Sunday, August 31, 2008

Cora goes to Glacier National Park

Lucky Cora got to visit Glacier National Park, Montana on Friday. She says it was a picture perfect day and driving through Glacier feels a lot like driving through a picture postcard. It is so stunning and spectacular, it almost feels like it can't quite be real. Here are a few photos, but she says everyone was too busy gawking at the views to get photos of everything they saw. Scroll over photos for captions.

Cora in Glacier


Pretty wildflowers


Cora and her new friend, Ryin


Cora and Mt. Reynolds


Cora at Lake McDonald


Ryin enjoys the view


Ryin is pretty in pink


Cora was afraid to wade in the water like Ryin


Bighorn Sheep


Mt. Pollock

Saturday, August 9, 2008

A Note from Cara Linnea (as dictated to Sasha)



Hi Peoples! My name is Cara Linnea. I am a black baby girl, most definitely a girl. All black babies from 1972 to 1978 were girls. Umm, what do you think I should say next? No, don't type that. I was asking you that, Sasha. Let's start over. Hi, Umm. My name is Cara. My strings are a rusty orange color. That means I was made in about 1972 to 1974. Hey Sasha, that's not nice to say, it's about time I grew up and learned how to type myself. Don't type that either. I was talking to you again. I am too little to type—you know that. Now delete that, okay. I have the dark black skin that Cora, Caleb, and black baby girls had until 1979. A warmer toned baby was made in 1980 to 1983 named Little Flower, and another in 1984 to 1986 named Cara, so I got her name. I came to MamaT wearing a white nightdress, but my original outfit was probably a white suit with a red, patterned trim. I can't remember it though. MamaT sewed me a new blue dress. She didn't have a pattern for baby clothes, so she made the pattern herself. She doesn't sew much, so it is not perfect, but it's not too bad either. I think blue is a better color for me than white. I like to go barefooted best.

I love flowers. Carl Linnaeus was a doctor and a botanist—that's someone who studies plants. He first started using two Latin names for each plant, the first name to show what group of plants it is related to and the second to name the individual plant. He changed his name to Carolus Linnaeus to match the Latin style of naming plants and animals, but maybe it should have been Linnaeus Carolus to really match. His favorite flower was Linnaea borealis or twinflower. Each plant has a pair of tiny bell-shaped flowers—it's very cute. One of my favorite flowers is harebell or Campanula rotundifolia. See no matter what language you speak, anyone in the world will know what you are talking about if you use Latin names. I like all the flowers, except some of the weeds. Knapweed and ox-eye daisy can be pretty, but they crowd out nicer plants, so I don't like them so well.

Umm, I can't think what to say next. No, I told you that's not part of my note. I will tell MamaT if you don't stop typing things I don't want you to. Umm. My best buddy is Margot. I was glad when she came to our family. I am glad we have Cora in our family now too. I like all the dolls in our family, except I don't like when Sasha types the things I don't want to say in my note. So don't do that anymore. Umm, that's all I can think of today. That will be a good place to end. Tell everyone Bye for me. I hope they all have a good day.
--from Cara Linnea

P.S. I have a website to share too. Marie has a very nice site. I think you will all like it.