http://htwins.net/scale2/
Here's something really FUN to explore!!!

Easter Bilby

Australia is "the Land Down-Under." It is an island continent. There are some unusual animals there, found nowhere else in the world. As people came in from other places, they brought animals from other places. One of these was rabbits. A result is that the little bilby has almost disappeared. Some people there decided to make a new tradition. The Easter Bilby! You can get chocolate Easter Bilbys, paint Bilby Eggs, carry a Bilby Basket.

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter everyone! Here is a basket of Easter eggs from the Czech Republic for you to enjoy.

This last Wednesday, the Pima Air & Space Museum set a new record for the largest paper airplane. It was 45 feet long, had a wingspan of 24 feet and weighed 800 pounds. It was made of paper called falcon board, which is described as "similar to a pizza box." 12-year-old Arturo Valdenegro of Tucson won a contest by folding the original from a sheet of regular paper. The Museum people used that design to make the giant version.

This is a cherry tree in bloom for SPRING! Yes, it's SPRING!!! Winter is over. Many see this as when life begins again. That brings an announcement. On this first day of SPRING, Melody Mathis was born. She is the daughter of our friends Jason and Jaime from Maryland.

http://www.captainkazoo.com/zoosales.html
Are you looking for a really GREAT gift - or a keepsake - or just something for fun? Captain Kazoo is putting his huge collection of kazoos up for sale.
http://www.captainkazoo.com/zoosales.html

All of you know Gordie the Social Tortie. He is a sulcata tortoise. They are native to the Sahara Desert - but Gordie chooses to live with all of us in Arizona. This little sulcata, born a few weeks ago, lives at a museum of science in Kiev. That's in the Ukraine, and the Ukraine is in Russia, and Russia is in both Europe and Asia, which are on the planet Earth, and .... Well, this sulcata tortoise is actually two tortoises inside the same shell. They have separate heads, separate hearts, separate lungs, etc. One side has been named Menga and the other side Lenka.

From our friend Violet in Taiwan - YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Going on right now in Baguio City in the Philippines is the Panagbenga Festival. In April, Nicker will be swimming the Pacific Ring of Fire to visit some friends. He'll miss the Flower Festival, but you can be a part. Just look up Panagbenga and learn more about it. Get some flowers. Dance the Canao and the Bendian.

Our friend Kyle and his fair lady Beth have decided to open a bed and breakfast. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a little like spending the night with good friends or close relatives. I hear that Beth is just about the best cook in all of Texas! This is the house they bought. They’ll be fixing it up, and it will soon be open for business. It’s located in May, Texas. Kyle said that you look at a satellite view by looking up the town and finding the address, 3845 FM 1689. What he didn’t say was if they accept dogs, cats or visiting sea dragons.

The new issue is almost ready to go up. Are YOU ready? It's another birthday - sort of. March brings St. Patrick's Day. That means lots of green ... although St. Patrick was first connected to the color blue. It's an Irish holiday ... although St. Patrick was Welsh.

Here is another dragon float from Violet of Taiwan. This is the Year of the Dragon, and the festival of lanterns. Taiwan is also a place where you can get dragon fruit.

Danny's and Nicker's birthday is this coming Sunday. You don't have much time left to send them a birthday card! I had Cornish pasties for my birthday. Danny wants stuffed grape leaves. Have you ever had them? Leaves from grape plants are soaked in brine (salt water). A mixture of meat, rice and spices is rolled inside and tied with thread. These are then steamed. Danny likes his best served with yogurt and something called hummus. He is an expert at making hummus!

Our friend Violet from Taiwan sent this wonderful photo. This is the Year of the Dragon and in Taiwan (do you know where that is?) there is a Festival of Lanterns.

Here is another photo of the dragon fruit. Nicker has been telling me all about it, and I'm beginning to learn. He says that Gordie the Tortie would really like the yellow kind.

Our friend David Keddy was in the store, saw this and took a picture. He didn't know what it was. Neither did I, but Nicker did. "It's called dragon fruit," Nicker told me. "It's also called pitaya." Now Nicker wants some for his birthday.

Our friend Violet in Taiwan made this image available. To remind you, this is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar.

Nicker is very excited. This is the Year of the Dragon on the Chinese calendar. The painting, however, is Japanese. Nicker says, "That doesn't look like me. It must be an old cousin or something." He also asked me to remind you that his birthday, and Danny's, is coming soon. He wants me to remind you to send your cards and drawings to Nicker Stories, 18521 E. Queen Creek Rd., Suite 105, #603, Queen Creek, AZ 85142

Don't forget Danny's and Nicker's birthday!!! Send your cards to them at Nicker Stories, 18521 E. Queen Creek Rd., Suite 105, #603, Queen Creek, AZ, 85142. HURRY. Their birthday is February 12!

In Alberta, Canada is something unique. It's world's largest known beaver dam - so large that it can be seen from outer space. It's already more than a half-mile wide (about the length of 8 football fields) and is still growing.

IT'S NATIONAL KAZOO DAY!!! I hope you celebrated with us.
There is also a reminder and an announcement. Did you remember that February 12 is the birthday for both Danny and Nicker? Well, I decided to have another contest. All you Nickaroos should send them a birthday card. Get one, but even better, make one! (You can also go to Your Page and get one of those drawings.) I don't know what the prize will be yet, but it will be something special.
So, get out your paper, crayons, paints, whatever you wish. Have some fun - and make a boy and a sea dragon smile.

HEY HEY HEY!!! There is a lot going on over the next few days. The new issue is up - which you know because you're here. It continues the birthday idea we began back in December. February is the birthday or Danny, Nicker and ... PAUL BUNYAN! Meanwhile, don't forget that Saturday is National Kazoo Day. Get yer kazoos and join in with the rest of us to have some fun! To get you started, visit http://www.captainkazoo.com/NATKAZ.HTML

Don't forget. MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR! Saturday, January 28, is National Kazoo Day - and we're going to have a party. Captain Kazoo has even written a song for it. So, get out your kazoos. Gather your friends. Hum along with us!

ATTENTION!!!
Saturday, January 28, is National Kazoo Day. In honor of this, Captain Kazoo has written the official song for the day called, "Hum, Don't Blow." Get out your kazoo and come to this website. Hum along!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl6q4OwEbuU

Winter

I'm not sure where this came from, but it's so clever I wanted to share it. It shows someone's idea to prove that they got "two feet of snow."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
It's going to be an exciting year. We hope to publish the first Nicker Stories book and its companion coloring book soon, and have started work on some others. Be sure to check back for the latest news. And tell all your friends to visit the website. There will be new stories coming.
Meanwhile, for New Year's Day I made some special molasses bread rolls. BIG ones. Just one will both of your hands together. Danny's mother ate two right from the oven and said that if they were any better, they would be dessert.
Hmmm - maybe I should put the secret recipe in "Lunch With Nicker?" What do you think?