英语博客：Firewood for free.

I was driving down the road the other day, to go to Walmart, when I saw something that really caught my eye. On the left hand side of the road, infront of a house, a huge tree had been cut down. It was so big that it took up all of the house owner's

英语博客：I'm back, with details of a yucky cold.

I'm sorry that I missed a couple of podcasts last week; I was really sick. When I spoke to you last, I was beginning to lose my voice and feel achy with a sore throat. I assumed, however, that with some good food, and a good night's rest, that I woul

英语博客：Mythology looking at me.

Mythology seems to be all the rage these days. There have been films released recently, like 'Percy Jackson and the lightening thief', and 'Clash of the Titans', that have had a lot of people talking about mythology and what it means to us today. Oth

英语博客：Cross Sport Training.

Cross Sport Training. You know, being a mother is an interesting job. I sit back sometimes and consider the influence that I have over my children; it's quite a responsibility. My likes and dislikes are obviously reflected in how I run the home, in w

英语博客：Hot pasties.

Hot Pasties. If you've never had a pasty, you've never lived. That means that eating one is an experience you must have because they are so good. I actually haven't had a pasty for years and years, though I did eat them up until I was a late teenager

英语博客：The Alps from the plane.

The Alps from the plane. Many of you have seen some part of the Alps, I suppose. They're spectacular, aren't they? I saw a small part of them recently from a plane. I was traveling from the south of France up to Germany. Luckily, I was sitting next t

英语博客：A Super Duper Slither Scooter.

It's time to rock and roll. Glide, wobble, balance, and slither. Let's try something new to get ourselves moving. Did you know that the part of the brain that deals with balance, also deals with focus? Isn't that interesting. An educational specialis

英语博客:Pronouncing the 'th'

Today's podcast will be dedicated to the 'th'. English, being quite irregular at times, has two ways of pronouncing the combination of the t and the h. That may seem simple, but getting it right is a key to sounding like a native. I have met many peo

英语博客：A Sixth Grade Experiment.

Before I start today's podcast, I would like to mention a little something about the title of yesterday's podcast. One of my listeners, called Bahareh, asked me to explain the expression Super Duper Slither Scooter. First of all, the scooter is just

英语博客:I'm innocent! It's someone else's fault!

Beginners. When my computer doesn't work, or when I cannot get a good internet connection, I miss podcasting. I'm sorry that I missed last week, but it was one thing after another with computers. Do you ever have problems with them? They are so usefu

英语博客:Digging trees on Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Beginners. It's that time of year again. The days are rapidly getting colder. There is frost in the morning on the grass, the sun is mild, and the colors of the trees and plants are quickly changing. Around this time every year, my husband plans a tr

英语博客：The York Minster.

The York Minster. I couldn't visit York Minster without telling you about it. What is a minster? It's the name of a major cathedral that used to be associated with a monastery, and considered the most important building representing the church in a l

英语博客:Roasting marshmallows

On a cold, dull, Winter day, I sometimes light a fire after picking the children up from school. We gather around and feel cozy. The lounge where we have the fireplace also has a computer and a Wii console, so there is plenty to do for everyone. Thou

英语博客(A cup of English):Another computer accessory

Beginners. It's that time of year again. I find myself rushing around with lists of things to do. I need to get the Christmas cards written and sent out to my list of friends and family. This year, we decided to send a family photo, which is what a l

英语博客:Processed or unprocessed?

As most parents, I am concerned about what my children eat. Do they eat healthy food, and if they do, do they eat it consistently? And what about me? Am I careful about what I put in my body? It will, in time, influence my health and those around me.

英语博客：Analysis time - community colleges.

Community colleges still don't get the dollars of their four-year counterparts(1), but they're standing very much in the spotlight(2) these days. President Barack Obama made them the focus last week when he unveiled(3) his proposed budget. Why all th

英语博客：Xephos and Honeydew, in Minecraft.

This title is the kind that gets attention, isn't it? I first heard about these two characters a few days ago. My three boys play an on-line game called Minecraft. It's actually quite fabulous. It is an unending arena, where you can discover and crea

英语博客：Analysis time, a Chinese revolt.

Today we will analyze part of a newspaper article in depth. Wukan, China - The Chinese fishing village that went into open revolt(1) against government control last year held elections on Saturday, an event that(2) some local people said was the firs

英语博客：An intimidating meeting.

Last week, as some of you know, I met with the Superintendent of Wenatchee Schools. I was very nervous, for some reason. I had never met him before, though I had seen him a couple of times in School Board meetings. My intention was to encourage chang

英语博客：King Tut - where's the mask?

Once in a while a fabulous opportunity comes along, an opportunity to experience something excellent and unusual, a wonder of the world, perhaps. I had just this kind of opportunity in Seattle this month. The Pacific Science Center has the collection