Views in Rota
A church courtyard
Colors
Look closely, the bouganvillea is growing out of the wall.
What I’m Reading
Every Single Second by Tricia Springstubb
published by Balzer and Bray, 2016.
Nella Sabatini, a sixth grader, lives in the Little Italy section of her town. She has a bunch of younger brothers. Her dad is the groundskeeper for the cemetery. Nella’s best friend is Angela. Nella adores Angela’s older brother, Anthony. They all attend the local Catholic school.
Then things start to happen. Their school is going to close and the building will become a health spa. Nella is confronted with murder, racism, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and adults’ secrets.
Author Springstubb drops all of these issues on Nella, who has many questions about loyalty, friendship, right action, and love. Springstubb wraps it all up in a realistic, and fairly satisfying conclusion.
My only discomfort with the story, aside from the heavy issues, was the way the author included observations by Jeptha A. Stone, a statue in the cemetery. I wasn’t quite sure why he was needed.
If you read this book, drop me a comment. I’d like to know what others thought about it.
Coming to You from Spain
The town of Sanlucar de Barrameda is preparing for Feria. Here are some sights from our walk today.
View in my current favorite plaza.
Entrance to a hotel
Kids rehearsing a skit for Feria.
Peeking into a bodega.
The knife and scissors sharpener
Thinking about Dragons
I’ve been thinking about dragons today because I’m considering putting one in the story I’m writing. On the Internet I found two sites with helpful information.
https://www.surpriseride.com/16-fun-facts-dragons/
http://swordfire.tripod.com/dragonstone/id1.html
Dragons stories appear in many cultures of the world. My dragon is going to be a shape-shifter. She can appear as an old wise woman, or a fearsome goddess, or a dragon. Like many dragons, she guards a treasure, but it is not the usual gold and jewels.
I won’t say more because I’m still in the imagining stage.
What would your dragon look like? What kind of powers might it have?
Coming to You from Spain
This is one of the main plazas in Sanlucar de Barrameda, where people come to sit in cafes to have a coffee, meet friends, and watch the action.
This friendly goat lives across the street from us. She shares the farmyard with a flock of black chickens, and two horses (pictures to come).
Coming to You from Spain
I’m fascinated by the doorways in Spain. The Moorish influence is evident in the architecture, the houses enclosed by walls, and the frequent bursts of fragrances like cologne and laundry soap.
In an outdoor stall, we saw bins of snails for sale.
A typical breakfast here consists of coffee and toast with tomato puree.
Coming to You from Spain
The airport in Madrid
is huge. There are signs posted that tell passengers how many minutes it will take to walk to the correct departure gate. My favorite part was the automatic protective plastic cover that slides over the toilet seat. You wave your hand over the green light and a motor starts and the machine pulls a clean tube of plastic over the toilet seat. It probably creates a big amount of plastic garbage, but it sure was fun!
What I’m Reading
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
This 2003 Newbery Medal winner was really a great read. The story takes place in medieval England. After his mother dies, the boy, Crispin, must flee his town because of a mysterious political intrigue that threatens his life.
On the road, he meets Bear, a juggler, political activist, and spy. Together, the two encounter dangers, and become as close as father and son. Crispin discovers his true identity and makes some big decisions.
Traveling the roads with Crispin, we learn a great deal about life in medieval times. Avi certainly did his research. Crispin: The Cross of Lead is a good book!
Fantastic and Legendary Creatures
Tasmanian Tigers Return?
Leave it to Australia to produce another weird creature! Thought to be extinct, this animal that looks like a combination of several others, may be hiding out in the wilds of Oz.
The Thylacine, or ‘Tasmanian Tiger’, was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times and the last one is thought to have died in Hobart zoo in 1936. However, credible sightings have prompted scientists to embark on a serious investigation to see if some have survived. Professor Bill Laurance is deploying 50 camera traps in the hope of capturing footage of the mysterious animal.
from BBC World Service News, March 30, 2017
Because sometimes . . .
As a grandmother, I’m past most of this. Never heard of the Wild Kratts. But I can relate to crawling into a hole for the next 3 to 5 business days!
Because sometimes you wake up with a sore throat, an AWFUL attitude, and something growing on your face that looks like a second chin.
Because sometimes you just want to crawl into a hole for the next 3-5 business days, but there are still lunches to make, boo-boos to kiss, hair to brush…the list never ends.
Because sometimes the Wild Kratts’ Monkey Mayhem game is the hardest thing in the entire world, and Chris and Martin should crawl into a hole.
Disclaimer: I’m really quite fond of the Wild Kratts. Their TV show and most of their games are wonderful. It’s just that my almost four-year-old isn’t quite ready for this game, and it is the ONLY one that he wants to play.
Tangled Magic 