Hello, Kids, and all Readers, We see them everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere right now–from farms to grocery stores, garden shops, front porches, ovens, and Starbucks. Presenting autumn’s icon, the ubiquitous Pumpkin! Did you know that the word “pumpkin” came from the Greek pepon, meaning “large melon”? The French called it pompon, and the English…
Hello, Kids, Educators, and Families, School has resumed in many cities across the country. Farewell, Summer! Attentive readers may remember that I taught school for thirty-five years before retiring in 2013. Back then, here in San Diego, classes began the day after Labor Day. Now, school begins much earlier–in fact, on August 11 this year–to accommodate…
Hello, Kids, and All Readers, Do you enjoy receiving postcards–at Summer Camp, on a Staycation, or just while enjoying the season as your lucky friends or relatives travel the world? It can be exciting to see what the sender chooses: something unique to them, tailored to you, or a must-share, spectacular site visited. Currently, my…
Dear Kids and all Readers, Years ago, I started collecting cookie cutters. I now have cans and bags of them for every season as well as some evoking the seashore, the farm, fruits and vegetables, and miscellaneous activities and objects. Long before I had grandchildren, I envisioned making cut-out cookies with them someday to create…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, Jacqueline Bouvier. Inveterate Reader–from childhood. Inquiring Photographer. Jackie Kennedy. Jackie O–a disrespectful nickname, I feel. Wife. Mother. First Lady. White House Restorer. America’s Queen. Influencer. Survivor. Writer. Editor. Grandmother. These are a few of her names, titles, and roles. But to me, she was Mentor. I met my mentor-to-be in…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, Between working on Book 7 and all its related tasks, I’m keeping a decades-long promise to myself. Call it Spring Cleaning, Common Sense, or my Gift to my Descendants. By choice, I became the repository of 150 years of family photos. You probably know where this is going. Three huge…
Dear Readers, For better or for worse, we live in an age of identity and accountability. How often have you started to log into a site only to hear or read, “Let’s be sure it’s really you”? Next, you receive a text or email with the magic code to enter and confirm you are you.…
Ahoy, Kids and All Readers! Yes, I’m still talking like a pirate. And for a good cause: The four detectives and I are busy writing the first draft of The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series Book 7, Macadamia Street: Hidden Skeleton. And we’re having a jolly good time of it, too! Prepare for tales of…
Hello, Kids and all Readers, You may be wondering why I’m writing about pirates. Perhaps you’re asking, “Who cares if pirates of yore could read and write?” I do! And I hope you will, too. Here’s why: As I write Book 7, Macadamia Street: Hidden Skeleton, in my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, I find…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, I hope each of you is enjoying a fun, festive holiday season in whatever manner makes you happy! Do you have any favorite December holiday traditions? I do! Have any inspired you to discover their history? Yes! When my daughter was a little girl in the 1980s, I always tucked…
