Arts and Crafts

MLK EVERY DAY: Recently we were asked to help with some decorations for a Martin Luther King Junior-related celebration at the kids' former school. We were happy to help out!

We decided to make some colorful, large-scale centerpieces for the occasion. It involved trips to four different Dollar Tree stores (for bargain table runners). For each table, we made a flower pot (oversized 'bottomless' soda cups I've saved for years from our trips to Safeco Field. (I knew I was saving those for a reason.) We had to cover each cup in yellow paper, and then Annabelle put a fun zebra-print tape around the rim. We used enormous Popsicle-type sticks for flower stems, and Annabelle used her Cricut to cut out big flowers.

One point of the celebration was that MLK could not and did not do his important civil rights work alone. Rather, a number of people were involved. We featured some of King's contemporaries on the flowers. One side of the flower featured a portrait, and the other side featured a quote and a few biographical facts.  CJ helped track down quotes, photos and wrote most of the biographies, including this one about Bayard Rustin, whom we'd never heard of before. (He's worth learning about!)

(In case you're curious, Bayard Rustin was a Civil Rights activist, particularly supporting African-American and LGBT rights. In the 1940s, Rustin collaborated with A. Phillip Randolph on the March on Washington, a movement designed to combat racial discrimination in employment. Rustin played a key role in introducing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Gandhi’s teachings of nonviolent conflict resolution.)

In all, we made flowers featuring the following: Ralph Bunche, Andrew Young, Coretta Scott King, Jesse Jackson, Rosa Parks, James Bevel, Ralph Abernathy, Diane Nash, Mahalia Jackson, Bayard Rustin, Benjamin Mays, Harry Belafonte, Hosea Williams, Dorothy Height and Amelia Boynton. It was quite a history lesson!

SPORTY CAKES: Today, we put the finishing touches on our latest Birthday Dreams donation. This one was for a nine year old Seahawks' fan. We used an 'ugly Christmas sweater' cake pan for the jersey. It was our first time using that pan (a Value Village find), and it worked out nicely, I think. (The recipient's name is purposely obscured in the photo below.)

We also made a dozen cupcakes to go with. The kids had fun decorating them last night. No two were the same. 

The kids were liberal with the sprinkles, naturally.

I've been meaning to share that the last cake we made for Birthday Dreams was featured in their January 2019 newsletter and on their Facebook page.

Their newsletter shared some thoughts from the birthday boy's very grateful mother. Titled "
The Gift of a Smile: A Birthday Dreams Story," the article reported ...

In early 2018, a permanently disabled single mother lost her housing and became homeless. This mother has a servant's heart, providing for 13 children, three of whom were "hard to place" children that she adopted. With wait lists for permanent housing 2+ years long, she and her children have been couch surfing and staying in low-end motels. Basic needs like food and shelter a top priority, the holidays were looking bleak—let alone any hope for any type of celebration for one of her sons who had a December birthday.

Aware of the need, the child's school offered to reach out to Birthday Dreams. Circumstances were such that the mother was unable to hold the party at her transitional housing, so plan B was set into action. The Birthday-in-a-Box was delivered to the school. The celebration took place over the lunch period prior to the winter break, making the young man's birthday and holiday season a little brighter. This is the feedback we received from the mother, "It was the difference between despair and hopelessness to faith in people and sunshine in a sea of darkness. We are forever grateful."

In describing the impact of the birthday on her son, she said, "It took a kid totally depressed about his situation to kid with a big smile, who feel accepted by his peers and hopeful for the future."

And last Wednesday, Birthday Dreams' Facebook page shared thanks from the school the boy attended. ...

The birthday boy and his family were thankful for Birthday Dreams. The staff, faculty, and kids are still talking about that cake, and how beautiful everything was. Thank you for bringing some beauty and light into his life, and to our entire school community! We are all so grateful.

When you are homeless, it is difficult to plan when you are living day-to-day. To think this party was almost cancelled, because the families plans changed at the last minute. Our office negotiated to deliver the party earlier and delivered the party to the school. He was able to celebrate his birthday with his schools friends. Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly everyday to make birthdays happen. Without them this party would not of happened. Now this boy and his friends now have important memories. We were able to create birthday smiles for this boy and his school. #WhyWednesday #BirthdaySmiles

Flight of the Bumblebee

WINGING IT: Saturday afternoon we had a million tasks we really needed to take care of. So what did we do? We headed to The Museum of Flight for a presentation about beekeeping near SeaTac airport. 

I asked CJ to provide a write-up about the event, hosted by the most interesting Bob Redmond, founder of Urban Bee Company.  A poet and Rhodes scholar, Redmond has an interesting resume. He's a fulltime beekeeper now, and founder of The Common Acre, a non-profit which restores food and farm culture

Unfortunately, CJ's report is barely cursory. (I'll talk to him about that later.) Here's his way-too-short account. ... 

On a mostly dreary Saturday, on 19 January 2019, we went to The Museum of Flight for the fifteen quadrazillionth time. This time, it was for that day’s Honey Bees And Airplanes (HB&A) event. HB&A primarily concerns two topics: The Flight Path project (FPP) (a non-profit project dedicated to the sustenance of a bee ecosystem in land near the extremely busy SeaTac airport,) and a comparison between bees and airplanes.

According to the Port of Seattle, the FPP has been in place since 2013, when it was established by the Port of Seattle, as well as a local non-profit organization, The Common Acre, to turn the-unused green land in the south part of the SeaTac airport into a pollinator habitat, thus helping the local bee population. Roughly 36 beehives are in the FPP’s area.

Beekeeper Bob Redmond, who gave the presentation, displayed an infographic comparing SeaTac with the FPP. Notably, the FPP has nearly a dozen times the number of daily operations that SeaTac does (SeaTac has ~1045, the FPP has ~125,000.)

One of the things we learned during the presentation was that not only are there bees near the SeaTac runways, there is also a bee-inspired public art installation within the airport itself.

We also learned about the gentleman who invented the beehive frame, L. L. Langstroth. Born on Christmas Day, 1810, Langstroth was a teacher and clergyman. He's pictured on the right, below. Redmond said the man on the left was a 'model' on the patent application, and he has no idea why his head is so small, ha ha.

I compelled CJ to tell you more about him. ... 

Today, the most common form of a beehive frame is a "Langstroth hive," a hive design featuring several movable frames, for easy harvest of honey. It was patented on October 5th, 1852 by L. L. Langstroth, a clergyman and teacher often known as "the father of American beekeeping." In the years since its introduction, has become omnipresent in beekeeping, and an icon of the practice. The way Langstroth hives are constructed, bees cannot attach honeycombs in a way that would connect adjacent frames, or connect the frames to the hive's walls. Langstroth hives are notable for the presence of vertically movable frames, which, prior to its introduction, were rare.

While "hive frames" had existed as early as 1814 (with the earliest known one created by Ukrainian beekeeper and inventor Petro Prokopvych,) their frames were often difficult to remove, making the seemingly simple process of harvesting honey from the frames an annoyance. Meanwhile, Langstroth's invention made the lives of beekeepers around the world much easier and less irritating by using easy-to-move frames. Today, beekeeping would probably look very different (and a whole lot more frustrating!) without Langstroth hives.

We also learned about the many different types of bees found in Washington and around the world.  The SeaTac beekeepers collect specimens to track which of the winged wonders are inhabiting our area.

After the presentation, people had an opportunity to taste some honey produced by the SeaTac hives. We were first in line. :) The kids report it was delicious (I was busy taking this photo.)

A couple of fact sheets for you to peruse if you choose.

Checked Out

PAST THE STACKS: This week, we've made it a priority to check out all that our King County Library System has to offer as far as teen-audience offerings go.

On Monday, we went to the Burien library for the kids to participate in a "crafternoon" arts and crafts session. The kids painted coffee mugs and had fun.

On Wednesday, we were back at the Burien Library, this time it was for a board game day. They played Magic, and brought a couple of our games along to teach others (such as Unstable Unicorns and Guillotine).

Today, we headed to the Tukwila branch to check out their teens' video game session.We'd never been there before. LOVED the clock outside the library! This photo doesn't do it justice.

 Right inside the library door, we knew we were in the right place. 

I told the kids to go find the game space and then I  sat down and started working on taxes. I appreciated that the table I sat at had phone charging ports. And I really didn't mind that it was, by far, the LOUDEST library I have ever been in. 

It was a happy loud, if that makes any sense. It was the sound of middle and high school kids talking with one another, after school. It struck me that I was glad they were there and happy and having fun instead of who knows what.

It's interesting how libraries are evolving. Today, they're not just a quiet place to go check out a book. In the Seattle area, one of their number one services is as place to warm up and chill out for homeless people. And it's a place for kids to hang out an feel safe after school.

Foodies

 MORNING GLORY: Our alarms went off at 5 a.m. today.

The MPA student body was not pleased. (Meanwhile, I'd been awake since 3, so what the heck, it was way past time to get up.)

We were in the (already loaded from the night before) car and on the road by 5:45. We dropped Christian off at his workplace in SoDo (south of downtown), and continued on to Queen Anne. 

Despite the trip being in the midst of #Viadoom (one of this already gridlocked city's freeways is 100 percent shut down), we made OK time. Actually really good time. We had time to stop at the store for a couple more items and then arrived at the kids' former school by 6:30-ish.

Fortunately, our favorite custodian ever was already there and let us in. We worked through our set up schedule. ... We cleaned the kitchen, set up the toppings and juice stations, set up the pay/donation station, got the books for breakfast videos ready to go, and soon enough, it became time to get the pancake griddles ready.

That's when the real fun started. We plugged in the first griddle and sparks and flames shot out of the wall toward us. Woo hoo! So that was a dead (well, live wire) outcome. Naturally, I consulted our favorite custodian. The fire shooting outlet was taped over and donned with a danger sign.

Fortunately, I kind of know the wiring in the looks-new-but-old-wiring building well enough to know what outlets are on which circuit and we managed to get three griddles going without tripping anything. 

Hiccoughs aside, the fundraising pancake feed went well. We filled a lot of bellies and raised a little money. So, it's all good.

Also, I think it's worth noting that the 'books with breakfast' part of our party was a HUGE hit. Parents and children *loved* the Story Time From Space  videos we screened!

They walked in and marveled at the sight of books being read in microgravity and had numerous questions about the ISS and other NASA programs. Naturally, we were happy to answer those questions. :)  We love doing NASA outreach.

PUT TO THE TEST: Yesterday, we took care of something I've been meaning to do for too many days/weeks/months/years. The kids and I got current on our food service workers' licenses.

I kind of sprung the class/test on the kids with no warning. I asked them to gather their laptops and log in to a URL.  We went through about 45 minutes of often cringe-worthy videos. 

 I honestly think we could have passed the test, easily, without the 'class,' but literally better safe than sorry

Afterward, CJ immediately said, "This is something I could add to my resume."

Exactly!

Monday Funday

MUGGY: Monday afternoon, we headed to King County Library System's Burien location for a Teen "Crafternoon" event. The kids were invited to customize mugs using oil-based Sharpie pens.

Here's Annabelle with her blank 'canvas.'

There were a half dozen or so kids there, and it sounded like they were having fun. 

CJ went for a Nirvana-inspired design. 

Afterward, I suggested to him that if there's a next time, he might want to try something other than yellow for the text, since it didn't show up very well. 

Annabelle free-styled her design.


After the ink cured for 24 hours, we baked the mugs in the oven (per instructions from the library) to help it set. (And good news for CJ, fortunately, the yellow got a bit darker after baking.)

SPACED OUT STORIES: We're helping out with a reading celebration on Thursday. We'll be serving up hundreds of pancakes while students and their families enjoy 'books for breakfast.'

We've decided to feature "Story Time From Space" as the entertainment. It's a really great series of videos where astronauts on the International Space Station read STEM-related picture books.

The kids and I previewed one of the videos, "Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings." Written by Jessica Fries-Gaither, the book was read by NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba. The story is about how important science notebooks can be, as they contain sketches, scientific observations, imagine experiments, record data, or just record random thoughts and observations. 

We were fans of the video. The production value is good. We liked the way the astronaut is shown in a split-screen with the pages of the book (many of them were even animated). 

You can find all of the stories recorded to date on the website http://storytimefromspace.com/

FUTURE FILE: A DIY project I want to attempt in the future popped up in my Facebook feed today. I think these globe pendant lights look so cool! We'll definitely be on the hunt for globes at thrift stores in the coming weeks.

Up to Eleven

CULT CLASSIC: One thing we don't do much around MPA is watch movies. When the TV is on (which really isn't all that often), it's almost always sports, news, or a documentary of some sort. 

We have talked lots about at least watching some of the classics with CJ and Annabelle. This weekend, we finally managed a movie night. The classic we had to watch?

No, it wasn't "On the Waterfront. Or "Casablanca." Or "Gone with the Wind." 

It was "This is Spinal Tap." :)

As the Internet Movie Database describes it, the 1984 film is about "one of England's loudest bands ... chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour."  (The film was really directed brilliantly by Rob Reiner.)

The movie is responsible for a number of enduring laughs. I'll have CJ tell you a bit more about that.

In the nearly 35 years since its release, the mockumentary (meaning fiction in the style of a documentary) This Is Spinal Tap has become a cult classic, and is often considered one of the best films in the mockumentary genre. The film follows "Spinal Tap," a fictional British hair metal band on a tour in 1982. This Is Spinal Tap is the source of many memes, most notably "these go up to eleven," originally said in reference to an amplifier used by the band's guitarist, as well as the "eighteen-inch Stonehenge" (an absurdly small model of the British landmark.)

As to why This Is Spinal Tap is a cult classic, my guess would be that it is largely due to the humorous and distinctive improvisation of nearly all the actors involved. In addition, This Is Spinal Tap had elements that resonated with many famous musicians (for example: Losing direction in a confusing backstage, while attempting to get to the front-stage.)

The movie made me laugh as much this weekend as it did in 1984. I think Spinal Tap might be the most famous 'mockumentary' ever made. It strikes me "Best in Show" is right up there, too. it strikes me that's another movie the kids need to see. ...

COURTSIDE: Last night we were watching a fantastic college basketball game (#1 Duke v. unranked Syracuse). What else were we supposed to do? There's no Monday Night Football any more this season, and baseball hasn't started yet. 

Anyway, because most every moment is a teachable moment, we weren't just watching hoops, but were also talking geography and history. For instance, where are Duke and Syracuse universities located, are the public or private, and so on. And then it occurred to me that Syracuse has one of the stranger team nicknames in college sports: The Orangemen. 

What, pray tell, is *that* all about, I wondered aloud. The kids were quickly off to the Google and we learned a bit about the moniker's surprising history. Annabelle can explain. ...

The Syracuse Orange, originally known as the Orangemen and Orangewomen, have had a drastic change in mascot over the years. They started with the "Saltine Warrior," a Native American caricature, in the mid-1950s. This character was based on the hoax that the corpse of an Onondagan tribal chief was found while digging the lot for the women's gymnasium. This mascot was changed in as 1978, after much backlash from the school's Native American students, claiming it was derogatory.

The new mascot, which was a Spartan warrior, lasted for less than a year. This was possibly foretold in the first game the warrior appeared, where the Orangemen lost 28-0. For years afterwards, the university drifted between ideas and concepts for new mascots and didn't settle on anything until 1995, when Otto the Orange was officially appointed the face of the university. The Orange has been the true mascot ever since, and will continue to be until further notice.

You can even follow Otto the Orange on Twitter, it turns out.  Below is a recent Tweet of his, so you can see what he looks like.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL HIGH FIVES!!!! 📝📚📓I MISSED ALL MY ORANGE FRIENDS 🧡🧡🧡 @SyracuseU pic.twitter.com/Owcd5TbD8L

— Otto The Orange (@TheOttoOrange) January 14, 2019

 

MLK TODAY: Though the federal holiday is officially recognized on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr's birthday is actually on January 15. We watched this video today. Powerful stuff.

Brilliant King. Powerful King. This is my father at his most truth-telling, yet love-centered, self. Watch and share on today, his 90th birthday. #MLK90 #MLK pic.twitter.com/eCJWCVnD1k

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 15, 2019

Brake Time

GIMME A BRAKE:  Today MPA was mostly all about auto maintenance. The kids learned how to jack up a car and remove a tire, and they got to see the inner workings of a front disc brake system.

We put shiny new rotors on the front of the 1998 CR-V. So pretty! 

BLACK AND WHITE: Last week, we spent a couple of days making cookies. Not just any cookies, but special, 'artsy' ones to go along with a presentation of the Mukilteo Historical Society meeting.

The topic of the evening was Native American art, and so we made cookies matching that theme.

We would have been better off making the cookies after listening to such a lecture, but the timeline didn't work that way. :)

We researched images online and chose some we thought we could pull off in cookie form. Then, it was a matter of baking the cookies (the majority of which were hand-cut to a custom size), and then making fondant and topping them. The fondant was our 'canvas,' - then it was 'just' a matter of painting on raven, hawk, orca and other designs with a really small brush and black food coloring.

 We also made a few Mukilteo lighthouses for good measure.