The Life and Works of Elizabeth Yates (written by Leo, age 8)

This is a report that he will be presenting in his NH History Co-Op class tomorrow (March 1, 2010). He worked incredibly hard on it and did a beautiful job with his essay and illustration.


I chose to do my report on my favorite NH author, Elizabeth Yates. Elizabeth Yates lived from 1937-2001; she lived 95 years and died on a Sunday at a hospice in Concord, NH (I found this information from The New York Times, August 2, 2001). Elizabeth Yates was born in Buffalo, NY, and she went to school in Mamaroneck, NY. She lived in Peterborough, NH, about 62 years. She wrote many books for children such as SWISS HOLIDAY, [SWISS HOLIDAY], AMOS FORTUNE, and THE JOURNEYMAN*. I have enjoyed many of her books.
ELIZABETH YATES signed this book, A Place for Peter, for my uncle at a home school meeting. He asked her this question, “How do you know when your story is ended?”
She answered, “Good question. That confuses many authors. I start at the end and work my way to the beginning.”
*THE JOURNEYMAN is one of my favorite books written by Elizabeth Yates. This book is about a traveling artist. One of my favorite hobbies is art.
Another book we’ve enjoyed is Mountain Born. This book is about a family that lived in pasturelands. They raise sheep and sell the wool at market. One day on the farm, 34 lambs were born, yet one of them appeared to be dead. As the father came in, carrying it in his arms, he told his wife, Martha, about the loss. He laid it in the lambing box by the fire and said that he would skin it later so he could sell the hide. Martha picked up the lamb. Their faithful farm hand, Benj, soon found out about the tragedy.
“Lifeless is it?” Benj murmured.
Martha looked up at him, “Andrew said it was dead.”
“Andrew does not know as much as God,” Benj said.
He knelt down and took the lamb in his arms. Pressing his bearded lips close to the black
nostrils, he blew into them…Soon it sucked all the milk [Martha] would give it from a nursing
bottle, and gradually strength came into the legs.” (Mountain Born, 6,8)

I have copied a picture from Mountain Born to illustrate this scene. It shows Martha nursing the little black lamb (Biddy) back to life.
I would encourage you to read some of these unforgettable children’s books written by a talented author from our home state, New Hampshire.

Sweetness...

Our Baby Tert's (nearly age 2) vocabulary is all his own. He "talks" constantly, but most of it is still babble. Every now and then we'll decipher a phrase with his older brother's assistance. For the longest time he was saying, "Ora byab yab! Ora byab yab!" We finally realized that he was telling people that his dog, "Cora is a black lab." :)

He also mixes up the funniest religious phrases. For a while he was saying "amen." Then he decided that it was much more interesting to say "ready, aim, fire!"

After a 14 hour sick day with the kids, I indulged in a brief rest on the couch. I explained to Tert, "Mommy needs to go to sleep now." He came over to me so tenderly, placed a kiss on my cheek and said, "God byess you!"

As usual, Rus wins the prize for the most hilarious quotes...

Watching my step aerobic DVD he observed, "Mom, that exercise lady WANTS to be ugly."

"Breathing apparatus keeps firemen from getting asthma."


"Look!! I'm getting bigger than my yegs!"

"Mom, guess what? My little brother isn't a baby anymore. He's my buddy!"

"I'm standing on my flip toes."

"Cora, do you know what? I love you!"

"I don't need a wife, Mom - JUST YOU... You'll be my mom FOREVER."

Stranger (s) in the Night Based on a true story- By: Stella Age: 10

You might want to read the story before looking at the pictures!


Girls at the Comfort Inn ;)


YIPPEE!



The dinner table at Grandma's house!


YUM YUM! CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!


~LYD~


~MO~


~LIN~


~STELLA~


~E~





This story that you are about to read was written by Stella Age 10. It is based on a true story-but I added a couple things to make it exciting. ENJOY!!!

STRANGER IN THE NIGHT

"OH! YIKES!!" said Lyd. "This water is COLD after being in the hot tub!"
The girls were swimming at the Comfort Inn for Stella and Lyd's birthday party. They were having lots of fun. They had been in the pool for a long time though, so Stella made a suggestion.
"Hey, E!" said Stella.
"Yep?" replied E.
"Want to get out? We can get dried off and then have chocolates!" suggested Stella.
"SURE! Let's just swim one more lap, ok? I'll race you!" said E.
"Want to join us, girls?" asked Stella, swimming over to the girls.
"SURE!" exclaimed the girls.
They swam one more lap and then, laughing, swam over to the stairs and dried off.
"Let's go in these locker rooms!" said Mo.
"Sure!" said Lin and Lyd.
"E and I will share this one." said Stella.
“Okie doke! We'll meet here when we're done. May we, Grandma?" asked Lin.
"Sure girls!" said Grandma.
The girls split up, got bundled for the February temperatures, and then met in the lobby. They slipped on hats, jackets, sneakers or flip flops, bagged up their stuff, and then walked out munching on chocolates as they went.
"MMM! These are good!" said Mo. "Thanks for bringing them Stella!"
"Yeah, thanks!" chorused the other girls.
"You're welcome!" said Stella. " just as long as we don't get too filled up before supper!"
"Now,” said Grandma to Lin, “we will have to split up for a bit.” “Your uncle Adam will be coming, and he will drive you and Lyd; otherwise we would have to double-buckle. Ok Lin?”
“Sure Grandma!” said Lin.
“Good! Now, here he is now. Bye girls!” said Grandma.
The girls split up and went to Grandma’s house. That was where the party was going to be.
“Wow, this looks SO YUMMY!” said Mo enthusiastically.
The girls ate the delicious supper of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, veggies and dip, strawberries and dip, and homemade ice-cream cake. The girls spread out to play afterwards. Finally, Grandma called everyone for gifts…
“Girls, TIME FOR GIFTS!!!!!!!!!” Grandma called.
“Ok, GRANDMA!” called the girls.
When everyone was seated the birthday girls (Lyd and Stella) sat down and started to gather the gifts around themselves. They happily opened each gift, enthusiastically thanking the giver with a smile.
“That was quite fun! Now it is time for us to go to my house girls!” Aunt Krista called.
“YAY!” said the girls.
The girls piled into a couple of the cars and then left for the house. When they arrived they laid out their sleeping bags.
“Who wants to watch “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs??!!” Mo asked.
“I sure do!” said E. “We just have to wait for the rest of the girls!”
“Yes!” While we wait, let’s look at our favors,” said Stella.
They looked at their party items, all of which fit the “summer in February” birthday theme and then finally settled down and got ready to watch the movie.
Some time later…
“That was an awesome movie!” said Lin and Stella, who had never seen it before.
“I’m glad that you liked it!” said Lyd.
They had some Go-gurts, then happily settled down to bed. Little did they know what adventure awaited them…
“WHOA!” shouted Lin, “what was that noise?”
“I didn’t hear anything,” said E sleepily.
“Wait- there it is again!” said Lin.
“Yes-yes, I hear it. What is it though?” asked Stella.
“It-it sounds like someone is at the door,” said Lin.
“Where is that FLASHLIGHT?!” asked Mo, now fully awake.
“It’s right here,” said Lyd. “Here, Mo!”
“Whoa! It’s twelve AM exactly!” said Stella.
“What should we do about the noise?” asked E.
“I don’t want to meet something scary, whatever it is,” said Lin.
“Me neither, but I don’t want to wake Mom and Dad, do you?” said Mo.
“Well then-I guess that we have to go see this by ourselves,” said Stella.
“Ok then, let’s go!” said Lyd.
“Ok. I have the flashlight. I’ll go first,” said Mo.
“The sound is coming from over there!” said Lin.
“Yes, there it is,” said Lyd.
Here the girls came to a halt.
“Lyd goes from here. She’s the oldest,” said E.
“Here, Lyd,” said Mo.
The girls peered out the window. What they saw made them gasp-then burst into giggles.
“IT’S ONLY CHRIS AND CURT!” said Stella.
“Wow, girls. We thought that nobody would ever let us in,” said the boys.
“Why are you laughing so hard?” they asked.
“It’s a long story!” said Lyd laughing.
“Yes, too long to tell now!” said Lin.
“Well, thanks for letting us in!” said the boys. “You deserve a good night’s rest!”
“Wow!” said E.
“That was exciting!” said Mo.
“I’ve had the most exciting birthday ever!” said Stella.
“ME TOO!” said Lyd.
“GOOD!” said the girls.
As Stella settled into bed, she suddenly said- “OH NO!”
“Oh no-what now?” asked the girls.
Stella said with a laugh, “If the night was this hectic, I wonder what the day will be like…”
“OH NO!” moaned the girls.

THE END