Mr. Beethoven at the zoo

Yesterday we were good and finished school but we skipped out on the Lenten Spring cleaning and went to the zoo. (This fellow was very miffed with us when we moved Mr. Beethoven out of reach!)

Poetry Monday

Pippa's Song
by Robert Browning

The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;

The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in His Heaven--
All's right with the world!

Mr. Beethoven goes to Buffalo

He was in town to visit the bishop ... (Altar Servers Awards Banquet)

Ocular Athletics

Swords by Ken

Swords are big metal sticks that have been sharpened. This is an example (drawing of sword complete with blood channel) I happen to have a big book of swords by Ben Boos. It has fourteen chapters and I can list them.
1. Warriors
2. Raiders
3. War Maidens
4. Villagers
5. Soldiers
6. Landsknechts
7. Knights
8. Kings
9. Samurai
10. Ninja (my personal favorite)
11. Silla Knights
12. Eastern Masters
13. War Chiefs
14. Sultans


Books by Joe

Books are strange things. They can make you laugh or cry, they can bug you or thrill you, but they can also be Algebra books which definitely make you cry. Books can have as few as 5 pages or as many as several thousand pages. I like fiction best but I don't mind other books. Books can take you to other times, worlds, places, and planets, but some are rather boring. My favorite author is probably Rick Riordan who wrote the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series.



Swords by Adam

Swords are amazing creations. Forged from the best steel that is within man's power to create they can be long and heavy or short and light, good for close combat. Some are simple and cruel, others are elegant and dignified with intricately shaped hilts and patterned blades. In medieval times a sword was used not only in combat but it justified someone's rank or status. You could be a king and have a sword made by the best swords smith on the planet or a freeman or soldier with a simple but deadly steel weapon designed for great battles or any combat, whether against man or beast was best decided under the circumstances. The sword is the most wondrous weapon and I suggest you learn as much as possible about this weapon.

Beethoven's First Trip

Beethoven sat on his Jacob's Ladder meditating, when Mrs. Ladybug came flying by with the daily news."She never comes at a convenient time,"he grumbled to himself.
She landed in front of him and said in her squeaky voice," Uh,oh, Beethoven! The boys' parents are taking them to D.C. to visit their sister living on the outskirts of the city. I saw them looking up the distance. It's a six hour drive!" she finished, out of breath.
"So what does that have to do with me?" the musician said irritably.
"I brought you the news because the little boy,Ken, asked if he could bring you," Mrs. Ladybug said in her fast way taking breaths as she spoke. "They are leaving in three days, on Monday morning."
"How long are they staying?" Beethoven asked, maintaining his outward calm with difficulty.
"Three days," the little ladybug added shortly.
"Three days!" Beethoven said, cracking. "I'll never live that long in such a huge city. If I make it, I'll die on the car ride!"
Mrs. Ladybug looked at him sympathetically. "Six days is torture," she agreed.
"Why six?" the musician asked cautiously.
"Oh, come now, Beethoven. I know you. You'll be stewing in sweat at least until you get back," the bug answered exasperatedly.
Ans she was right. Beethoven was thrust unceremoniously into a backpack with some granola bars and batteries. The only thing to pass the time was a grumpy toy dwarf who had been packed with him. The dwarf introduced himself as Gimli. He spoke very highly of a battle ax he remembered having. It was not on him but Beethoven was glad when they made it to D.C. and were unpacked and put on a shelf. The dwarf grew restless but thankfully Beethoven was used to this and suffered without complaint, which earned the dwarf's respect. They spent the time chatting amiably about this and that.
The trip was uneventful until the mouse came. Beethoven was just describing Zeus, the pet dog and a friend of his,"And he has big, brown eyes, bigger than my head. Irresistible, they are, and we..."
"Please, sir," said a tiny voice. Beethoven nearly fell off the shelf.
"What is it, my dear mouse?" Gimli said, quite politely.
"Please, sir," she said again timidly,"They said you were coming here. I did not believe them. But they want me to bring you to the mayor. Please come with me."
"The mayor," said Beethoven recovering from his surprise.
"Apparently," Gimli said thoughtfully,"We are in trouble."
The little mouse led them into a crack between the floor and the heater. As soon as they stepped in a loud voice boomed,"I said no, never, n-e-f- whatever, no, not ever. Mrs. Little Sticks I said do not bring those invaders into our defenseless abode."
An enormously fat mouse led six other mice armed with tooth picks and sewing needles up to Beethoven and Gimli. "What are you doing here, Invaders?"
"We are not invaders,"Gimli said defensively. "We are just looking."
"Ah, hah!" said the fat mouse, "Scouting the path ahead of the others, are you? Well, they will never hear the news. Guards! Attack!"
Just then Beethoven had an idea! He called to the mayor (the fat mouse)"Ho, great, governor, king, mayor, whatever, we are actually bringing a peace treaty to you from our king. He is starting a long campaign to take over the world starting here, and if you join him he will spare you." That stopped the guards in their tracks.
"You..ah..have a great army?" the mayor asked slowly.
"Oh, yes,"said Beethoven. "It is magnificent!"
The mayor thought for minute. You could see his gears working. Finally he said,"Very well. Tell your king I accept his peace. Go tell him....please."
Beethoven bowed and dragged the laughing Gimli behind him.
"That was brilliant," Gimli said. "I can't believe he fell for that."
"It was a stroke of genius," Beethoven chortled,"And you know what? I think I might even survive the trip home after all!"

Ocular Athletics

A United States Flag
by Ken

A U.S. flag has stars in the upper right hand corner. It has red and white stripes everywhere else. The flag I happen to be looking at is stuck in a bookcase under Ten Greek Plays.



Pepper
by Joe

Pepper almost always accompanies salt at the table and is used to spice food up. It comes in little balls called peppercorns which are actually seeds. I like to grind it up with a mortar and pestle, myself. That way it is a little fresher. Pepper is usually black but there is red pepper, and lemon pepper, and probably more. Pepper was a highly expensive Chinese spice in the Middle Ages.

Adam is the author of Mr. Beethoven's Adventures and will appear on Fridays!

The Amazing Adventures of Beethoven

If your take a step into our house and enter a certain bedroom you will see many things which include a faded blue rug, and two homemade bunk beds pushed into the corners. The beds are slept in and used for the storage of fondly cared for stuffed animals.

By one of these bunks is a large dresser. Two crates are placed on their sides and used as transportable shelves.Between them is an old shoe box which holds an uncountable number of audio tapes. CDs are neatly organized on top. Placed in front of all this is a folded Jacob's ladder. Seated on top is a little toy musician looking sternly ahead. We call him Beethoven. He spends most of his time here, alone, if no ladybugs visit, and he doesn't fall. If he gets bored I do not know. I haven't asked him. But I would think not because sometimes...he goes on adventures. To be continued...