Ideas for children’s books come easy when you have a starting point.

So many children’s books are written every year, and publishers have a hard time deciding what to choose, unless they come across a subject that really wows them. We have to consider what kinds of stories children like – they like stories about children just like them, they love stories about animals, and they want stories that have love, joy, security, and happy endings.

Our objective when we write a book for children is to write according to the appropriate age. But the question remains: How do we come up with ideas for writing children’s books? Is it a gift that we possess, or is it something we can learn? I can only speak for myself, but it seems to me that ideas are everywhere – you only have to pay attention, and you will recognize them.

The best story ideas come from observing and listening to people, and from our own experiences.

Listening to parents relating little stories about their children can give you so many ideas for children’s books. They provide excellent material because they are often funny and true. I always like to take notes when people tell me stories, because I am sure I will use them at some point. If you have children of your own, you know that every child is unique and precious, with so many real life experiences that will give you great ideas for children’s books.

I remember a summer in Greece with my son when he was only five, and how every day was a challenge, with many irritations and many pleasures, all leading to some great little stories.For example, on one particular Sunday, my son, the neighbor, and the barbecue all made for a nice story. The houses in a small Greek village are close together and connected so well that it’s as they’re all together, like a coiled snake that is sleeping. Our next-door neighbor was busy preparing lunch (the main meal of the day), and, needless to say, the scent of the barbecue was making us really hungry. And for good reason, because a barbecue always smells so good! We all had to walk by this man and his roasting meat to go to lunch at a relative’s house, and, of course, our neighbor was kind enough to offer us “meze,” or a small snack. We adults all very politely declined his hospitality, except for one little person – my son! He accepted the invitation and he got to do what we all wanted to do: have a taste of this lovely meat on the barbecue. You could see, in his eyes, the desire to stay for lunch there with our neighbor, who was such a very nice man. So we let him stay for lunch and they both enjoyed it very much – the neighbor for the company of the little boy, and the little boy for the barbecue!

I like happy, educational, and practical stories. There is so much information available about all kinds of animals, flowers and trees, mountains and oceans, fruits and vegetables, and favorite foods and the making of them. All these elements can come together to give us ideas for children’s books.

What about writing about all the wonderful cultures in the world and their traditions, the way different people like to dance and dress, their houses and their hobbies? A good story will take a child on a wonderful journey to explore the riches of the planet. And that is what we want to do – open children’s hearts and minds so they can be receptive to the differences that exist in our world.

Dragons, spirits, and magicians are not my favorite subjects; I avoid them because I feel they have taken over our lives and our children’s lives.

Ideas for children’s books are everywhere, and they are waiting for us to recognize them, start writing about them, and thus create the tools that will help our young ones learn and grow to be happy individuals…
Litsa!

Our world is changing very rapidly, and our culture grows more and more disposable each day. Sometimes it seems as if people have actually become disposable, as well. Disposable lives—what does that really imply?

“Disposable” means something we use for a little while and then throw away, something with little value, like so many of the material objects we use—in no time they become utterly useless.

Does that apply to human relationships? Is it possible that they have become disposable, too? And if so, what are the consequences? Consider how a very valuable institution, marriage, has changed and became disposable. Single-parent families, which now number in the millions, are the “new normal.”

When children are involved, though, the dynamics change. No matter what happens with the adults, the children have to feel valuable and never made to feel disposable. It’s the hardest project to have to do alone, and I call it a “project” because it is at least a 20-year project to raise a child.

Dear dads, can you be dependable, with the staying power that will always be there for your young ones?

Our children are growing up in a very challenging world where everything is disposable, but they need guidance and direction to acquire qualities that will help them face those challenges. If you think about it, imagine the billions of dollars worth of advertising aimed at our young ones, pushing gadgets, toys and material possessions at them. I wonder why? Because children have “nagging power,” and it always works!

Here is what our children need the most, and it doesn’t cost anything—it’s free, and most importantly, not disposable.

They need to feel loved, unconditionally.

Your children like spending time with you, doing activities together in an unhurried way. They love to ask questions and hear your answers, they love to be with you and people they trust, people who love them and praise them. They love to be outdoors, rain or shine, and they want to experience everything. Simple, everyday things are what make them happy, because everything to them is fresh and new.

Dear dads, please remember that time goes by so very quickly, and that while you are teaching them with love, you are helping them develop and grow and, at the same time, helping them create wonderful memories.

Why are good memories essential in the development of a child?

Studies now show that the care babies get has dramatic and long-term effects on how children develop and learn, on how they cope with stress, and on how they react to the world around them. In fact, science tells us that the right kind of experiences in their early years can actually help our children’s brains to grow! And that those experiences can affect how they continue to learn later on in life.

Although the first year is the most important for a child’s brain development, there is a strong message that all the early years—from birth to age 10—are important. So time is too short to accomplish so much!

Here’s to you, dear dads, for being the dependable rocks in the lives of your children! By putting them first in your life, you’re proving that your children will never be disposable.

Litsa with Love!

Dear parents,

We’re living in the ME generation, and we as parents have to fight the spirit of selfishness and impatience that attacks our children.

The Seasons teach us patience…. you can’t hurry the changing of the leaves, the melting of the snow,or the ripening of the fruit.I would love to have fresh almonds year-round,but that is not possible.Nature and the Seasons teach me patience. Patience is a marvelous quality,and good things come to those who have patience! This is a lesson we can learn from the Seasons and a valuable lesson to teach our young ones.

Generosity . . . the seasons teach us how to share our gifts with others. Oh, how much we can learn from the Seasons! They come, year after year, bringing an abundance of gifts and always the right ones for our particular needs. Summers and watermelons—what a fantastic combination! Our needs for refreshment and hydration are pleasurably met.

Autumn arrives . . . and the citrus fruits are ready for our enjoyment, with all their good vitamin C to help us through the Winter months. And the apples! In their thousands of varieties they bring us what we need, given to us thanks to the Seasons generous spirit.

Love . . . you can feel the love and harmony in all the Seasons. They respect each other and never interfere with one another. Every tree is a little factory, producing amazing products in the right season, in a dignified manner, silently, and with so much reverence for the environment. They show so much love in not polluting in any way—no water pollution, no air pollution, no soil pollution. If that is not love and harmony, what is? The Seasons show great respect for all species with no controversy and no misunderstandings, just total harmony.

Love is manifested in every flower and every animal and every bird—like the swallows, beautiful and swift. My perfect little bird never forgets to visit the roof of my house every Spring.

The different Seasons satisfy our every need with love and generosity.

This is the reason for my Seasons books, little treasures and at the same time valuable tools in helping our children appreciate the more important things in life.

It is our responsibility and pleasure as parents to encourage our young ones to be able to recognize things with value, dependable things.

Please no matter how busy you are take the time to introduce your children to the many gifts that the Season’s bring year after year.

You can get my books from my site http://hummingbirdpublications.com

http://astore.amazon.com/tecwor42-20

 Ask for my books at your favorite book store and they will get them for you! Please share my news letter with family and friends.

      

  My fascination with yogurt goes back to my youth, and my grandfather on my mother’s side.

Oh what a man he was, a father to 11 children and a house full of help. I always wonder about my grandmother, how in the world she managed to take care of this large family and a husband to say the least, a very particular husband. She loved him to the end and that was the crazy glue that did the magic! He was a very special man and he was taking such good care of himself. One detail that has stuck with me is, that he loved yogurt. Every night the yogurt man will pass by the house with his large flat container and he would get his nightly portion of the magic yogurt .It was the last thing he had, yogurt at the end of the day to bring some balance into his system, and then of he went to bed! The name of the yogurt man, get this, was OLOPAHOS meaning all the fat was in the yogurt….WOW… Those days are long gone…. (The biography of my grandparents is a book that I am working on.)

  The yogurt he was in love with was from the milk of sheep.

  He died at a very old age with the complexion of a little boy. I think it was his nightly ritual… YOGURT

  What is yogurt and why it is so popular? Yogurt is basically a form of curdled milk and “friendly” bacteria do the work.

  The “friendly” bacteria in the milk ferment and coagulate to thicken milk to a creamy texture, adding a tangy, slightly astringent flavor. Heating the milk and keeping it to 100 degrees for a few hours, it would naturally turn to yogurt.

  Yogurt can be made from any variety of mammal milk, but the best yogurt is made from cow, buffalo or goat milk.

There are several types of yogurt with differing fat levels readily available in the market. In North America yogurt is generally made from cow milk. Plain yogurt is unflavored and unsweetend.Flavored yogurt has fruit or flavoring added along with plenty of sugar.

 Here is how I was taught to make homemade yogurt and it works every time.

 You will need 1 large pot, 3 Litters whole milk, 1 small container plain natural yogurt, 1 colander and double cheese cloth.

 In a very clean pot, (almost sterilized clean) add 3 Lit. Whole milk and heat until it starts to boil, remove from heat and let it stand covered for 10-15 minutes. At this point feel the milk with your finger; start counting until 10, if you can take the heat, your milk is ready. In a bowl add the yogurt and a little of the hot milk. Mix very well and add to the hot milk stirring vigorously. Cover your milk and place the pot in a warm place, I put mine in the oven overnight. In the morning your yogurt is ready, place the cheese cloth in the colander and put your yogurt to drain. It is going to take some time to drain, keep it in the refrigerator.

And this is the way to make homemade Greek yogurt. Why I like to make my own, so I can control the sugar and all kinds of additives.

 I enjoy it plain and if I want flavors, I add my own. Greek honey and nuts is a very delicious way to enjoy yogurt.Tzatziki is fabulous with that very nice Greek yogurt. I love to make a very delicious dip that goes so well with different fruit and here is the recipe, an excerpt from the book Boukia Boukia.

 Greek Yogurt Chocolate dip

  2 cups drained plain yogurt

  ½ cup icing sugar

  1/3 cup brown sugar

  1 tbsp.cocoa powder

  4 tbsp. chocolate syrup

  A little vanilla, a little cinnamon

  1 tbsp Amaretto liqueur

Mix all the ingredients together and have fun with your favorite fruit.

 Agape Litsa!

 I love to hear what you think, please keep in touch

bolontzakis.litsa12@Gmail.com

 For my books and much more visit my official site   http://hummingbirdpublications.com

 I hope you like my news letter, if you do please share it with your family and friends.

 Basil an aromatic herb with so many uses, and it’s in full bloom now.

The pots are bursting with the rich green foliage, the aroma is calling out loud and clear, touch me, squeeze me and see how nice I smell.

In Greece Basil has an intense aroma and flavor and the reason being, no rain for months just sunshine day after day, nothing washes the flavor and aroma away and everything has a wonderful smell, the roses, Jasmin,nihtolouloudo that only releases  it’s aroma in the evening hours give you so much pleasure just by existing.

Herbs, nuts cheese and olive oil are the basic ingredients for a perfect Pesto

The summer heat in the Mediterranean is really strong and it demands light cooking, Pesto is just that. You cook your pasta al dente and make a wonderful pesto with the ingredients available.

When we think of Pesto automatically we think about green Pesto, but did you know that Pesto can be red? Yes if we use roasted red peppers? Yes indeed it’s delicious and just as easy to make if we have the red peppers available.

 Pesto is very healthy and we can use it many ways, on bread, salads, and baked potatoes. The ingredients are perfect for marinating fish and chicken. Now that the herbs are in full bloom, is the perfect time to make a large quantity and freeze it in individual portions. You can keep some in the refrigerator it keeps well especially if you add a layer of olive oil at the top, to prevent discoloration.

Just one thing to remember, use it sparingly it is very strong in flavor.

Basic Pesto recipe

I large bunch basil leaves

2 cloves of garlic or according to your taste

¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds roasted

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

Salt, pepper and if you like a few red pepper flakes

Use a food processor and whizz up until it becomes a thick paste.

For more Greek recipes visit our site, http://hummingbirdpublications.com

Have a wonderful summer,

Litsa!

P.S. If the pesto is thick the solution……..a little more olive oil until the desired concistency.

Green bean salad

Summer and Salads the ultimate combination.Summer salads are what we need in hot summer days.We need the hydration they provide and we have an abundance of produce to make salads exciting. On a hot summer day juicy salads do their work with taste and gusto.

Take a trip on an outdoor market or a farmers market and see and taste the gifts of the land.Let your imagination go wild and follow your appetite, see the wonderful colors and textures and fantasize about all the wonderful colorful salads you can create for a hot summer day.

The options are so great you can’t but get inspired with the abundance of the produce available.Mediterranean salads are such a delight; they are also very nutritious promoting good health with whole foods, plant-based foods, nutrient-dense foods and the healthy fats of the amazing olive oil.And what about all the herbs available, now is the time to use them and give another dimension to our salads, granted we don’t like them all but the choice is immense, for sure we will find a few to our liking.

Summer salads are easy so don’t hesitate to experiment and create your own variety of salads.For me a nice Greek salad is the greatest combination of flavors.Nice vine ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced onions, olives, Authentic Greek feta cheese oregano and the olive oil of the Mediterranean…….Pure Pleasure.

Do you know the secret to a delicious Greek salad??Here it is, tomatoes have to be nice and juicy at room temperature, NO lettuce in a Greek salad, olive oil has to be of good quality, a nice deep bowl to toss the salad so you can have the flavors come together and create their magic, and never forget the bread, nice heavy bread to dip in and get all the flavors, and don’t let a drop go to waste. I like to consentrate more on the plant kingdom than the animal kingdom in the summer because of the great variety of fresh vegetables.They are easy to prepare and transport, all the salads can be made ahead and travel well. You can pack them in sealable plastic bags and place them in a bowl just before serving. Have your dressing in a separate container, add to your salad and you are ready to have fun.Visit my site for more delicious Greek recipes. Http://hummingbirdpublications.com

Be in touch by commenting on my blog. I love to know how you feel.

Litsa!

Summer the Magic Blanket

http://astore.amazon.com/tecwor42-20 Visit my store on Amazon for all my books 

Saganaki with Feta and Shrimp

Saganaki with Greek feta and shrimp is one of my favorite things to enjoy by the sea in Loutraki.

Loutraki is a picturesque city by the sea 45 min. from Athens’ and about 10 min.from Corinthos,it is a favorite destination by the Greek people for summer vacations and long weekends.

Giannis a very special restaurant and my place of choise for lunch makes the best Saganaki.I go there for sea food and fish and it is always fresh and plentiful.I love to make saganaki and I offer it as a first plate when I make fish, or a Meze for Ouzo and Raki.

It is an experience to be able to enjoy all these flavors in their natural surroundings for instance Saganaki by the sea,but that’s not always possible so we make the best to enjoy the flavors and tastes we love at home.

Here is my recipe for Saganaki:

2 pounds  shrimp (not cooked shell removed)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 onion diced

1 clove garlic minced

1 cup prepared tomato sauce

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup Greek feta cheese in small pieces

Pepper a touch of salt and dry Oregano

1/2 Tsp red Pepper flakes

In a heavy pan add olive oil and butter, saute onion and garlic until transparent.

Add shrimp and cook until it changes color about 3 minutes.

Incorporate tomato sauce and water,stir well and add salt,pepper and dry Oregano.

Cook for 2 more minutes.

Add Feta cheese and place in a hot oven for 10 min to give the cheese a chance to melt.

Serve with good bread and enjoy something so easy and yet so delicious.

I hope you try this delicious recipe and for more Greek recipes visit my official site:

http://hummingbirdpublications.com

I would love your comments on the recipe.

Filakia

Litsa!

Greek pasta salad

It is February and the winter is starting to get to us.

It’s long and cold and we are tired of our heavy coats and scarfs and boots.

Enough is enough no more snow and wind and freezing rain.

Some times I think maybe Winter can travel to other places and live us alone for a while and then again I pull my thoughts together and think that at least we are prepared for all the adversities that Winter has to offer.

What if the weather gets really crazy and our Canadian Winter goes to Africa where the people are totally unprepared ,how many people will die.

OK get it together and make the best of it.How about some comfort food,like a Greek pasta salad,get my favorite blanket,put a( girlie) movie on and have a quiet evening by the fire place.

It’s not so bad after all.How about some positive thinking.

It is very romantic,HA HA HA and now the recipe for the,

 Greek pasta salad.

4 cups cooked cut macaroni

2 small tomato’s chopped in small pieces

1 cup Greek Feta cheese in cubes

3 shallots

Kalamata olives

For the dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt,pepper and 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp dry oregano

 This is a very easy salad and it’s best when it is cool.

Have a nice Winter

For more recipes visit our official site or better yet get my book”Take the taste of Greece with you”.

Http://hummingbirdpublications.com

The colors of Greece