Saturday, April 4, 2015

International Guitar Month 2015: Cake!

April is International Guitar Month!  To celebrate we made a cake.  When I say "we", I really mean my DD18.  She made the cake (using this amazing Super Decadent Chocolate Cake recipe), cut it out, and frosted it.  I did purchase the candy.  And we all ate it!  Even DD5 ate the cake -- usually she takes one bite of cake and then just eats the frosting. 
International Guitar Month April 2015 CAKE Brightskysix.blogspot.com

Why are we celebrating International Guitar Month at our house?  DD18 and my dh are taking guitar lessons!  I'd say it was a father-daughter bonding time, but she goes to her electric guitar lesson and he goes to his classical guitar lesson.  And never the twain shall meet.
Guitar Cake Candy for International Guitar Month April 2015 from BrightSkySix.blogspot.com

They both declined to play for the family today.  But at least we could all agree on chocolate cake!

And maybe in honor of International Guitar Month we will all learn the parts of a guitar -- instead of continuing to say things like "What is the top part of the guitar called?  The part with those sticking out bits?" 
Cordoba Guitar for International Guitar Month April 2015 from BrightSkySix.blogspot.com

Do you have a favorite guitarist?  We're always looking for new talent to enjoy!

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Finished my Bird Printable Set!


Free Bird Printable Set of Hunting Red from PocketMousePublishing.com

I finished the bird printable set for PocketMousePublishing.com!  I'm so proud.  And happy, because it is done and I can move on to something new. Check it out on my post over there if you're interested in birds, free worksheets, nature in general, or what I've been up to!

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Review of Outlaws & Bystanders in honor of the Ides of March

Outlaws & Bystanders music -- great go along for studying the Middle Ages!

Today is the Ides of March -- meaning the middle of the Roman month of March, based on the full moon.  It remains in our vocabulary today, March 15, 2015, because it is the anniversary of Julius Caesar's untimely death in 44 BC. 

And as a memorial, I give you a music review of Ken Theriot's Outlaws & Bystanders.  Why this album on this day?  Because it contains the song "Dogs of War" which is based on Mark Anthony's speech in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  And it contains 11 other marvelous songs with historical significance.  Well, 10 actually.  One is just for fun, especially if you are an archer in the Society for Creative Anachronism.

Currently my spare time is spent out in nature or writing about it at Pocket Mouse Publishing.  However, I have big plans to line up historical songs (both Ken's and several others in the same musical genre) with the Story of the World series.  Our family is currently in book 2, so Outlaws & Bystanders has been a great go along!

I originally wrote this review a few months ago for an SCA baronial newsletter -- I hope you enjoy Ken's music as much as our family does!

*******************************


Outlaws and Bystanders, by Ken Theriot
Produced by Raven Boy Music

Is Ken Theriot’s recently released album, Outlaws and Bystanders, our family’s new SCA music favorite?

It might (it might), it might (it might), 
It might, you never know;
It might, it may, it may, it might, 
It could, it might be so.

This chorus from “Men of the Isles” – a humorous Scottish ballad -- is just one of the great variety of musical styles on the album.  Songs such as “Morte d’ Arthur” and “Utopia” have a serious air while “Little Egypt” is a rollicking gypsy dance tune. “Dogs of War” is taken from the speech of Mark Antony in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. 

Some of the songs are easy to locate historically, for example the opening song “Soldier of God” mentions Don Jeronimo in the first verse, and the final song “The Ride of El Cid” says the name of Rodrigo Diaz in the first line.  Both of these songs take place in Spain in 1099.  Other songs like “Queen of Lilies” and “The Dragon” required our family to consult the lyrics and liner notes, available for free pdf download.
 
Only one song is not historical in nature. “Lament of the Combat Archer” is set at any major SCA event and like “The Feast Song” from Ken’s previous Human History album should bring a good laugh by knights and archers alike.  Speaking of archery, “Robin Hood and the Beggar Knight” and “William Tell” will lift the heart and have you reaching for your bow while you 

Keep your eye clear and keen, Like a falcon on the wing
Keep your heart strong and steady, Like your hand upon the string 

And is Outlaws & Bystanders our family's new SCA music favorite? Yes! However, it will never replace Human History in our hearts!

*********************************


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Free Birds Printable

Birds of Hunting Red printable coloring page
Download the Birds of Hunting Red coloring page! 
I created a single coloring page of the 9 birds found in Hunting Red* into a single coloring page as I continue to create each bird his own page (I've drawn the male of each species).  While the birds are shown smaller than life-size, they are sized relative to each other.

*Affiliate Link: Pocket Mouse Publishing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Friday, March 6, 2015

Full Moons 2015


I posted a Full Moon Walk tracker over at Pocket Mouse Publishing, and last night (March 5, 2015) was the full moon!  We took a walk as planned, but alas, we walked by the light of the reflecting snow & clouds instead of by the full moon. 

I finished drawing the 9 birds of Hunting Red*, now I just have to compile them into printables!

*Affiliate Link: Pocket Mouse Publishing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Thursday, February 26, 2015

American Robin Printable Worksheet

American Robin Printable Worksheet
I'm working on some printables for Pocket Mouse Publishing to go with the children's nature story Hunting Red.  I need a place to test the up/down loading!
Click here or on the picture to get the printable!