November's Way
November has
Not time to weep,
Because the summer's
Gone to sleep.
With driving wind
The leaves she sweeps,
And piles them into
Fragrant heaps.
The morning air
With smoke she fills
From bonfires kindled
On the hills.
Gray days and rain
She too must bring,
For these help make the
Far-off spring.
Then indoor fires
She sets ablaze,
And sings beside them
Songs of praise.
Does your child love owls? These are some of our family's favorite birds to watch in our neighborhood. Here I have included a printable of "owl" themed bookplates for every owl lover, young or old, to label their books with. These are free for students to use, however, this version is not intended for resale and shouldn't be uploaded to any other alternative web page or blog.
 |
| Black and white ''owl'' bookplates for students. Printable for home use or classroom only. |
 |
| Kangaroo grazing peacefully in Australia. |
 |
| Kangaroo baby in pouch. |
The Kangaroo lives in Australia. It is usually found in small companies, and always in charge by a leader. The first European to see a kangaroo was Captain Cook, in New South Wales, in 1770, and it is said that when the sailors asked the natives the name of the strange animal they replied, "Kangaroo," which, as a matter of fact, meant in their language, "What do you say?" However, this name has remained unchanged ever since.
The skin of the kangaroo made a very fine leather, and its flesh was good to eat when it was hunted long ago. The native Australians said that it afforded the best hunting on the continent.
Perhaps the most wonderful part of the kangaroo is the pouch in which it carries its young. The baby kangaroo, when first born, is not much over an inch or two in length, and for about eight months it lives in this pouch, until it is strong enough to hop about beside its mother. The doe kangaroo is very watchful of her young, for at the least suspicion of danger, the youngster scrambles into the pouch, and away goes the mother in gigantic leaps. The kangaroo thrives well in other places. Quite a number have been brought from Australia, to other countries and are now to be seen in a variety of zoos and parks, hopping about quite comfortably. They breed freely, too, and appear to tolerate alternative damp climate very well. When Captain Cook first discovered the kangaroo, they roamed everywhere in great numbers from little ones, the size of a rabbit, to the old fellows, as tall as a man ; but now they are becoming very rare, and it looks as though many species might become extinct.
At present the kangaroo is limited to the less frequented bush lands, far from the towns in Australia.
The kangaroo can be taught to box with boxing-gloves. This was sometimes seen in circuses, but the show was always attended with some little danger, for the instant the kangaroo thinks it is getting the worst of it, it will kick, and a kick from a full-grown kangaroo meant great injury, if not death outright to a man.
 |
| Kangaroos in danger of hitting trees. |
The Singing Mice
by Elizabeth A. Davis
A Little family of mice
Lived in a hold as snug and nice
As ever mice could wish to live.
They'd plenty, and a grain to give
To any poorer little mouse
That chanced to come about the house.
But one day - 'twas the strangest thing -
They fancied they must learn to sing;
Then such a racket as begun!
From early morn till set of sun
The mother mouse grew wild with dread;
She said such actions turned her head,
That mice were never made to sing,
And surely 'twould a trouble bring.
At this the mousies only laughed
They thought their mother merely chaffed;
But still they sung, and sung, and sung,
Till every beam and rafter rung,
And good old farmer Brown declared
He'd have to have his house repaired:
''It's old and shaky, and the wind
Comes searching every crack to find.''
''Not so,'' then Mistress Brown replied;
''It's rats and mice that sneak and hide,
And keep up such a frightful din
You'd think the house had tumbled in;
But I've a remedy for that, -
I'll get a good and faithful cat.''
Next morning came, and Mistress Brown
An early journey took to town,
Returning with her friend, the cat,
An animal so sleek and fat
She looked as though she'd fed on mice,
Or something else as sweet and nice,
Her whole life long. And, oh! her eyes
So green, so sleepy, and so wise!
She crept along the kitchen floor,
And sniffed at every closet door,
Across the hall, and through the house, -
'Twas evident she smelt a mouse;
At length she disappeared from view -
What follows now is strictly true -
Beneath the crazy garret floor
She found the mice - they numbered four -
All in their hole, and quite content,
Unthinking of the punishment
Their mother said would find them out
When they began to sing and shout.
So, little children, give an ear
When wise ones counsel danger near.