BAM Challenge #1: The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

A book about time and where it is going. This book has very short chapters that open with the musical score for traditional Irish music. It's a shame that the book didn't come with a CD of the songs! Set in Ireland, with the main character playing the fiddle since the age of five is captivating as is traveling to Tir na nOg, the land of eternal youth. Time is being trapped into Tir na nOg, and the fairies there are starting to age. Also time is being lost in our world and life gets more and more frantic. The short chapters would encourage a reluctant reader to keep going and the pacing is very quick. YA reading level. I read it in one night! I rate it 5 stars!

Gift of the Unmage by Alma Alexander

Gift of the Unmage, book 1 in the Worldweavers series by Alma Alexander.

Double Seventh, the seventh child of two parents who were also seventh children.
Amazing magical ability. As the world watches, Galathea Georgiana Winthrop fails every assignment, every exam, and every teacher that tries to find out her magical gifts. As a last resort her father sends Thea back in time to a Anasazi elder who doesn't exactly teach but simply walks...

When Thea returns with still no signs of her magic, she is sent to the Wandless Academy, a school for the magically inept.

There in a place of no magic Thea faces the battle of her life.

Check out Gift of the Unmage by Alma Alexander at your local library or on amazon.com

Ages 12 and up. If you like Harry Potter or Diana Wynne Jones Young Wizard series you will enjoy this book.

Trying to be like Martha Stewart

I was looking through a book Christmas with Martha Stewart and was captivated by a floral arrangement of roses that looks like a christmas tree. Unfortunately the directions did not mention how many roses were needed for this arrangement. I thought 2 dozen. Nope. 3? No. After making 3 trips to the store and 7 dozen roses later this is it. I will mention that I didn't think to take a picture while the roses were in their prime. Here is how mine turned out. Not quite like hers. This is one arrangement I won't try again. Too expensive!

Tomato Plants Ordered

Well it's still December 2007, and I just ordered my first tomato plants for 2008! Yes there is plenty of snow on the ground, in fact there will be snow on the ground when they are planted. I am giving Mother Nature some time, since the plants won't be arriving until the first half of April. I realize that I am still an impatient person, but summer seems a long way away right now. Speaking of tomato varieties, I went with some standbys this year: the heirloom Costoluto Genovese is wonderful. Sun Gold (cherry), Sweet Million (another cherry), and a Koralik (a third cherry) will be for snacking. And gasp, we are trying a hybrid from Burpee named Red Lightning. The variety from Burpee can be located on their site: Burpee The majority of the tomato plants we are purchasing come from Territorial Seed Company
I have been ordering tomato plants from Territorial Seed Company since2002. They have a really great product and stand behind their plants. One of the best products I have found for successful planting of early tomatoes are the Walls of Water and red mulch. Most everyone has heard of walls 'o water and they are just want they sound like. Several vertical tubes of water connected in a circle that slowly warm the soil and keep the plant within in a pocket of frost free air. Great! Red mulch is a plastic mulch that goes on top of the soil and helps the plants grow faster and also helps with tomato development. The color red is reflected up onto the plants and works with photosynthesis. Obviously that is not a scientific explanation. Can't wait to taste the first tomato of the season in June.