This is a continuation of poems written for Terry. We had a lot of fun writing them. 


Cluck Cluck
by Kusma Gongba
15 January 2017

I am a hen.
I give eggs.
I eat rice.
I have friends, four,
I give meat.
I am nice.
With friends that are good.
I like my friends and they like me. 
People take my eggs,
the eggs I lay and eat them. 


Pretty colors on your wall
by Pukar Gautam
16 January 2017

I am house paint.
You can paint me.
They like me in their house.
I like to be painted on houses.
I’d like to be painted on my boxing teacher’s house.
Everyone cares for me and puts me nicely on their houses.
I like babies who are always at my side, 
I am good.
I am paint.


If I were an art book 
by Abin Rai
16 January 2017

If I were an art book
People would make artwork on me
They would keep me safe in their homes 
They would make houses, animals, and flowers
on me. I am happy because they make 
wonderful artwork on me.
If they make dirty artwork on me, 
I will not like those artwork.
If a baby makes art upon me, I am happy 
because the baby gets the chance to learn art,
make good artwork,
and take care of me so they can write abc’s on me.
I get old when they make art on me,
my pages finish and they would buy a new me.


The flower
by Shaswat Badal

I am a flower. I am liked by people,
they plant me in their houses.
I don’t like to be plucked 
but they still pluck me.

When I get plucked, I may live in a vase,
I am happy always to be in a vase.
People sell me to earn money,
people smell me and feel good.

I don’t like being put on fire.
Some smell me and when my scent is gone, 
they throw me out.
I don’t like that, no, no, no.
Keep me, love me, forever.

I like to be placed in a vase.
I am a flower, I am liked by the people.
The vase is my home. People find me a nice vase.
Don't break my vase, my home kids. 
People, think I am beautiful, and buy me
for the gods, for their loves.

I am a good flower. Use me in medicine.
I am used in so many medicines and I liked to be used. 
When people are sick, they drink my essence and are glad.


The phone
by Utkrishta Mulmi

All the time, day and night,
I am tapped. It is joyful that I am useful. 
But still its hurts: everyone, tap, tap, tap.

Bought from shop when new, 
born in a factory, delivered sparkling to shop.
Bought, don't drop. I break. 
Fix me, hang me.
Little kids play games on me which I like though it hurts 
Some persons put me in smelly pockets 
in shirts or trousers, 
I HATE THAT!

Don't drop me in the toilet pot or water.
I get old, thrown into the bin.  
Take me to a repair shop instead
where the doctor treats, fixes.


Owners don't forget to charge me or I get rest and sleep 
But after being charged, I get up and work. 
Used by everyone except birds, fishes and trees,
some of my friends are big or small
sometimes thieves come into my house and kidnap me 
and some of my friends in my house including all the jewellery.


The laptop
by Nitya Poudel

Every day I am used by someone in the house
I am used by a human but not by a mouse
I was in the shop of a shopkeeper 10 years ago
I was bought by Nitya’s dad who brought me to his home
I was new when he bought me but now I look a little old
Nitya’s father does not use me but Nitya surely does
He stays with me all day and works on with me
I am really bored as at the night I have to stay in a cupboard
Nitya’s friends watch movies on me as my graphics are very nice
I am an i5 laptop which makes me really nice
My cousin is a computer who is bigger than me
Although he can’t move a lot he is better than me 
Some children are very nice they take good care of me
Some of them are really bad they try to destroy my parts
Some of them sit on me and they have really stinky farts
Some of them always keep me clean
I am used by everyone from students to the dean


Mirror
by Neeva Poudel

If I were a mirror, 
all would always see them in me. 
They see themselves, 
but I can’t see myself, what do I do?
I will find myself a mirror. 

Someone hits me in anger. I shatter. 
Take me, a more beautiful one 
with a new design on face, home. 


Boxing gloves
by Susmita Gongba

If I were a boxing glove, sweat would always get inside me 
I always hit another person’s head 
Someone know me and some don't
Other gloves hit me and that’s the reason I am injured
I am taken care of because I am needed to box by boxers.

Dedicated to Terry Miller who is our English Teacher on Mondays. Thank you so much Terry, having you every week makes life so much more exciting. We really enjoy doing your homework. Love you. Nitya, Abin, Utu, Shaswat, Kusma, Niva, Sushmita, Pukar, and Vidheha.


The ribbon
by Nitya Poudel

Thousands of feet walk on me, run on me, and hurt me.
I am used. Everyone from beggars to richest tread on me.
Every second I am hurt, weight is placed on my head.
But I am strong: very, very strong.
Thousands of stalls near me keep company.
Thousands of houses stay by my side.  
I am gravel and I am asphalt.
Rain bathes me (nice) but dust settles and I am again dirty.
When people walk, they throw things on me
I don’t like this a bit.
I spread and snake all over the world from villages simple to big cities grand.
  


The mystery 
by Utkrishta Mulmi

I am hairy but soft
I am of a dangerous animal 
Some still think cute. 
A tag on my back, 
two cute ears, eyes and a button-like nose.
On one leg writing says Carter’s who had created me. 
A tiny t-shirt on body. 
Some poke and take cotton out of body,
some me as cushion: I am as big as a pillow
I have friend who’s like me but black and white while I am brown.
I am a gift. 
Beloved, thrown, and torn.


What am I? 
by Susmita Gongba 

I am something
You always need.
On you 
don’t like mice 
Mice always bite. 
Clean me and I am beautiful
and I am happy to be who I am. 


I am
by Shaswat Badal

Everybody watches me 
I am as small as a computer, as big as a window
They buy me at a very high price.
Mostly liked by children, 
funny. Watched by the old, 
newsy. Women listen to music 
watch pretty dancing.

I entertain and make happiness and tears.
I am in most homes and add feelings.
Somebody breaks me and I die, 
sometimes, I get parts and a new life.
I like they who love me so. 
I am happy and excited with them.


What am I? 
by Abin Rai

I am something, 
that you need, always.
You need me whole day and night.
People cannot stop what I say. 
They break me easy.
I am many. What I am?                    


That’s me
by Pukar Gautam
I capture memories, be they good or bad. 
Then transfer them to a printer.
Then hang up those memories. 
I have taken up your wall.
When you put memories on a wall, 
the wall looks gorgeous and beautiful, 
the memories hang around for ages.
Fathers, mothers, grandparents, ancestors.


You tell me
by Kusma Gongba 

I am something.            
People hit
with a bat.

I come in lots of colors 

Throw me. 
I can bounce a lot
I am?

Preparing the Periodic Table Manual

WHAT? We prepared a 64-page chemistry MANUAL?
by Utkrishta Mulmi

3 February 2017. Nitya, Shaswat and I have been working very, very hard on our manual of the periodic table. We made a manual so we could understand the periodic table better. Over the past year we have learned the 118 elements on the table, their names, symbols, number, weight, type, state, and valency. Now we have to conduct extensive research related to what we have studied and make best sense out of the data that is in our minds.

We were to write their uses, which person discovered them, and put in a picture of the element's structure containing the proton, electron, and neutrons. Nitya started working on elements 1 to 30; I had to work on elements 31 to 60 elements; and Shaswat was assigned to work on elements 61 through 90. Between us, we would be done with 90 elements and rest of the 28 elements we would divide and finish things off.

If people don’t know what an element is, how are they going and understand the manual? That’s why Nitya was told to research on what elements are; what are atoms, protons neutrons and electrons so we have introductory pages for the manual. If we read this section, we can understand the manual properly.

I am surprised at what we did, really, because we came out with a manual that is 63 pages long over 3 or 4 weeks! How did we do that? I am pleased at how fast we did this. When Pallav sir first told us how we were going to achieve this, I thought it just was not possible. We were only told to write the narratives then add images so things would be more visual and easier to understand. My favorite part of making the manual was inserting the pictures of elements.

Next, we will be looking for cartoons or jokes or stories on each of the elements so the manual is also FUN to read.

Those who follow our blogs already know that I and Nitya have been appointed editors. Nitya put together all of our work in one file and went through it as an editor. I then had to edit all of the manual after he finished editing it. After I edited the manual, I handed it over. The editing was really easier than researching. But there were bits and pieces missing. So more and more research was required.

Kriti maam is a designer at muncha.com. Today at 3:30 she is coming to work with us and teach us formatting and DESIGNING. We look forward to finalizing the design and page formatting and printing out the manual and binding it and circulating it for school use.

Now that we have written the manual of the periodic table we are researching zoology related classification. This time more students are taking part in the research process. We will write a separate blog on that, of course! We all love researching, editing, formatting, and designing. Learning is fun.

Making our own tomato sauce

by Kusma Gongba

Edited by Shaswat Badal

On February 1 we made our own tomato sauce. The day before, I and Pallav sir had gone and bought 5 kilograms or about 10 pounds of really fresh red and ripe tomato. We paid Rs. 170 for the lot.

The next day, we washed the tomatoes. Nitya, Utu, Sushmita, Abin, Pukar, Kushma, Vidheha as well as myself were involved. Sabita, Bhagwati maam and Pallav sir helped us. After washing the tomatoes, we checked if it was going bad. We removed the tomatoes that had marks, those that were slightly green or off color. Then I and Sabita maam cut the tomatoes into halves.

We then squeezed the tomato and everybody got a chance to help Sabita didi. After squeezing all the tomato, we had a lot of juice with seeds mixed in it. We helped filter the seeds and separated them so we could plant them once they were dry. As for the juice, it was really beautiful red. Pallav sir asked if we wanted to drink it but most of us only tasted it and since he has high blood sugar levels he thought it would be better to keep it to drink later. The juice was very sour and tasty.

Now that we were finished with the seeds and the juice, we went back to the tomatoes. We cooked the tomato for 25 minutes and let it cool down. After that, when we squeezed the tomato by hand and removed the pulp from the skin and other stuff that had not cooked enough to be soft. We set the tomato to heat again and again let it cool and squeezed what we could out of the mixture. Sadly, it was not much.

Now the skin and the remains were cooked Sabita maam and we got together and peeled garlic and hot green chilies and added salt and cooked the mixture and turned it into pickle! I just love tomato pickle like that. It is so sour and salty and hot. I was quite happy that we got seeds, juice, tomato pickle also out of the tomato that we had bought.

Taking the tomato puree, there was about 2 liters of it, we heated it and heated it for quite some while until we had a wonderful wonderful red mixture. Then we opened a manufactured sauce that we had bought from Bhatbhateni Supermarket made by Druk company and Rosa company. Druk is very popular in Nepal and the sauce is very sour and sweet and salty while Rosa sauce is also sweet but not so sour.

Our puree was quite bland to taste, no color, no preservatives, no additives. We started adding a bit of sugar, a bit of salt, a bit of vinegar to work on the taste. Over the next 45 minutes, we added 15 spoons of sugar, 150 ml of vinegar, a spoon of salt and heated and heated the mixture until the taste of Rosa and then Druk was close. While Rosa tomato sauce had a little vinegar, we really liked the taste of Druk brand so by the time we finished, what we had made was close to the Druk tomato sauce.

We had a lot of fun tasting and tasting and tasting the sauce that we were making. When we reached a consistency that the tomato sauce and water would not separate when moved to a plate, we let the mixture cool down. We had a wonderful tomato sauce, this was so much fun. Now I know how to make cookies of many types, homemade brown bread, Nepali achar pickle, rasbhari sweet, pizza, momos, hotdog, sandwiches, marmalade and litchi, plum, apricot jam.

The next day also it was tasting time, that was so much fun! We stood in line and a big spoon on sauce was put into our mouth. Pallav sir said that we would be working more on thickening using home-made potato starch! He said it is quite easy to make potato starch and we will be making it and then making our sauce also thick and dollopy.

I love all these projects that we do at school. Now I have to go check the rasbhari we are making with 10 packets of milk and then plan for the brown bread we are making tomorrow. I do not know where we put the yeast. You also have fun with cooking. It is really enjoyable.

Making cookies for Valentine’s Day

by Utkrishta Mulmi with additions by Nitya Poudel

27 January 2017
www.spinybabbler.org . facebook.com/SB.Evolution

We were planning on making cookies for Valentine’s Day and selling them under our finance and economy curriculum. It is really important that we have life skills and that includes the ability to earn money, Pallav sir said. I was very excited. At first we were told that we were going to make gingerbread cookies but then we realized we could be a lot more creative with what we were doing.

We looked at the cookie cutters that we had: we were looking for a heart shaped cookie cutter because it would be Valentine’s theme product we were making but unfortunately we did not have a heart-shaped cookie-cutter which was very surprising to me actually. But at least we found cookie cutters which if you put them in order could spell “I love you!” How wonderful. Pallav sir said, this would be a lot of work and that we would make different flavors for each alphabet and each of them would be of different color.

Right before the “I LOVE YOU,” we would place an angel we said as we had an angel shaped cookie cutter too! Oh, this would look pretty goooooood.

Then we looked at some videos to make fancy cookies. So that was the day before. On the day we were to make cookies, we first looked in the kitchen to see if we had everything we needed and of course we did not. So some of us had to go shopping to go and buy ingredients that we did not have: we did not have icing sugar, unsalted butter, red food coloring and a box to place the cookies in. Those of us who went shopping were Nitya, Abin, Pukar, Susmita, Pallav sir and Vidheha. Oh, it was raining and a cold day. How wonderful that we were making cookies and spending the day researching, shopping, discussing, cutting, and in from of the oven rather than doing the work that is so often what defines a school.

 

NITYA WRITES:

Pallav sir gave me Rs. 2000 and told me that I had to pay for the things we will buy. We went to the ground floor searching for stuff like icing sugar, red food color and butter. We saw many icing sugar packets on the shelf but some had become solid, some were very expensive and imported, we found a packet of icing sugar made in Nepal. We found food colors and essence. I found a small bottle with red color inside it and Pallav sir asked me to check carefully if it was essence or color. Actually upon closer inspection, I found that it was strawberry essence and not food color. We already had that at school! I found red color and we got that.

When we reached the place where butter was placed, we saw different types of butter. We were thinking of taking the butter made by Amul company which was very expensive. Then we saw cheaper butter and got that instead. I paid the bill and we moved on to another floor. We wanted to find boxes for cookies, a heart shaped cookie cutter and pepper dispenser. First we went to search for the boxes. We found a box which was ok for 8-9 cookies. There were boxes of bigger and smaller sizes. After choosing a sample box, we went in search of heart shaped cookie cutter but there were none to be found loose. There was packet of 6 cutters but that was Rs. 425 so we thought we would not get that. They told that both pepper dispenser and single heart shaped cookie cutter were finished. We were done and we returned back to school. Where everyone was waiting with much excitement.

UTU CONTINUES:

The rest of us who stayed at school looked at some more videos on how to make boxes for cookies, how to gift wrap and how to make different cookies and cakes.

We waited for about an hour for them to come back and once they did we cleared the table to make cookies. Sabita didi called us for lunch. After lunch and cleaning the table, that I was asked to bring big bowls full of flour and had a wooden spatula and also a smaller bowl. Kusma and Sabita maam cooked the dry flour over low heat for quite a while. The idea was that the cookies would be thick and only baked for 20 minutes at the max so we did not want the flour to be raw.

 

In the small bowl Pallav sir put the unsalted butter and with the spatula mashed it in and kept on mashing but it did not work so we took it to the microwave and heated it for a minute. When the butter was softened, Bhagwati maam and Sabita didi kneaded it into the well cooked flour in a bowl over and over again. We added 2 eggs initially. We did not add any water. We also added the icing sugar and salt in the mix.

Once the kneaded flour was ready, we split it into 5 big dollops. We took all of the food colourings and all the flavours and arranged it properly so we would have matching colour with matching flavours. Orange essence would be used for the orange coloured mix. For mango we used yellow with a little bit of orange colour, for pineapple essence we used yellow only, for strawberry flavour we used red in a way that we would have pink and for vanilla we used blue. Too late, we found out that we do not have white cookies. Ah well, next time.

We thought that we could get confused with which flavour is in which dough so we made pineapple no 1, strawberry no 2, orange was 3, mango was 4, and vanilla was 5. Abin would work on the pineapple, Vidheha and Kusma on strawberry, Susmita on orange, Nitya on mango and Pukar and I on vanilla mix. Then I was asked to get 5 small bowls. After I brought the bowls, Pallav sir cracked 5 eggs, removed the yolk, and put one in every bowl. He said we would use the whites to brush the cookies so they would become glossy.

 

After getting the yolk in the bowls we poured different essences that we were assigned and stirred them into the yolk. We took the different dollops of dough next for the different flavours and poured the well mixed egg yolk and essence into our dough. We remained very organized and did not forget our number or the essence that was in our portion of the dough. Bhawana maam, Bhagwati maam and Sabita maam kneaded the dough very well to assure that we would have a good taste. Then slowly, a little and more and more food color was added to bring out what we wanted. I can tell you, getting blue color right was very hard. But when we had the dough ready, everything looked so beautiful and edible. I could have eaten the sweet tasty mix then and there. After all, the flour had been cooked beforehand so it was eat ready.

 

The mixing and kneading when on for quite a while though and strangely enough, I did not feel bored even though I spilt Pallav sir’s big cup of tea on the floor and had to clean up a bit. Everyone gave me the LOOK! Oooooo.

I got to taste a small piece of the dough after all and it was quite good. I wish I could have had more! Since I had just split the tea, I did not want to excite anyone by asking for more.

 

We took out all the cookie cutters. We first took the angel shaped cookie cutter and used the mango flavoured dough for the angel. Pallav sir rolled out the dough and then cut an angel shape out and put them on a butter painted tray and made designs on the cookie. We all got to make the cookies. We finished the angels meaning all the mango flavoured dough was gone.

We used strawberry flavoured pink dough to make the O’s and some E’s. We used orange flavoured orange dough for I’s and the inside part of the O’s and the Y’s. We used vanilla flavoured blue dough to make the U’s and some L’s. After we made all the cookies we needed, Pallav sir made one more angel with the leftovers, but this one was a different coloured angel as it had blue vanilla, bright orange and yellow mango and pink strawberry flavours mixed into one angel shape. He called it the modern art angel and it looked very interesting. We then painted each of the cookies with an egg white coating. We took some pictures with the cookies and put the cookies in the oven to bake. We had to bake in three batches, that was a lot of cookies. The smell of hot cookies warmed the air. Yum Yum Yum.

We were all so very happy when the cookies came out of the oven. Pallav sir said we would have to wait for an hour before we took the cookies out of the tray but we did not have patience and we damaged three cookies taking them out of the tray too soon. The best part was that we got to eat the hot just baked cookies right away! This was wonderful. Vishal sir took photos of us. Our work was done we cleaned everything up. We would be eating the cookies for a few days yet!

I just looooove learning!



Our cookies will be on SALE from muncha.com for Valentine's Day. They have been made with great care and love. They will be fresh and healthy with great material being used. Please send them to your love with our love.