The Ohio Renaissance Festival (Part 2)

Another week has come and gone and it's time for round two of my family's recent trip to the Ohio Renaissance Festival. As I mentioned last week, there are many things to do and see at the festival including variety shows. And our favorite show happens to be the one put on by the fabulous Kamikaze FireFlies.

The KF's are comprised of the couple duo of Rob Williams and Casey Martin who graciously pose with visitors after each performance. They hold four Guiness World records, have appeared on America's Got Talent, and have a variety of skills.

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Casey twirls around in the German Wheel never spilling a drop of water out of the drinking glasses.

Rob cracks the whip and keeps everyone in line.

They juggle.

 

Rob likes to climb on people and fire always make its way into one or more act.

 

 
Rob spins a great pirate tale.

And Casey does amazing things with hula hoops.

 

So even if the Ohio Renaissance Festival didn't boast great dining opportunities, fantastic musical performances, jousting, costumed persons galore, the Queen and her entourage, amazing craftsmen, fun vendors, pirates and pirates ships, camel rides, bubbles, and more, it would be worth attending just to see Rob and Casey!

And in case you thought I had forgotten, I did read a great book this week titled, The Cow Who Climbed A Tree. It's the story of a cow who dreamed wondrous dreams and who thought the sky was the limit. Despite her family's declarations that what she dreamed was impossible, ridiculous, and nonsensical, she believed that anything was possible. This book reminded me of Rob and Casey and their dreams of entertaining people everywhere with their amazing talents.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by Literacy Musings Mondays for more great blogs as well as my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Meeting Friends At The Library__ Sort Of__ Part Two

Last week I wrote a piece about finding books at the library written or illustrated by friends. I also shared my friend Dandi's good news. On that same trip to the library, I saw the name Ohi on the spines of two books.  At first I thought it might be works by my friend, Debbie Ohi, the illustrator who  delights me with her daily doodle drawings. She is also the illustrator who is illustrating the new covers for the soon to be re-released Judy Bloom books.

The books I pulled off of the shelf, however, were written and illustrated by her sister, Ruth Ohi. It's not often that you find two such talented people in the same family, so I grabbed The Couch Was A Castle and Chicken, Pig, Cow and added them to my stack.

The Couch Was A Castle is an adorable book that reminded me of my very own living room couch that so often turns into a fort. You just have to love the imagination of a child who creates fantastic dreams from an ordinary every day item. Be it a castle, a leaky boat, or a dark cave, a couch can be an incredible thing. Ruth's book is also an incredible thing with adorable illustrations and incredibly cute characters.

Chicken, Pig, Cow was also a fantastic book. I loved the characters, I loved the illustrations, I loved the drooly dog that solved the barn door problem. I loved the fact that cow passed out when the drooly dog cuddle up to him, but claimed he had made a new friend when he woke up. A very fun book for children four to eight.

Not only do I find being an author incredibly fun, but I find exploring the works of my friends to be incredibly fun and rewarding as well.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, and my soon to be released sequel, Return To Fern Valley, coming summer of 2014! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.