Woven Poetry

 Woven Poetry

    Have you ever seen a tapestry? A tapestry is a heavy cloth that has a design or picture woven into it. Tapestries often are used as wall hangings. They also are used as furniture coverings.

    In creating a tapestry, threads are stretched on a loom. Then colorful threads are woven over and under them. Wool is the most commonly used thread for tapestries. Silk, gold, and silver also have been used.

    The art of tapestry has a long history throughout the world. Tapestries were made in ancient Egypt and China, among other places. In the 1500s, an era of tapestry making began in northern Europe. Tapestries often were designed and woven in sets of panels. The 1800s saw a revival of the ancient methods and designs in England.

    Artists would design and paint full-scale patterns for weavers. These patterns were called cartoons. Great painters would create cartoons for the designers and weavers. They sometimes created tapestries with images similar to paintings on canvas. By the 1900s, artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were creating designs for weavings.

    Today weavers often design tapestries. Many artists weave them on commission, or by request. People commission tapestries that reflect their interests and tastes. These artworks add warmth to a room. They also lend a special feeling of comfort and beauty. To many people throughout the ages, a tapestry is a kind of woven poetry.

A Speech for Juneteenth

 A Speech for Juneteenth

    "Carol, I haven't seen you since you were a baby," Uncle George said. "Now you're a young lady."

    Carol, who was ten years old, smiled. She'd heard about her uncle all her life, and her family had a great deal of admiration for him. Earlier that day, He had flown in to deliver a speech at the Juneteenth celebration later that afternoon. Carol was glad that the event would be held on such a glorious day with a lot of sunshine.

    The family all sat down together in the den. "What's your speech about?" Carol's mother asked.

    "I'm not sure yet," Uncle George answered. "Of course, I'll talk about how the slaves gained their independence." He stopped and thought for a moment. "What do you think I should say, Carol? What information have you learned about Juneteenth in school?"

    Carol blushed. She didn't think that her ideas would be very interesting to such an important person. "Well, we learned that families have picnics and celebrations on Juneteenth. We also learned that it's a special time for people of all races to work together to help society."

    Carol noticed that everyone was staring at her. Uncle George laughed and said, "You've just given me a better idea for my speech, Carol."

Wild Things in the Park

 Wild Things in the Park

    Are you a nature lover? Spring and summer are perfect seasons to sign up for a city nature walk. Pack up a hand lens and a camera. You might want to take along a notebook, too.

    The nature tour leader speaks to your group. "Don't chase the wild things. Let them come to you." You jot down what she says along with several new facts.

    As you walk along the dirt path that winds through the park, the leader points out many of the park's occupants. Look! It's a robin—the first sign of spring. You notice an endangered falcon resting in the treetops, and you snap a picture. Bees buzz around wildflowers in full bloom. A lizard basks on a large rock.

    There are all sorts of interesting plants, but don't touch that one! It has three leaves. Suddenly you remember something you wrote down earlier. "Leaves of three, let them be." Oh no, poison ivy! That's one wild thing you don't want to encounter.

Scavenger Hunt

 Scavenger Hunt

Dear Jenny,

    Because you were not able to come yesterday, I want to tell you about our picnic. We visited the state park, where we had a scavenger hunt. Mr. Roberts divided the class into two teams--the Bluegill Fish and the White-Tailed Deer. He picked those names to help us remember the state fish and state animal. Marty and I were both on the Bluegills team.

    Next, Mr. Roberts gave us a list of state symbols that we had to locate in the park. The first item was the state flower, the violet, and when Marty saw this, he smiled. He knew that violets like shade, so our team looked under some trees near the curb where the bus had parked. We found a place that was entirely covered with purple violets. Then we checked state flower off the list.

    A few seconds later, a cardinal landed in a nearby tree and a monarch fluttered past, allowing our team to check the state bird and insect off the list. We realized we were tied with the other team with only minutes to go. Luckily, we noticed the state flag flying on a flagpole near the park's headquarters, so we added that to our list and won the game!

Your friend,
Jack

The Ant and the Grasshopper

 The Ant and the Grasshopper

    "Oh, what a marvelous morning!" Grasshopper chirped contentedly. "It's a wonderful time for singing and playing." He leaned back to rest against a blade of grass and began humming.

    About that time, Ant passed by, dragging with great effort a huge crumb of bread that he'd found along the road. "Greetings, Ant," said Grasshopper. "Why not join me in singing and playing instead of working so hard?" He asked.

    Ant looked at Grasshopper with pity and replied, "I'm helping set aside food for the winter, and I have some good advice for you. You should do the same."

    "Who cares about winter?" asked Grasshopper, bending over to take a bite of a tender shoot of ivy. "There's plenty of food now," he said, licking his lips.

    "Yes," answered Ant, "it's a wonderful opportunity and you should take advantage of it."

    Ant continued to toil every day throughout the summer and fall, dragging food bit by bit to his home. Slowly, the amount of food he had stored increased, and he finally stopped to relax.

    Weeks later, when the ground was covered in snow and icicles dripped from trees, Ant was comfortable and warm in his home. Each day, he brought out bits of food to enjoy. A few feet away, Grasshopper realized that Ant had been right. It is best to prepare for times of need.

Teach Your Dog Commands

 Teach Your Dog Commands

    If you have a dog that doesn't obey you, you'll probably agree that it's time for a change. Practice the following commands for about ten minutes twice a day. Then begin increasing the length of the session as needed.

Teaching Fido to Come to You
    Begin teaching your dog to approach you by standing nearby with a treat. Say the dog's name, and wait for it to notice the treat. When your dog begins walking toward you, clearly say, "Come." When it reaches your side, offer the treat with praise for what a wonderful animal it is. Follow this process for your dog's first few efforts, and then gradually start saying, "Come," before your dog begins walking toward you.

Teaching Rover to Sit
    Teach your dog to sit by standing to the side with a treat while calling its name. When your dog comes toward you, slowly raise the treat in the air. This will force it to sit down while following the treat. Then say, "Sit," in a clear voice and kindly offer the treat.

    If your dog won't sit when you hold up the food, gently hold up the food in one hand. Then guide your dog into a sitting position while firmly saying "Sit." Then reward it with the treat and a lot of praise. Soon your dog will obey the verbal command alone. Continue to raise your hand over the dog's head to teach this signal, too.

Caring For Your Bike

 Caring For Your Bike

    People of all ages use bicycles for transportation. Keeping your bike in top riding condition requires some routine maintenance. Performing these actions will guarantee that your bike will last for a long time.

    One of the simplest ways you can care for your bike is to keep it clean. When you see that your bike is muddy or dusty, hose the entire bike down with water and then use soap and water to wipe it clean. If some parts are covered by caked-on mud, you can use an old toothbrush to scrub them clean. Rinse your bike with clean water before letting it dry. If you wash your bike on a nice sunny day, you might want to take it for a ride to let the water evaporate.

    It is important to check your bike chain regularly. If you find that it is hard to pedal your bike, you may have a very dirty chain. You want to keep your chain as clean as possible and clear away any stone or dirt that gets caught in it. To keep your chain working at its best, it is important to lubricate it with special oil.

    Before each ride, check your brakes to make sure that they stop the bike quickly. Bicycle brake pads wear out, so if it takes a little longer than usual for your bike to stop, it may be time to replace some brake components. Taking these actions to maintain your bike will keep it in working order and allow you the freedom to ride.