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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

ONE HEALTHY HEART: 1260 BEATS A MINUTE


Here it is, ladies and gentlemen…
                     the “Krumbs and Cookie Question of the Day”:

Which member of the animal kingdom has a heart that beats 1,260 times each minute?  Yes, I did write one thousand, two hundred sixty heart beats each minute…can you imagine?!?!

If you’re struggling to find an answer, let me give you another clue.  This animal can move up and down, back and forth, right, left and upside down!  Do you have a guess for us?

This amazing animal is a member of the bird family (that is another clue, people!) These birds are teeny-tiny, superfast wing flappers with interesting appetites.  Have You Guessed It Yet?!??! 

 

We are talking about…

                        (Drum roll, please….)                                                                               

HUMMINGBIRDS 

Were you correct?  We learned about hummingbirds in a Café article by Lisa Freeman called “Buzzing Birds”.  (Did you know hummingbirds really do buzz?)The article has lots of interesting facts and a link to follow that will show you how to make your own hummingbird food-AWESOME!
 
Do you have hummingbirds near your house?  We found out, hummingbirds actually do live in our state so in the summer we're going to put up a hummingbird feeder and see if we can find one of our very own!
 
Have a great day!
Cookie

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

ONE MIXED UP MAMMAL


Good Morning!  Here I am...still well enough to be bored, but sick enough to not to do anything with my boredom!  I've spent a lot of time on the Cafe though and it led to the "Super Quiz Question of the Day:
 What animal has the neck of a giraffe, the stripes of a zebra, the body of a donkey and a tongue longer than a backpack?  This mixed-up mammal is an okapi, one of the rarest animals alive, according to writer, Angela Adams.

Krumbs and I love strange and unusual animals and the okapi definitely fits the bill!  We found the okapi on the Café (of course), but their real home is located in one small area of the world.  The okapi live in the rainforests of the African Congo which is part of the reason why we know so little about this strange looking creature. 

We followed links to the San Diego Zoo and the St. Louis Zoo and found some awesome pictures!  Are you looking for an odd, strange and unusual way to start your day?  Visit the Café and read Angela Adams’ article, “The Most Mysterious Mammal” to meet the mixed up mammal that gives a whole new meaning to unusual!

Cookie

Monday, February 18, 2013

SORE THROATS, COLD POPS AND PAPERBALL

Happy Monday, Friends!

I had a sore throat all weekend...YUCK!  My throat looked gross and felt even worse, my breath was horrid and my head felt like one hundred drummers were beat, beat, beating on it!  The only way to feel better was to eat something cold, that melted fast.  What better tasty treat to eat than a Popsicle?  Popsicles had just the right cold, fruity, melty goodness and were just plain, yummy in the tummy (and cool and easy on the throat)!

Krumbs was with me on this one.  Well, he didn't have the sore throat, but he was there with Popsicles, sympathy and....articles from the Cafe to keep me busy!  He is my best friend in the world.  Did you know the Cafe has a recipe for homemade Popsicles?  I knew but forgot about it--let's face it, winter is not the usual time for Popsicles.  Krumbs looked up the article and made them for me.  (Click here for the recipe) The author, Joy Delgado, suggests making Popsicles out of watermelon but Krumbs got creative and he used melon and grapes.  They were really great for my throat!

Once the medicine set in, I was feeling a little better.  You know how that is...you still feel too sick to go outside or jump around, but well enough to be bored.  That in between time stinks, but Krumbs had a solution.  We visited the Cafe and read Michelle Barone's article, "From Idea to Invention" and I found out how the first Popsicle was invented!  The article also explained the first ice cream cone, the invention of the band-aid, the yo-yo and Barbie dolls!  (If you're interested in any of things, click here to read the article)

By the time we'd read through the article, I was feeling up to a little paperball.  Are you wondering about "Paperball"?  Well, it is a super-easy game that doesn't make a mess, knock anything over or break anything--and you can do it from your bed!  Take three sheets of paper (any kind) and smoosh each one into a ball.  Have a friend take a bucket, basket or plastic garbage can and place it a few feet from the bed.  Now, throw the paperball into the basket and score two points!  Your friend (or you, once you feel up to it) can move the basket all over the room and keep score.  First one to 20 points wins!

Now I'm feeling better and heading back to school.  Thank goodness for Krumbs, the Cafe, Popsicle Recipes and Paperball!  Talk to you soon!  Stay healthy!

COOKIE

Friday, February 15, 2013

PIG HAIR AND BRICK DUST TO DO...WHAT?!?!?


Good Morning! 
Have you brushed your teeth today?  Keeping your teeth clean is something Krumbs and I take very seriously.  (Yep, I use a toothbrush to clean Krumbs’ teeth…even dogs need to be “minty fresh”)

What is your favorite toothpaste?  Do you like bubblegum, mint, tuity-fruity, gel or cream?  Do you use an electric toothbrush or a regular toothbrush?  The possibilities are endless...but how about a toothbrush made from the hairs on a pig’s neck or brushing with powdered brick dust?  It doesn’t seem like anything could be that gross and disgusting, right?

Think again!  Krumbs and I found the newest article at the Café absolutely bursting with the gross history of tooth care.  You won’t believe the things people put in their mouths in order to get clean teeth and fresh breath.  Take a peek at F.Rose Ross’s article, “Something to Smile About”—you’ll gain a whole new appreciation for your toothpaste and a toothbrush.

 Have a great weekend everyone!  Check back on Monday for more from…
Cookie and Krumbs!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

WARM AIR WISHES AND WATERFALL DREAMS


Krumbs and I are tired of snow.  We’ve shoveled, made snowmen (and snow dogs), had snowball fights and built igloos.  We are tired of slushy, wet, cold stuff and we’re dreaming of warm, wet air, waterfalls and exotic animals.  Yep, we’re dreaming of jungles and rainforests-AHHHHH!

Of course, as soon as we thought of wonderful water, animated animals and gloriously warm air, we thought of the Café.  We know the Café can take us places and introduce us to things we’ve never seen before.  We also know there is a fabulous article about an indoor jungle located right in the middle of a city!  That’s right…we went right to Janice Bjornstad’s article, “Jungle in the City” for a little rest and natural relaxation.  Check it out by clicking here, but first check out a photo from Ms. Bjornstad's article for a cool preview of the warm jungle:

Isn't it just a dream? 
 

 I wish I could swing from a vine, flip through the air and land in the water right under that beautiful, cascading waterfall.  (Isn't "CASCADING" a great word?  We LOVE it!!)

Oh well, we'll keep dreaming so we can forget the cold, hard truth...we're stuck in cold, wet, slushy SNOW!  Have a great day.  Krumbs and I wish you fun, happiness and great dreams filled with warm air and waterfalls!

Cookie

Monday, February 11, 2013

ANOTHER SNOWY DAY

Happy Snowy Day,

The wind is blowing, the snow is drifting, the frozen rain is falling...and Krumbs and I are enjoying a SNOW DAY!  Last week brought a blizzard and left us with three feet of snow--three feet of snow.  We've never really had that much snow from one storm, at least not as long as I've been alive.

We spent the weekend playing in snow up to my waist.  It was cold, wet fun.  But last night, we had freezing rain.  The rain covered the snow and made everything a icy slick.  We are stuck in the house, so of course, we visited the Imagination Cafe!

We're not reading about exciting careers right now.  We're not finding out new and exciting facts about animals from all around the world.  We're not chatting on Klub Krumbs.  Right now, we're playing games!  Did you know the Cafe has an entire section of games you can play alone or with a friend?  We do.  Krumbs and I love to play "Tic Tac Toe", especially since the "x's" and "o's" are really pictures of "Cookie" and "Krumbs".  Check out the Cafe Games and have a little fun...maybe even with us!

Friday, February 8, 2013

CELL PHONES FOR ELEPHANTS?


The Café is buzzing with news about elephants this week.  Did you know two different kinds of elephants live in Africa?  Krumbs and I had no idea.  We’d heard of African Elephants and Asian Elephants, but we had no idea there are two different kinds of African Elephants that live in two completely different parts of Africa. 

The article is called, “The Elephants of OneContinent and Two Different Worlds”.  Did you know Africa has areas that are very dry and grassy and areas that are very wet and tropical?  We didn’t know about the land and we really had no idea two very different elephants live in each very different area of Africa—cool, right?

Check out David Brown’s article and learn to tell the difference between elephants by looking at their ears!  Find out which type of elephant is the largest living land mammal on earth and learn about both elephants’ built in “cell phones.   This article was full of amazing little facts to amaze and impress…check it out!

Monday, February 4, 2013

GOOEY AND GUMMY AND GROSS…OH MY!


You will not believe what Krumbs and I found on the Café this weekend.  It's gooey, and gummy and gross.  It's distasteful, disgusting and dreadful.  It so amazingly cool you won’t believe it. 

We found a science experiment with directions on how to make…

FAKE SNOT!!!!!

Isn’t that the coolest thing in the world?!?!?  It’s February and everyone we know has a cold or is afraid of catching a cold, so when we stumbled on “A Gooey Science Experiment” by Carol Jenks it stuck with us!

Ms. Jenks explained that the mucus in our noses is really just proteins and sugars, so she shares a “recipe” made of protein and sugar that looks and feels like the real thing.  You can try it too…just click here.  You’ll be able to disgust people and amaze them at the same time!   

          Have fun and check back later this week for more from

Cookie and Krumbs