Friday, April 10
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Phoebe!!
This Saturday April 11th will be little puppy Phoebe's FIRST birthday!!
Easter Eats and Easter TREATS
These super easy and fast 3 Ingredient Easter Cookies are simple to make and use ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! They are completely customizable too. Who knew a box of cake mix could be used for more than just cake?
These adorable Bunny Buns are almost too cute to eat! Freshly baked and ready to hop onto your plate.
Nothing says Spring time more than the chirping of baby birds. You can craft your own Edible Candy Bird's Nest following this easy recipe. If you don't have chow mein noodles on hand I bet pretzel sticks would work just as well in a pinch.
This recipe has coconut, cream, and everything in between. If you're craving something sweet and chocolatey then give these Coconut Cream Easter Eggs a go!
If white chocolate and marshmallows are more your thing then I think you'll be happy with this super easy Easter Marshmallow Bark recipe.
Virtual Easter Egg Hunt!
Somewhere hidden on the LES Online website are these 3 Easter eggs. Can you find them all?
Friday Movie Recommendation!
Cindy's movie recommendation for this week is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, a Netflix film based upon the true story of William Kamkwamba who as a young boy helped save his village in Africa. Ian learned about him with Woodside.
Netflix movie synopsis: "Against all the odds, a thirteen year old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine. Based on the best selling book and true story of William Kamkwamba."
Thursday, April 9
Easter Projects and Craft Ideas
Easter is coming up fast! These painted eggs add a little otherworldly fun to your holiday celebration, and you can never make one wrong. Click here for a page with much more in depth instructions on how to make your very own galaxy Easter egg or click here for another variation of the same idea!
Give a plain Jane flower pot a pick-me-up with a holiday or Spring time makeover. This list of 20 Creative Ways to Upgrade Your Boring Flower Pot will give you loads of ideas and inspiration on ways you can jazz up planters for gifts, decoration, or simply to beautify your own potted garden.
Need something to add to that flower pot? 25 DIY Paper Flower Projects has you covered. From lilies, to daffodils, to even paper succulents there is no shortage of tutorials on how to craft your own gorgeous Easter blossoms.
If you're looking for even more to do give Easter Scavenger Hunt Bingo a go!
Completing each task earns you one virtual Easter egg.
If you are feeling competitive, try to see how many eggs you can earn. Each egg is worth 1 point. A BINGO (5 eggs in a row) doubles those points (so you'll have 10)!
Good luck!
Wednesday April 8
Happy First Night of Passover!
Happy Passover to those that celebrate! Tonight marks the first in a row of 8 days where Jewish people observe the holiday Passover. One of the most famous customs is that those celebrating abstain from eating leavened (or risen) bread for all of the days. Bread is replaced by matzah, a large, flat, cracker-like bread made without yeast. Here is a recipe for probably the most popular food at a Passover Seder, matzah balls! This particular recipe calls for a secret, unusual ingredient to make them extra fluffy: seltzer water.
Afikomen Hunt!
Another Passover tradition is finding the Afikomen. The Afikomen is a piece of matzah that someone hides and whoever finds it wins a prize.
Somewhere hidden on the LES Online website is a picture of a piece of matzah. I can't guarantee a prize if you find it, but it's one way to spend some time!
Tuesday, April 7
Please Note:
Lewis used the one mask he carries with him over and over for all his bronze friends. It was used for all of these peacemakers who tested negative for Covid-19!
Brightest Supermoon All Year: Tonight!
Tune into tonight's night sky to witness the biggest and brightest supermoon of 2020! It officially arrives at 10:35 PM and is one of 3 supermoons occuring this year (there was one on March 9th and another to happen on May 7th). Tonight's supermoon will be the closest one of the three to our planet Earth.
This full moon is also known as the Pink Moon, but that does not necessarily mean that the moon will be pink. The name comes from the fact it's happening during early Spring.
A supermoon is a phenomenon that occurs when a full moon is within 90% of the closest distance to Earth than it can be.
Monday, April 6
Soundwaves - Imagine
Time to welcome in a new week! Enjoy this beautiful rendition of John Lennon's Imagine performed by some of the students of Medfield High School, each singing their part out of their home.
Author J.K. Rowling has recently announced a new online hub called Harry Potter At Home where both wizards and Muggles alike can take part in a vast array of free online Harry Potter content including quizzes, puzzles, and video craft tutorials among other activities.
Audible is also offering a free copy of the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. For those who don't use Audible, OverDrive is also offering a free copy of the book in either e-book or audiobook format.
https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/harry-potter-at-home
Friday, April 3
List of 25 Concert Films and Music Documentaries Available to Stream
Bruce Springsteen isn't the only entree on the menu in this listing of 25 different music films available for streaming on various platforms. Amy Winehouse, the Grateful Dead, Quincy Jones, and The Beatles are just some of the star-studded musicians with music to share and stories to tell. It's a fantastic way to spend some time and get your toes a-tapping!
https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/20-concert-films-stream-self-quarantining/
Happy Goats Farm:
Virtual Baby Goats Meet and Greet!
Happy Goats Farm in Holliston will be hosting a special Facebook Live stream this Sunday, April 5th at 4 PM to show off and let everyone meet their new baby goats.
Tune on in and check out some crazy kids!
https://www.facebook.com/events/229014635149409/
Friday Movie Recommendation!
Quoted in the newsletter as Meg's favorite movie of all time, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 Western classic starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Katherine Ross.
From its IMDb page:
"Wyoming, early 1900s. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid are the leaders of a band of outlaws. After a train robbery goes wrong they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. Their solution - escape to Bolivia."
Thursday, April 2
Let's Learn to Play:
Backgammon
If you're bored inside with nothing to do why not learn how to play a new game to pass the time? Backgammon is a simple two-player board game that looks more complicated than it actually is. Simply remove all of your checkers off the board before your opponent can to win. Just watch out for when you get bumped back to start!
Arashi says: "My favorite board game is Meow-opoly."
Wednesday, April 1
Sad News: No Newsletter for February and March...
TED Talk Assignment
Have you ever struggled to have a conversation with someone who just doesn't seem to be listening? Or maybe you've had a tough time paying attention yourself.
It can often seem like an impossible task to talk to people, especially those with clashing points of view, but Celeste Headlee addresses all of that in this TED Talk of 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation.
LES individuals are invited to watch this video, and a discussion about it will follow during tomorrow (Thursday, April 2)'s 1 PM Zoom meeting. For those unable to make it to our Zoom meetings you are still able to participate. E-mail, FaceTime, or even phone call discussions are welcome! - and a perfect opportunity to test out a few things you might have just learned.
APRIL FOOLS!
You can click HERE to view and download our latest February/March edition of the LES newsletter! Additionally, it will be e-mailed as an attachment in today's Zoom meeting invitation. For those unable to access it or desire a hard copy let Lauren know (LrRafal@gmail.com) and it will be mailed to you instead.
Tuesday, March 31
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
KIRSTI!
Today is Kirsti's birthday! Be sure to send many well wishes her way if you can! We can provide contact information if needed.
A Stroll Down Memory Lane
I can almost hear the smooth jazz and smell the wood of the chairs.
This time around Lewis takes us on an extra special video tour of a very familiar location.
It shouldn't take you very long to figure out where it is.
Hopefully won't be long until we'll be pulling dog biscuits out of that oven and streaming podcasts in the craft room again!
Monday, March 30
Animal Cam Central!
Feeling like you need a little bit of the outdoors indoors? Birdwatchers and barnyard buffs rejoice! If things are getting stuffy bring in some fresh air by tuning in to one of The Cornell Lab's many bird species live cams with options ranging from owls to albatrosses to hummingbirds!
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/cornell-lab-feederwatch
Are pigs, horses, and alpacas more your style?
Our friends at Sherborn, MA's Unity Farm are offering an array of live cams featuring many of the farm animals residing on their animal sanctuary.
https://www.unityfarmsanctuary.org/live-cams
Take the time to learn a new skill!
The online craft site Bluprint is offering unlimited access to every class and lesson on their entire site for FREE until April 9! Learn how to quilt, sew, decorate a cake, take photographs, and even yoga and dance.
Newsletter Updates
For anybody working on something for our February/March Newsletter please e-mail your Quirky Quarantine story, article, interview, or segment to LrRafal@gmail.com once it is complete. Lauren is available to help consult with you if you need any assistance as well as edit! Please get all of your Newsletter pieces to her today to make sure the Newsletter gets out in time!
Friday, March 27
Ride Splash Mountain and other Disney park attractions:
Virtually!
We may not be able to go out to places like Disneyland, but Disneyland has found a way to come to us. Why not check out one of these 8 Disney park attractions you can experience virtually from your own home?
Dim the lights, pop the video on fullscreen, and enjoy the ride!
https://www.simplemost.com/virtually-ride-disney-attractions/
Friday Movie Recommendation!
Not everything to do with diseases is bleak and dreary. My movie recommendation for today is the 2001 Warner Bros. partially live action/animated film Osmosis Jones. The story is about Osmosis “Ozzy” Jones, a white blood cell cop working to keep his human Frank free from criminal activity, aka foreign bodies and disease. The only problem is the human he’s tasked to work for is a complete and utter slob! When a particularly bad bug hits his streets it’s up to him and the cold pill Drix to take down the baddy and save Frank.
Newsletter Updates
For anybody working on something for our February/March Newsletter please e-mail your Quirky Quarantine story, article, interview, or segment to LrRafal@gmail.com once it is complete. Lauren is available to help consult with you if you need any assistance as well as edit! If possible, let us try to have everything done by this Friday but no later than Monday the 30th to make sure the Newsletter gets out in time!
Thursday, March 26
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRIS!!
Everyone be sure to wish Chris Randa a very happy birthday today!
Woodside Ahoy!
Yesterday Ian held his first online class with his kids from Montessori. They discussed planning for future lessons using their newfound Zoom technology.
Yaaawwwn!
I'm sure you've wondered why when one person yawns it sets off a chain reaction of yawns from person to person. This short Ted Ed video explores some possible reasoning behind why yawning is just so contagious!
Newsletter Updates
For anybody working on something for our February/March Newsletter please e-mail your Quirky Quarantine story, article, interview, or segment to LrRafal@gmail.com once it is complete. Lauren is available to help consult with you if you need any assistance as well as edit! If possible, let us try to have everything done by this Friday but no later than Monday the 30th to make sure the Newsletter gets out in time!
Wednesday, March 25
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALLISON!
Today is Allison's 28th birthday! If anybody would like to wish her a happy birthday contact any staff and we will give you her contact info!
Newsletter Updates
For anybody working on something for our February/March Newsletter please e-mail your Quirky Quarantine story, article, interview, or segment to LrRafal@gmail.com once it is complete. Lauren is available to help consult with you if you need any assistance as well as edit! If possible, let us try to have everything done by this Friday but no later than Monday the 30th to make sure the Newsletter gets out in time!
Tuesday, March 24
Update Us on You!
How have you been spending your Quirky Quarantine?
For this upcoming Newsletter we will be including a section dedicated to everybody saying how they have been spending their time while social distancing from others. Have you been playing games with your family? Read any good books or watched a new movie? Perhaps you took up a new hobby or finally finished that one project you never thought you'd have the time to complete!
E-mail Lauren at the address provided below when you are ready to submit your piece!
Arashi says: "Finally! Time to play more Paw of Duty!"
Newsletter Updates
For anybody working on something for our February/March Newsletter please e-mail your article, interview, or segment to LrRafal@gmail.com once it is complete. Lauren is available to help consult with you if you need any assistance as well as edit! If possible, let us try to have everything done by this Friday but no later than Monday the 30th to make sure the Newsletter gets out in time!
Monday, March 23
Peace Abbey Projects
Happy Monday, everyone!
Check out our new Peace Abbey Projects page to see what the latest ongoing project is at The Peace Abbey. More is to be added in the coming days.
Newsletter Updates
For anybody working on something for our February/March Newsletter please e-mail your article, interview, or segment to LrRafal@gmail.com once it is complete. Lauren is available to help consult with you if you need any assistance as well as edit! If possible, let us try to have everything done by this Friday but no later than Monday the 30th to make sure the Newsletter gets out in time!
Friday, March 20
TGIF!
Friday is finally here! Before the weekend begins Lewis wants everyone to watch and enjoy this short tour of the Pembroke Quaker meeting house. Why not try enjoying the simplicity and quiet of your day for a little bit too? Just as the Quakers do.
Pictured Right: Cindy and Lauren practicing social distancing during a Carrot Top Drop Off. (Lauren had some carrot greens for Cindy's animals so she tossed them to her from afar.)
Yesterday we tried our hand at a massive Zoom video conference call to rousing success! All are welcome to take part. E-mail LrRafal@gmail.com and you will be added to the list to receive an invite to our next big video bash!
Thursday, March 19
Happy First Day of Spring!
Below is a calendar with some daily prompts and goals you can use to add a little fun to your days.
Kaia wants to show you how she has been spending her Quirky Quarantine!
(Probably so you can pet her belly!)
Wednesday, March 18
Today we should try our best to reach out and keep in touch with one another. Check in with your friends, see how they are doing. What have they been doing to help spend their time during this Quirky Quarantine?
It is more important now than ever to keep connected! Call, text, FaceTime, however you want. We're all in this together!
Show and tell can be a great way to stay connected with one another while sharing something fun and personal.
Come along with Cindy as she takes you on a walking tour of the woods behind her house.
Tuesday, March 17
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
We have some special programming for a special day. For today's program we will be watching a 1995 pre-recorded performance of Riverdance. Open the YouTube link and tune in at your own comfort and convenience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9KkbU4yStM
~*~
Additionally, there will be a special Dropkick Murphys Live Concert Stream tonight at 7 PM. If individuals would rather watch the concert they may do that, or watch both!
http://www.dropkickmurphys.com/
Arashi says: "It may be called the luck of the Irish, but we cats have the eye of the tiger!"
