An Email from a Friend I reached out to a friend for a little help with this post. Here is what she wrote: “Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic Lunar Calendar, which is ten days shorter than the Gregorian calendar [Me – I’d forgotten our calendar has a name] so each year Ramadan is about ten days earlier that the last. [Next year – around April 14th] The months of the lunar calendar are 29 or 30 days. “Oh, you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was presccribed for those before you, that you may develop God-consciousness.” (Quran 2:183) “In Ramadan Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. It is not just a month to turn away from food and drink but to turn towards our Creator and serve His Creation. During this month, Muslims pray and reflect during the day and in the evening they will break their day long fast with a meal called iftaar. This time calls on Muslims to honor the values at the very heart of Islam – compassion, peace, and service to others. This year, we will be doing this in lockdown and while practicing social distancing. This is just a pivot in the way most of us are used to engaging in Ramada, but God willing, we will find enrichment in this as well. Wishing everyone a very blessed Ramadan – especially healthcare workers and all essential workers in the front lines – a very safe, healthy and blessed Ramadan!” Many thanks to my friend for explaining Ramadan to me, and to you. This year Ramadan started after sundown on April 24th, and it will end at sundown on May 23rd, but it will be different. I wanted to understand how. I found a source that looked at Prayer, Fasting, Charity, and Pilgrimage. Link: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/coronavirus-pandemic-upends-ramadan-rituals-muslims-turn-faith/story?id=70244085 2. Prayer – Salat is the Muslim word for prayer. Believers pray 5 times a day, every day, facing Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Tarawih prayers are done each night during Ramadan. Tarawih and Friday prayers are usually said at the mosque in the evening. But not this year. Some mosques are using Zoom, Skype, or webcasts to bring their congregations together. Some worry that people will miss the call to prayer this year. In Muslim countries it probably isn’t a problem. They broadcast their call with an outside speaker, but in the US the call comes from inside the mosque. I hope they’ll find a way to reach out to each member of the congregation. 2. Fasting – Sawm is part of worship during Ramadan. That’s the month that Muslims don’t eat or drink from dawn to dusk each day. As they turn away from food, they turn towards God and acts of charity. The Quran tells people who are traveling, sick, elderly, or pregnant that they shouldn’t fast. This year people are worried that fasting will weaken their immune systems, and they’ll get the coronavirus. But my source said there’s ‘leeway. You don’t have to do something that will hurt your health.’ I didn’t find a specific rule, but my guess is that if you have something like heart disease or diabetes, you will skip fasting and do works of charity instead. Muslim families break their fasts at Suhoor and at Iftar. Suhoor is the pre-dawn meal before morning prayers. Iftar is the post-sunset meal. This congregation, men only, is seated together without any social distancing. This year, 2020, Suhoor and Iftar are being done at home with social media connecting you and your mosque. Here are 2 sources for Ramadan foods. Link: https://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Healthy-diets/what-to-eat-during-ramadan-heres-a-complete-meal-plan-20170526 Link: https://www.thekitchn.com/what-you-should-know-before-attending-your-first-iftar-245656 The pictures below are Ramadan foods I found on Pixabay. Suhoor is the smaller sunrise meal. Health24.com said fasting required complex carbohydrates and high fiber foods. Complex carbs include whole wheats, oats, beans and rice. High fiber foods are raw fruits and vegetables. Ktchn.com went with a simpler meal – just a date and a glass of water, milk or juice. Then it’s time for morning prayer. 3. Charity – Zakat is another pillar of Islam. Donating money, food, and other resources to those in need is part of being Muslim. Many mosques run their own food pantries year round. Members of the congregation volunteer at church and at non-profit groups. It is part of Islam ‘to care for those who are less fortunate.’ It’s especially true during Ramadan. Many mosques provide iftar meals to their church families, but not this year – coronavirus. They’ll still pass out meals, but curb side pick up is one of the ways to use social distancing. 4. Pilgrimage – Hajj to Mecca is done during December, but there’s a shorter one during Ramadan, called Umrah. The goal of pilgrimage is to worship at the holy Kaaba, in the center of the Great Mosque of Mecca, but that won’t happen this year either. Saudi Arabia has banned all religious gatherings, including community prayer because of the coronavirus. There are so many things lost because of this virus, but there are gains too. You can meditate, pray, and study the Quran from home. You can donate money from a cancelled pilgrimage to charity. But best of all you have more time with family, and more time to draw closer to God.
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Hello! Welcome to my website, in screenshot form. It went live in 2016, right after the November election. There are 6 buttons for you to check out, but I’m most active on two, the Blog and My Reads. My blog is different from the other writers I know. Maybe because I’m a retired teacher. I wrote the content I wanted when I was still teaching, but I wanted to reach beyond second grade. I wanted to write about the things teachers and kids are interested in, the things they have to learn. This photo came from a blog I did last summer. It was a timeline from the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, pre-launch to the end of their world tour. This spring I finally reached my target, with teachers using my work. I know the Coronavirus forced them to look for material online so I invited 24 teachers from 2 school districts to use me and my writing vault as a resource. Six took a chance on me, and I’m grateful! Four of them had specific topics they needed. I looked through my vault and sent them links for the posts that best fit their curriculum. The other two decided to open my vault to their students. Their kids can pick any post to read, then write about. It’s easy peasy for teachers, plus kids get choice too. I’m thrilled! Welcome to my vault, AKA Pinterest. If you click on this link, I hope you can find what you’re looking for. If you can’t, email me, and I’ll do the searching for you. Link: https://www.pinterest.com/rindabeach/boards/ If you look across the first row, you might see some things you want to read about. I pulled four posts to show you features straight from the vault. My first board – Pictures & Text – Earth/Space Science. The post title, Tales from Wapakoneta. When my book came out last summer, I heard lots of stories from hometown friends about Neil. This photo is from story #5. You’ll have to read to discover why Neil is holding a paper airplane. You can also find this post on my History/Social Studies board. When posts fit in more than one place, I list them on Pinterest for you. Look to the board to the right – Pictures & Text – Economics/Social Studies. The title, Dogs? Do Sports? Really? This came out a few weeks ago. Someone sent me an article about doggy sports. I shared the link, then wrote my own post. It fits on two other boards – Life/Science and Language Arts. This came from the third board – Pictures & Text Government/Social Studies. It’s broken down into six sections. This photo came from Citizenship Skills. The title, The Power of Kindness, Especially Now. You’ll also find this post pinned in the Economics board too. The Golden Arches – I had to – from the Pictures & Text – Geography/Social Studies. You’ll find it in the International Maps and Culture section. The title, McDonald’s Trivia. I had a ball writing it, and I think my readers did too. My website numbers stayed high that week! Finding content on my Pinterest board is like a treasure hunt. You have to look; then hope you find it. My next big business project. . . adding in SEO words. I hope to make it easier for you to find the things you need. I can’t wait to take my class tomorrow! SEO Words – The Next Frontier – This diagram shows exactly how I feel about them. When I started this post, I thought I understood Search Engine Optimization Words. I used them with my debut book, NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM. Amazon does too. Here are a few of their SEO words. You can use them to search my reviews: Wind tunnel Neil Armstrong Moon landing Must read Rinda Beach Anniversary of the moon I thought SEO Words for Pinterest would be the same. Sort of yes. Sort of no. I discovered that I can put something SEO-ish in before posting my blogs on Weebly, but I want to know exactly what that looks like. I also discovered that I can put SEO words directly into Pinterest, but I don’t know where. I feel like I’m in the deep end of the pool, but I forgot how to swim. I found a friend who’s going to explain a little more to me tomorrow. Fingers crossed! I’ll let you know in a couple of weeks if I learned the SEO stroke. Cover Image – LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME I picked the lake for the cover. It’s the star of the book so it will stretch from the front to the back. The left half will be the back cover. The right, the front. Imagine the front – the title in a fun font – with a trio of images. The back – the blurb below will take center stage on the lake. Blurb: This book is part story – part souvenir. Follow Zoe and her family on their lake vacation on the left side of each page. On the right side, there’s room for you to record your own lake vacation story. It’s two stories in one book. Happy reading, writing and illustrating! If you’d like to read LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME before it comes out, email me! You could be an ARC Reader. ARC stands for Advanced Reader Copy. I’ve done this for a few friends, and I love getting sneak peeks at their manuscripts. In return I wrote honest reviews of those stories. That’s basically a few sentences telling if I liked their manuscript, and why. If you’re interested in doing the same thing for me, please email. I’d love to give you a sneak peek, and an honest review would help LAKE FUN to be seen on Amazon. I only get out once or twice a week now because of the Coronavirus. But when I do, I’m so happy to see people again. I never realized how much I need social interaction. Now the only place I get it – the grocery store. I probably look a lot like these people, happy! But now at the store, I don’t see whole families. You might see a mom or a dad, but not both, and never ever, kids. They’re safe, at home. It doesn’t matter who I meet. I smile more than I did before. Driving home I wave at people in my neighborhood. I never did that before, ever! You’ve seen people stocking shelves in the grocery. Now they’re on the front lines, fighting this virus. Without them, the shelves would be empty, and we’d be hungry. Those workers don’t get paid much, but they’re earning a paycheck, helping me. I smile, say hello. Sometimes they make room for me to pass by. I return the favor with a thank you. I appreciate that small kindness, but even more, I appreciate the work they do in a dangerous place – the grocery store. Who knew? So far, my grocery store people are all safe and healthy. I’m glad! I would feel awful if someone got sick, helping me. This picture reminds me of another grocery story. I saw a family – a toddler, a big sister, and a grandma. I love watching kids, and I miss seeing them. The toddler put something in his mouth from the cart. No one noticed, except me. It didn’t look dangerous, unless you thought virus. I did, so I said something. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t. I love seeing people I know at the store. We used to stand a couple feet apart, like this. It was how social distancing used to work, but not anymore. Six feet is the new recommendation. If I took 2 steps, and the other person did too, that would be about right. Just think of it as 6 steps, or two arm lengths of space between two people, but our hands would never touch. It doesn’t feel as friendly, but it is. It keeps both of us from getting the coronavirus, colds, or even the flu. It is the kind thing to do. Checkout is my last chance for social interaction. When I do it myself, there’s always someone ready to help, someone I can say hello to. I do! It will be another week before I’m at the grocery again. When I’m in the checkout line, I talk when it’s my turn at the register. If someone’s ahead of me, I wait my turn, 6 steps/feet behind them, no closer. Whoever thought of using tape was a genius! It’s way easier, and more accurate than guessing. I love to listen to the conversations around me. Sometimes I even join in. I bet that’s a surprise! I’m a writer so ideas are everywhere. But the real truth – I just love listening to people, learning from them., and it’s better than being bored. There’s also something else involved, a Harry Potter thing. Talking to a cashier or another customer is honoring them with your attention, your respect. When you don’t talk, it says the opposite, that they aren’t worthy of your time. That doesn’t feel kind, or friendly. J.K. wrote that you can judge someone’s character by the way they treat people below them on the social ladder. He’s right! But for me, there’s also something else. Standing there is just plain boring. I’d rather have fun and enjoy the people around me. I hope they feel the same way about me too! This isn’t me. I haven’t worn a mask yet, but I think it’s coming. As Ohio opens up for business again, I bet there’ll be more germs around, and I’d rather be safe than sorry. I already have 2 strikes – I’m old, and I’m a diabetic. So – I’m going to play keep away from germs. It even sounds like fun! It also makes other people feel safer. I can’t spread my germs to them, or, pick up theirs. Being safe, being kind are good things. Plus I can shop for masks at local shops. Imagine – finding one in every color, every pattern so my mask matches my outfit like a great accessory. I found some spacey material to make my own mask. I hope when I finally wear it, it can advertise my debut book, NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM.
Maybe I can find something lakey for my next book, LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME. Here’s a sample of the cover art. A friend added the title to the front and a blurb to the back. It’s almost ready to submit to the printer. Here’s a sneak peak . . . Passover ended today, April 16, 20 20, and today President Trump announced a plan to reopen the country. I’m four days late, but I need to write about this Easter, because of the Coronavirus. Something that was so horrible made me understand Easter in a way I never could have, without it. The Road to Easter – Passover ran from April 9 – 16, and Easter from the 9th – 13th, but it started even earlier. This photo contains a hint. It was a day way back in February. Any guesses? Ash Wednesday was February 26, 2020. That was when we could still go to church. If you went to Ash Wednesday service, you could choose whether your pastor, minister, or priest drew an ash cross on your forehead. I didn’t get one this year. I don’t think I’ve ever had an ash cross, probably because Wednesday was a school night, and everything was harder back when I was teaching. Somehow after my husband and I retired we didn’t get back to Wednesday night services. Now it’s something I want to do, next year. If you’d like to read more about Ash Wednesday, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-life/what-is-ash-wednesday-why-do-christians-celebrate-it.html Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. It’s the trip most Christian churches, and mine, take toward Easter. As you attend each Wednesday and Sunday service, you learn a little more about the journey Jesus took to the cross. You learn a little more about what he chose to do for you and me. But in Ohio, and at my church, everything stopped on March 25th. That’s when our governor put the state into lockdown until April 6th, but when April came, lockdown continued, now until May 1st. No more church services, but it didn’t stop Lent. I can still go to church on TV or online. At home I can still practice my faith. If you’d like to read more about Lent, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/lent-101-honoring-the-sacrifice-of-jesus-1382259.html Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, and it’s the beginning of Holy Week. This year it should have been on Sunday, April 5th. It wasn’t. We were under lockdown orders, across most of the country. When my kids were little, they’d march into church, waving palms while the congregation sang, “Ride on, Ride on in Majesty.” It was another way to retell Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem, the week before he died. Imagine – Jesus riding in on a donkey with crowds cheering, waving palms, and shouting Hosannas. Palms, to symbolize the victory over death. Hosannas, to recognize a King, an earthly one, they thought. The donkey, to symbolize a king and peace. The donkey also fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy in Zech. 9:9 that Israel’s king would arrive, riding on a donkey. It’s hard to believe a week later the king would be dead, on a cross, but Jesus knew what lay ahead. I skipped Palm Sunday this year. I could have watched the service on TV, but I already knew my church was redoing Holy Week. No date yet – we’ll find out soon, when we make it out of lockdown. I love getting a second chance! If you’d like to read more about Lent, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/debbie-mcdaniel/5-things-about-palm-sunday-that-remind-us-christ-is-king.html Maundy Thursday came on April 9th, but it will be on the Thursday after Palm Sunday, the new one for me. I don’t remember Thursday services. For me it was another school night, but in Sunday School I taught my preschoolers the road to Easter, but we never connected Maundy Thursday to the Last Supper. Imagine – the disciples sitting around a table watching Jesus break bread and pass it around. He said this is my body. Eat this in remembrance of me. Then Jesus passed a cup around. He said this is my blood. Drink this in remembrance of me. That’s my communion service, but it came from the Last Supper. When I take communion, I always have mixed feelings – sadness for the sacrifice Jesus made, and gratitude. Because of his choices, my sins are forgiven. If you’d like to read more about Maundy Thursday, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/easter/what-is-maundy-thursday-5-things-christians-need-to-know.html Good Friday came on April 10th, but it will be rescheduled, the day after Maundy Thursday. I attended one Good Friday, and years later, I still remember it. Vividly. When Pastor finished, he left, slamming the door behind him. Not one person said a word as we shuffled outside. My kids even stayed quiet in the car, for a few minutes. It was dramatic – reenacting the moment when Jesus was sealed inside a tomb, left for dead. I taught that Easter story to my preschoolers. The trial where Jesus was condemned. The climb to Calvary carrying the cross. The nails that held him in place, and the darkness after his spirit was gone. Jesus was taken to a tomb and sealed inside. If you’d like to read more about Good Friday, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-good-friday-p2-700773 Look at the pictures above and below. This is what most people think of when they think Easter, especially if you’re not a church goer. Easter is about bunnies and chicks. It’s spring, time for baby animals. Kids also love the stuffed animals to cuddle or the candy ones to eat. Did you catch the bunny on the right? He’s a brand-new bunny, who’s virus-ready just for you! It’s also time for flowers like crocuses and daffodils. But the most important thing about Easter are the eggs. I dyed them as a kid, and so did my children, usually a day or two before Easter. Then they’d sit around in the refrigerator, waiting for the big day . . . Easter! The Easter Bunny was busy all night, scattering eggs and baskets for every kid in the family. I remember those hunts. Mine were always inside. I remember the baskets, full of chocolate bunnies and eggs. If you were lucky, it held a stuffed animal, a book, or sidewalk chalk in it. This year families did all of these things, at home. There wasn’t one community egg hunt. I’ve helped at church and at the local museum, but with the coronavirus lurking around, the hunts were all cancelled. Without kids at home or out in the community, I felt like I was missing something, but soon my grandgirl will be old enough to become part of the holiday, and next year the community hunts will return. Easter came on April 11th, but it was rescheduled, the Sunday after Good Friday. I haven’t missed an Easter service since I met my husband back in 1983, till now. When my kids were little, they came dressed in their new Easter clothes. So did everyone else. Joy filled the air. Friends called, ‘Christ has risen.’ ‘He has risen indeed.’ Imagine that first Easter – the women arriving at the tomb to find it open. And empty. Angels telling them Jesus wasn’t there. He had risen. Those women waiting days for the truth. We’re lucky – we already know – he has risen indeed. The link for the Easter story: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/LUK.24.niv With the Coronavirus I missed Easter – church services, friends and family, eggs and bunnies, but I never lost Easter. Jesus still rose from the grave, and that’s the heart of Easter. But I also discovered something – something I would have never discovered without the virus – how alone Jesus was during his Easter journey. There were people around him, but no one, not even his disciples, understood what he was going through. Now I understand that loneliness a little better. I could be sad, but I’m grateful. This lockdown will lift, and the world will open up just like the tomb did. In John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I can never match the Son’s example, but I hope I serve the people around me. Luke 24 is the best place to read about the resurrection. For more about Easter, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/undertanding-the-history-and-symbols-of-easter-1256039.html This is Mariana Llanos. She writes children’s books in English and Spanish. She grew up in Lima, Peru. That’s in South America. Now she lives in the state of Oklahoma with her husband, 3 kids, and a dog. If you’d like to learn more about Mariana, click on this link: www.marianallanos.com This is Mariana’s newest book. It made her a 2020 PB Star in February of 2020. Meet Eunice and Kate, next door neighbors and best friends. They’re a lot alike, but they have very different dreams. Kate wants to be an astronaut. Eunice a ballet dancer. Things go wrong when they draw each other in art. The problem – each girl draws her own dream, but on the other person. Eunice looks like an astronaut, and Kate is dancing across the page. Both girls feel misunderstood. Read to find out how their friendship survives the discovery that different people have different dreams. Luca’s Bridge came out in April 2019. It’s written in both English and Spanish so you get two stories in one. Luca has always lived in the U.S. until his parents get a letter in the mail. Suddenly the family is leaving everything behind to move across the border to Mexico, his parents’ birthplace. Read along as Luca moves and learns to find his place in a new home, a new country. You’ll find themes that include immigration, deportation, home, and identity. Kutu the Tiny Inca Princess came out in November of 2018. Kutu may have been a princess, but she was the size of a corn cob. Her people called it maize. Their empire stretched along the Pacific coastline of South America from modern Ecuador down to Chile. This story is written in English, Spanish, and Quechua, the language of the empire. When a drought threatens the people of Cusco, Kutu sets off on a quest to save them. Will courage and perseverance make up for her tiny size? You’ll have to read Kutu’s story to find out. No Birthday for Mara came out in February of 2015. Poor Mara! She’s waited all year for the perfect birthday, but it looks like no one remembered. If you know a kid who’s been disappointed by a special day, this story will help them explore those feelings. Back matter includes a section on emotions, plus four coloring pages with writing prompts. If your child isn’t a writer, you could use them as conversation starters. In September of 2015, Mariana brought out A Superpower for Me. Imagine – you discover your parents have superpowers, and you’ll have them too, when you’re eighteen. Plus – your power will make your city, your country, a better place to live. Are you wondering what it could possibly be? Hint – it will help you at home and at school. It involves civics and government. Back matter includes facts about our American government. The Staircase on Pine Street came out in December of 2015. Lilly, age 10, has the best grandpa ever, until he’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Lilly doesn’t know what to do. Nothing helps him – until Grandpa remembers something from his past – a long forgotten treasure. Can Lilly find it? With a little help from her best friend, anything is possible! The Wanting Monster came out in May 2014, but I bet a few of you have met a few ‘Wanting Monsters,’ especially around Christmas. Tito is the big brother, and he’s sure his brother Andy is turning into a monster. It’s scary! Andy wants everything he sees – toys, cars, a garden hose? But now the monster has gone too far! He wants to stay up late and talk to Santa. Could he ruin – Christmas? You’ll have to read to find out! Then in January of 2016 the sequel came out! The Wanting Monster (NOT!) Home for Christmas. Poor Andy and Tito! They learn that they’re going to Peru, for Christmas. This is the worst thing ever! How will Santa ever find them? Andy moves into action – he does everything possible to stay home, Mom sees through every one of his tricks. The only thing left to do – let Santa know where they’ll be. The boys are terrified, especially when they discover that Peru won’t have snow for Christmas. Will Santa come? Will the boys ever be happy again? You’ll have to read to find out! Tristan Wolf was Mariana’s debut book, and it came out in April of 2013. The plot sounds like a twist on the Jungle Book. Tristan was abandoned as a baby, but he was lucky – he was raised by wolves. At age 8 he discovers the truth – he’s a human! His wolf mother tries to talk him out of it, but Tristan sets off on a voyage home. A coyote offers a helping paw, if Tristan will reward wolf’s ‘kindness’ with a couple of chickens. Everything is looking good till Tristan meets some nervous chickens, a worried ex-race horse, and some panicked pigs. Will Tristan go back to the wolves? You’ll have to read to find out. The sequel came out in January of 2014, A Planet for Tristan Wolf. Tristan now has a brother, and they’re not getting along. Go figure! Tristan and hist best friend Red run away – to another planet! It doesn’t turn out so well. No plants, no parks, no sun, but everyone’s green. Even odder – everyone’s afraid of Red. The two friends decide to get out before things get worse. Imagine – they could get stuck there forever. I have a feeling – Tristan and Red will make it home, but you’ll have to read to make sure.
Do you recognize the story in this picture? It’s from the Bible, the story of Moses, how he led his people out of Egypt. Do you see the Red Sea? I think Moses already crossed it, and he’s leading his people to the other side, to the promised land. My research said every year, with/without Corona, you clean out your house. For Jews this harkens back to that first Passover when they left Egypt behind. You could only take what you could carry. Imagine looking around your house and thinking what you’d take. I’d need a car and a huge trailer! For Passover, they also cleaned all the leaven out of their houses. Leaven is probably a form of yeast, because it makes bread rise. When Moses said let’s go, the people took their bread, as is. There wasn’t time to add leaven to it. Finally my source also said this is a good time to look at yourself. Do you have any habits that don’t belong, that you’re better without? This is a great time to try a change. It might do you good! I’m not Jewish, but I like the idea. This is a table set for a Seder (say-der) dinner. Family and friends gather together to eat, to celebrate, to remember. Usually they gather together in homes, synagogues, hotels, and camps. Not this year! Some people will have family, but some will be alone. You can look at what you’re missing, OR, you can look at what you’ll gain. If it’s just family, you can slow down to a family-friendly pace. If you only have adults, you can go adult speed. If you’re alone, just please yourself! There ARE opportunities! Some will do their Seders on social media. They’ll skype, zoom, or face-time to have a family or a congregation together. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty darn good. Some observant Jews won’t be able to do this. They don’t use technology on holidays, but I’ll bet a matzah they’ll find a way to make this Passover meaningful too. This is a kosher grocery at Passover. A Kosher grocery means it stocks foods that are special to the Jewish religion. Other foods won’t be there because they’re forbidden, like cuts of beef that come from the backend of a cow like flank or round steak. If you’d like to read more, click on this link: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-kosher#animal-products It’s Passover time in this grocery. My proof - some foods are covered in plastic. That way customers won’t pick up the wrong ones that have leaven/yeast in them. They’re not allowed during Passover. Back in March suppliers said the special Passover foods like Matzah would be in stock, but last week shoppers were worried that deliveries would be cancelled, or they wouldn’t be able to get in, in time with the limited number of shoppers. Passover 2020 started on April 9th, and it will end on the 16th. This is Matzah, the most important Passover food. It’s the unleavened bread the Jews took to the promised land. A Rabbi from Senegal (a minister in Western Africa), said he would have Matzah even if he had to make it himself, starting with real wheat, the kind from a farmers’ field. Someone from Washington, D.C. was planning to host her first Seder, but she had to cancel. She’ll still see her family through social media, but she said she’d miss the meal, not the food. She meant the part when everyone’s in the kitchen making dinner. I hope she thought of doing social networking from everyone’s kitchen. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. This is a Haggadah from the 1300’s. It’s a book, but it’s only used once a year. Its purpose – to guide you through your Seder dinner. Passover is more than just matzah, more than a meal. It’s a way to retell the story of Moses so that it will never be forgotten. You can read the story in the Bible. Start at Exodus, and read all the way to the end of Deuteronomy. If you don’t have a Bible, just google Exodus. Your computer can pull up the pages. The Haggadah will guide you through the ceremony’s fifteen steps. This year two sections might change. Both feature the youngest person in the room. This year, it could be a senior citizen. Whoever it is gets to ask Four Questions, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” This year it’s possible our youngster will find himself both asking and answering those four questions. This only happens when there’s one person at the table. In another part of the Seder the Matzah is broken in two. The larger part, the afikomen, will be hidden, and later found. If you’re all alone, you’ll have to do both jobs, but, when you find it, you won’t have to share your dessert. This year you can look at what’s missing, celebrate what you have, or – take another option . . . Pesach Sheni. It means – Second Passover. It started when ancient Jews were too late with their sacrifice. They needed another chance. So, if you need a do-over, save the date! May 9th, one month after the first day of Passover. To learn more about the Seder or Passover, click on any of these links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/3615900/jewish/What-Is-a-Haggadah.htm https://www.jta.org/2020/03/17/lifestyle/passover-in-a-pandemic-families-on-zoom-solo-seders-and-broken-traditions https://ffoz.org/discover/passover/passover-and-covid-19-serenity-and-solitude.html https://www.newsday.com/news/health/coronavirus/passover-seder-coronavirus-1.43707094 Actually, yes they do! I did a post about working dogs in December of 2018. Here’s the link: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/working-dogs. Jo, an editor from Jen Reviews, liked it and asked if I’d add a link to her article on sporting dogs. I did! I also wrote that I wanted to do a post about them, and now I’m finally doing it.Here’s Jo’s link: https://yourdogadvisor.com/dog-sports/ There are seven sports, just for dogs, up first is one of the best-known sports, agility. A picture is worth a thousand words so let's start with a few! 1. Agility - look closely. Do you see the word agile? It means that you move with quick, easy grace. When I look at the dogs and their people, I definitely see agility! These photographs all come from agility courses, but they look more like obstacle tracks to me. Which path would you take – a regular race, or an agility course? If you picked agility and have a dog, try this! Start with a few easy obstacles. Be patient. Go slow, and treat your dog and yourself along the way. BTW, the best treat of all – you’ll both get fit. If you don’t have a dog, I’d find a dog-owning friend and offer to help them with the obstacles. 2. Flyball – I had never heard of it before, but it’s the dog world’s version of the fast and the furious. Look at the pictures first. Then I’ll tell you what I discovered about it. Think of Flyball as a doggy relay race, fetch style. There are 2 teams of dogs. Each one has a lane with 4 evenly spaced jumps. The smallest dog determines the height of the jumps. At the other end of the course is a box. When the dog jumps on the box, it releases a ball. The dog catches it and races back through the 4 jumps to its owner. Pictures still the action into a freeze-frame. If you really want to understand flyball, click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIFLlEGhNu0 Flyball is too fast and furious for me, but if you liked the video, test it out with your dog. If you both like this version of fetch, google ‘flyball equipment for dogs.’ Here’s one I found with both DIY and purchase links. http://flyballequip.com 3. Nosework – or Scentwork. I hadn’t heard of this one either, but it’s exactly what you think it is. A dog is given a scent to find, and off they go to ‘sniff’ it out. Nosework started as a sport in 2006 so it’s relatively new. Dogs learn to find specific scents. In competitions clove, birch, and anise oil are usually selected, sealed in a tub, then put in a secret spot in a room or garden. The winning dog finds and tells their human first. I couldn’t find a ‘nosework’ photo, but these give you the idea. It’s a great sport for all dogs, from puppies to seniors. All you need is something scented, and lots of patience. Don’t forget positive reinforcement with treats, toys, and lots of praise. 4. Obedience Trials – I’ve heard of this one! There are 5 basic commands every dog should know, and they’re the foundation for obedience trials. Source: https://www.cesarsway.com/5-essential-commands-you-can-teach-your-dog/ Obedience trials have 3 basic levels: novice, intermediate, and advanced. The American Kennel Club does too, but they use slightly different names, and they have A and B levels. I think that means they really have 5 or 6. Your dogs will determine how many exercises you have to do, as few as 5. Sometimes on the day of the trial you find out which random exercises you have to perform. My source below listed 14 exercises that include heel, sit, down, recall, and retrieve. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obedience_trial If you’d like something a little more relaxed, look up rally obedience. You get to take your dog around a course walking them in heel position, and you can give them verbal cues. If I had a dog, I might try this out. 5. Heelwork to Music & Canine Freestyle – I’ve heard of the heel command, and I have pictures below, on and off leash, but I’ve never heard of heelwork to music or as a doggy freestyle event. That sounds like something you’d see at the Olympics for ice skating or gymnastics. I’d love to try it, if I only had a dog 😊 If you’d like to see how beautiful this heelwork can be, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPJQAM8Zlh4&list=PLq-moO5LC2- g2KJyUShHVoFHe3DI9tgU. This is how my dog danced, but canine freestyle is so much more! It's amazing! If I had a dog, I’d also have to make sure I didn’t trip over the dog or my own feet, no LOL! 6. Canicross – I had no idea what this was, did you? I’m glad I had a source to read. It said canicross was running across country with your dog, and the dog gets to lead. Mine would have loved it. I wouldn’t – I would have had trouble keeping up with her! Canicross was invented in Europe because dog sled mushers needed something to keep their dogs in shape during the off-season. Instead of pulling the sled, they pull their human around. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canicross 7. Dock Diving – Now this I could figure out, easy peasy! Diving off a dock, right? Except of course there’s a little more to it than that. Like, why is there an arrow in the picture below? Dock diving is a newer sport – it started in the late 1990’s. Here are just a few of the regulations: A dock must be 35-40 ft long, and 8 ft wide. You can use a pool, pond, or lake, as long as it is at least 4 ft deep. I found 3 different competitions: 1. Big Air (the length of the jump), 2. Extreme Vertical (how high a dog can go), and 3. A Speed Retrieve (a dog swims out to retrieve an object). There are also different ways to measure distance. Some measure from the dock to the tip of the dog’s tail. Others go onto where the tail meets the body, and diving competitions end where the nose hits the water. Oh, that red arrow, it uses digital frame technology. I guess there’s no need to argue with judges, but you could with the judges who manually measure the distance. Dock diving looks like a lot of fun! It’s too bad when I had a dog, I didn’t have a dock. Now I have a dock and no dog. Maybe someday
Finally, thank you to Gemma Johnstone at Your Dog Advisor for such a great article. I enjoyed reading it and learning about sporting dogs. Another thanks to Jo at Jen Review for emailing me about this story. It’s great, and I enjoyed writing about it! Article Source: https://yourdogadvisor.com/dog-sports/ Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dock_jumping |
AuthorWhen I write, I can only have one voice in my head, mine. A little noise is fine. But too much, or worse yet, WORDS, and I must change rooms or pull out headphones. Then I can write on! Categories
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