<![CDATA[Wanda La Claire - Blog]]>Fri, 05 Jul 2024 21:49:37 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Party at the Zoo]]>Wed, 16 May 2018 22:37:03 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/party-at-the-zooI teach a small English class for grade 3. Currently, we are working on creative writing. The boys know that I write stories so they usually ask me to write the same project I've assigned to them. In an effort to get them to think a little more creatively, I told them to write about what the animals in a zoo might do after the humans have gone home.  This short story got a big response.

Party at the Zoo

Paul blinked his eyes and stretched, trying to wake up. He hadn't slept well through the day because it was so hot. 
"Hey, are you awake, uh, are you?" a high-pitched voice grew louder along with the sound of flapping feet. "Are you? Huh? Huh? Are you awake?"
Forcing his eyes open, Paul looked around for the owner of the voice. His gaze found a ring-tailed monkey standing up-right with a goofy smile on his face.
"Go away Henry," Paul yawned. He felt that a couple hours of sleep was what he wanted to do.
The monkey dithered, switching his weight from one foot to the other. The smile slowly disappeared as Henry tried to figure out what to do. He desperately wanted to go to the party but he was afraid of Brian. Henry was convinced that elephant wanted to eat him. It didn't matter that elephants were supposedly vegetarians. Something that big just had to eat other animals. Henry needed Paul to protect him. 
"You know Jane will be there," Henry said, watching Paul carefully for any signs of interest.
One eye opened and looked at the monkey.
Henry smiled.
"Okay," Paul grumbled and hauled himself to his feet.
The monkey darted ahead and opened Paul's cage. The two of them set off for the party a leisurely pace that had Henry jumping with impatience and prattling non-stop. 
They reached the polar bear enclosure and found the bears had gone all out. Christmas lights circled the trees and the flat-topped rocks were covered with hors-d'oeuvres and candles. The monkey was impressed but when he glanced at Paul, he seemed preoccupied. Probably looking for Jane, Henry concluded. 
The dishes rattled as the elephants walked through the gate. 
"Hey, guys," one of the polar bears shouted. "Step lightly."
"Sorry," Brian replied with an embarrassed expression on his face and actually tried to tiptoe. 
"Don't hurt yourself," a sultry voice commented, causing all the animals to turn to the newcomer. A beautiful golden lioness stood on the edge of the polar bear enclosure. 
The elephant's face reddened in humiliation. She was so impressive that she always made Brian feel clumsy and awkward.
Jane gracefully descended into the polar bear enclosure. Paul followed as if he were being pulled along by an invisible string. The lioness sauntered along the food tables, sniffing what was available 
"No meat," Paul commented.
"No," Jane said, turning to look at him. "I suppose that would be insensitive to the prey."
"Boy, I'll say," Henry squeaked in fear. "That would be insensitive for sure. Speaking for those of us who are vegetarians, we would feel very uncomfortable."
"You're a monkey," Jane said in her wonderful voice.
"Well, yeah, I'm a monkey," Henry agreed. "I am a monkey. Definitely a monkey."
"Monkeys eat meat," Jane looked at Henry so closely that he became even more uncomfortable.
"Yes, yes," Henry jabbered in his high-pitched, irritating voice. "You're right, of course, of course, you are. I mean we do eat meat but it's rare, very rare. I mean we rarely do it and not that we eat it rare. Although, I guess we do eat it rare."
Paul gave Jane an embarrassed look and then, opening his mouth wide, Paul swallowed Henry in one gulp. Brian trumpeted in alarm.
"Thank goodness you to put a stop that racket," Jane smiled.
Shaking out his huge mane, Paul smiled back, revealing his large canine teeth.
"Why was he with you?" she asked.
"He wanted protection from Brian," Paul said.
"That very stupid," she laughed. "He asked a lion for protection from an herbivore?"
 Paul just licked his lips and smiled.
]]><![CDATA[Lightening Storm]]>Mon, 25 May 2015 00:46:42 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/lightening-storm
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A couple of nights ago, I was walking home on a beautiful evening and I took this picture of the crescent moon and Venus. Jupiter was also in the sky (in the upper left corner) but that planet was just a little too faint for my iPhone camera to pick up. In the picture, you can see that it was a clear night in Vancouver. Oddly, there was a lightening storm in Burrard Inlet. I couldn't manage to capture any of the lightening flashes but it was fun to watch. The flashes would light up the thunderhead cloud formation that squatted over the north shore mountains but I never heard any thunder.
]]><![CDATA[March 18th, 2015]]>Wed, 18 Mar 2015 21:26:10 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/march-18th-2015Picture
This plant always reminds me of Robert Frost's poem, Nature's First Green is Gold. There's a line that says, "her early leaf a flower" and it is very true for this bush. The flowers are the small white bell shapes you can see in the center of the picture but it's the leaves that really grab your attention. When this plant spouts new leaves, they are a brilliant pink, which slowly fade to green. I've seen other plants where the new leaves are an amazing red. The odd thing is these plants rarely have attractive flowers. Every year, I watch for the very first buds because, as Robert Frost says, if really is "her hardest hue to hold".
]]><![CDATA[The 10 to 10 Rule]]>Tue, 03 Mar 2015 05:45:49 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/the-10-to-10-rulePicture
Growing up, I was taught that you never call anyone before 10:00 am and never after 10:00 pm. It was considered polite. But, that rule seems to have disappeared. I don't mind the late night text messages, I'm up anyway, but I really hate being woken up at 6:00 am by an incoming message. I keep my phone by my bed because I use the alarm, so... Why did this rule change? Am I some sort of oddball for keeping my phone by my bed? Yes, I know, I can set it so it automatically shuts off at night. But I'm reluctant to do that. Emergencies to crop up and the phone doesn't make distinctions; it won't simply let the important calls through. Recently I had friends who needed help, the last thing I wanted to do was shut off my phone and make myself unavailable. So, what is the solution? I haven't thought of a good one. So my lame 'solution' is to put up with the odd wake up call in order to be there for the people who need me.
]]><![CDATA[February 26th, 2014]]>Thu, 27 Feb 2014 01:11:04 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/february-26th-2014I came across something interesting the other day. It turns out that Venus has a forty year cycle that ancient people tracked. As Venus moves through its orbit there is a point where, from our perspective, the planet is as far away from the sun as it can get. This point is known as the greatest eastern elongation or greatest western elongation, depending on whether Venus is the morning star or evening star. If you spent eight years mapping when Venus reached eastern elongation it would form a pentagram, a lopsided pentagram but still a pentagram. If you continued to map Venus' position in the sky for forty years you would find that the pentagram rotates through five cycles (clockwise), returning to its original position. You'll find tonnes of images and videos of this but the majority of them incorrectly use Venusian conjunctions or oppositions. The ancients certainly didn't use conjunction or opposition because neither of those are visible to the naked eye. Some people have suggested that this forty years cycle is where the number forty gained it's mystical significance. (Think of all the times forty is used in the bible) It's hard to know for sure but, hey, it's a reasonable guess. One of the problems with this idea is that, historically, the pentagram has not been associated with the planet Venus.

To see a proper version of what the lopsided pentagram looks like, check out the link below. 
Link to see Video
]]><![CDATA[Mon, Oct 28, 2013]]>Tue, 29 Oct 2013 00:24:03 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/mon-oct-28-2013
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Vancouver is, of course, famous for its rain. Generally, we have several nice weeks in Sept and then rain until March or April. This year we've been having beautiful weather. I took this picture yesterday. The forecast is for rain in two days so everyone is out walking in the sun.
]]><![CDATA[Playing with a couple new apps]]>Thu, 04 Jul 2013 18:01:08 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/playing-with-a-couple-new-apps

I'm playing with a new news app for my phone. Naturally, it doesn't do quite what I want. Apps always allow you to like things on Facebook but they don't let you choose your Facebook page. I'm also trying to find a way to post things to my blog (here) but again not easy. Anyway, here's an interesting article.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130704095057.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29

]]><![CDATA[A New Book Idea]]>Sat, 15 Jun 2013 07:22:54 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/a-new-book-ideaGetting eaten by the Big Bad Wolf is no picnic as Scarlett knows from experience. After being rescued by The Huntsman she agreed to join his team but it turns out that slaying the Big Bad isn't quite what she thought it would be.

Let me know what you think.
To Read the First Two Chapters
]]><![CDATA[Mountains in the Clouds]]>Sun, 26 May 2013 21:31:18 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/mountains-in-the-cloudsPicture
It a gloomy day in Vancouver but still warm, the kind of day where I wish my balcony were a little bigger so I could outside without getting wet. One of those days where the North Shore Mountains are completely hidden by clouds. Maybe it's a good thing that it's raining because I had to spend the morning fixing broken links on my website.
]]><![CDATA[The Birds]]>Wed, 22 May 2013 03:01:57 GMThttp://www.wandalaclaire.ca/blog/the-birdsPicture
There are a lot of birds around my place and in the mornings they can be noisy. This morning a new bird joined the chorus. At first, I thought it was a machine. It sounded more like a squeaky toy than a bird and it chirped like a metronome. When it went off the beat, I decided it was a living thing. I think the new bird also riled the others, making a racket this morning. The picture was taken by me while I was in Honduras.
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