Author Archives: Vale

Recent Artwork by Oscar

07 Jan 2011

Above, this is titled “Winter Solstice”. He did this in Ms. Ruth’s class, during Art.

Above, titled “Jail”, Oscar demonstrates his preferred medium, pen and violence on paper.

Drawn entirely by Oscar, with me telling where to put each line. We used a toy king figurine for a model. Oscar decided on the cross decorations himself. This was a homework assignment on the letter K.

Above, drawn by Chief, with unknown amount of input by Oscar. Much loved by Oscar – infact it’s his favorite work in the whole house. They did this together during the Christmas Sleepover. The model used was a real toy model of an X-wing, a gift from the Mollards. Thanks Chief for putting that one together!

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

07 Jan 2011

We are dancing to this song today! The house is freezing, except for the “front room” where the southern exposure lets the light stream in. Lucy is doing the “Lucy Shimmy”.

[podcast]https://oscarandlucy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/03-Lucy-In-The-Sky-With-Diamonds.mp3[/podcast]

~ Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (liner notes written by Mark Lewisohn)
Inspired by a painting by his almost four-year-old son Julian, who gave his work of art the same title, ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ swiftly evolved into a kind of Lennon musical vision of Alice In Wonderland. The basic track, overdubs and mixing were all effected at different speeds giving the song an ethereal quality in keeping with the imaginative lyrics. Recording commenced in studio two at Abbey Road on March 1 1967. Album version mixed from take eight. Writer: John. Lead vocal: John. Producer: George Martin. Recording engineer: Geoff Emerick. Second engineer: Richard Lush.

Lucy’s First POG

06 Jan 2011

A Cure For the Cold Weather Blues! POG!

Add one part Pineapple Juice (I use Pineapple Coconut)
one part Orange, and one part Guava.

You can close your eyes, stand in a sunny window, and imagine you are in Hawaii!

Lucy had a taste and her eyes got really wide. She paused, thought, and then lunged forward for more.
yum!

La Befana

05 Jan 2011

Oscar is learning about La Befana. Keep an eye out for her tonight! Here are excerpts from wikipedia:

In Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus. This Italian gift-giving spirit is also known as Saint Befana, La Vecchia (the Old Woman), and La Strega (the Witch).

The character may have originated in central Italy, then spread as a tradition to the rest of Italy. In popular folklore Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany to fill their socks with candy and presents if they are good or a lump of coal or dark candy if they are bad. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The child’s family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food, often regional or local, for the Befana.

She is usually portrayed as an old lady riding a broomstick through the air wearing a black shawl and is covered in soot because she enters the children’s houses through the chimney. She is often smiling and carries a bag filled with candy, gifts, or both.

Oscar’s First Sleepover

04 Jan 2011

Oscar could not stop talking about his planned sleepover. This was the item on the Mollard Family Visit agenda he wanted the most. He’d confirm what day was it was, who would be there, how I would come and get him in the morning. Grandma Bobbie’s is the dream date of sleepovers. What’s not to love: cozy, friendly, and everything a boy could want, in abundance. (food, video games etc.)
The inside scoop is that it was storming pretty fiercely that night. The house is big and old – the kind that makes noises in the night when the winds blow. Before bed Kristi checked in on them: Sam and Cole were already asleep (the moment their heads hit the pillows). Oscar’s eyes were the size of saucers. She said he looked resigned – this is what he’d been asking for, and here was the moment. Kristi decided to spare him the next hour of lying there wide awake. She offered Oscar a spot next to her bed, across the hall. He accepted quickly. She re-set him up, and then his head hit the pillow, and he was out too.

Reports of a large breakfast and rumors of 20 pancakes eaten the next morning.
Here’s the snap I took when I said good night.

click to see larger.