Dear Kids and All Readers, Do you love graham crackers? I do! I have a fond childhood memory of the tasty snack beyond S’mores. Every Easter, my mom would make a yellow cake and slather on thick layers of homemade chocolate frosting. Any leftover frosting was sandwiched between two graham cracker halves for my sisters’…
Dear Kids, Readers, and Verbivores, Every morning, I find a lovely surprise in my email inbox. It’s from Word Genius, a company with a mission to teach people a new word daily. A recent word was flocculate. I had never heard of it. Do you know it? My first thought was that it had to…
Dear Readers, Current and Future Architects, and Fans of Ancient Egypt, Does Egypt call to you? If so, I think you’ll enjoy this . . . I have been a proud member of San Diego’s “Save Our Heritage Organisation” (SOHO), for many years. (Yes, that’s spelled with an “S,” not a “Z.”) SOHO does the important…
Dear Readers, Today, June 23, 2022, is the twenty-fifth anniversary of my father’s passing. I am especially missing him today. My dad, Donald Johns, was born and raised in North Dakota in a little farming town called Wing, near Bismarck. The northern winters aggravated his asthma so badly, he missed much school. So, in 1930,…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, Here comes Memorial Day, the official kickoff for summer! Like me, you’re probably already thinking about some fun summer plans. I hope you have vacation or down time coming to realize your dreams. Teachers and students, of course, look forward to their wonderful summer breaks to rest, recharge, and…
Dear Kids and All Readers, Those of you who have ever lost a beloved pet will likely understand my blog today. As I grieve my precious dog Jimmy Lambchop’s passing on March 23, I am even more appreciative of the kindness of friends at this time. Recently in the mail arrived a wonderful gift and…
Dear Kids, English Teachers, Librarians, Playgoers, and All Readers, Sometime between April 23 and 26, the “Bard of Avon,” William Shakespeare, was born in 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. The exact day of his birth is not known, but his baptism was recorded in the Parish Register of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford on Wednesday, April…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, If you read my blogs or my March 31st newsletter, you know that on March 23, my sweet dog, Jimmy Lambchop, passed away. It’s been two weeks and one day since that horrible event. Those of you who have lost a beloved pet know what I’m experiencing: the too-quiet house,…
Hello, All Readers and Fans of my dog Jimmy Lambchop’s blog, which appears in my monthly newsletter. It is with deep sorrow I report that the love of my life, my poodle-bichon sweetie Jimmy Lambchop, passed away yesterday. He fought hard but couldn’t overcome complications from his major, emergency surgery that took place on March…
Hello, All Readers and Dog Lovers, I have my precious dog Jimmy Lambchop home with me now. Lucky us! Last Thursday, he had major, emergency surgery. Complications arose, delaying his discharge until yesterday. Here he is, comfortably resting in one of his favorite places in the house. He will probably tell you all about his…
