Monthly Storytime at Local Farmer's Market

As local farmer's markets become increasingly popular throughout the nation, we are fortunate to have an "in" with a continuously growing market going on it's 4th successful year.

Momma's Organic Market originally started in the front yard at Christa Esquibel's mom's home. After the first busy season in her mom's residential neighborhood, Christa, along with her partner and sister-in-law Emy Porter, moved the event to the "new" Park West shopping center off of Northern and the 101 in Peoria, AZ. 

Today, the market has grown to four local farms providing organic produce plus over 100 vendors offering a variety of products including food, personal care products, clothing, pet supplies, jewelry and home decor. In addition to hours of endless shopping, Momma's Organic Market has a petting zoo, a bounce house and a *world famous* story time including author/illustrator Emerson Colwell, Jr.

This month, our audience had a lesson in cartooning after the book reading. Children are quick learners and follow directions so well. We had tables full of fascinated girls and boys successfully drawing the cutest sea gulls ever!

One thing that is so fun about all our story times is that we always meet fabulous new friends who are very familiar with the East Coast. Our recent event included a family that has vacationed in Westerly, RI for over 30 years. We were excited to chat with them about Rhode Island and help them out with multiple copies of The Bay Gull for their family and friends!

Momma's Organic Market is the third Saturday of the month from September - April. The first 200 customers receive a free reusable bag filled with coupons and fabulous goodies from local businesses. For more information including becoming a vendor or featuring a gift for the bags, please contact Christa Esquibel at (602) 703-7154

Monthly Storytime at Local Farmer's Market

The Bay Gull Featured in The Bay Magazine August 2010

In just a year, The Bay has grown as one of the most popular magazines in RI for information on "Living Well on the East Bay & South Coast." This free monthly magazine can be found throughout the Ocean State and we are SO proud to be featured in the August 2010 Kids Issue.

On page 24, Julie Sickel reviewed two books by local authors, Bun, Onion, Burger by Peter Mandel and The Bay Gull by Emerson Colwell. What an honor to be recognized with Mr. Mandel, adventure journalist and author of nine children's books.

For those of you who are unable to pick up your own copy, you can check out the review here!

Special thanks to Julie Sickel for the great review, The Bay's Editor Julie Tremaine for requesting a copy of the book when we were in town last March and the entire staff at The Bay for your hard work every month!

You can find them on Facebook - search "Bay Mag" and send a friend request.

The Bay Gull Featured in The Bay Magazine August 2010

Teaching Children To Draw Seagulls

This past week, Emerson had the opportunity to work with 100+ children at a local Vacation Bible School. The theme of the week long, all day program was "The High Seas Expedition." In addition to a set curriculum, each afternoon featured special guests from the community. The Bay Gull was a perfect compliment to the program with the ocean theme and the sea gull himself being on quite a journey of his own throughout Narragansett Bay.

A typical book event is about 30 minutes with reading the book plus Q&A time. The coordinator scheduled Emerson to fill one hour of the afternoon program. So how do you fill an hour and keep a group of 3 year old through 5th grade children entertained?

It was not an easy task that I presented Emerson with the night before his presentation. He spent hours online researching interesting facts about the lighthouses presented in The Bay Gull. We went over the information together and discussed how this would keep the whole group engaged.

With half a morning to think more about the event, Emerson came up with a fabulous idea - teach the children how to draw the sea gull! Each of the kids were given a sheet of paper and a crayon. As Emerson went through the elements of the bird, the children repeated the actions on their own paper. A few of the children chose to make paper airplanes instead (including our son) but the majority of the group followed along.

The quick activity produced countless sea gull art pieces which the children proudly showed off to each other and their guest. Children are so fun to teach because they are so eager to learn. I bet we'll see some fabulous artists, illustrators, story tellers and authors coming out of that group.

Our middle child, Grace, was very proud of her sea gull art. Not exactly like daddy's but it sure is cute.

Feel free to check out the video and learn how to draw The Bay Gull!

Teaching Children To Draw Seagulls