An Issue From the Zucchini Archives!


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

SUMMER '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

The Zucchinis will be recording a new CD this fall. We're busy choosing songs right now and can't wait to get into the Zucchini Studio to record! We'll keep you posted!

We have a new website! Our friend Larry Clyman helped us give our site a whole new look! Check it out! (http://www.zucchinibrothers.com)

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STEVE'S CORNER

Steve Zucchini here, reporting to you from Zucchini Land's own Grand Onion grocery store. I'm taking a little two-minute break from putting things back onto the shelves. "Why would you be putting things BACK on the shelves?" you ask. Well, I got a little carried away helping Dad with the summer shopping chores and got a few extra things we don't need: a jumbo box of "berry explosion" popsicles, a coconut, a case of motor oil, six pineapples, 22 pounds of spaghetti, a roadmap of Hawaii, 12 bars of watermelon soap, a bottle of hair gel, and a bleu cheese log. BUT Dad says I did, at least, score a few extra points for finding the right sunscreen, and he'll let me keep the sunglasses I picked up for my brothers and me as long as we really wear them! Okay, back to the shelves I go. Hope to see y'all this summer at one of our shows!

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JACK'S CORNER

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a "sunny blue sky" summer here in Zucchini Land. Up to this point, we've had more than our fair share of rain...which has created a gigantic frog pond in our clubhouse backyard. There are tons of frogs in it! At last count, we had 15 in there, and we've named them all. My favorite is Louie. He's a bullfrog, and when he croaks, it sounds like he's saying, "Louie." Steve doesn't like bullfrogs, though. He says they're "too big" and is worried they might have horns like a bull. But Sam and I are pretty sure bullfrogs don't have horns. Well, gotta make like a frog and jump--I think I hear Louie and some of his buddies out in the backyard.

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SAM'S CORNER

Well, summer's here in Zucchini Land, and there are two things on my mind right now: our garden and the Zucchini Land Zebras baseball team. Okay, let's start with the garden. We got a ton of rain this spring which, at first, seemed like a good thing. But now, what we need are some nice, sunny, dry days. You see, just as too little rain is not good, too MUCH rain can be very hard on the plants, as well. We're growing the usual vegetables in our garden, but have added a few new things: strawberries, spinach, blackberries, raspberries, and fava beans. We'll keep you posted on their progress. Okay, on to baseball! The Zucchini Land Zebras have never been a very good team. They have finished in last place every year. But this year will be different. This year, I just know they will be better than ever. Their star pitcher, Sadge Blake, is in top form, and the whole team looked very good in spring training. So, cross your fingers, and let's hope for a better season than last year's...and the year before that...and the year before that...

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LET'S ALL GET CREATIVE

: : : Pressed Leaf & Flower Greeting Cards  : : :

You can make some lovely, unique greeting cards by glueing pressed leaves or flowers in attractive arrangements on a blank card. It's very easy to do, but you'll need to allow about ten days for the leaves and flowers to press.

Materials: * small, freshly picked flowers, grasses, ferns, leaves, etc. * a few thick books (to press the flowers) * paper towels (optional) * white glue * small paint brush * cardstock, 5"x8" unlined index cards or construction paper * colored pencils, crayons or markers

1) Take a nature walk, and pick some small flowers, grasses, ferns, etc. (Don't pick much from any one area.) Avoid anything thick or dense that cannot be pressed flat.

2) As soon as you get home, place your specimens between different pages of a thick book. (Be sure to use a book you won't need for the next ten days.) You can either place them directly between the pages of the book or put them inside a folded paper towel before placing the paper towel inside the book. (If you're pressing flowers with wide petals, or wide leaves, you may want to avoid using a paper towel because the petals/leaves will be imprinted with the texture pattern of the paper towel.) Use as many paper towels and books as you need in order to lay the specimens flat, without overlapping them. Take your time with this step to ensure that the specimens are as flat and straight as possible so they'll press nicely. For instance, try to avoid bent-over petals or wrinkles.

3) Stack a couple thick books on top of the book(s) containing the specimens. Put the stack of books in an out-of-the-way place, and let them sit there for ten days.

4) The specimens are ready to be used when they feel dried out and kind of like paper. Assemble the remaining ingredients.

5) Fold the cardstock, index card, or construction paper in half to make a blank card. Depending on what you use, you may need to cut it to a suitable size. Arrange some dried specimens into whatever arrangement you like on the front of the card.

6) Working with one flower/leaf/fern/grass at a time, dip your paintbrush into a small amount of glue, and very carefully dab the glue onto the back of the specimen. You don't need to use much glue--just enough so the specimen will stick to the card without curling up.

7) Once the entire arrangement is glued to the front of the card, use colored pencils, crayons or markers to finish your design. A simple border, made of one or two lines going all the way around the pressed leaf/flower design often looks nice.

8) Make as many cards as you want! In addition to sending the cards to friends, you can give a set of these cards to someone as a special gift. Just wrap a piece of fairly thick handmade paper (available in art supply stores) around the stack of cards, leaving the top and bottom ends open, and tie a piece of raffia around it, in a bow.

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FROM THE ZUCCHINI KITCHEN (Mmmm!)

: : : Yummy Yogurt Sundae : : :

Here is a recipe that takes advantage of the fresh fruit that is in season during the summer. Though we're providing plenty of ideas for toppings, tailor this recipe to your liking, choosing the 4 or 5 toppings you like best. The following recipe makes one sundae.

Base: * 6-8 oz. vanilla or plain yogurt * 1 Tbs. wheat germ

Toppings (use any combination of the following, totaling 1/2 to 1 cup per sundae): * chopped dates * chopped bananas * fresh or frozen raspberries * fresh or frozen blueberries * sliced, fresh strawberries * chopped peaches * chopped pineapple * chopped apples * chopped melon * sunflower or sesame seeds * shredded coconut * raisins * Grape Nuts cereal * chopped nuts

1) Spoon the yogurt into an individual dessert bowl.

2) Stir in the wheat germ, until well distributed.

3) Add toppings, ending with a sprinkling of Grape Nuts, nuts or seeds on top. Yum!

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JOKE TIME!

Why did the firefly get bad grades in school? ..................................He wasn't very bright!

What did the firefly say before leaving? ..................................Bye--I must be glowing now!

How do bees travel? ..................................By buzz!

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HEY! IT'S THE WORD OF THE DAY

: : : HUMID  : : :

Definition:(adjective) warm and damp.

Synonyms: muggy, clammy, sticky, steamy, sultry, wet.

Example: Swimming is a refreshing activity on hazy, hot, and HUMID days in the summer.

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QUOTE OF THE SEASON

"It is difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a home-grown tomato." -Lewis Grizzard

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ENVIRO-TIP (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, or Precycle!)

Put an old phone book to use as a glueing surface! It's the same basic idea as putting newspapers down (to cover a table or surface) when doing a potentially messy craft project. Do your glueing on top of the phone book, and when the top page gets sticky, tear it off and use the next page.

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THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!

Try saying this tongue-twister ten times, fast:

"thistle patch"

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WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

: : : www.kidsdomain.com : : :


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ZUCCHINILAND SUMMER READING LIST!

Speaking of summer reading lists, here are some books that come highly recommended from our own bookshelves. We created this list with our friend, Susan, and her little brother one afternoon in the clubhouse. Generally speaking, picture books and books for younger readers are listed first, followed by chapter books and books for more advanced readers. See if you can find them in your local library!

GRANDFATHER TWILIGHT, Barbara H. Berger
WHEN THE SUN ROSE, Barbara H. Berger
PETER IN BLUEBERRY LAND, Elsa Beskow
CHILDREN OF THE FOREST, Elsa Beskow
JAMBERRY, Bruce Degen
OWL MOON, Jane Yolen
THE RAINBABIES, Laura Krauss Melmed
BROTHER EAGLE, SISTER SKY, Susan Jeffers
MISS RUMPHIUS, Barbara Cooney
VERDI, Janell Cannon
THE QUILTMAKER'S GIFT, Jeff Brumbeau
HOW TO MAKE AN APPLE PIE AND SEE THE WORLD, Marjorie Priceman
STELLALUNA, Janell Cannon
WHEN THE SKY IS LIKE LACE, Elinor Lander Horwitz
BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL, Robert McCloskey
WALK WHEN THE MOON IS FULL, Frances Hamerstrom
READY, SET, READ, Joanna Cole & Stephanie Calmenson
THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER, A.A. Milne
MATTHEW'S MEADOW, Corinne Demas Bliss
MAGIC SCHOOL BUS series
GRANDMOTHERS' STORIES, Burleigh Muten
CHARLOTTE'S WEB, E.B. White
NATIVE AMERICAN ANIMAL STORIES, Joseph Bruchac
FALLING UP, Shel Silverstein
GWINNA, Barbara Helen Berger
MAGIC TREE HOUSE series, Mary Pope Osborne
LITTLE HOUSE series, Laura Ingalls Wilder
ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS, Scott O'Dell
A WRINKLE IN TIME, Madeleine L'Engle
WALK TWO MOONS, Sharon Creech

Also...anything written by Byrd Baylor, Marie Hall Ets, Joseph Bruchac, Eric Carle or Jan Brett!

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This newsletter is written by the Zucchini Brothers with Susan Meyer. 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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