A Daily Dose of Love from Ronnie

Day 57

Time to Rest and

Have Fun

Good morning my little sweetie pies,

 

The scholastic year is over and it's now time to relax and have a break.

I will be spending my summer holidays on our sister island, Gozo, and enjoying the sun, sea and outdoor activities with my dad.

I don't like the hot weather and try to stay in the shade as much as possible.

I always put on some sunblock each time I go out.

To go to Gozo we need to take the ferry from ÄŠirkewwa.  At the moment there are 3 boats: Gaudos, Malita and Ta' Pinu.

The Capital city of Gozo is Rabat, also known as Victoria. The name Victoria was given to the town in 1887 in honour of the famous British Queen's Golden Jubilee.

The Cittadella is a small fortified town located at the centre of Gozo, on a hill overlooking the capital. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ä gantija Temples, along with the Megalithic Temples of Malta, are amongst the world's oldest free-standing structures. They are older than the pyramids of Egypt!

There are many interesting places to visit. Ramla l-Ħamra is the most popular beach, whilst in Xlendi and Marsalforn you'll find many restaurants.

Traditional food includes the yummy Gozitan cheeselets and the typical Gozitan pizza.

Hope you'll visit Gozo during the holidays and maybe we meet!

Kids Corner

 

Today we have Isti who came up with a brilliant idea to end

Plastic Pollution.

That would be great!

Meanwhile, today I would like to thank all those who helped me or stayed in touch with during these few months.

A big thanks go to my personal assistant Lisa, to Jethro and Isti who nearly ever missed one single activity, Kaylee and all other kids that followed and joined me in this adventure.

Lisa

Jethro

Isti

Kaylee and all the others...

Thank you 

Wishing you all Happy Summer Holidays. 

Take Care and Stay Safe.

 

See you all in September!

 

Love you all,

Hugs

Ronnie

Day 56

Handball

Hello there!

 

Today I want to talk about another sport which is becoming quite popular – Handball.  In fact, at our school, we also have after school handball sessions. 

As usual, my buddy and personal assistant Lisa, did not hesitate to look out for some information about it.  By the way,  not sure if I ever told you that she is an amazing basketball player and a swimmer too!

Handball is a team sport in which players use their hands to throw a synthetic ball that resembles football and basketball.

It is an Olympic team sport and is mostly played indoor courts.  There is also beach handball which is an outdoor activity.

Story Time

Kids Corner

 

Here is Isti with his Friendship Chain.  What a lovely idea!

Thanks so much for sharing and for being my friend.

Wishing you all super lovely day.

 

Take Care and Say Safe,

Love

Ronnie


Day 55

Ice Cream

Good morning World!

 

Summer is here and which dessert helps you cool off on hot days? ... Ice cream of course!

I scream…you scream…we all scream for Ice Cream!

Yummy, yummy, I love ice cream!

Let's learn more about this delicious sweet treat.

Ice cream is made from milk or cream. Sugar is added for sweetness. Other ingredients can be included such as chocolate flakes, fruit, nuts, biscuits, candy, and much more.

Frozen or icy sweets have been around for thousands of years, but the earliest forms of ice cream were very different from the kind we eat today. Many stories have been shared about who may have discovered ice cream, but it's not clear who invented it.

The ancient Greek King Alexander the Great would enjoy icy drinks that were sweetened with honey.

Ice Cream Facts :

  • The most popular flavour of ice cream is vanilla. After it comes chocolates, strawberry, cookies n' cream, and others.
  • The most ice cream scoops balanced on a cone is 125, achieved by Dimitri Panciera (Italy), on the set in Rome, Italy, on 17 November 2018.
  • Ice cream cones were invented in 1904 in World fair in St. Louis
  • Chocolate syrup is the most favourite ice cream topping!

Story Time

Kids Corner

Today we have a lovely poem about Manners from Jethro,  a story from Kaylee and some beautiful pictures of Mosaics from Isti.

Super Job kids!

Wishing you all a lovely day,

 

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie


Day  54

Mosaic

Good morning sunshines!

 

Do you know what Mosaic is? Today I'm going to tell you something about this beautiful type of decoration and I just want to congratulate both Jethro and Isti who were shortlisted in the Be The Artist ( Heritage Malta Competition) Roman Mosaics.   

You're incredible boys! So proud of you!

Mosaic is the art of creating a picture with hundreds if not thousands of tiny bits of coloured stones, glass, or tiles.

It can be used both indoors and outdoors on floors, walls and ceilings.

They can also be made with round pebbles, terracotta tiles even marble.

These little pieces are placed and fitted into a cement surface to hold them in place.

The art of mosaic was invented by the Ancient Romans, and today we can still find mosaics in Italy, England, France and other European countries.

They were very popular to decorate churches but nowadays they are very much used to brighten up public places – such as parks and cities.

 Spain (Barcellona) - By Antoni Gaudi

Mosaics would show pictures of Roman History and their everyday life. Meanwhile, mosaic floors were a sign of wealth – to show people how rich you were.

Unlike Paintings or other pieces of Art, mosaics were made by craftsmen who did not put the signature of their work.

Story Time 

Kids Corner

 

Here are Jethro's and Istis's pieces of Art.

Really Impressive!

 

Wishing you all a lovely day.

 

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie


Day 53

Badminton

 

Hello World!

 

Yesterday, whilst I was having my daily nap on the terrace a strange object hit my head. I looked at it thoroughly but couldn't understand what it was. I went near dad, who was preparing a delicious lasagna, and asked him.

He soon realised that it belonged to our neighbours as they like to play badminton.

That was a new word for me. I didn't know what the word badminton meant, so I called my friend Lisa, who knows nearly everything about all sports.

She told me that the ball that hit my head is called a shuttlecock and here is some information about this racket sport which she kindly prepared for us.

Thanks so much Lisa!  Great Work as usual!

Cartoon Video

Song

Kids Corner

 

Look at these Dandelions!  That's a super creative idea.

Well done Jethro.  I love them!

Wishing you all a nice weekend.

 

Take Care and Stay Safe

 

Love,

Ronnie

Day 52 

Manners

 

Good Morning Everyone!

 

Yesterday I went to a nearby grocer to get milk, bread, and daily stuff.

There I saw a young boy with his mum who wanted chocolate so badly that ended up being very rude when his mum said no as she did not have enough money in her purse.

"Where are your manners I said?" He just stared at me and kept on insisting that he wanted it.

 

 

By being polite, gentle, and respectful we show good manners.

How would you feel if someone slams the door at your face? Or a friend who doesn't want to share with you his games or toys?

Dad always told me to keep in mind the Golden Rule... "Always do to others as you would wish them to do to you if you were in their place."

We should show good manners everywhere we go.

At home for example – we must help out with the daily chores, ask permission and say please and thank you.

At table – don't speak with your mouth full, use cutlery properly, don't start eating before everyone has been served.

At school and in many other places we must take turns, return things we've borrowed, obey signs, don't make fun of others, clean up after a picnic and much, much more.

Remember that people judge us the way we behave. We don't want to give a bad impression, don't we?

Story Time

Poem Challenge

 

Here is a Poem about Manners. 

Can you write your own poem now?

Send it to me on  : caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Kids Corner

 

Today we have some lovely pictures from Isti and Jethro.

They both did the friendship challenge and then Isti, apart from including me in his friendship craft, he also sent us pictures of the delicious tortilla (a Spanish typical recipe) and  potato printing.  

 

Super Job boys!  Well done!

 

Wishing you all a lovely day.

 

Take care and Stay Safe

 

Love 

Ronnie

Day 51

Friendship

 

Hello Friends!

 

Today I want to talk about friends and friendship.  Everyone needs friends. You can feel very sad and lonely if you don't have someone to play with and be with.   People who are friends usually share similar interests.  Friends talk, play, share ideas and have fun together.  We need to respect each other’s opinions and differences.  Friends take care of each other’s safety and well-being. 

Today we have this video for a very special friend from our school.  This message is being sent by his class teacher and all his class friends.

Have a look at this…

You’re in our thoughts Mikhael xxx

We usually share our little secrets with our friends.  We trust them and feel safe talking to each other about our feelings and problems. 

Good friends are honest and helpful.  They listen, support and encourage us. 

It’s so nice to be surrounded with friends!

Let’s try and make this challenge…Dip your hand in paint or draw your hand.  Write the 5 most important tips on how to be a good friend.

  • Take Turns & Share
  • Be Kind
  • Show Gratitude
  • Keep Promises
  • and Tell the Truth

Story Time

Kids Corner

 

Have a look at this amazing experiment.  Jethro sent us step-by-step pictures of his travelling water experiment.  

Wow!  That's awesome!

Will be back tomorrow.

 

Wishing you all a great day!

 

Have Fun and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie


Day 50

Rugby

Good morning everyone!

 

Both dad and I, as you know, are keen on sports.  Yesterday we visited one of his old friends.   He is a Rugby player.  I saw some pictures and trophies in the sitting room but I honestly did not know much about this sport.  

Later I called my friend and assistant Lisa.   Amongst other things, I told her about Mark, but the only thing I knew about this ball sport was that it is played with a particular ball. She then had the bright idea of doing some research about it. I really enjoyed reading all the interesting information she found.  I hope you like it too!

Here is also a short video about the history of Rugby.

Story Time

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

 

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie

Day 49

Yoga

 

 

Hello there!

 

Yesterday we went for a long walk along the beach.  At one point I saw a small group of people doing very strange exercises.   I asked dad and he told me that they were doing Yoga.

What is Yoga I said?  So, once back home I searched on the internet.

The word Yoga means to join or unite and was practiced in India over 5,000 years ago. 

Yoga is making shapes with your body.

Yoga is exercise for the mind, body and breath.  It makes us feel good. It helps us move our body more freely, make our bodies stronger, make us feel happy and make our mind calm.

 

 

Both adults and kids have busy lives.  School, Homework, private lessons and much more – we are always on the run.  Sometimes we feel a little bit stressed and we need something that help us relax.

 

Yoga can help with this.  It helps counter these pressures.  Yoga improves our flexibility, strength and breathing techniques. Yoga is Fun!

Warrior Pose

Here are some poses names.  Let’s try them out!

Story Time

Kids Corner

 

Isti and his mum are both very creative.  Here are some pictures of their creations.  Wow!  Simply Great!

Wishing you all a nice day.

 

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie

Day 48

Potatoes

Good morning world!

 

Grandma came to our house today and she cooked some delicious roasted potatoes.  The day before,  we had some fries.  But how many different things can you make out of a potato?

A potato is a root vegetable.  It is a small plant with large leaves.  The part of the potato that people eat grows under the ground. 

The potato originated from the Andes mountains in  Peru more than 7,000 years ago.  After the Spanish came to South America in the 1500s they took back home with them some potatoes.  In fact, the word potato comes from the word patata.  It was only 200 years later though that it became popular in Europe, after the farmers in Ireland began growing this plant.

Potatoes are full of stuff that’s good for kids.

Potatoes are often boiled, fried, baked or even as soup.  They are served whole or mashed, cut up into fries, or made into potato chips.  The latter, the crisps (as you may call them), are one of the most common snack foods in the world – but they are not that healthy, so try and not to have a lot of them.

 

Potatoes are usually served hot but sometimes we can have them as cold potato salad.

Kids Corner

 

So, today we have Isti with another 2 amazing owls.

One is a hand printed craft and the other is made with a Scratch Art craft kit.

 

Great Job Isti!

Time to go!

 

Will be back tomorrow.

 

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love,

Ronnie

Day 47

Creativity

Good morning everyone!

 

My dad is a very creative person.  He loves making, creating and fixing things.

He can turn something looking really ugly into something amazing.

But what is creativity?  Our teachers encourage us to be creative in our writing tasks, or drawings and crafts.  We all come up with something different as we all express ourselves in a different way.  Imagine you have a string, paints and paper and you are asked by the art teacher to be creative. Here are few examples of what will different children come up with....

Everyone can be creative! 

Do you know who for example who J K Rowling is?  She is the author of Harry Potter.  She had this bright idea and written these books which later on became films too.  At first 12 publishers turned down her first book.  They did not want to publish her work. Finally, someone accepted  and she has become very popular and rich.  She sold over 400 million books!

Story Time

 

Click on the link to read the book.

https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/mindshare/books/book?BookId=1623

You can be creative by making a craft out of recycled material, whilst painting by using using different items.

All you need is a bit of imagination!

Share with me your creative ideas on :  caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Kids Corner

 

Look what a beautiful owl Jethro did!  That's awesome boy!

Super Well Done!  I love it.

See you all tomorrow boys and girls!

 

Wishing you a lovely day.

Take Care and Stay Safe

 

Love,

Ronnie

Day 46

Owls

Good morning world!

 

Today I'm going to share with you some information about Owls.

Owls are birds and there are 200 different species.  Most owls are solitary (stay on their own) and nocturnal.  In fact they are nigh-time hunters.  They feed on small mammals, insects and other birds.  Also there are some owls that like to eat fish as well.  They have powerful talons (claws) which help them catch their prey.  They are also helped to do so by their dull colour (which makes them less visible) and by their soft weathers which makes their flight silent. 

 

They are found in all parts of the world except Antarctica, most of Greenland, and some other small islands.

There are 2 families of owls,  the true owls and the barn owls. 

 

True Owl

Barn Owl

Owls do not build nests; they usually search discarded nests, barns or caves to live in.

Owls have large eyes, a flat face and a beak that resembles that of an eagle.  They can turn their head up to 270 degrees in both directions.  Did you know that owl can’t see things which are close to them clearly?  But then, they are good at looking at things far from their sight.

The weight of the smallest owl (known as Elf Owl) on earth is about 31 g with the length of 13.5 cm.

The largest owl exists by the name of Great Grey Owl measuring 70 cm normally. However, some species have a length of even 84 cm.

Two of the heaviest owls with the Largest wingspan of 2 m and the weight of 4.5 kg are known as Eurasian Eagle Owl and Blakiston’s Fish Owl.

Story Time

Kids Corner

 

Today we have Jethro working on a Science Experiment. 

I was also informed that he is one of the finalists in the

Malta Heritage Knights Competition.

 Super Well done and Good luck!

Time to go for a walk.

 

Will be back tomorrow.

 

Good day, Stay Safe and Take Care,

Love

Ronnie


Day 45

Cheese

Good morning my little ones!

 

Are you a cheese lover?  Both dad and I love cheese.

Cheese is a dairy product, that is, food made from milk.

There are many types of cheese - more than 2000 varieties of cheese worldwide.  Many things affect the flavour, texture and style of the cheese like for example, depending whether it comes from a sheep or cow, the age of the cheese and how it is made.

 

The milk of cows, goats and sheep are the most popular.  Cheese makers usually cook the milk in large pots. They add salt and a substance called rennet – although not all cheese makers use it.  Other ingredients are added and then cheese is usually aged for a short time.

Hard cheeses have a longer shelf life than soft cheeses

Cheese has been made for longer than 7000 years and was actually invented by accident.

A person who makes cheese is called a cheesemonger.

Types of cheese

There are many different ways to classify cheeses. Some ways include:

  • How long the cheese was aged.
  • The texture of the cheese. These include Hard, Soft and Softer.
  • How the cheese was made.
  • What type of milk was used to make the cheese. This is mainly what animal the milk comes from. The diet of the animal can also affect the type of cheese made from its milk.
  • How much fat is in the cheese.
  • What colour the cheese is.

 

Some different types of cheese are :

  • Cream Cheese
  • Edam
  • Processed Cheese
  • Blue Cheese
  • Swiss Cheese
  • Mozzarella
    • Parmesan
    • Brie
    • Cheddar

    Story Time

    Kids Corner

     

    Today we have more fabulous paintings from Jethro and how Isti celebrated his birthday!

     

     

    Wishing you all a lovely day,

     

    Good day and Take Care,

    Love,

    Ronnie


    Day 44

    Taking Care Of Our Teeth

    Hello Boys and Girls!

     

    Before taking a picture, my dad always says…Say Cheese!  When I do so, my teeth will show, so it is important that they show clean and healthy.  We need to take good care of our teeth, gums and mouth to avoid infections and pains.  Teeth help us to chew food and to look at our best.

     

     

    It is important to brush and clean our teeth at least twice a day, in the morning- after breakfast and before we go to bed.

    Change your toothbrush often and do not share it with anyone else.  Use just a little bit of toothpaste – just the size of a pea and try not to swallow any. 

     

    What did people use before toothpaste was invented?

     

    Before toothpaste was invented, people used lemon, sticks, twigs and others.  It was only about 100 years ago that toothpaste was invented.  The first pastes were available in metal tubes, today the container is made of soft plastic which makes it easier to squeeze.

     

    Healthy foods and drinks can help in keeping our teeth strong.  Do not drink fizzy drinks, they contain loads of sugars and acids which will cause tooth decay.

    Milk and cheese are also important as they contain calcium.

    Did you know?

    • Teeth are the hardest part of your body.
    • Sharks have three rows of teeth and they grow new ones if they lose any.
    • People do not grow new teeth if they loose a tooth once their adult teeth replace their baby teeth, so take good care of the ones that you have.
    • In the year 1770 the first toothbrush was invented and so were the first false teeth (made out of porcelain) by William Addis in England.

    Story Time

    Kids Corner

     

    Have a look at Jethro's painting!  It's absolutely amazing. 

    Well done Jethro!

    Wishing you all a super lovely day.

     

    Today it's my dad's birthday and I'm going to make a cake for him.   He loves the Red Velvet Cake so I need to find the recipe.

     

    Will be back tomorrow.

     

    Take Care and Stay Safe,

    Love

    Ronnie


    Day 43

    Birthdays

    Good Morning!!!

     

    Today it’s someone's special day.  Just have a look at this short video...

     

    Yes,  today it’s Isti’s Birthday!  Happy Birthday little Muffin! 

     

    What are the first things that come to your mind as soon as you hear the word BIRTHDAY?

    Most probably... cake, balloons, candles, cards and presents.  Birthdays are so nice to celebrate!  At this point in time, maybe we can’t celebrate them as we would like, but let’s try and make the most of it!  Being with our family, making a cake and being sent loads of birthday wishes with messages or phone calls are the best things that we can ask for.

    Here is some interesting information I found about how certain birthdays in different countries are culturally celebrated  :

     

    • In Canada and the United States, families often mark a girl's 16th birthday with a "sweet sixteen" celebration.

     

    • In some Hispanic countries, as well as in Portuguese-speaking Brazil, the quinceañera(Spanish) or festa de quinze anos (Portuguese) celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.

     

    • In Nepal and India, on a child's first birthday, their head is shaved.

     

    • In some Asian countries that follow the zodiac calendar, there is a  tradition of celebrating for the 60th birthday.

     

    • In Ghana, on their birthday, children wake up to a special treat called "oto" which is a patty made from mashed sweet potato and eggs fried in palm oil. Later they have a birthday party where they usually eat stew and rice and a dish known as "kelewele", which is fried plantain chunks.

     

     

    Story Time

     

    Click on the link to read the story

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jrTgtX8q9k

    Have you ever heard the term "lucky birthday", that is when for example, someone who’s birthday is on the 9th turns nine.  So, Isti’s lucky birthday will be when he turns 28. (20 more years to go boy!)

     

    Wishing you all the very best Isti.   Enjoy your day!

     

    See you all tomorrow.

     

    Good day and Stay Safe

     

    Love

    Ronnie


    Day 42

    Cinema and Films

    Bonjour!

     

    My dad loves to watch movies.  He used to go quite often to the cinema as well.  Unfortunately, I’m not allowed there. 

    People in every part of the world watch movies.  They are considered as a type of entertainment.  For some people, funny movies are the best as they make them laugh, but some others might prefer the ones that make them cry.  Also,  it’s very common that people eat popcorn while watching movies.

     

    My dad’s favourite movies are Action Movies but he enjoys watching various types of films.

    There are various to choose from.    Adventure  (with heroes), Animated (using computers), Comedies (funny films), Documentaries (about for example real people), Fantasy (with magical and impossible things), Western ( with cowboys) and many more types.

    The Lumière Brothers were the first filmmakers.  They were from France and their first film was recorded on 19 March 1895. This first film shows workers leaving the Lumière factory (which belonged to their father).

     

    Here is a short video about the history of movies.

     

     

    The first films were silent and  in black and white.  Would you imagine watching a film like that?

    Making a movie involves lots and lots of work and people

     

    To mention some...

     

    A screenwriter that writes the script (the story).

    A producer – the person in charge and needs to get all the money needed to produce the film.

    The Director – A film director is a person who directs the making of a film. The director most often has the highest authority on a film set.

     

    Actors - The people who play different roles in the movie.

     

    It takes more than a year at times to finish a film and they cost a lot of money.

     

    Some very popular films were filmed in Malta. 

    Here are some famous ones...

     

    Gladiator

    Troy

    Games of Thrones

     

    Kids Corner

    Have a look at at this!  Jethro managed to grow basil, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes in pots. 

    Wow boy!  This is awesome.  Well done!

    Can I have a salad please?

     

     

    Wishing you all a lovely day.

    Take Care and Stay Safe,

     

    Love

    Ronnie


    Day 41

    Tennis

     

     

     

     

    Hi Kids!

     

    Yesterday dad was cleaning the garage.  He has so much stuff!  We spent nearly the whole day there and honestly I got bored.  Anyhow, amongst his things he found the tennis racket that he was looking for a couple of weeks ago.  He used to play tennis as well.  I mean, not like volleyball, because he played that as a professional player, but tennis was more for fun.  He enjoyed it, but lately he was very busy and so he had to miss some sessions.

    I also used to go with him to the tennis court as well.

    Do you like tennis?  Here is some information about it.  My assistant, Lisa, helped me once again as she is much into sport.  She has created this online flip book with loads of information about this sport.  Thanks Lisa!

    Story Time

    Kids Corner

     

    Today we have some more pictures of Isti's friends - the parrots (Parakeets).  Yesterday he visited the park as usual and guess what... they had a  chick!  Isti told me that... it's the cutest and fluffiest thing in the world!!!!! 

    I want to know more about the Parakeets so I'm going to look for some information about them.

     

    See you all tomorrow.

     

    Take Care and Stay Safe

    Love,

    Ronnie


    Day 40

    Feeling Sick

     

    Good morning everyone!

     

    Have you ever felt sick?  Being sick is no fun and this just happened last week.  I felt unwell and my dad was very worried.  I had a sore throat and was feeling very tired.  I even lost appetite.

    I felt like that for nearly 2 days and dad took me to the Vet who gave me some medicine. I rested a lot and after that I felt much better.

    Millions of people across the world get sick every single day. It can be a tummy ache or a headache. People of every age can get a cold, or have a runny nose, high fever, cough and so on.  It’s very common to have a normal flu – (influenza)  every now and then, especially in winter when the weather is cold and chilly.

    When we feel very sick we need to go to the doctor.  Meanwhile, it is important that we avoid sharing cups, utensils, towels etc with other members of the family.  Also, use tissues when we sneeze and dispose of them in a responsible way to avoid the spreading of germs.  Remember also to wash your hands frequently and also to drink sips of water regularly as it helps to clean our body from the virus.

    At least try to eat some dried toast and crackers.

    Apart from the normal flu, people might get sick because of various reasons:

    These can include:

    • Eating too much
    • Eating food that has gone off
    • Eating food that you are allergic to
    • Tummy bugs
    • Feeling worried
    • Feeling too hot
    • Not drinking enough

    Story Time

    Kids Corner

     

    Today Isti sent me a picture of his best friends. They are two little parrots, who live in a park not far from him. He visits them every day!

    They are so cute.  Thanks Isti!

     

     

    Time to go for a little walk but will be back tomorrow.

     

    Take care everyone,

     

    Love 

    Ronnie

    Day 39

    Basketball

    Rise and Shine Everyone!

     

    Yesterday I was talking to my cousin Cooper via Skype and we were chit chatting about sport in general.  At the moment all sport events have been postponed or cancelled.

    He was telling me that his brother is a basketball fan and he never misses a match on T.V.

    What do you know about basketball?

    Honestly, I did not know a lot about this game except for the fact that is played with an orange ball and that usually basketball players are quite tall.

    So I made a bit of research so that when my other cousin is online too I’ll be able to talk about this sport as well.

    Basketball is a handball game.  The game played by two teams of five players each. The objective is to get the ball through a hoop mounted high up on a backboard at each end. It is a very popular sport worldwide, played with a round, orange bouncy ball.

     

     

    Basketball has been played in the Summer Olympic Games since 1936. 

    My friend Lisa, who is a basketball player, made this flipbook presentation to help us understand more the rules and give us more information about the basketball game.

     

    To find out more about basketball click on this link :             https://www.dkfindout.com/us/sports/basketball/

    Kids Corner

     

    Have a look at these beautiful pictures painted by Isti. 

    Poppies and Dandelions - and according to him they are so easy to paint!  

    Then we have pictures, sent by Jethro, who went for a walk in the countryside where met some cute friends!

     

     

    Wishing you a nice weekend.

     

    Will be back on Monday.

    Take Care,

     

    Love 

    Ronnie

    Day 38

    Flowers

    Bonjour!

     

    The saying - April showers bring May flowers, comes from the fact that the rain showers in April help to have blooming flowers in May.

     

    This morning I went for a walk in the countryside.  I realised that the weather is becoming warmer everyday. The green meadows are turning yellowish as the grass is slowly beginning to dry up.

    I still managed to find a spot with some beautiful flowers.  Flowers make the world much more beautiful with their colours and their smell.  They are also very important for insects such as bees for their pollen. 

    Common Spring flowers are lilacs, daffodils, irises, tulips, lilies, and dandelions.

     

    Have you ever thought about flowers?

    We use flowers for special occasions such as weddings and other special events.  They are also used on sad occasions like funerals.

     

    Tonnes of flowers are sent on Mother’s day and even on birthdays.  Flowers are used as gifts and to show respect.  The flowers mostly used on such occasions are roses, but there are so many different types of flowers, thousands if not millions.

    We see flowers in balconies, on window sills, in roundabouts.  They make places look nicer and more peaceful and it’s important that we take good care of our plants.

    The Netherlands is a country very famous for Tulips.  Today, the Netherlands is still the world's main producer of commercially sold tulips, producing as many as 3 billion bulbs annually, mostly for export.

    Interesting Facts about Flowers

     

    • Flowers did not always exist; they first appeared 140 million years ago.
    • Several centuries ago in Holland, tulips were more valuable than gold.
    • Broccoli is actually a flower.
    • Carnivorous plants are flowering plants that eat bugs and small animals! For example, the Venus fly trap has leaves covered by little hairs. When a bug lands on the hairs, the trap snaps shut and digestive juices digest the bug. Other carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants have leaves that form pitchers that are full of digestive fluids. Insects, frogs, and other small creatures are attracted to the nectar and bright colors on the pitchers and flowers. Some unfortunate critters fall in, drown, and are digested.

    Story Time

    Will be back tomorrow.

     

    See you all.

    Good day and take care,

     

    Love

    Ronnie

    Day 37

    My New Cushion

    Hi there!

     

    Last week my dad bought me a new, super soft cushion.   I love cushions!  They are so comfortable and they give that little extra touch to the house.  They make it feel cosier in my opinion. 

     

    Today we see sofas covered with cushion of different shapes, sizes and colours.  They are used as decoration.

     

     

    Cushions can come in many different shapes and sizes. However, the most common shape of a cushion is a square or rectangle, like a pillow.  The long narrow cushion is called a bolster.  Bolsters are usually firm for back or arm support or for decoration.

    Then I was curious about the origin of cushions.  How long have been people using cushions?

    I was really surprised to find out that the earliest cushions go back to 7000 years BC. (Before Christ).   Cushions were related to rich people and were found in palaces and great houses in the early Middle Ages.  They were often of great size, covered with leather.

     

    Most cushions are filled with foam, wool, feathers and other various materials. The main idea of a cushion was to provide comfort when sitting or lying down but they can be used also for kneeling upon – as in church for example. They are also used to soften the hardness or a chair or couch.

     

    Different types of cushions :

    Chair Cushion

    Bench Cushion

    Chaise Cushion

    Rocking Chair Cushion

    Window Seat Cushion

    Wicker Cushion

    Church Pew Cushion

    Have a look around at home.  How many cushions do you have? Look at their size and shape.  Do you like them?