<br />
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Place the leaves bottom side up under the tissue paper and rub over the top gently with a crayon or colored pencil.<br />
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Cut the leave shapes out and glue them on the front of the cards. Underneath, write the Latin name of the plant (Plantago Major). Then decorate or write on the inside to give to someone or keep.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>MEDICINE - Plantain Infusion</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Taken from Herbal Roots Zine: Volume 1 Issue 5</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Materials:</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 Cup Fresh Plantain Leaved (1/4 Cup Dried)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Electric Tea Kettle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Quart jar w/lid (I use various sizes of these <a href="http://a.co/d/jhZN1YN">glass teapots</a> instead)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ladle or Serving Spoon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Strainer</span><br />
Hot pad<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This class was I decided to introduce kids to<i> infusions</i>. If you've ever made tea, then you've practically made an infusion. Making an herbal infusion is very nourishing and allows us to extract vitamins and minerals that aren't usually taken from teas or extracts. It works from the inside out and pairs well for an ailment that is also being treated from the outside with, say, a poultice. Infusions are a good addition to anyone's daily diet and the recommended amount for kids to drink is 2-4 cups a day (3-4 cups a day for adults). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You may make the infusion ahead of time since it takes 6-8 hours to steep and have them drink it during the class, and/or demonstrate in front of everyone and give them some to take home.</span><br />
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Fill your tea kettle with enough water to fill your quart jar. Bring it to a boil.<br />
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While it is heating up, place the plantain leaves in the bottom of the jar. Place a ladle or serving spoon in the jar (this helps to keep it from breaking).<br />
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Once the water has come to a boil, pour it into the jar.<br />
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Cover the top except for the space held by the ladle. Once it cools enough, remove the ladle and screw the lit on completely.<br />
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Let the infusion steep for 6-8 hours. Strain off the leaves and compost them if able.<br />
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Your infusion can be drank hot or cold and will last for 2 days. Keep refrigerated.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's always important to label your creations, so on our labels we wrote what we put in our infusion (Fresh Plantain) and the date.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>RECEPTION: </b>Plantain is one of the most unsung heroes of health I know of. Before I knew what it was capable of, I also only saw it as a pesky weed that would pop up in the most random places. It's another one of those you don't realize how much you see it until you begin paying attention to it. Watch your families come back and tell you how much they see plantain after attending your program!</span><br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-74011978483338110942018-10-25T19:08:00.000-05:002018-10-31T12:17:36.763-05:00World Travelers: Italy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzKXlnL11-qsM3j2Yoap4rfhyS_fZm6mp7s8blW7a6tzEjO3HpksFaykunaZUWtdwVTu2c9yLZK8otYuPeShFGkUcYkxHqIlmvATAGfjmwz66UIKKSlWy3VI-n7trOBSEzkig0pUyUpY/s1600/World+Travelers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzKXlnL11-qsM3j2Yoap4rfhyS_fZm6mp7s8blW7a6tzEjO3HpksFaykunaZUWtdwVTu2c9yLZK8otYuPeShFGkUcYkxHqIlmvATAGfjmwz66UIKKSlWy3VI-n7trOBSEzkig0pUyUpY/s320/World+Travelers.png" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Image property of <a href="http://www.sbcplibrary.org/">Shelbyville-Bedford County Public Library</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>World Travelers: Italy</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Grades K-5</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">My
goal with this series is to bridge cultural gaps in children's
literacy. I also learn about the
countries in the process, and even the parents get involved with asking
questions. Sometimes I bring in a special guest or two that has lived or
visited that specific country and they tell about their experiences and
share items from there. The more this program develops, the better it
gets!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://youtu.be/0Yf_Et_mbbw">MUSIC</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8472114-lis-ann---the-indigo-quill?shelf=italy">BOOKS</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/TheIndigoQuill/library-program-italy/">CRAFTS</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">PPTs available upon <a href="mailto:info@theindigoquill.com">request</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9KvUqGxtnK2nkoBE8gByBYswyUUldMBFbxgyd1YkI-fHxi0AjLcVQ5SPOCYD1Vj5mFQam84vDPgvGJdzCjdb8IC3zhPbXfDl_jzx7nfaw60estvZdggfmGO1yQ7JE875_swK3FHCHzA/s1600/QuillLine.png" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Each child that attends gets a passport. </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">I
created a template to save ink, then filled in the space with the
airplane and the quote with stamps. The inside pages are from </span><a href="http://guesthollow.com/store/shop/printable-pretend-passport/">this template</a><span style="color: #0b5394;">,
and each time a child comes to the program, they get a special stamp on
the inside. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV56NlqGyZ-WWLiIYg-1pNMUZzZKyUdlz8edFOBEXEgNH8BF8zCT251XRvaQ2-59zmcOMwz8OHUesSn7L1FYQ5jxGKZ8h4h_Wzl_e33ka4Gu5uWY3ChnaU0gtXM8pWTRdQd-AWuJFImY/s320/IMG_7067.jpg" width="266" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>MUSIC</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">I found this snazzy playlist of traditional Italian music on <a href="https://youtu.be/0Yf_Et_mbbw">YouTube</a>. It played in the background during the program.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>OPENER</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I've began showing a PowerPoint presentation at the very beginning. I find this visual to be much more helpful in connecting images and new information. My assistant and I also dress up in traditional clothing to show the types of fashion that were popular through time and classes. After this particular country, I decided it was time to bring the snood back for bad hair days!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>SCAVENGER HUNT</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Each child received a page of questions and had to find the answers hidden around the library. Here are some random facts I used:</span></span></div>
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<li><i>Italy, also known as Repubblica Italiana (Italian Republic) or Italia, also has been nicknamed 'Bel Paese' which means “beautiful country.”</i></li>
<li><i>While the official language is Italian,
many areas can also speak German, French and Ladin (a dialect mainly spoken in
the Dolomite Mountains in Northern Italy), which sounds closer to Romansh of
Switzerland than Italian.</i><i> </i></li>
<li><i>The colors of Italy’s flag represent
these virtues: hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).</i></li>
<li><i>The name Italy comes from the word
italia, meaning “calf land,” maybe this was because the bull was a symbol of
the Southern Italian tribes.</i></li>
<li><i>Italy's first societies emerged around
1200 B.C. Around 800 B.C. Greeks settled in the south and Etruscans arose in
central Italy. </i></li>
<li><i>Family is very important in Italy and
the Italians celebrate loads of holidays. They all get together and eat large
meals. The two most important holidays are Christmas and Ferragosto, on 15th
August, when everyone heads to the beach</i></li>
<li><i>Italy is known for its scientists as it
is for its artists. Leonardo da Vinci was the first to prove the world is round
and not flat. Alessandro Volta was the pioneer who did studies in
electricity, hence the name 'Volt' describing a unit of electricity.</i></li>
<li><i>Rome was the capital of the Roman
Empire, which started in 753 B.C, spreading from Europe to northern Africa, and
lasted until 476 A.D., for over 1200 years!</i></li>
<li><i>Italy has many earthquakes and volcanoes
due to the conflict between the Eurasian and the African tectonic plates. The
volcanoes Etna and Vesuvius are a constant danger to humans due to their
closeness to big cities.</i></li>
<li><i>Italy was the birthplace of the
Renaissance, which was a period of great cultural achievements in poetry,
painting and architecture. Famous artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael,
Donatello, and Leonardo Da Vinci were part of the Renaissance.</i></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">ACTIVITY STATIONS</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Each
station has a description of the history and uniqueness of the specific
craft they are making. I also provide examples as well.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Gondola</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">One of the first things people associate with Italy is gondolas! This was an easy craft I was able to print off via <a href="https://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/gondola-coloring-page/#sthash.t6YLeOrJ.dpbs">Crayola</a>. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Carnival Mask</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In honor of the Carnival of Venice, we made masks from hand tracings. Carnival masks go far back in history for the Italians, and can be fun for all ages.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Materials:</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Construction paper in various colors</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Dowel rods</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Washi tape</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Glitter glue and/or stickers to decorate with</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Pencil</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Scissors (although I would recommend ripping instead, to create that blurry Monet effect)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Tape</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>Roman Helmet</b></span></div>
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Taking note of the influence the Roman Empire had on garb (especially armor), I decided to include a helmet craft. Kids enjoyed decorating their own helmets and wearing them for historical role play. Find printables <a href="http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/romanimperialhelmet.html">here</a>.<br />
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<span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrtl9abbJA_pSSj5aBSsaMwbdngldHTAWq0R5FLL0ABweQq8h69JUE-a3EQBKBA3Lv4D39qPWo7WDyazUuXm7zo_8Ga2PxVVaFzDWP6TWRgyvPmv34ABB9-EnMaUVs5IdtlIw_yjr63Q/s1600/IMG_9859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="1600" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrtl9abbJA_pSSj5aBSsaMwbdngldHTAWq0R5FLL0ABweQq8h69JUE-a3EQBKBA3Lv4D39qPWo7WDyazUuXm7zo_8Ga2PxVVaFzDWP6TWRgyvPmv34ABB9-EnMaUVs5IdtlIw_yjr63Q/s320/IMG_9859.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>Catapult</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">As a lover of Renaissance Faires, I had to include one of my favorite takeaways from last year's Middle TN Faire...a mini catapult! I honestly could have set this thing in the middle of the room and had nothing else. By the end of the program, everyone just wanted to shoot things at the wall!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoZokXM3oXByN_OjqaR5QB1LGWtUIX5BZC-Ioe0GCtFuMKb8A3PQUvWd4JkVzSxls4b2Z35QTZNFIqxHrKVhHJLozptIcgB6vO5jaYLFpyZCTjnN1WGxKXZ0LocDU8Z0wNkEd4R7bPrI/s1600/IMG_9856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoZokXM3oXByN_OjqaR5QB1LGWtUIX5BZC-Ioe0GCtFuMKb8A3PQUvWd4JkVzSxls4b2Z35QTZNFIqxHrKVhHJLozptIcgB6vO5jaYLFpyZCTjnN1WGxKXZ0LocDU8Z0wNkEd4R7bPrI/s320/IMG_9856.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMI8VXyRMYdDjcB_y0Rf__EcJvx72a8UDFSjvPIKPWHzGF1TnkgJ5iVja7pXqq9Ch6k2y_Js3wzSiFccJ8G_eNCJa53apphRD59LUVZSvlaHH6_Kh-DmnfQHfU1_TBths7_kUXYNX7FWE/s1600/IMG_9858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMI8VXyRMYdDjcB_y0Rf__EcJvx72a8UDFSjvPIKPWHzGF1TnkgJ5iVja7pXqq9Ch6k2y_Js3wzSiFccJ8G_eNCJa53apphRD59LUVZSvlaHH6_Kh-DmnfQHfU1_TBths7_kUXYNX7FWE/s320/IMG_9858.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>RECEPTION: </b>Italy was one of my favorite programs so far, especially since I was able to emphasize the renaissance. I will note, this is also a good time to use the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to talk about renaissance art (I provided this information in the PowerPoint and coloring pages). And if you decide to teach Italy, be sure to have a catapult handy (and plenty of armor)! </span><br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-67310349935596681522018-10-18T11:21:00.000-05:002018-11-07T15:49:22.920-06:00Herb Fairies: Violet<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1dMJ6ep6dDHPcUJBmSq-KW9mAkw59yzD3lYYs6e2YJFeFvEY2_78KNnThfoy4jC03-SJYdj3NeJaIvL5Lbd6cGiboVNnlkE3LqEWr5BFn4U_1o69lG0mb5Cp-C-MQnrxvgmz04gxEGo/s1600/Herb+Fairies+Promo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1dMJ6ep6dDHPcUJBmSq-KW9mAkw59yzD3lYYs6e2YJFeFvEY2_78KNnThfoy4jC03-SJYdj3NeJaIvL5Lbd6cGiboVNnlkE3LqEWr5BFn4U_1o69lG0mb5Cp-C-MQnrxvgmz04gxEGo/s400/Herb+Fairies+Promo.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sbcplibrary.org/">Shelbyville-Bedford County Public Library</a> and <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Herbalism is one of many hobbies that I'm passionate about. I've always preferred the outdoors, but as I've gotten older, my imagination that used to conjure fairies and gnomes (and sometimes still does) has learned that personifying plants may not be too far-fetched. I love to watch documentaries, and after checking out titles such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Attenborough">David Attenborough's</a> The Private Life of Plants and <a href="http://a.co/d/fM5p69P">Nature: What Plants Talk About</a> from my local library, I became enchanted by the life around us that is often overlooked. With increasing concerns over the food we put in our bodies and the growing rate of poverty, I decided to begin harvesting my own food and medicines (within reason). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In addition to this program, I have also developed a Seed Library to encourage a more sustainable community. So far, the response has been positive and I have received an increasing number of participants in the exchange. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Herb Fairies came about during some research I was doing. The family-owned company is called <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a> and they developed this amazing learning system with Herbalists <a href="https://theherbalacademy.com/author/kbrown/">Kristine Brown</a> and <a href="https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/">Rosalee de la Foret</a> for kids to learn about safely foraging plants they likely come across every day. There is a book series that pairs with the curriculum to make the lessons entertaining and are delivered to you in various formats, including audiobook, ebook, and print (when offered). Materials include, crafts, recipes (food and medicinal), materia medica, songs, activities, journals, calendars, and more. The information is so rich, I can only hope to skim the surface in one hour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I focus on four of the five senses. How may kids learn about this plant through touch, smell, taste, and sight? It is through our senses we create memories, and through this method I have had several parents tell me how excited their children get when they start identifying the plants in their yards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>It is important to note that teaching herbalism is NOT giving medical advice. It is not to encourage families to avoid seeking medical attention when needed. There is a note that comes in the kit that should be distributed to parents about the safety of proper identification and consumption of plants. You may want to produce a contract for parents to sign. </b>Before every class I make every child raise their right hand and promise they will not eat any plants without asking an adult first. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>One last thing:</i> before distributing materials, please be sure to give credit where credit is due. I always tell parents how they can go more in depth by purchasing the system for themselves, and be sure to follow copyright laws when handing out resources. Libraries are permitted to circulate the <a href="https://www.herbalrootszine.com/product/annual-subscription/">Herbal Roots Zine</a> as part of the collection, and we have subscribed to the zine for easy access and expansion beyond the 13 original plants presented in the books. To aid in memorizing plants and their uses even further, I created <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dJzKD1DPBWYZjV6FFcIMHXDqeaxrDNhI/view?usp=sharing">flash cards</a> (all artwork is property of <a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs</a>) that I hand out for each plant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://learningherbs.com/herb-fairies/">Click here to learn more about Herb Fairies and how to purchase your kit.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Each book takes less than 30 minutes to read and will help children understand how each plant may be applicable in real-life situations. Per <a href="http://learningherbs.com/">LearningHerbs.com</a>: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">"</span></span><i>Each of the 13 Herb Fairies books has a story of its own, but they’re all connected to tell the much bigger story of a time when the plant magic was fading from the world. </i><i>When four young friends discover an herb fairy at the park, they are drawn into a healing adventure beyond their wildest dreams. </i></div>
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<i>The Old Man of the Forest has cast a terrible spell, locking up much of the plant magic and draining the magic from the world. The Herb Fairies turn to the children for help, and they all discover that only by working together and healing the magic keepers from all of the different magical races can the magic be fully restored.</i>"</div>
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A key element in the storyline is the discovery of a creature's name through riddles that surface each time an ailment is healed. The name discovered in the this book is <i>Awareness</i>. I like talking about the names and why they are important. It's a simple way of adding a short lesson on character.<br />
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For <i>awareness</i>, a good exercise to do is "<b>Owl Eyes</b>." Have kids put their hands in front of their faces as though they are going to clap them together. Instead, have them begin wiggling their fingers in their line of vision. Then slowly have them move their arms out while continuing to stare ahead (keep those fingers wiggling!). Have them continue this until they can barely see their fingers wiggling in their peripheral vision. The idea is to open up your focus and line of vision to see the world around you...even the fuzzy parts. Become more aware of your surroundings.<br />
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<b style="color: #0b5394; text-align: start;">USING YOUR SENSES</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Violet is one of my favorites! They are easy to see in the Spring because they are colorful among the ground (sight). In the book, it is mentioned that violets are related to pansies, so if you want to bring in some pansies to compare the two, it wouldn't hurt. Also, if you are able to find an ellipsoid seed pod (pictured above), I would highly recommend including it in your lesson. Not only are they cool to look at, but the fact they shoot seeds feet away is a fun fact your kids will enjoy. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Bring in some leaves as well. The heart-shape is easy to identify and stays around most of the year.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Keep in mind violets show up in the Spring and occasionally early Fall. In the Fall, smaller, less showy flowers will appear near the bottom of the plant, but you will find more seed pods at that time. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">With the help of the <i style="background-color: transparent;">Herbal Roots Zine: Volume 1 Issue 3</i> we worked through how to identify the Viola Odorata species of violet. The Zines have worksheets and puzzles that I print off for plant identification and exercises. Going through the sheets takes a bit of time, so the more you can allow kids to connect what the paper says to the actual plant, the better. However, you may not always be able to get the fresh herb and that is perfectly okay.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">We smelled the plant to see if it had any kind of aromatics. Some plants are more obvious than others (mint, lavender, chamomile, etc.) and at times you can use the sense of smell to determine if you're dealing with a look-alike or not.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="color: #0b5394;">TASTING - Candied Violets</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I started the series about a month too late (I would recommend beginning in March or April, depending where you live), so I did not have fresh violet flowers, only leaves. If I did have fresh flowers, there is a very easy recipe to make candied violets that I would have included in the program. Instead, I found these <a href="http://a.co/d/bkCRRdk">candied violets</a> that worked just fine (ingredients include r</span>eal violets, sugar, gum arabic and certified food coloring)<span style="background-color: white;">. The kids could not stop eating these! They were fairly sugary, so they weren't able to get the full flavor of violet flowers, but it was still a fun tasting experience for them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Tasting the leaves was a whole other experience. Some kids didn't like the flavor, and others I had to encourage to save some for when we needed them later because they were eating them like candy!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Of course we observed some of the "energetics" of violet: was it sweet, sour, or bitter? Did it cause their mouths to pucker, salivate, or dry out? Plants that have an edible flower are great for this, because you can show how the different parts of the plant have different flavors and uses (as long as all parts are edible).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>CRAFT - Potpourri</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Taken from Herbal Roots Zine: Volume 1 Issue 3</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Materials:</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://a.co/d/dAEBR4d">Organza bag</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Dried Violet Flowers or Orris Root (root of Iris that smells like violet)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Assorted dried herbs of your choosing (rose petals, pine needles, rosemary, sage, lemon balm, etc.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Essential oil of choice to add scent</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">This time we made potpourri that could be used around the house, in a bowl, in a jar (open jar and release scent), and pretty much anywhere a nice aroma is desired. If you don't have a good stock of <a href="http://a.co/d/dAEBR4d">organza bags</a>, I would highly suggest keeping them on hand. I use them all the time as they are versatile in the world of crafting with herbs. You can get them in varying sizes, but if I'm limited on certain herbs and need them to stretch for several kids, I use the smaller sizes. You can get them in different designs, too. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Mix the herbs together in the organza bag and add the oil. I just brought in two oil mixtures I had and let the kids pick which scent they wanted (this is also good if you have kids that dislike florals). For maximum strength, encourage them to put the bag in a jar when they get home (or provide the jars if your budget allows) and allow the scent to permeate for 2-3 weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>MEDICINE - Violet Leaf Oil</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>Taken from Herbal Roots Zine: Volume 1 Issue 3</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Materials:</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1C Freshly Wilted Violet Leaves</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Olive or Coconut Oil</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Optional: a Pinch of Slippery Elm Bark Powder</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Mini Crockpot or Crockpot Designated for Herbal Medicine Making</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Knife and Cutting Board</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Strainer </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Jar/<a href="http://a.co/d/1S6OsvO">Little Essential Oil Bottles</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Small Funnel</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Label</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white;">This time, we made an oil out of violet leaves. I created some oil and bottled it up beforehand because the mixture needs to be heated for 8 hours in the crockpot. However, I brought in a tabletop stove, crockpot, and all my ingredients and simulated how I made the oil to give kids and parents a visual. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white;">The oil does not smell...great. This is <b>not</b> an aromatic oil, it is a medicinal oil. I explained this to my kids and asked if any of them wanted to smell it. Some of my parents were curious enough to give it a sniff as well. It has a very strong "plant" smell, but the medicinal properties are worth it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white;">Put all your leaves in the crockpot and pour enough oil until the leaves are just covered. Heat the crockpot on the lowest setting for 8 hours. Once the leaves look spent, allow the mixture to cool completely. Strain off the leaves and either throw them away or put them in the compost if able. Pour the mixture into a jar (<b>do not</b> fill the little bottles yet!) and allow it to sit for 2 days.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white;">The next part can be tricky. If after 2 days you see a line on the bottom, that is water that did not evaporate and <b>needs to be removed or the oil will go rancid</b>. Save your oil, discard the water, and now you are ready to bottle up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">It's always important to label your creations, so on our labels we wrote what the oil was (Violet Leaf Oil) and the date. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white;">The jar pictured is my personal jar of oil that I use at home (the recipe makes A LOT of oil). You may mention to your mommies that violet leaf oil is great for reproductive health. If you suffer from cysts, I can attest the oil helps immensely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>RECEPTION: </b>In the kits there are many more recipes and ideas you can incorporate into your teaching. I take a lot of time to familiarize my kids with the plant so they may understand how to properly identify it in nature. I had so many people at this program we had to pull out more chairs and materials! Their favorite part was definitely the candied violets, and on their way out the door they kept asking for more. Another successful Herb Fairies.</span><br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-85279927367335377372018-08-28T13:22:00.001-05:002018-08-28T13:22:08.768-05:00Review: Secret of the Sevens
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23286273" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1427401108m/23286273.jpg" border="0" alt="Secret of the Sevens" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23286273">Secret of the Sevens</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8627109">Lynn Lindquist</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2510632354">4 of 5 stars</a>
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Everyone at a boarding school for underprivileged kids knows about the Society of Seven, an urban legend. The original members of this group built the school for the elite students. They killed off the school’s founder and burned to death in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or, at least that’s what they’ve heard. He tries to take his mind off of his impending homelessness after graduation, by accepting an invitation to join the Sevens group. His expectations of fun are destroyed after he’s already neck deep in conspiracies. Now he must keep his secrets to stay alive. <br /><br />Interesting enough to keep me reading. It’s fast paced and the suspense was very well written, but I wasn't a huge fan of the sexist tendencies the protagonist exhibited. It overshadowed the storyline and didn't move the plot, so I found it unnecessary.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2510632354">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-81986558759843943122018-08-25T12:01:00.001-05:002018-08-25T12:01:56.315-05:00Review: The Lore of the Forest
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1757097" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1204286542m/1757097.jpg" border="0" alt="The Lore of the Forest" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1757097">The Lore of the Forest</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/109446">Alexander Porteous</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2506799387">4 of 5 stars</a>
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Searching for solid information about this book was a little difficult, as it's listed under multiple publication dates and titles. To set the record straight, it's original publication was in 1928 by Scottish author Alexander Porteous. You may also find it under the titles, "The Forest in Folklore and Mythology" (2001) and "Forest Folklore, Mythology and Romance" (2006).<br /><br />For enthusiasts and scholars interested in the origins of folklore, this lovely compendium of history's most mystical tales emerge from the depths of the forest. The stories surround the lore of trees and the importance they've held to cultures of the past. Trees have often been viewed with reverence, fear, and mystery while upholding various roles within the spirituality of people. <br /><br />This isn't an exegesis of myth, it is a comprehensive collection. The stories are short and disconnected, some more rounded than others. Also, keep in mind this title was written in the 1920s; it's delivered in old-English and directed toward a European-American audience. At times it may seem dry, but I did not pick this book up for any other reason than curiosity, so I enjoyed every moment of it.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2506799387">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-21490041731114593332018-08-23T09:40:00.001-05:002018-08-23T09:43:34.497-05:00Review: Lunar Abundance: Cultivating Joy, Peace, and Purpose Using the Phases of the Moon<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36658466" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Lunar Abundance: Cultivating Joy, Peace, and Purpose Using the Phases of the Moon" border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511608521m/36658466.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36658466">Lunar Abundance: Cultivating Joy, Peace, and Purpose Using the Phases of the Moon</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16515500">Ezzie Spencer</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2493219351">3 of 5 stars</a>
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Lunar Abundance was a title one of my book clubs was interested in going through together. Over the last cycle we have used the moon to become more conscious with our living. The book is formatted as more of a workbook, with questions to answer and journal about your experience. It's laden with gorgeous images and illustrations that I could easily frame and hang on the wall. <br />
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Lunar Abundance isn't a metaphysical book. I suppose it could be seen among such titles, but I would label it as self-help. It offers a recipe for using the visual marker of the moon to create attainable goals through Yin (resting) and Yang (action). <br />
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The printables found on the website were a nice bonus and helped simplify what was discussed in the book. I also loved that each chapter had a summary at the end.<br />
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The reason I give it three stars is I feel the book was much longer than necessary. For myself and the women in my book club, most of us have very busy schedules, and as I was reading I kept thinking "this could've been said in less words." It also had a lot of technical errors that made me cringe. Wordiness, unnecessary "fluff," an overabundance of punctuation, and repetitive terms. There should've been a lot more editing before hitting the shelves.<br />
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Love the imagery, the workbook portions are fairly simple, but reading through the text was a struggle.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2493219351">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-68067550990357664822018-08-22T22:00:00.000-05:002018-08-22T14:56:36.464-05:00Review: The Illustrated Herbiary by Maia Toll<div class="wg-blockq">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Title:</b> The Illustrated Herbiary</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Author:</b> Maia Toll</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Date: </b>July 7th, 2015</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publisher:</b> Storey Publishing, LLC</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Non-Fiction</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pages:</b> 176</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>ISBN: </b>1612129684</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Source:</b> ARC from Publisher</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Synopsis (from Publisher):</b></span></span></div>
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Rosemary is for remembrance; sage is for wisdom. The symbolism of plants — whether in the ancient Greek doctrine of signatures or the Victorian secret language of flowers — has fascinated us for centuries. Contemporary herbalist Maia Toll adds her distinctive spin to this tradition with profiles of the mysterious personalities of 36 herbs, fruits, and flowers. Combining a passion for plants with imagery reminiscent of tarot, enticing text offers reflections and rituals to tap into each plant’s power for healing, self-reflection, and everyday guidance. Smaller versions of the illustrations are featured on 36 cards to help guide your thoughts and meditations.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://a.co/9A3CJln">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35489074-the-illustrated-herbiary?from_search=true">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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Maia Toll spent a life-changing year apprenticed to a traditional medicine woman in Ireland. She mentors spiritual wellness seekers, practitioners, and teachers through her online program, The Medicine Keepers Collective, and is the founder and owner of Herbiary, a natural products store with locations in Asheville, North Carolina, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<br />
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Maia has taught Botanical Medicine at West Chester University and at the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research in the Peruvian jungle. She lectures at hospitals, universities, and herbal conferences and runs her own Deep Magic Retreat in the North Carolina mountains during the witchy twilight of autumn. She blogs to an international following at maiatoll.com and lives in Asheville, North Carolina.</div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="https://maiatoll.com/">MaiaToll.com</a></span> | <a href="https://herbiary.com/">Herbiary.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Herbiary/">Facebook </a>| <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theherbiary/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://maiatoll.com/the-lunar-lab-podcast/">Lunar Lab Podcast</a></span></center>
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I have Celiac Disease. When I was attending the PLA (Public Library Association) Conference in Philly back in March, I got sick off of cross contaminated food. For the first two days I was there I was miserable with a migraine, sleeplessness, stomach problems, inflamed lymph nodes, and fatigue. One day, when I was meeting up with some conference friends at Reading Market for lunch, I stumbled upon the Herbiary.<br />
I’m generally drawn to any place that looks like it was plucked fresh from a wildwood, so I went to see what I may find. I told the girls at the counter I was needing something for lymphatic health, and they lead me to a burdock and red root compound. I also decided to purchase some Moon Drops to help me sleep, and off I went.<br />
Within 10 hours of taking the compound I finally felt better and slept through the entire night. I was able to enjoy the rest of the conference without issue! I decided to look this “Herbiary” up and was ecstatic to find this book was releasing...but not until August! <br />
Back up a little. Herbalism is something I’ve taken an interest in over the last year or so. My family doctor is a Naturopathic Doctor, and I’ve always favored natural pathways to health. I knew how to use plants once they got to me, but cultivating the plants themselves is something I’ve never done before. So, I moved into a house and started a garden and learned to wildcraft. Because of this, Maia Toll’s approach to building a relationship with the plants came through to me in a language I wanted to understand better. That’s why I preordered the book back in April and anxiously awaited its launch (and attended the online watch party!).<br />
The Illustrated Herbiary is one of the most gorgeous books I have ever owned. Kate O’Hara’s artwork is lavish and inspiring. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it online, but when I had it in my hands the metallics brought it all to life. <br />
Each section has a beautifully illustrated interpretation of a plant, followed by Maia Toll’s commentary on the importance of that plant. After we are introduced, Toll provides a ritual and reflection to know our plant better. A ritual may be a meditation or a recipe, and the reflection will give us a focus. <br />
In the back cover of the book, all those illustrations are provided as oracle cards for easier meditation. I love this aspect of the book. In the last several pages, you will find images or them laid out, and advice on how to use them.<br />
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If you are looking for a textbook on herbs, this probably isn’t what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a practice to connect more with your herbs, then I highly recommend it.<br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-37548007114773428452018-08-22T15:05:00.001-05:002018-08-22T15:05:55.210-05:00Review: Mary Hades
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20935599" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1393603348m/20935599.jpg" border="0" alt="Mary Hades" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20935599">Mary Hades</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4720363">Sarah Dalton</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2503591775">4 of 5 stars</a>
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After being physically and mentally scarred from a fire, Mary’s parents arrange for a holiday at a village in New Yorkshire to help her recover. She’s drawn to a local fairground worker who has a dark secret. She needs to uncover the murky history that has taken over Nettleby and stop the unusual deaths with the help of her dead best friend, and a gay goth couple.<br /><br />Some parts were slow-moving, but overall a very good, eerie ghost story. Mary’s friend added a tone of humor amidst an otherwise dark narrative and I enjoyed her character. There was a light dusting of romance, but the ending was disappointing. The writing style was satisfying, fast paced and compelling overall.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2503591775">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-9565148650956687522018-08-22T15:00:00.001-05:002018-08-22T15:00:15.737-05:00Review: Buzz Books 2015: Spring/Summer
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24658692" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422025379m/24658692.jpg" border="0" alt="Buzz Books 2015: Spring/Summer" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24658692">Buzz Books 2015: Spring/Summer</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5895383">Publishers Lunch</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2503586071">4 of 5 stars</a>
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Consists of a variety of pre-pub excerpts from approximately 40 adult titles. These previews inform you on what’s coming out in future months.<br /><br />Great for previewing new fiction and nonfiction books. Really enjoyable. My only complaint is that I wish the author would have included links to more of the books.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2503586071">View all my reviews</a>
The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-15204847846959055022018-08-22T14:53:00.001-05:002018-08-22T14:53:19.229-05:00Review: Dreamwalker
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23623826" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1423696604m/23623826.jpg" border="0" alt="Dreamwalker" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23623826">Dreamwalker</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/202867">Rhys Bowen</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2503578811">3 of 5 stars</a>
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Addy, a typical California surfer girl is sent to a boarding school in Wales after her mother dies.The strange thing about the school is that it’s no ordinary boarding school. One hallways doesn’t lead to another, instead, it leads to a new universe. She’s always had vivid dreams, which now makes her the enemy of the powerful ruler of Gallia. <br /><br />It’s aimed at preteens so with that in mind, it makes for a good book for them. Great characters and imagination, but the editing and pacing was off. The start was slow to get into, but as the book progressed, it became more interesting. <br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-16043443384358937352018-08-22T14:45:00.001-05:002018-08-22T14:45:59.344-05:00Review: Shadow Scale
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16085457" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405355942m/16085457.jpg" border="0" alt="Shadow Scale" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16085457">Shadow Scale</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/357601">Rachel Hartman</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1275944121">4 of 5 stars</a>
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Seraphina, a part girl, part dragon, is reluctantly pulled into the politics in her world. When war breaks out between humans and dragons, she has to travel and find others like her to defeat the dragons. As she gathers her crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But there is also another terrifying being; another half dragon that can get into people’s minds and take them over. So far, she has kept her mind safe, but that means she’s also held back her gift. Does she cling to safety or embrace a new destiny? <br /><br />As much as I LOVED Seraphina, the sequel was very long and difficult to get through. The story line was very repetitive and characters could have been more established. I wish the author would have put more focus on the dragon civil war and not so much of the traveling. Seraphina’s personality was slightly irritating and made it not so fun to read. The thing I did like though were the diverse characters. <br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-24571606110981195142018-08-22T14:37:00.001-05:002018-08-22T14:37:48.684-05:00Review: Bonyo Bonyo
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8574631" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328762555m/8574631.jpg" border="0" alt="Bonyo Bonyo" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8574631">Bonyo Bonyo</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1073759">Vanita Oelschlager</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1156143096">5 of 5 stars</a>
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This is a true story about a Kenyan boy who was able to live out his dream of becoming a physician. It took a lot of courage, determination, and support from his family and strangers. His pursuit took him away from his family and country, but after years of study he was able to come back as a doctor and establish a much needed clinic.<br /><br />This is a very inspiring story and a good one for all ages. That said, it’s a bit too wordy for a children’s book. It’s first person POV and beautifully written otherwise.<br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-76505896836806089982018-08-22T14:35:00.001-05:002018-08-22T14:35:57.098-05:00Review: Carrot
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9255999" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328762560m/9255999.jpg" border="0" alt="Carrot" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9255999">Carrot</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1073759">Vanita Oelschlager</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1113896928">3 of 5 stars</a>
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Carrot is a common house cat who envies the fancy white cat she sees on a yacht and wants that life style. She’d have to marry the Earl of Kent’s cat, but she learns that her life has so much more to offer than life on a yacht would. She couldn’t bear to leave her family or even the little mouse that had the flu. Someone had to take care of them!<br /><br />Adorable book, and I think every library should have it. The flow was nice and a decent size for children. The only downsides would be, some of the words used are most likely aimed at older children and it’s not very interactive for smaller kids. And I think the author could have chosen something instead of champagne since it’s not very appropriate for children to be seeing. Overall, a cute book.<br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-77280530764769689572018-08-22T14:29:00.001-05:002018-08-22T14:29:35.033-05:00Review: All the Light We Cannot See
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143977" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451445646m/18143977.jpg" border="0" alt="All the Light We Cannot See" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143977">All the Light We Cannot See</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/28186">Anthony Doerr</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1121428092">4 of 5 stars</a>
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A young French girl, Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. At 12 years old, the Nazis occupy Paris, and she flees to Saint-Malo to live with her great uncle in a big house by the sea. They bring the most valuable and dangerous jewel with them from the museum.<br />In Germany, an orphan boy named Werner Pfennig grows up with his younger sister. They are enchanted by a radio they find as they can listen to the news and stories from places they’ve never seen. He becomes an expert in building and fixing these instruments and is enlisted to track down the resistance.<br /><br />Very detailed and the characters were easy to fall in love with. It’s very emotional and the ending left me in tears. That said, you really have to be interested in this period of history and enjoy a slower paced book to enjoy reading it.
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-22941593837916244702018-08-22T14:26:00.001-05:002018-08-22T14:26:18.985-05:00Review: The Witch of Napoli
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23710526" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1418029843m/23710526.jpg" border="0" alt="The Witch of Napoli" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23710526">The Witch of Napoli</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/136118">Michael Schmicker</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1165879432">4 of 5 stars</a>
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Based in Italy in 1899, a seductive medium by the name of Alessandra Poverelli, levitates a table at a séance in Naples. The ordeal was photographed, and a wealthy, skeptical, Jewish psychiatrist comes to investigate. He risks everything to finance a tour of the Continent to test her powers. This will help her escape her sadistic husband and move to Rome. Newspapers across Europe tell her story and the public wants to know if she really has supernatural powers. <br /><br />An exciting read, the mystery of what happens next will keep you interested. It’s not a long book and you can finish it in a day. However, the author could have made a better choice when directing the POV. <br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2898894788347586045.post-41524782920154286172018-08-22T10:13:00.001-05:002018-08-22T10:13:53.062-05:00Review: The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22716467" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1410306443m/22716467.jpg" border="0" alt="The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22716467">The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3529">Elizabeth Berg</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1165877132">3 of 5 stars</a>
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A powerful novel about the life of French novelist George Sand, her famous lovers, untraditional Parisian lifestyle, and bestselling novels in Paris during the 1830s and 40s. After leaving her husband, she moved to Paris where she focused on writing. She wore men’s clothes, smoked cigars, and had love affairs with many famous men and a woman. <br /><br />It was hard to get into. The writing style is off putting and the pace is slow, but the content is interesting. I think if the author wrote it in biographical style with a third person narrative, it would have been a lot easier and enjoyable to read. Overall, not a bad book.<br />
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The Indigo Quillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12909642230983343866noreply@blogger.com0