Wednesday: Butterflies by an Edwardian Lady

If Persephone store ever comes to U.S. what a lovely place that would be to spend a rainy afternoon. And their blog is not too shabby often featuring lovely works of art by unknown artists, many of them women.

I do love art plates of insects and flowers. This plate featured on Persephone Post came from an antique rather dull book by an Edwardian Lady. But the meticulous watercolors are lovely.

Until next Wednesday!

Learned Tot: Human Body

Gotta be honest, anatomy is not my favorite subject. Reading about pancreas is a sure way to lose one's appetite. Thankfully human body subject is often covered in preschool.  Here are a few of our favorite resources.

"Can you please get me swine flu?"  You don't hear that every day. But several of these plush guys, including the ever-precious brain cell, made it to our Amazon wish list. You can round out your tot's collection of cells with models of their favorite diseases - ulcer, herpes, gangrene, syphilis, pneumonia.

Parent Involvement: LOW but you may find yourself explaining a range of horrid diseases.

Of course this won't substitute Gray's Anatomy but the Skeleton floor puzzle is an accessible way to teach wee ones about major bones in the body. 

Parent Involvement: VARIES - depending on aptitude for puzzles and age.

Our latest download, Human Anatomy App (Free!). Some reviewers complain that 29 bones isn't nearly enough to learn about skull. But there is plenty to introduce major muscle groups and digestive system to the tot and pick up a thing or two yourself.

Parent Involvement: HIGH

"I want a statue of the brain!" We quite like the look of anatomy models around here, though they are itty-bitty for little hands to manipulate.

Parent Involvement: VARIES

We do not have any of The Magic School Bus books around here - junior Klatch set doesn't seem as keen on it, but I quite like the idea of a journey through the digestive system on a yellow bus.

Parent Involvement: HIGH, unless child is of reading age

Of course there is the inescapable Basher book that covers major body functions and structures and even DNA and T Cells in an engaging and easy to understand way.

Parent Involvement: HIGH, unless child is of reading age

Other useful links:

• Human Body activities from Sid the Science Kid. Digestion Investigation is our favorite!
• Science of Human Body - ideas on educating your kids from PBS Parents website

You might also enjoy Astronomy and  Geography resources.

May:Bookish Picks

I love books, is it not obvious? So May's picks are about books of all different kinds.


First, of course we must mention The Wild Things. Even with a twinge of sadness, it is magical.  There is a version read by the author on B&N Storytime. Good-bye, Maurice Sendak.

My other favorite is In The Night Kitchen.

Onto cookbooks. I've been pondering BabyCakes from Erin McKenna - cupcakes and cookies, gluten-free and mostly vegan. But more about that later this month.

Xanthan Gum has firmly established itself in my vocabulary

I am about half-way through E.F. Benson's Queen Lucia. Setting: Provincial English town between the two World Wars. Cast of characters includes a Guru/Curry Cook, an opera diva, and brash sisters Ursy and Hermy. It is hilarious, get your free e-copy from Gutenberg!

Lastly, I ran across DailyLit website that delivers books, mostly free, into your inbox or reader in itty-bitty chunks. Perhaps it is time to tackle Proust after all.


More of my book picks are here

Wednesday: HRH by Lucian Freud

I have been slacking all April but Wednesdays are back with Lucian Freud's depiction of HRH Queen Elizabeth.  Because he is related to the other Freud and has a way with a paintbrush and she is thoroughly modern.


I don't know where the portrait actually resides but this came from BBC. Apparently there is come controversy about the depiction but I like it!