Tonight Art, Lewis, my friend Lena and I went to Bubbe's for Chicken Rice!  Art's old favorite, chicken and green pepper stir fry.  While Art was snarfing helping after helping he asked, "Is this chicken died?" (meaning dead).  I told him that yes, it was.  "Why is it died?"  I liked Bubbe's answer.  "Because it wouldn't stay on your plate if it wasn't!"

Okay okay, I know this isn’t really kid-related, but it’s certainly Papa-related! My book arrived today! It’s super exciting and looks great. I haven’t found any mistakes yet… They will be in all local bookstores next week. And for those interested, there will be a book release event/gallery show next week at the Pioneer Press (345 Cedar Street, St. Paul) on Thursday, November 19th, from 4:30-6pm. I hope you can come!

[updated]–I’m doing two readings in coming week. The Borders in Woodbury this Sunday the 15th from 1-3pm and the Borders in Roseville fri the 20th 7-8:30pm. I don’t know what the hell I’ll be reading. Maybe the title. “Welcome everyone. Ant Farm!”

For those who are out of town you can buy books on Amazon and other places. But I’m also happy to personally sign and ship books, which takes out the middle man (I make more money!) and you get a nice signed book. $28 ($25 for book + $3 shipping). Here’s a link to purchase through PayPal:

Art is clearly into abstract art, much to my previously mentioned chagrin, however his abstract ‘pieces’ have so often shown some real thought. Take a look at this crayon creation from school a few weeks ago. What could have compelled the red splotch? Love it.

Here’s a ‘work’ from Lewis around the same time. Sometimes their drawings are indistinguishable from each other’s.

There’s a couple big drainage ditches a few blocks from our house. Both are fun destinations, one with a big Weeping Willow that Art calls the Egret’s Nest (we’ve seen egret at the drainage pond there) and the other is surround by tall reeds and cattails. We went over there last week to explore and had a great time exploding the cattails’ seeds. You just start to open them and the seeds start peeling away from the plant like an overflowing bathtub or something. Last night we went down there after dinner for some more cattail fun and realized we could bring the cattails from the one ‘pond’ across the street to the other one and try to populate the cattails over there!!! We exploded five cattails by the water of the Egret’s Nest pond and will eagerly watch next spring to see if our seeding efforts were successful.

Nanna was in town to join us for a Nature Day visit to the MN Zoo.

Be warned, if you come over to our house, you will likely be asked by Arthur to have a dance party in the basement (photos by Bubbe!).

Going through old tapes at work and found this fun and short footage.