Pens v Bruins (L 2-5)

Another piece of the puzzle returns tonight. Hal Gill is back! The Pens' opponents have won their last eight games in a row. Let's hope Jordan Staal (who is now the youngest NHLer to reach 200 games), Gill, and company can end that streak in their last game of 2008.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

light reading:

Happy Holidays!

Here is the transcript of the 2 panda chatting in Taipei Zoo:

圓圓：老公，爲什麽老家叫我們“熊貓”，台灣叫我們“貓熊”？
　　團團：都一回事，親愛的，從左到右念就是“熊貓”，台灣人習慣從右往左念，所以是“貓熊”。

　　圓圓：那我們究竟是“貓”還是“熊”？
　　團團：國際上普遍將我們列爲熊科、大熊貓亞科，中國則將我們單列爲大熊貓科，所以嚴格地說，我們既不叫“熊貓”也不叫“貓熊”，而是叫“大熊貓”。

　　圓圓：這麽說，臭名昭著的“熊貓燒香”案不是我們的人幹的？
　　團團：那當然，又不是“大熊貓燒香”。

　　圓圓：但台灣有人說我們是特洛伊木馬。
　　團團：誣陷，絕對是誣陷，我們演出都安排不過來，哪有時間上網？

　　圓圓：人類最無聊的發明就是彩色相機，我們的藝術照、結婚照統統是黑白的，比彩照更出色，一樣的恩恩愛愛。
　　團團：還有比這更無聊的呢。民進黨說妳是紅的我是藍的，台北市仁愛路圓環我們倆的塑像被深綠色的人偷偷塗成暸全黑色，典型的“抹黑”手段。

　　圓圓：爲什麽民進黨阻撓我們去台灣？
　　團團：平時叫妳多吃點胡蘿蔔偏不聽，多簡單的問題！妳叫“圓圓”，他們的帶頭大哥叫“扁扁”，自然是尿不到一個壺裏。

　　圓圓：如果台灣回贈“扁扁”和“珍珍”，妳說大陸放什麽地方圈養才能讓台灣人放心？
　　團團：塔克拉瑪幹最合適，３０萬平方公裏，享有充分的人身自由，再要嫌地方小就只能放撒哈拉，不過要先撤銷對他們的境管，撒哈拉不在中國境內。

　　圓圓：我這個大陸新娘到台灣會不會要居住滿６年後才允許找工作？
　　團團：那個歧視條款指的是男方在台灣，女方來自大陸，而我們兩個都是來自大陸，故不受限制，據說年前我們就可以持證上崗。

　　圓圓：有些民進黨人說禁止家人和我們見面，如果他們家的小朋友背著父母偷偷來我們家玩兒，我們見還是不見？
　　團團：來的都是粉，還是熱情接待吧，世界級的腕兒不能和他們家長一般見識。

　　圓圓：在演藝圈我呆膩暸，想換換口味從政，要不妳也從政吧？
　　團團：正合我意，憑我們的聲望，參加明年的縣市長選舉那還不是小菜一碟！

　　圓圓：要參選就得先入黨，我們入什麽黨好呢？
　　團團：我們一個入中國國民黨，一個入台灣共産黨，咱也來一回“國共合作”。

　　圓圓：好極暸！將來我們的Baby就入民進黨，分別代表３個政黨參加２０１２年的總桶大選，確保肥水不流外人田。
　　團團：婦人之見。Baby應該入少先隊，孫子才入民進黨！

Thanking and praising God for seeing us through another year

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised. Psalm 113:3"

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thanks for all your prayers and encouragements.

Thank and praise God for seeing us through another year. Soon 2008 will come to an end and we will enter into year 2009.

This morning, during the morning worship in my church, we were reminded to be thankful to God for His mercies and faithfulness daily.

I am thankful to God for all His goodness to me throughout the year. I am experiencing His love and mercies in many wonderful ways.

Though the world is going through a financial crisis and there are unrest at various places, thank God that He is our refuge and strength. Thank God that He gives us peace that passeth all understanding in Christ Jesus our Lord and He is able to provide for all our needs.

May God continue to give us peace and joy in trusting in Him. May He continue to draw us nearer to Himself, make us useful in His kingdom and make us lights that shine for Him.

Last evening, I was reading Spurgeon's Evening 27 December, and greatly encouraged by this precious reminder that our Lord will guide us continually. May you find comfort and encouragement in this article too.

“And the Lord shall guide thee continually.”
Isaiah 58:11

“The Lord shall guide thee.” Not an angel, but Jehovah shall guide thee. He said he would not go through the wilderness before his people, an angel should go before them to lead them in the way; but Moses said, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.”

Christian, God has not left you in your earthly pilgrimage to an angel’s guidance: he himself leads the van. You may not see the cloudy, fiery pillar, but Jehovah will never forsake you.

Notice the word shall—“The Lord shall guide thee.” How certain this makes it! How sure it is that God will not forsake us! His precious “shalls” and “wills” are better than men’s oaths. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Then observe the adverb continually. We are not merely to be guided sometimes, but we are to have a perpetual monitor; not occasionally to be left to our own understanding, and so to wander, but we are continually to hear the guiding voice of the Great Shepherd; and if we follow close at his heels, we shall not err, but be led by a right way to a city to dwell in.

If you have to change your position in life; if you have to emigrate to distant shores; if it should happen that you are cast into poverty, or uplifted suddenly into a more responsible position than the one you now occupy; if you are thrown among strangers, or cast among foes, yet tremble not, for “the Lord shall guide thee continually.”

There are no dilemmas out of which you shall not be delivered if you live near to God, and your heart be kept warm with holy love.

He goes not amiss who goes in the company of God. Like Enoch, walk with God, and you cannot mistake your road.

You have infallible wisdom to direct you, immutable love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you. “Jehovah”—mark the word—“Jehovah shall guide thee continually.”

(Taken from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, Evening 27 December.)

Thanks again for stopping by. May God grant you a very blessed New Year!

Take care.


Recent Posts:

Word-Filled Wednesday: God is our refuge and strength

Beloved and yet afflicted

Thankful Thursday : Reunion with an old friend

Thankful Thursday : Free Calendars 2009 and Bookmarks

God delivers us out of our depths - Psalm 130

God is our refuge and strength - Psalm 46

Resting in God

The Cures for Clinical Depression - Some helpful Tips

The Causes of Clinical Depression

Myths about Mental Illness

In remembrance of my Counsellor and a Tribute to her

God is our refuge and strength

This picture is taken by my brother, Arthur, at Muriwai Beach, New Zealand.

Psalm 46
1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

It's been quite sometime since I last participated in Word-Filled Wednesday. I do miss all the encouraging WFW friends and posts.

Today I am thankful to be reminded that God is our refuge and strength. Thank God that He loves us and He is with us always.

May God continue to bless you with His love and mercies today and every day :)


Thanks for stopping by. Take care!

Recent Posts:

Beloved and yet afflicted

Thankful Thursday : Reunion with an old friend

Thankful Thursday : Free Calendars 2009 and Bookmarks

God delivers us out of our depths - Psalm 130

God is our refuge and strength - Psalm 46

Resting in God

The Cures for Clinical Depression - Some helpful Tips

The Causes of Clinical Depression

Myths about Mental Illness

In remembrance of my Counsellor and a Tribute to her

Pens v Canadiens (L 2-3)

I hope you all had as nice a holiday as I did! :) Tonight the Pens are going to try to do something they haven't been able to do since November - win back to back games.

In the meantime, Friend of The Show Pat W. is joining some of our Boys on the injured reserve list. Check out this sweet cast customization:


GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chameleon: An Original Rhyming Acrostic Poem

I have written a few dozen acrostic poems. There's no particular theme to the collection. I just like playing around with words that pop into my head at any given moment: shadow, unicorn, seeds, nest, Pluto, moon, asteroids, cocoon, cars, lilacs, wreath, mouse, spider, willow, grass. Sometimes, I like the challenge of writing acrostic poems that rhyme. Here's a rhyming acrostic about the chameleon that I wrote a few years ago:

Chameleon
by Elaine Magliaro



Changes suits to suit

His locus. Abracadabra! Hocus-pocus! He’s

A clever

Master of disguise…a trickster who can fool the

Eyes! This

Lizard with a fashion flair takes his wardrobe

Everywhere. Predators don’t stop

Or stare.

No one even knows he’s there.

********************

At Blue Rose Girls, I have a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye entitled Snow.

Tricia has the Poetry Friday Roundup at the Miss Rumphius Effect.

A Christmas Day Post in Honor of Our Soldiers and Veterans

James Taylor is one of my favorite singers. Here is video of him in concert in 1971 singing a song he wrote entitled Soldiers.

Video: Cute Animal Christmas Song

I haven't had much time for blogging lately--too busy preparing traditional dishes and desserts for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I came upon this "cute" video today and thought I'd post it for your holiday viewing pleasure.

Cute Animal Christmas Song


Happy Holidays to all!!!

Have Yourself A...

...Merry little Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Al-Hijira or any other holiday I may have missed)! :)

Baylee

Link

Connor

Logan

From me and mine to you and yours:

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!!!

Pens v Lightning (L 0-2)

Alright, Boys, let's welcome Ryan Malone, Mark Recchi, and Adam Hall back to town with a Pens victory! ;)

And how about the timing in Whit's return in relation to Tanger getting hurt last night and having to sit out tonight's game?

Geez... I'm sick of injuries. >:(

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!

Pens v Sabres (W 4-3 OT)

The Pens play the Sabres (again), and this time I've got a little something riding on it.

Okay - long story short: my former supervisor from my old job is now an instructor at the community college for whom I now work. (I know - it's complicated, haha!) So I still have to put up with this Sabre lovin' Buffalo native. :P

Anyhoo, he came to my office today and said, "Wanna bet?" How could I say no? We entered a friendly wager so the loser has to wear the winner's jersey all day on the next casual Friday after Christmas break.

I really, REALLY don't want to be seen in public in a Sabreslug sweater, so...

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!

Mediots

Jes Golbez used to refer to them as "mediots." And now I see why. The AP really are idiots. They claimed that Head Coach Michel Therrien said "It's Sidney's team" in response to a question about leadership issues.

That is a laughable mistake.

Even my dogs could tell that he says "Well, we'll see next game" at the end of the following clip:



I hate it when people try to create controversy where none truly exists. >:(

And since I'm already ranting, can I ask that all the people whining about Siddo's lack of goal scoring PLEASE just shut the hell up? While it may be true that he is not playing his best hockey right now, The Kid is still currently perched nicely in the number 2 spot of league point leaders, right behind his teammate Geno. (Incidentally, Geno is #1 and Sid is #2 in assists, as well.)

Do I wish Sid would score more goals? Of course! But am I okay with it if he does nothing more than rack up assist after assist after assist by setting up his teammates for goals for the rest of the season? Damn straight.

Every year about this time, Sid seems to go through a scoring slump. Yet (when he stays healthy - knock on wood) he's always a serious contender for the scoring title at the end of the season. We're not even halfway through the season yet. There is plenty of time for Siddo to hit a hot streak. Remember that he didn't hit his stride until after the All Star break in the 2006-07 season, and he went on to win the Art Ross.


Now that's not to say the Pens aren't experiencing some serious issues right now. The team as a whole is faltering. It's easy to blame injuries for their current woes, but in order to be an effective team, they must have the ability to win regardless of who is on the IR list. There's been a shocking lack of passion from the Boys in the past few games, and hopefully Therrien's anger after last night's game will stir something in their souls for tomorrow's game.

[*Sighs*] Once the team starts playing like the well oiled machine it once was, life will make sense again...

Just a heads up, The Friends' Zone has been abuzz with the news that Siddo has broken the record for most All Star votes received (previously held by one Jaromir Jagr). GO SID GO!!! Now keep voting for all the Pens and show them how passionate Pens fans really are. :)

Finally today, Friend of The Show Brandon B. sent in a video tribute to Sid that his friend made. He assured me that "Florida Pens fans are keeping it going down here!" :) Enjoy!



Thanks so much for the video, Brandon. :)

Pens v Leafs (L 3-7)

I am thisclose to having all my gift wrapping done - even if it does look a little like some of the presents were wrapped by my young nieces and nephews. :P

Here's hoping the Flower is as good tonight as he was against the Thrashers...

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!

Beloved and yet afflicted by CH Spurgeon

When I was very ill with bad and persistent asthmatic attacks some 6 years back (which led to a hospitalization and many Emergency treatments), I took 2 months no-pay leave to recuperate at home and sought appropriate medical help. I am still on long term medication and thank God that my condition has stabilised and I do not get asthmatic attacks anymore nowadays.

During those times, there were many Lord's day when I could not go to church due to asthmatic attacks. God in His mercies ministered much grace to me through His Words, Christian books and articles. I was greatly encouraged by many sermons and article I read that I designed a simple website Believers' Encouragement to put up these to share with other fellow Christians.

One of CH Spurgeon's sermon which the Lord used to encourage me and comfort me was entitled "Beloved, and yet afflicted". This comforting sermon reminded me that as God's beloved people, God sometimes allow us to go through time of sickness for His glory, our good and the good of His Church.

This sermon is continuing to encourage me as I seek to walk with our Lord daily and glorify Him despite chronic illnesses.

Hope this sermon will encourage you too. If you are experiencing chronic illness or going through very severe trials, know that our Lord is near to you and He has His purposes in allowing providence to be so. He can work a way for you and enable you to glorify Him. All things will work together for your good if you are one of those who loved God and are called according to His eternal purposes (Romans 8:28).

Beloved and yet afflicted. By CH Spurgeon

"Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick" (John 11:3)

That disciple whom Jesus loved is not at all backward to record that Jesus loved Lazarus too: there are no jealousies among those who are chosen by the Well-beloved. Jesus loved Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus: it is a happy thing where a whole family live in the love of Jesus. They were a favoured trio, and yet, as the serpent came into Paradise, so did sorrow enter their quiet household at Bethany. Lazarus was sick. They all felt that if Jesus were there disease would flee at his presence; what then should they do but let him know of their trial? Lazarus was near to death’s door, and so his tender sisters at once reported the fact to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” Many a time since then has that same message been sent to our Lord, for in full many a case he has chosen his people in the furnace of affliction. Of the Master it is said, “himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses,” and it is, therefore, no extraordinary thing for the members to be in this matter conformed to their Head.

.....We need not be astonished that the man whom the Lord loves is sick, for he is only a man. The love of Jesus does not separate us from the common necessities and infirmities of human life. Men of God are still men. The covenant of grace is not a charter of exemption from consumption, or rheumatism, or asthma. The bodily ills, which come upon us because of our flesh, will attend us to the tomb, for Paul saith, “we that are in this body do groan.”

.... Oftentimes this sickness of the Lord’s loved ones is for the good of others. Lazarus was permitted to be sick and to die, that by his death and resurrection the apostles might be benefitted. His sickness was “for the glory of God.” Throughout these nineteen hundred years which have succeeded Lazarus’ sickness all believers have been getting good out of it, and this afternoon we are all the better because he languished and died. The church and the world may derive immense advantage through the sorrows of good men: the ungodly may be awakened, the doubting may be convinced, the ungodly may be converted, the mourner may be comforted through our testimony in sickness; and if so, would we wish to avoid pain and weakness? Are we not quite willing that our friends should say of us also “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick”?

....Jesus knows all about us, but it is a great relief to pour out our hearts before him. When John the Baptist’s broken-hearted disciples saw their leader beheaded, “they took up the body, and went and told Jesus.” They could not have done better. In all trouble send a message to Jesus, and do not keep your misery to yourself. In his case there is no need of reserve, there is no fear of his treating you with cold pride, or heartless indifference, or cruel treachery. He is a confident who never can betray us, a friend who never will refuse us.

.... Remember, too, that Jesus may give healing. It would not be wise to live by a supposed faith, and cast off the physician and his medicines, any more than to discharge the butcher, and the tailor, and expect to be fed and clothed by faith; but this would be far better than forgetting the Lord altogether, and trusting to man only. Healing for both body and soul must be sought from God. We make use of medicines, but these can do nothing apart from the Lord, “who healeth all our diseases.” We may tell Jesus about our aches and pains, and gradual declining, and hacking coughs. Some persons are afraid to go to God about their health: they pray for the pardon of sin, but dare not ask the Lord to remove a headache: and, yet, surely, if the hairs outside our head are all numbered by God it is not much more of a condescension for him to relieve throbs and pressures inside the head. Our big things must be very little to the great God, and our little things cannot be much less. It is a proof of the greatness of the mind of God that while ruling the heavens and the earth, he is not so absorbed by these great concerns as to be forgetful of the least pain or want of any one of his poor children. We may go to him about our failing breath, for he first gave us lungs and life. We may tell him about the eye which grows dim, and the ear which loses hearing, for he made them both. We may mention the swollen knee, and the gathering finger, the stiff neck, and the sprained foot, for he made all these our members, redeemed them all, and will raise them all from the grave. Go at once, and say, “Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick.”.... Read full article....

May God bless you with His love and mercies in many wonderful ways every day :)

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and may God grant you a very blessed weekend!

Recent Posts:

Thankful Thursday : Reunion with an old friend

Thankful Thursday : Free Calendars 2009 and Bookmarks

God delivers us out of our depths - Psalm 130

God is our refuge and strength - Psalm 46

Resting in God

The Cures for Clinical Depression - Some helpful Tips

The Causes of Clinical Depression

Myths about Mental Illness

In remembrance of my Counsellor and a Tribute to her

The Christmas Babka: An Original Poem

One of my favorite childhood memories is of the time my mother and I drove over to her parents’ house one December night before Christmas. Babci, my grandmother, had taken a big pan of her homemade babka out of the oven just before we had arrived. She sliced a big hunk of the sweet bread for us to take home. We devoured half of it in the car. It was still warm and soooo delicious!


Here is a poem I wrote more than a dozen years ago about my Babci making her famous babka:


THE CHRISTMAS BABKA
by Elaine Magliaro


We watch Babci make the Christmas babka.

With plump peasant hands

she kneads sweet dough

on the white porcelain-topped table,

places it in a large sky-blue bowl,

covers it with a damp towel,

and sets it on the kitchen counter

near the hissing radiator.


Swelling with bubbles of air,

the dough rises into a pale yellow cloud

flecked with bits of orange rind.


The baking babka fills the house

with the scent of Christmas.


We eat the bread fresh from the oven,

its insides steaming and golden—

a homemade treasure

rich enough to warm a winter night.

********************

At Blue Rose Girls I have a video from Brave New Films entitled George Bush’s Nightmare before Christmas. In the video, an actor impersonates Bush and recites a parody of Clement Moore’s famous holiday classic The Night before Christmas.

The Poetry Friday Roundup is at Author Amok.

Pens v Thrashers (W 6-3)

WOW! I just have to share this with you: When I hit the New Post button, I saw that this post is TSCS's 900^th!! :O

So the Pens face the Thrashers again tonight, which means Siddo and his best pal Colby Armstrong may or may not pick up where they left off last time. If you recall, they had at least two pushing and shoving incidents in their last matchup. Will they drop the gloves this time?? My guess is probably not. Either way...

Thanks go to Friend of The Show Jenna Z. for this photo. She went to last Saturday's game against the Flyers. She sent in several others which I'll post for you soon.

After missing 12 games, Flower returned with a vengeance! He looked as good or better than he ever has. He made some absolutely stunning saves tonight. And while I'm not doing a full recap of tonight's game, I'll leave you with this picture that Friend of The Show Susan B. sent me several weeks ago. She explained it to me:

Hey Jodie,
A while back, in the spring, one of your readers [snoop - It was good Friend Lexie101/Pens87Fan71] posted a picture of Fleury around playoff time -- the one where he looked really windblown. It reminded me of those "because I'm worth it" ads. I had fun photoshopping it. :D

He really is. :)

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!

Picture Book Reviews: Winter Trees, Christmas Trees

WINTER TREES
Written by Carole Gerber
Illustrated by Leslie Evans
Charlesbridge, 2008

This is a treasure of a nonfiction book written in verse. The rhyming text introduces young children to the different shapes of the crowns of deciduous trees once they are bare of leaves—

the egg shape of the maple tree;
the taller oval of the beech…
The V formation of the birch;
the yellow poplar, wide and high;
the spreading structure of the oak,
its branches reaching toward the sky.

Gerber also writes about the bark and buds and other characteristics of different trees: The American beech’s bark is smooth and silver-gray; the yellow poplar’s is furrowed. The sugar maple’s buds are stout and have clawlike tips; the poplar’s reddish twigs hold puffy buds. She writes, too, about evergreens and how they keep their needles throughout the year. The back matter includes three paragraphs with further information about trees and small illustrations of the seven trees written about in the book.

The spare illustrations created from linoleum block print, watercolor, and collage, are a fine complement to the text. The pictures are set mostly against a plain white or pale blue background. Evans focuses the reader’s eye on the shapes of the trees, the leaves, the buds, the bark—whatever is the main point of each page of text. This helps to enhance the information that is conveyed through Gerber’s verse.

Winter Trees would make a great read-aloud for children in Pre-K through the early elementary grades. It’s an excellent book for young naturalists and one that encourages kids to observe nature more closely.

Click here to view illustrations from Winter Trees.

More Blog Reviews of Winter Trees

7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #93: Featuring Leslie Evans (This post includes images of a number of illustrations from the book.)

From Check It Out: Nonfiction Monday: Winter Trees

CHRISTMAS TREE FARM
Written by Ann Purmell
Illustrated by Jill Weber
Holiday House, 2006

This is a “realistic fiction” picture book that tells all about the planting, pruning, and care of evergreens on a farm where Christmas trees are raised as the cash crop. The story is narrated by a young boy who explains how his Grandpa and the rest of his family go about their work on the farm throughout the year. The boy also informs readers about the measuring and tagging of trees before they are cut down and brought to the Tree Hut to be sold. Christmas Tree Farm is also a book about a family working together. The story closes with a slew of relatives coming to Grandpa’s and Grandma’s house for a tree trimming party. Weber’s gouache and acrylic naïve-style illustrations are colorful and an appropriate complement to a story narrated by a young boy.

The back matter of the book includes information under the following headings: Christmas Tree Lore, Christmas Tree Facts, and a Christmas Tree Time Line—as well as a two-page spread with labeled illustrations of different types of evergreen trees: Colorado Blue Spruce, Fraser Fir, Virginia Pine, Scotch Pine, Norway Spruce, White Pine, Balsam Fir, and Douglas Fir.

Click here for the teacher packet for Christmas Tree Farm.

HENRY BEAR’S CHRISTMAS
Written & illustrated by David McPhail
Atheneum, 2003

Henry Bear enjoys everything about Christmas: the presents, the jelly cakes Momma Bear always bakes, the warmth and good cheer of the holiday season. But what Henry loves most of all is having a fine, full, beautifully decorated Christmas tree and good friends all around. This story tells about Henry’s search for a Christmas tree. When Henry and his best friend Stanley find the perfect tree at the church, the vicar tells them that it’s not for sale. The tree is going to be raffled off. So what does Henry Bear do? Why, he spends all his Christmas tree money on raffle tickets. He feels certain he’ll win the tree. Unfortunately, on the day of the raffle drawing, Henry Bear isn’t present when his winning number is picked. He’s at the doughnut shop warming himself with a steaming mug of cocoa. Henry ends up having to settle for a brown-needled, scrawny tree that no one wants. After looking over the tree more carefully, Henry observes: “I see that it is not such a bad little tree after all.” Christmas ends up a happy occasion for Henry, Stanley, and Momma Bear. In the book’s final illustration, we see Momma Bear, Stanley, and Henry celebrating the holiday by a glowing fire. This book is another charmer from the talented McPhail.

NIGHT TREE
Written by Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Ted Rand

This is a cozy story about a family (father, mother, son, and daughter) going out on Christmas Eve to decorate a tree in the forest with holiday treats for wild animals: apples and tangerines and balls of sunflower seeds pressed with millet and honey. Beneath the tree the family scatters shelled nuts, breadcrumbs, and pieces of apple for “the little creatures who can’t climb very well.” When the family is finished, they spread out a blanket, open a thermos of hot chocolate, sing songs, and admire their handiwork. This story is told from the perspective of the son who conveys the excitement he feels sharing this annual tradition with his family in the forest and the wonder of this special night as he lies awake in bed. Ted Rand’s realistic watercolor illustrations transport us to a winter forest. The royal blue sky aglow with a full moon adds warmth to the scenery and the changing perspectives help bring the story alive on the pages.

APPLE TREE CHRISTMAS
Written & illustrated by Trinka Hakes Noble

Published nearly a quarter century ago, Apple Tree Christmas is still in print today. It’s a book I used to read aloud to my elementary students every December.

The book is set on a farm in the late 19th century. This is a warm family story about a mother, father, and two young daughters named Katrina and Josie. It’s also about an apple tree overgrown with wild grape vines that stood near their barn. It was a special tree to the girls. Josie loved to sit on the swing her father had fashioned from the tree’s vines—and Katrina, the artist, sat on a limb that made a perfect drawing board. “She called it her studio.”

One night a ferocious blizzard howls through the farm. Katrina and Josie learn to their dismay that their special apple tree has been felled by the storm. In the days before Christmas, Katrina finds it difficult to concentrate on knitting papa’s presents. She’s disturbed by the sound of her father’s sawing and hacking away at her beloved tree. But what Katrina and Josie don’t know is that Papa isn’t just chopping firewood—he’s making presents for his daughters from the vines and limbs of the tree. On Christmas morning, this is what the girls awake to find:

There, hanging from the beam, was Josie’s swing, the very same swing from the apple tree. Sitting on the swing was a little rag doll that mama had made.

Near the swing was a drawing board made from the very same limb that had been Katrina’s studio. On the drawing board were real charcoal paper and three sticks of willow charcoal.

Noble’s homey, period-style art suit this story of country life in bygone times.

Click here to see illustrations from Apple Tree Christmas at Noble’s website.

More Picture Books about Christmas Trees

Click here to read my review of A City Christmas Tree.

Click here to read my reviews of Merry Christmas, Merry Crow and Mr. Willoughby's Christmas Tree at Blue Rose Girls.



Click here to read my review of Wendell and Florence Minor’s Christmas Tree!.

Norman Bethune from Paris

1)  The life and death in Rongshui of Francoise Grenot-Wang

2) 广西融水发生火灾死亡1人 一法国女士失去联系

 

3) fangfang (Francoise Grenot-Wang's blog - it seems to be blocked by the freaking GFW!!!)

-- donation account in comment under Black & White Cat's post, and fangfang's site.

Thank God for His mercies and faithfulness

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psalm 36:5

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by. Thank God for seeing us through another week.

♥ I thank God for His mercies and faithfulness daily. Thank God for continuing to strengthen me as I wait upon Him. Thanks for all your prayers and encouragements.

♥ I thank God for bringing me back into contact with an elderly lady, Madam Chan, whom I ministered to some 10 years ago. Madam Chan is already 92 years old this year. She loves the Lord and have been rather ill all of her life. She is wheel chair bound and house bound.

♥ I thank God that when Madam Chan first came to know our Lord 10 years back at the age of 82 years old, I had the privilege of being used by God to share His Words with her. Due to a change in providence, I lost contact with her. Thank God that recently, in His mercies, He brought me back into contact with her.

♥ I am thankful to God that Mdm Chan still recognizes me and remember my name after such a long interval! See my joyful face in the photo below and you can imagine what a great joy it was for me to be reunited with her :-)

She looked very haggard in this photo as she had a fall some 3 weeks back and was in great pain. She became bed-ridden and could hardly eat. So she has lost a lot of weight.

Nancie and Madam Chan

♥ I am thankful to God for preserving Mdm Chan's faith in Him. For the last 10 years she has practically no contact with any Christian except her son-in-law. But when I met up with her recently, she said every day she prays and thanks our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ for shedding His blood to wash away her sins. She said she is a sinner and very thankful to God for taking care of her! I was greatly encouraged to see how the Lord has preserved her and kept her close to Him despite the difficult and lonely life she has led.

♥ I am thankful to God that Madam Chan desires baptism and she was baptised recently on 7 December 2008. She was able to testify of her faith in our Lord Jesus Christ in her own simple way. She expressed gratefulness to God that she can be baptised and belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. Her childlike faith is a great testimony to me and to my church brethren of what God is able to do in His beloved people's heart.

Madam Chan's baptism

♥ I am thankful to God for strengthening Madam Chan. Her health has improved shortly before her baptism and thereafter. Prior to that, for about 1 month she has been bed-ridden and not able to eat much. But now she is able to eat some solid food again! Thank God! So you can see in the picture above that at the time of her baptism her face is more fleshy. She is generally stronger and more cheerful. Now I visit her about once a week to minister to her whenever my health permist. She is able to sit up for a few hours now whenever I visit her.

♥ I am thankful to God for giving me the joy and privilege of seeing His wonderful work of grace in Madam Chan's heart. It is my regret that for the last 10 years I have lost contact with her. I am thankful that now God is enabling me to see once again His great work of grace in her soul, and give me the privilege to contribute a little in sharing His love and grace to her.

♥ I am thankful to God for providing precious people in my life ie. my family, church, friends and blogging friends who love and care for me in their very wonderful ways. These are tokens of God's love for me and I treasure very much.

♥ I am thankful to God once again for all of you, my dear blogging friends and visitors. I have been so greatly blessed by all of you and I thank God upon every remembrance of you. It is wonderful to read of how God is guiding and blessing you in your walk with our Lord and it encourages me in my walk with God too. Thanks again for your prayers and encouragements.

May God continue to bless you with His love and mercies in many wonderful ways every day :)

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and may God continue to bless you through this week!

Recent Posts:

Thankful Thursday : Free Calendars 2009 and Bookmarks

God delivers us out of our depths - Psalm 130

God is our refuge and strength - Psalm 46

Resting in God

The Cures for Clinical Depression - Some helpful Tips

The Causes of Clinical Depression

Myths about Mental Illness

In remembrance of my Counsellor and a Tribute to her

From the National Council of Teachers of English: For Parents & Teachers

Most Viewed Views of 2008

Of all the weekly choices, more readers clicked on the following NCTE guidelines and position statements than any others:

• More Than a Number: Why Class Size Matters
• How to Help Your Child Become a Better Writer
• Tips for Parents from the National Council of Teachers of English: Helping Your Teenager to Write Better
• The NCTE Definition of 21st Century Literacies
• NCTE's Reading Commission Guideline On Reading, Learning to Read, and Effective Literacy Instruction
  

Best of the NCTE 2008 Inbox Blog
Effective writing assignments and strategies for teaching nonfiction along with the summer series of blogs on 21st century tools for the classroom were Traci Gardner's most read Inbox blogs this year.

• What Makes an Effective Assignment?
• Strategies for Teaching with Nonfiction
• Mind Mapping Graphic Organizers
• Google Lit Trips: Literary Maps Meet 21st Century Literacy Skills
• Wiki: Collaborative Authorship Made Easy
• Twitter: 140-Character Professional Development and Writing Tool

More Buzz about the Newbery Award

I think many of you may have already read Has the Newbery Lost Its Way?, an article written by Anita Silvey that appeared in the October 2008 issue of School Library Journal. Here’s another article from The Washington Post entitled Plot Twist: The Newbery May Dampen Kids' Reading that speaks to the same subject. It seems there are children’s literature and literacy experts who feel that some of the recent Newbery winners are too complicated and inaccessible to kids. What are your thoughts on the subject?

Here are the first two paragraphs of TheWashington Post article:

The Newbery Medal has been the gold standard in children's literature for more than eight decades. On the January day when the annual winner is announced, bookstores nationwide sell out, libraries clamor for copies and teachers add the work to lesson plans.

Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the books that have won recently are so complicated and inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning off kids to reading. Of the 25 winners and runners-up chosen from 2000 to 2005, four of the books deal with death, six with the absence of one or both parents and four with such mental challenges as autism. Most of the rest deal with tough social issues.

Click here to continue reading the article.

Overwhelmed

First of all, let me say that I am sincerely sorry if I concerned anyone with my absence.

I certainly had no intentions of causing anyone to worry about me.

I actually didn't intend to disappear, either. I have been under tremendous (albeit self-imposed) pressure to be the best I can possibly be at my new job. My new job is in the IT department at my alma mater. It's so difficult to work with my former professors - I know they know I'm smart, so now I feel like I can't say "I don't know" because I don't want to sound like an idiot or (worse) let anyone down. Even though, in my field, there are MANY times when "I don't know" is the appropriate response. (For those who are unfamiliar with information technology, programming, and computer science, sometimes it isn't necessarily about how much you know about something as much as it is about knowing where to look for the answer.) The thing is that I love this job and all the people there so much, so I want them all to think I'm perfect.

And then there's TSCS. I got sooooo far behind when I switched jobs, and despite my best efforts, I have not only not been able to catch up, but I've been falling farther and farther behind. Unlike a lot of other blogs, this is a one (wo)man Show. I used to pride myself on the fact that, even though I do this all on my own, I was able to respond to every single e-mail that I received within three days. Now my inbox is full of game day pictures, Roaming Penguins stories, links, requests for info and/or link exchanges, and other items that are backed up all the way to mid-September.

I loathe being disorganized and behind, so for a while now I've been getting really overwhelmed when I sign in and see how far behind I actually let myself fall. But I didn't (and still really don't) want to say anything to you guys about it because I didn't want you to think that I no longer want you to e-mail me - because that's DEFINITELY not the case. I don't know if you realize that when I call you Friends of The Show I really mean that you are friends of mine. But now that I've let it get this far, I feel like I'm letting all of you down, too.

All of this, plus missing my friend Fred, on top of the always stressful preparations for Christmas... well, it finally got to be too much, so I just abruptly decided to take a break and just kind of retreat for a few days. I haven't powered on my home computer since Friday afternoon until now. I didn't really answer my phone, either. In retrospect, I now realize that was kind of selfish of me, and I apologize for not publishing an "I'm taking a break" post.

But I'm feeling better about most things today because I had a good talk with a good friend who reminded me that perfection in ANY area of my life is 100% unattainable and that I need to just accept it and relax a bit. Though, I think "a bit" is a bit of an understatement! :P

I've got a twelve day break coming up for Christmas and New Year's during which I have decided that I am going to fire off a handful of "catch up" posts (like the ones I did back when I first got this job), so hopefully you all can bear with me for just a little bit longer.

I have also decided that when I am done writing this post, I'm done beating myself up for not being able to keep up. I still love doing The Show. :) I'll do the best I can to catch up, and hopefully it's enough. And if it's not, that's okay, too. I'll just keep recapping the games as they're played and using off days to post the great stuff you all have sent me, and if I have to wait until the summer to get to everything in my inbox, eventually I will get it all posted.

Again, please know that I'm so sorry for causing anyone to worry about me, and I thank all of you so much for your concern. And now it's time for us to focus on more important things...

GO PENS!!!!!

The Poetry Friday Roundup Is Here!

I'm doing the Poetry Friday Roundup this week. Please leave the URL of your poetry post in the comments. I'll be adding poetry links throughout the day.

********************

The Wee Hours of the Morning Edition

• At Wild Rose Reader, I have three original Christmas acrostics. I also have three clerihews that I wrote for Tricia’s Monday Poetry Stretch this week.
• At Blue Rose Girls, I have a perfect poem for December written by Russell Libby entitled Applied Geometry.
• Little Willow gives us Falling Asleep, a poem by Siegfried Sassoon.
• This week David Elzey is celebrating the Dutch tradition of giving poems with gifts for Sinterklassavond with his post Sinterklassgedichten.

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The Breakfast Edition

• Michele at Scholar’s Blog has a wintry poem for us—A December Day by Robert Fuller Murray.
• John Mutford of the Book Mine Set has a review of Beatitudes by Herménégilde Chiasson and translated by Jo-Anne Elder. In addition, he uses his style to attempt a short Christmas poem.
• Gotta minute? Then get thee on over to GottaBook. Gregory K. says he’s up with an original for the season: Why I Love the Holidays in My Family.
• Jill Corcoran’s post celebrates children's poets and the series that brings these poets to life, SPEAKING OF POETS.
• Cloudscome brings us an original poem by J. Patrick Lewis celebrating National Chocolate Covered Anything Day: Chocolate Covered Ants.
• Over at A Year of Reading, Mary Lee has a purr-fect poem for feline fanciers in honor of her cat: John Ciardi’s Why Nobody Pets the Lion at the Zoo.
• Julie Larios says she burnt herself out on the Poetry Stretch clerihews and Emily Dickinson this week, so she’s letting John Keats speak for her over at The Drift Record.
• Laura at AuthorAmok has an original poem and a writing exercise, "Poetry Rocks!" She says it was inspired by a third grader's enthusiastic doodle.
• Sara Lewis Holmes is in today with a post about creatively altered old books, a BBC modernization of Much Ado About Nothing, and Shakespeare's unchanging sonnet 116: "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds."
• At Across the Page, Janet is sharing something special today—her 7-year-old's first poem: "Two Little Snowflakes."
• Stacey of Two Writing Teachers says she has a very rough original poem about her desk, which she FINALLY cleaned off this morning! Check out her post Poetry Friday & Photo Fridays Collide!
• And Andrea of Just One More Book!! Podcast is in with a chat about a fabulous rhyming story of sibling dynamics: When I Was King.
• At the Miss Rumphius Effect, Tricia joins the poetry posters today with a poem entitled Sorley's Weather.
• What will you find bubbling in Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup today? Why, "The Twelve Thank-you Notes of Christmas"—that’s what!
• This week Carol reviewed EVERY HUMAN HAS RIGHT. She says it’s a remarkable new book of poetry written by children, illustrated with National Geographic photographs from around the world. She thinks it’s a book every adult who cares about kids needs to know.
• Over at Shelf Elf, there are some cute gift ideas for poets—poetry-inspired pins!
• Lisa Chellman’s contribution this week is "Fearing Paris," by Marsha Truman Cooper.
• Linda Kulp has a tribute to Lee Bennett Hopkins at her blog Write Time.
• Like me—poet Laura Salas is into Acrostics today, too! She also has her 15 Words or Less Poems for December 12, 2008.

********************

The Brunch Bunch

• Kelly Polark presents an original Christmas cinquain entitled Tree Topper this Poetry Friday.
• Douglas Florian penned an original poem for Poetry Friday. He claims his meter reader was getting on his nerves. Fortunately, that annoyance inspired a well-metered verse entitled The Meter Reader.
• Sally Ito joins in posting on Poetry Friday for the first time at the PaperTigers blog. She’s in with Poetry and the Spiritual: The Work of Tomihiro Hoshino.
• Jennifer Knoblock has some Christopher Marlowe at Ink for Lit.
• The proud MotherReader has an original poem written by her wise seventh-grader titled The Third Level.
• Ruth is in with a poem entitled Schoolsville, which was written by Billy Collins—one of my favorite poets.
• Jules at 7-Imp contributes to Poetry Friday with a poem by Rilke entitled To Music.
• Karen Edmisten shares some Billy Collins, too. She's in with his poem entitled Her.

********************

The Literary Lunch Crowd

• Tiel Aisha Ansari gives us a seasonal original entitled A Box Full of Stars.
• Shelburns has The Dreidel Song…for Hanukkah at Write for a Reader.
• At Readertotz, Lorie Ann Grover adds to the seasonal chill with The North Wind Doth Blow.
• Lorie Ann also shares an original poem with us entitled Winter Night at On Point.
• Adrienne is into “Howling” this Poetry Friday.
• Anastasia Suen joins us jolly poetry posters with her picture book Red Light, Green Light—which she’s giving away for the 11th Day of Christmas.
• Schelle’s got a cockatootin’ acrostic for us at Brand New Ending.
• Jone is featuring the poems of “Silver Star Students” at Check It Out.
• Tadmack is in with a Meg Kearney poem called Creed.
• Becky at Farm School is in a poetic holiday mood with a few Christmas poems from one of her family’s favorite children's holiday anthologies.

********************

The Early Evening Edition

• In her Poetry Friday post My Dreidel’s Dancing in Highlights, Brianna Caplan Sayres included links to her poem, "The Dreidel's Dance" and Eileen Spinelli's poem, "The Christmas Story"—both of which appear in this month’s Highlights.
• Nadine C. Warner has her head in the heavens with Douglas Florian's Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars.
• Kevin Conder thinks his post falls under the Evening Vespers section. He’s in with Charles Bukowski's admonition against being boring. Boring? Perish the thought!!!

********************

Late Edition

• Liz Garton Scanlon was moon watching and she’s got some Dickinson for us at Liz in Ink.
• Anamaria at Books Together has posted about a family favorite—Father Fox’s Christmas Rhymes.

Poetry Friday: Christmas Acrostics

I thought I'd write a few holiday-themed acrostics for this Poetry Friday in December.


Wrapped around itself,

Red-ribboned

Evergreen, fragrant of winter forests,

Adorned with berries, baubles, bells of gold,

Tacked to the front door...

Home for the holidays.




Trimmed with tinsel, bedecked with shiny bulbs,

Ribboned with red satin, strung with bright lights—

Each twinkling like an earthbound star in an

Evergreen sky.




Santa snaps the reins. Red-nosed Rudolph

Leads the team of reindeer this early winter

Eve. Up, up

Into the sky with a cargo of Christmas

Gifts and goodies they rise, weaving through clouds. Can you

Hear the merry jingle of their silver bells?

********************

At Blue Rose Girls, I have a poem by Russell Libby entitled Applied Geometry.

The Poetry Friday Roundup is at Wild Rose Reader this week. Click here and leave a comment with the URL of your poetry post.

Pens v Islanders (W 9-2)

YES YES YES! Casa de snoop now has a Christmas tree! (Haha, that's why I was a little late on the pregame post.)

No, that score is not a typo! Seriously, what kind of Wheaties did the Boys eat before this game?! Geez! It's been almost 2 years since the Pens' last 8 goal game, and it's been since April 1993 since the Pens have had a 2 hat trick night (the players were Mario Lemieux and Joey Mullen), but on the eighth anniversary of the Return of The King, the Pens made the Islanders look like complete amateurs.

And Philippe Boucher, Petr Sykora, and Pascal Dupuis had a spectacular night of firsts! Strap yourself in - it's gonna be a long one...

(Apologies for the lack of photos - there aren't many out there right now, and because I have a day job, I can't wait for them to be posted. I might add pictures tomorrow.)

FIRST PERIOD

John Curry was in the net for his second start (third appearance), and Tim Wallace's parents were in the house after only making it to New Jersey from Anchorage, Alaska, in time for the 3^rd period yesterday - even though they left at 6:00am! It took just 6:25 for Pascal Dupuis to draw first blood. He fired a shot from the far wall that hit Joey MacDonald, bounced up and over the goalie, and slid right over the goal line. Siddo was going hard to the net to ensure that the puck went in, but he went so hard that he ended up going into the net right after the puck did. [Pens 1, Isles 0]

Doug Weight got the night's first penalty. He went to the box for interference. Andy Sutton drilled Ruslan Fedotenko with a big hit during the Pens' power play, but the Pens didn't score on their advantage. Not to worry, though. The Islanders gave the Pens ample opportunity to get a power play goal with a series of overlapping penalties that gave the Pens an extended 5-on-3. First, Freddy Meyer went for holding. While he was in the box, Nate Thompson hooked Jordan Staal. This gave the Pens 1:07 with the 2 man advantage. Then with 12 seconds left on the first two penalties, Brendan Witt was busted for slashing. Since there is no 5-on-2, the Pens ended up with 52 additional seconds of 5-on-3. After shot after shot, Miroslav Satan added to the Pens' tally by going from his forehand to his backhand for the goal. [Pens 2, Isles 0]

The Penguins still had almost a minute and a half on the power play, but they didn't get another PPG. The Isles got their first power play of the night when Matt Cooke was called for tripping. On the Isles' ensuing power play, Mark Streit fired a quick shot for a goal. [Pens 2, Isles 1]

A mere 11 seconds later, Kris Letang got the puck after a faceoff win and took the hit that allowed Geno Malkin to rush the net with his friend Petr Sykora. A lightning quick shot from Syko sealed the deal. [Pens 3, Isles 1]

Only 39 seconds after that, Philippe Boucher returned to score his first goal as a Penguin with a wicked shot from the point right through MacDonald's 5-hole. [Pens 4, Isles 1]

SECOND PERIOD

Predictably, MacDonald was pulled and replaced by Yann Danis. He was put to the test right out of the gate as Sid fired a shot that Danis in fact caught but didn't realize it. (It was in his glove.) Just after that, the Pens developed a 3-on-2. Alex Goligoski shot the puck, but Danis blocked it. The rebound went towards Geno, who kicked the puck to his stick and scored. [Pens 5, Isles 1]

Joshua Bailey went to the box for holding, but the Pens didn't score on their advantage. The Isles got a power play when the Pens were caught with too many men on the ice. Syko served the penalty for his team. With about 30 seconds left on the Pens' penalty, Bill Guerin was called for slashing. Neither team scored on the 4-on-4, but after Syko emerged from the box, he shot the puck as he fell as he was hit from behind to score his second goal of the night. [Pens 6, Isles 1]

Now, Syko has had 44 - let me repeat that - FORTY FOUR 2-goal games. He was, until tonight, the highest scoring player that never had a hat trick. But we all thought the wait was over as he fired another shot that found the back of the net a short time later. But it was not to be. The ref had lost sight of the puck. In that occasion, he must blow his whistle and stop the play. The (non)goal was scored after the whistle. Despite the utter domination by the Pens, watching Petr plead his non-hat-trick-getting case to the ref was absolutely heartbreaking. But as they say, it ain't over...

Tim Jackman took a penalty for roughing after trying to rally his team with a little physicality. On the ensuing power play, Saint Siddo got the puck and patiently waited while Syko got in position in front of the net. He centered the pass for Syko, and with a quick wrist shot, he finally got his first career hat trick!!! [Pens 7, Isles 1] He nearly crushed Siddo to death with a flying, leaping, laughing hug (see below). :)




Sutton was called for roughing after he tried to take Satan out. Incidentally, he missed and nearly killed Bob Errey, who was between the benches for this broadcast. Syko hit the post on the power play, but the Pens didn't score. Gronk somehow managed to drag the puck to the net around practically everyone and set Dups up for another goal. [Pens 8, Isles 1] As the period ended, Paul Steigerwald was singing the Spyhunter song for Petr Sykora, LOL!

THIRD PERIOD

Okay. I'm not going to list all the craziness from this period. Just know that the Islanders were frustrated and began taking liberties with the Pens. Boucher was called for hooking. The Isles did everything but score, as Curry was a brick freaking wall tonight. Siddo tried to set Dups up for his first hat trick while they were shorthanded, but to no avail. The Isles did not score on their advantage. A short time later, Geno tried to set Dups up, but Sutton lay down and blocked the shot. Gronk, who had set Dups up for goal #2, tried to help him get the third, but again - no such luck.

Geno and Raggedy Ruslan found themselves in a battle with the Isles in which both men lost their lids. (I never really noticed before, but Ruslan has some pretty glorious highlights in his hair... :P LOL!) The Isles ended up with the man advantage after Geno, Tank, and Andy Hilbert went to their respective boxes for roughing, but Curry made an unreal save on Bill Guerin to hold them at a single goal. Before the penalty was over, Dups got hooked by Weight, and Siddo made a fool of Streit on his way to the net, but his shot was blocked by Danis. Sutton scored on the ensuing 4-on-4. [Pens 8, Isles 2]

The Pens still had a power play, and it seemed like Dups couldn't buy a goal. With 6 seconds left on the power play, Jackman punched Geno in the chops and earned a roughing penalty. The Pens didn't score on the brief 5-on-3. On their power play, Gogo got nailed with a hooking penalty. With 1 second left on the 4-on-4, Matt Cooke led the charge with Super Duper by his side. He passed number 9 the puck for the 9^th goal of the night, giving him his first NHL hat trick!! [Pens 9, Isles 2]

Despite the fans' calls for a tenth ("We want 10!! We want 10!!"), this was the final score of the game. Before it was all said and done, though, Chris Campoli crosschecked Syko in the arm during a faceoff. That wasn't enough, so Campoli went after Geno. He caught Geno low with a pretty big hit. Luckily, Geno's a big guy so it didn't hurt him, but Sykora took exception to it and rushed in to defend his linemate. The Isles' captain Guerin, who had been barking at the refs for most of the 3^rd, finally crossed a line when he griped about this incident. He was given a 2 minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty (served by Blake Comeau) and a 10 minute misconduct and was escorted off the ice.

As is tradition these days, tonight's creamed player was Super Duper. The video of his postgame interview (he had been creamed off camera) comes to us from Friend of The Show Traci M.:



Thanks so much to Traci for uploading the clip and sending it my way! :) The Pens head to Philly for an afternoon game this Saturday.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!