DANCE AROUND THE MAY POLE AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

HAPPY MAY DAY!!! During the Middle Ages, English villages all had Maypoles and they would compete against one another to see who had the best.

Today, kids celebrate the day by moving back and forth around the pole, intertwining streamers or ribbons.

This tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing survived as part of the English tradition. Some places still select a May queen, and kids still secretly hang baskets of flowers on the doorknobs of neighbors. We used to make little paper cone vases, when I was a kid, and fill them with flowers from the yard. We'd staple a ribbon on it to hang it from the neighbors' doors.

If you want to visit a garden to celebrate but you can't get out today, try cybervisiting this garden carpet in Brussels. Just click on the floral carpet tab to see this amazing site. And Happy May Day everyone!!

EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

Summer is almost here. Maybe some of you will be doing home remodeling projects. If you are, look into recycling centers that will take your discarded items. Here, in Portland, we use the Rebuilding Center. You might have such a business in your area. If you do, let me know. I always love to read about Green companies. And, check out the Energy Trust of Oregon.

Answer to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER: It was from 1880 for the Hamfat Man, an awkward minstrel. If you want to read more, check out this link.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

QUESTION: Where did the phrase "He's such a Ham" come from?

Come on, take a guess. And come back around 3:00 to see if you were right.

ANSWER TO WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

Answer: An evening party or social gathering especially for a particular event. If you want to read more, check it out here.

And, thanks for playing.

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

WORD: Soiree

Come on, take a guess and then come back around 3:00 to see - if you were right.

It's no fun to play unless friends play too

Silver Phoenix - By Cindy Pon

Don't know how I missed it, must have been The Save the Frogs Day blur. But Cindy Pon's Debut book is out in stores, run and get a copy. Then come back and post your review in my comments here. And, Ellen Oh has a contest going on here. Check it out for a chance to win a beautiful copy of Silver Phoenix.

A Huge CONGRATS to Cindy for all her hard work coming to fruition!!!

SAVE THE FROGS (Earth-Friendly. . . Tuesday)

Today is SAVE THE FROGS DAY. And, who doesn't love frogs?

If you'd like to read more about it, check it out here.

Did you know, frogs are disappearing fast?

200 amphibian species have already gone extinct since 1979!

2,000 amphibian specieis are threatened with extinction and may not survive the 21st century.

But there are things we can all do to help save the frogs:

Don't use pesticides
Don't eat frog legs
Don't purchase wild-caught amphibians as pets
Do not stock non-native fish in your pond or stream
Conserve resources-especially water
Eat locally grown, organic food
Donate to SAVE THE FROGS
Wear a SAVE THE FROGS t-shirt
Spread the word: use email, your website, blogsite, Facebook

(If we all do a little, it will do a lot!)

And the day after I went to the www.Savethefrogs.com lecture the Oregonian newspaper had a story about airlifted frogs, "Airlifted from Extinction" on Saturday, April 25, 2009. It was about the chytrid fungus and overhunting nearly wiping out another species. If you want to read more, check out this link.