Amy Beach is one of the greatest composers that you’ve never heard of. She was born in New Hampshire on September 05, 1867. She was born into a musical family, and she was naturally gifted in music. By the time she was four, Amy played four-part hymns on the piano and composed several waltzes. At … Continue reading Amy Beach
Edna St. Vincent Millay, known as Vincent to her family and friends, was born in February 1892 in a small town in Maine. Though her family didn’t have much money, they were rich in love, books, music, and imagination. In spite of the fact that Vincent’s mother worked long hours, Vincent had many close-to-home adventures … Continue reading Edna St. Vincent Millay
Edward Hopper was born in New York in 1882. He became a very famous artist who painted realistic paintings. Many of his paintings almost look like photographs. Edward drew constantly from a young age. He lived next to the Hudson River, and he loved to watch boats. As a boy, he drew a lot of … Continue reading Edward Hopper
Nature study can be as simple as a short walk in the neighborhood or as elaborate as a week in Yellowstone National Park. Don’t make it hard. Just go outside. This month, we suggest you spend some time outside every day that the weather is reasonable, and keep an eye out for Evergreen Trees. We’ll … Continue reading Nature Study: Evergreens
Here are the links to our suggestions for beautiful things for December, with a focus on beautiful words, sounds, and places that are distinctly American and focus on the late 1800s and early 1900s. Back to Simple Beauty Page
While Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote hundreds of poems, we’ve found a few of his holiday-related pieces for your family to enjoy. Each graphic below links to the poem on either Poets.org or PoetryFoundation.com. You can read Longfellow’s biography here. Resources: Photo Credit: By Julia Margaret Cameron – http://www.geh.org/ne/mismi3/cameron_sum00001.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=836438
We’ve chosen some common Christmas songs to share with you. Each picture links to a video on YouTube for your enjoyment! Photo Credits: Bing Crosby: By CBS Radio – eBayfrontback, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58423153 Andy Williams: By Sheldon Saltman, public relations – File: Andy Williams 1967.JPG, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71214271 Nat King Cole: By William P. Gottlieb – … Continue reading American Christmas Songs
Norman Rockwell was born just before the 20th century in New York City. Most of the kids in his neighborhood were tougher and more athletic. Norman Rockwell was not like them though. Norman Rockwell was an artist. When he was younger, he would listen as his father read stories at the dinner table and draw … Continue reading Norman Rockwell
Birds are so familiar that you might not always notice them. In reality, they are amazing creatures! Keep an eye out for these birds in your yard, and watch them carefully. Pay close attention! Can you learn these things about each of the birds you see? What does the bird look like? What shape is … Continue reading Nature Study: Winter Backyard Birds
Biography Scott Joplin was born in Texas in 1867. His father (who was a slave) and his mother (who was not) were both musical people. His mother cleaned houses for a living, and one of the homeowners who hired her also allowed Joplin to play the piano in her home. That’s how Scott Joplin taught … Continue reading Scott Joplin
