One Seed for Earth Day

Earth Day is fast approaching and one thing I really enjoy is presenting with students in schools to celebrate Earth and all life upon it. This year I have been invited to Hutton Elementary School in my home town of Grand Forks, in British Columbia, to present One Seed to Grades 1 and 2. Afterwards there will be some activity time, and I am hoping there will be some more creations to add to the www.oneseedkidsart.com gallery. At the moment there are over 450 drawings from around the world, and I hear from a teacher in Newfoundland, Canada, there will be more coming. Yeah!

Last year (2017) One Seed got a revamp and recolouring, and a reprinting as the Third Edition which now includes the educational component (questions about seeds and ideas) like on the video. By visiting www.oneseedstory.com you can download the book free as a PDF.

I never thought in 2002 when One Seed first became a little book, the story and song would gradually make their way around the world, and this because of new technology and internet.

I wish for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere a Happy Spring and sowing of seeds!
Cheers
Rosemary

 

New One Seed art from North Dakota

What a wonderful surprise today to receive drawings from Midkota School in Binford, North Dakota. Miss Carlin Swart sent along twelve drawings by her Grade 2 class. These are now posted in the One Seed Kids Art Gallery (www.oneseedkidsart.com).

It warms my heart to know that teachers and students are using One Seed in their classrooms - the story, the song and the video. THANK YOU!

This has made my day!
Cheers and gratitude
Rosemary

Earth Day 2016

One Seed became part of an Earth Day celebration and learning experience in an apartment building in Burnaby, British Columbia. Joyce O'Doherty created an event that drew families from their apartments, all ages, to listen to the story, sing the song, and learn about seeds and plants. Here are a few photos. Thank you Joyce for sending them along, and for taking the time to celebrate this planet we call home. And thank you everyone for participating.

 

Meanwhile, on Earth Day, Friday, April 22, I was at Okanagan Falls Elementary School where we did a whole school story, song, and had murals with drawings and hopes and wishes. Principal Lisa McCall helped organize the day, and all grades (students and teachers) were involved and participated, from Kindergarten to Grade 7. I will be posting a video and pictures in the next few weeks.

Thank you Miss McCall, and thank you everyone at OK Falls Elementary for such an incredible day to celebrate Earth and life!

 

One Seed performed in Japan

Great news! Today One Seed was performed in Shimoneseki, Yamaguchi, Japan at the New Beginning International School, with English as a second language. The Kindergarten class performed the story as a play, and the song with actions for their graduation ceremony today. Director Marcia Haug sent along the video which you can see on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/newbeginningpreschool/

The children not only acted out the story, they played all the parts. My heart has been touched by this... and to see the children doing the actions when they sing the song... WONDERFUL! What a joy to see!

Thank you Marcia Haug for sharing this wonderful experience.
Rosemary

 

"One Seed" is now released as a FREE PDF E-Book, MP3 and Video

At last, I am so happy to say that "One Seed" is now released as a FREE PDF E-Book in English, French, Persian and English-Persian. (Visit www.oneseedstory.com for the downloads.)

The revised English PDF also includes the images from the YouTube Video, about seeds, what comes from seeds, about seeds as ideas, and also some examples from the Kids Art Gallery (www.oneseedkidsart.com) .

Also released for FREE are the Read-Along, Sing-along MP3s and the educational One Seed Video and the One Seed Song sing-along video.

So now you can download all of "One Seed" to enjoy in your home and classroom.

In addition to being a simple story about a seed, "One Seed" was published as a story to inspire, bring hope, encourage growing a garden, and to know that ideas, like seeds, GROW! And that we can all make a difference in this world!

Enjoy!
I welcome feedback, and even art that can be added to the gallery.

Cheers and happy thoughts
Rosemary

Changes for One Seed

Spring is just around the corner, and while feeling the oncoming glory of new life in the garden, I am going to be making some changes for One Seed, both on YouTube, on the web site and also here on this blog.
It's time... so watch for the changes... very soon! I won't say what they are yet... but I'm sure you will be very happy!
I'm smiling!

Happy Spring - and Time to Plant Seeds

Happy Spring!

I am seeing that One Seed is happening around the world. There is new art in the Kids Art Gallery (www.oneseedkidsart.com) and just today I heard from Zuzana, in the Slovak Republic, in Europe. She says, "We will sing your song in our Kindergarten. Our children like it:

This warms my heart. I just love receiving these little surprises... as a reminder that somewhere on this planet children are singing the song, and teachers are sharing the One Seed story with their classes... even in English as a Second Language.

I have now moved to the Kettle Valley near Rock Creek, in British Columbia, Canada, and I have a new garden to start. I will be planting some seeds this coming weekend. Unfortunately, until I have the raised beds built, much of what I will be doing this year will be in plant pots. The ground is very rocky...

So I wish everyone a Happy Spring, and a happy growing time (in the northern hemisphere), as leaves come out on the trees, bees and insects are pollinating the blossoms on the fruit trees, and all is coming to new life.

May your seeds grow strong and tall
Cheers and gratitude
Rosemary


 

Sunflower seeds

I finally cut down the sunflowers. They were just so HUGE and bending over with the weight. So this evening I set to and took off all the seeds. Hundreds and hundreds of seeds.
Maybe this coming year I will tour One Seed again in British Columbia, and give out sunflower seeds to the children...
What do you think?
It's been a few years since I toured One Seed. It's time I did it again. Such fun.
Cheers
Rosemary

New art from Oregon

What a wonderful surprise in the mail yesterday, a package of art from Lake Oswego in Oregon. Four and five-year-olds have created wonderful drawings that will be posted in the One Seed Kids Art Gallery. So keep your eyes peeled. They will be up in the gallery by the end of the week.
Don't you just love surprises!
Cheers
Rosemary (I'm smiling)
PS the 10 foot sunflowers shown in my previous posting are now bending over heavy with the seeds that have formed... the flowers are BIG, dinner plate size... I have to let the seeds mature then I'll be taking the plants down. The seeds will be perfect to give to children should I tour One Seed in British Columbia next Spring.

3 metre high sunflower

And to think I started these from little seeds. The garden is doing so well this year. I am learning so much, experimenting, having fun, and playing with the hummingbirds, robins, butterflies and all the buzzing bees.

The sunflower is so big I have to hold it up with a long plank. The flower is so heavy that it is pulling over the stem. Originally the sunflower was over three metres tall (10 feet) at least... the plank is 8 feet long.

Isn't it amazing what a little seed can do?

Blessings
Rosemary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art from Lila Maggi in Argentina

What a surprise this morning to receive a work of art from Argentina.
Seven-year-old Lila Maggi says about One Seed, "This story made me happy because is very good and teach me that it's need one seed for all grow."
Here is the drawing... what beautiful colours and images...
Thank you so much Lila Maggi - this is a wonderful gift to start the week in colourful joy!
Thank you Florencia for sending it along.


And about seeds, my garden is coming along wonderfully this year, with tomatoes and peas and beans from my own seeds.
I also have many flowers now starting to bloom.

Nature is certainly amazing! To think that a tiny seed can create a whole plant just with water, sunshine and soil - and caring... in a garden. However, Mother Nature takes care of so much - our forests, our prairies, meadows, river valleys, mountains... and does it without our help. Such wonder, such magic. Such a gift to us all.
It is so important that we take care of this Earth, for it is our home, gives us beauty, food, medicines, building materials, and amazing wildlife.
Again, thank you Lila Maggi - you are an inspiration.
In gratitude
Rosemary

 

 
 
 
 

New Art for the One Seed Kids Art Gallery

What a delight it has been this year to receive so many works of art from children of various cultures, and from as far away as India. I even received a package with original drawings from children in the MAYA school in Dearborn, Michigan, in the United States. Every drawing is a wonderful creation and delight to see.
I just returned from the launch of my latest endeavour, "A Song to Remember - 45th Anniversary Memoirs", featuring the voices of the British Columbia Boys Choir. It is a book telling the story of  the choir and how it has influenced the lives of almost 1000 boys in those 45 years, boys who went on to become successful businessmen, professional entertainers, lawyers, singers, and more. It was a wonderful experience to meet many of the 'old boys' who have contributed to the book.
Upon my arrival home last night I see there are drawings from Spain and Ireland, sent by teachers, to be added to the One Seed Kids Art Gallery. Thank you - I shall be getting to them this week.
I just wish I could be in the class rooms and see the faces of the children when they see their art on the internet.
Thank you so much, all the teachers, parents and children who have participated to date.
Cheers
Rosemary

New Art in the One Seed Kids Art Gallery

It's about time I made another post on the One Seed Blog. These past few months I have been busy with my work compiling and writing a book about the 45-year history of the British Columbia Boys Choir. I was able to interview past members of the choir, many who had joined when they were just young boys. Their stories tell of the importance of being in the choir, to sing together, to learn together, and to grow together in a team - to experience touring internationally and taking on responsibility. These experiences influenced their lives.

And so it is with One Seed. My hope is that this story and song will influence lives around the world, and that children who have been reading and singing the story and song, will remember in years to come, about not giving up, about courage, about making a difference, and about HOPE.

This past couple of months I have received a good number of drawings from children in both Kindergarten and Grade 1 classes in India and Spain. There are now over 200 drawings in the gallery. You can reach the gallery at www.oneseedkidsart.com. Every single drawing tells a story, every drawing is unique, an expression from that child.

So whenever I get an e-mail from a teacher asking if I can post a few drawings in the gallery I drop everything I am doing and get to it. These children are important, they are the planet's future. I give my gratitude to all those teachers who are steering these children and therefore our future.

So as we approach the Easter Weekend, Happy Spring Long Weekend, in the Northern Hemisphere, and Earth Day, I send greetings, hope and peace to all.

Rosemary 

One Seed - Nelson Mandela

Hello Everyone,
Nelson Mandela went Home yesterday, after a long period of illness. Like One Seed, Nelson Mandela has certainly made a difference in this world, doing what was originally thought to be impossible, put his roots down for South Africa, spent years in prison then helped establish a new nation, all peacefully. His words and actions have influenced many around this planet, in all countries - like One Seed, spreading his influence and sowing more seeds everywhere.
His courage, determination, and peaceful means changed the nation.
There are still difficulties in South Africa, as there are in all countries around the globe, for is that not what life is all about? Meeting adversity and overcoming it peacefully, and sharing and spreading the results so that others may benefit?
Thank you Nelson for all you have given the human race, and all life.
My prayers are with all who have known him, worked with him, and continue to work for his cause, the path he walked to freedom, peace and end to hunger and poverty.
With gratitude
Rosemary

A new blog for One Seed

G'Day...
There has been a request from a Grade 2  teacher wishing to link with other teachers around the world who have been working with the One Seed story and song. I have researched several avenues and this at the moment seems to be the best. I have not been able to set up a forum on the One Seed web page yet. That may happen in the future, but for the meantime, maybe folks can communicate through this blog.

I am really happy to say now that One Seed has not only had a recording made by a family in India, it is being used in South Africa, Australia, Ireland and across North America and Canada, Europe, Asia, even Qatar.

It warms my heart to know that children around the world are singing the song and enjoying the story.

I am most grateful.
Rosemary