The North American Almanac 1927

Copyright 1926, The North American Almanac Co., Chicago.

I love looking at books like this. They help me imagine what daily life was like not so very long ago.  This almanac contains a lot of varied information.  You'll find calendars, information about stars, geographic facts, and articles about people and scientific discoveries.  One discovery to note:

“Astronomers no longer believe in the existence of the alleged intramercurial planet “Vulcan,” observations of which were reported about the middle of the last century.  Disturbances in the movements of Mercury formerly attributed to this hypothetical planet have been explained in an entirely different way by Einstein.”

As interesting as that is, my favorite part of old almanacs is the advertisements in the back.  This book came to mind a few weeks ago as I was leaving my parents’ house after a short visit.  I told my mother I needed to get a few things from the store.  I mentioned the items I needed:

• ·          A print cartridge for my printer

• ·         An SD card for my camera

• ·         A replacement filter for my water purifier

As I drove to the store, I thought about how, just twenty years ago, I never would have had these items on my shopping list.  Today, they seem like necessities.

I glanced in the back of this almanac to see what was advertised that wouldn't be on a shopping list today.

• ·         Pee-chee - ”the perfect white shoe cleaner”

• ·         Wanous Shampoo-Bag – “Free of soap and lather – No tiresome rinsing process.”

• ·         McCoy’s Cod Liver Oil Compound Tablets, “For skinny, underweight men and women they are guaranteed to put on five pounds of solid flesh in 30 days or money back.”  (All 60 cents!)

It makes me wonder what “necessities” will be on shopping lists of the future.

I'd like a box of House-cleaning Bombs. Just set one in your house, go outside and close the door for a few minutes.  Walk back in and the house is clean!  Can someone please invent this?  Then I'd have more time to read!

Sparrows Don't Drop Candy Wrappers

By Margaret Gabel

Illustrated by Susan Perl

Published in 1971

“Sparrows don’t drop candy wrappers. 

  Beavers build no billboards.  

 Trees don’t shed tin cans.  

 Dolphins don’t dump chemicals into the water. 

 Bears don’t belch carbon monoxide. 

 And butterflies need no pesticides. 

How did the air, the water, and the earth 

become so polluted that our sources of food,

 our lungs, and our life expectancy

 are eroding? 

We have met the enemy, and he is us, 

as Pogo has pointed out.”

      

My mother gave me this book when I was quite young. Inside the front cover is my bookplate and opposite that is my name, in my childish printing.  I did that to my books a lot.  I remember reading this book over and over.  I remember taking it to heart and feeling worried for the outdoors that I so greatly enjoyed.  The drawings of the sick looking animals made me sad.  

Some of the suggestions in this book are now a little outdated.  Instead of having to find out if there is an aluminum reclamation center near me, I can just put all my recyclables at my curb each week. Instead of putting low wattage bulbs in our lamps, we’re asked to use compact fluorescents. 

But while the particulars may have changed, the sentiment remains the same. Respect the Earth, respect the creatures of the Earth, and respect your fellow man.

Today is Earth Day.  Some of us may be called to devote our lives to Planet Earth, but most of us aren’t.  The rest of us, though, can still show respect for what we've been given by doing our small part. 

“Every living thing – you, me, the cat, the sparrow, trees, butterflies – all of us need good air and pure water and enough food.  The earth gives us air and food and water.  It keeps us alive.  Let’s return the favor.”

 What will I do? 

I’m going to try to use my printer less.  I’ve had a tendency lately to print out every little document or note.  Instead, I can save documents to my computer, or, if necessary, jot a note on a piece of scrap paper.  Oh, and that bush we just planted in our yard?  I’ll try to remember to take care of it!

What will you do?

Better World Books

 One of my favorite online booksellers:


Better World Books is on online used book store with a heart.  A portion of the proceeds from your purchase is put towards helping literacy programs around the world.  In addition, for every book purchased, they promise to donate a book to either Books for Africa or Feed the Children.  Their business model not only aids literacy around the world, but also saves books from landfills. 

Whenever I'm looking for a particular title, this is where I like to look first.  The book's condition is noted in the description.  You'll know whether there is extensive highlighting or if it's a former library book. 


They have a wide selection with great deals and fast shipping.  

But my favorite part of the buying experience is that when your order ships, you receive a creative e-mail confirmation written from your book's point of view.  Try ordering from them and you'll see!

The Churkendoose

Part Chicken, Turkey, Duck and Goose

Written by Ben Ross Berenberg and illustrated by Dellwyn Cunningham

Originally published in 1946 by Wonder Books

Recording narrated by Ray Bolger

My copy of The Churkendoose

I owe my knowledge of the children’s picture book, The Churkendoose, to my eight older brothers and sisters.  Actually, I owe my knowledge of many topics to growing up as the youngest child in a large family.  I can remember hearing the recording of this book playing on a little phonograph, and my siblings singing along,

“It depends on how you look at things,

It depends on how you look at things,

Is a baby chimpanzee any prettier than me?

Well, it depends on how you look at things.”

The story of the Churkendoose begins in the barnyard when an unusual looking egg is found.  The chicken, turkey, duck and goose all take turns sitting on it.  When the egg finally hatches, out comes a strange looking bird.  The other birds make fun of its looks while the Churkendoose tries to tell them that he’s okay just the way he is.  He’s still young.  He’ll discover what he’s good at as he grows.  As far as his looks, well,

“Can it be that I am such a sight

That when others see me they take fright?
           Though I can see what they meant,

When they said my legs are bent.
               Am I ugly? No, I'm just dif-fer-ent.”

  In the end, of course, this being a children’s picture book, the other animals come to see his worth and the tap dancing, rhyming Churkendoose is welcomed into the barnyard family. 

Although I didn’t know it then, I was learning one of the most important lessons ever.  Don’t ever put a person down because they look or act differently than you.  Each person has something important to offer if we give him the chance. 

Much like my large group of sometimes kind, sometimes teasing, sometimes just plain crazy brothers and sisters, our world is full of Churkendooses.  (Churkendeese?)  Sure, we might not all look alike, appreciate the same things, or live our lives the same way, but isn’t that what makes us great?  Imagine what a better place this world would be if we all took this message to heart!

If you want to hear a short clip from the original recording of the Churkendoose by Ray Bolger, click on this interesting link.

http://kiddierekordking.com/library.html 

Thanks to Kathy Claus for this link with the full Churkendoose recording.  You'll find it in list to the left of the page under "week 19".

http://www.kiddierecords.com/2007/index.htm