An Issue From the Zucchini Archives!


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

WINTER '02-'03


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

"Safe & Sound" is our newest CD release produced in conjunction with child-safety specialists, Fingerprint America. It contains ten original songs and skits focused on the important topic of child/stranger safety. This CD will be available for sale at our live shows, by mail, and through our website, www.zucchinibrothers.com . You can check out Fingerprint America's site for other safety products at http://www.fingerprintamerica.com

We had lots of fun writing, producing, and performing "Booster Seat Safety" songs for the New York State Department of Health in 2001-2002! AND now in 2003, we'll be working with them again writing and producing songs about "Lead Safety." We'll keep you posted! You'll also be able to hear many of these newer songs (about stranger safety & booster seats) performed live at our shows...so come on out and see us!!!

We also have finished writing and recording songs for "Letter TV 3," an exciting educational series created by Destiny Images. For information about Letter TV 3 (and other projects that Destiny Images and the Zucchini Brothers have teamed up on), check out http://www.destinyimages.com

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STEVE'S CORNER

Steve Zucchini here, just jotting down the notes for my corner in the comfort of our nice, warm clubhouse. Jack and Sam aren't too happy with me right now. We're trying to shovel our driveway, and we misplaced the shovels. Well, not really WE; it was ME. I forgot that last summer I put 'em in my Supersonic Rocketship out in the backyard. (They were part of the wings, along with some of the garden shovels and leaf rakes.) My brothers also reminded me that next time I have to ask Mom and Dad before I use the tools!! But anyway, it gives me a chance to get warm, drink some hot cocoa, and write to all of you. Thanks to all of you for being great fans and coming to our shows, and also for writing to us--we appreciate every letter and e-mail we get! We've recently done some fun and interesting musical presentations on booster seats (and about how most of you should still be using 'em!). We hope to do more of those shows and also play some of this new music for you the next time you see us perform!

Ah, okay, okay...I hear Jack and Sam knocking on the door and telling me it's time to get outside--and I really should help them out with the shoveling--so gotta go. BUT, before I head outside, maybe I'll grab a cookie for me AND one for each of them--for "shoveling energy!" Bye!

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JACK'S CORNER

"In the winter, let it snow. In the winter, let it be freezing cold!" Yee-haw!! It sure is winter here! The snow is already up to the clubhouse windows. It feels like we live inside a snow globe. I've been out snowshoeing every day, cross-country skiing, sledding, and my tipi looks like an igloo. 'Tis the season for hot chocolate and yummy, warm meals. I've been reading lots of books (when I'm not outside), practicing my guitar, and writing some new songs.

Lately, I've been following a lot of animal tracks in the woods: deer, rabbit, squirrel, mice, and--I think--moose tracks, too. And the funny thing is: I think they've been following me, too! Our friend, Susan and I named the first moon of winter "the moon of the snow stars" because when we were out for a walk one full moon night, it looked like all the snow around us was glistening with stars--just like the stars in the sky. We've decided we're going to take a walk during every full moon for the rest of the year, and give each full moon a name.

Well, I've got some shoveling to do. Make sure you dress in layers, and stay cool...I mean, WARM!

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SAM'S CORNER

It's cold out here in Zucchini Land, but it's nice and warm by the Zucchini Clubhouse fireplace. I helped Jack gather wood and chop it. Mom and Dad said they'd let us do the chopping, but that they had to supervise us. Dad told us about safety precautions when using an axe--the same safety rules his father taught him. Mom decided that she wanted to chop some of the wood, too, so we got a little help from her. We collected the wood from the forests around the Zucchini clubhouse, dragged fallen trees and branches into our yard, and did the chopping there.

The smell of the wood smoke from the fireplace is wonderful; it creates a nice atmosphere. When we record our radio show, one of us has to get up every so often and put another log on the fire. Winter sure is cold out here, but it's really quite nice!

Keep in touch!

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LET'S ALL GET CREATIVE

: : : Photo Puzzles : : :

This project makes good use of spare photos you may have around the house. Here's what you'll need:

* 4"x6" photos (you also can use magazine photos) * wooden craft sticks (the wider kind--not the popsicle stick size) * white glue (we like tacky glue) * a pen * scissors

Place your photo face-down on a hard, smooth surface (so you see the back side of the photo). Position it so the long sides are at the top and bottom, and the short sides are on the left and right.

Arrange one of the craft sticks on the back of the photo so that the left edge of the craft stick is aligned with the left edge of the photo back. Holding the craft stick in place, draw a line along the right edge of the craft stick, on the back of the photo. After drawing that line, move the craft stick to the right until the left edge of the craft stick is aligned with the line you just drew with your pen. Draw another line on the photo, along the right edge of the craft stick. Now you have 2 parallel lines, and the distance between the 2 lines equals the width of the craft stick. Keep moving the craft stick to the right and drawing new lines until you've reached the right edge of the photo back.

With your scissors, cut the photo along all the lines you drew. When you're done, you'll have a number of photo strips. Turn the strips over so you can see the photo side, and arrange them into their original order so they form a complete picture.

You'll need the same number of craft sticks as you have photo strips. Place a craft stick beneath each of the photo strips, so you can still see the photo. Take the first strip, and cover the back of it with a thin layer of glue. Then attach it to the craft stick, centering it as best you can so you have about the same amount of space at both the top and the bottom of the craft stick. Repeat this process with all of the remaining photo strips and craft sticks, making sure that they are glued in the correct order and position. Once all the strips have dried, your puzzle is finished!

If you make more than one puzzle, then it's a good idea to label the back of each craft stick with a puzzle name (example: "Steve's rocketship"). You may also want to store all the pieces for one puzzle in an individual plastic zip-lock bag, or rubberband them together (but be sure they're completely dry first). That way you can tell the puzzles apart and not get pieces for one puzzle mixed up with pieces for another. * * *

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FROM THE ZUCCHINI KITCHEN (Mmmm!)

: : : Oven "Fried" Ravioli : : :

(they're kind of like fried mozzarella sticks)

Ingredients: * 20 cheese ravioli, defrosted if frozen * about 1/3 cup milk (soy and rice milk work just fine) * about 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly oil or spray a cookie sheet. Place milk in a small container and breadcrumbs on a small plate or lid. One at a time, dip the ravioli into the milk; then coat completely with breadcrumbs, and place the ravioli on the cookie sheet. When all raviolis are breaded and on the cookie sheet, put them in the oven, and cook for a few minutes. Turn the raviolis over, and cook for a few more minutes, until they look golden and...done.

You can serve these with some marinara sauce on the side for dipping, or even with something more exotic like sun-dried tomato pesto (which we all LOVE!). Mmm!

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JOKE TIME!

How do snowmen travel around? By icicle!

How do you prevent yourself from catching a summer cold? Catch it in the winter!

Where do snowmen keep their money? In a snow bank!

What wears a coat in the winter and pants in the summer? A dog!

Where do snowmen go to dance? Snowballs!

What do you get if you cross a snowman and a shark? Frost bite!

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HEY! IT'S THE WORD OF THE DAY

: : : transform : : :

Definition (verb): Make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, character, etc., of.

Example: All the snow we've gotten has transformed our yard into a winter wonderland. The snow banks are over two feet high, so it looks like the ground is much higher than it was in the fall. Our frog pond, fireplace, and garden are hidden under an enormous blanket of snow. And the trees have all lost their leaves and look like tree skeletons. It's hard to believe it's the same yard!


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QUOTE OF THE SEASON

"Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard, if you but dig for them." -Russell H. Conwell

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THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!

Try saying this tongue-twister 3 times, fast:

"shoveling slushy snow"

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WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

This time, we want to share with you an impressive site located at:

http://www.pbskids.org/dontbuyit

This site takes you behind the scenes of TV, music, and magazines so you can discover the secrets of selling and become wise to tricks used in advertising...and therefore less prone to fall for the images and claims presented by advertisers. This site is full of eye-opening "reality checks" to help you separate fact from fiction. There are also sections on how you can get involved and make a difference in the media. Check it out!

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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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