Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Autumnal Equinox :: So Long, Summer!




FACT: Seasons change as we orbit the sun.

SpringSummerAutumnWinter

Twice a year, around March 20 or 21 and Sept. 22 or 23, our sun shines directly over the equator. That event marks the beginning of spring or fall. What is the equator?



Public Domain photo



e·qua·tor
[əˈkwā•dər]
noun
  1. an imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres and constituting the parallel of latitude 0°.





In March when the sun shines directly over the equator, the event is called the spring or vernal equinox. In September when the sun shines directly over the equator, the event is called the fall or autumnal equinox





The Autumnal Equinox occurred in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. at 1:22 A.M.



Things to look for in fall:

1. Deciduous (di•si•jo͞o•əs) trees will change color and drop all their leaves. Evergreen trees will not. Evergreen trees will stay forever green. :-) Why do the leaves of deciduous trees change color? Use World Book Online to research. Remember, do NOT copy sentences. That is plagiarism, and it is against the law! Take notes, and then turn your notes into your own sentences. 


Photo by Grandma Barb


2. On the equinox, there are exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The day and night hours are equal. However, as we continue into fall, the days will get shorter and the night hours will get longer. This pattern will continue until we reach the winter solstice. That is the longest night of the year and marks a new season, winter.



3.  Because the northern hemisphere is now tilted away from the sun, the days will start to become cooler. People will change their behavior. What sorts of behavioral changes will your family make as the days get shorter and cooler?  (In southern California, we have mild climate. We don't get too cold in our community.)

There are many fall festivals or holidays. Watch the BrainPop video about fall to learn about the many harvest festivals celebrated. Do you celebrate any of these autumn holidays? If so, please share so we can learn from you! 

Check out the FREE BrainPop video about Fall. 


4. Some animals in the northern hemisphere will change their behavior. As fall leads to winter, some animals migrate, or move, to a warmer area. Others try to fatten up for the winter they know is coming. 



Again, BrainPop Jr. has a FREE video about fall. 

  


Share some fun facts about fall!
Did you use BrainPop or World Book Online as a reference? 


If you are in the southern hemisphere, tell us what season you are enjoying! How are you changing your behavior? 



40 comments:

  1. And don't forget Mrs Yollis that in the Southern Hemisphere the reverse is true - we're heading into Summer here (and looking forward to it) so the rules are in reverse for us! Great to see that your class is back online and posting and looking forward to seeing the results of your school year.
    Mr Webb and Room Three, Auroa Primary School, Taranaki, New Zealand, Southern Hemisphere
    mrwebbauroa.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ Mr. Webb and Room 3 (New Zealand)

      You are correct! The seasons are indeed opposite in the southern hemisphere. It is kind of hard to believe, but I know it is true.

      What is the climate like in winter where you are? What are the average temperatures?

      Your northern hemisphere friend,
      Mrs. Y♥llis

      Delete
    2. @Mrs.Yollis,

      When you mentioned the Summer Solstice, something
      went click. In Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief when
      Ares stole the master bolt, the quest was over on the
      winter solstice, (maybe summer).


      Sincerely,
      Kostaki

      Delete
  2. In the fall, I wear boots to school because it rains. We also get new jackets in the fall because it's cold.

    In fall, I bake cookies and meatload. We go to the Pumpkin Patch to get pumpkins.

    We celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving. For Halloween, we decorate our house and go to the Pumpkin Patch.

    For Thanksgiving, I help my mom bake the turkey. Some times we also go over to my grandmother's house.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ Kate,

      What a terrific comment about fall!

      I love to wear boots too! They are so comfortable, and they keep me so warm.

      There are many wonderful fall holidays. One of my favorites is Thanksgiving. First of all, I like how families get together and spend time talking with one another. Second, I am a big fan of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. It is one of my favorite meals of the year. Finally, I enjoy having the week off. As much as I love teaching, I enjoy sleeping in and spending time with my family and friends during the fall break.

      Tell us about your Thanksgiving!

      Warmly,
      Mrs. Y♥llis

      Delete
    2. @Kate
      I like to cook too. I usually make some cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie (the most delicious part) and sometimes turkey. When it's not Thanksgiving I also like to cook cherry pie with my grandma.
      When you get your pumpkins for Halloween, what size do you get? I like perfect pumpkins-- not too fat or too thin. I usually carve them to look happy. Do you like scary, sad or happy pumpkins?

      Your friend,
      Lily

      Delete
  3. Hi Mrs. Yollis,
    The holiday I celebrate in the fall is called Mid Autumn Moon Festival, and the most important thing about this holiday is having a reunion with your family and friends. We eat moon cakes that are round because they look like a full moon. The full moon is important because it represents unity or gathering together. We also have red lanterns that glow for the celebration.

    Other holidays I celebrate are Thanksgiving and Halloween (which is a very special day). Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I usually spend it with my best friend. I have dinner with her and dress up at her house before we go trick or treating. For Thanksgiving, we usually go to my grandma and grandpa's house and eat turkey, salad, seafood and homemade desserts.

    Finally, deciduous trees have leaves that fall off because the trees need to save water and energy for the upcoming winter. They only give up their leaves because they don't need the nutrients the leaves produce during the winter season. That's why trees drop their leaves. The fallen leaves also make the soil better for the tree to grow healthier in the spring.

    Your student,
    Abigail

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Abigail,

      Thanks for sharing the interesting information on the Mid Autumn Moon Festival you celebrate. I would like to taste a moon cake.

      Do you make your own moon cakes or do you buy them at a bakery? What do they taste like?

      A fall festival I like to attend is called Kermis. It is a very old, Belgian tradition where farm families came together to celebrate the end of a good growing season and the completion of a successful harvest of their crops. Some of my family originally came from the Brussels, Belgium area in Europe and settled in a small community they named Brussels in Wisconsin. Even though there aren’t nearly as many farmers today in Brussels, WI as there were in the olden days, everyone still likes to celebrate Kermis just to get together with friends and share Belgian foods.

      One of my favorite Belgian foods served at Kermis is called booyah. Doesn’t booyah sound like something to be served on Halloween - boo-yah!! Actually, it is a very delicious and hearty chicken soup.

      Sincerely,
      Barb (Troy’s Grandma from Wisconsin) aka Grandma Barb

      Delete
    2. @ Troy's Grandma from Wisconsin

      We usually buy the moon cakes from a bakery, but my grandma also makes them. The filling is sweet and is made with red beans, green mung beans, or some even have an egg in the middle. The outside is a bread pastry and flaky. It's sweet but not too sweet.

      Also, thank you for sharing about the holiday you celebrate because it wasn't on the Brain Pop video I watched. What is in booyah other than chicken and chicken soup? Do you open presents? What are some examples of Belgium food? I went to Belgium once when I was little. However, I don't remember it that well, but I do remember eating french fries with mayonnaise there.

      Love,
      Abigail

      Delete
    3. Hi Abigail,

      The moon cakes you described sound so interesting and flavorful. Sometime I will have to try one!

      Booyah is a thicker style of chicken soup. Some may even call it a chicken stew. The main ingredients are chicken, carrots, celery and homemade chicken broth along with some seasonings. If you like chicken soup, your would probably like booyah.

      Another Belgian food served at Kermis is Belgian pie. The crust on this pie is not a typical, flakey pie crust. Rather it is a sweet dough much like dough made to make sweet rolls. When made well, it is light and delicious, and sweet but not too sweet, much like the way you described the moon cakes.

      Each pie has a different filling. Some have cherry filling with a special cheese topping. Some have rice with custard filling that is usually served with fresh whipped cream. Other toppings are prune, poppyseed, or apple. There are plenty of Belgian pies to choose from.

      My Mom is 87 and has made Belgian pies using her Grandma's recipe many times. I want to learn how to make them so we are going to make them together very soon. It should be fun to learn from an expert, my Mom!

      Have you ever helped your Grandma make moon cakes?

      Sincerely,
      Barb (Troy's Grandma from Wisconsin) aka Grandma Barb

      Delete
    4. @Grandma Barb

      Hi Grandma Barb,
      My favorite holiday in Fall is Thanksgiving. It's my favorite because I get to celebrate this holiday with my cousins and I don't get to see them often.
      Another reason is, I get to spend it at the beach.It is beautiful there. I gather sea shells and interesting rocks.

      Halloween is fun too but I don't go to the beach on Halloween and unlike most kids, I don't eat that much candy when I get it.

      What do you do on Thanksgiving? Do you go some place special ?

      Love ,
      Maddie

      Delete
    5. Hi Maddie,

      I can see why Thanksgiving is your favorite holiday in fall. Spending time with cousins you don’t get to see often and doing it at the beach sounds like lots of fun!

      My Thanksgiving tradition is to spend time with my family and make a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. My Mom is 87 and lives in a city about an hour and half north of where I live. I always go to my Mom’s house and we make Thanksgiving dinner together. We share dinner with any of my relatives who can make it. After dinner, we sometimes play cards or go to visit my aunts, uncles, and cousins who live in the same city as my Mom.

      Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for what we have so it seems fitting for both you and me to spend that special day with our families!

      I am curious about the seashells and rocks you collect at the beach. Do you do anything special with them?

      This summer when my grandson, Troy, and his family were visiting me in Wisconsin, we went to a nearby state park and heard a gentleman give a fascinating talk about looking for and collecting rocks. He told us that people who are rock collectors are called Rock Hounds. He was wearing a T-shirt that had a huge picture of a Hound dog on it surrounded by rocks. His silly shirt helped me to remember he was a Rock Hound.

      SIncerely,
      Barb (Troy’s Grandma from Wisconsin) aka Grandma Barb

      Delete
  4. Hi it's Maddie, During the fall my family's schedule is very busy because my brother sister and I all have sports, school and holidays. On the week days we have practices and on the weekends we have games. Sometimes my games are far away, like Chino or Long Beach.
    Every Thanksgiving my grandma rents a beach house for the whole family to enjoy. We get to spend time with our cousins and have lots of fun. I can't wait to go this year. What is your Thanksgiving tradition?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Mrs. Yollis,

    My favorite season is actually Fall. I love seeing all the leaves in different colors. We used live in Tulsa, OK, and Rockville, MD, and the Fall leaves were always very pretty there. I also like Fall because it starts to get chillier. I’m getting tired of the heat and can’t wait to wear long sleeves.

    Halloween is in the Fall, and it’s one of my favorite holidays. I love finding a new costume every year and going trick-or-treating. Last year I got a lot of candy. It’s fun to going to harvest festivals, going on hayrides, and carving pumpkins. Two years ago, we actually picked a pumpkin that was actually two that grew together!

    I wouldn’t mind living in a place where the leaves changed colors and the weather got cooler in the Fall.

    Would you want to live in a place like that?

    Happy Thursday!

    Ari

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Ari,
      I would like to live where the breeze is cooler and the temperature is really cool because you don't get so sweaty. The breeze in Fall makes your hair fly up into the sky. In the Fall, you get to see the pretty sight when the leaves change to red or orange.

      Also in Fall, you can go apple picking. When you go home, you maybe want to make an apple pie? Have you ever made an apple pie?

      Your Friend,
      Keya

      Delete
    2. Hi Ari,

      Wow, you have lived in some interesting states. I have never been to Oklahoma or Maryland though I do visit my grandchildren in California quite often. Actually, I’m in California visiting them right now and it is at least 20 degrees warmer in CA than in WI.

      Now you are experiencing California. Can you give an example of something you liked or something special you remember about each state you have lived in?

      I have to agree with you wholeheartedly, fall is my favorite time of the year, too! I don’t mind some warm weather but I am much happier with cooler temperatures. I also love watching how the leaves change colors, hearing how they crunch when you walk on them, and smelling the air after a fall rain. Fall is a feast for all of your senses!

      In Wisconsin, as in several of the states you have lived in, we get to experience all four seasons. I know when fall arrives I have different tasks to do in my yard before winter comes like cleaning up my flower gardens and putting lawn furniture away,

      The pumpkin you picked two years ago that was actually two pumpkins that grew together sounds very unusual. If you have a photo of it, maybe you could post it on the 365 Photo blog so we could see it.

      Sincerely,
      Barb (Troy’s Grandma from Wisconsin) aka Grandma Barb

      Delete
    3. Hi Keya,

      I went apple picking it's my aunt and uncle a couple years ago. My brother, sister, and cousin were there too. I hope I can go again soon. My aunt is a really good cook, and she helped us make an apple pie when we got home. I ate it is with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.

      How do you to eat apple pie?

      See you tomorrow!

      Your friend,

      Ari

      Delete
    4. Hi Grandma Barb,

      I really miss the people in Oklahoma. They are so friendly. We made some good friends, and my mom even keeps in touch with some of them.

      I miss playing in the snow in Maryland. However, I mostly miss being so close to Washington, D.C.. We got to do a lot of really neat things. My mom's friend got us a private tour of The Capitol. That was really cool. We also got to go trick or treating at the National Zoo. Did you know that the zoo there is part of the Smithsonian? My favorite museum is the Air and Space museum. It's really cool. Have you been to Washington, D.C..? What's your favorite museum there?

      My mom found a picture of th double pumpkin and sent it to Mrs. Yollis to post.

      Your friend,

      Ari

      Delete
    5. Hi Ari,

      I can see that you have good memories of Oklahoma, Maryland, and Washington, DC. You are very lucky to have experienced living in more than one state.

      I did not know the National Zoo in Washington, DC was a part of the Smithsonian! Thank you for sharing that interesting fact.

      I visited Washington, DC a very, very, very long time ago when I was in high school. It was right after the astronauts landed on the moon and brought back a moon rock. I remember being very impressed with seeing the moon rock at the Air and Space Museum.

      I liked all of the museums and monuments in Washington, DC. I think I could spend a month in Washington, DC and still not have seen everything. Perhaps sometime I will go there again as there are new memorials there for our veterans that were not there when I first visited.

      Have you gone to any museums in California?

      With my grandchildren, I have visited and really enjoyed the Peterson Automotive Museum and the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles and President Reagan’s library in Simi Valley. Presidential libraries are much like museums to me.

      I can’t wait to see the photo of the double pumpkin!

      Sincerely,
      Barb (Troy’s Grandma from Wisconsin) aka Grandma Barb

      Delete
    6. @Grandma Barb,

      I know this seems a little random, but since your from Wisconsin, what is your
      favorite kind of cheese? I actually don't like plain
      cheese. I only like cheese with burgers, weird right?
      I forgot, did you say you were staying at Troy and
      Nolan's house? Correct me.


      Sincerely,
      Kostaki (Troy's friend)

      Delete
    7. Hi Kostaki,

      Your "random" question is a great one and very appropriate to ask someone from Wisconsin, especially someone from Wisconsin who worked for a cheese company for over 20 years!

      It is very hard to choose a favorite cheese because I like all kinds. However, if I had to choose only one, I would choose Cheddar cheese. I like mild, medium, and aged Cheddar and really like a specialty blend called Chipotle Cheddar, which is Cheddar cheese with chipotle peppers in it. It really spices up a sandwich!

      Not everyone likes eating plain cheese. That's not weird at all! Having cheese on a burger is a great way to add a little extra flavor not to mention protein and calcium to your burger.

      Yes, I am staying with my grandkids. Unfortunately, my two weeks in California are over so I will be flying home to Wisconsin on Tuesday. It's been a great visit! I especially enjoyed meeting you and your classmates.

      I like traveling and find flying to be an adventure. Have you ever been on an airplane? If you have, where did you go?

      Just so you know, even though I'll be returning to Wisconsin, I will continue to check the blog daily!!

      Your "cheesy" blogging buddy!
      Barb (Troy's Grandma from Wisconsin) aka Grandma Barb

      Delete
    8. @Grandma Barb,

      I never knew that you worked for a cheese company
      for over 20 years! My favorite kind of cheese is American cheddar. We call my little sister, "The Dairy Queen" because she loves cheese so much.

      I have been on an airplane before, and I've gone to:
      Ohio, Spain, Greece, Mexico,
      Florida and a small airport in Washington D.C. At the airport in D.C., there was a delayed flight because of a snow storm. We also just missed our friends who were going back to L.A.


      Sincerely,
      Kostaki

      Delete
  6. Dear Mrs Yollis and class,

    I enjoyed your post about seasons. I live in Australia, which of course, is in the southern hemisphere. We are currently in the season of spring. We have had some lovely sunny days in recent weeks, amongst some cool and cloudy days. I live in the state of Victoria, and our capital city (an hour from where I live) is Melbourne. People like to say that "Melbourne can have four seasons in one day". So, as that phrase may tell you, our weather can be quite unpredictable!

    Unlike your seasons, our seasons always change on the first of a month. Our seasons are:
    December - February: Summer
    March - May: Autumn
    June - August: Winter
    September - November: Spring

    Another difference is that our fall is called autumn.

    I just saw the weather forecast for tomorrow, and we are headed for 21 degrees Celsius. This is almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Your friend in the southern hemisphere,
    Miss Jordan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Mrs. Jordan,

      When you have Spring, we have Fall.

      What time do you start school and what time do you end school?

      Here in the Fall, it gets cooler and when the leaves change color to red or orange, the leaves look so pretty.

      In the Spring, flowers will start to grow for you in Australia. The weather for you is about a little bit cool and a little bit warm.

      In the Fall, I wish the temperature would be 70 degrees, not too cold and not too hot.

      Sincerely,

      Keya

      Delete
    2. Miss Jordan,

      My name is Kate and I loved reading your entry. I have never been to Australia but I would like to go someday. Your comment of having four seasons in one day really made my think...how do you predict what clothes to wear? Here in California, I look at the weather online and then decide what pair of shorts to wear.It is always hot in California but they are predicting that it is going to rain like crazy this winter. I will have to get some pants and an umbrella. Do you get a lot of rain in Australia?

      Your Friend,

      Kate.

      Delete
    3. Dear Keya and Kate,

      Thank you for replying. I can see you have both already learnt lots about quality commenting from Mrs Yollis.

      We start school at 9.00am and our school day ends at 3.30pm. We are currently on school holidays. We go back for term four (our final term) next week.

      It can be tricky to know what to wear due to the unpredictable weather we experiences at times. I would say our popular phrase about Melbourne having "four seasons in one day" is a bit of an exaggeration, but it does have merit. We can have sunny mornings, then cloudy afternoons and periods of rain and wind before it returns to sunshine! When deciding what to wear, I always look at the weather online like you do. Usually the maximum temperature occurs in the afternoon (sometimes late afternoon). I also take into consideration whether I have yard duty to decide what I'll wear. :-)

      That is interesting that California is predicted to have a lot of rain this winter. I wouldn't say we get a huge amount of rain where I live. It does rain and we can have days when we experience quite a bit of rain, but overall it's pretty average.

      Thanks again for the comments!

      Your friend,
      Miss Jordan

      Delete
    4. @ Miss Jordan,
      Hi. I went to Sydney, Australia before, but I haven't been to Melbourne. Do you know what the population of Melbourne is? I went to Sydney when I was little so I don't remember all of it. I do remember the Sydney Opera House, and I could see it from my hotel room. I also went to visit my friend at the beach. When we went to the beach, the water was freezing.

      Love,
      Abigail

      Delete
    5. Dear Abigail,

      Thanks for the comment. That's great you've been to Australia! Sydney is the state with the largest population in Australia, approximately 4.8 million. Melbourne is a close second with a population of around 4.4 million.

      I have been to Sydney a couple of times. On one visit I climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which was a great experience.

      The beaches in Melbourne and Sydney can take a while to warm up!

      Your friend in Australia,
      Miss Jordan

      Delete
  7. Hi Mrs. Yollis
    I celebrate Halloween. I usually wear a costume. This year I will be Dorothy. My mom will be the Cowardly Lion. My dad will be the Scarecrow. My sister will be the Tin Woodman, and I will carry around my stuffed dog Toto.
    I also celebrate Thanksgiving. I usually go to my grandma's house. One of the traditions my cousins and I do is to play the ghost game. Usually we grab a regular book and pretend it is a book on ghosts. Then someone yells "ghost!" and we all scream. We also look for information on ghosts in the ghost book.

    This past summer I was close to the equator in Costa Rica. It gets dark at 6 every night. I ended up getting really tired at 6, so I pretty much fell asleep at 7pm every night.
    Your student,
    Lily

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Lily,

      I love Halloween to! Last Halloween I had to use a pillow
      case for all my candy! This year I will be Leo from Heroes
      of Olympus series. He is a son of Hephaestus (that was for you Aaron). Leo can make fire in his hand.

      Last Thanksgiving we made candy turkeys with York peppermint patties, chocolate chips, gummy bars and
      cream cheese.


      Sincerely,
      Kostaki

      Delete
  8. Dear classmates,

    Today,I saw two special sky events - a lunar eclipse and a supermoon. Do you know what happenes in a lunar eclipse? During lunar eclipse the

    earth comes in between the sun and the moon and the moon is seen hidden behind the earth.The moon turnes reddish brown. The next lunar eclipse will be in 18 years, but I got a question for you. What is solar eclipse and when is the next solar eclipse going to be?

    Did you know that today's lunar eclipse started from 7:11pm and lasted till 8:23pm. We went on top of a hill to watch this amazing event with so many other people. It was very fascinating. I can't wait for the next lunar eclipse.

    My dad and I took some amazing pictures of the super moon and would like to share with the class. I will ask Mrs. Yollis if I can upload the pictures on the blog site.

    Your friend,
    Rayhan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Rayhan,

      A solar eclipse is when the moon is between the sun and Earth so the sun gets a little darkened. The next solar eclipse is going to be in August 2017. That's less than two years from now!

      I can't wait to see your pictures, Rayhan!

      Your friend,
      Andrew

      Delete
    2. Dear Andrew,

      Well you are correct! Did you know that you cannot look at the sun directly during a solar eclipse.

      I looked up online and found that during a solar eclipse the sun's rays throw harmful UV Rays that are very harmful for the eyes. Hence you would need dark sunglasses to look at the sun.

      Your Friend,
      Rayhan

      Delete
  9. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I like autumn because it is cool how the leaves turn different colors. Deciduous trees turn colors because the chlorophyll (which makes leaves green) goes back into the trees as they get ready for the winter when there is not much sun or water.

    I also like autumn because my brothers and I all have birthdays in autumn! There are balloons, presents, and cake in our house in autumn.

    In the fall, I celebrate Chusok which is Korean Thanksgiving. We bow to our dead ancestors and eat lots of food with our family. Chusok was yesterday when the lunar eclipse happened. We went out on a hill to look for the super moon but it was partly covered by clouds.

    Your student,
    Andrew

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! Its Sarah your old classmate! I am so happy that you are blogging! I have a classroom blog to! Are you happy that thanksgiving is coming? Well I am!
      Love, Sarah

      Delete
  10. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I love all the seasons, however, fall is not my favorite, but it does have a lot of good holidays like Halloween! I like Halloween because I get to dress up .

    I go out to other peoples houses at night when it is dark and trick or treat. We also get to decorate our house with scary Halloween decorations and carve pumpkins.

    This year for Halloween I am going to be a tiger!


    Your student,
    Jock

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Mrs Yollis,

    My favorite season is spring. I like spring because it has, flowers,apple trees,and plants. Do you know that one of the biggest festivals of india "The festival of colors" also known as Holi. It is celebrated at the beginning of spring season. Every year we celebrate this holiday with friends and family at the beach.

    I am very hopeful that we are going to have an amazing year with our awesome teacher Mrs Yollis.

    Your student,
    Rayhan

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Grandma Barb,

    How cold is it in Wisconsin right now? It's still pretty warm here. Are you excited to get home to the cooler weather and the pretty leaves changing. I love the pictures you posted above. The one with the squirrel is my favorite!

    Troy tells me you bake some really yummy cookies. Can you give my mom some recipes? I hope you have some spooky Halloween cookies.

    I hope to meet you sometime soon!

    Your friend,
    Ari

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ari,

      Thank you for asking such good questions about my home state of Wisconsin. Though I’m still visiting in California, I do keep track of the temperature in Wisconsin. Today it was about 57 degrees in the part of Wisconsin I live in. That is quite a bit cooler than the temperature today in California which I believe was around 88 degrees!

      Yes, I will look forward to returning to Wisconsin next week so I can enjoy the cool, fall weather and see how much the trees have changed in color since I left. The hardest part about going home is I will really miss being with my grandchildren every day. If I could just move California closer to Wisconsin, that would be perfect!

      So you’ve heard about my cookies from Troy! I do enjoy baking cookies. Since I’ve been in California I’ve made chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies. Troy has found a new recipe in a magazine for a pecan cookie that he and I are going to experiment with tomorrow after school.

      One of my favorite cookies to make are called cut-out cookies. They are a sugar cookie where you roll out the cookie dough and then “cut-out” different shapes. Do you see where the name “cut-out” cookies comes from?

      I have lots of different shapes of cookie cutters. Most are Christmas shapes but I also have a pumpkin for Halloween, a shamrock for St. Patrick’s Day, and my all time favorite cookie cutter is in the shape of the state of Wisconsin! That one makes a pretty big cookie so my grandkids really like that one!

      I would be happy to share cookie recipes with your Mom. Troy’s Mom has most of my cookie recipes, too.

      Do you have a favorite type of cookie? Do you ever make cookies with your Mom?

      Your blogging buddy,
      Barb (Troy’s Grandma from Wisconsin) aka Grandma Barb

      Delete
  13. Dear Mrs. Yollis,
    Fall is not my favorite season but, I do like the weather. Some days I go outside and feel the breeze when it's cool. I feel that fall has the best weather because it can be hot and cold too.

    A few days ago my mom and I went on a four mile walk (we jogged a bit too). When I got home I was very tired but I was also proud. One of the reasons I liked the walk was that it was nice and cool outside.

    Another reason I like Fall is that I get to eat delicious foods like pumpkin pie, pomegranates, turkey and apple cider. What are some of your favorite fall foods?

    Your Student,
    Maddie





    ReplyDelete

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