Another Favorite Picture Book

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Elizabeth

This weekend I discovered a new addition to my list of favorite children’s picture books, right up there with the charmingly adorable Biscuit series: David Wiesner’s Mr. Wuffles!. It contains hardly any words, but oh, the illustrations! I cannot recall ever laughing out loud at a picture book before. They’re incredibly detailed and could not have been drawn by anyone but a human who’s spent time observing the humorously peculiar world of cats. I’ve lived with cats for 25 years; trust me, this man knows cats!

There’s a lot going on in this virtually wordless story of a cat who decides that a tiny spaceship filled with little green men makes a much more interesting toy than any of those store-bought things his human brings home. The aliens are forced to make a mad dash to safety underneath a heating vent and recruit some unlikely accomplices to their escape plan in the world behind the living room wall. The action involving the aliens and their new allies is quite cleverly drawn. In fact, the entire story is so cleverly wrought that I see something new every time I page through the book. The illustrations are as much for the adults as anyone. It takes a real gift to convey a story entirely in pictures.

Mr. Wuffles! has quickly become one of my all-time favorite children’s books. I love, love, love it.

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Spring is in the Air. Really.

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Elizabeth

The temperature hovered around zero this morning. Cold air seared at my lungs when I opened the door to admit my daughter and granddaughter just before dawn. But you know what? The other day I heard birds. Birds! And they were chirping! What, I wondered, do they have to chirp about when spring by the calendar is still five weeks away?

As February drags on, I grow impatient for warmer weather. This happens to me every year at about this time. Maybe the birds feel the same way? The sun’s angle grows higher by the day. Of course they sense that. The wheel of life is poised to turn again, this time to the season of growth, of new beginnings. As we awaken from our winter slumber, yawning and stretching our arms to the sky, I like to consider all the possibilities that await me as the sun grows stronger. The world keeps turning, the flowers keep poking their heads out of the cold ground, eager to begin a new year. If Mother Nature holds out hope, why shouldn’t we?

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Reacquainting Myself with an Old Friend

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Elizabeth

I took violin lessons at the Eastman School of Music Community Music School in the late 1990s. I still have my violin but laid it aside for several years when life interfered with my musical pursuits. Until this past fall, that is, when the urge to play returned in full force.

Now, the violin is an instrument with a split personality. Despite its beautiful, almost ethereal sound, it is frustrating to learn, sometimes to the point of distraction. It is susceptible to cold and dry weather, and it frequently needs tuning. But, I find that the (sometimes not so) simple act of tuning the strings pulls me in and forces me to focus on the moment, and focusing on the moment is something I sorely need to master. Playing the violin also requires my full participation, as the sounds emanating forth from the strings frequently degenerate into squeaks and scrapes if I don’t pay attention. There’s something rather Zen about the whole endeavor.

I’ve returned to the basics, re-educating myself on violin note reading and practicing scales over and over to improve my bow handling and note recognition. The exercise works wonders for my mood and emotional health following the challenges I’ve faced these past few months. Making music is my prayer to the Universe, a reaffirmation of life. Something positive to focus on for a change! Grabbing the violin and squeaking out a song or two is like turning to an old friend for comfort.

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Winter Has Its Subtle Graces

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Elizabeth

The view outside my window this morning has a very New York feel to it. Even though we don’t live in a neighborhood of brownstones, I can imagine I do, looking out at the snow-covered trees and yards dominated by old city homes doing their best to hibernate in this wicked cold weather. Jazz emanates from my office radio, I’ve just finished my second cup of coffee, and the writing bug has bitten again after a few months off. Life has a way of doing that to me: jolting me out of my world into the reality of those who need my help in some form or fashion. My energies then focus elsewhere.

It is so cold here that our dogs barely stay outside long enough to answer nature’s call. It takes longer to dress them in their coats and harnesses and me in my winter outerwear than it does for them to take care of business. They show no interest in playing in the snow, and who can blame them? They look darling in their coats, but this sub-zero cold is no time to admire their cuteness. They want in!

Our dog Barney, a playful Shiba Inu mix, loved to push his snout in the snow and toss it into the air, but even he had his temperature limits. I am grateful for the yard so I don’t have to walk Simon and Peabody in this. The sun is mere ornamentation.

But, come spring, the bitter cold will have scrubbed the air clean and readied us for the busy-ness of the warmer, outdoor months. This the time of year when I enjoy just looking outside, not searching the yard for work that needs doing. Arctic air forces me inside where I can plot and plan my garden. Each season has its own grace; winter for me offers an opportunity for reflection and anticipation of the color that will explode out of doors in a few months. I so love the change of seasons here in the Northeast!

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All Day Universal Pre-K?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Elizabeth

Here in New York State, the Campaign for Educational Equity Teachers College, Columbia University and the Center for Children’s Initiatives argue for the feasibility of a statewide,  all-day universal pre-K program for three- and four-year-olds. That would be wonderful! Little ones need a head start on the fundamentals that assure success in school later on. I fully support the concept of pre-K, but not in a half-day format. Whom does that help? Certainly not parents whose work shifts coincide with school hours. Even if a parent were able to drop their child off at school in the morning, what’s to become of the child when school is over for the day? It doesn’t make sense to me that school districts make the program available to all but make it difficult for all children to attend.

The Citizen’s Budget Commission disagrees that state and federal aid would be enough to fund the program, arguing instead that taxpayers would end up footing at least part of the bill. The Commission supports the concept of all-day universal pre-K provided the program is implemented in the most cost-effective way possible.

A new Congressional proposal under consideration would authorize federal grants to fund all-day universal pre-K programs; one supporter acknowledges that preschool accessibility for all children could break the cycle of poverty. Why shouldn’t we give underprivileged kids a head start on education starting at a very young age. Isn’t that worth the expense?

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Childhood Poverty & Hunger = Low Standardized Test Scores

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Elizabeth

To my memory, when I was in school (granted, almost 50 years ago) educators never emphasized standardized tests so much as they do now. At least at the elementary/middle school level. In high school, we had the SATs and ACTs; my teachers closely monitored those results, perhaps for an indication of how well they taught us the required material. Who knows?

Of one thing I am fairly certain: not many, if any, of my classmates came to school hungry. Can you imagine trying to learn on an empty stomach? So many kids face that challenge today that it did not surprise me to read in today’s Democrat & Chronicle that only 5% of Rochester City School District elementary and middle school students scored at a proficiency level in reading and math on this past school year’s new standardized tests. Rochester, NY, my home town, suffers from a high rate of childhood poverty and hunger. It’s no wonder the kids can’t learn.

This news saddens me. Rochester suffers immensely from the loss of so many manufacturing jobs over the past few decades; employers took away hope with those jobs. And how are those people supposed to support their families on minimum wage salaries or by working at places like Wal-Mart that are notorious for short-changing employees by preventing them from working enough hours per week to qualify them for health insurance? Low wages don’t give people enough money to buy good, nutritious food for their families! It’s no wonder kids are failing school.

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New Curbside Produce Program for Rochester’s Food Deserts

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Elizabeth

The popularity of food trucks in our urban centers is no secret. Foodlink, which operates a large food bank and several food programs in Rochester, New York, has taken the food truck concept one step further with its Curbside Market program aimed at providing easy access to fresh produce in city neighborhoods that suffer from a lack of healthy food options.

During the months of July, August, and September, the 18-foot Curbside Market truck will sell its wares, at wholesale prices, during 45-minute stops at public housing developments, after school programs, and health centers throughout the city. This program supplements Foodlink’s existing urban farm stand program in that it brings produce to seniors and the disabled who are unable to travel to the farm stands and makes healthy snack options directly available to children. Nutritionists will also be on hand at each of the sites to instruct people on the health benefits of produce and offer cooking tips.

Corner stores are notorious for their unhealthy food selections, but unfortunately they are the only accessible shopping option for many people. The Curbside Market program aims to change that. I hope that, in particular, it will make a sizable difference in the lives of children by providing them with access to healthy food choices. Children can’t succeed in school and free themselves from the inner city poverty cycle if they’re hungry.

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Really, NRA?

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Elizabeth

The National Rifle Association should be taken out back of the woodshed and given a good thrashing for their latest stunt. Robocalls to Newtown CT residents calling for opposition to gun control legislation? REALLY? Newtown, of all places? Their insensitivity astounds me. Since I’m speechless, here’s a link to an article from the March 25, 2013 edition of The Hill. Understandably, Connecticut senators are condemning the calls and calling on the NRA to stop this campaign immediately.

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A Victory for Clean Water

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Elizabeth

At least for now. My local paper reported this morning that the New York State Assembly has voted in a bill placing a 2-year moratorium on hydrofracking the Utica and Marcellus Shale formations to allow officials enough time to study impacts of the practice on health and the environment. Hooray! The Senate has yet to approve a similar bill, but supporters are hopeful.

I live on the outskirts of Finger Lakes wine country. My husband and I love taking day trips to the various wineries, both for their products and the heart-stopping scenery. What would become of this beautiful region if hydrofracking were allowed? Imagine the potential harm to the water supply that nourishes the grapes and surrounding farmlands when fracking chemicals seep into the groundwater. Consider, too, the effect on the local economy as vineyards and tourist dollars dry up. Vintners and local farmers and artists who sell their products in vineyard gift shops lose valuable income. Are oil and natural gas profits worth the risks to this fragile region? I think not. Cheers to the state government for thinking of the downside.

The issue of clean water is bigger than we are. Sacrificing local economies and our health and that of our children and grandchildren for the purpose of feeding our appetite for oil and natural gas in the short term doesn’t teach us to respect the Earth’s gifts and conserve for the future. It merely reinforces the slash and burn attitude of modern man.

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Therapy Dog Brings Joy to Special Needs Kids

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Elizabeth

This morning my local newspaper ran a story about therapy dogs, specifically one therapy dog who is making a difference at a local elementary school where many of the students are special needs kids who also suffer from social and emotional challenges. It’s not hard to imagine how hard these kids struggle to get through the day and how hard they try to acquire the skills they’ll need to live a productive adult life.

The school recently acquired the services of a therapy dog who has already made a difference in the kids’ lives. Just being around the dog calms them. He listens when they need someone to talk to. He sits patiently when they need to hug him or snuggle up with him on the floor. He’s there whenever they need a pal to hang with.

For most of us, it’s not the challenges we face but the lack of emotional support that drags us down from day to day. I know I feel so much better when I can talk things over with my husband or hug my cats and dogs during a difficult time. It’s wonderful that these lucky special needs children now have someone to turn to when the going gets a little rough.

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