Thursday, June 5, 2008
Vol. 1 Issue 2
Because this is a newsletter, rather than your typical blog, it will be quite a bit of information once a week, instead of snippets daily. Please leave your comments on any of the individual entries as we will be sure to read them all before posting the next addition of The Koru Weekly. To be sure you've read the entire new issue, keep going until it says end of Vol. 1 Issue 2.
Letter from the Editor by Noreen
Thank you so much for your positive feedback on our new family blog. We appreciate everyone who visited, and especially the comments you made to the kids (we are still waiting for Grandparents and some Aunts and Uncles to weigh in!) I heard from a friend that she tried to leave a comment and couldn’t, so please let us know if you are having technical difficulties and we’ll see what we can do. Have a great week!
Texting too much?
I think the sign on this former mailbox in our neighborhood is classic. (Click image to view larger.)
Hot Tub Party by Noreen
Our new home came with a great deck and a hot tub out back. We had no idea what to do with the hot tub and thought at first we might just have to rip it out. Steve researched how to care for the tub, and now we love it! It’s our Saturday tradition to celebrate getting our chores done and getting all ready for Sunday, with a “Sundae” party. Ice Cream and a swim in the hot tub reward us for our hard work, and no one says “I Hate Saturday” anymore!
Our cousins Weston, Brooke and Jackson joined us in the festivities last week. It was so fun to have them. Who wants to be next?
Our cousins Weston, Brooke and Jackson joined us in the festivities last week. It was so fun to have them. Who wants to be next?
Cougar in the Neighborhood by Whitney
On Tuesday, when mom and dad were on vacation, we were trying to find the library with Grandma. It was 5 minutes away from our house, but we looked up the wrong address of one 45 minutes away. Then we finally found the right one. Grandma was chatting with a librarian when the librarian remarked, “How about that cougar?”
Grandma, “Cougar?!?”
Turns out, wile we were looking for our library, a cougar had been spotted a few blocks from our house! The police had done a reverse 911, (or for you New Zealanders 111,) were a machine called about 600 phones, (probably including our house) and leaving a message, cautioning people to keep children and pets inside. Three elementary schools and one middle school had to keep all the kids indoors!
Later it was tranquilized and caught. It will be decided were it will be released later.
Sigh, I always miss out on the exciting stuff.
At least I didn’t let Cooper run around in the back yard while we were gone!
Grandma, “Cougar?!?”
Turns out, wile we were looking for our library, a cougar had been spotted a few blocks from our house! The police had done a reverse 911, (or for you New Zealanders 111,) were a machine called about 600 phones, (probably including our house) and leaving a message, cautioning people to keep children and pets inside. Three elementary schools and one middle school had to keep all the kids indoors!
Later it was tranquilized and caught. It will be decided were it will be released later.
Sigh, I always miss out on the exciting stuff.
At least I didn’t let Cooper run around in the back yard while we were gone!
San Diego by Noreen
Steve and I got to work and play in San Diego for three days this week! Steve had a conference for work and invited me along. Grandma N and Grandma M and Aunt Bree each took a day and a night with the kids. (THANK YOU SO MUCH!) We hadn’t been away just the two of us in almost two years, and we enjoyed every minute. While Steve was in Conference I had the chance to work on my school plans for two straight days in a beautiful hotel room with no interruptions. One morning I had a lovely room service breakfast, and typed away while the made cleaned our room in the mornings. It made me laugh how NOT my real life this was, but what a treat. I reached a major goal of mine by completing our Family Master Education Plan. I have worked on it for two and a half years, and the focused time was just what I needed to finish it. What a gift! (Thanks for all your help Diann.) 
As for the playing, we attended a Padre’s game Monday night, had a lovely sea food dinner at Sea Port Village (my favorite place in San Diego, besides my Grandma’s house) and took a rickshaw to Horton Plaza to see the new Indian Jones movie on Tuesday. The third day I got to join Steve at the conference and the best part was all we had to pay for was my food and the movie tickets!
As for the playing, we attended a Padre’s game Monday night, had a lovely sea food dinner at Sea Port Village (my favorite place in San Diego, besides my Grandma’s house) and took a rickshaw to Horton Plaza to see the new Indian Jones movie on Tuesday. The third day I got to join Steve at the conference and the best part was all we had to pay for was my food and the movie tickets!
Book Review by Whitney
Title: God’s dog
Author: Hope Ryden
Type: Non-fiction
Subject: Coyotes (Say Ky-oat) (Not, ky-o-tee)
Summery: As an animal lover, always thirsty for more details, this book was right down my ally. Miss Ryden has written numerous books about animals. From first hand experience, of observing animals in their own habitat, disturbing them as little as possible. She has also appeared on talk shows and has written extensive articles for The National Geographic, magazine.
She is extremely good at what she does, and I personally did not find any part of her book boring. In her book, “God’s Dog”, she was the first person, to date, to study a coyote litter being raised in its natural environment, and so discovered many surprising behaviors. She has also visited people that have kept them as pets, (not for the faint of heart!) and investigated the Coy-dog. (A wild mix of wolf and coyote)
She trapezes through sagebrush and faces a migrating herd of thousands of elk, surviving blizzards in a haystack, and making her way through dangeres snow drifts, that if sunk into, will sap your strength, and life energy. Witnessing fascinating behaviors, and capturing photos of them, it seems she is not afraid of anything that means she can study her subjects in a more efficient, and safe, (for the subjects!) way. (Except ladders, she is afraid of those.)
She also lists a history of canis latrans. In one chapter it has the long list of what man has done to get rid of this “nuisance”. Dispelling numerous myths as she goes, she is at the top of my must read list and I can’t wait to read more!
Rating:********** Ten stars! Very good content, lots of things to learn, and neat photos taken by her, while in the field.
Recommended for: Ages 12- up. Has some graphic photos of coyotes that have been killed by humans, and describes some of the horrific way humans “exterminate” them in one of the later chapters. Also has some sad stories.
Some other books written by this author: Lily Pond, Bobcat Year, America’s Last Wild Horses.
Author: Hope Ryden
Type: Non-fiction
Subject: Coyotes (Say Ky-oat) (Not, ky-o-tee)
Summery: As an animal lover, always thirsty for more details, this book was right down my ally. Miss Ryden has written numerous books about animals. From first hand experience, of observing animals in their own habitat, disturbing them as little as possible. She has also appeared on talk shows and has written extensive articles for The National Geographic, magazine.
She is extremely good at what she does, and I personally did not find any part of her book boring. In her book, “God’s Dog”, she was the first person, to date, to study a coyote litter being raised in its natural environment, and so discovered many surprising behaviors. She has also visited people that have kept them as pets, (not for the faint of heart!) and investigated the Coy-dog. (A wild mix of wolf and coyote)
She trapezes through sagebrush and faces a migrating herd of thousands of elk, surviving blizzards in a haystack, and making her way through dangeres snow drifts, that if sunk into, will sap your strength, and life energy. Witnessing fascinating behaviors, and capturing photos of them, it seems she is not afraid of anything that means she can study her subjects in a more efficient, and safe, (for the subjects!) way. (Except ladders, she is afraid of those.)
She also lists a history of canis latrans. In one chapter it has the long list of what man has done to get rid of this “nuisance”. Dispelling numerous myths as she goes, she is at the top of my must read list and I can’t wait to read more!
Rating:********** Ten stars! Very good content, lots of things to learn, and neat photos taken by her, while in the field.
Recommended for: Ages 12- up. Has some graphic photos of coyotes that have been killed by humans, and describes some of the horrific way humans “exterminate” them in one of the later chapters. Also has some sad stories.
Some other books written by this author: Lily Pond, Bobcat Year, America’s Last Wild Horses.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)