Pickles

I woke up in the middle of the night very thirsty. I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the refrigerator. I grabbed a jar, unscrewed the lid and took a gigantic chug-a-lug of… PICKLE JUICE!

Pickle Juice is one of my favorite drinks. Yes, I consider it an official beverage.

I went back to bed and had a dream about PICKLES! A very tall man, who was dressed in a PICKLE costume, chased me down the street. On second thought, maybe it was a pickle nightmare. Luckily, the alarm woke me before I found out!

Now that I have revealed how odd I really am, guess what our MUSE is this week…

PICKLES!

Cucumber

While many foods can be pickled, a true “pickle” is a pickled cucumber. People have been pickling cucumbers for nearly 4,000 years.

It all started when people from Northern India took some cucumber seeds to the Tigris River Valley in present day Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Soon, people learned how to preserve these vegetables by packing them in a salty brine. Eventually this technique would spread into Europe.

During early sea exploration, explorers (and pirates) learned that eating pickles helped prevent scurvy. Scurvy is a NASTY disease that happens when your body lacks Vitamin C. To prevent scurvy, all you have to do is eat fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, fresh fruits and vegetables would not last an entire sea voyage, but PICKLES would!!!

Next time you look at some illustrations of old pirates, check and see how many teeth they have. One symptom of scurvy is spongy gums and the loss of teeth. GROSS!

Some believe that if it were not for the PICKLE, Christopher Columbus and his crew would have died of scurvy before making it to America.

Also, the man that America is named after (Amerigo Verpucci) was not only an explorer but a pickle merchant.

The pickle became very popular with kings and queens throughout the world. Cleopatra , the Queen of Egypt, claimed that pickles were good for health and beauty. The first Queen Elizabeth LOVED pickles and so did George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and uh, The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley (wink).

So, how is a pickle made?

While there are many different varieties of pickles, ranging from sweet to VERY sour, the dill pickle is the most popular. Take a look at this video and see how dill pickles are made at home.

Pickles are YUMMY by themselves, but you will find many recipes that call for these scrumptious delights, too. One of my favorite recipes that REQUIRES pickles is potato salad. I like both sweet and dill pickles in my potato salad.

Another fantastic way to eat a pickle is to fry them. I LOVE FRIED PICKLES! Take a look at this video and see how it is done. WARNING: If you want to make pickles or fry pickles, make sure to ask an adult for help (smile).

Here is another FUN pickle fact: The average American eats 9 pounds of pickles a year, but Professor Watermelon eats at least double that amount!

Before we start writing, I must show you a book written by one of my favorite friends, Kim Baker!

I wonder what her MUSE was??? Take a look a look at the book trailer below.

If you want to order a copy, ask your parents to follow this link.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character ate only pickles?

WHAT IF your main character dug up an ancient pickle in his/her backyard?

WHAT IF there was a mad scientist trying to pickle the planet?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “brine”. Here is the definition: a salt and water solution for pickling.

Peafowl

Photo By: Rob Atherton

When I was a youngster, my Mom would take me to a petting zoo. For a nickel we could buy a handful of corn to feed the goats, llamas and ponies. But I was much more interested in the feathers I found on the ground. PEACOCK feathers!

The colors on these feathers sparkled in the sun, and I was truly AMUSED!

Boys, girls, cocks, hens, and chicks… We’ve found our MUSE!

PEAFOWL!

Peahen (Female) Photo By: Hafiz Issadeen

That’s right, PEAFOWL. Peacocks are only the males. They are the ones with stunning feathers. Peahens are the females. And peachicks are the babies. Take a look at the photographs of each and notice their color differences.

Peafowl are native to Asia. In fact, the peacock is India’s national bird. Do you know what our national bird is (USA)?

That’s right, the Bald Eagle!

Today, peacocks can be found all over the world. This is probably because they are relatively easy to take care of, and they are so BEATIFUL!

Take a look at this video to see a peacock fan his plumage.

Amazing, huh? There are a few reasons peacocks display their feathers like this. First, it attracts the ladies (wink). Secondly, those eyes on the peacock’s feathers can scare away predators. And finally, when a peacock fans his feathers, he can hear things better. Have you ever cupped your hand behind your ear so that YOU can hear things better? It works the same way.

Peacocks molt or shed their feathers in the fall. On a peafowl farm, this is when farmers harvest the feathers to sell. Yes, there are indeed peafowl farms. Follow this link to a farm in Minden, Iowa!

Peafowl egg

Not only do people like to buy peacock feathers, some people like to eat peafowl eggs. One peafowl egg is equal to two chicken eggs. Don’t ask me what they taste like. I wouldn’t know.

Since we are on the topic of diet, let’s discuss what peafowl eat. Since they are omnivores, they will eat both plants and animals. This includes grass, seeds, flower blooms, insects, small reptiles and small amphibians.

Peachic, Photo By: Adrian Scottow

And you might be quite surprised that these birds roost high in the trees. With so many feathers, I thought it would be hard for peafowl (especially the males) to carry such weight during flight. While peafowl roost in trees, they build their nests on the ground. A peahen will raise up to six peachicks a year.

Oshun, The Yoruba Goddess of Love

In Asia, the Peacock is highly respected. In fact, the Iranian throne is named the “Peacock Throne”. In the Hindu religion, the God of War and Victory is symbolized by the peacock. And In Africa, Oshun, the Yoruba Goddess of Love and Beauty is symbolized by the peacock.

And if you have ever watched television, I am sure you have seen the NBC logo. Look closely and you will find… a peacock.

White peacock, Photo By: Erik Kilby

Before we begin writing, I want to give you three more quick facts about peacocks. They can live up to thirty-years-old. A flock of peafowl is called “party”. And some peacocks are completely WHITE.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character woke up one morning and found a white peacock roosting on his/her windowsill?

WHAT IF you wrote a story about a peacock party (celebration)?



NBC Logo

WHAT IF your main character lived on a peafowl farm? What if somebody was trying to steal the peacocks’ feather before fall?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “roost”. Here is the definition: a perch upon which birds or fowls rest at night.

Ladybugs

I LOVE BUGS! And if you have been taking my creative writing classes, following my blog or reading my book, I am sure you have figured that out. Honeybees and Dragonflies have both been a recent Weekly Muse.

We all have certain MUSES that catch our attention more quickly than others, and when I saw these glass ladybugs, my imagination went wild.

So, can you guess our MUSE this week? It wears red with black polka dots… Drum roll, pleeeeeeeease!

LADYBUGS!

Seven Spotted Ladybug

What? I had already given it away? It was too easy to guess? I will try harder and build a stronger mystery next week (wink).

While there are nearly 5,000 species of ladybugs, the most popular is the Seven Spotted Ladybug. This ladybug has a shiny red body with the classic black spots. This ladybug comes from Europe. It was brought to the United States to help with pest control.

Yes, these CUTE little bugs are ravenous aphid eaters. Gardeners and famers love ladybugs and ladybug larvae for this reason. Aphids are very small insects that suck the nutritious juices from plants, leaving the plants withered and lifeless. Within a ladybug’s lifetime, it can eat up to 5,000 aphids. WOW!

Take a look at this video and watch a ladybug eating an aphid. Slimy, yet satisfying!

Many people do not like to use chemical pesticides in their gardens. Yes, pesticides are an easy way to get rid of unwanted pests, but they are also harmful to OUR health. But there is a solution. Home gardeners can BUY ladybugs. Take a look at this video and see how it works.

Ask your parents if they are interested in buying some ladybugs for your garden. Here is a link to a Ladybug Farm.  

Photo By: B. Tristan Denyer

So, if ladybugs eat aphids, what eats ladybugs? Spiders, dragonflies, wasps, frogs and BIRDS! But most birds recognize the ladybug’s bright color and know to hunt for something else. Ladybugs taste NASTY. When threatened, ladybugs secrete a smelly substance from the joints of their legs. Next time a ladybug lands on you, smell it. You’ll know what I’m talking about. Cute, but STINKY!

However, some people believe that if a ladybug lands on you, it means GOOD LUCK!

Ladybugs are most active during warm weather. When the weather turns cold, they will find shelter and hibernate. They will often hibernate together in a colony. Sometimes these colonies grow to thousands of ladybugs! NEAT!

So, I bet you are all wondering if all ladybugs are girls. Nope! There are boy ladybugs and girl ladybugs. Watch the trailer from “A Bug’s Life” to see a funny joke about this. You can fast forward to 1:35 if you don’t want to watch the whole thing.

In fact, ladybugs were named after the Virgin Mary. European famers believed that their prayers were answered when these bugs swooped in and saved their crops from pests. Farmers began calling these miraculous critters “Beetles of Our Lady”. So, there you have it.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF the setting of your story was a ladybug farm?

WHAT IF the main character in your story had a pet ladybug? WHAT IF your character could talk with this ladybug and understand its language.

WHAT IF those glass ladybugs are enchanted? Who did they belong to? What is special about these glass ladybugs?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “pesticide”. Here is the definition: a chemical used for killing pests, especially insects and rodents.

African Violets

African Violet

Most grocery stores have a floral department. And in these floral departments you will almost ALWAYS find a display of beautiful African Violets. 

Get your GREEN THUMBS ready! We’ve found another MUSE!

African Violets!

Here are some interesting facts I discovered about African Violets.

Over 20 million African Violets are sold in the United States of America. This makes them THE most popular houseplant in the world. Take a look at this video and see an African Violet nursery up close.

The African Violet is native to Tanzania, a small East African country. The wild variety was found by a German colonialist is the late 19th century. He sent some seeds home to Europe where they were propagated.  (Look at the end of this post to find the definition of this BIG word.)

African Violets were introduced to American households in the 1920’s, and we have been in love with them ever since. There are even societies and clubs dedicated to these charming plants.

But the most interesting fact is how they are propagated today. Most other plants are grown by seeds, roots, or bulbs. The African Violet is started from a “mother leaf”.

You simply cut a leaf (diagonally) from the “mother plant” and stick it into some soil. If you keep it watered, you should have a baby African violet plant within six weeks. From there, you should do some more research on how to grow successful plants, especially if you want yours to bloom.

So, with that new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these “what if’s” will help you get started.

What if you found a new plant species that held magical powers?

What if you planted a “mother leaf” but something else grew instead – a monster that eats only African Violets?

What if people could plant their toenails (Eww) to grow a clone of themselves?

The possibilities are endless! And please leave your own “WHAT IF” questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

Grab a cup of hot cocoa, a piece of paper and a pencil, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere! I look forward to seeing where you take us!

With Imagination,

Prof. Watermelon

P.S. The word of the week is “propagate”. Here is the definition: To cause (an organism) to multiply by any process of natural reproduction from the parent stock.