Author's Tea Aspen Elementary School

AUTHOR'S TEA 2011

I always feel so honored to be invited to this 4th grade girls' "rite of passage."

Dee Searing puts together an amazing "tea" with the help of many mom volunteers. Every year the decorations are different and the small gym is transformed into a special space.

You walk in and can't believe the work that has gone into this day. The tables are set beautifully with flowers and the first course: caesar salad and fruit kabobs. We look at our seats and there are colorful "garden/tea" hats for all of us to wear. I sat at a table of 7 beautiful and very well behaved young ladies. We discussed books and I told them the story from Fraser's Memoir about the four bears in our house. We laughed and felt so very special when the moms served us our tea, tea sandwiches and a variety of desserts.

I love living in Aspen and I especially love the yearly Author's Tea. Thanks to everyone for making me feel as if I'm at the Academy Awards!!

Maggie the Yellow Dog Visits the Hospital

Since Fraser has passed on to doggie heaven, Maggie has taken over his job as one of the pet therapy dogs at Aspen Valley Hospital. We certainly enjoy our job bringing smiles to the patients in the hospital. The children visiting parents love a visit as well. What a wonderful program Rita Cohen started years ago. We are so happy to be a part of it. People love the doggie photos on the wall just before entering the Patient Care Unit.

Besides the patients, the staff are always thrilled to pet our dogs. Maggie knows that at some point someone will give her a few treats so she is always very well behaved and patient. She loves it when a patient drops food onto the floor during their meal. She gladly cleans up so no sweeping is necessary!

After we make the rounds, we're off to the assisted living center to see the seniors. The seniors also love visits from the doggies. It sometimes really makes their day. Sometimes we are their only visitors and boy, they love having contact from others.

Really, we get as much out of our visits as the patients/staff/seniors do. Thanks, Rita, for establishing this wonderful program.

More later about my mentoring at the high school.....

Limelight Lodge hosts Jill and Maggie

Maggie and Jill visited the Limelight Lodge Saturday, February 19th. As soon as I can figure out how to include the cute photos, I will. Sorry, this blogger is having some blogging issues! Maggie always enjoys the Limelight as she feels she's the "hotel dog" and visits all the guests in the lobby. Little Evan enjoyed his mom reading the Fraser book to him and as always I had to use will power to not eat the delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies they serve when we come to read to the children. Look for the cute photo soon!

2010 Fraser Writing Contest

The Fraser Writing Contest 2010

I can't believe another year has passed and our 2010 Contest winners have been announced. We had over 65 story entries this past year. It is always a difficult thing to judge these stories as I feel each student has put their heart and soul into the stories.

I am honored to sponsor this contest year after year because I so believe in students' imagination and creativity to produce wonderful stories without it being required for school.

They really do it out of the love of writing.

We had full spreads in both The Snowmass Sun and The Aspen Times.

The contest is held at the Aspen Elementary School for 3rd and 4th graders.

This year's 3rd grade First Place Winner is Lauren Fox

This year's 4th grade First Place Winner is Cole Peterson.

The Snowmass Sun's article came out on December 22-28, 2010 edition and if you want to read the first place winners' stories, go to snowmasssun.com

The Blue Bottle Project

Courtney and I had the honor of teaching my novel, The Blue Bottle to Kellie Schenck's fifth grade class. The students read and Courtney and I answered questions. We were absolutely amazed at the depth of questions the students had.

The project culminated with the students making their own bottles complete with favorite quotes from the book, images of the Caribbean and decorated with sea shells, sea glass and many other items. The students wrote letters to a favorite person and rolled them up and placed them into the bottle. Ms Schenck challenged the students to give the bottles to someone other than their parents.

Courtney and I were thrilled to talk to the students and find out to whom they were giving their bottles and why. All of the students poured their hearts and souls into this project. Some were giving their bottles to: grandparents, older siblings, past teachers, etc.

We were honored to receive 2 bottles for ourselves and a wonderful thank-you letter that was incredibly well written and was in and itself a lovely gift!

The students made a bottle for the REAL Esther in the book and Courtney and I delivered it to her in person when we sailed to her cafe in the BVIs. The next blog will share pictures of her opening the bottle and her amazement.

The Book Signing and Costume Party

What a fantastic turn out for the re-launching of Adventures of Fraser the Yellow Dog, Rescue on Star Mountain book. We had a packed room at Explore Booksellers last Friday. Kids came in great costumes and pajamas. I read from the book as Maggie wandered around letting all the kids pet her!

As an added surprise, Landon Deane, who is on Mountain Rescue, came in uniform and told the children rescue stories and showed the kids lots of essential gear you should carry in the back-country. We were impressed how many children answered questions about what one should do in case of getting lost in the back country.

A really great time was had by all and thanks to Paradise Bakery for supplying Courtney's melt in your mouth chocolate chip cookies as special treats.

Finally Rescue on Star Mountain Returns!

After popular demand, I've brought Fraser's third book, Adventures of Fraser the Yellow Dog, Rescue on Star Mountain back to life. That book has been out of print for many years but since everyone seems to want a full set of our books, we decided to listen to our fans!

The books are to arrive on Tuesday, October 19. I've sent out an email blast with a chance to order autographed copies.

Explore Booksellers in Aspen is hosting a book signing/costume/pajama party this coming Friday, October 22 at 5:30 pm.

We hope to see all you locals there.