January 9th is set aside for those, like myself, who relish, celebrate, expound the joys of discovering and knowing how words can make one’s day that much better.
It’s a delightful fact that Ted Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, provided the term “nerd” in his 1950 book If I Ran the Zoo.
image: Tumblr
While “nerd” used to be considered a mildly derogatory label to describe a person who was a bit too devoted to something or operated outside more established social norms, “nerd” is now a means to attach a reference to someone possessing expertise or enthusiasm.
There is a vast number of lexiconical connoisseurs residing within the greater populace.
It’s a quiet existence for the most part. No Jimmy Fallon appearances nor competitive reality shows featuring celebrities enthusiastically endorsing their favorite vocabulary.
It is gratifying to have this one special day though.
I browsed through the internet and discovered a few Word Nerds and decided to give them momentum in their efforts to expand the awareness of appreciating words.
I’m an appreciator of bees. They are truly amazing in design and admirable in purpose. I keep bees in mind when landscaping my backyard by maintaining a dedicated mound of lavender, not only because I find lavender to be a fairly perfect plant, I know bees enjoy lavender as well.
Once spring arrives and the lavender starts flowering I watch for the bees to arrive. It’s a Capistrano moment for me.
image: Stockcake
Some years it’s the tiny golden bees that are dominant. Occasionally there is a variety of bee with a bit of red to them. My favorites are the big, black bumblebees. They remind me of teddy bears, yet I wisely refrain my urge to hold them and hug them.
image: Bumblebee Conservation Trust
My penchant for bees came forth when I realized I’m reading my third book, or is it my fourth, where bees are a main focus. I scampered to my Goodreads list to confirm this epiphany. Actually, make that seven books.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Lily is introduced to the world of bees when she find refuge with three beekeepers and she learns about the power of not only bees but of women.
image: Amazon
The Bees by Laline Paul The Bees is a creative tale of one bee, Flora 717, who is almost put to death for her lack of physical conformity but is spared and readers follow her rise from humble hive janitor to respected forager.
image: Amazon
The Music of Bees by Eileen Graven Three people with deep hurts are brought together through the caring of bees.
image: Amazon
He Should of Told the Bees by Amanda Cox A daughter working with her beekeeper is devastated when he passes away since impacts their business, and the hurt is even more deep upon the discovery she has a half-sister who wants to sell her interest in the business.
image: Amazon
Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar This middle grade novel features twelve year old Carol who unexpectedly finds herself helping her parents care for her grandfather who is slipping into dementia. A touch of magical realism as he believes the drought will end when the bees return.
image: Amazon
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King Sherlock Holmes has retired, passing his days with keeping bees. His interest in mystery is awakened upon the arrival of a young woman who rivals his intuition and maybe even his intellect.
image: Amazon
The Keeper of Bees by Gene Porter-Stratton A classic that is as beautiful in prose as it is rife with politically incorrect references; however, ignoring those or at least placing them in the context of the era it was written, a reader will delight in how a physically, emotionally, and spiritually wrecked WWI soldier is healed through the unexpected experience of caring for an ailing man’s bees.
image: Amazon
Are you a bee lover as well or have you read a book or two about bees? Please share the title, as I aim to keep on beeing a beeliver.
Mike Allegra is a funtastic writer, blogger, humorist. He and I both share an appreciation for mice and capybaras. But those are other books and this post is about pirates and penguins. My mother was a pirate once–that’s a different story.
I figure we have been bloggy pals for over ten years 😳. We have even traded opinions in a series of posts called Debatables.
We both write for children. Mike is more prolific than I am. His books are funnier too. Like his latest books that combine a salty vision-impaired pirate and his new companion, a penguin. No offense, Mike. A pirate who identifies a penguin as a parrot needs an eye exam.
Pirates. Penguins. Definitely a winning combination.
Anyway-
Mike is running a contest where one special entrant wins copies of his Pirate and Penguin books. I would like to win copies of these books. I’m sure you would too.
I can get another ticket in the drawing by posting a blog post about his contest which, of course means you can trot over to Mike’s blog and enter the contest thus reducing my odds of winning…
I see what you’ve done, Mike.
So—check out Mike’s blog, enter his contest, and check out my book as well.
C’mon, Mike. I’m sure you don’t mind me edging in with just a little self-promotion.
September is Get A Library Card month. Considering getting a card at most libraries is as simple as verifying one’s address I’m surprised how many people don’t have one.
It was a grand moment when I first received my library card in elementary school. Sliding my card over on the librarian’s wooden desk in exchange for a couple of books to read seemed quite a wonder
Then the day arrived when I filled out the application and received my public library card. I felt that card provided freedom and a bit of power as I could select most anything I wanted to read and my card gave me access to other libraries in the system.
From there it an assortment of library cards found their way into my possession: college; new cards when I moved; donor status cards (gold—ooh); and key fob versions. These days I don’t even need a card since my photo is on file. I just show up at the counter with my selections.
So many people I know, including my progeny, buy their books, which is admirable, of course. I would go broke, easily spending my pension on my reading habit of two-three books a week. Thank goodness for my library (credit) card for that’s how I see its use, except there is no monthly bill.
In fact, I save money using my library card, my receipt tells me so every time I leave with my bag of selections.
I have more library cards than credit cards—that’s a good thing, right?
Naming a group of something is a job I wouldn’t mind applying for. Someone gets to do it and the results are pretty fun, especially when it involves animals.
This month’s word list theme is all about those words that lead a person from a thought to the deed.
1. prevaricate: to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.
2. anamnesis: the recollection or remembrance of the past; reminiscence.
3. esperance: the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
4. plaudit: an enthusiastic expression of approval.
5. felicific: causing or tending to cause happiness.
6. perspicuity: clearness or lucidity, as of a statement.
7. insouciant: free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.
8. susurrus: soft murmuring or rustling sound; whisper.
9. jannock: straightforward; fair.
10. cavil: to raise trivial and irritating objections; find fault unnecessarily.
11. valleity: wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action.
12.risible: causing laughter; ludicrous.
13. taradiddle: a small lie.
*Just a side note: when compiling the list the words come straight from Dictionary.com—okay, then why does spellcheck not recognize most of them or insist on changing them into another word—like “velleity” morphs into “valley?” Are they not really words after all? Or is my spellcheck needing some tutor time in lexiconical studies?
Oh—what word caught your eye?
I’m leaning towards risible as it rhymes with laughter becoming visible.
Today’s focus is on the eclipse, which for some didn’t register as an event because of a)not being in the path of ta-dah or b)dealing with cloudy skies. There is also c)there was an eclipse?
For me the event of focus today was the four year anniversary of my debut picture book Someday We Will.
Yup, four years ago Beaming Books brought out my book in the beginning of April having postponed its publication from the previous fall. FYI: Grandparents Day is the first Sunday in September.
Instead of fall, the idea was Mother’s Day and the summer months of vacations when families visit. Good plan except four years ago about this time the pandemic showed up closing schools, libraries, bookstores, all those places where I might have personally promoted my book. A virtual book launch does not quite have the same impact.
Since then I have tried to make up for lost time and have done some story times with the library and have done a couple of bookstore appearances.
If you have yet to check out Someday We Will I hope you will. It’s a dandy little book for sharing just how special those family visits are, especially the grandparent ones.
As for the eclipse event? I hope your experience was satisfying. I ended tidying up the garage in hopes the clouds would part. They didn’t, but the garage looks better.
The perfect gift for grandparents as well as grandchildren anticipating a visit
Old Punxsutawney Phil’s record of correct predictions is not impressive. According to the Stormfax Weather Almanac Phil prediction percentage is a mere 39%. He’s seen his shadow more often than not which means a longer winter, with stats showing 84%.
Here are his stats since 1887 when the tradition began:
Saw shadow (six more weeks of winter): 107
No shadow (early spring): 19
Partial shadow: 1
No record: 10
Did not appear: 1
On the other hand, when I spot a robin, the first appearance goes on the calendar. The robin knows when to appear and is not going to have a calendar date decide when spring shows up. Robins have a savvy that doesn’t need a whooping crowd and cameras. Robins just know.
After weeks of gloomy gray skies, intermittent snow flurries, dribbly rain, and cold weather, we woke up to blue skies. Honest to goodness cerulean blue, no clouds, some chilly breezes, yet blue sky and sun makes for a great day. The birds and squirrels were frolicking in the yard, merrymaking about the birdfeeders and there in the corner of my eye I spied my first robin of the year. Calendar time!
Shakespeare is an unrefuted wordsmith. He knew how to pen a phrase with a lexiconical fragrance we still admire centuries later such as Romeo’s eloquent description of Juliet: “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright.”
Shakespeare could also have his characters sling some stinging verbal mud as in The Comedy of Errors: “The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes.”
While insults aren’t something we should be dwelling on in our present societal focus on mindfulness, Shakespearean insults are more of a study of impactful imagery. There is also a plus of them being quite funny.
Creating a Shakespearean insult involves knowing the terms. Here are a few, some known and others relevant to only Elizabethans.
Ape(n) – 1. Imitator 2. Fool 3. Term of endearment
To assemble your insult find a noun and then a couple of adjectives that do it justice, and then begin with “You,” which depending on if it’s the 15th, 16th, or 17th century, is either a formal or informal address:
How about:
Yourump-fed, gor-bellied wag!
This might be directed to a youth caught hogging the buffet at family gathering. Or, at a young man showing rude manners. Either way it’s a definite call out by an older person to a younger one.
May this post prompt your tongue to choose words other than the usual curses, especially when driving. These also might be handy since it is an election year.
Pam Webb 