An Issue From the Zucchini Archives!


THE ZUCCHINI CLUBHOUSE NEWSLETTER
...the official newsletter from The Zucchini Brothers!
www.zucchinibrothers.com

SUMMER '02


Greetings from ZucchiniLand! And welcome to this archived edition of our Zucchini Clubhouse Newsletter, a quarterly publication filled with interesting facts, news from ZucchiniLand, stories, educational tidbits, projects, and much more! Please feel free to print this out and share with as many people as you want!

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NEW & EXCITING ZUCCHINI PROJECTS

The taping for Time Warner Cable's "Sounding Board" television series went well. We had a fun and lively audience, and we'd like to thank everyone who joined us for the live taping because we couldn't have done it without you! We also just finished recording some new songs for the "Letter TV" series for Destiny Images. These songs are about dipthongs, long and short vowels, etc., and we're pleased with how they turned out. We're gearing up for our summer concerts and are looking forward to having some vacation time this summer, although we will be working on our radio shows and getting ready to record a new CD this fall. As always, we'll keep you updated!
 
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STEVE'S CORNER

Steve Zucchini here, just jotting down the notes for my corner from the backyard of the Zucchini clubhouse. Guess what? My "supersonic rocket ship" is all assembled! And I took some advice from some of our fans: I put a piece of red metal (no sharp edges, of course) on the back of the rocket ship to look like a flame. Oh, and I also put a tail fin on the back. It looks really cool. "Well, what's so special about that?" you ask. Well, this isn't just *any* tail fin; it's a tail fin from an old 1959 car! Yup, some of those old cars, believe it or not, looked like rocket ships. Hey, I even used old car seats and part of an old dashboard! This rocket ship may not actually fly, but, hey, you can't deny that it's creative and "funky!" Now I have to paint it. Any suggestions?

On the subject of food, my favorite berries are back in season: blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Mmmmm...I'm a berry fanatic. And let's not forget tomatoes and basil; I can't do without my pesto!

Have a great summer. Relax, stay healthy, read, eat berries, AND come to a Zucchini Brothers show!

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JACK'S CORNER

It's summertime, and I'm feelin' fine! And I'm happy to report that the outdoor fireplace and tipi I built in the spring have managed to stay dry. They're in a much better location than they were previously. In fact, the old location is now a frog pond! There are at least 12 frogs living in the pond, and every time I walk by, on the way to the new fireplace and tipi, I hear a frog jump--plop!--into the pond. At first, it's hard to see the frogs because their colors blend in with their surroundings. But if you become really still and focus your eyes, then you can see them. (By the way, if you like frogs, you'll probably enjoy going to www.EnchantedLearning.com/themes/frog.shtml.)

I love summer--swimming, hiking, barbecues, stargazing, listening to the noises at night... And of course I enjoy sitting around the campfire with Sam and Steve and our mom and dad, singing, sharing stories, and roasting marshmallows. Yum! The only problem is the bugs--especially mosquitoes, horseflies, and ticks. My brothers and I are careful to wear light-colored clothing (including long pants and socks) and to check ourselves for ticks when we've been outside.

Well, I hope you have a safe and fun summer, and if you're ever feeling down, eat a tomato fresh from the garden. As Lewis Grizzard said, "It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." Yee-haw!
uess

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SAM'S CORNER

Hello, all you people! It's nice to talk to real people. I've been muttering to my toys and junk all spring long. Been cleaning my room--what Mom calls "spring cleaning" and Dad calls, "Get to work, Sam, and get it over with!" Mom's term is more poetic, but Dad's is to the point.

I stumbled on some seeds under my bed, in packets--old ones I'd forgotten about. I decided to add 'em to the garden this year. Only half of them sprouted, but that's not bad considering I bought them 4 years ago. So now I have Swiss chard and rutabaga added to our garden.

The Zucchini Land Zebras are doing a little bit better this year, although they're in last place. They've won almost as many games as they've lost, and Sadge Blake, their best pitcher, has overcome his earache. Let's all cross our fingers for a good season! 

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LET'S ALL GET CREATIVE

: : : : : : Seashell Photo Frame : : :

This project makes a wonderful (not to mention impressive) gift and is great for displaying a summer photo. You will need:

* white Sculpey clay or other white polymer clay (get a 1.75 lb. package, and you can make more than one frame) * waxed paper * rolling pin * plastic knife * various small shells and starfish * metal picture hanger (the kind with teeth) * sponge (a natural sponge works especially well) * paper cup or plate * foam paintbrush * aqua colored acrylic paint * hot glue gun or white craft glue * photograph

Here's what you do:

1) Knead the clay until it's soft enough to work with. Place clay on a clean piece of waxed paper, and (using a rolling pin) roll it into the shape of a frame. To keep your rolling pin clean, put another piece of waxed paper on top of the clay. With the plastic knife, cut out a center opening for your photo, and trim the frame to the exact shape you want it.

2) Carefully and firmly, press the shells into the clay, and then remove them. You can use the same shell more than once. It's good if you can avoid making a significant impression in front of where the photo hanger will end up going so the photo hanger won't pierce all the way through. Make sure you press firmly enough so you make a distinct impression with the shells, but be sure not to press so hard that the shell cuts all the way through the clay!

3) Add texture by dabbing/gently pressing a dry sponge around the entire surface of the frame. Press the sponge just firmly enough to texturize the clay surface; you don't want to make an impression anywhere near as deep as those made by the shells.

4) Bake the frame (shell side up) in a preheated oven according to the directions on the package.

5) Remove the frame from the oven. Carefully (remember the frame is still fragile and hot) transfer it to a wire rack (still shell side up), and insert the picture hanger into the center top of the backside of the frame. Let it cool for 20 minutes on the rack.

6) When the frame has cooled, you're ready to paint it! Put some of the acrylic paint into a paper cup (or onto a paper plate), and use the foam brush to neatly paint the whole front surface of the frame. Be sure not to get paint on the impressions; these will remain white. Let the paint dry for 15 minutes. If you wish, you can do a second coat of paint once the first has dried; let the (optional) second coat dry, too.

7) Now it's time to attach your photo to the frame. Put a line of hot glue or craft glue on the back side of the frame all around the center opening. Place the photograph so it shows through the center opening (when looking at it from the front) exactly as you want it. Press the photo in place so it adheres to the back side of the frame. Let it dry.

8) Hang your beautifully framed picture, or give it to someone as a gift!
 
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FROM THE ZUCCHINI KITCHEN (Mmmm!)

: : : Sun-dried Tomato Pesto : : :

Steve loves pesto, and this recipe is one of his favorites!

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (*not* the kind packed in oil) * 1/2 cup hot water * 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil * 1/4 to 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts * 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped * 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (you can use reduced fat) * 1/4 tsp. black pepper * 1/4 tsp. thyme

1) Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze dry.

2) In a food processor, combine the soaked sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. Process to a smooth paste, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

3) Stir the pesto into pasta or rice or spread on crackers. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

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JOKE TIME!

Here are some summertime jokes for you!

What's black and yellow and goes "zub, zub, zub?" Answer: A bee flying backwards.

What's black and white and red all over? Answer: A sunburned zebra.

What did Daddy Lightning Bug say to Mommy Lightning Bug? Answer: Junior sure is bright for his age!

Why couldn't the frog talk? Answer: It had a person in its throat.

What kind of ant lives in a house? Answer: An occupant.

How can you avoid infection caused by biting insects? Answer: Don't bite any!

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HEY! IT'S THE WORD OF THE DAY

: : : Amphibian : : :

(noun): class of vertebrates including frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders; creature living both on land and in water; a vehicle able to operate on land and water.

"Amphibian" can also be used as an adjective.

Sentence: The frogs in our frog pond alternate between hopping around on the land and swimming in the water; therefore they are amphibians.

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QUOTES OF THE SEASON

"People are a lot like seeds you plant in a garden..."

"All you need is deep within you waiting to unfold and reveal itself. All you have to do is be still and take time to seek for what is within, and you will surely find it." (Eileen Caddy)

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DID YOU KNOW?

 : : : Silver Pennies : : :

A few days ago, we were out by the tipi moving some rocks around, and guess what we found (with a little help from our dog, Polly)? Four *silver* pennies dated 1943! Well, we were pretty excited because we'd never seen silver pennies before. We figured they were rare and therefore quite valuable. After briefly planning amongst ourselves what we would do with our fortune, we brought the pennies inside the house to show our parents. Of course, we anticipated they'd be *very* pleased. Well, they certainly seemed curious and interested. Then our mom did some research on the internet and informed us that our zinc-coated steel (or "silver") 1943 pennies aren't rare after all since nearly 1.1 billion of them were minted. In fact, she told us that *copper* 1943 pennies are the ones that are rare and valuable. It turns out that the silver pennies were made during World War II in an attempt to conserve copper, which was needed in the war effort. The way you can tell if you've found a rare and valuable 1943 penny is to put the penny up to a magnet. If it doesn't stick to the magnet, then you are a very lucky person indeed! So now we're looking around for 1943 copper pennies! Our dad cautioned us not to get our hopes up, but hey, you never know!

Finding the silver pennies made us curious about how coins are made, and we came across a fun and informative U.S. mint website to pass along to you: www.usmint.gov/kids/index.cfm?Filecontents=/kids/cartoons/index.cfm.
Check it out!

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THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!

Try saying this tongue-twister 3 times, fast:

"She sifted thistles through her thistle sifter."

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WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

This time, we want to share with you a cool website about food safety, which is located at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/educate.html.
You'll find a printable food safety coloring book, quiz, crossword puzzles, songs, a word match, and much more. You can even print out a certificate of completion. Have fun!

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This newsletter is written by Susan Meyer and the Zucchini Brothers. Thanks so much for subscribing to this newsletter and supporting The Zucchini Brothers! We hope to see you at an upcoming performance! And please consider calling or writing your local radio station to let them know you like our show!

Your Friends,
Steve, Jack & Sam Zucchini
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