Archive for the 'Fall' Category
Contents
Posts
Walt Whitman’s Woods and his Poem "Miracles"
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
![]()
We took a walk today in Walt Whitman’s woods in West Hills, on Long Island, east of New York City. I highly recommend taking an autumnal hike or stroll if you can. Then you may feel the truth in Whitman’s line, "As to me I know of nothing else but miracles". There’s much beauty out there. Here are some photos I took in Walt’s woods, followed by his poem "Miracles", and then recordings of two people reading the poem.
Miracles
by Walt WhitmanWhy, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love, or sleep in the bed at night with any one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with the rest,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
Or birds, or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sundown, or of stars shining so quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring;
These with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring, yet each distinct and in its place.To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same.
To me the sea is a continual miracle,
The fishes that swim-the rocks-the motion of the waves-the ships with men in them,
What stranger miracles are there?*****
Does Anyone Know a Short Poem or Rhyme about Spring?
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009Rebeca Garcia Mendoza wrote
Hi! I’m a Spanish girl who is preparing resources to teach English to Spanish children. I’m looking for rhymes about seasons and I have a problem. I cannot find a short one of Spring.
If anybody knows one, please, tell me!
Thanks.If anyone can help out Rebeca, please let us know in the comments below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
PS FYI I did find this nursery rhyme riddle about all the seasons:
In Spring I look gay,
Decked in comely array,
In Summer more clothing I wear;
When colder it grows,
I fling off my clothes,
And in Winter quite naked appear.Scroll down for the answer..
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
A tree!Photos of an Autumn Lake
Saturday, November 1st, 2008Today we took a hike with our kids around the woods and pond at Caleb Smith State Park in New York. We wanted to spend some time together as a family and see the beautiful autumnal colors. Here are a couple of photos we took of the lake…
Listen to What the Jack-o-Lantern Has to Say…
Friday, October 31st, 2008Light Apple Pie Recipe + Apple Picking Traditions + Recipe for Gluten Free Baked Apple
Monday, October 20th, 2008Every year we go apple picking in September or October. One of our favorite orchards has dwarf apple trees, which has been nice with little kids. Though next year we may be able to graduate to an orchard with normal sized trees since our kids are getting taller.
One treat we make after apple picking is home-made apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Last year I posted a recipe for a delicious recipe for apple pie that had lots of cinnamon. This year we made a light pie, with less sugar. This recipe has more of a lemon flavor, which we surprisingly liked a lot! The same night we had the pie, my son’s friend ate over. His friend can’t eat gluten. So I made for him a baked apple with cinnamon sugar. I’ll post both recipes below.
Apple Pie Recipe
2 Frozen Pie Crusts
8-10 small to medium Apples (7-8 cups sliced)
2 1/2 t. Lemon Juice
1/4 t. Grated Lemon Rind
1/3 c. Sugar
1/4 t. SaltMix to Sprinkle on Top
2 t. Sugar
1/8 t. CinnamonPreheat oven to 425°F.
Take out the 2 frozen pie crusts. Turn one of the pie crusts out of its pan and onto wax paper. Leave the other in its pan. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Peel, core and cut the apples into 1/4 inch slices. You should have 7 to 8 cups of apple slices. Then mix the apples with the sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and salt.
Pour apple mixture into the pie crust that’s in the pan. Wet the rim of the crust with a little water. Gently place the second crust over the pie, trying to match up the ends of the bottom crust and the top crust. With a fork, press down around the ends of the crust, pressing the 2 crusts together. Make four neat slits on the top crust to allow the steam to escape. Sprinkle mixture of 2 t. sugar and 1/8 t. cinnamon on top of pie.
Place a cookie sheet, covered with aluminum foil, under the pie. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F.
Reduce oven heat to 375°F and cook for about 45 more minutes. The pie is done when the apples feel tender when poked with a butter knife.
If the crust is starting to get too dark at any point during baking, you can put aluminum foil loosely around the edges of the pie crust to prevent it from burning.
To reheat the pie later on: After the pie has cooled you can reheat it in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
*****
This baked apple was extremely easy to make. My son’s friend loved it. Though I have a confession to make: it’s filled with sugar and cinnamon.
Gluten Free Baked Apple
2 Apples
1/8 cup Brown Sugar
1/8 cup White Granulated Sugar
1/2 – 1 t. Cinnamon (to taste depending on who’s eating it)-Mix the brown sugar, the white sugar and the cinnamon.
-Horizontally cut off the top 3/4″ of the top of the apple and set to the side (this top you can put back on for cooking).
-Core the apple.
-Put the sugar mixture into the apples and then cover with the apple tops.
-Wrap the apples in aluminum foil and bake on 375F for about 20-25 minutes, until soft.Take off tops and serve in bowls with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
If there’s any sugar mixture left over you can use it for the top of the apple pie.
Multicultural Songs about the Seasons
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008People often write me looking for songs about the four seasons, from around the world. Here are some! The links below take you to the different pages on Mama Lisa’s World of International Childrens Songs. There, you’ll find the lyrics in the original languages, with English translations.
Songs about Winter
Yuki (Snow) – Japanese
A, a, a, der Winter, der ist da (A, a, a, Winter is Here) – German
La neige tombe (The Snow is Falling) – French from Canada
Zemestoon (Winter) – Persian from Iran
Kış (Winter) – Turkish from TurkeySongs about Spring
La Primavera (Springtime) – Spanish from Peru
Haru Ga Kita (Spring Has Come) – Japanese
De Colores (All the Colors) – Spanish from Mexico & SpainSongs about Summer
Trarira, der Sommer, der ist da! (Tilitum, The Summer Has Come) – German
Songs about Autumn or Fall
Couleurs d’automne (Colors of Autumn) – French
Songs or Rhymes about All Four SeasonsJoereszäiten (Seasons) – Franconian from Lorraine Region in France
Les feuilles (Leaves) – French from CanadaWhen you get to the song pages you can access French and Spanish translations too, and in some cases mp3 recordings, midis and/or scores.
Feel free to add a song about any of the seasons in the comments below or email me.
Mama Lisa
Jack-o-Lantern
Sunday, October 29th, 2006We picked our pumpkin today and turned it into this jack-o-lantern…
Recipe for Worms in Dirt
Sunday, October 29th, 2006Kimberly sent me this recipe below. It sounds great for Halloween or an outdoors spring or summer party.
Worms in Dirt Recipe
Make a package of chocolate pudding and put store bought candied worms in it. Let it set. Then sprinkle crushed chocolate Oreo crumbs on top. Kids will love worms in dirt.
Even though it’s worms and dirt, it sounds yummy!
Good eatin’!
Lisa
________
Help Support
Mama Lisa's World!
$5, $10, $25
or any amount welcome!