A Bunch of Burts

My friend Kathy just sent me a most exciting link!

The City of Ember is being made into a movie!

We read this book several years ago and foisted it upon several of our friends claiming it was one of the best read-alouds we had found in a long while. We liked the second book, The People of Sparks, just as well. (disclaimer: We did not care much for the third book and supposed prequel The Prophet of Yonwood –FYI)

Can I say again that we loved the first book?

It is slated to come out in October this year. Yay! We will be back in Chiang Mai at that point and may have a chance of catching it in the theatres. We are eagerly waiting. If you have NOT read it yet, you MUST before the movie comes out.

On my friend Kathy’s blog, she has a list she found of all sorts of books that are being made into movies. I did not know many of the titles, (and just from some of those titles I am glad I am not familiar with them,) but did see The Giver listed among them.

The Giver by Lois Lowry, another one Leah and I highly recommend. Maybe we can make that one our next evening read-aloud since Leah and I are the only ones who have read it in our family. Again, you really should read that one before even thinking of seeing the movie. Another we are excited about the possibity of seeing.

Taking the family to the movies in Chiang Mai is relatively cheap and so we have gone several times in the year and a half that we have lived here. But there are so few movies that we are even willing to take the kids to see. Nearly every Thai movie is some kind of ghost story with dead people coming back or horror-style movies. Or a movie completely laden with shall we say people being much too friendly with each other.
Umm, not appropriate.

I cannot speak for the spiritual condition of either Jeanne DePrau (The City of Ember), or Lois Lowry (The Giver), but their books were clean, entertaining and encouraged some good discussion at our house with some of the issues being talked about in the books.

Bring on the movies!

I know, I know, many of you are still trying to coax spring to arrive much less thinking summer. Well, maybe at least you are thinking summer, longing for it to arrive.

One of our favorite parts of hot season is the wonderful fruits we have available.
I had never been a huge fan of mango until we moved to Thailand, and now we love them. All kinds, and even unripe green mangos.
Oh yes, a bit of green mango is so yummy and refreshing! mmmm.

One of the problems I had with said mango though is how to get them off thier pit. When preparing ripe ones especially, the process can be messy and frustrating.

We just recently visited our friends in Mukdahan and I saw her cutting mango so efficiently and I wondered how I had never done it this way before.

Simplicity. Brilliant.

OK, here goes with the photo tutorial.

Step one.
Peel the mango. No picture necessary right?

Hold the mango broad side up.

With a knife make diagonal cuts down to the pit along the length of the mango.

Please ignore the dishes in the sink. Lazy children.

Now cut diagonally the other way.

Starting on the side nearest you, cut horizontally along the top of the pit over a bowl and the cut mango morsels will drop neatly into your bowl.

Of course take care of your finger tips, or it will be even harder the next time to hold the mango still. haha

See how close you can get the pit? Slick and easy.

Repeat on other side.
Sometimes there is a bit of mango left on the side of the pit. You can slice that off too, now that you know where the pit boundaries are.

There you have it!
Yummy.
Tasty.
Delirous.
( Do you know that movie reference? )

Here is a completely free bonus mango-eating idea.

Stir one container of plain or vanilla yogurt with a 1/4 tsp of ground ginger. (Add vanilla too if using plain yogurt) Coat mango pieces and enjoy.
As we travelled home from the NE this week, I found PEACHES! at a roadside stand. They were so tasty with the mangos in this cool and sweet ’salad.

For more tips and tricks, visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer

Just have to say, I have NO idea how all you ladies are able to post so quickly! I am amazed. I have been watching Shannon’s site for the last 40 minutes or so, but I am still # 36. You all are amazing.

We had more pictures to share of the this holiday, so here is a montage of sorts.
Note, you do not find me any of them. This is on purpose. Not only are wet clothes clinging to me unattractive and not fit for posting, someone has to volunteer to remain relatively dry and take the pictures.

What to do when the pool is closed and it is super hot out?
Make do, right?

Actually, we are out particpating in the biggest holiday of the year in Thailand.
Thai New Year, or otherwise known as Songkran.

We do not have our truck available this year to go out driving around, so we camped at our mission office with another family and armed ourselves with buckets, garbage cans (don’t worry, they were clean and never used for trash), water guns and anything else we could fling water with.

Songkran is a huge event here in Chiang Mai, with people coming from all over the country to celebrate in this city.
The water part of the holiday began as a way of honoring the elders and recieving a blessing from them.

Of course it has changed into one big water free for all.

There are many spiritual elements to this holiday as well, being a Buddhist celebration in a Buddhist country. There are elaborate and special merit making ceremonies at every wat.

As we had fun joining in the water fight, we had many reminders of why we are here.

Truckloads of people passing us by, on their way to play and make merit, looking for peace and joy, but lacking the One who can actually give it.

We do enjoy the play and fun associated with Songkran, but know our real joy is Christ, because of Him we are secure in all circumstances and can rest in His care of each day and the next, no matter what comes.

Not exactly sure how Greg got the water to come of that side of bucket. He must have Songkran skills :0

Songkran ‘happens’ to fall right at the height of hot season, when everyone is looking for a way to cool off. We were using water right from the hose, so it was like bath water. But many of the passing trucks had stopped at one of the ice vendors and their water was very chilly! But welcome as we baked out there in the heat.

As we encounter and particpate in these Thai holdiays for the second time around, there is much we appreciate and enjoy about the Thai people and their traditions. We are eager to see them celebrate their culture while at the same time glorify the Lord and know Him. Not apart from their culture, not rejecting what them Thai, but as the center of it, bringing meaning and fullness that was not there before.

It has been quiet on the Burt Blog Front for a while. We have been visiting friends in the NE part of Thailand.
We made it back to Chiang Mai just in time for the biggest party of the year here, Thai New Year.
Otherwise known as Songkran.
Otherwise known as a huge city wide water fight and free for all.
A great and entertaining way to cool off from these high temps that have moved in.
We will be ‘playing water’ at the corner of the office tommorrow!
Should get some good pictures!