Meet the new King and Queen of the United Kingdom, as of 1PM today, May 6th, London time. This was their official portrait this morning. It’s from 2019 when they were titled Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. Don’t worry, they still look pretty much the same.

This is the first coronation since Elizabeth II in June of 1953. I wasn’t born yet, like most of the world, so this is the first coronation I’ve ever seen. I looked up the schedule last night. Click here to see what it said: Here's the Full Schedule for King Charles III’s Coronation | Time
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For the general public, the real enthusiasts, it all started at 6AM, London time. That’s when the viewing areas in central London opened up. Those early risers got a great view of the King’s procession. It passed by, twice. Me, I was fast asleep. That was 1AM, Tennessee time.
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​This is the official invitation. I didn’t get one, but Wikipedia let me share this one with you. The guest list had 2200 names, but only 2,000 people fit inside the church, so planning started way back in September.

The British government paid for this event, so they got to make the guest list. It included members of the royal family, representatives from the government, and both houses of Parliament. Representatives of the Commonwealth countries, foreign royalty, and heads of state got invitations too. Jill Biden represented the United States.
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All the invitations and RSVPs were done months ago, just like they are for a wedding. In March the holy oil was consecrated by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. If you’re a Christian, this is where you go to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s fitting that the holy oil is consecrated there.
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And just like a wedding, there were practices for Coronation Day. On the morning and evening of April 17th and 18th the military did dress rehearsals for the two processions. No one does ceremony like the Brits.

On the 19th the RAF (Royal Air Force) practiced their flypast, and finally on May 3 the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, plus the Princess Royal (his sister) had their own practice inside the Abbey. Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it helps you know what you’re doing!
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Westminster Abbey actually closed on April 25th to tourists, and to its own congregation. It won’t reopen until Monday, May 8th. I bet the people at the abbey will be glad to see things get back to normal again.
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This photo is from Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding. I wanted a photo with people inside the abbey. This is the newest one I could find. Just like today’s coronation, there were 2000 people there to celebrate the wedding of Charles’ parents.

For today’s coronation, guests had to arrive between 7:15 and 8:30AM.  It sounds like going to an airport. They went through security first, before they entered the abbey. Then most of them waited 3 hours, or more, before the king finally arrived. I would have brought a book. If you’d like to find out who did/who didn’t attend, click the link from Time, and scan down their page.
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From 9 to 10:45AM, the guests had time to mingle and find their seats. That’s also when world leaders, British politicians, and international royals started to arrive. Lucky them! 
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Meanwhile back at Buckingham Palace, there were other preparations going on. The men in the photograph are part of the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Calvary. They’re called Life Guards. Too bad they don’t work at a pool!
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At 9:45AM they started getting into marching order. Their job – to escort the King’s Procession from the Palace to the Abbey. The parade will also include 200 members of the Armed Forces. No one moves until 10:20AM, or whenever Charles and Camilla arrive. I guess it takes time to get horses, and people, into position!
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​The King and Queen left Buckingham Palace at 10:20AM. They were in a special procession that took them to Westminster Abbey. That’s where British monarchs have been crowned for over 900 years, since William the Conqueror in 1066.
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​Both of these photos were taken during the procession today. Charles and Camilla were inside his mother’s Diamond Jubilee State Coach. It’s so modern it has air conditioning and electric windows, but, it still uses the traditional horses, 6 Windsor Greys, and the Household Calvary Mounted Regiment. I love British traditions!
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​The king and queen were scheduled to arrive at 10:53 for the 11:00AM ceremony. Why? To give them time, in case they were late, or needed to catch their breath. They made it . . . with time to spare.
                                                 

Next up, the oath, but first the Archbishop recognized the existence of other faiths and beliefs within the UK. That’s something new in the coronation. Then Charles promised to govern the UK and the Commonwealth, following the laws and justice set up in each nation. He finished by saying he’d maintain and protect the Christian church.
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Next Charles walked up to the altar, laid his hand on a Bible, and said, “The things which I have here promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.” Then Charles kissed the Bible and signed a written copy of his oath. 
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​Charles was anointed with chrism oil. It’s a holy oil made from olives that were harvested from the Mount of Olives. Jesus went there to teach, and to pray. The chrism oil was also blessed in Jerusalem, back in March.
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Anointing a king is as old as the monarchy. Charles went behind a screen close to the altar. The Archbishop put oil on his hands, chest, and head using the coronation spoon. This is a private moment between a monarch, and the God who chose him. That’s why there are no pictures of it.
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​At long last, Charles was done, and it was Camilla’s turn. She was anointed with chrism oil. The only difference, she did it in front of the congregation, and that was a break from royal tradition. Every other king or queen was anointed behind a canopy or a screen.
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Camilla was invested too, but she only got the queen consort’s ring. BTW – Charles got a ring too . . . the sovereign’s ring.

​​This carriage gets 8 Windsor Greys to pull it  on the 1.3 mile route back to Buckingham Palace for the Coronation Procession. The streets were lined with 1000 loyal subjects. It was scheduled to leave Westminster Abbey at 1PM, and it included 5000 members of the UK’s Armed Forces, plus 400 from the Commonwealth and Overseas Territories. The Sovereign’s Bodyguards were there again, plus the Royal Watermen. This, was a very big deal!
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The first photo is the Royal couple on the balcony, just the two of them for the royal salute. It was scheduled for 1:45PM. It’s the only part I saw live on Saturday. I couldn’t figure out why all those soldiers were lined up on a field. It turns out they were in the garden (yard) for a salute, followed by three cheers from all those soldiers. Imagine a drill sergeant yelling, “Hip, hip.” And the 5000 answering, “Hooray,” times three. It was a very British moment.
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After the royal salute, it was time for my favorite part, and it wasn’t even on the schedule. It’s when the crowd approaches the palace, and the royal family joins the King and Queen on the balcony. They waved to the crowd, and the crowd roared back, like always. I think everyone loves it because we get a peek at the royal family, sharing a moment, with the country.             
       
From left to right do you see Prince William and his family? Next, the King’s 4 pages. One is William’s oldest, George. Can you find him? Hint - he’s looking down. Next of course, the King and Queen, and to her right are her 4 pages, 2 are her grandsons. Camilla’s sister is on the balcony, and finally on the right, Prince Edward and his family. It’s not the whole royal family, just the working ones.
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The Fly-past was scheduled for 2:15PM. I’m not sure what time it started, but it wasn’t the fly-past that was planned. It was scaled back from the 68 aircraft who were ready to represent the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and British Army.
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Even scaled back it was a crowd favorite with the helicopters and Red Arrow Team. Everyone knows about helicopters, but I’d never heard of the Red Arrows. I found this old photo, and I saw a clip of them tonight . . . a row of planes trailing blue, white, and red plumes. Magnificent!
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Monday, May 8 was a holiday across the UK. It was also The Big Help Out. The King and Queen partnered with The Scouts, the Royal Volunteer Service, and faith groups across the UK to help their local communities. What a lovely way to celebrate, and to encourage people to get involved.

                  Congratulations to King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and the UK! Well done you!
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​                                               Sources:
- Here's the Full Schedule for King Charles III’s Coronation | Time
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​-   Coronation of Charles III and Camilla - Wikipedia

Welcome to the Writing Magic Society! It’s where I found all of my current critique partners. I couldn’t move forward as a writer without them. Six of us meet every Friday, and now I’m excited to introduce them to you. 

​Would you like to meet Lee? The best way is to visit her website, and the most important thing about Lee – she’s a middle-grade author.

Lee has published two books. The first came out in April of 2022, and the second in February 2023. All of her stories are about contemporary characters. They discover connections to their cultures, and to the families from their past.
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​Lee grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania. Its library – “to die for.” Would you believe her favorite grade school memories were listening to her teachers reading Newbery award-winning books? They did it year-round. One of them read A Wrinkle in Time, and it became Lee’s favorite.
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Lee spent her grade school summers picking strawberries with her siblings, and fishing in a lake nearby. Those days ended near the end of fifth grade. That’s when her family moved to a larger town. 

Now Lee lives with her family and their super-brainy dog. Would you believe she understands Italian, at least counting to ten. She lives to chase balls, and she’s good enough to go pro. If that doesn’t work out, she’s got a lock on the role of Frankie, the super dog in Lee’s first book, Wei to Go.

When Lee isn’t writing, you’ll find her swimming, traveling, and watching spectator sports. My guess, lacrosse is one of them. It’s the sport Kipp plays in the Ellie & Co book series.
 

Lee in the USA
Lee grew up in Pennsylvania. It’s a green state in the northeast. Then she moved to California. It’s a green state, but it’s on the west coast. Now Lee lives in New York. It’s a purple state that’s mostly north of Pennsylvania. I hope you found all three!

Would you like to visit Lee? Here’s her address online:  
Lee Y. Miao, middle-grade author (leeymiao.com)
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Part 2 – Meet Lee and her Middle Grade Books
This was Lee’s first book. The best part – her characters, and the way she writes . . . Her dialogue sounds like it came straight out of a middle schooler’s mouth.

The story – Ellie and her little brother Kipp get to take a trip to Hong Kong with their mother, but they also have a mission . . . to save their father’s company. Click the link below if you’d like to read my review of Wei To Go!

Link: http://www.rindabeach.com/my-reads/review-of-wei-to-go

​​Where in the world is Hong Kong? Check the map below. China is a HUGE country, and Hong Kong is a tiny place on its southeast side. Look for the red letters HK, and you have found Hong Kong. That’s where Ellie and Kipp got to go. Lucky them!

​Tomorrow, Lee’s second book

​This is Lee’s second book. I read it when it was in manuscript form, and now that it’s published, it’s even better.

The story – Cat discovers she has an identical twin, but she’s in a Renaissance painting by Raphael. How can Cat ever discover who she was? By doing a Rhap (Renaissance History and Art Project). That’s where Trey comes in . . . as a possible partner . . . if he can stay out of the clutches of the class diva.

Click the link below if you’d like to read my review of It’s a Rhap, Cat. Link: http://www.rindabeach.com/my-reads/review-of-its-a-rhap-cat

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Take a peek at Cat’s trip to Rome. Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain and make a wish. Then visit the coliseum and imagine gladiators fighting in the ring. If you can’t get away, take a look at Cat’s report. All those things, and more are in it!
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Where in the world is Italy? Check the map below. It’s a brown country in southern Europe, and it’s shaped like a boot. That’s because Italy is a peninsula that’s surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea.

Rome is the capital of Italy. Can you find it? It’s in the middle of the country, just below Vatican City. 
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Welcome to the Writing Magic Society! It’s where I found all of my current critique partners.
I couldn’t move forward as a writer without them.
​Six of us meet every Friday, and now I’m excited to introduce them to you. 
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​​                                                                               Part 1 – Meet Yvona Fast
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The best way to meet Yvona is to visit her website.  This is a photo of the Adirondack Mountains. They’re in northern New York. Yvona calls them home and it’s true . . . Words are her World.
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Three Continents – Most of us have only lived in North America, but Yvona has lived on two other continents, Europe and Asia.  

She was born in Poland and lived in Warsaw until she finished first grade. Can you find Poland on the map? It’s in northern Europe.

Yvona and her mother moved to Tel Aviv, then later to Haifa. They’re both big cities in Israel. Can you find it on the map? If you have trouble, find Egypt in northern Africa, then go east. Look for a tiny country. That’s Israel. It’s part of the Middle East, and Asia too.
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​By fourth grade, Yvona moved again. This time she and her mom moved across the Atlantic Ocean, all the way west to Chicago, Illinois. Can you find Illinois on the map? It’s in the United States, and that’s part of North America.

Yvona was only ten, but she’d lived in three countries, on three different continents. She spoke three different languages. Thank goodness words are her life! I can’t imagine doing all those things, by the time I turned ten.

Yvona is also a first-generation immigrant. My family has been in the United States forever. I don’t know when they arrived, probably generations ago. They came to the United States from England, and Germany. They’re both countries in Europe. 
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Librarian – Yvona was always a reader. She brought home stacks of books every week as a child. No one made her – she wanted to. When she’d read everything in the children’s room, her mother signed a form so Yvona could get books from the adult section.
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Guess what career she picked?! A librarian. Would you believe Yvona has worked in public libraries, the academic ones at universities, and in prison libraries too? She’s seen the world from so many different points of view.

​Missionary – Yvona’s library skills led her into missionary work in Eastern Europe. She spent five years setting up libraries for seminaries and Bible colleges. It’s also where she sold her first magazine article, to the editors at Christian Single. Once she started, Yvona found new things she wanted to write about. 

Neurodiversity – Yvona didn’t discover this until she did a search for someone at the library. They were looking for books about learning disabilities in math, but not in language arts. She was surprised – there were people like her, who faced the same problems. It’s lovely to discover you’re not alone. That there are people who understand you and how you process the world.

When I was a kid, no one knew about learning disabilities. It was the same for Yvona. She discovered she was neurodiverse and hyperlexic as an adult. That means the language and analytical left side of her brain are more developed than her visual and motor right side. Yvona needs words to understand something new. Seeing it isn’t enough. It has to be put into words.
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I was curious about neurodiverse and hyperlexic so I googled them. Neurodiverse means showing autistic or other neurological patterns of thought or behavior. They aren’t the patterns most people have. Hyperlexia means having an exceptional reading ability at a really young age. What’s missing, age-appropriate speech and language skills. What I find interesting is how good Yvona is with words. I can’t write poetry, and it comes to her naturally, effortlessly. It’s a great silver lining!

What Inspires Yvona – The world around her! She lives in the mountains of northern New York. Her favorite place – outside. In the summer she’s swimming and paddling a canoe. In winter you’ll find her cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
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When Yvona’s inside, she’s cooking and writing. Why does she write? She has to. The words come, and she has to put them down. It’s her gift, her talent.

                               Meet Yvona and her Books:
 

​This is the first one, but it’s still at the top of her Amazon titles. Her neurodiversity inspired her to write it. The title: Employment for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome or Non-Verbal Learning Disability. Yvona has been speaking to parents and teachers about learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders ever since her book came out in 2004. 




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​​This is Yvona’s second book, My Nine Lives: A Memoir. It came out in 2011, and it was inspired by her mother’s memories as a Holocaust survivor. Yvona co-authored it with her mother. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to put memories like this together, for both of them.

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​This book started with Yvona’s love of food and cooking. She’s been writing a weekly column for her local newspaper since 2005. I’m not surprised that it turned into her third book, Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market. Check out this book, and you’ll find 300 recipes. Best of all they’re grouped by the season. It’s spring now . . .  I wonder what Yvona would suggest for dinner tonight.

Yvona has published two poetry chapbooks that are out of print, at least on Amazon. Their titles – Different from 2017 and Adirondack Blue Seasons from 2018. BTW – a chapbook is a small paperback booklet filled with poems or works of fiction.

But there’s good news, I found this on Amazon – Adirondack Seasons Haiku. It came out in 2020, and it started life as a Haiku Challenge. I love reading the back story and discovering how a book was born.

Good in the Midst of Evil came out in 2022. Yvona co-authored this one with her mother. It’s the amazing story of how her mother changed names and identities repeatedly during the Holocaust, to survive. She also changed religion. Dana Fast was born Jewish, but she learned to present herself as a Catholic, to stay alive.

Her mother’s message – it’s unfair to deny the Poles their acts of heroism. They risked their lives, and their families to help her. Thanks to them Dana found good in the midst of evil, and she lived to tell.
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I loved Dana and Yvona’s book so much I posted a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble.  You can read it for yourself!

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This is Yvona’s newest book, Loon Summer. Each spread starts with one of her poems. Then it adds in the perfect photo to illustrate it. The spread ends with a fun science fact about loons. They’re fascinating, especially the way they talk to each other!

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​This book surprised me. Yvona never mentioned it. I stumbled across it on Amazon. Autumn Dance came to life because of The Autumn Chapbook Challenge. I’m glad Yvona took it and turned it into this book she published in March of 2023.

Her poems are incredible, and they just come! I’d rather pull my hair out than try to write poetry. When Yvona brings her poems to our critique group, we try to help her tweak them. Her words, are that good!

   


                                           Learn More at . . .
yvonafast.com
https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2021/08/creative-adirondacks-writer-yvona-fast.html

Princesses are supposed to be practically perfect, right? They should be pretty and kind, and they should be able to read.

​What if the princess was pretty and kind, but she discovered she couldn’t read. What do you do with a princess like that, who isn’t quite perfect enough?
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                                                                              Part 1 – A Princess and Dyslexia

This is that practically perfect princess as a baby. She’s with her grandmother and great grandmother. Together they’re three generations of the Windsor family. Do you recognize Princess Beatrice, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen Mum of England?
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That was Beatrice – until she turned seven. That’s when she discovered life wasn’t so perfect. The print in her book looked muddled, like a bunch of gobbledy-gook. Why? Dyslexia, and it made Beatrice feel confused, like she wasn’t good enough, or smart enough. Imagine – a princess who didn’t feel like she was enough?!
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Beatrice is a very private person, but in the last few years she started talking about her dyslexia. How as a child she noticed her best friends were ahead of her. They read yellow and green books, and Beatrice, she was left behind in the white ones.

I was surprised Beatrice felt lucky, but her friends and family never made her feel like she wasn’t enough. The people that surrounded her talked about how to move forward. They looked at what she could do, not at what she couldn’t. Beatrice talked to them about her struggles, and it changed minds, including her own. How could it not? Everyone is a sum of their capabilities and limitations.

During secondary school, which sounds like American middle/ high school, the princess got support from the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, and it worked! Beatrice passed eight GCSE’s when she was 16. That’s the UK abbreviation for General Certificate of Secondary Education, and my guess is she passed eight tests. I wonder if she got eight certificates?!

Beatrice went on to pass three A-levels. In the US we’d call them college prep classes/end of year testing. She went on to college and graduated with a degree in History and the History of Ideas from Goldsmiths College in London. Here are two pictures of Beatrice, outside school of course.
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The first picture is Beatrice skiing with her mom and sister back in 2004. She’s on the left. I did the math . . . She was 16 back then, and those GCSE’s must have been around the corner. 
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​The second photo is of Beatrice with her baby sister Eugenie from 2013. I did the math again, and now Beatrice must be 24. She’s done all the hard work (school), and she’s working for a living. BTW – 2013 is the same year she became the Royal Patron for the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity. Remember the group who helped her find coping strategies for her dyslexia? I bet it felt great to help the people who helped her.

Before covid, Beatrice worked for a software company. Her niche – communications and strategic partnerships. Best of all it played to her strengths in communication, and it’s much better than “sitting behind a desk.” She’s still at the same company, but Beatrice has worked herself up the ladder. Now she’s Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at Afiniti.com. Would you believe it specializes in artificial intelligence, or that Beatrice says her dyslexia gave her an advantage?

She ended one of her interviews by saying that a lot of her colleagues have dyslexia, and that it’s a strength because they see things differently. They’re problem solvers who look for new ways to do things. They’re not afraid to be experimental or entrepreneurial. Beatrice said dyslexia turned into a gift. The best part – understanding that it’s not about what’s wrong with you. Dyslexia “is a great part of how your brain works, and everybody’s brain works incredibly differently.” What a great way to look at yourself and at your abilities! I imagine Beatrice’s parents are pretty proud of her 😊

                                                     ​​​Part 3 – Dyslexia: How to Recognize and Cope with It
Dyslexia makes it hard to match letters to sounds, whether they’re an individual letter or in combinations. It’s usually diagnosed when kids start formal reading, sometime in kindergarten or first grade, but it’s not a vision problem.

Here are some suggestions from Healthline.com. They’re common sense ideas that I can summarize for you. If you’d like to read their full article, this link will take you there: How to Help a Child with Dyslexia at Home: Ideas, Resources (healthline.com)
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​1. Read together every day. It builds a relationship, and that’s always a good thing. Please do it in a way that fits your child. Sometimes I read a page, then one of my kids would read. If they didn’t know a word, I’d give them the first sound, wait a second, then give them the word. Other kids, I’d let them read as long as they wanted.

​2.  Focus on sight words. I used the Dolch Words, the 200 most common words in books. Think words like: is, been, the, are, or could to name a few. If your child is in kindergarten, they’re already bringing words like this home every night. 

3.  Repeat, repeat, repeat. I used to say repeat to remember, and remember to repeat. It works with math flash cards and sight words. It also works with the leveled readers that teachers send home. Each time your child reads them, they get faster and more confident. 

​4.  Create a nurturing place to study. Think comfy, and also being patient with your child. Sometimes it helps to think of times when something was difficult for you. What did you need to succeed? Try those same kinds of things with your child, age appropriate of course. 

​5.  Create a learning calendar and use it too keep track of progress or tasks to do. It’s great because kids can see their own growth, like how many words a minute they’re reading then, and now. If your child gets stuck, work together to get past the obstacle. 

6.  Make sure your child is getting enough sleep. I didn’t know that kids with dyslexia are more at risk for sleep disorders. I could tell when my 2nd graders weren’t getting enough sleep. When that happened, they didn’t do as well. I have sleep problems myself so I do these things as much as possible.
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- establish a bedtime. Try to keep it at the same time, even on weekends.
- create an environment for sleep, like a dark room or a nightlight. Whatever your child needs.
- limit social media and electronics before bedtime. They stimulate you when it’s time to wind down.
- develop a sleep routine that you do every night before bed (a snack, brush teeth, read a book). Whatever fits your family.
Kids ages 5-13 need 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night. Teenagers aged 13-18 need 8 to10 hours.

​7.  Praise success and effort. You can do no more than your best. Your child can’t either. Remember, they already know they’re behind. Noticing those tries and successes builds confidence. Princess Beatrice said pushing back against dyslexia built her problem-solving skills and confidence. It can do that for your child too. 

8.  Use mnemonic devices. (new-mon-ic) They’re tricks to help you remember something.
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- turn information into a song. I did. It helped my kids remember things like weather and landforms.
- letter or word imagery. Example – make b’s look like beds and d’s like dogs. For letter sounds like ow, I had ow as in cow, and ow as tow.
- acronyms like ROY G BIV. My second graders used that to remember the colors of the rainbow . . . red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

​​9.  Find a tutor, especially over summer vacation. When I met my new 2nd graders, I could tell which ones read over vacation – they took off right away. The kids who didn’t took a few weeks to brush up on their skills.

Sources:
- Princess Beatrice's ongoing difficulty with 'muddled' thoughts swirling in her head (msn.com) 
- Watch Princess Beatrice Open Up About Her Dyslexia in Rare Interview (townandcountrymag.com)  
- Princess Beatrice: The Gift of Dyslexia - Dyslexia | Dyslexic Advantage
- How to Help a Child with Dyslexia at Home: Ideas, Resources (healthline.com)

Photo Sources:
By Archives New Zealand from New Zealand - Image from Christmas card issued by H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II (1988), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122834578
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​By File:Web Summit 2018 - Forum - Day 2, November 7 DF1 7541 (45765935451).jpg: Web Summitderivative work: Minerva97 - This file was derived from: Web Summit 2018 - Forum - Day 2, November 7 DF1 7541 (45765935451).jpg:, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8679423

​By Norbert Aepli, Switzerland, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5678659

​By Carfax2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26706695

​When I think of whales, this is what I picture . . . one of them leaping out of the water. They are magnificent! How could such a huge and mighty creature find itself beached, without a chance of swimming back out to sea? It should be something that’s impossible.
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​I’d never want to see a whale die like this – beached. Stuck in the sand, without a chance to escape, but 25 have died this way since December 1, 2022. Many, along the New Jersey and New York shoreline.

Our government has been studying these deaths since 2016, and 186 whales died in those six years. That’s a lot. The highest – 2017 – when 34 whales beached themselves. So, 25 whales in three months, that’s super high. I hope this isn’t a record-breaking year.

Scientists have done necropsies on 13 of those 25 whales. We have autopsies when we die to tell us why. Whales, they have necropsies.  Out of the 13 examined, 8 died because they ran into boats and ships. The other 12 whales – the scientists are still waiting on those results.

Usually if a whale beaches itself, it’s sick. Sometimes it’s trying to avoid sharks or killer whales. But 25, that’s way higher than normal. What’s going on? No one knows for sure. Some people suspect global warming. Others wonder if it’s the new offshore wind farms. Everyone has guesses, but no one knows the true answer, for sure.
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​Source: As More Dead Whales Wash Up in NJ and NY, Officials Eye Research Into Wind Farms – NBC New York

                                               Part 2 – Which Whales Beached Themselves, and Where?
The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has been tracking where the whales beached themselves along the eastern seaboard. It’s mostly been on the shores of New York and New Jersey, but it stretches all the way down to Florida.

​Do you have trouble imagining the size of something large? I do. That’s why I added these two pictures to this post about whales . . . to help us imagine just how big they are. The average school bus is 35 feet long, probably longer than a classroom. And an elephant, he weighs about a ton, whether he’s from Africa or India.
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​Humpback whales have suffered the most. Eighteen of these giant creatures have stranded themselves along beaches between New York and North Carolina.
​

​
 Only 3 sperm whales have been stranded, so far. They were found on beaches between New York and Florida. Three is a lot less, and they were scattered far apart along the Atlantic coastline.

Male sperm whales can be 52 feet long. That’s about a bus and a half. (Two buses are 70 feet in length.) Male whales weigh 50 tons. That’s 50 elephants sitting on your lap. No thanks!

Females, like the one in the photo, are about 36 feet long, just a little longer than your bus. They only weigh 15 tons, but I would still say no if 15 elephants asked to sit on my lap.

And a new baby whale – it’s only 13 feet long. If you add a yardstick to its length, you’d have half a bus. As for the weight, only 1.1 tons. That’s one elephant, on my lap? No thanks, I’d rather sit beside that elephant. Oh, I mean baby whale!
​

Meet a mama and baby North Atlantic right whale. I don’t understand why they’re right, not left. Maybe you can look it up and report back to me and my readers. Only two of the right whales have been stranded – along the shore of North Carolina and Virginia. I guess it’s good to be right 😊

Right whales are about 43 – 56 feet long. That’s about as long as the other two whales. The short ones are as long as a bus, plus the height of a 6-foot basketball player. The long ones are a bus long, plus four kids stretched out in front of it (if they’re about 5 feet tall).

And their weight? DO NOT let them sit on your lap! Each whale weighs about 100 tons. I don’t want to imagine 100 elephants anywhere near my lap ☹
​

These are sei whales! I’ll say . . . that’s how you say their name. Not like see or sigh. Only one of them has been stranded, along the North Carolina coast.

Sei whales are about 64 feet long. Put two school buses together. Then subtract that 6-foot basketball player.

These whales are long and thin, and they only weigh 31 tons. I thought they were the thinnest, but female sperm whales have them beat by 16 tons. Still, I’d prefer those 15 elephants, or 31, sitting beside me, not on my lap. 
​

 
                                                     Part 3 – A Summary and My Conclusions:
​               These are results over 3 months, from December 2022 through February 2023…
Number                            Kind                                                                               Location
18                                         humpback whales                                                 New York to North Carolina
3                                            sperm whales                                                           New York to Florida
2                                            North Atlantic right whale                               North Carolina and Virginia
1                                            sei whale                                                                      North Carolina
1                                            minke whale                                                               New York

Did you notice that no whale has beached itself north of New York? Or that most of these whales are choosing beaches north of North Carolina? It must have something to do with the water temperature. Evidently these whales like colder water, especially the humpbacks who have suffered the most.

I hope scientists can figure out why whales are doing this, and then find a solution. I would hate to see the humpbacks, or any of the other whales, disappear from the earth. Fingers crossed!

​

Sources:
Map: The original was edited by Andrew c to include Nova Scotia, PEI, Bahamas, and scale key.It was originally uploaded to the English Wikipedia with the same title by Wapcaplet:20:57, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339217 bytes) (fix South Carolina label)20:27, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339227 bytes) (typo, Massachussetts -> Massachusetts)19:01, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (371653 bytes) (crop, and remove some shapes (rivers, highways, capitals, lakes) that didn't display anyway)13:18, 23 September 2005 . . Ed g2s . . 990x855 (978668 bytes) (fix (removed <image /> tag))23:48, 23 September 2004 . . Wapcaplet . . 0x0 (978926 bytes) (SVG map of the United States. Created by Wapcaplet. {{GFDL} }) - see below, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=362916

​Sperm Whale photo - By Gabriel Barathieu - https://www.flickr.com/photos/barathieu/7277953560/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24212362

Information: As More Dead Whales Wash Up in NJ and NY, Officials Eye Research Into Wind Farms – NBC New York

Have you ever gone on a scavenger hunt? I have, and I had so much fun that I put them into two of my books – LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME and ZOE’S SCAVENGER HUNT FUN. Why? To get families out looking around the lake and doing things together.

I also started putting them into my vlogs. Have you ever watched to the end, until this slide comes up? That’s where I add in the hunt. To give kids, their parents and teachers a reason to look around my web site. Now it’s time to put it into a blog post. 

Button #1:  This is my home page. You can get there by going to rindabeach.com, or if you’re already there, click the ‘HOME’ button. Now for the hunt . . . scan my ‘Welcome’ message. Can you find the three links that are in it? Hint – they’re in blue.
Click on them, and each one will take you to one of my favorite places on the website. Enjoy!

                                                                     PS – the answer is below this image.​

                                                           ​The answers . . . kids, Beach Reads, and my Blog.

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Button #2:  This is another button on my website – ‘ABOUT ME.’ I posted six paragraphs on it. The first two are Reader and Teacher, but there are four more.
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             For the hunt . . . Can you find the other four answers? They’re posted below the image. 

         And the answers are . . . Storyteller, German friends & family, Writer, and Animal friends.  


Button #3:  This screenshot shows my ‘BLOG.’ I use it the most. I post a blog or two every week, and it usually takes 2 or 3 nights for me to finish one.  The next thing to find . . . What’s posted now? 
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This screenshot ISN’T the answer. I took it before I started writing about my buttons. Back then Part 3 of Technophobia was up.

And the answer now . . . the first three buttons on my homepage. But if you look tomorrow night, January 30th or later, something else will be there. I wonder what it will be!
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​
​Button #4:  Next up, ‘BOOKS.’ It’s my only button with a drop-down menu. When you hover, the titles of my three books appear. Do you see them, under my name?!

                                                Now, time to go hunting. Can you find my Book Trailer?
​                                                  I have three titles, but only one trailer. Good luck!
​

         And the answer . . . NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM. Click, watch, and enjoy.
         Would you believe a talented high school sophomore created it? I think he did a GREAT job!

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​​Button #5:  Welcome to my contact page. It’s how you reach out to me, and how I reach out to you too.
The next thing to find . . . What subscription is free at rindabeach.com? 
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​Button #6:  ‘FOR KIDS’ came from the second story I wrote. It started as a gift for a few friends.
Search and find . . . where do my friends live?      
​      

The answer – Germany. Can you find it on a map?

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Button #7:  I use ‘MY READS’ at least once a week. They’re not the books I’ve written. They’re the ones I read as a writer. Children’s books build my sense of story. They grow my writing skills. I pick the best ones to share with you, the ones that match the blog post I just finished. I already have one waiting in the wings for tomorrow.
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For this button – can you find the last book I shared on My Reads? It’s the one you see below, and it’s legendary. You’re searching for . . . the two animals that are part of that legend.
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Button #8:  ‘SPEAKING’ is the last one, and it’s the end of our scavenger hunt. I hope it’s a happily ever after ending for you 😊

        The last thing to find . . . how many different kinds of school and library visits can I do for you?
​

​          And the final answer . . .  9! I have 9 different kinds of talks, at least I did when I put up this list.

I’ve thought of a few more since then . . . a wind tunnel demonstration and a journal writing/drawing experience. If there’s a talk that you need, but I don’t have it, ask. I’ll check to see what I can do, in person or on zoom.
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                                                                   Tomorrow – what can you find on my reads?
                                                             The link: Rinda Beach - Beach Reads - Rinda Beach

10-16-202  I bought this book back in early September. I shop whenever I’m watching an OSU football game. It’s a superstition, but it makes me feel like I’m doing my part to help the Buckeyes win.

September 3rd was their opening game against Notre Dame. I probably started shopping early in the 1st quarter, when Notre Dame scored first. At half-time they led, by 3 points.

OSU came back in the second half, scoring 2 touchdowns. It worked! I shopped, bought this book, and Notre Dame stopped scoring. I didn’t buy anything else, but I kept screen-shopping, just in case.

I read the 1st chapter later in September, and I discovered this is an unusual book . . . Each chapter has a set of trivia questions, followed by multiple-choice answers, and the explanation for those answers.

        Next Game Day Saturday, October 22nd, I’ll share how I did on chapter 1, and what I learned. 

Amazon’s Description:
Do you think you’re the ultimate superfan of the Ohio State Buckeyes? Do you have a friend who bleeds scarlet and gray? Do you want to learn about the history of your favorite Big Ten school’s football program?

Even if those questions don’t apply to you, The Ultimate Ohio State Buckeyes Trivia Book is the best book for learning about the Buckeyes and their history. This trivia book is packed with interesting facts about Ohio State football from cover to cover, taking you from the playing fields of Columbus to the being drafted into the National Football League.

In this book, you’ll discover the answers to such questions as:

• When did Ohio State win its first national title?
• Who holds the Ohio State record for career rushing touchdowns?
• Who was the first coach to lead the Buckeyes to an unbeaten season?
• Who was the first Ohio State player to be chosen in the 1st round of the NFL Draft?
• What was Les Horvath studying before he went on to win the Heisman Trophy?
  
  

Whether you are an Ohio State fanatic hungry for more information about the team, a Big Ten superfan craving knowledge about the teams in the league, or just someone who enjoys learning new, interesting facts, this book is right up your alley. You will not be disappointed in discovering the world of the Ohio State University Buckeyes, so just crack open the book, sit back, relax, and enjoy the wave of knowledge.

                             Game Day Saturday, October 22nd - Chapter 1 - How I did, and what I learned. 

Chapter 1: Origins & History Time: Welcome to University Hall! It was the first building to be built on campus in 1873, It was reconstructed in 1976, a year before I became a Buckeye. I started at the Lima Branch in 1977, and I went to the Main Campus in 1979.
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I thought I bled scarlet and grey, but I guess, not as much as I thought . . . On the first quiz I got 5 right, out of 20. JUST FIVE! I couldn’t believe it, but, the questions were really hard. I picked three to share with you.

                         #2 Ohio State’s first football game was played in May.  True or False?
True, and I got it right. It was a lucky guess! I looked up the reason behind the answer – the book didn’t explain why. The reason – They started trying to form a team in 1886, but it took until 1890. The very first OSU game was played on May 3, 1890 on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. There’s even a historical marker there to celebrate that very first game!
                                            Source: Ohio State Buckeyes football - Wikipedia

                 #17 Michigan is the only team to beat Ohio State more than 20 times.  True or False?
False. I got it right, but I misunderstood the question. I thought Michigan won LESS than 20 times. I was SO wrong! The teams met the first time October 16, 1897. The team up north (Michigan) won 34 to 0.

OSU and Michigan played 117 times so far. Michigan won 59 times. OSU 51, and there have been 7 ties. My favorite fact – OSU dominated this century. Michigan won in 2003, 2011, and last year, 2021. THREE TIMES! Woohoo! This year . . . yet to be played.
                                                Source: Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry - Wikipedia

                               #18 What charm do Ohio State players receive for a win over Michigan?
                                    A. Gold “W”        B. Silver jersey        C. Gold buckeye        D. Gold pants       
                                             The answer – D! I missed it because C sounded better.

Here’s how the tradition started . . . from Michigan’s early domination, from 1897 to 1933. They won 22 times. OSU 6 times, and 2 ties.      

In 1934 OSU hired Francis Schmidt as head coach. When the local media got a chance to ask about that team up north, Schmidt said, “They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.”
That’s when two Columbus businessmen formed the ‘Gold Pants Club.’ They created gold lapel pins, shaped like football pants. Each player and coach on that winning team gets a gold pin, engraved with their initials, game date, and the score.

The first year, 1934, Schmidt’s team won 34 – 0. OSU kept winning! They beat Michigan for the next four years. Talk about motivation! Here’s to gold pants in 2022!
                                             Source: Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry - Wikipedia

                                 Game Day Saturday, October 22nd - Chapter 2 - How I did, and what I learned. 

Chapter 2: The Numbers Game:  I knew I was going down when I realized they were jersey numbers. I never paid attention to those. I was shocked! I got 7 right out of 20, TWO more than last week, but it was only lucky guessing.

This chapter was all about name dropping, and I thought I knew a bunch. Just 14, HALF! Like Archie Griffin, the Bosa Brothers, and Eddie George. But there were 14 I didn’t know, at all, like Kirk Herbstreet, you know the football commentator. YIKES!

Here’s this week’s Pick 3 – Three questions with three great answers . . . 
​​

                           #6 Which number did the Bosa brothers wear while terrorizing opposing
                                                       backfields for Ohio State?     94     96     97     98   
The answer – C! I picked B, a pure guess. Their dad John wore #97 when he played for the Miami Dolphins. Joey picked up his dad’s number from 2013 – 2015. Then Nick took over the family tradition from 2016 – 2018. For six years #97 led the way. It attacked and sacked quarterbacks across the Big Ten, and beyond.

      #19 Ohio State’s school colors of scarlet and gray predate the football program. True False?
True. One right! I can’t imagine OSU without scarlet and gray. They’ve been Buckeye colors since 1878. A team of three students picked them out. They thought it was a “pleasing combination,” and no one else used them. That first game – May 3, 1890!

                                          #20 What color are the buckeye decals given out to players during
                                 the season for big plays and consistency?     Black     Green     White     Scarlet
The answer – B! I guessed C. I thought the decals were mostly white, with black outlines. No other colors, but I was wrong again, but maybe I’m remembering the old ones. Today they’re the size of a quarter, with GREEN leaves.

I also thought they were a part of OSU tradition. Not! They first appeared on helmets in 1968 because the athletic trainer suggested it. Why? Ernie Biggs never explained, but everyone agreed they were the perfect motivator for college football players. After all, who wouldn’t want a helmet loaded with stickers?!

I didn’t know OSU coaches used them differently. For example – Woody Hayes, the first to get the decals, handed them out for big plays, or for consistency on the field. Later Jim Tressel used them to award groups of players. Everyone got a Buckeye for a win. A pair, if it was a Big Ten win. His units on the field would get one for an explosive play. The defense got them for three-and-outs . . . That’s when the other team tried three times for a first down, failed to get it, so they had to give the ball back to the Buckeye offense.

PS – #10 is one of those special numbers. It wasn’t in the book, but it belonged to Troy Smith. He won the 2006 Heisman Trophy. In 2014 OSU changed procedures. It didn’t retire his number, but it enshrined his jersey at the stadium to honor Troy’s Heisman, and good old #10 is still in circulation. Someday, someone else will wear it.
 
​Sources: 
Photo – By Fernando Martello, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91173769
​
Information – Ohio State Buckeyes football - Wikipedia
​
 – The Ultimate Ohio State Buckeyes Trivia Book: A Collection of Amazing Trivia Quizzes and Fun Facts for Die-Hard Buckeye Fans

​
                              Game Day Saturday, November 3 - Chapter 3 - How I did, and what I learned. 

Chapter 3: Calling the Signals: I thought I might do a little better this time – today was all about quarterbacks. They’re the commanding officer on the offensive line. I did! I jumped into double digits . . . barely . . . 11 out of 20. Still failing, but it beats a 5 or a 7 😊

I recognize all of these quarterbacks from my days as a student, until now. Except for Les Horvath. He played QB for one year. It figures . . . in 1944. I wasn’t even born yet. I recognized 11 names in today’s quiz, but there were 9 I didn’t know. The big one I forgot – Joe Germaine – the QB from 1996-1998. Go figure!

Here’s my Pick 3 for this week – Three questions with three great answers . . . 

                               #1.  Cardale Jones easily holds the record for most wins without a loss
                 as an Ohio State starting quarterback, with how many victories?     9     11     13     14

The answer – B, 11 wins. I guessed 14, too high. I remember Cardale. He’s one of the most unusual quarterbacks in OSU history. He was the 3rd string QB who won the national championship. HOW?

Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett were both injured. Cardale led the Buckeyes to the Big 10 Championship, the national semifinals, AND The National Championship! It was the first year for the REAL one, with three games between the top 4 teams. Alabama, who lost, said OSU didn’t belong in the semifinals. Guess who was wrong?!

Dr. Pepper even made a commercial based on the 3rd string quarterback who won the national championship. It was an incredible year for OSU, and Cardale!

                #22. Which of these quarterbacks did NOT win 30 games as the Buckeyes’ starter?
                       A. J.T. Barrett       B. Cornelius Greene       C. Braxton Miller       D. Bobby Hoying

The answer – C, Braxton Miller. I got it right – I guessed! I thought the others hit 30 games. I was SO glad it wasn’t Cornelius Greene. He’s one of the first quarterbacks I remember. I’d never heard his story, until today. Maybe I was too young, too protected to hear about it.

I didn’t realize he was OSU’s first black starting quarterback, and that a lot of people in 1973 didn’t like it. Cornelius got 50 letters a week from the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and other similar groups. People even called his dorm room with death threats. It all stopped when Cornelius led the Buckeyes to a 56-7 win in the first game of the season, against Minnesota. Cornelius finished his OSU career with 2000 passing and rushing yards. He won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big 10 MVP (most valuable player).
​
BTW – he didn’t have a chance at the Heisman. His roommate, Archie Griffin won it, in 1974 and 75. He’s still the only college player to win it, TWICE. Bam! He was a Buckeye! And so was Cornelius!

          #9.  Dwayne Haskins is responsible for all but one of the 400-yard passing performances
                                            in Ohio State history. Who is responsible for the other one?
                                       A. Troy Smith   B. J.T. Barrett   C. Art Schlichter   D. Cardale Jones

The answer – C, Art Schlichter. I got it right – It was a good guess, but Art was a very talented player, with a back story that’s better than I thought.

George Chaump was the first Buckeye coach to spot Art in high school. He showed Woody Hayes a couple reels of film, then got him to go to a game. Woody was sold, but Art was ready to sign up with Michigan. OOPS! I mean that team up North. But Woody got Art. HOW?

Woody promised that he’d start as a freshman, and that the Buckeyes would open up the offense for him. That they’d even let him pass the ball. Timing is everything! Woody made that promise the day before Bo Schembechler was scheduled for a visit. When Art’s dad told him about the promise, Bo stormed out shouting that Woody would never keep it.

He did. Art started as a freshman, and I was a sophomore. I couldn’t believe Woody actually started a freshman. OSU is so deep in talent. How could a freshman become the starting QB? I don’t think anyone has started another one since, until last year, with C.J. Stroud in 2021. 

BTW – I’d never heard of Kirk Herbstreit. Here’s his story . . . Kirk only started one year as QB, in 1992. It was nothing to write home about so he decided to take a corporate sales job with a nice salary, and matching perks. Then a Columbus radio station offered him much, much less, with no benefits. The job – to do an afternoon talk show and sideline gameday reports for the Buckeyes.

Kirk took it! Two years later ESPN2 hired him to make sideline reports. The rest – is history. In 1996 he made it all the way to College Gameday. Not bad! And it beats a sales job!


                                Game Day Saturday, November12 - Chapter 4 - How I did, and what I learned. 

​​Chapter 4: Between the Tackles: I got 11 right last week, but I slipped back to 5 again. It figures . . . this week was about running backs, records and awards. I never paid attention to those things. I watched the plays, the touchdowns, and wins. The important things!

​When I was looking for running backs, I found this screenshot. I recognized everyone, except Jim Otis. He started in 1967 – when I was 8. I recognized 9 players on the quiz, but I was clueless with 13.  
Here’s my Pick 3 for this week – Three questions, and three great answers . . .


                                 #5. Eddie George and Ezekiel Elliott are tied in the record books with
                            the most 200-yard games for the Buckeyes, with how many?     5     4     3     2

The answer – A . . . 5 games. I guessed 4, too low. Both Eddie and Ezekiel had five games with over 200 yards, but no one dreamed Eddie could do that when he arrived. He was a BIG guy!

OSU was the only school that gave Eddie a chance to run. The others thought he should be a linebacker. Everything looked good until the first game with Illinois. That’s when he fumbled, TWICE, on the 5-yard line. Fans were furious! They said he should transfer! That Eddie wasn’t running back material.

Eddie persevered. Three years later he set a record against Illinois. He ended the season with 1927 yards rushing (a school record). He missed the single-season touchdown record by one. He also brought home every award a running back could win, including the Heisman Trophy. Way to go, Eddie George!


                     #13. What was Les Horvath’s career high for rushing yards in a game, set during
               his Heisman-winning 1944 season?      114 yards       128 yards       141 yards     157 yards

                 And the answer – C . . . 141 yards. I guessed too high – 157. Close doesn’t count in trivia.
​
​

The funny thing about that 1944 season . . . Les wasn’t supposed to play. He retired from football in 1942 after winning the national title. He started dental school in 1943. But in 1944 the coach asked Les to come back for one last season. Why? There weren’t enough players. They were off fighting in World War II.
​
The NCAA made players like Les eligible to play. And coach promised Les could skip practice AND fly to games, so he didn’t miss out on his dental work. Thanks to the war and the NCAA, Les rushed for 924 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. He was also OSU’s first Heisman winner, thanks to one last, unexpected season. 
​

      17. Which of these Ohio State running backs was NOT a three-time first-team All-American?  
                             A. Lew Hinchman    B. Howard Cassidy     C. Chic Harley    D. Archie Griffin
​
And the answer – B . . . Howard Cassidy. I guessed wrong. I was torn between Lew Hinchman and Chic Harley because I didn’t know them. I picked Lew, wrong.  He was a first team All-American from 1930-1932, but he’s not well known. Everyone knows Archie Griffin. He’s the only player to win the Heisman twice, in college football history.
​
​

​
Meet Chic Harley, the first OSU superstar. He played during the 1916 and 17 seasons, but skipped out in 1918. He enlisted as a soldier in World War 1. It ended so Chic came back in 1919 and won first team All-American again, for the third time.
​
I didn’t know Chic was so popular that he put OSU football on the map. He was also the driving force behind building the Shoe. It used to be called the ‘House that Harley Built,’ but the important thing . . . it’s where the Buckeyes play!
​
​

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Sources: The Ultimate Ohio State Buckeyes Trivia Book

-  QB/HB Lew Hinchman (3-time All-American) | BuckeyePlanet
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-   Ohio Stadium - Wikipedia

​-  Howard Cassady - Wikipedia

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​                              Game Day Saturday, November 12 - Chapter 5 - How I did, and what I learned. 
​
Chapter 5: Catching the Ball: I caught 5 answers, the same as last week. It figures – I’ve never been good at catching anything. And the answers I did manage to catch – the true and false kind. YIKES!

As for name recognition, I knew 7 . . . but not the other 14. AND worst of all, none of the book’s answers resonated with me.  
​
      So for this week’s Pick 3 – Three True & False Questions – And my research into their answers. 
​

                                           #2. Only five Ohio State receivers have gone over 1,000
                                                 receiving yards in a season.      A. True     B. False

The answer – A . . . True. I said false. I was sure there had to be more than 5. So here are the FIVE best receivers in OSU history . . .
                                                                In 1998 David Boston made 85 catches for 1435 yards.
                                                                In 1995 Terry Glenn only made 64 catches. He gained 1411 yards.
                                                                In 1986 Cris Carter caught 69 passes for 1127 yards.
                                                                In 2002 Michael Jenkins caught 61 passes for 1076 yards
                                      And finally in 2018 Parris Campbell joined the group with 82 catches for 1006 yards. 

Source: Parris Campbell Becomes Fifth Ohio State Receiver With 1,000 Yards Receiving in a Single Season | Eleven Warriors

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                                      #13. No Ohio State receiver has ever won the Biletnikoff Award ​for the
                                                        best wide receiver in the country.     A. True     B. False

                          And the answer – B . . . False. I knew it! At least one Buckeye had to win. REALLY!

But it turns out only ONE Buckeye did, Terry Glenn. He won in 1995, the 2nd year the award was given out, and he’s THE only finalist from OSU, ever. You have to be one of the top-three vote-getters to be a finalist. No one else broke through – not David Boston. Not Michael Jenkins. Not even Parris Campbell. It’s hard to believe with all the talented wide receivers that no other Buckeye ever got a nod. Unbelievable!

Source: After Ohio State football’s Biletnikoff Award snub, can Jaxon Smith-Njigba break the drought in 2022? - cleveland.com
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​                                               #19. Ohio State has NOT had a receiver with 200 receiving yards
                                                     in a game in the twenty-first century.      A. True     B. False
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And the answer – B . . . False. It had to be false. Surely SOME Buckeye had to have over 200 yards receiving in a game, since the year 2000. Surely!

In OSU history there have only been four 200-yard receiving games, ever. SOME Buckeye did, since the year 2000 – and it was Jaxon Smith Njigba – twice, last year.

That means OSU is up to six games with 200 receiving yards, but I couldn’t find the other receivers. I looked for almost an hour, sorry. My guess is that Terry Glenn had one of those games, maybe two, but I have no idea on the others. Maybe a super-fan will comment and share those answers with all of us.
 
Source: Jaxon Smith-Njigba Breaks Rose Bowl Receiving Record as OSU Tops Utah in Thriller | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report
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​                              Game Day Saturday, November 26 - Chapter 6 - How I did, and what I learned. 

​Chapter 6: Trench Warfare:  I pictured the trenches of World War I when I read the title, but these are on the football field. The kind that the offensive and defensive linemen fight over. Today was the first game the OSU linemen failed, especially in the 2nd half, and it was against that Team Up North, but Coach Day and his assistants will analyze and tighten those lines. Come Bowl time, they’ll be ready. I have a feeling, Michigan won’t. They won, and they feel confident. They’re in for a brawl in the National Championships, and I’m not sure that they can handle it.
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I thought lineman. Then uh-oh, but I got the same score as I did last week . . . not worse! I got 5 answers right again – 3 weeks in a row. I didn’t do as well on True/False, but I actually got some multiple-choice answers right. Sometimes good guesses pay off.

As for name recognition, I knew 12 linemen, more than last week, but there were way more names I didn’t know . . . 26. Ouch!
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Here are this week’s Pick 3, but think of them as a Pick 5. The first three questions are all about the same person, and I got 2 right. Woohoo!
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Game Day Saturday, December 31st  - Chapter 7 - How I did, and what I learned. 
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Chapter 7: No Air Zone: I had no idea who this chapter was about. I had to finish the questions and answers first. No Air Zone – those are the players who break up passes or make interceptions – the defensive backs.  When I found the picture below, I wasn’t sure who was trying to catch the ball, and who was trying to intercept or break it up. 

I figured I’d do worse this time . . . no one remembers the defense, but I lucked out with a few good guesses. Eight, WOOHOO!

I did about the same on name recognition. I knew 10 but failed on the other 16.

Here are this week’s Pick 3. Sorry, they turned into a Pick 8. The first 3 questions are about one defensive back, and the other 5 are about another.

                                 8.  Which Ohio State defensive back is one of the namesakes for the
                                         Big Ten’s award for the best defensive back of the season?
                                    A. Shawn Springs    B. Mike Doss   3. Dick LeBeau   4.  Jack Tatum

And the answer . . . Jack Tatum. I got it right! YAY! Good guess! I knew it wasn’t Shawn Springs. He came to OSU much later.
 
                            11. Who was Ohio State’s first first-team All-American as a defensive back?
                                   A. Jack Tatum   B. Ted Provost   C. Arnie Chonko   D. Mike Sensibaugh  

I missed it! I guessed Jack, but it was Arnie. I would have NEVER guessed him . . .  I didn’t know his name.
 
                                13. In which season was Jack Tatum named the national defensive player
                             of the year and unanimous All-American?   A. 1971   B. 1970   C. 1969   D. 1968

                                                  Yay! I got it right! I picked the middle answer, 1970.

And Jack Tatum . . . he came to Columbus as a running back, at least that’s what Woody Hayes had planned. Then Lou Holtz took a peek. He talked Woody into turning Jack into a defensive back. Jack was fearsome. Lou put him in to challenge the other team’s top receiver. To do linebacker duty too. It worked!

Jack was first team All-Big Ten for 3 straight years. Then an All-American in 1969 and 1970. He was the national defensive player in 1970. In fact the Big Ten’s defensive back of the year award is named after Jack. What a pity – he has to share it with Charles Woodson, from that Team Up North. Blech!

The End of the Season:  December 31st was the last game for my Buckeyes. They lost in the run-up to the National Championships. They played #1 Georgia, and I dreaded this evening after the Michigan game, but they showed up, BIG TIME! They led twice during the game, and if they’d scored a field goal in those last 8 seconds, they would have won. AND, they deserved it! WOW! What a game, for Georgia, and for my Buckeyes!
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I’ll see you next year for the last five chapters of OSU Football Trivia. BAM! Here’s to those Buckeyes!

This one was born when I picked Anzac Ted to read for Veteran’s Day, 2022. I thought with a teddy bear, it would be a great fit for young children who are ready to discover Veteran’s Day.
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Anzac Ted turned out to be so much more. It’s the story of the ANZAC soldiers who fought alongside Great Britain during World War I. I only read the first half of the book. It’s perfect for littles. The other half tells Ted’s story as he supported those Anzac soldiers, and I still think it works for young children.
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​Part 1 – What is an Azac?  Anzac stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp, ANZAC. The division was formed in December 1914, in Egypt, during World War 1. They were supposed to be stationed in Britain, but plans changed because there wasn’t room, or supplies. The Anzac units were sent to Egypt . . . the weather was a better fit. December is summer down under for Anzac soldiers.

This is a 1915 camp of soldiers from New Zealand. Its name – ANZAC Cove. They were commanded by General William Birdwood, an officer from the British Indian Army. He brought in soldiers from India, Ceylon, Britain, and Ireland. He even had a Jewish unit with volunteers from Russia, Canada, and the US, but it was mainly made up of those Anzac soldiers.  

This illustration of the Anzac troops came out after the battle at Gallipoli. George R.I said, “The Australian and New Zealand troops have indeed proved themselves worthy sons of the Empire.” That seemed odd . . . George I died after the American Revolution. George V was king during WWI, and he was also the last ruler of the British Empire. It began dissolving after WWI and eventually turned into the British Commonwealth of Nations.
​​​

​And the Gallipoli campaign – it started on February 17, 1915. It ended on January 19, 1916. It had three goals – To weaken and defeat the Ottoman Empire. To keep the Suez Canal safe, and to open up shipping to Russian ports. BTW, that’s when the Russian czar and the British king were cousins, and they worked together against another cousin, the German kaiser.

The Gallipoli campaign didn’t work out as planned. The February land invasion failed, but the Allies didn’t quit. On April 25 they sent the Anzac soldiers to land on the Turkish beaches. That failed too. Finally in January 1916 the allies gave up and withdrew their forces. For Turkey, it became a defining moment in their history, the beginning of the road to becoming their own country.
​
In Australia and New Zealand, they saw Gallipoli as a baptism of fire. It was also the beginning of their journey to become independent countries too. 

The Anzac troops left Greece on April 23 and 24 of 1941. Most of them were sent to Crete to bolster its defense against an upcoming German air and sea invasion. That battle began May 20. It ended 10 days later. The Germans – overwhelming.  
​
The Royal Navy rescued most of the men, but some hid out in mountains. They survived thanks to the people of Crete.  Others were found, captured, and sent to Prisoner of War camps in Europe (POW).
I searched but couldn’t find the date this monument was built, but I’m glad it honors those who fell in Greece, then in Crete. They may have lost those battles, but their efforts helped win World War II. 
​
​​

​​Welcome to the Be’er Sheva Anzac Memorial Centre. You’ll find it in Be’eri Forest near Negev, Israel. It’s a monument to the Anzac soldiers who gave their lives in Palestine during World War 1. That was in April, 1917. (Palestine is now the country of Israel.)

​
​The Memorial Centre was dedicated on the 100th anniversary of Be’er Sheva’s liberation from the Ottoman Empire. You can interact with the Anzac story inside the museum. Outside you’ll be walking on hallowed ground, where the two battles of Gaza were fought.

​

Information Sources:
Anzac Ted – Written and Illustrated by Belinda Landsberry

Australian and New Zealand Army Corps - Wikipedia

​Gallipoli campaign - Wikipedia

Anzac Memorial (Israel) - Wikipedia
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The Be'er-Sheva ANAZC Memorial Centre - אטרקציות בבאר שבע - כל האטרקציות בבאר שבע : תיירות באר שבע (visitbr7.co.il)

Elizabeth is the only Queen I’ve ever known. There may have been other queens around the world, but they weren’t famous in the US like Elizabeth II. I missed her coronation, June 2, 1953 by six years. That’s because I wasn’t born until May of 1959. At least I can watch the next one – for her son, Charles III, and it will happen sometime in 2023. The date – yet to be determined.

Part 1 – The Queen I Knew: I wasn’t a fan in the 90’s of the Queen, or Charles because of Diana, Princess of Wales. She was his first wife, and she was treated horribly by the royal family. I could identify with her . . . I didn’t always get along with my in-laws, but it’s true . . . time heals most wounds.

When Diana died in 1997 in a car accident, I didn’t think I could ever forgive the Queen, or Charles. That I could ever see Camilla as his wife, but time passed. Charles and Camilla married in 2005. Enough time had passed that it felt OK, and now enough time has passed that it feels OK for Camilla to be Queen Consort. I read that some people are still being horrible to them. After 17 years of marriage, it feels like it’s time to let it go, to let them be.
​

Now I’m happy to look back, to remember Queen Elizabeth II. This is her with her husband on her Coronation Day back in 1953. Elizabeth had been queen since February 6, 1952, the day her father, George VI died. Elizabeth became queen immediately, but coronations take time to plan and practice.

Elizabeth served the United Kingdom for 70 years. She’s the longest reigning monarch in British history. One of the lines I heard repeated the week after her death was something Elizabeth said when she was 21. “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service,”
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Elizabeth kept her promise, for 70 years. That’s an incredible record! Near the end of her life, she was reported to have said the moment I stop, is the moment I drop. She kept going, until the day before she died.

​​These are Elizabeth’s last two prime ministers. She met with them both at Balmoral Castle on September 6th, two days before she died. She received Boris Johnson’s resignation first. Later in the day she met with Liz Truss and asked her to form a new government.

​Over the 70 years Elizabeth reigned, she worked with 15 prime ministers. They met once a week to discuss the state of the country. That’s a lot of meetings! She started with Sir Winston Churchill in 1952. She ended with Liz Truss in September of 2022.
​

On September 7th, Elizabeth skipped the Privy Council meeting with her advisors. She probably wanted to attend, but her doctors said rest.
​
On the 8th, her family flew in, trying for one last visit. Some made it. Some didn’t. Elizabeth died at 4:30 PM British time. Her people were told at 6:30 PM. That’s when Charles officially became king.

Part 2 – Scotland Says Goodbye to the Queen:
When the Queen died on September 8th, Operation London Bridge began. It’s a group of plans that Elizabeth made for her family, and for her country. She might have set them up years ago. She probably made changes over the years. London Bridge included a national period of mourning that lasted for 10 days. It started on  September 8th  with her death, and it ended on the 19th with her funeral.

Operation Unicorn was the set of plans made just for Scotland. The Queen’s body remained at Balmoral from the 8th until the 11th. That’s the day her funeral cortege of cars left Balmoral at 10:46AM to travel to Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

​​ I took a screenshot of Scotland from Bing Images. The Princess Anne followed her mother’s car the whole way through Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Fife, for 175 miles. If you look at the map, you can find Aberdeen, where the Queen’s voyage began, and Edinburgh, where it ended. Angus and Fife must be somewhere in-between.

​Along the road people stood to show their respect, to say goodbye. A group of farmers even formed an honor guard of tractors for their Queen. It was another way to thank Elizabeth for her service.

Elizabeth’s cortege of cars arrived at Holyrood Palace at 16:23. That’s 4:23 PM. In England they use a 24-hour clock, like US military time. Elizabeth’s coffin was placed in the Throne Room.

​Holyroodhouse is where the Queen used to spend a week at the beginning of summer. She’d attend official engagements and ceremonies. On September 11th and 12 she said her official goodbyes to Scotland and its people.

Elizabeth’s coffin left Holyroodhouse on September 12. She was driven up the Royal Mile one last time to St Giles’ Cathedral. The Bearer Party from the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Company of Archers escorted her cortege.

​Her four children followed on foot – King Charles III, Princess Anne and her husband, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. The Queen Consort and Edward’s wife followed by car. Guns were fired from Edinburgh Castle each minute as the Queen traveled up the Royal Mile, one last time.

When Elizabeth arrived, her coffin was carried into the church, and the Crown of Scotland was placed on top. Its history – it’s also known as the James V crown. It was falling apart so he had it remade in 1540. That’s when the first Queen Elizabeth was 6 or 7 years old. ​

Then St. Giles’ held a service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the second Elizabeth, and her service to Scotland.

​ The Queen lay in state for 24 hours, guarded by the Royal Company of Archers. Her children stood guard for 10 minutes. It’s a new tradition that started with Elizabeth’s father, George, but only his sons watched over him. Not his daughter. This time Princess Anne joined in too. 

On September 14th Elizabeth was on the move again. A military procession carried her coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Her children, Charles I, Anne, Andrew, and Edward, marched along behind her.
​
The sounds – overwhelming! Bands playing marches. Big Ben, the world’s most recognizable clock, tolling out each minute, and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery – they were firing their guns from Hyde Park. 
​

​
Soldiers from the Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, carried Elizabeth’s coffin into the Hall. They set it on a platform. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Westminster delivered the service for Elizabeth’s family. And for her country.

​ The Queen lay in state in Westminster Hall from 2:00PM September 14th until 6:30AM on the 19th. This is a map of that queue. That’s what the Brits call a line you stand in. The Queen’s – its maximum length was 10 miles. The longest waiting time – over 24 hours.

During those five days, over 250,000 people waited to say goodbye. The line ran for 96 hours. When I did the math, they were able to send 2604 people by, each hour. 

This is the queu that crossed Lambeth Bridge. It stretched from one side of the Thames to the other. I wonder if it’s the spot where the red line on the map crosses the river at Westminster.

​I can’t imagine standing in line for 24 hours, but at least they used arm bands to take breaks – to sit down, get something to eat, or visit the bathroom. I’ve heard no one does lines like the British, and no one does ceremonies like them either. 

​​Here’s Westminster Hall again. The queue passed the queen’s coffin on both sides.

The coffin was guarded by the Sovereign’s Bodyguard and the Household Division. On it sat the Imperial State Crown, the Sovereign’s Orb and Scepter, and flowers from Balmoral and Windsor Castles.

Did you see the queue on American TV? I did. I also saw the Vigil of the Princes. That’s when Elizabeth’s children stood guard for ten minutes on September 16th, like they did in Edinburgh. Her eight grandchildren stood guard on the 17th. The youngest was 14. The oldest, 44. Can you imagine standing at complete attention, with TV cameras watching, and trying not to cry? I can’t!
​

Elizabeth’s coffin left Westminster Hall at 10:44AM on September 19th. She was carried by the Royal Navy’s Gun Carriage to Westminster Abbey. King Charles, the royal family, and part of the King’s household followed. Queen Victoria started the tradition in 1901, for her funeral.  

A wreath of flowers sat on the coffin, with a note from King Charles. A bell tolled 96 times, to remember each year of the Queen’s life. Elizabeth’s coffin arrived at 10:52, and the funeral service began at 11AM. It was attended by leaders and reigning monarchs from all over the world. Over 2000 people came, to celebrate Elizabeth’s life. 
​

The first funeral procession left Westminster Abbey at 12:15, headed toward Wellington Arch. This is the arcch. It sits in the middle of a traffic island between Hyde Park and Green Park. Her four children marched behind the coffin. Seven military bands and 3000 military personnel joined in. The royal family followed by car. Elizabeth’s procession was over a mile-long, and approximately a million people lined its route.

Next Elizabeth’s coffin travelled by hearse. It left the Wellington arch at 1:30PM. Her driver didn’t use the motorway, their interstate. They took the A roads so people could watch along the way. Their A roads are like American highways. 

Elizabeth arrived at 3:00 for the final procession, down the Long Walk to Windsor Castle. I watched, and it was amazing. One thousand military personnel took part. Around 97,000 people lined either side of the walk.

Her pony Emma stood to the side. So did her corgis, Muick and Sandy. All those people, but all I heard was the march of feet. Amazing, so many people, so silent and still.

​The King and the royal family joined the procession at the Quadrangle. That’s the lawn inside the castle grounds. Then bells tolled from two towers. The King’s Troop, the Royal Horse Artillery, fired guns from the castle’s east lawn. 

An honor guard from the 1st Battalion Grenadiers carried her coffin into St. George’s Chapel, inside the grounds of Windsor Castle. Elizabeth’s service began at 4PM. The 800 people in attendance, they were mostly members of the royal household and the staff from the Queen’s private estates. They served Elizabeth over the days, months, even years of her lifetime. 

The seats were also filled by the royal family, the British governors general of the Commonwealth Nations, their prime ministers, and reigning monarchs from around the world. 

The Dean of Winsor conducted the funeral service. He used the same order that had been used for Elizabeth’s grandparents and her father, George VI.
​

​These were Queen Elizabeth’s Imperial State Crown, the Sovereign’s Orb, and Scepter. They’ll be safe in storage until sometime in 2023, when it’s time to pass them onto Charles III, at his coronation.
 

Part 4 – Missing the Queen? Here are 4 books to help you and your little ones remember Queen Elizabeth II. One of the things I learned after she died, was how devoted she was to her family, and to her people.  

I wrote a review of The Queen’s Hat back in June of 2017. Here’s a link to that review: http://www.rindabeach.com/my-reads/review-of-the-queens-hat

And here are the Amazon Descriptions of the books in the Queen collection . . . 

The Queen’s Hat – A sudden gust of wind sets off a marvelous adventure for the Queen, lots of Queen's men, and one very special hat. Just where will that hat land? Following a hysterical, epic hat chase, the Queen is reunited with her hat -- and the royal baby! AKA, Princess Charlotte, who now in 2022 got her way and attended her great-grandmother’s funeral.
 
The Queen’s Present – The Queen is off on a round-the-world tour in search of the perfect Christmas present. And she's not alone... Father Christmas is here to help!
 
The Queen’s Handbag – A very naughty thief has stolen the Queen's handbag! There's only one thing to do: chase the thief all over the landmarks of Great Britain! Hold on to your hats and join the Queen in this epic wild goose chase after one sneaky swan by car.
 
The Queen’s Lift-Off – The Queen's off to space! Travelling at the speed of light, she goes where no man (or Queen) has gone before. From the Moon to Mars, via Mercury. No planet is left unexplored. But will she be back in time for tea?

Photo Sources for Part 1:
​Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson - By Ben Shread / Cabinet Office, OGL 3, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83764351

​The New Prime Minister Liz Truss - y Prime Minister's Office - https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-minister-liz-trusss-statement-6-september-2022, OGL 3,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122729965
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Balmoral Castle - By Stuart Yeates from Oxford, UK - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=728182

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​                                                                             Photo Sources for Part 2:

Screenshot of the Queue from Wikipedia

Queue at Lambeth Bridge – CC BY-SA 4.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71772152

Westminster Hall – By Katie Chan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123134491

Westminster Abbey – By Σπάρτακος (changes by Rabanus Flavus) - File: Westminster-Abbey.JPG, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76031882
 
Wellington Arch – By Ermell - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55560305
 
Windsor Palace - By Diliff - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3811084
 
St. George’s Chapel Exterior – By Aurelien Guichard from London, United Kingdom (changes by Rabanus Flavus) - File:St. Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle (1).jpg, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67647692
 
St. George’s Chapel Interior – By Jack Pease, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39655608

Information Sources for this Post: 
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Timeline of Queen Elizabeth II's death (yahoo.com)
 
Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II - Wikipedia
 
Crown Jeweler Removes Crown, Sceptre and Orb from Queen Elizabeth's Coffin Before Her Interment (people.com)
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Have you heard about Christmas in July? I had, but I thought it was a Hallmark thing to promote their movies, Christmas ornaments, and other products. It turns out Christmas in July goes FAR beyond Hallmark. Here are two sources I dug into, to learn more.
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1 - What is Christmas in July? How to Celebrate Properly - Open for Christmas
2 - Christmas in July: What It Is, How It Started, and Why You Should Celebrate This Year | Real Simple

I was surprised that both sources said Christmas in July started at the same place . . .  Keystone Summer Camp for Girls in Brevard, North Carolina. They also had the same dates for that first Christmas – July 24th and 25th of 1933. Would you believe it’s still going strong? I wonder if Keystone Camp inspired the writers at Hallmark. One of this year’s featured movies was Campfire Christmas. Who knows?!

Christmas in July has spread all over the globe. Today it’s celebrated in the US, UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. If you lived in the southern hemisphere, you could celebrate a July Christmas with snow and cocoa. December ones probably look more like a Florida Christmas.
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Christmas in July is all about Hallmark Christmas movies for me. My husband thinks it’s crazy, but I love escaping into stories with a little Christmas spirit. It always brings out the best in people. I need that when July makes us all hot and sticky!


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​ My All-Time Favorite Hallmark Chrismas Movie:  This is it! Why do I love it so much? First, the script is so well done. It’s a lovely blend of sarcasm and wit that it’s pure fun to watch.
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Second, the writers used bits of A Christmas Carol in it. You know the Christmas story with Ebenezer Scrooge? He’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas present, past, and future.

Third, the cast! Candace Cameron Bure and Jean Smart are a dynamic duo. They work well together, and they play off of each other. I can’t believe they don’t list Jean Smart on this cover. She was Charlene on Designing Women, and she’s just as funny in this role as she was back then.

Fourth, I love the Christian connection in this one. Jean Smart’s character is an angel who’s sent to get Candace’s character back on track. Candace doesn’t understand until Jean tells a story of how God sent a sleigh to save a man who’s buried in the snow. He got three chances but didn’t take any of them. When he dies, he asks St. Peter why God didn’t save him. Peter answers that God sent the sleigh to him three times, but he never took it. It’s a small reference, but I appreciate Hallmark keeping Christ in Christmas.

Finally, and most of all, it’s the shoes! Candace gets to wear some great ones that are full of possibilities. Guys like my husband don’t get it, but I do. When you put on the right outfit, it can change your day, maybe even your life. One of my favorite scenes in the movie shows a Christmas tree made out of shoes.

PS - Would you believe I had a 2nd grade boy ask how many shoes I had? I said I didn’t know, but one can never have too many shoes! He nodded like he understood. I hope he did!
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Amazon’s Description:
As Christmas approaches, Noelle (Candace Cameron Bure) is at a crossroads in her life when it seems that love, a connection with her father, and her dream career are out of reach. When she stays late at her job in a department store on a snowy Christmas Eve, she accidentally gets locked in after closing. She isn't too concerned about the prospect of spending the night in the store… until a quirky woman (Jean Smart) appears out of nowhere in the shoe department and tells Noelle that she's her guardian angel. Soon, Noelle finds herself revisiting Christmases past, present, and future as she must work with her new neighbor, a handsome, Christmas-loving firefighter, to plan the annual Christmas Charity Gala. Will visiting the holidays of yesterday and tomorrow help Noelle take new chances and discover the true spirit of Christmas? And in realizing that the only thing standing in her way of leading a fulfilling life is herself, will the love she has longed for all her life be the best surprise gift of all?