Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Going on a crazy adventure....to Lake Erie...during high wind warning! (slow loading pictures!)

So, dh calls me and says "You wanna do something crazy???  Let's go to Lake Erie and see the waves!"  Just another advantage to homeschooling......you can drop what you're doing and GO on some crazy adventure.

The Great Lakes are having the worst waves since the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in 1975! 

It was a long drive and we barely made it before dark, but we got to see some pretty cool waves......they're expecting larger ones, like 25 ft!

It was so, so, so utterly bitter cold!  Some winds I could barely walk against.

We were about 20 ft. from the breaker.......we got wet!

PS.....some of the night shots look like fire or fireworks, don't they?  The headlights shining on the water made it look that way.    I did not enhance the colors.  I took them from within the car (couldn't take the cold anymore!!!!)

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Saturday, December 5, 2009

Naming a new horse

No, we've not gotten a new horse.  Well, I take that back.....my mother-in-law and sister-in-law both recently got new horses! 

But what I'm referring to is the fact that our oldest daughter recently entered a contest to come up with the name for a horse in a historical fiction book.....and the author choose her name for the horse!  So, when the book comes out late next year, the acknowledgments will include her name and she will get a free copy of the book!  Isn't that cool?!?   She's pretty excited!

Here is part of what DD12 had to work with to help with the naming of Sarah's new horse in book 4......

Excerpt from the fourth book:

 


    My new horse, a beautiful Morgan filly, wanted to run.... 


    After purchasing the chestnut beauty the day before from a man at Springfield who supplied horses to the army, I had yet to name her. She deserved one that matched her build and personality.  


            The filly stood fifteen hands high, weighed one thousand pounds, proud and high spirited, with a muscular build, clean cut head and a well arched neck. Her color was copper-red with a reddish-gold mane and tail.....


            The horse trader who sold me the filly assured me she was descended from Black Hawk, and of course all the Morgans had come from the original Morgan horse—Figure. Black Hawk was famous for a lightning quick stride and elegant manner. I had seen with my own eyes this great horse when he was shown at the Ohio State Fair.


            “Granny, this horse wants to run and I’m going to try her out.” Gently nudging her in the sides with my boot heels was all it took. She sprung forward and the sudden jerk nearly knocked me off. Quickly righting myself I kept low in the saddle and clung to the pommel. This horse was quick.....


            “Whew girl! You’re something else. Blackie at his best never had your speed.” Bringing her about, again I nudged her, and this time prepared for her fire. She did not disappoint. The sorrel lit out as if trying to out run lightning.




DD12 choose the name Fire Hawk, as it seemed to fit the horse's color and  pedigree, as well as her spirit and her speed.   DD12 enjoys coming up with names for horses that match their personality.

It's exciting that DD12 will be recognized in the acknowledgments of the book....she hopes someday to see her name on the cover of a book!  She enjoys writing stories.


If you've been looking for some good, educational, character-building stories for your tweens.....you might consider purchasing the Sarah series........Sarah's Wish, Sarah's Promise, and Sarah's Escape.  As I said, book 4 in the series, comes out late next year.  Both of my girls enjoyed the series and were already looking forward to getting book 4 even before dd12 won a copy!

The author, Jim Baumgardner, has created a character that kids can relate to.  Sarah is an orphan who's fun and gutsy and compassionate.  The stories take place in Ohio during the pre-Civil War days and revolve around slavery issues.  The target audience is 8 to 12 year olds.  The author has given part of the proceeds from the sales of the books to the Maude Carpenter Children's Home in Wichita, Kansas.


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