Sunday, March 29, 2009

Dear Postman Pat!


Postman Pat is one of the most popular children’s tv series ever. It was created by John Cunliffe in 1981 and is set in a fictitious British village called Greendale in Cumbria. The show follows the adventures of Pat Clifton, a postman who has a heart of gold. Pat is followed everywhere by his pet cat, Jess who is famously referred to as the black and white cat in the theme music.


Postman Pat initially concentrates on delivering his Royal Mail letters through the valley of Greendale, but he often becomes distracted by some issue involving one of the villagers and is relied upon to resolve their problems. In the end he manages to provide the best quality postal service.


Postman Pat portrays a gentle world, illustrating the life of a close-knit village community where family and strong values are important. Many new characters have joined the series since it began, including Postman Pat's wife, Sara, and his son, Julian. The action has also moved beyond Mrs Goggins and the Greendale Post Office, as there is also a local train station run by Ajay Bains and his family, and a vintage steam train called the Greendale Rocket, which travels into the neighbouring town of Pencaster.


Since 2008, Postman Pat joined the Special Delivery Service in Pencaster where he has helicopters and parachutes at his disposal as well as his trusty red van!

click to watch the video and sing-along

Postman Pat. Postman Pat. Postman Pat and his black and white cat.
Early in the morning, just as day is dawning, he picks up all the post bags in his van.
Postman Pat. Postman Pat. Postman Pat and his black and white cat.
All the birds are singing, and the day is just beginning.
Pat feels he's a really happy man.
Everybody knows his bright red van, all his friends will smile as he waves to greet them,
Maybe, you can never be sure, there'll be knock (knock knock)
Ring (ring ring). Letters through your door. (Hee Hee).
Postman Pat. Postman Pat. Postman Pat and his black and white cat.
All the birds are singing, and the day is just beginning.
Pat feels he's a really happy man.


www.postmanpat.com

John Cunliffe, author of Postman Pat stories

Postman Pat and his cat Jess welcomed customers into a post office


LINKS

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Fada Moranga loves Little Odd Forest!


Lynda Lye has been inspired by the wonderful childhood fantasies of bizarre fairytale adventure stories set in magical forests, resplendent with quirky images and wonderful illustrations of talking monsters, animals and trees. She still has all these storybooks from childhood, thanks to her dad, an avid oil painter/artist, who began reading incredible tales to her when she was still a foetus. It is no surprise that she has always felt she belongs to another world of enchanted forests, filled with magical animals and imaginary creatures, after being fed with (too much) bizarre fairytales as a child and thus take inspiration from the world created in her head.”

Monday, March 23, 2009

The best natural toy!

"Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water-bugs, tadpoles, frogs, and mud-turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb, brooks to wade in, water-lillies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries, and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of his education." Luther Burbank

There are many tiny creatures to explore and the wonders of plant life never cease to amaze a child. Children also love to explore the garden with their friends. Here are ten tips for organic gardening with small children: 10 Tips for Organic Gardening with Children


Thursday, March 19, 2009

Celebrating Fathers Day!

Fada Moranga’s father: JoĆ£ozinho

March 19th is the official Fathers Day in Portugal – a tribute to Saint Joseph

St. Joseph's Day is a Roman Catholic feast day commemorating the life of St. Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus and husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mary had many admirers. One night they all left their staffs in the temple so that God could indicate who she should marry. The next morning, Joseph's staff blossomed with white flowers and leaves and sent forth a white dove, indicating that he was the chosen one. This explains why most statues of St. Joseph show him holding baby Jesus and a stalk of white lilies and why this day is a common celebration of fathers throughout the Christian world.

Saint Joseph was the head of the
Holy Family and the guardian of Jesus and Mary. He was instructed by an angel about the name of the child to be born and was given careful directives for the safety and care of both mother and child before and after the birth of Jesus.

Joseph was able to show Jesus, by a special gift from Heaven, all the natural love, all the affection that a father’s heart can know. Saint Joseph was the interpretation of God’s Love on earth and was given sufficient graces and light to fulfil his mission. Joseph was most faithful to his vocation in life - his life was pure fidelity to fatherhood, fidelity in being a husband, true devotion.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The Very Hungry Caterpillar!


“With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates — will they be friendly? I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.” Eric Carle

THE AUTHOR
He loves Blackforest honey for breakfast :-)

Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 47 languages and sold over 29 million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote, and more than 88 million copies of his books have sold around the world.

This year he is celebrating two birthdays, his own 80th and the 40th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. There are many events and programs happening around the world for The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 40th and there is an exhibit currently on view at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art called 80/40: Celebrating the Birthdays of Eric Carle and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. For more information and for a little preview of the exhibition, visit the Museum's web site.

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