All week I’ve been collecting photos of dogs from my friends and writing and rewriting the text for my newest childrens book project to be titled “The Professional Dog”.
I’ve been thinking of the 19th century parlor game called The Minister’s Cat and have been updating that game idea with a variety of professions and dogs. All of this is so I can play with my adult friends and together we can entertain some kids.
The way I’ve played The Minister’s Cat (in pre-pandemic times) is like this: a group of people in a circle start a clapping rhythm. One person starts with the letter A saying “The Minister’s Cat is an agile cat”. Then without skipping the beat the next person can either follow with another A word description like “The Minister’s Cat is an adventurous cat”. Or they can follow with a B word like “The Minister’s Cat is a brave cat”. And so forth the game goes through the alphabet in a clapping rhythm. If someone loses the rhythm or stumbles on an adjective then they’re out. In our adult games the penalty for being “out” was refilling everyone’s beverages.
Below are some scribbles of text on my legal pad. I’ve decided (I think) that there will be some letter repetitions just like there would be in an in-person game.
Below are some of the dog photos friends sent this week! There’s an Artist, a Dean, a Chef, a Guidance Counselor, a Lender and a Judge.
In my experience projects in this kind of messy stage of becoming are best left within my peripheral mental vision, so to speak, till they firm up.
As a result I did a good bit on my winter greeting cards project I spoke of in my last post. Below is another card notion – paper dolls on a postcard! I’m thinking it will be fun to mail this card to some kids I know.
Here’s a few of the cards on my Zazzle shop – including “Crowshoes” that I was working on in my last post. I’m also doing more recipe cards as my friend Bernadette of New Classic Recipes suggested.
I’m still waiting on the thingamajig that will hold my phone while I do videos. Insert a cartoon image of Charlie Brown waiting by the mailbox here. While I wait on the thingamajig to be shipped I’ve been making notes on stuff I want to share about creativity and living a creative life. Fun thoughts to think!
But what did come in the mail this week were the books I’d ordered from my local independent bookstore Vintage Books! I’ve read the top two books in an ebook format and wanted print copies they were so good! Besides both books speak to my interest in living a creative life.
And some days I want pasta. One of my favorite cookbooks for pasta is Macaroni and Cheese by Marlena Spieler. There’s a baked broccoli, cheese and pasta recipe that’s very yummy!
I hope your week is the best it can be. See you next Monday?
Oh, how I remember cut outs. They were one of my favorite things in the world. You are just an amazing creative person. I am going to do a holiday edition of recipes that will start after Halloween. Are you interested in contributing?
Yes!! I’m quite willing to contribute holiday recipes!!! Happily I will make a note to send you some after Halloween!! What fun!! And thank you so much for asking!!
And thank you too for your comment about my cut outs idea and my creativity!! I’ll do my best to keep it up!!
Sue, you can email your contribution any time. I am keeping a file to work on. My email is newclassicrecipes@gmail.com.
Oh!! Good to know I can send you things any time!! And thank you for your email – I think I have it already but I will make absolutely sure I have it in my contacts 🤗😊❤
How exciting to see your notes for The Professional Dog. And there is Mr. Johnson!! I’ve love the idea of paper dolls on a post card! What little kid wouldn’t love getting one of those?! The Minister’s Cat is ringing a faint bell in the echoing spaces in my head. I think I may have played it at one time. In any event, it’s a great approach for the book!!
Oh good!! I’m delighted you liked seeing my notes…and Mr. Johnson!! 😊 I’m glad too that you like my idea of paper doll cards! I’m trying something new there!
And I’d almost be willing to bet my favorite pen that you’ve at least read about The Minister’s Cat game as several of the books I read about literature and poetry discuss that game as an example of examining the adjectives in one’s sentences and the practice thereof. So I do worry a bit about the words in my book flying too high above kids heads but the larger majority of me believes that exposure to a larger vocabulary has inherent benefits. 🤔 Kid’s books aside the Minister’s Cat game is simply a fun way to keep one’s own vocabulary flowing. Part of the fun I’m having with my book is playing this word game in my own head! And many thanks again for your kind comment!! (P.S. I sent you a direct message via Instagram)
I don’t think you need to worry about the vocabulary going over the kids’ heads. I think they’ll get the gist of any unfamiliar words from the combination of the rhythm and alliteration of the line and the context of the illustration. And of course there’s always mom and dad!
I was so eager to read your news, I didn’t pay much attention to the header illustration when I intially read the post. I’m quite taken with the illustration now, with little bunny saying, “Oh? Are those for me? Could they be for me?”
Lol!!! Your comment made me smile!! I am delighted that you were “eager to read my news” and that you liked my bunny illustration!! Yes indeed “are these for me??!!” 🤣🙌
And I will take a deep breath, remember what you said and not worry about my use of words possibly unfamiliar to kids!! Thank you!!!
You’re most welcome, Sue!
Macaroni Cheese is one of my favourite comfort foods. I am lactose intolerant but still need to make it ever so often. My kids like it to be just pure macaroni cheese made with extra mature, extra sharp cheddar whereas I like to add some cauliflower and broccoli.
The idea of the paper doll postcard is wonderful. What fun! I look forward to seeing that project develop. And your other project seems to be moving along at a cracking pace. I did not know the Minister’s Cat rhyme but my kids and I used to play similar games on long car journeys (“my grandmother’s bag”, “we went to the supermarket”, and “we visited the zoo”.)
Oooh!!! Your car games sound amazing!!! Are they games you made up???!! I want to hear more…!!!
And yes, the sharp cheddar with the broccoli makes the dish extra nice!! Sorry that you’re lactose intolerant. I can relate in a roundabout way…I am allergic to seafood of all kinds and I live in a region near large rivers and the sea!
I plan to keep up with the paper doll cards around the edges of my other projects…there’s a plan re my paper dolls for late summer 2022. 😁
Please do tell me more about your car games…perhaps tell me via text or email when you have a moment?!….from the title “my grandmother’s bag” alone another kids book notion popped into my head. 😊❤
Thank you for your delightful comment!!!
I think they are traditional British games, like parlor games. They aren’t too complicated at all. I’ll message you later with a bit more detail.
Wonderful!! Thank you in advance!!!
So much fun when you are in the creative zone, thinking of all these ideas and pulling them together. Now that macaroni is just the best way to reward yourself after all that hard work! My version of Mac and cheese substitutes some of the macaroni pasta with riced cauliflower. Such a comfort food as we move into fall and winter!
Yes!!! Comfort food season is here!!
LOL, I was just thinking about perhaps pasta for dinner, and you’re scrumptious-looking photos cinched it. Looking forward to it! But first I have some work and editing to do. 🙂 I always enjoyed that game. We used to play it on car trips to pass the miles more quickly. Love the paper doll rabbit. Those were such fun, and I love to cut things out. I’m afraid I would cut up whatever you wrote on the back, but I’m guessing you wouldn’t mind. 😀
Wouldn’t mind one bit if you cut up the writing on the back!! So glad you like my car-game-inspired book idea! All the best on your work and editing!! Enjoy the pasta when you come to it!!!
I had a tasty pasta Marsala and enjoyed it with a friend. Hard to beat that!! And I got another hour of productive editing in while waiting for her to arrive. A perfect evening!
Enjoy your Profession Dogs! I see you’ve move beyond the rhymes to images. Such fun!!
Oooh pasta Marsala!!!! Yum!!!! So glad you got to enjoy it with a friend! Nothing is better than that!!! Delighted your evening was so good!! ❤