05/06/2008 12:50 PM

Only One Mother – A Poem

I know lots of people are looking for poems for Mother’s Day, so I’ve been on a search to post as many as I can find. Here’s a sweet one by George Cooper (1838-1927) called Only One Mother. Some people use just the second verse… Only One Mother Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky, Hundreds [...]

05/04/2008 04:42 PM

“My Mother” a Victorian Poem

In many countries around the world, Mother’s Day is in May. Below is a quaint poem I found called “My Mother”. It was written by Ann Taylor (1783 –1866). She’s the sister of Jane Taylor, the author of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Ann and Jane published books of rhymes and poems together. The illustrations [...]

04/29/2008 05:40 PM

Can Anyone Give Info about a Song about a Mother Bathing Her Baby and the Baby Goes Down the Drainpipe?

Bettina wrote to me asking about a song: 20 years ago I was in Sale, Manchester as an Au Pair. Lorraine, the Mom in “my” family sometimes sang this song to her two boys Zac and Jake when they had their bath. I have never seen or heard it since then. Can anyone tell me something [...]

04/23/2008 11:10 AM

Can Anyone Help with a Song about a Frog with the Line, “Ring tong bell a dilla coy me”?

I recently received this question: My welsh gran use to sing a song to my sisters and myself close to the following: “A little green frog hopped down to the brook singing ‘ring tong bell a dilla coy me’. A lily white duck came and gobbled him up singing ‘ring tong bell a dilla coy [...]

04/08/2008 11:39 AM

Can Anyone Help with a Song about an Acorn, most likely from Britain, with the line, “A little Brown Baby Round and Wee”?

Brenda wrote to me from Australia… Dear Mama Lisa, I am trying to find the words of a song our mother sang to us, and then to my children and I would like to sing to my grandsons about “A little Brown Baby Round and Wee”. It is a song about an acorn who fell [...]

04/03/2008 12:01 PM

Does Anyone Know a Rhyme with the Line, “I’ve a picture book.”?

Karen wrote… Can you help me find the lyrics and origins to a nursery rhyme that starts with: “I’ve a picture book. It is open, look. Let me show you the pictures inside…” Many thanks, Karen If anyone is familiar with this rhyme, please let us know about it in the comments below. Thanks! Mama Lisa

04/03/2008 12:01 PM

Does Anyone Know a Rhyme with the Line, “I’ve a picture book.”?

Karen wrote… Can you help me find the lyrics and origins to a nursery rhyme that starts with: “I’ve a picture book. It is open, look. Let me show you the pictures inside…” Many thanks, Karen If anyone is familiar with this rhyme, please let us know about it in the comments below. Thanks! Mama Lisa

03/13/2008 03:46 PM

Does Anyone Know an English or Spanish Song Called “Now The Duck Is In The Stew Pot”?

Cathy wrote to me looking for help with a song: Hello, I am looking for a song I learned as a child, years ago. It was called “Now The Duck Is In The Stew Pot”. I remember learning the English and Spanish version but cannot find it anywhere. It goes something like this: Now the duck is [...]

03/09/2008 01:28 PM

How to Marble Easter Eggs

Here are directions to create a marble effect on eggs. It’s an easy way to give your eggs more pizzazz this Easter. 1) Hard boil white eggs. 2) Prepare egg dyes. You can use store bought dyes (*see note below) or follow my instructions to prepare natural dyes. 3) You can dye some eggs different solid [...]

03/03/2008 04:30 PM

How to Dye Eggs Naturally

During most of the centuries that people have colored eggs for Easter, the dyes used were made from natural products like onion peels, bark, beets and blueberries. Of course, it’s different today. These days, most of us use store bought tablets that make dying Easter eggs quick and easy. My children and I have [...]