Thursday, September 27, 2012

Winter's Day

Authors Note: The task at hand was to choose a picture that relates to you, write a short story on how it relates to you, and then draw another picture that is similar to both the museum's painting and your writing piece.  

The sculpture I related to is Edge of England by Cornelia Parker.  It somehow reminded me of a snowstorm, the massive rock fragments replacing the tiny snowflakes.  Also, this story is not true and has never happened, though it is very likely that it could.

In this writing piece, I am trying to improve my vocabulary and use figurative language.


Edge of England 
by Cornelia Parker                                                                                                  



















Edge of England, 1999

Chalk, wire, and wire mesh

Cornelia Parker excavates the layers of meaning in the unusual objects and uncommon processes that inform her art.  

For Edge of England, the artist collected chalk fragments from a major rock fall at the Beachy Head section of the Dover cliffs, located on the southeastern edge of England.  She suspended the chalk from thin wires to form a curtain wall that reinterprets what nature had destroyed. 

The Dover cliffs have a special significance and their associations are rich.  During World War II, the last views British soldiers had of their country were of the white cliffs. 

As such this sculpture is a symbol of a nation as well as a medication on the human condition.  Parker has states, "I like to resurrect things that have a kind of violent history.  I enjoy creating a frozen moment, a quiet thing, out of a violent occasion."

(This information is on display in the museum.)
_______________________________________________________

Winter's Day
By: Hannah Antczak




















Winter's Day, 2012


“Come on sis!” Henry called while running through the rows and rows of evergreens.
It was that time of year.  Hot cocoa with gooey marshmallows, blankets of sparkling snow, freshly baked cookies with chocolate chips oozing out, and warm fires blazing and cracking in the fireplace.  Winter.
It was a family tradition to get a real tree every year.  Today was a perfect winter day: not too cold, and the soft snow was sprinkled on the ground.  So that morning we piled the family into my mom’s van and drove off to look for a tree.   
I smiled, my cheeks red as roses and my nose a cherry.  I sprinted through the heavy snow, my boots making holes as deep as the Grand Canyon.  
“Ahh!” Henry screamed as I chase him, my frostbitten fingers reaching out to grab his jacket.
“I’ve got you!” I declared as I grab his scarf.  My fingers slowly crawl toward his stomach.
Henry’s eyes widened.  “Please don’t Hannah,” he croaked.  
But it was too late.  My fingers had already reached his stomach and I began to tickle him.
“Stop Hannah!” he laughed, his little arms flailing around.  
A few feet away, I can hear my parents arguing about what Christmas tree we should get.
Henry somehow escaped my tight grasp and runs to where my parents are standing.  
“I like this tree Mama,” he said sweetly.  He turns to my dad and glares.  “This is the one,” he demands, with tilted eyebrows and slightly shut eyes.     
“Mom!” my sister shouts, somewhere in the distance.  “Come here!”  
We follow the noise, turning right and left, her voice getting louder and softer. 
After a few minutes of searching, I found her in the way back, surrounded by giant branches of green and brown.
“Found her,” I panted, out of breath.
My dad, mom and brother soon came sprinting, also out of breath.
“What are you doing over here Hailey?” my dad asked, a tad of anger in his tone.
Hailey was standing by a huge tree, big majestic branches spaced evenly apart.  
This was the one.

* * * * * * * * * * *
I helped my parents lug the tree on top of the van, while Hailey and Henry were bursting with joy and shouting Jingle Bells.  When the tree was fully tied to the vehicle with twine, I hopped into the car and joined my siblings obnoxious singing.
The whole car ride was filled with yelling, screaming, and the occasional “be quiet!” from my parents.  Soon I became sick of singing, and I found myself gazing out the window.  Everything looked so beautiful.  There were carolers going door to door, spreading their hearty Christmas spirit.  Young children, all bundled up, struggled to roll the balls of snow for their lopsided snowman’s head.
In what seemed like a second, we were pulling into our icy driveway, Hailey and Henry now chanting Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
I hopped out of the van, ready to help my parents untie the tree.  Hailey and Henry followed close behind, but instead they went into the backyard and hurled snowballs at each other.
I dug my fingers into the twine, attempting to get all the knots out.  As soon as the last knot was untied, little snowflakes started falling from the dreary sky.  Henry started spinning, trying to catch one on his tongue.
My mom laughed, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her.  He looked so cute spinning around in his thick puffy jacket and wool hat.
But soon the snowflakes were getting bigger and bigger, and were falling harder and harder.  Hailey quickly dashed for the garage door, but Henry was still twirling in the snow.  My dad went and picked him up, slung him over his shoulder, and carried him inside.

* * * * * * * * * * * 


I huddled in front of the warm fire, a blanket around me like a cocoon.  Hailey and Henry to my left.  
“Hot chocolate all around!” my mom announced, walking into the TV room from the kitchen.  
She was carrying a tray: five steaming cups and large bag of of mini marshmallows neatly placed on it
“Yay!” Henry exclaimed while clapping.  
My dad was behind my mom, holding a plate filled with chocolate chip cookies right from the oven.  
I chose the Santa mug, grabbed a handful of the mini marshmallows, and dumped them in my cup, landing with a satisfying plop.  I reached for the cookies as well, the soft, delicious batter and creamy chocolate chips were melting in my mouth.  I swaddled back into my blanket, and sipped from my mug.
Freshly fallen snow was on the ground outside, and I was drinking hot cocoa in front of the fire. The scent of pine needles and cookies filled the air, and the tree sparkled in the living room. Nothing could be better on a cold winter’s day.  At least to me it couldn't.     

Art Museum Trip

Authors Note: Today, a couple of students and I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum.  Check out our pics! 


Outside View
Hello Museum!


Chilling...
Yum!


Solly's Grille
Willow Tree
Edge of England
Janitor Statue


Art goes to the movies
Inside the museum





Thursday, September 6, 2012

Pictures

Author's Note: Recently, we were assigned a project.  We were to pick objects that were brought in from fellow classmates, take a few pictures of each, and reflect.



Penguin: This penguin reminds me of winter.  Getting bundled in your scarfs, hats and mittens; drinking hot cocoa; snowball fights; ice skating; holiday's; sledding and so much more!
Winter is also special to other people for various reasons.  Some athletes look forward to winter for the Winter Olympics that take place every four years.

The Winter Olympics were first held in Chamonix, France in 1924.  The idea came from Swedish event called the Nordic Games, orginized by General Viktor Gustaf Balck and held in 1901.  These games were again held in 1903, 1905, and every four years after that up until 1926.
Sports include: Alpine skiing, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Cross-Country skiing, Curling, Figure skating, Freestyle skiing, Ice hockey, Luge, Nordic combined, Short track speed skating, Skeleton, Ski jumping, Snowboarding, and Speed skating.  All but Nordic combined and Ski jumping allow both men and women to compete.

Some of the more well know athletes from the USA include: Shawn White (snowboarding), Lindsey Vonn (alpine skiing), and Apolo Ohno (short track speed skating).  Shawn White also skateboards, which is probably how he got so good at snowboarding.

Only these twelve countries have been in every single Winter Olympic Games: AustriaCanadaFinlandFranceGreat BritainHungaryItalyNorwayPolandSwedenSwitzerland and the United States.  Austria, Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United States have earned medals every time, but only the USA has won gold all the time.

The United States have been the host of the games four times: Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California in 1960; Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002, and Lake Placid, New York in both 1932 and 1980.  

The Winter Olympic Games have never been held in the Southern Hemisphere due to the warm climate.              
The 2014 Winter Olympics are expected to be held in Sochi, Russia and will take place from February 7th to February 23rd.
   


Quote: This quote reminds me of dreams. Which, of courseis quite reasonable, considering the quote consists of the word "Dream".

Dreams are some what like movies, but, your are the only one who can view it.

You may not know it, but the average person has about three to five dreams every night.  Some people can even have up to seven.  Dreams very in length, but you are more likely to remember the dream if you are awoke during the REM (rapid eye movement) Stage.
The REM Stage is when brain activity is high and seems to be awake.  Dreams do happen outside of the stage of sleep, but they aren't as clear.

As the night goes on, dreams will tend to get longer.  Dreams can be up to hours long, and can be as short as a couple of seconds.  During a full eight hours of sleep, about two hours of it is spent dreaming. 

Greeks and Romans often thought that dreams were messages from the gods that were predictions for the future. 

There are many different types of dreams such as: frighteningexciting, magicalmelancholic, adventurous and more. 


There are some other types of dreams too.  A nightmare is the same as a dream, except nightmares cause negative emotions and are usually scary.  

A daydream is also like a dream, but they occur while you are awake.  Usually daydreams are happy.

Dreams are not in your control.  You can't choose what you dream about.  You may fall asleep thinking about a certain subject, but that doesn't mean you will dream about it.  Dreams also can give you inspiration, ideas, or creativity.
  
Studies show that monkeys, dogs, cats, rats, elephants and even some types of birds have dreams too, just like us. 


Monkey: This monkey that was dangling from the ceiling reminds me of  simply monkey's  This stuffed creature also got me thinking about what they eat, their predators, and so on.

The largest type of monkeys are Baboons and Mandrills.  The males of both species weigh around 30 to 36 kilograms.  The Pygmy Marmoset species are the smallest, and they weigh about 113 to 119 grams.
 
Mandrills are endangered.  Pygmy Marmosets and Baboons are currently not, though scientists are worried about the Marmosets because they are often sold as pets.

Sometimes, monkeys are used in experiments and even movies.  The naughty monkey in Night at the Museum is played by Crystal.  Able and Baker (both girls) were the first monkeys sent into space on May 28, 1959 that came back alive.

Able died a few months after, and Baker lived on for about two dozen more years.

There are also cartoon monkeys, such as Abu from Aladdin.

The lifespan of a monkey depends on the species. Squirrel monkeys and Howler monkeys life around fifteen to twenty years.  Howler monkeys are often hunted and their habitats are destroyed, which can greatly decrease their lifespan.  Mandrills can live up to forty five years.

A monkeys body is similar to people, with arms, legs, feet and hands.  Monkeys are very flexible, allowing them to easily grab and climb branches.  But monkeys cannot swing from tree to tree like apes because their shoulders not built for swinging.

Monkeys eat a variety of different things.  Bugs, fruit, seeds, roots and herbs.  The Pygmy Marmoset drink sap from trees by drilling holes into them.

A monkeys main predator is, surprisingly... humans.

Monkeys have very interesting relationships with us humans.  Sometimes, the animals are kept as pets.  Other times, we are rude to them by killing the monkeys for some silly reason, and in rare occasions, monkeys will attack the humans.



 Sources: www.wikipedia.com, www.globio.org 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Fall DWA


Author's Note: I don't know why I wrote this story, besides the fact that it was for an assignment.  The idea just somehow came to me and I was instantly interested.


Rain was pouring from the gloomy sky in buckets.  The dark clouds were making their way toward the gleaming moon.

My little brother Daniel came crawling into my room.

“Sis!” he jabbered.

“What is it Danny!?” I groaned, half awake.

“Loud!” he shouted.  Then he stomped is tiny feet on the ground.

Thud.

I glared at him.

“Boom,” he whispered.

One look at his pitiful little face, his big blue eyes and wispy blond hair, I just couldn’t say no.

“Okay…” I started.

“Yeah sis!” he shouted as he tried to climb into my bed.  I grabbed his clammy little hands and pulled him up.

“Yeah yeah yeah!” he sang as he jumped around on the plush mattress.

“Daniel Michael Jones!” I scolded.  “Mom, dad and Carson are trying to sleep!”

“Not anymore,” a voice echoed through the dark and open hallways. 

Uh oh.  I gulped.  “Sorry?” I called out.  

“You woke me up,” she snarled.  "You KNOW how much I don’t like getting woken up.”

“Sis!  Sis!”  Daniel yelled as he tried to get off my bed. 

There was a dull sound, and everything else was a blur.

“Ow,” came a little voice from a few feet down.  I slowly peered my head over the side of the bed. 
 
“Hi,” he giggled.

“Oh Danny,” Carson exclaimed as she stroll toward him.  He was laughing hysterically. 

She reached to pick him up from his helpless position on the ground.

“Help,” he whimpered.  He held out his arms and waved his hands.

She put her hands under his armpits and lifted him up. 

“Time for you to go back to bed!” she said enthusiasticly.

“No!” Daniel yelled.  Little tears began to form in his bright eyes.

“Well too bad!” she exclaimed. 

Daniel flailed his arms and legs, struggling to get out of Carson’s firm grasp.

“Help sis help!” he cried.

“Sorry bud,” I replied.  “You’re out of luck.”

He began bawling. 

“AHHHHH!” Carson screamed from Daniel’s room. 

I rushed into the animal filled room.  It was pitch black.  I tried flipping the switch, but the power was out.

“Where are you Carson?” I screamed.  My heart was pounding hard.

“Over here!”  I heard a voice coming from the right. 

“Carson!” I screamed as I dashed toward the corner.  Then, out of the blue I was falling down a dark hole, my scream echoing through the darkness. 

* * * * * * * *

I landed on the soft mushy ground.

“Hello?” I called.  I tried to stand.

“Sis?” a voice echoed. 

“Danny!”  I shouted.

I dashed toward where I thought I heard the voice.

That’s when I felt an arm.

“Daniel?  Carson?” I whispered as softly as I could.

“Sis!!!!” he shouted.

“Shush Danny!” Carson  exclaimed.

“Sorry sis,” he replied.

“Where are we? “ I asked Carson.

She froze.

“Carson??  What are you doing??” I cried.

“I heard something,” she answered.  “Something strange.”

“Carson, you’re crazy.  There is no noise…”

My heart skipped a beat when I heard rustling leaves.

“Hello?” Carson questioned.

Silence.

“Anyone there?” I yelled.

Silence.

“It was probably just my imagination,” Carson assured.

More rustling.

I shook my head.  “Definitely not your imaginat…”

My sentence got cut off when we realized something.

Daniel wasn’t with us.

* * * * * * * *

“Daniel!  Where are you?” Carson and I shouted.

We searched through the luscious woods for Daniel. 

“Daniel!  Answer us!” I cried.

“Oh this is bad, this is really bad,” Carson was mumbling.

Continuing our search for Daniel, we kept walking, even though there was a searing pain in my leg and something was in my eye.

“Sis!  Help!” I heard in the distance.

I turned my head to see Carson staring right at me.  I stared into her dark green eyes as we quietly spoke in unison.  “Daniel.”

She took off in a sprint, and I bolted ahead right behind her. 

“Danny!  Answer us!”

“Help sis help!” came the voice.

“This way,” Carson said as she pointed to my left.

I quickly turned and ran ahead. 

“Danny!” Carson screamed. 

“Sis!” yelled the voice.  It seemed much closer now.

“AHHHHH!” Carson shrieked.

“What!?  What is it?” I questioned.

“Ha-ha sis scared,” Daniel giggled with his hand on Carson’s foot.

“Daniel, that is not funny,” I tried to scold him, but I began to laugh too.

“Where did you run of too Danny?” Carson asked him.

“Here!  Here!” he yelled excitedly.

“Come on let’s go,” I said to Carson.

Carson began to follow Daniel.  I trotted right behind. 

"See sis!" he announced.

"Woah," Carson remarked.

There was a giant porthole in the ground.

“Go!” Daniel  exclaimed.

"Come on," Carson ordered.  "Let's take a look."

I gradually walked up to the massive hole and leaned ove.

"I wonder what it does," Carson implored.

"Me too," I answered.

"Sis go in!" Daniel asserted.

"What?" Carson demanded 

"Watch me sis!" he said to me

He walked up to Carson and squeezed her to a pulp.

Daniel pushed her in.

“Bye bye!” he called to her as she was sucked into the porthole.

I grabbed Daniel and jumped in the porthole following Carson.

“Wee!” Daniel giggled.  I just smiled.

* * * * * * * *
“Sis’s bed!” Daniel yelled as he jumped.

“Huh?” Carson asked, rubbing her head.

“Were home,” I exclaimed with a grin.

Carson smiled back.  “Exactly where we should be.”