Secret Adversary review

I had always wanted to read Agatha Christie, but simply never got around to it. I love a good mystery; Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Trixie Belden, etc. The first Agatha Christie I read,

Secret Adversary, got me hooked. It's free in the Kindle Store, too! And the BBC remake is on YouTube, free as well.

Here's your review:

In 1915, as the Lusitania sinks, a British spy gives a girl his secret papers, since she is a woman and will have a better chance of getting into a lifeboat. He tells her to get the papers to the American Embassy at all costs - even if it means her life. She agrees.

Flash forward to the end of World War 1, 1918. No one knows where that girl is, The papers were never delivered. Did she and the spy drown?

   Enter Tommy and Tuppence, a likable young 'couple' - they're mainly just friends, and there's not too much romance, which I liked- who decide to become mercenaries to earn a little money. Thinking the whole thing is a joke, they unwittingly stumble upon an enemy spy. He sees their innocent naivety and hires them to find the papers!

   Luckily, Tuppence realizes he's up to no good and she and Tommy decide to help one of the Queen's agents by alerting them to the enemy. He in turn recruits them, thinking they are experienced in the underworld. Hahaha-no. Tommy and Tuppence have no clue what they're getting into. They fall into a deadly game of espionage, torpedoes, amnesiacs, kidnapping, poisoning, and basically every exciting thing that could happen to a person. The book is very clean, and not graphic at all. It’s one of my favorite books, and there’s a great plot twist at the end!

Sir Isaac Newton - the early years

It's pretty safe to say everyone knows who Isaac Newton was. You've probably heard about his laws of motion, his research in optics, or his discoveries through calculus. Either way, Sir Newton is hailed as a successful genius.
  But did you know he had a very hard life? His father died before he was born, and after his mother got him financially situated, she left him with his grandparents. She remarried a rich man and spent tons of money on her other children's educations.

   Isaac returned to live with her and his new stepfather at age 10.  Around this time his mother pulled him out of school as it cost to much. She spared no amount of money on her other children, but she was unusually stern when it came to Isaac. His school teachers noticed the potential in him and offered to teach him free of charge if she'd let him return to school.

He was friends with the younger children and the girls, making fully-functioning miniature watermills (he was fascinated with those) and doll furniture. He did hot, however, fit in with the other boys, and they teased him for spending time with girls and smaller children.

 

When he left for college he had to pay his own way by working as a sizar, a highly undesirable position. Sizars were servants for richer students. It was embarrassing for Isaac, who was from a wealthy family, to serve in this position. His friends' fathers and mothers paid for their sons' education, parties, and clothing- Isaac could barely buy food.

 

Petty and jealous all his life, he had few friends at college. One friend, a boy named John, assisted him in the lab and during his discoveries. Isaac could be secretive- he practiced alchemy,  something he could've been thrown in prison for at the time. Anyone who has read the  Harry Potter books is familiar with the Philosopher's Stone; Newton truly believed this stone existed and much of his alchemy work was devoted to trying to find this. He also kept his discoveries hidden from John. He was often seen wandering the college campuses all alone.

 

After graduating from Trinity College, he would write the Principa  and go on to complete his famous discoveries, but it was his lonely childhood and troubled college experience that set the basis for his adult life.

In a later memoir, Newton wrote:

"I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.^"

I'm back!

It's been too long, dahlings! Here's what's been going on in my life lately:

 I participated in my 4-H's County Food Show. I made homemade Chicken Pot Pie, and I placed first in my category, so I'll be advancing to District,then hopefully State! At the same Food Show, I also participated in a Food Challenge(Think Iron Chef or Chopped). My team made the delicious meal below and gave a speech on it to a panel of judges.

My team!

I've also been gearing up for the Academic Rodeo Fashion Show. Instead of modelling a dress, you wear a specialty outfit. So I chose an outfit a female lawyer might wear. I prepared all the paperwork and now just have to model.

 I also wrote an essay on "Good Deeds" for the Academic Rodeo. If I win, I'm eligible for scholarships. Fingers crossed!

Caribbean Princess cruise Days 2

 Day 2 we were at sea. It  was Sunday, and there was a wonderful church service. The 'pastor' explained "I'm not a minister- just a nobody trying to tell everybody about Somebody." How cool is that?! He was from a tiny town in Alabama, and filled his sermon with fascinating stories about his church there. All the passengers attending the service came from different denominations and different places, and it was really neat to see them together worshipping God. I imagine that's what heaven's like.
After church,we played games and ate lunch in the buffet. Our friends taught us a new game called "Joker". It's pretty fun! That night was formal night- oh my. We dressed up, ate a delicious meal, and met a lot of new people. All of the workers on board are from different countries- Philippines, France, Ukraine, England, you name it. So it was really interesting to meet them and talk to them about their countries. We became good friends with the head waiter, Mr. Hector Catalan. Not only was he super nice, he is an amazing singer!! He sang beautiful songs every night during dinner.
 

Secret Letters by Leah Scheier Book Review

Oh my. This book was so amazingly written, so suspenseful and well crafted, it's hard to know where to start first.
Basically, the book is about an inquisitive, clever and feisty girl named Dora in 19th century England. She uncovers a massive secret- Sherlock Holmes just might be her biological father. Dora is thrilled- she's read his biographies written by Dr. Watson so many times! So Dora journeys to London to learn the truth, and to ask for Holmes' help in a case. Her cousin is being blackmailed over love letters she wrote when she was a teenager, and Dora is convinced Sherlock will help. So she joins her cousin in London and arrives on Holmes' doorstep- only to learn he was murdered in Switzerland by an adversary. However, his dashing young assistant Peter Cartwright, also guarding a secret past, offers his help in her case. He is investigating a disappearance of a heiress, and they soon realize their cases are intertwined. So Dora goes undercover as a maid to help Peter, learning surprising things about herself in the process. I highly recommend this book for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Victorian-age-literature readers. It was suspenseful, moving, and kept you guessing until the very end. I really enjoyed this read. (The only objectionable content- an unmarried, pregnant maid that Dora befriends mentions abortion, and while Dora 'knew it was terribly wrong, she could not find it in her heart to condemn this woman'.  The whole scene is very brief - not more than four sentences, but I just thought I'd mention it as some of  my readers are young.)
It is very sad at the end, I must admit I cried a little bit. I hope a sequel comes out very soon.
My rating- a must read for mystery fans.

VBS teen leader

This week, I was privileged to be able to help lead VBS at our church. I was the 4th grade teen leader. I had so much fun helping the kids with crafts, learning hand motions to silly songs, and encouraging them in their spiritual walk. Ms. L, who was in charge of VBS, explained to us teen leaders that it's important to set a spiritual foundation at a young age, so that when the kids are older and that foundation is shaken, it will not fall. I really agree with that. A lot of kids attend our church, but their parents don't often come. Each child that came to VBS was an opportunity to reach a whole family for God.
 This year's VBS theme was Colossal Coaster World, so we turned the church into a mini amusement park. There was a roller coaster made out of folding chairs and pool noodles in the sanctuary, posters advertising rides in the craft area (which was called the Scissors n' Stuff Emporium) and maps of the apostle Paul's journey in the Bible Study area. Paul's life was like a roller coaster, with its many ups and downs. All our memory verses came from 2 Timothy, and the kids learned what was happening in Paul's life as he wrote it. I had a great time getting to know all the kids. I have fond memories of my VBS teen leaders from when I was younger, so it's really neat to be in that position now. Well, that's my little spill. I have been helping Daddy and my little brothers with the fence all afternoon, and it was HOT. However, we have had more rain than usual for this part of Texas in July, so I'm very grateful for that. Hope you had a great day as well!

Volunteering @ The Air Show

   Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake is an air show in our community. It consists of WW2 bombers that fly as low as 500 feet above your head to parachuters performing with the flag to the tune of 
"The Star Spangled Banner". The show ends with fireworks dropped from the bomb bay of a plane over the lake. It's an very inspiring show. A few days ago,I had an unique opportunity to help there. My 4-H group and I managed a booth at the show, selling t-shirts to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House.  The most amazing thing happened while we were selling the shirts. A young woman and her mother buying shirts started to cry when we explained what the money was for. They said they were staying at Fisher House, a place for wounded soldier's families to stay while the soldier is in the hospital. The young woman's dad was  wounded and in the hospital, and Fisher House had provided them free tickets to the air show. Wow. This really made it personal - here was someone we were selling the shirts for. My group and I were inspired to sell even more shirts. We raised $400+! I enjoyed getting to help our soldiers and see the air show, and I hope I can help again next year.

Volunteering @ the Special Needs Kids Egg Hunt

Hello! Long time no post! Sorry about that. I've been busy. But don't worry, darlings- I'll fill you in on every fascinating detail of my life. :-)
    Last Friday I got to volunteer with my 4-H group at the special needs egg hunt. Two school buses full of the most adorable l kids ever came, and as soon as they got off the bus we volunteers were paired with them. I was paired with the cutest little girl named Aleyah. The instant her teacher said "This is Laura Ashley. She's going to help you hunt eggs" Aleyah ran and gave me an enormous hug, then grabbed my hand and led me towards the big field where they'd hunt Easter eggs. She was so sweet! We had so much fun together, as she would carefully open each plastic egg, then hand them to me to be closed just as meticulously. She loved this! We opened and closed easter eggs for a good ten minutes! Then I got to visit with  a girl named Kylie. She was in a wheelchair, but that didn't stop her from gathering lots of eggs. My friend's little brother, Ben, was so hilarious! When some of the eggs the kids were getting rolled under a fence, he jumped the fence, handed them the egg, saluted,and walked off. It was very funny! I had a really good time helping the kids.I've gotten to do so many awesome volunteer opportunities that I never would have got to do without 4-H. This was amazing, and I definitely want to help again! Everyone was so nice. I can't wait for next year!

Emily Dickinson

Emily as an adult

Emily as a child

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson  was born December 10, 1830 , and died on May 15, 1886. She was a poet, but if you  asked anyone in her town, they'd admit that she had  published a few pieces of poetry, certainly not many. No one knew she aspired to become a poet, for she hid nearly all of  the brilliant poems she wrote.  Emily  lived in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her fairly successful family.  After she attended  the Amherst Academy for seven years as a child, she also went to Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Considered an eccentric by the townsfolk, she became known by her love for white clothing and her shyness; she never greeted guests, and in her later life, hardly even left her room. Most of her friendships were through writing letters, as she never went out of the house. 


This is one of my favorite poems
by Emily Dickinson:

I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be.
I never spoke with God,
Nor visited in heaven;
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the chart were given. 

Pretty awesome, huh? I recommend reading as many of her poems as you can-they're really great!!! 

Watching Raiders of the Lost Ark(and Indiana Jones quotes!:)

Well, I FINALLY got to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark, a.k.a ROTLA. Check out my other post on Indy here. BTW, I own none of these pics.

.

It was... bedazzling.Amazing. Astounding! Perfect. Spectacular. Stunning! Just like the book. Okay, I loved it. No, I loveloveloved it! Basically, the story is:
It's 1936. Hitler is rising to power- and he wants the Ark of the Covenant because he thinks it will make him powerful. After Indy returns home from his search for the Capochyan idol(love the boulder scene -see a clip here!),the American Government hires him,the famous archaeologist Dr. Jones, to find it before the Nazi's do- and to figure out what's going on. Can Indy triumph over the forces of evil? He heads to his old friend Abner Ravenwood, a collector of Ark-related artifacts, to find out. He tracks Abner down to a remote bar in Nepal, only to find Abner's dead, and his feisty, beautiful daughter Marion (who happens to be Indy's ex-girlfriend from when he was younger.) is stuck running the bar. She won't help Indy, and so he leaves. The Nazis arrive, start a fight, and nearly kill Marion but Indy heard the noise, returned, and saved her. You go, Indy!  There's a big fight between Nazis/Indiana/Sherpas/Mongolians, but Indy and Marion win. Of course! :)Marion says she'll help Indy,so, they head to Egypt to meet his friend Sallah. They find the Nazis digging  for the Ark, but realize they're digging in the wrong place. *Spoiler Alert* Marion is kidnapped by the Nazi's main man, Belloq. Indy thinks she's dead, but.. she's not! Indy finds the ark, only to have Belloq steal it from him and then Belloq locks Indy and Marion in the Well of Souls, were the Ark was. They escape from a snake filled chamber. After a bloody fight scene,(We fast forwarded a little of this scene), Indy sends Marion and Sallah off to get transportation to America and announces he's off to find the Ark. There is a spectacular fight between Indy and a bunch of Nazi vehicles! It was soo good! They eventually recover the Ark, and Indy and Marion get on a boat with it to head back to America. There is a long kissing scene we also fast forwarded. Suddenly, the Nazis take over the ship. Indy manages to escape but they take Marion. Indy rides atop their submarine to their secret island, where, after a failed attempt form Indy to stop, them, they open the Ark. Definitely fast forward this scene! The wrath of God destroys the Nazis rather graphically. Indy and Marion get the Ark and head home. Now  just have to see Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!!!
All in all, I give it 5 stars, although there were a few(4) bad words and the three objectionable scenes I mentioned.  Other than that, I really enjoyed the movie! Thanks SOOO much to Dad for letting me and Christopher watch it!
Christopher's Notes:
"I liked the part where Marion hit the man with the frying pan and dragged him away. I also liked how when the airfield blew up, Belloq said "Jones!" My other favorite part was when  the guy was being all scary with the sword and Indy calmly shot him.:)
Thanks, Christopher!
Now I leave you with this:

Belloq: How odd that it should end this way for us after so many stimulating encounters. I almost regret it. Where shall I find a new adversary so close to my own level? 
Indiana: Try the local sewer. 

...............................................................................................................
Marion: You're not the man I knew ten years ago. 
Indiana: It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage. 

 .....................................................................................................................

Indiana: You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together, I've got nothing better to do. 

.............................................................................................................. 
Sallah: Indy, why does the floor move? 
Indiana: Give me your torch. 
[Indy takes the torch and drops it in] 
Indiana: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes? 
Sallah: Asps... very dangerous. You go first. 

...........................................................................................................................
Indiana: The Ark of the Covenant, the chest that the Hebrews used to carry around the Ten Commandments. 
Major Eaton: What, you mean THE Ten Commandments? 
Indiana: Yes, the actual Ten Commandments, the original stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mt. Horeb and smashed, if you believe in that sort of thing... 
[the officers stare at him blankly] 
Indiana: Didn't any of you guys ever go to Sunday school? 

......................................................................................................................

Indiana: Do we need the monkey? 
Marion: I'm surprised at you. Talking that way about our baby. He's got your looks, too. 
Indiana: And your brains.

........................................................................................................
Indiana:There's a big snake in the plane, Jock!
Jock: Oh, that's just my pet
Indiana: I hate snakes, Jock! I hate 'em! 
Jock: Come on! Show a little backbone, will ya?

Which one of these quotes is your fave? Comment and let me know!  Bye for now! Thanks for reading!

Who were the Harvey Girls?

Have you ever heard of a Harvey girl? Chances are, you probably haven't. So, I'm going to tell you about them.


  The Harvey girls were girls between the ages of 18-30(although some lied about their age- a few were only 14!) who worked in railroad dining places known as Harvey Houses during the late 1800-1920's.  they worked as waitresses and helped out in the kitchen or worked at the counters.The requirements for the jobs were very strict. No make up, gum, dating, smoking, drinking, or trading jobs. Fred Harvey wanted all his restaurants to serve good food and have good workers. "Service with a smile"= a Harvey girl was always supposed to be polite, even to the most irate customer. They went through months of training to learn how things like the 'cup code',(how to tell what drink someone wanted by the way the waitresses held the empty cup) how to memorize orders, and how to keep there uniform perfectly clean without wearing an apron. One angry manager was said to have tipped a table over as it was not set perfectly-one fork was out of place.

  Some compared Harvey girl training to being in the army, but it was a highly sought-after job. It paid well, and although the managers were very strict, there was a chance of becoming a boss of your own Harvey House someday. Harvey Houses offered young women a chance to see the world and "leave the farm", which is why many took the jobs.

 If you want to learn more about the Harvey girls, I suggest you read Harvey Girl, by Shelia Wood Foard. It's a fictional story, but all the historical details are accurate.

Beware, Princess Elizabeth book review

Princess Elizabeth is having a bad time of it. Her mother was beheaded, her sister Mary is out to get her, her father the king is dead, and there are hundreds of plots circling around her family. Her true love turns against her, and she loses her wealth.Oh yes, and she's imprisoned in the notorious Tower of London. Not to mention that she's being persecuted for her faith and her good friend Lady Jane Grey was just executed.

No one-even her most loyal supporters- expect Elizabeth to be able to rise out of all this and someday become Queen. Elizabeth herself has doubts. She witnesses first her brother Edward, then her friend Lady Jane Grey, then her sister Mary take the throne. She quietly watches all of them, learning what to do and what not to do if she ever becomes Queen.

 The book follows Elizabeth from 14 to when she becomes queen, and I really enjoyed it. I especially liked that all the characters were real people. However, I didn't like that the book is rather descriptive in some places,(such as beheadings and fights) and all the royal families are trying to get rid of each other.


This book is an educational and enjoyable read. If you enjoy it, you can read the whole series! I give it an 8 out of 10.

Langston Hughes

I've been learning about Langston Hughes in my Reading workbook. Langston Hughes was born in 1902. He was one of the most famous African-American poets in the whole world. His mother and grandmother raised him in  several places throughout his life. He was born in Joplin, Missouri and spent most of his childhood in Lawrence, Kansas, being raised by his grandmother. When she died, he moved to Lincoln, Illinois with his mother, then went to high school in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduating, he spent some time in Mexico with his father, he attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. The rest of his life was spent in New York. His poetry talks about African-Americans in America.Langston was very close to his mother and grandmother. He saw his college educated mother work as a maid and a waitress because of her color. Langston’s grandmother was very proud of heritage. She told Langston stories of his ancestors who were involved in politics and education. She also told Langston Bible stories and read passages from the Bible aloud to him His mom found a good job in Topeka, Kansas. She moved there with Langston. It was in this city that Langston discovered the library and its children’s section. He spent much time in the library, often to escape teasing from other kids at his school. When Langston was twelve his grandmother died. She told him to never feel sorry for himself even when things were difficult. So when the ticket seller at the movie- theater told him she would not sell a ticket to a "colored boy" he found the Opera House. He was able to see the books he'd read come to life on stage. He honored his grandmother’s memory by taking her advice and not feeling sorry for himself and letting his anger get the best of him. Langston Hughes wasn't just a poet, he was also a war corespondent during the Spanish-American War, and an author of several books and plays. He died in 1967. This is the poem that was in my reader:

This is Langston Hughes.

Mother to Son

By Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

-Langston Hughes


About the poem:
  The poem is an expanded metaphor. That simply means that the metaphor expands throughout the poem. The metaphor is(can you guess?) life is a staircase! 

Love from your friend,Hannah Book Review

Hannah Diamond is a young girl growing up in rural New York State in 1937. Bored and tired of writing 16 letters to her best-friend-who -moved-away-and -didn't-write-back, Hannah decides to get a pen pal. She draws a name from the big Pen Pal box on her teacher's desk. Hannah writes her new pen pal a long letter telling him all about her life. The boy writes back, too-two sentences. Any ordinary person would be discouraged, but not Hannah! She writes to her aunt, her grandmother,President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt,and Miss Missy, The President's Secretary.She also writes to a young hobo who stopped by her father's restaurant, and eventually even, Edward, her not-so boring pen pal who turns out to be a good friend and an interesting person. Hannah writes witty letters that are very amusing to read. Also, if you are interested in either of the Roosevelts, this is the book for you!This book teaches about the Great Depression, and is a good read.
 I also enjoyed this book because I have several pen pals of my own.



(Inappropriate Content: Ms. Van Dam, the grocer's wife, yells a bad phrase, then tells Hannah she shouldn't have said it and says never say ugly words. However, Hannah gets mad at a bully on the bus and yells the bad word anyway.)

Historic Aviation Memorial Museum Tour

We went to the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum in Tyler, Texas with our home school group, and I had a great time!  I would like to share some of the wonderful things I learned about.  They told us about balloons being used during the Civil War to spy on troop movements, I even learned the history behind this artwork, which I have hanging in my room:  (you'll have to go to the museum to learn the whole story)

  

Next, we learned about blimps and early fighter planes used in WWI. All of the old blimps weren't very safe, but they looked really fancy flying through the air!  In this section we learned more about early airplanes and they even have a sample of the fabric, yes fabric, that they used to cover the planes with instead of metal.

Then we went to the WWII section of the museum. It is the largest section and has a lot of memorabilia.

One of my Grandmother's friend's aunt, Ruth Helm, was a W.A.S.P, a woman aviator in WWII. It was really interesting to learn about her. My grandmother was very excited to see her recognized at the museum.  That's Ruth Helm in the above picture...

 

Our docent (volunteer tour guide) was awesome.  He told us about when he was in the Navy he had to take tests on airplane shapes that were flashed on a screen.  Judging by their shape, he had to tell if it was friend or foe. He served on a Navy aircraft carrier and had wonderful information about the items in the museum.  It was great to hear about the personal stories he told.

Uniforms
Some of the uniforms in the museum were donated by family members of veterans.  You can tell the donated ones because they have the name on them. 

Our docent's favorite plane.  At first glance you think it is broken, but he told us the wings fold up so they can fit more planes on the aircraft carriers.   They use huge elevators to raise and lower the plans.  He told us if the plane has a pole under the tail with a hook on it, it most likely was able to land on an aircraft carrier.  The pole and hook would catch on a cable to help slow down the plane so that it could land safely.

 Commercial Airline history

My brother wanted to take this one for a spin but they caught him before he could get started.

Here's the address, you should visit this museum for your own personal tour and walk in history!  You might see me and my family there because we are going back soon.

Historic Aviation Memorial Museum
Tyler Pounds Regional Airport
150 Airport Drive
Tyler, TX 75704

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

                                                                  By Laura Ashley Childress

On January 17, 1706 on Milk Street in Boston, a baby boy was born. His name? Benjamin Franklin. Only he wasn’t famous then. He was just Ben. Ben was the youngest boy of seventeen children, and he was always getting into mischief.  Ben went to school until he was 10. After school, he often went fishing with friends. The boys didn’t like how muddy it was around the pond, so Ben suggested they take some workmen’s stones from a nearby building site. The boys built a wharf under Ben’s direction, even though several boys mentioned that they shouldn’t.

Then they all had a great time fishing from their new wharf. The next day, some angry workmen came to see Ben’s father, a candle maker, about Ben and his friends. Quickly and angrily they explained about the theft of their stones, and then they all turned to Ben. Ben said to his father, “You always tell me to do useful things. The wharf was useful!” his father replied “It’s true, Ben, that usefulness is good… Nothing is truly useful that isn’t honest. But the stones didn’t belong to you. Nothing is useful if it is not honest.” Ben and his friends had to but all the stones back!

When Ben was 12, he decided he wanted to be a printer so he was apprenticed to his older brother James, who was a printer. James and Ben didn’t get along, and Ben thought he could write better than James did. So he wrote several funny letters to James’ paper and signed them “Silence Dogood”. James thought they were witty and clever so he published them. Ben finally told James he wrote them and James was very mad. He and Ben argued all the time, so Ben ran away when he was 17. He went to a print shop in New York, hoping to find work, but the kind elderly man who owned the shop had no work for Ben. He told Ben to see his son in Philadelphia, who also was a printer. The son couldn’t give Ben a job, but he found him a job at a local printer’s and let Ben board with him.  It was there that Ben met Deborah (Debby) Read, who he would later marry. Later Ben opened his own printing shop/ store.

By the time he was 25, he was married to Debby, had a son, and ran a printing shop. He also published a newspaper, and Debby ran a store next to the printing shop. When he was 26, he published Poor Richard’s Almanac under the pen name Richard Saunders. It was full of facts, funny sayings, recipes, and more.

Eventually Ben and Debby had 3 children, William, Sarah (she was called Sally) and Francis (who died when he was 4).When Ben was 42, he decided to stop working. This gave him time to work on experiments, especially the study of lightning. When Ben’s son Will was 21, he and his father went into a pasture and conducted their famous kite-and lightning experiment. Ben invented many things, such as bifocals, the Franklin stove,
a glass armonica, the lightning rod, and an odometer.

Later George Washington sent him to France to ask for financial aid for America in the Revolutionary War. The French hailed Ben as “the man who tore the lightning from the sky.” The ragged old fur hat that he wore was called “charming”, and women styled their hair like it! Everyone in France loved Ben, and this helped him get millions of francs from the King of France. Ben played a crucial part in the War, and he was proud of this. He was the oldest man to help write the Constitution, and he helped with the writing of the Declaration of Independence. One of the last experiments was to help a friend hear better. He discovered if you pushed on your ear, you could hear much better than if you hadn’t. Ben died on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia. You can still go to Franklin Court in Philadelphia, and see museums, Franklin’s home site, and many other things related to Ben.

Clara Barton Report

I found this awesome pic of her from http://www.civilwarhome.com/images/barton.jpg

                                             
                                                                Clara Barton
Clara Barton grew up on a farm, so she had plenty of experience in taking care of hurt or wounded animals.This helped her become a famous nurse later in life. But Clara wasn't always famous....

Clara Barton was born near New Oxford, Massachusetts in 1821. In 1833, when she was 12, her older brother David fell off a roof and was badly injured. Clara took care of him, nursing him back to health. She and her mother cooked for him, and she went the hospital with David. The doctor even said that if it wasn't for her, he might have died! This was Clara's first time having a human patient. Usually her patients were farm animals.Later, when Clara was older, she taught school. Since she was short,at first her students did not respect her.

 She was barely older than them. Soon, Clara gained their respect. Although her students were considered "poor","rowdy" "uneducated" and "filthy" by the well-to-do town members, Clara soon proved these thoughts wrong. She not only taught the children, she played with them and visited their families. After teaching for 15 years, she moved to Washington D.C , where she worked at the U.S Patent Office. After living there for 6 years,the Civil war began.Clara Barton begged government officials to let her nurse the sick men on the battlefields. Many would die if they were not doctored. It took too long to get them to hospitals. Finally she obtained permission. Clara became the first woman nurse on an American battlefield She brought comfort to many soldiers. They called her "Clara Barton, Angel of the Battlefield". Clara helped soldiers no matter"what color their uniform was".

After the war, in one of the last letters he ever wrote, President Abraham Lincoln asked her to help find out what happened to the many missing soldiers. To raise money for this project, Clara gave speeches on her life as a war nurse. One day when she went to speak, Clara's mouth opened and no sound came out! The doctor prescribed 3 years of rest in Europe. While in Switzerland, she learned of the Red Cross. She was shocked to find out that America head not signed the Red Cross treaty. She realized how much this would've helped in the Civil War.  A war broke out against Germany and France. Clara victims there, too, but this time she was with the Red Cross.When she returned to America she convinced the president to sign the Red Cross Treaty. She also founded the American Red Cross.Clara helped people until her death in 1912. Her legacy lives on every time a fire, flood, or war victim is helped by the Red Cross. It's all because of Clara Barton, Angel of the Battlefield.

Meeting Paula Deen!

We got to meet Paula Deen at the Hastings Book Store in Tyler! Ms. Deen was really nice...Wait! Maybe I should start at the beginning! We got to the store at 3:00pm. Ms Deen was supposed to be there at 6:00pm. However, there was a long line ahead of us- in fact, we were the 200th person in line! So, after three hours of waiting, we got bored, so my brothers and I went to the kid's book section to read. However, they were blocking the kid's section off, and had prepared a little table with a bunch of yummy foods for her. While we were there, we found out that her book, Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible, had reached #1 on the New York Time's Bestseller's List. So, we bought several copies of the book and got them signed by her. Ms. Deen was friendly and said she loved all her Texas gals and guys,told Andrew she liked his shirt. etc.,but of course we only got to see her for a little bit.We met several nice people in line and it was worth the wait! I told my mom "Now all we have to do is meet Taylor Swift and I'm happy!":-) It did take a long time in line, though. People had literally camped out ! Anyway, I had a good time. We got a compliment from Ms. Deen-she said 'What polite children ya'll are!" Oh, and this is my 100th blog post so far!:-)

Book Review

Recently we went on a Military Living History field trip and it was really cool! The man who owns the place is a real author who  writes good books, and I got some and had them signed by him! The 2 books I got are shown here. The author's name is Tom Townsend., and he is really nice and a good writer. His books rock! While they did have a little bit about sorcery and a pirate shoot-out, they are still really good. They are historical fiction. The books follow Jem and his friends Talva and Raif as they uncover the mystery of his father,who is Jean Lafitte, the pirate! All Jem wanted was to find his father and travel with him, but that is too dangerous. Jem has to be content with only occasionally seeing him- till a new adventure brings them together. In the book, there are several animals, including a seagull named Mariah, a dog named Getanna, and a Falcon.Well, actually, there is a boat called Falcon and a mysterious falcon locket that just might hold all kinds of secrets... Jem, Raif, and Talva get into all kinds of adventures with pirates, dogs, and ships. The books take place in the late1800's.The books are based on Galveston Island,Texas, and I've been there a lot, which is really cool! Now when I go there I'll think about the books. Anyway, back to the books. These books are good for boys and girls. I recommend these books highly! They are well-written and exciting, plus educational. They are funny, too. Read the whole series-Where the Pirates Are, The Dark Ships, or Powderhorn Passage -today!

Penny from Heaven Book Review

Penny is an average girl growing up in the 1950's who has had to deal with all kinds of hardships. Her father died right after she was born, and all she knows about him is that he liked Bing Crosby, she gets her arm stuck in an old-fashioned washing machine and is nearly paralyzed, her room is a large closet (but pretty!) and her favorite uncle lives in a car.Worst of all, her mother is dating again-and she likes the milkman! The book follows Penny as she slowly unravels the mystery of her father's Italian family, and why her mother won't talk to them -with the help of her cousin Frankie who desperately wants to be a robber! Penny has all kinds of funny-and sometimes sad adventures, from the toilet flooding her room and spying on her grandmother, to going to a funeral and collecting "death trading cards"(prayer cards!) This book is based on the true story of the author's mother, and is REALLY good! It teaches about the little known story of Italian-Americans and World War 2. Read Penny from Heaven right now! I give it 5 stars out of 5.