Spring is here - off to IRA

Spring is here - I have been raking, weeding, planting! I love it - the birds are building nests, hummingbirds whizz by my head and tonight a bunny hopped through the driveway. Last night, my kids made dinner for us and served it out on the deck while we watched the sunset. How perfect can it get?!
This weekend I'm off to the annual Reading Convention in Minneapolis. Hope to see many of you there! I'm presenting an all day Institute on Sunday, signing books on Monday and Tuesday and co-presenting the Poetry Olio on Wednesday night. If you love poetry, be sure to come for rhythm and fun!

The Big Read

Today is the first day of Global Action Week. Check out this website: http://www.campaignforeducationcanada.org/en/index.php

I hope you will do something special this week to celebrate reading and books!

Earthday!

Hope you were able to do something today that benefits the earth. My family and I planted 15 trees on our new acreage. I bought tomato plants and planted rhubarb. I weeded all day yesterday and today, we tilted the new vegetable garden and had a lot of fun working together on gorgeous Salt Spring Island. We will soon open our planned booklovers' B & B!
I am also putting the final touches on the text for a new book and getting ready for a day of poetry writing in the lower mainland next week.
Happy Earthday!

• Write an Earthday poem
• Keep a log of what you see outside your window (I see birds pulling worms from the soil, a bird gathering grasses to line its nest, two blue jays hanging on the birdfeeder, and yesterday, we had a wild turkey visiting our yard all day).
• Write a story about your favorite animal
• Take a photo of a wild animal such as a bird, a duck, a butterfly (I took this photo of a young owl last summer)

Happy Easter!

Both Emma and Henry wish you a HAPPY EASTER! May it be the start of a lovely Spring,

Margriet

Lower Mainland Author Visit Available

Back from Asia! I tried to bring warmer weather with me... It was hard to leave gorgeous Subic in The Philippines where my hotel was on a white sand beach, I swam with dolphins and I enjoyed meeting everyone in the lovely school. But it's good to be home again and do some gardening. The daffodils are blooming and the blossoms are out.

Now it's back to writing work! During the week of April 27 (later in the week) I will be in the lower mainland and it looks like I will have a day available to do author visits. If your school is interested, please let me know as soon as possible.
Happy Easter!