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Saturday, April 28, 2012

The Stealth Bomber Bass Killer

In my last post I mentioned the Stealth Bomber Fly but soon realized that I had failed to add any pics of this fly in the mouth of a bass or any instruction on how to tie this little wonder bug.  So with the purpose of getting a few bass pics with the fly in the mouth, I took an hour off and hit the local pond.  They are not the biggest fish I have seen hooked with this fly but with the hour I had to fish in the heat of the afternoon, they ain't a bad catch.
From what I can gather, the Stealth Bomber fly pattern was created by Kent over at who I come to find out was a native of my area of SC.  Gotta love the local boys.  On his website you will get one of the best in-depth descriptions of not only how to tie up this bad boy but also how to cut the pattern for the foam as well as how to fish it.  This site came in especially handy for me since the first few hook sets I tried while fishing this fly very nearly ended up with the hook being neatly set in my right eye.  I soon learned that a strip set is best despite the automatic reaction most of us have to raise the rod tip.

Anyway, click over and check it out, especially the PDF on how to tie this fly.  Great fly Kent and thanks again to Kev for getting me hooked on this fly.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Tying Flies And Catching Bass

Despite the pressures of work and household duties I did manage to get a few hours at the vise the other evening and discovered something about myself.  I believe that I am the slowest fly tier there is.  In just less than two hours I only managed to tie up a pitiful six flies.  That's right, SIX.  Granted that there were a few other distractions present and I was not fully concentrating on the task at hand but still, It was a disgraceful showing.
So what was so complicated that it took me so much time to make six flies?  Truth is the flies were not that complicated, I am just that slow.  First up was the bass and bream killer known as the Stealth Bomber.  I picked up a few materials to create this little effective bug at the Fly Fishing Show in NC this year and later got some instruction from Kevin.  I tied a few up in white to augment my box and then a few more in black.  I have to admit that I had to consult the instructions a few times during the first tie job - my memory for specifics of each fly is a bit hazy and I tend more often than not to just wing it.
Of course even when I have the directions and material lists in front of me I also tend to substitute my own material at hand for the recommended materials.  In fact that is how I do most everything.  I guess that deep down I just think I'm smarter than the expert.  More often than not I come to find out that the expert is called an expert for a reason but when it comes to my own flies that I am going to fish, I don't really care.  They are mine so the Bombers you see are not the recommended way to tie them up but for me they still work just as well.
Next up was a foam popper, the inspiration of which came from an old bass book from the 70's.  Of coarse they used a different foam back then and the eyes where painted on but what they lacked I filled in.  This little guy is actually not so much a popper as it is a skimmer.  When played on the water, it dives just a few inches under the surface and then pops back into the film.  Tied in on a #10 or #12 hopper hook, this little guy is a true and tested bream killer.  I do however recommend (as you will read about later) that it is tied in something other than white.  For some reason the bass and Bream around me shy away from white unless it is streaking through the water.
So how did these flies do on the water?  This morning I hit the pond to test them out and the black Stealth Bombers worked great and got a lot of attention.  I was excited to even get a few tailing fins as eager bass tracked it in on a faster - frog swimming - retrieves.  The white Bombers were snubbed and I found myself wondering why I even bother with them.
The small poppers got a little action with the bream and once again I found that white is a very unpopular color choice.  Green and especially black seem to work the best.
As the hours passed I fell back on the good old Woolly Buggers and rabbit strip streamers and hooked into a few bass.
Overall it was a morning well spent even if it took me so long to tie those flies up.  One things for sure, I would never make it as an expert tier.  How those guys whip out dozens upon dozens of flies in as many minutes as it takes me to set up my vise I'll never know.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Panfish Are Just Fun!

   I had a few hours between dropping the kidos off at school and having to leave for work so I tossed my 4 W in the back of the car and headed out to do a little panfish angling on the fly.  Small poppers, spiders, and inchworms were the weapons of choice and as the sun began to heat up the pond, the fish responded in kind.
 I think panfishing is so fun because they always take stuff off the top.  rarely if ever are you going to test your line strength on these fish (though I have landed a few that could have easily filled a standard sized skillet) but you are never going to be disappointed with their takes of stuff off the top.
   I once read an old article on 'fly fishing in the south' from a magazine dated around 1910 (I enjoy reading how the old timers did it back then mainly because they knew how to tell a good fish story) and although it primarily focused on the 'Black Bass' it did have a little to say on the good times of tossing flies to all-to-eager sunfish, bluegills, and bream.  It went on to say that if an angler was so inclined, he could easily line a stringer with 30-40 of these fish in less than an hour and feed the family well that night.
   Back then they would have scoffed at the idea of catch and release primarily because food was never something you threw away.  In fact I imagine if you would have asked about their catch and release views they would have looked at you for a long minute and say something to the effect that 'occationaly one got off the hook but with a good set you can easily bring them in.'
   Part of that is true today; a good hook-set will easily lead to more fish but most fly anglers today are strong advocates of catch and release instead of the classic 'stringer of fish.'  The reason I suspect is that cleaning these fish is tedious at best, food is easily retrieved at a local grocery store instead of the pond, and most of us believe in the sustainability of our local waters.  Of course all that is a bit high minded to some and it doesn't stop some corn fishers from raping my favorite pond of big bass and bream by the bucket full, but I digress.
   Don't get me wrong, I would never pull a bugger out of a big bass's mouth in favor of hooking a bluegill and I would always choose a trout water over a bream pond if the two were side by side but for a few hours to kill and no time to head to the mountains, fishing for these little (and sometimes skillet sized) panfish is non stop action at its finest.  All fly fisherman can agree that any fish that consistently takes dry flies off the top is a worthy and fun species to catch.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Been A Long Time - This Is A Big Post!!

It has been far to long since my last post.  Actually it has been far to long since I have done a painting, thought about trout, or for that matter, done anything on the web besides checking Email.  The reasons are many including family emergencies, a whole lot of traveling, an art show I did that took a large chunk of time, and probably most of all a complete relapse into laziness.  So to jump-start my interest in the web I knew that I had to do a decent painting to get back into the game.  I have had some decent luck with bird lately and my experience with fish... well you know how that has gone.  So I finally decided to combine the two with the only bird worthy to pluck large rainbows from mountain lakes - The American Bald Eagle.
As always, I started off with a detailed sketch and worked in color as I go.  I have been asked how I get the ideas for paintings and in this day and age it is quite easy.  The web is a great source for color photos and reference material to work from.  It is however quite difficult to find the right composition I want so I end up finding a number of photos and drawing inspiration from them all.
I call this work:

"Fishing Master"
Watercolor on Paper
11in. x 14in.
For Sale

I also thought that I would give you a quick photo montage of my activities of the past weeks.  It is the least I could do for my absence from the blogging community.
First thing was a trip to the beach with the family and a few friends.  We got rained on one night really hard but the kids and I loved it.  The raccoon that stole my sausage from a cooler five feet from where my wife was washing the camping dishes also loved it....  We had grits for breakfast the next morning.
I tried for about ten minutes to surf fish but my heart wasn't in it and I soon found myself looking for shells with the kids and hassling a few horseshoe crabs that we came across at low tide.  When I go home I did however manage to hook a few sunfish.
Next was a few days of hunting for turkey.  What you see is exactly what I saw the entire time I was hunting.  Lots of trees and no turkeys.
I squeezed in a few hours of fishing for sunfish here and there..... again.1
I also did an art show in the town of Pendleton SC and managed to get my name a picture in the Greenville Paper.  It wasn't a huge success but I did manage to sell a few paintings and come out ahead.  Since it fell on Masters weekend as well as Easter, the show was not as well attended as I would have hoped for.
One thing I did get was an nomination for best in show.  I of course didn't win anything but it was just nice to be noticed for my first show.

I also received a whole lot of feedback from other artists at the show who were surprised that this was my first showing.  They had great things to say about my collection of art and seemed to really appreciate it.  Overall the experience was an encouragement for me and my art and I hope to find time to try another showing sometime in the not to near future.

I also got some time to do some bass fishing on a fly rod.  No biggies but It was still fun to wet a fly.
And last but not least is my book.  Okay, its not really my book but my name is in the credits and my art is scattered throughout.  I am also unable to read a lick of it because it is entirely in Spanish (I wish now I would have payed more attention in school) but I am still excited to have my work finally in print.
The book is on carp -barbel- fishing around Spain and it comes fro a fellow blogger from across the pond.  You can check out his blog at Barbos con Mosca for your own copy of the book.  His publisher was kind enough to send me a few copies for myself and a few close friends but if you want one then you will have to look to him.  If you have time, at least stop by his site and check how they do it over the pond.  He has some great pics and great advise if you have a translate option  on your computer.
I did do a whole lot more in my blogging absence but most of it was mundane or personal and would bore you to death so I'll end on a high note.  I think was the longest I have gone in three years without posting or checking blogs.  It was good to have the down time but now it feels good to be back at it.  I hope you survived reading this post and if you didn't then your not reading this anyway


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Catalonia is different

1:33 a. m.

( 5 ) Comments

Ok... so I live in a weird country... If you've never been here then you won't understand me, but if you live in catalunya you'll just think politicians are completely nuts!

Let me explain... I'm talking obviusly about the Estatut... so first of all let me introduce you our friend:

Once upon a time, (in 1932) in a place called Catalunya, they had a really nice Estatut, and they loved him. But, you know, they had a Civil war in Catalunya, and the guys who won it didn't like democratic things so they decided to kill the poor Estatut... fortunately, when democracy came back to Spain (and Catalonia), catalans gave birth (somehow) to a brand new Estatut:

It was born in 1979, and he was a nice guy, he defined the catalan institutions, their competences, their relationships with Spain, and also the financing for the catalan goverment, the Generalitat.

Everyone was fine with our friend Estatut, till the summer of 2005, when the catalan government decided he was old and crappy, and that he needed some plastic surrgery to make him look better... but you know, when you try to fix something that already works is when the problems begin...

So when all the politicians decided to change him, they wrote a new model of Estatut, according to our ages, more fashionable, you know. And they introduced the "new" Estatut to the daddy, the spanish government.

And daddy didnt like him... he said "it was fine if you wanted a new style for he estatut, but that now he was too modern..." so daddy started taking away from the Estatut everything that he didnt like.

Finally the poor estatut was all messed up... thay tried to do him a lifting, change his clothes, his haircut, and then they tried to undo that, to replace what he was wearing over and over again, and he had an identity crisis, he wasnt who he was supposed to be anymore! (They had to bring him to the psychologist) But daddy said that THEN it was fine, so catalan people had to say whether they liked the new estatut, or prefered the 1979 one...

But after a year watching politicians fight, trying to fix the poor Estatut, catalan people didnt care anymore, they were sick about him, so decided not to vote... and only half of the catalans voted... (actually 49'41%) and they voted for the new Estatut, though.

And what do I wanna tell you with this story? Well, I'ts clear... after talking about the freakin' Estatut EVERY DAY during a year, now that we can decide if we want it or not, now we don't go voting!! thats really sad... I guess people like talking about politics, but not being part of them! Anyway, I guess that's normal in catalonia, because like I said... Catalonia is different!

5 Responses to " Catalonia is different "

mahe said :
6:56 p. m.
No et conec, xo una miqueta sí q en sé de q va el rollo. Pase de donar la meva opinió sobre l'estatut xo te la done sobre el teu "comte"... very nice, és com per a xiquets, així q tothom ho pot entendre. Això sí... No hi existeix una única veritat i, això de dir que l'estatut del 79 feia feliç a tothom son paraules majors...

Una coneguda del q s'en va a NY
MaRiNa said :
8:02 p. m.
ajjaja mol bo el conte!!! millor no entrem en temesd si "si o no"... jo si q vaig nar a votar , ara tambe nestava ben farta. son pesats a morir els politics.. axo c no entrar en el circ q an muntat.

dijous no puc venir q tinc lultim examen!!! ens veiem
AzRi3L said :
8:32 p. m.
Hola "coneguda del que s'en va a NY"

No pretenc ni molt menys estar en posessio de la veritat, pro la meva pagina la visiten molts "guiris" que estan bastant perduts en el tema de l'estatut. La meva única intencio era dona una visio general i senzilla de que va tot aquest rollo que no para de sortir als diaris i a la TV, per aixó ho faig en forma de "conte".

Tampoc dono la meva opinio sobre l'estatut ni pretenc que ningú la doni, cadascú que pensi el que vulgui :)
binusida said :
10:31 p. m.
Hola nen

senzillament, no havia deixat cap comentari al teu blog fins avui perquè no sabia que en tenies.

Tu tampoc és que hagis dit al meu i això que en tens l'adreça al messenger...

En fins, ja saps el que en penso d'aquest tema ( per als qui no, he deixat un comentari al blog del Carmelo: )

Per curiositat, qui se'n va a NY?
binusida said :
10:33 p. m.
Oblideu lo de NY ¬L¬

Publicar un comentario

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Monday, March 1, 2010

In order to help me ease up on my meds, I'm actually taking MORE at the moment!  I've been switched to a liquid concentrated version of the Sertraline (Zoloft).  (Note: when given a liquid form of medication, ALWAYS read the instructions! 'Cause your pharmacist might not tell you that it's supposed to be mixed in with other liquids and not taken straight, and you may find yourself burning your esophagus and your tastebuds practically off your tongue!) I'm also on a low dose of Wellbutrin for 30 days.  Which is having some interesting effects. Insomnia, for one (which is why I'm up writing this at 3:30 in the morning), as well as, um, constipation and some anxiety.  Well, slightly HIGHER levels of anxiety than I normally have.  Which is why he also gave me a few Lorazapam (about 20), which I have yet to take. I MIGHT try it tomorrow night, if I'm still feeling anxious.  But the funny thing is, I get anxious about taking an anti-anxiety drug.  Especially since I'm already taking 2 separate medications already.  Yes, it's all short-term, but I'm anxious and Jewish; I can't help but worry.
Of course, it doesn't help that I am and always have been a drama queen, that WG has been melting down all weekend (she has a loose tooth; I think it might be bothering her, poor thing!), that Hubby had to work all weekend and I took care of the kids, and the dog has fleas.  (Not for long: I sicced some Frontline on their tiny little a**es!  The liquid form, not the PBS news show.)
Let me address the first one.  Yes, I'm a drama queen.  I'm sure THAT comes as a huge shock! I have a wee tendency to take a comment or situation and blow it up out of all proportion. To imagine all sorts of slights and ills directed my way.  Hubby's tired and quiet in the morning?  He must be angry at me!  For some silly little thing, no doubt!  Oh, like maybe the eggs weren't good enough?!?!  Well excuuuuse me, but I'm a little busy here, trying to get breakfast ready for ALL of us, AND get the kids' lunches packed, AND get out of the house in time so the kids won't be late for school, plus I have meetings with their teachers, have to take the kids to their therapy later, AND I'm teaching tonight, so SORRY if the eggs are less than perfect! YEESH!
Then, when I actually stop and ASK HIM if something is wrong, he says "No, Honey.  I'm just trying to wake up.  Need a little more coffee.  Are you OK?" I'll ask if he's mad at me, and he'll say "Of course not! Why would I be?" And he's GENUINELY curious!
Let me tell ya, that is HELL on my righteous indignation!
Especially since he got up before I did, got the kids dressed and ready, started breakfast for them, and actually made himself some oatmeal.  No eggs were even involved!
Maybe I SHOULD start acting again.  At least that way I could save it for the stage!

My brain is a bizarre place, let me tell ya.  I sometimes think that if someone sane and stable (like Hubby, for example) could spend a week as me, with my thoughts and feelings, they'd understand me more.  Or run screaming from me, as fast and as far away as possible.
There is a constant commentary going on in my head.  I believe I once referred to it as something like the Nosy nattering chipmunks that live in my brain.  (I tried to find the post, but couldn't.  I'm actually thinking of heading back to bed soon.  Wish me luck!) I personalize EVERYTHING!!!! If someone cuts me off on the freeway, oooh, Road Rage!  How DARE they?!?!?! What did I ever do to THEM?!?!?!  I try to tell myself that it's, HELLO!, so NOT about me, and that karma (or in this case, CARma) will eventually catch up with  them.  But then there's that whole thing I wrote about in the previous post, about not being a Zen master.  In fact, if there's an opposite of Zen master, that's be me.
Especially on the freeway.

OK, I must be tired, 'cause I'm going off on tangents here. I'm gonna head back upstairs and try to catch 2 more hours of sleep, until it's time to wake up again and start a brand new week.  And a brand new month! Just think, Spring starts in a couple of weeks!

(BTW, did anyone watch the closing ceremonies of the Olympics?  Is it just me, or were they kinda silly?  Although I liked the inflatable moose and [snortgiggle] beavers.)

azusmom said...

And I also liked the beginning, when they made fun of the 4th leg of the torch not rising during the opening ceremony.

Charlotte said...

Wellbutrin made my anxiety really spike too! Good luck with the liquid zoloft - I hope the weaning process gets easier!

And I'm so with you in Drama Queen land. Oh yeah!

azusmom said...

Once I started putting the Zoloft in my Trop 50 it's MUCH more palatable, lol!

Maybe we should make Drama Queen crowns?!?!


text:
Baby Signs®, the ORIGINAL sign language program for hearing babies, has been bringing powerful, research-proven benefits to babies and their families around the world for over 25 years!

I offer a wide variety of classes for parents and educators including workshops, mommy and baby play classes, and trainings. Read about my newest class Rumble, Tumble Tummy Time for infants and see how this class can help your baby during her early stages of development. Check out my class schedule page for current dates and times for all my classes

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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Sign of the Week: Yogurt

My family loves, loves, LOVES yogurt.  We go through about 96 oz a week, give or take.  We each have our favorite.  My husband loves peach, my daughter loves strawberry, my son loves blueberry, and I like any with berries (I'm not a fan of peach yogurt).

What's your favorite kind of yogurt?

Leia Mais…
Monday, November 22, 2010

Sign of the Week: Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope you and/or your loved ones travel safe.  And I wish you luck if you're brave enough to venture out on Black Friday for some crazy holiday shopping.

Leia Mais…
Monday, November 15, 2010

Rumble, Tumble Tummy Time Class December Special!

Take my brand new infant class for FREE! My special Holiday offer for December.

Come learn how to make tummy time fun for your baby through engaging songs and activities in a play-class setting. At the same time, you will learn valuable parenting strategies to help you make the most of this important stage of development.

This is for parents with babies ages 2 to 6 months. The Bright Spot Children's Playplace has a nice large room where we will hold the class. If your baby has an older sibling they may come and play in the play area while you take the class.

Space is limited so sign up today!

When: December 7th @ 10:00
Where: Bright Spot Playplace 520 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT

Leia Mais…

Sign of the Week: Milk

This is a very popular sign and is requested quite often. It's the first sign my son learned and used for months when asking for anything :)
Enjoy learning the sign this week. Remember practice makes perfect. The more you use the sign when talking about milk, the more likely your baby will use it to request some.

Leia Mais…
Monday, November 8, 2010

Sign of the Week: Cheese

Mmmmm cheese. My kids love cheese and they eat it all the time. Everything from mac n cheese, string cheese, grilled cheese, ham and cheese, the list goes on. If I make something my daughter doesn't like, she usually requests it to be smothered in cheese in hopes it will mask all other flavors. This is not my favorite tactic, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get those veggies into those growing bodies.

When I was a kid, I thought there were only 2 kinds of cheese: Velveeta and Swiss. Thankfully, I have grown up and have been introduced to a plethora of delicious cheeses. I couldn't tell you what my favorite is but I have come across my most favorite grilled cheese sandwich. I call it the Grown Up version of grilled cheese. This recipe is courtesy of chef, Greg Reynor, from the restaurant Cafe Muse.

Café Muse's Grilled Cheese Sandwich

* 1 slice Havarti cheese
* 1 slice mozzarella cheese
* 1 slice Danish fontina cheese
* 1/2 Tbsp. butter , softened (for best results, use high-quality butter)
* Honey from a squeeze bear bottle
* 1 tsp. fresh basil , chopped
* 2 slices tomato
* 2 slices bread (organic multigrain bread works best)
* Sauté pan large enough for 2 slices of bread

Butter bread on one side with melted butter. Place in pan, butter side down, over medium-low heat. Place mozzarella on one half of the bread and fontina and Havarti on the other. Cook until golden on bottom and cheese begins to melt. Place tomato on mozzarella side and honey on fotina/Havarti side. Place under broiler for a few minutes to heat up tomato. Sprinkle basil and assemble sandwich and enjoy.

Leia Mais…
Friday, November 5, 2010

Holiday Sale!

35% OFF the Baby Signs® DVD Fun Packs!
Price: $24.99 Sale Price: $16.24
The packs include a cute book, chunky flashcards, and a dvd. There are 6 different Fun Packs. Each Fun Pack is centered around a theme: Mealtime, Bedtime, Bathtime, Getting Dressed, Pets, and Park signs. These make a great gift for your baby or grandchild and helps them learn! Order yours today!
*Tax not included. This is for orders from my inventory not from the babysigns.com website. You pay shipping or you may pick them up. To order please email me at bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com.

Leia Mais…
Monday, November 1, 2010

Sign of the Week: Medical Signs

As much as I hate to admit it, it's that time of year - cold and flu season. We all do our best to stay healthy but sometimes the germs get the best of us.

Download the poster this week and feel free to share it with your child's preschool, daycare, nursery, or play gym.

In the meantime, here are some tips on staying healthy this season:

Keep the germs Away.

Many stores will supply antibacterial cart wipes this time of year, if not year round. Don't be shy about using them. I would rather look like a germaphobe as I scrub down my cart than get sick.

Wash your hand often, especially if you go to play places where the kids have touched most of the surfaces. Avoid touching your face after shaking hands with someone until you can go wash your hands.

Don't share food or utensils. My kids will see me eating something and ask if they can have a bite. That is one way germs can spread through the family. They may not show signs of sickness right then but they could be in the incubation period.

Speaking of foods, Eat Immune Boosting Foods

Try your best to avoid refined sugars that weaken the immune system. That can be hard this time of year when there are so many goodies around. Try to avoid it by not having them in your home but simply enjoy them if you go to a party.

Eat foods that are high in antioxidants such as dark leafy greens, fruits, and salmon. I highly recommend the website greensmoothiegirl.com with tips on how to sneak veggies in your diet without cooking them down to a tasteless, vitaminless pulp.

Keep your Nose and Sinuses Clear
Use a Neti Pot to keep your sinuses cleaned out and run a vaporizer at night to keep your nasal passages moist so the flu germs can't take hold. Central heat (which dries out the air) and cold temperatures make it easy for flu germs to spread and make people sick.

Stay Active
Kids (and adults) who sit more often get sick more often. So get moving! One idea is to join in with my playgroups or classes this winter to not only keep the flu away but cabin fever as well. :)

Leia Mais…
Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Top 10 Halloween Treats for Toddlers

Halloween is great. I love it and have fond memories of trick-or-treating with my family and trying to get as much candy as possible. When I was a kid, though, I never ate the candy except for a few pieces on Halloween night. I was the "save it for later" type personality and would keep the candy till the next Halloween or until my mom would find it and throw it out. (See I was having my own competition between me and my sisters of who could get the most candy and keep it the longest - I won every time! HAHAH!)

Last year as we went trick or treating with our then 3 yr old and 1 yr old so many people would give my older one an extra piece of candy. "For your brother" they'd say. I'd say "Thank you" but in the back of my mind be thinking "What in the world? I'm not giving this to my 1 yr old. And I can't let my 3 yr old have twice as much candy. Especially since she did not inherit my "save it for later" personality." So friends, I've come up with a toddler friendly list of Halloween Treats. Give them out to the trick or treaters who are too little for all that candy. Most of these can be bought at the dollar store.

Top 10 Halloween Treats for Toddlers:

  1. Bubbles! You can buy large packs of wedding bubbles at the dollar store. This is a great item they can enjoy as they're being pushed in the stroller or toddling along trick or treating.

  2. Play-dough. Look for the packages with tiny canisters.

  3. Stickers. Any stickers will do from animals to Halloween themed. They'll be tickled pink sticking stickers on themselves...on you...on their stroller.

  4. Coloring page with a few crayons. Buy the largest box of crayons from the dollar store and bundle 2 or 3 crayons from the box with ribbon. Then hand them out with a small picture for the kids to color. Google Halloween coloring pages or any familiar character (Dora, Diego, etc) and print out a bunch.

  5. Temporary Tattoos

  6. Super bouncy balls. I haven't known a toddler that doesn't like balls.

  7. Healthier Foods like individual cracker packages, juice boxes, or pretzels.

  8. Glow in the dark sticks, necklaces, or bracelets. Again this is something that will occupy them as they're trick or treating with their older siblings (if they have them), helping mom and dad stay happy.

  9. Noisemakers like kazoos, harmonicas, plastic flutes.

  10. Novelties like spider rings, plastic bugs, army men, dinosaurs, etc.

Leia Mais…
Monday, October 25, 2010

Sign of the Week: Wait

Parents and caregivers often request the sign for wait. Using the "wait" sign when your child makes a request gives him a visual clue that you have heard him and will soon meet his needs. Whether or not they're patient enough to wait....that's another story.

You can help teach your child patience and self control without using controlling words like "stop" or "don't" all the time. My upcoming Under the Sea class on Nov 11th will help you learn how to teach your children self control through fun games and activities. Checkout my class schedule page if you would like to learn more. Please contact me @ bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com to register.

Leia Mais…
Monday, October 18, 2010

Sign of the Week: Share

Sharing is not exactly the easiest concept to teach young children. I'd say about 99.99% of the time if I hear one of my children crying and I inquire as to why it's because the other one isn't sharing.

It's not that they're being selfish - they're just acting their age. Sharing is a skill they'll develop over several years. In the meantime, struggles over toys will be common. It's no fun to watch your child grab a toy and shout "Mine!" But if he's playing with other toddlers, he/she won't be the only one doing it.

Help your child learn to share by being an example yourself. Offer him a bite of your meal or a chance to assist in the fun of decorating a cake. As you do, use the word and the sign for "share" to describe your behavior. ("I'm eating a really good sandwich, and I'd love to share it with you. Would you like some?") When your toddler attempts to share, praise his efforts. Little by little, he'll drink in the positive reinforcement and feel good about repeating those actions that seem to make you so happy. Before long, he'll start sharing because it comes naturally.

Happy Signing!

Leia Mais…
Saturday, October 16, 2010

Class Schedule Updated!

I moved my schedule around a bit and changed some things and even added a few classes and workshops. I'm really excited about this new schedule. I've included things like:

A SATURDAY class for the Sign, Say, and Play class!

Potty Training Party Workshop!

Under the Sea class for kids age 2-5!

More Sign, Say, and Play class time/day change.

Check out my class schedule for more information.

Leia Mais…
Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Sign of the Week: Spider

Whether in nature or seasonal decorations, spiders are all around this time of year. Some children may express curiosity and others fear. Giving children the sign for Spider will provide them a way to "talk" to you about what they see.

Me? I hate spiders, even fake ones. I tell my husband he's in charge of killing the spiders. Call me wimpy or sexist but they really creep me out. I tried to look up something cool about spiders for this post but even reading about them made my skin crawl. So there you have it: the sign of the week. Enjoy, if you can stand looking at it...I can't. :)

Leia Mais…
Monday, October 4, 2010

Sign of the Week: Mommy

Mommy. One of the best words or signs that your little one can say. When they say it for the first time, your heart just melts. I know mine did. I believe that when you decide to take upon yourself the title of Mother or Father you have a great repsonsibility. What you do as a mother or father will affect generations for years to come. It may seem overwhelming, but you're not alone in the task.
I found this lovely story online and thought that I'd share it:

It was twilight as I sat down in the nursery with our baby in my arms. I felt exhausted. One day seemed to blend into the next in a never-ending round of feeding and sleeping, feeding and sleeping. Twilight, however, was my favorite time of day as I rocked and nursed our baby in the semidarkened room. It was a welcome interval of peace and a time to rest from the hurries of the day.

As I hummed and rocked, I looked down at tiny hands tightly grasping my finger and then into our baby’s face with his endearing toothless grin. As my son gave a small sigh of satisfaction, I wondered how many mothers of the 1800s, 1700s, or even the 1600s had looked upon a similar scene. I felt a great bond of sisterhood that night—something I had never experienced before. I realized that I was simply one more link in the long chain of motherhood. I felt as if these mothers of the past—thousands upon thousands of them—had united together and were waiting to buoy me up. Motherhood took on a new meaning for me that night.

As I gently laid my now-sleeping son in bed, I could almost see the hands of the past beside mine as I carefully pulled up the quilt, smoothed my son’s soft head, and bestowed one last goodnight kiss. I shut the nursery door behind me with a silent prayer of thanks for my newfound source of strength—my realization of motherhood throughout the ages.—Cheryl Avery

Leia Mais…
Thursday, September 30, 2010

Apple Picking at Belltown Hill Orchards

This is a great orchard in South Glastonbury. I went to it last year with my family. They have a bakery where you can treat yourself to all sorts of farm baked goods as well. And, of course, there's lots of apples. So come learn a few signs and pick some apples. I'd love to see you there.

October 8th @ 10:30

Belltown Hill Orchards
483 Matson Hill Raod
South Glastonbury, CT 06073

The rain date for this activity will be October 9th.

Leia Mais…
Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Sign of the Week: Frog

The sign for FROG is helpful for letting your baby "talk" about toys at bath time and pictures in books during story time. Look for opportunities this week to use this new sign.

A couple of days ago, I found a frog (actually it was a toad) in my watering can. My husband plopped him out onto our water table and the kids loved looking at him and watching him hop all around.

Have a good week and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

Leia Mais…
Monday, September 20, 2010

Sign of the Week: Potty

The sign for "potty" is one of my most requested signs. This sign is great for helping your child communicate the need to go to the potty (even before spoken words)!

Trivia Questions:

At what age were children potty trained in the 1950's?

At what age are children potty trained today?

Leia Mais…
Sunday, September 19, 2010

Playgroup Monday Sept 20th @ 10:00

Just a reminder that I'm hosting another playgroup at the Kiddy Korner Toy Store in Ellington. Monday Sept 20th @ 10:00. We will be learning some more signs for fall and playing games. Come join us if you can!

Leia Mais…
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

September is Baby Safety Month

I love the part in Finding Nemo when Marlin tells Dori that he promised Nemo nothing would ever happen to him. Dori, in a short moment of brilliance, says, "That's a funny thing to promise. Well, you can't never let anything happen to him. Then, nothing would ever happen to him. (Marlin stares at her.) Not much fun for little Harpo." We as parents find ourselves not wanting anything to happen to our kids but of course things will happen because life is full of ups and downs, bumps and bruises, twists and turns-these will all give us experience and knowledge. But we can do our best to keep our children safe from real harm or accident.

So today I'm going to focus a little on car seat safety. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention website, motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. Many of these deaths are preventable if the child is placed in a proper car seat. Meaning one that fits your child's size, is correctly installed, fits well in your vehicle, and is used properly every time you drive.

What can you do to make sure your car seat fits all those requirements?
  • There's a really nifty website, www.carseatdata.org, that lets you search for the best car seat for your type of car. You put in the make, model, and year and it will tell you which one will fit the best and which side of the car it fits best as well.
  • Another thing you can do is get your car seat checked to see that it is properly installed. A study by the Department of Transportation found that 72% of cars had car seats and booster seats that were being misused in a way that would have increased the child's risk of injury or death in an accident. Connecticut, as well as many other states, have car seat safety inspection stations. To find a station nearest you go to: www.cruisinwithkids.com and find your state from the drop down menu.
  • Be weary of buying used car seats. If your getting a used car seat make sure that you know the seat's history. Don't use ones with cracks or missing parts. Don't use them if they've ever been in a moderate or severe car accident. Check the label and manufacturer number and call or look up the manufacturer to see how long it recommends using the seat. If the label or manufacturer number are missing don't use the seat. It's better to err on the side of caution in that case.
The other important thing is: BE A SAFE DRIVER YOURSELF!
  • Wear YOUR seat belt.
  • Don't chat or text on your cell phone while driving even if your kids aren't in the car.
  • DON'T DRIVE DRUNK! One out of four occupant deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years involved a drinking driver. More than two-thirds of these fatally injured children were RIDING with a drinking driver. The fact that those kids were in the car WITH the drunk driver floors me. So please be responsible and offer to be the sober driver and find the sober driver when you need it.

Leia Mais…
Monday, September 13, 2010

Sign of the Week Butterfly

One of the things I wanted to do this summer was to go to Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory up in Deerfield, MA. We finally did it the weekend before Labor day. It was great! The kids had a blast chasing the butterflies and looking at the various other animals they had there. I tried my best to get a good picture but those butterflies would hardly stand still. Maybe they're just camera shy or it's a running joke they pull on the tourists. Because they would land on my kids for a second and take off as I fumbled with my camera to take a picture. As a result, I've got lots of pictures of rocks or flowers to show people and say "Hey! A butterfly perched on that for a second."

So what's the difference between a butterfly and a moth? In general, moths are nocturnal and butterflies can be seen in the day time. Also, when butterflies are perched they tend to rest with their wings "closed" while moths will leave their wings spread out to their sides. Of course there are some species of moths and butterflies that make exceptions to these rules but, hey, nobody's perfect ;)

Leia Mais…
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Sign of the week Carrot

I hope you all had a good weekend and had a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. My family and I did. We got to go pick raspberries and the kids loved it. This harvest time of the year is so fun. My kids have enjoyed picking cherry tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and all sorts of veggies from our garden. I thought I'd share the sign for carrot this week. It's one of the easier vegetable ASL signs and also one that actually has a sign. Many vegetables, like broccoli, don't have their own sign and are just finger-spelled.

Enjoy learning the sign for carrot this week and this little tidbit of info on carrots:

If carrots are eaten raw, only 3% of the b-carotene (vitamin A) is released during digestion. If you pulp the carrots, cook them, AND add oil then 39% of the b-carotene will be released. So cooked carrots (while being my
least favorite form) are healthier for you than raw.

Leia Mais…
Friday, September 3, 2010

Free Play Date Sept 9th @ 10:00

Free play date Thursday Sept 9th @ 10:00 in the Event Room at. the Kiddy Korner Toy Store in Ellington, CT. There will be fun songs, games, free play, and participants will also learn some baby signs. I will also talk briefly about my upcoming Baby Signs Classes. No registration required. For more information please feel free to email me.

Leia Mais…
Monday, August 30, 2010

Sign of the Week: Swing

I love swings. When I was a kid, that's the first thing I'd run for at the playground and would sometimes swing until it was time to go home. When I became a new mom, I learned to love swings even more as they would slowly rock my baby to sleep. Sigh...peace and quiet. Swings are great.

My husband put up a "swing of all swings" in our backyard a couple of summers ago. It hangs from a branch about 30 feet up. They really get some air when you do an underdog. It's great to see their faces full of terrified excitement :) I'll have to post some pictures when I get a chance.

In the meantime, enjoy learning the ASL sign for swing.

Leia Mais…
Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Creative Potty Training Ideas

Potty Training is something no parent really looks forward to and they usually have no idea how it's going to go until they start. I'm secretly jealous of those who tell me stories of how their child potty trained themselves in one day and never had an accident. I don't know what kind of personality or gene trait that child has but MY children don't have it. There are a lot of methods and ideas out there on potty training your child. Because every child is different, some of those ideas work great while others fall flat on their face. That's the big secret of potty training is finding the right motivation-whatever it is that makes the potty fun.

I've come up with a few creative potty training ideas to help parents for when the stickers and M&M's don't work. I'd love to hear your creative ideas and what worked/didn't work for you.

Potty Races
This one could work with just one child or if you're potty training mult
iples. You can use little potty seats or the big potty, whichever you like. The idea is that it's a race. Pick your starting point and say "On your marks, get set....GO!" And you both go running to the potty to see who gets there first and sits on it. Then go back to start and do it again. You can have a "prize" for whoever gets there first but the child might just enjoy the race. This should help your child be more familiar with the potty in a fun and creative way, while also teaching him/her how to get there quickly and sit.

Water Play
Another thing you can do is
go to the dollar store and buy some really cheap toys, like bath toys, cups, and boats. Put them in a basket or decorative box and when your child sits on the potty, let them pick a brand new toy. Place the toy in a small tub of water and let them play with it. You can set the tub on a small step stool, if they're on a little potty, or on a tv tray if they're on the big potty. The idea is that the splashing and water sounds (especially if they're playing with toy cups and scooping up the water and pouring it back in) will help them go pee. Many times the sound or touch of water will instinctively trigger the need to go pee. Keep a towel close by if you try this one as water might go other places than back in the tub.

Dolls that Wet
You could buy a doll that wets or, in my opinion, use a d
oll you already have and sneak in the pee and poop. Basically the idea is the doll drinks their bottle and then they pee on the potty. Make sure your child sees the doll drink and have them take them to the potty to go pee. The child will hopefully catch on to the idea, especially if you give them a drink and remind them of the doll, then take them to the potty and tell them to do what the doll did. As your child potty trains the doll, then the routine will be reinforced in their mind.
If you have a hollow plastic doll, then you can always poke a hole in its bottom and mouth and try the same thing.

Hide and Seek Potty

This only works for little potty chairs. Hide the potty chair somewhere in the house and have your child find it. You can tape some sort of small reward to the chair for finding it. Then have them si
t on it. This should hopefully help them become more comfortable with the potty and learn how to "seek it out" when the time is right.

While on the Potty...
If you stay with your child, which I would suggest in order to keep them there, while they sit on the potty play games with them or sing songs. You could have a felt board or chart with different songs to sing and the chi
ld can pick the song. You could even have symbols for the songs, like a cut out of a bus for "Wheels on the Bus," and put them in a basket and let them pick them out and hold the symbol while you sing. You can play peek-a-boo, I spy, or give them a toy they only get to have while on the potty.

Ride the Potty Train
Another unique motivator, is the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit. The kit comes with reward stickers, a book for the parents, a board book about going potty for your child, a DVD and a train whistle. The DVD is great because it s
hows the potty routine, as well as potty time signs. The catchy songs and signs can be a great tool to helping you child get on the potty. Of course, when your child sits on the potty they get to blow the train whistle - CHOO! CHOO!
I've written other posts about the kit so I won't spend too much time here.
If you'd like to purchase the kit click here.

Leia Mais…
Monday, August 23, 2010

Sign of the Week Ice Cream.

Mmmm...Ice Cream. I love ice cream. It's the perfect summer treat. It evokes memories of sticky fingers and happy sticky faces. I would eat it every day if it didn't stick to my hips ;) Enjoy learning the sign for ice cream this week (hopefully while enjoying some ice cream). Click on the image to see a larger poster.

Here is a scoop of ice cream trivia:
Americans consume 15 quarts of ice cream per person per year.
According to the International Ice Cream Association, vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream.

What's your favorite flavor?

Leia Mais…
Thursday, August 19, 2010

"When do you start signing with your baby?"

I get asked this question a lot by parents and it's understandable. The reasoning seems to be they don't want to start "too late" or "too early." The fact is that there is no perfect time to start signing with your baby. (That probably doesn't sound very helpful at all, does it?) Let me highlight some different stages that you can start signing with your baby and the advantages and disadvantages of each stage.

Birth to 8 Months
Many parents start signing with their baby from birth. This is a great way to expose your baby to both signs and words from the very beginning of their development. This approach will take patience, however, as you baby is unlikely to sign back to you until he/she is a bit older (almost 12 months). They will understand the signs you use but developmentally they will be unable to produce them themselves.

8 to 12 Months
Many parents wait until their babies are 8 to 12 months old to begin signing with their baby. The advantage of starting at this age is that you're more likely to see your baby start using the signs and communicating with you. If you prefer more immediate results, then starting during this age may be ideal.

12 + Months
Many parents are surprised when I tell them that it's perfectly fine to start signing with their baby at this age. Many assume that 12 to 18 months is "too late." "Aren't they talking by then?" they ask. Yes, but most only have about 2 or 3 words. Even at this "later stage" many babies don't have all the words to express their thoughts and feelings. Many times the few words they do have sound the same. The advantage of starting at this age is that they are more likely to pick up the signs quickly, sometimes after a few days. Babies at this age will not use signs as long as those who started earlier. They are closer to the age of gaining more vocabulary and as the words come easier the signs will start to drop off.

All babies want to communicate and many do not have the words to do so. Don't worry about starting too early or too late, just start! Remember that repetition is key. The more you use the signs and incorporate them in your daily life, the better your chances are for success.

Happy Signing!

Leia Mais…
Monday, August 16, 2010

Sign of the Week: Duck

This weeks sign is duck. I love ducklings they're so cute, fuzzy, and have the sweetest quack that sounds more like a peep.

A fun thing to do in the summer is go to a pond or lake and feed the ducks. A word of caution when feeding ducks, please don't feed them bread. Bread, crackers, chips, popcorn, etc aren't very healthy for ducks. In fact, bread is the equivalent to junk food for the birds, and too much bread can lead to excessive weight and malnutrition as well as many other problems. If the bread is stale and moldy, it can cause aspergillosis, a fatal lung infection that can decimate entire duck and waterfowl flocks.

Here are some alternative, healthy foods you can feed those cute ducks next time you're out:

  • grapes, cut in half

  • Cracked corn, barley, oats, birdseed or other grains

  • Frozen peas that have been defrosted

  • Or duck feed pellets from a farm supply store

Have a good week!

Leia Mais…
Monday, August 9, 2010

Sign of the Week: Giraffe

My family and I went camping last week. One of the mornings my 2 yr old woke up especially early and so I took him out of the tent so as not to wake up the others. After taking him on a short walk, we headed back to our tent. When we got back there was a beutiful deer outside our tent - a doe to be precise. My 2 yr old looked and exclaimed "GIRAFFE!"

Interesting Facts about the giraffe: It is distantly related to the deer :) Male giraffes can grow up to 18 feet tall and weigh 2,600 lbs. It's the tallest land animal on the planet.

Enjoy learning the sign for giraffe this week, click on the image to see a larger poster.

Leia Mais…
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Communication is Key

Being a first time parent you have many questions, worries, concerns, and a sense of excitement about this new adventure you’ve just embarked on. You get home from the hospital and think “What now? What do I do with this little infant?” During those early months, I would find myself staring at my newborn while holding her. I would often wonder what she was thinking about. Eventually your baby starts to make cooing sounds and babbling. You get so excited; you might even find yourself babbling back or setting up the video camera to catch every sound and movement for hours (or maybe that was just me).

It’s fun and cute for a while but slowly that begins to change. You can tell that your child’s babbling words mean something to her but you don’t know what. Soon you find your child is getting frustrated at being unable to communicate their wants, needs, and feelings and they often resort to tantrums or tears. You begin asking “what’s wrong?” You go through your mini checklist of possible problems. Peek in the diaper; nope doesn’t need changed. “Are you hungry? Tired? Sick?” You eventually pick one and try that one…Perhaps she’s tired, let’s put her down for a nap…Sometimes you’ve guessed right and other times you don’t. You find yourself getting frustrated and wishing you could know what they want and looking forward to the day when they can finally tell you.

Unfortunately, that day takes quite some time. Most babies can comprehend words at a very early age but are unable to produce them until about 12 months. Even then, it’s very limited to just a few simple words and sometimes they aren’t very clear. The good news is that parents and babies CAN communicate together by using simple signs. Just as crawling bridges the gap between immobility and walking, baby sign language often bridges the gap between word comprehension and word production. For example, my son would say “bah, bah” and it stood for many things. Sometimes it meant ball, bottle, banana, book, etc. Because he knew baby sign language, I was able to understand what it was he was talking about. The tears and frustration was avoided and I didn’t have to bring out my “mini checklist” of possible causes for the outburst.

The Baby Signs® Program has been a huge help for me in raising my babies and toddlers. There’s a lot of excellent research on the benefits of using baby sign language but my favorite benefit is that it strengthens the parent/infant bond. Communication is key in any relationship and if you are able to foster it at such a young age your bond is that much stronger. I love being invited into my baby’s world as they “tell” me what they see, hear, or feel through simple gestures or signs. I am able to share in their delight as they discover new things. I can see the confidence in their eyes when they realize that “mommy understands” me.

Leia Mais…
Monday, July 12, 2010

July 15th Class Cancelled

Due to the high heat and humidity I've decided to cancel the "My Outside Adventure" class for July 15th. There is still room for the class on the 29th and hopefully the weather will be a bit more pleasant. Please email me if you'd like to register for that class @ bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com Sorry for any inconvenience. Thank you all!

Leia Mais…
Friday, June 25, 2010

We Have a Winner!

Congratulations to Kathy for winning the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit! You'll love it and the kids will too! Have fun on the potty train!

Leia Mais…
Monday, June 14, 2010

Sign of the Week: DAD!

FATHER'S DAY TRIBUTE! Learn the sign DAD with your baby this week.

Watch the Sign of the Week video for Dad

Leia Mais…
Saturday, June 5, 2010

See you at the Fair!

This coming Saturday June 12th South Windsor will be holding its 28th annual Strawberry Fest. It's a lot of fun. I've gone with my kids almost every year. There's a lot of great crafts, face painting, train rides, a petting zoo, bands, and a magician. Plus it's free admission. To learn more about the fest go to berryfest.org.
I'm really excited about it this year because I'll be having my very own vendor booth. Drop on by and meet me and Beebo, the Baby Signs® Bear. Also enjoy special pricing on my Sign, Say, and Play and Rumble, Tumble Tummy Time classes for this coming fall that will only be offered at the fest! I'll also be selling lots of great Baby Signs® products at a discounted price.
Hope to see you there!

Leia Mais…
Wednesday, June 2, 2010

June is National Potty Training Awareness Month

To Celebrate, I'm giving away a Baby Signs® Potty Training Kit!

Yes, seriously, it's National Potty Training Awareness month. I know what you're thinking, what in the world do I need to be made aware of? I'm very well aware that I am in the process of (or need to) potty train my child. Well here are some Myths and Facts about potty training you may or may not know:

Myth: It's easier and healthier to potty train your baby if you wait until they're ready (about age 2 or 3)

Fact: The truth is, potty training a baby under the age of 24 months is actually easier than potty training an older child. Why? Because as children get older, they want to make more and more decisions on their own. This natural progression towards independence is healthy, but it also often sets the stage for a battle of wills when it comes to potty training.

Fact: Babies will potty train at the age parents expect them to train. Historical and cross-cultural practices clearly demonstrate that babies can train as early as 5 months. Training a baby that young is indeed possible, but very time-intensive. Because of the time commitment required, this approach is not practical for most parents. The Baby Signs® Potty Training Program, however, provides a compelling alternative to very early or very late potty training. By helping babies learn simple potty-time signs, the Baby Signs® Potty Training Program makes it easy for parents to both begin and end the whole enterprise before age 2.

Baby Signs Potty Training Kit Includes:

  • A Parent’s Guide to Potty Training Made Easy with the Baby Signs® Program – This straightforward parent guide from trusted child development experts will help you confidently lead your baby to potty success.
  • All Aboard the Potty Train DVD – With its catchy tunes, delightful animation and Baby Signs® Kids, this exciting DVD will teach your baby five potty-time signs and reinforce each step of the potty routine.
  • All Aboard the Potty Train Lift-the-Flap Book – Your baby will love discovering the potty-time signs hidden under each flap in this fun and interactive board book featuring the DiaperDoodles™.
  • Job Well Done! Stickers – These colorful reward stickers feature fun images and positive messages such as “Good Job!”, “I’m on the Potty Train!”
  • All Aboard the Potty Train Conductor’s Whistle – Whether to signal it’s time to go potty or to “sound the trumpet of success,” this fun-to-blow whistle will put a smile on your baby’s face when it’s potty time.

As I said, in celebration of this month's potty training theme I've decided to run a drawing for a Baby Signs Potty Training Kit, which retails at $39.95, for all those who sign up for one of my Potty Training Classes this month. Check my class schedule page for dates, times, and other important information.

After signing up for a class, here are some things you can do to earn extra entries in the drawing (you must sign up for a class first or these don't count):

  • 1 Extra Entry - Follow me on Facebook (if you already do, please email me and you get an extra entry!)
  • 1 Extra Entry - Follow me on Twitter (email me your twitter name)
  • 1 Extra Entry - Tweet about the giveaway (post the direct url in comments)
  • 1 Extra Entry - Post a comment explaining why you hope to win the Potty Training Kit.
  • 1 Extra Entry - Write a post on your blog about the give away and link back to my blog. (post the url in comments)

The giveaway will run through till midnight June 24th with the winner being announced Fri. June 25th. Winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. Winner will have 48 hrs to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Good luck!

Leia Mais…
Monday, May 10, 2010

Summer Class Schedule

Check out the schedule for my Summer Classes - Including my Potty Training Workshops in June! Click on my Class Schedule Page to view all the details. Don't forget to pre-register!

Leia Mais…
Thursday, May 6, 2010

Sign of the Week--MOMMY (and a baby sign story)

"Joshua, my third baby boy and third signer gave me such a special Mother's Day gift last year. A little over a year old and he was signing up a storm. He would use the sign for "Daddy" for any close family member, Mommy included. No matter how hard I tried he refused to sign "Mommy." He would just look at me and grin with that "I know what you want, but unless you agree to give me an unlimited supply of cookies you're not getting it" look.

Then on Mother's Day I tried again. I asked Joshua, "Can you sign 'Mommy'?" He looked at me and signed "Love Mommy." That child was instantly forgiven for all the sleepless nights and earned major brownie points for the future. He had the biggest smile full of pride on his face like he had been saving it up for just this day, this moment. He signed it over and over and used the sign for "Mommy" every day after that.

That Mother's Day will forever be one of my favorites. For my baby to be able to communicate so young and tell me he loves me; To see the pride and joy on his face because he made Mommy so happy is a gift I will cherish always." -Elizabeth Sprague

Leia Mais…
Wednesday, May 5, 2010

When Will My Baby Sign Back to Me?

I get asked this question a lot. Unfortunately there's no exact date as to when your baby will start signing because there are so many factors that play in. It's fine to start modeling signs the day your baby is born. However, most parents prefer to start signing closer to the time their baby is ready to sign back.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to see if your baby is ready to sign:

  • Is your baby beginning to point to things?
  • Is your baby bringing toys or objects to you and looking for a response?
  • Is your baby beginning to wave "bye-bye"?
  • Is your baby beginning to shake his/her head for "no" or "yes"?
  • Is your baby beginning to take an interest in picture books?
  • Even though your baby knows some words, are there still important things your baby would like to talk about but can't?

Do more than 2 apply to your baby? If so, it's likely that he is ready to sign.

How soon your baby starts signing back to you depends not only on developmental readiness, but also on: How often you demonstrate the signs you want to teach and How interested your baby is in communication.

Being consistent will help your baby learn faster. Sometimes, even when parents are consistent, babies just won't start signing until they are good and ready! Just as with crawling, walking, or teething, every baby has his or her own unique developmental timetable, and it's important to respect that.

Remember that the point of using the Baby Signs® Program is to enhance the fun of communicating with your child, not to add stress to your life. So if your baby isnt' signing back just yet, go with the flow and stick with it. I guarantee that the proud smile on your baby's face after he's made his first sign will be worth the wait.

Leia Mais…
Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Diapers and the Environment

Looking for ways to help the Environment? Consider potty training before age 2.

Think it's not possible? Consider this:

Before disposable diapers were invented, 95% of all children in the US were fully potty trained by 18 months.

Think it's Hard? Consider this:

Children are naturally more cooperative before the age of 2. They like to imitate parents and siblings. And they haven't discovered the word "no."

Here are some videos that will help you learn more:

National Geographic: Impact of Diapers on the Environment
Introduction to the Baby Signs Potty Training Program
The Baby Signs Potty Training Program on THE DOCTORS

Real Life Comments on Facebook from moms who are potty training before age 2:

My 12 month old just signed potty for the first time today while watching the Potty Train dvd. He actually asks for the dvd by bringing me his whistle and then dances and watches intently for the entire thing. Thanks for the encouraging tools!

My 10 month old just signed potty while watching her dvd too! And she really loves the whistle. She gets to play with the whistle when she goes potty. She thinks it's really funny so it's a good positive reinforcement for going potty.

Save $10 on the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit. Just enter the Coupon Code: 10bucks

Order your Potty Training Kit Today!

Potty Train by 2 with the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit

Leia Mais…

Second Class Session Begins NEXT WEEK!

Sign, Say, and Play classes start Friday April 30th

  • Location: Kiddy Korner Toy Store 100 West Rd Ellington, CT
  • Time: 3:30 pm
  • Session Runs from April 30th through June 11th (no class Memorial Day Weekend)
  • Cost $10/class or $7.50/class if you register for all 6 classes
  • I'm extending my Bring a Friend for this class as well. Bring a friend and if they sign up for all 6 classes you both get an extra $15 off the total price of the classes!

To Register please email bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com

$5 Registration fee is due before class. This fee counts toward the total cost, it's not an additional cost.

Leia Mais…
Saturday, April 17, 2010

Why is Tummy Time So Important?

Approximately 10 years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics launched a “Back to
Sleep” campaign in an effort to reduce the number of infant deaths due to Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Now, a decade later, the incidence of SIDS in the
USA has declined by approximately 50%. That’s the good news!

However, as is often the case, along with good news comes some bad news. In this
case, it involves the negative effects that have sometimes resulted from babies
spending too much time on their backs, including sleeping on their backs, but also due
to the amount of time spent in baby equipment, such as car seats, strollers, bounce
chairs and swings.

One significant negative consequence of the “Back to Sleep” campaign is what is
referred to as “misshapen head” (or in medical terminology, Plegiocephaly), a condition
that is characterized by a flattening of the back of the head. In addition, when
babies spend too much time on their backs, it can result in a tightening of the muscles
on one side of the neck, a condition known as Positional Torticollis.

In addition to these medical conditions, pediatricians worry that not enough tummy
time can result in significant motor delays, such as in rolling over, sitting up and even
crawling and walking. And believe it or not, motor delays such as these can actually
impact brain development. Lack of tummy time can also impede the development of
strong necks and arms and affect the development of balance and coordination.

To avoid these negative consequences, pediatricians encourage parents to put their
babies on their tummies (supervised, of course) for short periods several times a day.
Parents are advised to begin tummy time within their baby’s first week. While awake,
parents should place their baby on her tummy 2 to 3 times each day, beginning with
about 3 to 5 minutes and increasing the time as she gets older.

However, babies do not like to be on their tummies and cry and fuss when put in this
position. Parents, out of frustration, often give up and end up relying more and more
on baby equipment like swings and bounce chairs. The problem for parents is that,
while they are told that tummy time is necessary, they aren’t told how to make it
enjoyable (or at least tolerable) for their babies.

That’s just what Rumble Tumble Tummy Time™ is designed to do!
Email bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com to request a class.

BabySigns.com - Sign Language for Babies

Leia Mais…

Sign of the Week: Ball

Another great sign for something all babies enjoy! I love playing ball with my kids outside and in. Enjoy watching this video and teaching your baby the sign for ball.

Leia Mais…
Thursday, April 15, 2010

But Won't Signing Discourage my Baby from Talking?

A Common MYTH answered by Linda Acredolo, Ph.D. and Susan Goodwyn, Ph.D.

By far the most frequently voiced concern about encouraging babies to communicate
with signs is that doing so will discourage them from learning to talk. In fact, we often
refer to this belief as the “Mother-in-Law” myth because we so often hear it voiced by
moms in the following way:

‘My mother-in-law says, “If he gets what he wants without using words,
he’ll never learn to talk.” What should I tell her?’

Well, here is what we tell them:
1. Well-designed, government-funded research has shown that the opposite is true. Using
a large grant from the National Institutes of Health, we carefully compared babies
whose parents encouraged them to use signs to babies from the same communities
whose parents who were completely unaware of the possibility. Our assessments
included standardized tests of verbal language development administered from 11
months to 36 months of age. What did we find? In test after test the children who had
signed were more advanced than the non-signers in language skills. The results were
published in 2000 in a peer-reviewed professional journal (Journal of Nonverbal
Behavior, 2000, 24, 81-103), and for those who would like to read it (or give it to
their mother-in-law!), the full text is available on our Baby Signs® web site
2. Just as babies learn to crawl before they can walk, using signs gives them a
developmentally appropriate way to communicate before they can talk. Once children
learn to walk they no longer crawl because of the greater freedom walking affords
them. Communication is the same way. While signs are useful before children have
words, speech allows them the ability to communicate more quickly and more fully.
As a child’s mind and body develops, he or she will naturally transition to speaking in
order to convey ever more complex ideas and longer sentences. Far from getting in
the way of the process, signs provide a bridge that helps the transition from no
language to spoken language.
3. The experience of signing teaches babies useful lessons about how language works--
lessons that speed up the process of learning to talk once words are finally available.
By enabling a baby to practice learning and using symbols to label objects, express
needs, and describe feelings, signs create a mental framework which makes it easy to incorporate words as soon as the baby’s vocal cords are developed enough to use
4. The natural reaction to a baby’s use of a sign is to “bathe” the child with words, and
the more words a child hears, the faster he or she will learn to talk. Using signs results
in children hearing lots of words and sentences directly relevant to the topic they have
chosen. Why? Part of the reason is because we always encourage parents to say the
word every time that they or their baby use a sign. In addition, once a child begins to
produce signs on his or her own, parents find themselves responding with words and
words and more words. When your baby begins to look at you and sniff for flower
while strolling through the park, you will automatically respond with something like,
“Oh, you see the flowers! Yes, those are pretty flowers. We see lots of flowers, don’t
we?” This exposure to words they care about is exactly what children need in order to
learn how to say the words themselves.

5. Every time a baby successfully uses a sign, changes occur in the brain that bring the
child closer to mastering language. The circuitry in the brain--upon which talking
depends--develops along with a child’s experience with language. Because using
signs enables children to begin the process earlier, the development of this circuitry
gets a significant “jump start” that continues to pay off for years down the line.
These are five very sound arguments. Sometimes, however, the most compelling
information of all is the story of Linda's own son's journey to verbal language. Her son
Kai, now a college student, was a great signer. Starting with his first sign at 12 months
("fan"), he built his signing vocabulary to a total of 40 signs by the time he was 19
months old. But, just as many of you may have experienced, words were not coming
nearly as fast. In fact, the day he turned 19 months old, he had only 7 words! But then
something "clicked" (probably neurologically) and in the space of just three weeks, he
added 67 new words! Clearly, he knew very well what he wanted to say. The signs had
enabled him to learn lots and lots about how language works, what objects are called, etc,
and once the final underlying neurological piece was in place, he was off to the races!
So, the next time someone suggests that your encouragement of signs is going to keep
your child from talking, just smile and say “Oh, that old wive’s tale?” (We suggest you
don’t mention Mothers-in-Laws yourself!) “No one who knows the research behind the
Baby Signs® Program is worried about that anymore. Signing is actually the best thing I
could be doing to help my baby learn to talk.”
Good luck – and HAPPY SIGNING!

Leia Mais…

Deal Alert!!

Free Shipping on all orders at BabySigns.com with coupon code: "babysigns416"
Valid Friday April 16th through Sunday April 18th
Follow this link! Happy Shopping!
Shop BabySigns.com and start communicating with your baby today!

Reccommended Items:
Baby Signs Complete Starter Kit
Baby Signs Potty Training Kit
Complete DVD set with FREE plush tote.
Buy 1 Get 1 FREE DVD Fun Pack Offer. (Limited Time)
Baby Signs Board Book Offer

BabySigns.com - Sign Language for Babies

Leia Mais…
Monday, April 12, 2010

Sign of the Week: Shoes

Happy Spring! The sun is out and the weather is getting warmer. It's a perfect time to go for a walk and play outside. While you get ready, it's the opportunity to teach your baby the sign for shoes! Watch the video on You Tube.

Leia Mais…
Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Announcing a New Class Time!

I am opening up a second class time for the Sign, Say and Play classes. Check out the Class Schedule for more details.

Leia Mais…
Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Why Potty Train BEFORE age 2

When my oldest daughter was about 18 months old I started asking my friends and family about potty training and when I should start and how do I know if she's ready. I got all sorts of conflicting answers. Some were surprised she was not potty trained yet, while others said wait until she's 3 or 4. So I decided to wait until she was 2 1/2 years old. It was the worst experience ever. There was a lot of mess, a lot of temper tantrums and battles of will, and more. It was not easy. It was difficult. I assumed that potty training was just that way. It can never be any way else: it's just horrible by nature.

Then I had another baby, a boy. When he was about 14 months old or so, I stumbled upon the Baby Signs® program and incidentally, the Baby Signs® Potty Training program. It talked about a revolutionary new way to potty train before age 2. I decided to give it a shot and bought the potty training kit. I started training my son at 17 months old. I figured it wouldn't make potty training any worse, at the very least it might help a bit. But I wasn't sure if he could
really potty train before age 2. I was amazed. Potty training was actually FUN! It was fun for me and my boy. It was so much EASIER with the Baby Signs Potty Training kit. I read the book that came with the kit and learned so many things that I didn't know and didn't understand the first time around with my daughter. The book was written by child development experts Drs. Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn with Ann Supanklang, M.Ed. It gives wonderful advice on the entire potty training process and answers many parents frequently asked questions. I often wish I had had this book and this kit when I was potty training my daughter. Since I can't go back in time, I hope to help others become more informed on the benefits of potty training so they don't repeat my mistakes from my first potty training experience. I also hope to share in the fun and ease I got to enjoy the second time around using the Baby Signs® Potty Training Kit with my son.

Potty Train By 2!

Top reasons to Potty Train Before Age 2:

  • Avoid a battle of wills
  • Avoid an ingrained habit of going potty in a diaper
  • Avoid "crash course" potty training to meet preschool deadlines
  • Avoid health problems such as urinary tract infections and chronic constipation
  • Helps the environment by reducing the amount of diapers going in landfills each year
  • Saves money
Later Training Is Problematic for Parents and Children
Since the 1960s, diaper companies have actively promoted a ‘modern approach’ to potty training in which parents are advised to wait until their child is “ready”—sometime after age 2—to start training. This advice implies that later potty training will be easier, with children practically training themselves. In truth, potty training after 2 is actually more difficult. Why? Because, as the term “the terrible twos” implies, this is an age when children begin to say “No!” to everything. As a result, potty training all too often becomes a battle of wills, especially because eliminating in a diaper has become a well-ingrained habit that’s hard to break and also because parents, frantic over looming preschool deadlines, frequently resort to pressure tactics. There are other consequences of late training as well, according to Dr. Susan Goodwyn. “After age 2, children develop the ability to experience shame and embarrassment about bodily functions which can lead to additional problems, such as low self-esteem and stoolwithholding,
a tendency that can result in chronic constipation.”

Later Training Is Bad for the Environment
Later potty training also results in many more diapers in our landfills—1500-2000 more per child per year, with each diaper estimated to take up to 500 years to decompose. In addition, according to the National Geographic documentary “Human Footprint,” manufacturing a year’s worth of diapers for a single baby requires 759 pints of crude oil, 286 pounds of plastic, and 1.8 large trees. What’s more, laid end to end, the number of diapers used in one year in the United States alone (18 billion) would circle the world 90 times! While some parents believe that changing to cloth diapers alleviates the negative impact on the environment, many experts cite serious concerns about the increased use of energy, water and chemicals required for laundering cloth diapers. Clearly, decreasing a child’s stay in diapers by a single year—from 36 to 24 months—would have asignificant and very positive impact on the environment.

New Approach Aims to Reverse Trend
Concerned about the detrimental effects of later and later potty training, Dr. Goodwyn and Dr. Acredolo developed an innovative new approach—Potty Training Made Easy with the Baby Signs® Program—that makes early training not only possible, but also fun and easy for parents and babies. Based on their 2-year investigation of potty training practices, they concluded that the ideal age to start potty training is around 12 months. “Because this is a time when verbal language is limited,” says Dr. Acredolo, “and because effective communication is important to successful potty training, we saw a natural role for our bestselling Baby Signs® Program. By using a few simple potty-time signs, babies can easily tell their parents they need to go potty even before they can talk.”

Success at Any Age
Potty Training Made Easy with the Baby Signs® Program has been field tested with children from 9 months to 4 years with great success. Jennifer Macris, a mother of five who used the program, says, “I potty trained my four older children before using this program with my youngest son, and I can definitely say that this is the most fun and effective program out there. It works!”

Potty Train by 2 with the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit

Leia Mais…
Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Sign, Say and Play Classes
March Classes:
Date: Saturdays March 6 through April 10th--6 class series
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Music Maker's Academy
517 Hartford Rd
Manchester, CT
Spaces still Open! Call Paula Penna @ (860) 646-3096 or email paulap@musicmakersacademy.com

April Classes:
Date: Thursdays April 1st through May 6th
Time: 10:15 am
Location: Kiddy Korner Toy Store
100 West Rd
Ellington, CT
Limited Space Available. Register today by calling (860) 597-1926 or email bryn.chandler@babysignsprogram.com

Potty Training Class
March Classes
Date: Thurs March 25th
Time: 3:30 pm
Location: Kiddy Korner Toy Store
100 West Rd
Ellington, CT

Rumble Tumble Tummy Time
Coming Soon!

Under the Sea
Coming Soon!

Parent Workshops
Coming Soon!

Leia Mais…

Sign of the Week

Watch a video of of the sign for "Bird"

Leia Mais…


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We specialize in tailoring your adventure to your needs, and we encourage groups or corporate team building. Back Bay Getaways prides itself on having the best in outdoor equipment and ensuring that our guests have a memorable and fun experience. Imagine paddling through the pristine waters of Back Bay, cycling down a remote trail, or camping on an isolated beach far away from the trappings of everyday life. Take a drive to the end of Sandpiper Road, and let's start your adventure!

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Vajin Armstrong’s Tarawera Race Report

Vajin Armstrong’s Tarawera Ultra Marathon 2014 race report. Otherwise known as Adaptability, Or how to pull success from the Jaws of failure.

2014 TuM top 4 men early in the race.

2014 TuM top 4 men- Mike Aish, Sage Canaday, Vajin and Yun Yanqiao, early in the race.

In Ultra running, one of the key lessons you need to learn is that no matter how well you prepare no matter how thorough your plans are, something will go wrong. This in itself is not the problem, some of my best and most satisfying races have involved things going seriously wrong. It is how we respond and deal with these situations that determines the outcome of our event. Obviously to start with something went quite wrong with this years Tarawera Ultra Marathon before the race had even begun. Whenever I was out training and was visualising the race and how it would play out, it was always sunny; sunny and very hot. I was looking forward to getting out on the original course and having the opportunity to test myself against the 2011 and 2012 Vajin, and hopefully show the world that YES I have improved. So when the news came that it could possibly be rainy, this immediately put me on the back foot. When this was followed up by the last minute decision that we would be racing a shortened course this could have been the knock out punch. But luckily after talking to a friend (thanks GTG) who reminded me that “Ultra Running is all about being adaptable”, I consciously choose that this current situation was exactly what I wanted and this new course and event was perfect for me. Ultra running is hard enough as it is without lining up with doubts, regrets and excuses filling your mind.

Race morning 3.30am Breakfast – three slices of Vogels Gluten Free six seed bread lightly toasted topped with Nutella(I am just waiting for Anton to land the first Nutella sponsorship deal) and sliced Banana. Leave for start 6.05am arrive 6.10am. Make my way to the front of the field, short jog and a couple of drills to warm up. Feeling very calm and collected, I have learnt that the less energy I spend on worrying and stressing about the race the more I have for the actual running. Singing, Haka, the bringing together of our community, one moment, one goal. Bring it on, time to race.

The first lap was great, more of a warm up than anything else, the chance to stretch out the legs and relax into the race. As soon as we returned to that start line though it was race on. I settled in with the guys that I considered to be the main contenders and we started rollin’ at a decent clip. I was feeling good, comfortable and relaxed and between Blue Lake and Lake Okareka aid stations I decided to up the tempo. Heading out onto Millar Rd I passed Sam Clark and had the overall race lead, I didn’t even look at my GPS watch as I didn’t want to know how fast we were running, I was just happy to be moving well and feeling good. It was on this same stretch of road that Sage made his move last year and I was expecting the same today. Without fail as the climbing started he moved past me with Mike Aish in tow. I was still feeling good and was felt I was running the right tempo for me so let them go.

Vajin on the out and back section past Okataina.

Vajin on the out and back section past Okataina.

We hit the trail and I cruised up the first climb but as soon as I started descending I realised something was not right. Ten days before the race Christchurch was suffering from a serious bout of flooding. I was out for an easy recovery run and happened to step into a large hole, cunningly hidden by water, that had opened up in the road. It was a near miss I thought as this was the type of hole that could easy snap a leg in two. From me all it asked for was some skin and bruising to the shin. It hadn’t been a problem during training since then but now, 30km into the race my tibialis anterior (the small muscle on the front of the shin) was starting to cramp up and felt like it was going to explode. The bruising to the muscle sheath and the point where the impact had occurred had lead to this poor muscle becoming angry, irritated and over worked. It got to the point where the pain was so much that I had to stop to try and stretch it out. This is where Yun Yanqiao, from China, passed me, good man I thought, all the best. I walked for a bit and then tried to get started again. After another couple of hundred metres, pain, increasing pain, then boom, walking again. This is it I thought, I am out of the race, there was no way I could see myself making it another 30+kms in this condition. It was at this point that the one and only Mike Wardian passed me, lovely guy checked up on me, before he disappeared down the trail. I was walking now and was just waiting for the rest of the field to come storming past. But something strange happened… one came and at this point when it seemed all was lost inspiration struck. “This is not how I am going out of this race, never give up”. Too many people had given too much time, love and support to get me to this place, I couldn’t give up without knowing that I had given everything I had. So I started running again, it was painful for sure but the more I ran on it the more the pain began to recede, the fact that the track was now climbing again certainly helped. After stopping and walking for 5 or so minutes I felt that I would be out of the race but very quickly, far quicker than I could have imagined, I saw Mike Wardian ahead of me. Passing him quickly put me into fourth and suddenly I found myself “back” in the race.

I ran solidly down to Okatina, ignoring any protests coming from the shin, and found myself now with 21km to go and feeling pretty good. Having a nice little rest and walk in the middle of a race has an amazingly rejuvenating quality to it. Coming back into the aid station after heading out to the turn around I found myself 8+ mins down on Yun in 2nd, and 4+mins down on Mike Aish in 3rd. “Time to get to work” I told myself, and “Don’t let me walk even for one step” I told my pacer. I gave everything I had over this next stretch climbing as hard as I could and pouring my heart and soul into it. To all those that stopped and let me past and all those that offered so much support to me, you are all awesome and are the reason why this sport is so great. With 7 or 8kms to go I saw two yellow singlets ahead which could mean only one thing, game on for 3rd place. I blew past Aish as he was suffering through a bit of a bad patch and thought that would be the last I saw of him. How wrong could I be…..

After cruising through the next 3-4 kms we were approaching Millar Rd aid station, that magical spot which would mean only 2 kms to go, when I asked my pacer just to check behind us to make sure the coast was clear. He turned back to casually inform me that Mike was there and was closing in on us. At that point in any race it’s not really what you want to hear, but at km 70 in a race like Tarawera with only two fast road km’s to go, you really don’t want to hear that a former 27min 10km runner is hot on your heels. In that moment you have two choices a) accept the “inevitable” and let the “faster” runner run you down or b) fight with everything you have got and see what you are made of. We hit the road and I started giving it everything, I looked at one split on my GPS and saw that we were going sub 3min km pace and still Aish was coming for me. The gap went (according to my pacer) from 80m to 60m and with 1km to go it was down to less than 40m. I was running as fast as I could at this point and was just hoping that the finish line would reach me before Aish did. At this point my pacer looks back and says “Your holding him” and then even more excitedly “You are pulling away, you’ve got 100m”. I didn’t look back and carried on pushing hard all the way to the line. At this point after finishing a race I didn’t think I was going to finish, having held out a quality runner like Mike Aish over the final stages I was in a word “PUMPED”.

Vajin crossing for his 4th podium finish at Tarawera.

Vajin crossing for his 4th podium finish at Tarawera.

More than results Ultra Trail to me is about experiences, it’s about getting to that point where you think you have nothing left and can’t go on and then taking that next step. Of finding that our capacities are indeed greater than we know, of finding out what we are truly capable of. Huge thanks to Paul and his team for providing us all with the opportunity to step into the unknown and find out where our limits are.

Big thanks to all my sponsors and supporters and of course my wife Prasasta, Ultimate Direction (the original and still the best handhelds), MACPAC (Chch’s finest), Buff (good for anything) the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team (inspirational) and the wonderful Lotus-Heart in Christchurch (all things nutritional).

Tarawera Results HERE

Tarawera Ultra Website

Ultra Trail World Tour Website

About BCR

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2 total comments on this postSubmit yours
  1. I want to running now……Nice work Vajin, look forward to your next adventure.

  2. hey Vajin. You ran past me on the hill back to millar rd. You were the only one of the leading bunch that was smiling!

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A Backcountry Running Community for New Zealand trail, mountain and ultra runners- We want this to be the place you come for all things trail running including race previews and reports, interviews with New Zealand runners and hopefully a whole lot more! Our aim is to provide as much original content- previews/reports/interviews on New Zealand trail, mountain and ultra races. We can't be everywhere- so feel free to get in touch if you have the scoop on a race or event.

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Monday, June 17, 2013

Powda House

From Dave Brigham:

A few times a year I drive into the center of Dedham, which has a great array of historic homes and buildings. Incorporated in 1636, Dedham is the county seat of Norfolk County, and borders on Boston's West Roxbury neighborhood. A few years ago I noticed this small building on a gentle rise just outside the town center.

Powder House #1

At first I thought this little structure was located in somebody's backyard. There is a private road off the main drag, and I didn't notice any public access at first. But as so often happens, once I got out of my car and walked up close, I realized there was indeed a little walking path.

I was really happy I took this detour.

Turns out the pint-sized edifice is considered Dedham's most significant historic structure. Known as the Dedham Powder House, the building was erected in 1766 by a Captain Fuller, during the year that the British parliament passed an act stating that the British government had total power to legislate laws in the American colonies.

I guess Fuller knew that eventually colonists were gonna take up arms against the British and would need a place to store arms.

Powder House #2 Powder House #4 Powder House #3

Located near the Charles River, the powder house is made of brick, with a wood roof. According to a recent town master plan update, the building's ownership is complicated, "with the town retaining care and custody of the structure while the land remains under the ownership of the Dedham Historical Society. Due to the secluded location of the Powder House and liability concerns, little work has been undertaken on the building and it has deteriorated over the years."

Still, for a a 247-year-old building, it doesn't look half bad.

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