Thank you to Robin, Devan, Emily, Tanya, Kristin, Solonia, Adam, Andreas, Alice, Peter, Erin, Pat, Carol, Allie, Amber, Ben, Chaunee, Chris, David, Lizzie, Emma, Viktor, Katya, Lindsay, Mary, Megan, Shawn, Yolanda, all of our customers, all of the people who do not know about us yet, our reps, the delivery drivers, the manufacturers, all the workers around the world who make our toys, Harold, distributors, .... Hmmm how many people did it take to make a store like ours possible? How many people have put their energy into a part of our store. Thousands? Ten Thousand? more?
Thanks to all!
Have a great Thanksgiving
Roland
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Early Release
Whenever it is an early release day at the Fairhaven Middle School, we reap the rewards of lots of foot traffic. These boys and girls know the deal: They drop off their packs at the counter and begin to explore. Some color, some dress up!
They have fun!
Would you students be interested in a games tournament? Let us know! We would be happy to set something up!
They have fun!
Would you students be interested in a games tournament? Let us know! We would be happy to set something up!
Gnome Workshop
After a slow start to our felting workshop season we were able to welcome a full class on Saturday. We even had to turn some eager felters away unfortunately! Take a look at these characters!
Because of the busy holiday season our workshop schedule for December is not finalized. Keep checking the website for more information.
Speaking of the busy holiday season...it has definitely started here at the Fairhaven Toy Garden. Despite the marginal weather we had a full house over the weekend!
Oh, and before I forget, on Friday night a film crew came to our shop to film footage for a Historic Fairhaven District TV commercial. Even Dirty Dan was present for the occasion!
Thank you Zoe, Jill, and Seamus!
We from the Fairhaven Toy Garden wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving
Roland
Because of the busy holiday season our workshop schedule for December is not finalized. Keep checking the website for more information.
Speaking of the busy holiday season...it has definitely started here at the Fairhaven Toy Garden. Despite the marginal weather we had a full house over the weekend!
Oh, and before I forget, on Friday night a film crew came to our shop to film footage for a Historic Fairhaven District TV commercial. Even Dirty Dan was present for the occasion!
Thank you Zoe, Jill, and Seamus!
We from the Fairhaven Toy Garden wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving
Roland
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Blame the Economy
On the front page of the New York Times this morning you will find an article with compelling evidence that the recession is to blame for the infliction of emotional and psychological damage to families. Children especially are affected by this cause. There is compelling evidence quoted to support these claims. A study here and a study there.
It struck me as odd. Don't we all agree that money does not cause happiness? But we are supposed to believe that lack of it causes damage?
Ponder this for a while.... Neither recession nor economic boom have the power to inflict damage of any kind. It is our concepts that do. We do not have to buy into them. No, we don't!
View the article
It struck me as odd. Don't we all agree that money does not cause happiness? But we are supposed to believe that lack of it causes damage?
Ponder this for a while.... Neither recession nor economic boom have the power to inflict damage of any kind. It is our concepts that do. We do not have to buy into them. No, we don't!
View the article
Monday, November 2, 2009
Trixie, Toggin, and Tuck
We have proof! They grew to life size...our gnomes Trixie, Toggin, and Tuck have been caught on chrome (as my photography teacher used to say) Caught in pixels....
But I digress..
In case you didn't know we have suspected our gnomes, you know the ones you and your children are looking for when you come to our store, to cause some disturbances in our store late at night. We were right to assume that they would take Halloween as an opportunity to mingle around Fairhaven without being noticed.
Thanks to you we have proof!
Thanks for playing Robin, Peter, Devan!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Toy Center of the Universe
In case you were wondering, the Fairhaven Toy Garden is indeed the Toy Center of the Universe! The customer who speculated about such a claim during the Best of Western Washington contest was absolutly right. Though our deliveries have been limited to these earthly parts we expect to extend our game to yet unknown realms.
Stay tuned for updates.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Shipwreck
Even if you don't need a toy there is a good reason to stop by our store. Robin and Devan have created an outstanding window display you will not want to miss. Their creativity is astonishing.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Story of little Xeno
The Story of Little Xeno
By Ben Phillips
“You were actually there?” asked Qworlo with a look of awe on his green face.
“Yup” said Xeno, and he twitched his antennae excitedly at the memory. “I was there. The Center of the Universe”.
“What was it like?” asked Rozeria, looking out past the planet’s three moons to the deep, blackness of space. “Was it as good as in the stories?”
Xeno’s purple lips spread into a wide grin. “Better” he said.
Xeno had been on a space-trip with his parents to visit some relatives in a distant solar system, but had been separated when the family saucer encountered an asteroid field. Xeno had hurtled through space in his personal escape pod, landing with a splash in the water of an unknown planet. Climbing out of the pod’s hatch and looking toward the land, Xeno caught sight of a giant, yellow-and-black sign that read “Welcome to Bellingham, courtesy of the Fairhaven Lions Club”.
After climbing up the boat ramp at the end of Taylor Dock, Xeno found his way into the heart of Fairhaven. As he walked down 11th street, he felt scared, and confused. This was a new, strange place, he didn’t know where is parents were, and people on the street looked at him as though he were from a different planet. Just as sparkly, blue tears were about to roll down Xeno’s green cheeks, he saw ahead of him a sign that made him stop, his eyes wide and his heart beating fast. Xeno had heard stories about the wonders of the Fairhaven Toy Garden, that exciting, vibrant place at the center of the universe. And here he was; he had found it.
Xeno ran down the street, past the yarn store and the sandwich shop and the East/West antique store. He even ran right past Purple Smile, his own purple lips stretched into a grin. As he was about to enter the Toy Garden, Xeno stopped. He remembered that he was an outsider. What if the Center of the Universe was not a welcoming place for small, green aliens with purple lips and bobbing antennae? But as he crossed the threshold, the jaunty music and bright colors reassured him; the Center of the Universe was the place to be!
A friendly Toy Gardener came toward Xeno and said “Hey. How’re you today? Do you want to learn a new game?” Xeno looked up at her shyly. Then he nodded his head. Xeno’s quick mind was no match for the Toy Gardener when it came to strategy games and he smiled happily when she said, “Wow, you win. Good game!”
Xeno spent hours in the Toy Garden, and the whole time, he felt as though the bright colors and captivating toys were revolving around him. Xeno had never felt this special or this welcome with his classmates back home, so to feel this way here, so many light years away…
There were things that reminded Xeno of home, like a gold spaceman hat, and some stuffed characters, Gizmo and Beeper, who looked just like his neighbors, but most of the things he saw were completely, marvelously, have-to-touch-and-examine-and-play-with-ly new. Xeno was fascinated by the die cast cars, the musical instruments, the wool roving, the giant, store-wide marble roller, the upstairs toy testing zone, the hourly games and contests, and the Wildly Noisy Wooden Thing. Xeno couldn’t wait to go on the city-wide Toy Garden treasure hunt or see the famous Toy Garden Juggling and Magic Show on the Village Green.
As Xeno was examining the rainbow kite in the window, he saw that outside in the street there were crowds of people coming toward the store, excited, expectant looks on their faces. Their shirts gave clues about their origins: Alaska, California, Germany, Nigeria, Saturn, Taranu. Xeno looked up at the face of the man wearing the shirt from Taranu, and saw his own father’s green face. His mother was following close behind. As the three Taranuans embraced, they all looked around, soaking in the energy and the magic of the Fairhaven Toy Garden, the Center of the Universe.
Rozeria and Qworlo sat silently looking at Xeno, their mouths slightly open, their eyes wide, and their antennae undulating excitedly.
“I want to go!” they said in unison.
By Ben Phillips
“You were actually there?” asked Qworlo with a look of awe on his green face.
“Yup” said Xeno, and he twitched his antennae excitedly at the memory. “I was there. The Center of the Universe”.
“What was it like?” asked Rozeria, looking out past the planet’s three moons to the deep, blackness of space. “Was it as good as in the stories?”
Xeno’s purple lips spread into a wide grin. “Better” he said.
Xeno had been on a space-trip with his parents to visit some relatives in a distant solar system, but had been separated when the family saucer encountered an asteroid field. Xeno had hurtled through space in his personal escape pod, landing with a splash in the water of an unknown planet. Climbing out of the pod’s hatch and looking toward the land, Xeno caught sight of a giant, yellow-and-black sign that read “Welcome to Bellingham, courtesy of the Fairhaven Lions Club”.
After climbing up the boat ramp at the end of Taylor Dock, Xeno found his way into the heart of Fairhaven. As he walked down 11th street, he felt scared, and confused. This was a new, strange place, he didn’t know where is parents were, and people on the street looked at him as though he were from a different planet. Just as sparkly, blue tears were about to roll down Xeno’s green cheeks, he saw ahead of him a sign that made him stop, his eyes wide and his heart beating fast. Xeno had heard stories about the wonders of the Fairhaven Toy Garden, that exciting, vibrant place at the center of the universe. And here he was; he had found it.
Xeno ran down the street, past the yarn store and the sandwich shop and the East/West antique store. He even ran right past Purple Smile, his own purple lips stretched into a grin. As he was about to enter the Toy Garden, Xeno stopped. He remembered that he was an outsider. What if the Center of the Universe was not a welcoming place for small, green aliens with purple lips and bobbing antennae? But as he crossed the threshold, the jaunty music and bright colors reassured him; the Center of the Universe was the place to be!
A friendly Toy Gardener came toward Xeno and said “Hey. How’re you today? Do you want to learn a new game?” Xeno looked up at her shyly. Then he nodded his head. Xeno’s quick mind was no match for the Toy Gardener when it came to strategy games and he smiled happily when she said, “Wow, you win. Good game!”
Xeno spent hours in the Toy Garden, and the whole time, he felt as though the bright colors and captivating toys were revolving around him. Xeno had never felt this special or this welcome with his classmates back home, so to feel this way here, so many light years away…
There were things that reminded Xeno of home, like a gold spaceman hat, and some stuffed characters, Gizmo and Beeper, who looked just like his neighbors, but most of the things he saw were completely, marvelously, have-to-touch-and-examine-and-play-with-ly new. Xeno was fascinated by the die cast cars, the musical instruments, the wool roving, the giant, store-wide marble roller, the upstairs toy testing zone, the hourly games and contests, and the Wildly Noisy Wooden Thing. Xeno couldn’t wait to go on the city-wide Toy Garden treasure hunt or see the famous Toy Garden Juggling and Magic Show on the Village Green.
As Xeno was examining the rainbow kite in the window, he saw that outside in the street there were crowds of people coming toward the store, excited, expectant looks on their faces. Their shirts gave clues about their origins: Alaska, California, Germany, Nigeria, Saturn, Taranu. Xeno looked up at the face of the man wearing the shirt from Taranu, and saw his own father’s green face. His mother was following close behind. As the three Taranuans embraced, they all looked around, soaking in the energy and the magic of the Fairhaven Toy Garden, the Center of the Universe.
Rozeria and Qworlo sat silently looking at Xeno, their mouths slightly open, their eyes wide, and their antennae undulating excitedly.
“I want to go!” they said in unison.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Customer suggestions
We requested suggestions for activities with our children
Here is one by Sue:
summer is a great time for messy projects outside!
Get out the shaving cream and play on a old shower curtain put over a picnic table or on a plastic surface, add drops of food coloring and draw a comb through it for marbling effects, mix colors, have filled kiddy pool nearby for washing off or make monster bubbles with homemade bubble solution and giant bubble wands...can be made with bent metal hangers and duct tape over the sharp end, get out the large paint brushes and paint the house with water, or the sidewalk; sidewalk chalk, daisy chains
more later
Monday, June 22, 2009
World Juggling Day
You may have missed it! Saturday was World Juggling Day! We decided to do our part. We sent out 1745 e-mails informing our customers about this special day and urged them to come down to the Fairhaven Toy Garden to juggle. We brought out baskets of juggling toys: balls, rings, clubs, diabolos, contact juggling spheres, and luna sticks. The beautiful brand new flags, thank you Harold, were blowing in the wind, the balls were flying, children learning, parents smiling...it worked! The corner of Mill and 11th in Fairhaven was buzzing with activity!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Communication challenge
Recently, a young man came into our store with a request for a new yo yo string. I checked inventory and learned that we do not have any in stock. 'A friend told me that he got some really cool colored string for free' he insisted. ' I don't know about that' I replied and he left. He was disappointed.
This morning, while looking for a paperclip, I came across a stack of - you guessed it- yo yo strings to be given away to yo yo enthusiasts.
My apologies to you! If you happen to read this and still need a string, come on by!
Roland
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Olympiad
Did you know that every year, seven (?) fifth grade classes from Waldorf schools all around the Pacific Northwest gather to experience what it may have been like to participate and compete in the Olympiad in ancient Greece. I didn’t know either. And by the way, this is not limited to our region. This event takes place all around the world.
Dressed in tunics, decorated with color coordinated cloth, led by kings and queens, hosts carrying flags, the children spent the day throwing the javelin, the discus, wrestling, sprinting and jumping under the watchful eyes of the high priests, who judged them by strength, willingness, grace, and beauty.
There is no a way that we grown-ups can experience what it may have been like for these children. It must have been awesome!
Dressed in tunics, decorated with color coordinated cloth, led by kings and queens, hosts carrying flags, the children spent the day throwing the javelin, the discus, wrestling, sprinting and jumping under the watchful eyes of the high priests, who judged them by strength, willingness, grace, and beauty.
There is no a way that we grown-ups can experience what it may have been like for these children. It must have been awesome!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Daffodil
We send out a newsletter once a month to about 1600 e-mail addresses. We can see how many people receive it, open it, even click a link, etc But we don't know if anyone reads any of it. Not so with the latest one!We challenged our readers to send us a missing line to a children's poem:
Spring is here said the bumblebee,
how do you know said the old oak tree,
.................missing line..........................
dancing with the fairies on the windy hill.
To my surprise, the e-mails began coming in almost instantly. We currently have 40 responses!
So - not only are our friends reading the monthly e-mail, but they also take the time to respond!
Thank you
Roland
Monday, March 30, 2009
Writers block
The notion of writer block has been on my mind as of late. How long has writer block in existence? How many a writer has been plagued by the void of non-creativity that forms in the mind? Did Ovid stop and say, "I have no idea how I am going to make this work!" while he was constructing Metamorphosis? Was Dante's vision of the Inferno or Purgatory or Paradise tainted by the absence of a vision all together? As the ancient author of the Epic of Gilgamesh chiseled his words into stone, was his hammer stayed by the lack of anything more to say? I can only hope so. That way there will at least be some hope for me. If this discussion of not being able to think of anything to say is any indication, you should be able to tell that I have writers block. So, for lack of anything else to write, I decided to write about how I have nothing to write about. Except I am now writing about something, thus creating a paradox of epic proportions: writers block was the solution to writers block.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Happy Birthday
It has been a busy week at the Fairhaven Toy Garden: A field trip, a felting work shop, and finally a birthday party!
Amazing how five seven year old children can brighten the day for so many: all the pedestrians, dreading the rain, surprised by the laughter and joy of the group running through Fairhaven on their treasure hunt; the customers and shop owners wondering what they are looking for; the customers at the Fairhaven Toy Garden noticing the patience and focus of the children while they strung the carefully chosen beads into a necklace; and us, the grown ups, keeping an eye on the girls as they celebrate and share in freedom and peace!
Happy Birthday Lillian
Amazing how five seven year old children can brighten the day for so many: all the pedestrians, dreading the rain, surprised by the laughter and joy of the group running through Fairhaven on their treasure hunt; the customers and shop owners wondering what they are looking for; the customers at the Fairhaven Toy Garden noticing the patience and focus of the children while they strung the carefully chosen beads into a necklace; and us, the grown ups, keeping an eye on the girls as they celebrate and share in freedom and peace!
Happy Birthday Lillian
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Incantation
Get up, give rise, must open your eyes.
Three of a kind must make your mind
This evening dawns to spawn surprise.
Beneath your surfaces cunning lies
Make friends or foes, what will you find
Get up, give rise, must open your eyes
In your minds curiosity cries
Never forget to always be kind
This evening dawns to spawn surprise
Do make your mischief but tell no lies
Even when a step ahead or a step behind
Get up, give rise, must open your eyes
As lands rise up and their water dries
You have your gears now make them grind
The evening dawns to spawn surprise
Living and giving is an ultimate prize
If you trouble a friend be sure they don’t mind
Get up, give rise, must open your eyes
The evening dawns to spawn surprise.
Three of a kind must make your mind
This evening dawns to spawn surprise.
Beneath your surfaces cunning lies
Make friends or foes, what will you find
Get up, give rise, must open your eyes
In your minds curiosity cries
Never forget to always be kind
This evening dawns to spawn surprise
Do make your mischief but tell no lies
Even when a step ahead or a step behind
Get up, give rise, must open your eyes
As lands rise up and their water dries
You have your gears now make them grind
The evening dawns to spawn surprise
Living and giving is an ultimate prize
If you trouble a friend be sure they don’t mind
Get up, give rise, must open your eyes
The evening dawns to spawn surprise.
Field Trip to our store
I never thought that we would host twenty five second graders on a field trip! But sure enough, right on time, they filed into our store single line, with wide open eyes, full of excitement about what they might encounter on their journey to the Fairhaven Toy Garden.
They have learned about spinning, rolling, and balancing and that many toys use those motions. The children presented to us three toys that they made: a car that rolls, a top that spins, and a sculpture that balances.
Wonderful!
After a short demo of some spinning, rolling, and balancing toys that we carry, they engaged in some focused research work: Trying out a top, rearranging the train set, asking many great questions...
And off they went, back to school.
What a great way to start a day for all of us!
Thanks for coming
Roland
They have learned about spinning, rolling, and balancing and that many toys use those motions. The children presented to us three toys that they made: a car that rolls, a top that spins, and a sculpture that balances.
Wonderful!
After a short demo of some spinning, rolling, and balancing toys that we carry, they engaged in some focused research work: Trying out a top, rearranging the train set, asking many great questions...
And off they went, back to school.
What a great way to start a day for all of us!
Thanks for coming
Roland
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Adventures of Toggin, Tuck and Trixie: Part 2
When we left off our story, our little gnome friends
They drove and they drove, turning left and turning right.
They drove for what felt like all morning and night.
They found all the drums that they had to just play
And a wise old elephant with many things to say.
They met a pearly unicorn that sparkled and shined
But a person to help them they just couldn't find.
Finally they met dragon who knew of a friend
Who lived in a keep at the toy store's end.
"A wizard with a wand," the dragon thus spoke.
"That loves mischief makers and loves a good joke."
So they hopped in the car who drove them again
Until they found the dragon's wizardly friend.
They talked of their caper and the mystery they found
And they had the wizard laughing and rolling on the ground.
"Your story is terribly terribly funny,
And I think I can help you my gnomish little buddies."
The wizard waved his wand and spun with a flair
And the air seemed to sparkle and shimmer everywhere.
Toggin just blinked and the three of them had grown
Everything around them was size they've always known.
They gave a great cheer and thanked the magician
Then turned back home like they were on a mission.
The Wizard smiled and could hardly refrain
From thinking he would probably see them again.
The End.
Took tiny mischief on an even smaller trend
Now let us see how their crazy caper ends.
They couldn't stay tiny forever it's obvious to say
But they could see interesting things along the way.
But they could see interesting things along the way.
So they set off walking with a strong resolve
Their tininess was a problem that they could certainly solve.
Off they went walking, then they walked on some more
They were having a hard time crossing the newly large floor.
"Transportation," yelled Trixie. "That's what we need!
Walking is slow, we need something with speed."
It just so happened that not too far away
Was a towering wooden car display.
They jumped into a cool and comfy white convertible,
That they found some hot wheels was incontrovertible.
"Hey, what on earth are you doing in there?"
Stopped and startled, the gnomes just stared.
"You can't just go off and climb in a car.
Especially if they don't even know who you are!"
The gnomes jumped out of the car in haste.
Friends, not enemies are what they were trying to make.
"Sorry mister car, we had no clue at all
Turns out we've never been quite this small."
The car took a minute to give them a stare
Then he said, "Ahh, I'm just joshin'. Are you going somewhere?"
"Nowhere particular but it would sure be nice
If we could find a person to give us some advice.
You see we made a ship to take us to space
But instead it shrank us and left us in the same place.
And that's not all, I'll tell you what's weird.
Our spaceship said WHOP and just disappeared!"
The car gave a listen and considered their plight
Knowing that he had to do what was right.
"Hop in my friends we'll take a drive around
I'm sure a solution to this can be found."
They drove and they drove, turning left and turning right.
They drove for what felt like all morning and night.
They found all the drums that they had to just play
And a wise old elephant with many things to say.
They met a pearly unicorn that sparkled and shined
But a person to help them they just couldn't find.
Finally they met dragon who knew of a friend
Who lived in a keep at the toy store's end.
"A wizard with a wand," the dragon thus spoke.
"That loves mischief makers and loves a good joke."
So they hopped in the car who drove them again
Until they found the dragon's wizardly friend.
They talked of their caper and the mystery they found
And they had the wizard laughing and rolling on the ground.
"Your story is terribly terribly funny,
And I think I can help you my gnomish little buddies."
The wizard waved his wand and spun with a flair
And the air seemed to sparkle and shimmer everywhere.
Toggin just blinked and the three of them had grown
Everything around them was size they've always known.
They gave a great cheer and thanked the magician
Then turned back home like they were on a mission.
The Wizard smiled and could hardly refrain
From thinking he would probably see them again.
The End.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
So many toys, so little time
Toys are a huge business! I realized this as I wandered up and down isle after isle at the Toy Fair in New York last week. It took us four days to see most of the couple thousand vendors selling everything our little ones might desire. It ranged from the one-person show to the multimillion dollar businesses.
The dad and son team who invented the Post man game: Which post man/woman can deliver ten pieces of mail the quickest. On their routes they might encounter vicious dogs or needing to go to the rest room which causes delays and other complications.
Then the sales guy straight from the state fair selling cutlery….he was there last year doing a great job on some ‘you cannot live without’ product which we did order but never received. Well, he was there again with the same spiel.
How about this pitch: ‘Are you concerned about the safety of your children?’ She was trying to sell a game teaching children how to be safe from all the horrible things that could happen to them in their young life. Fear based marketing! Does that still work?
But I digress!
Then there are the big players: their booths are completely enclosed with an entrance guarded by people with clipboards. “Do you have an appointment?” I didn’t. I wonder what was hidden behind those walls?
But within this maze we found more wonderful, top quality products that will fit perfectly into our store. This new merchandise will trickle in the near future. Some has already arrived! So make sure you ask for ‘what is new’ the next time you are in.
And….don’t forget the Train Fest this Saturday!
The dad and son team who invented the Post man game: Which post man/woman can deliver ten pieces of mail the quickest. On their routes they might encounter vicious dogs or needing to go to the rest room which causes delays and other complications.
Then the sales guy straight from the state fair selling cutlery….he was there last year doing a great job on some ‘you cannot live without’ product which we did order but never received. Well, he was there again with the same spiel.
How about this pitch: ‘Are you concerned about the safety of your children?’ She was trying to sell a game teaching children how to be safe from all the horrible things that could happen to them in their young life. Fear based marketing! Does that still work?
But I digress!
Then there are the big players: their booths are completely enclosed with an entrance guarded by people with clipboards. “Do you have an appointment?” I didn’t. I wonder what was hidden behind those walls?
But within this maze we found more wonderful, top quality products that will fit perfectly into our store. This new merchandise will trickle in the near future. Some has already arrived! So make sure you ask for ‘what is new’ the next time you are in.
And….don’t forget the Train Fest this Saturday!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Adventures of Toggin Tuck and Trixie
In this garden of toys, once the sun goes down
And the store is closed and no people are 'round,
Three makers of mischief will often be found.
The leader of the gang with his sharp little noggin
Has a pair of red boots and he goes by Toggin
When he walks through the forest he can hardly be seen
For his jacket and trousers are just the right shade of green.
The two other friends: a pair like no other
Are from a gnomish family and are sister and brother
Tuck is the oldest of this sibling crew
With a greenish knob on his hat made of blue
And Trixie his sister can hardly be led
She will steal the show with her suit orange-red.
Together these three make a wondrous team
Going on adventures that one can hardly dream
One such adventure happened just last night
It was utterly outrageous, even out of sight.
It all started on a clear cloudless night
And through the windows all the sky was in sight
Tuck's imagination was held by the stars
So he spoke to Toggin about traveling to Mars
Toggin's great-grandfather had been to outer space
So naturally he assumed he knew all about that place.
He said, "What we need first to go on our trip,
Is our very own, very reliable speedy space ship."
So together they schemed and together they planned
Of things that could fly and hopefully land.
After many long minutes they finally decided
On a plan of attack so they went off and tried it.
They crossed the store, to the scientific kits
and ripped them open in a creative little fit.
They mixed and they matched and poked and prodded
Whenever they felt satisfied their little heads nodded
The Lego-like pieces of the physics workshop
Made the frame of their ship from bottom to top.
Since they had no rivets or a scrap of steel
they held the ship together with a magnetic field
And to ensure it had fuel it seemed a safe bet
To make something up with the chemistry set.
They were finally ready after much experimentation
And they jittered and twittered with grand anticipation.
They got in the ship starting it up with a whir
And the world around them turned into a blur.
Then as if a thousand people suddenly said WHOP
The blurriness cleared and the whirriness stopped.
The space ship was gone, it simply disappeared
though it is far less simple than the event would appear.
The three tricksters were left alone on the floor
and everything seemed much bigger than before.
Tuck asked the question, "Why is everything so tall?"
And Trixie corrected him, "I think we got small!"
The magical WHOP shrunk them to a smaller size
They could barely believe it, it was such a surprise.
"We are oh so tiny, whatever shall we do?"
They sat and thought and didn't have a clue.
But Toggin jumped with a start and quickly took charge,
"We must explore this world so large!"
But alas it is late and time to go to bed
You may hear the rest of the story after you have rested your weary head.
To Be Continued.
And the store is closed and no people are 'round,
Three makers of mischief will often be found.
The leader of the gang with his sharp little noggin
Has a pair of red boots and he goes by Toggin
When he walks through the forest he can hardly be seen
For his jacket and trousers are just the right shade of green.
The two other friends: a pair like no other
Are from a gnomish family and are sister and brother
Tuck is the oldest of this sibling crew
With a greenish knob on his hat made of blue
And Trixie his sister can hardly be led
She will steal the show with her suit orange-red.
Together these three make a wondrous team
Going on adventures that one can hardly dream
One such adventure happened just last night
It was utterly outrageous, even out of sight.
It all started on a clear cloudless night
And through the windows all the sky was in sight
Tuck's imagination was held by the stars
So he spoke to Toggin about traveling to Mars
Toggin's great-grandfather had been to outer space
So naturally he assumed he knew all about that place.
He said, "What we need first to go on our trip,
Is our very own, very reliable speedy space ship."
So together they schemed and together they planned
Of things that could fly and hopefully land.
After many long minutes they finally decided
On a plan of attack so they went off and tried it.
They crossed the store, to the scientific kits
and ripped them open in a creative little fit.
They mixed and they matched and poked and prodded
Whenever they felt satisfied their little heads nodded
The Lego-like pieces of the physics workshop
Made the frame of their ship from bottom to top.
Since they had no rivets or a scrap of steel
they held the ship together with a magnetic field
And to ensure it had fuel it seemed a safe bet
To make something up with the chemistry set.
They were finally ready after much experimentation
And they jittered and twittered with grand anticipation.
They got in the ship starting it up with a whir
And the world around them turned into a blur.
Then as if a thousand people suddenly said WHOP
The blurriness cleared and the whirriness stopped.
The space ship was gone, it simply disappeared
though it is far less simple than the event would appear.
The three tricksters were left alone on the floor
and everything seemed much bigger than before.
Tuck asked the question, "Why is everything so tall?"
And Trixie corrected him, "I think we got small!"
The magical WHOP shrunk them to a smaller size
They could barely believe it, it was such a surprise.
"We are oh so tiny, whatever shall we do?"
They sat and thought and didn't have a clue.
But Toggin jumped with a start and quickly took charge,
"We must explore this world so large!"
But alas it is late and time to go to bed
You may hear the rest of the story after you have rested your weary head.
To Be Continued.
Friday, February 13, 2009
The Final Frontier
In 1977, two space crafts were launched into the vacuum of space with two missions. Their primary mission was one of exploration. They each circled Jupiter and took some pictures then, taking the sling shot approach using the planets gravity, went hurling off to greet Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. After sending the images and astronomical data about the planets back to earth their mission was all but done. The only thing left for them to do at present is to record as much data about the edge of the solar system with what instruments they have until their power supply runs out.
By roughly 2025 the power supplies on either space craft will no longer be able to power a single system on the probes and they will simply be hunks of metal hurling through space at approximately 17 kilometers per second. By that point they will be permanently dedicated to their second and lesser known mission: First contact.
Beginning is 1975 Carl Sagan began collecting images and audio samples to be converted into an analogue recording and pressed on a golden record which was to be put on each of these space craft. The 115 images and greetings in 55 languages and 38 sound samples were selected to provide the best accurate representation of Earths cultures possible at that time. A copy of this golden record was put on each of the voyager space craft with hope that at some point some one will find it and listen to it and want to try and say hello.
By roughly 2025 the power supplies on either space craft will no longer be able to power a single system on the probes and they will simply be hunks of metal hurling through space at approximately 17 kilometers per second. By that point they will be permanently dedicated to their second and lesser known mission: First contact.
Beginning is 1975 Carl Sagan began collecting images and audio samples to be converted into an analogue recording and pressed on a golden record which was to be put on each of these space craft. The 115 images and greetings in 55 languages and 38 sound samples were selected to provide the best accurate representation of Earths cultures possible at that time. A copy of this golden record was put on each of the voyager space craft with hope that at some point some one will find it and listen to it and want to try and say hello.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Ocean Deep
Amongst the continuous adventures that I go on inside the store, I have most recently been traveling to the deep oceans of Imaginationland. Our stuffed animal collection alone encompasses 7 species of shark, 2 species of turtle, 3 species of octopus, 5 species of ocean mammal, and the Giant Squid. Constantly looking at these creatures of the deep leaves my mind to wander to the marvels of the natural world that live in the least accessible portions of our planet.
Take for instance the Blue Whale. Here is an animal of such large proportions, that it is entirely possible to drive '68 Volkswagen beetle through its aorta. It's not like this is something you are likely to do, but if you happened to have an old beetle and a spare blue whale aorta lying around, it's an option for you. Its heart beats at approximately one beat per minute (assuming there is no car in it's aorta) and it's tale fin is about as wide as the wingspan of a small cesna airplane. That is amazing! And the beauty of it all is: it survives on eating krill, one the ocean's smallest creatures.
More strange friends of the deep are the Giant squid and its slightly larger cousin the Colossal squid. Here is an amazing creature. The largest known specimen of a colossal squid caught to date weighed almost 1,100 pounds and was approximately 33 feet long. Colossal squid have claws on their extended tentacles as opposed to suckers and have the largest eye of any known creature on the planet. The eye is approximately 16in. across. Imagine having that guy wink at you! And estimates based on evidence gathered from the stomachs of sperm whales suggest that they get much bigger than that.
The deepest parts of the ocean have remained untouched by humanity since the dawning of the earth and have remained, on the whole, undisturbed by the happenings of the surface due to the extreme nature of the environment. Each voyage down to the ocean floor (of which only a small fraction has been explored) reveals a new species. There are even a number of species that have been seen once and never seen again. The ocean is a wonderland of scientific discovery and in this wonderland, works of the imagination seem to take form.
I could prattle on and on about the mysteries and oddities of the deep, but at the risk of boring you the reader, I will leave you with the two of the biggest mysteries (pun intended). We live in a remarkable world and the ocean is perfect evidence of that.
Take for instance the Blue Whale. Here is an animal of such large proportions, that it is entirely possible to drive '68 Volkswagen beetle through its aorta. It's not like this is something you are likely to do, but if you happened to have an old beetle and a spare blue whale aorta lying around, it's an option for you. Its heart beats at approximately one beat per minute (assuming there is no car in it's aorta) and it's tale fin is about as wide as the wingspan of a small cesna airplane. That is amazing! And the beauty of it all is: it survives on eating krill, one the ocean's smallest creatures.
More strange friends of the deep are the Giant squid and its slightly larger cousin the Colossal squid. Here is an amazing creature. The largest known specimen of a colossal squid caught to date weighed almost 1,100 pounds and was approximately 33 feet long. Colossal squid have claws on their extended tentacles as opposed to suckers and have the largest eye of any known creature on the planet. The eye is approximately 16in. across. Imagine having that guy wink at you! And estimates based on evidence gathered from the stomachs of sperm whales suggest that they get much bigger than that.
The deepest parts of the ocean have remained untouched by humanity since the dawning of the earth and have remained, on the whole, undisturbed by the happenings of the surface due to the extreme nature of the environment. Each voyage down to the ocean floor (of which only a small fraction has been explored) reveals a new species. There are even a number of species that have been seen once and never seen again. The ocean is a wonderland of scientific discovery and in this wonderland, works of the imagination seem to take form.
I could prattle on and on about the mysteries and oddities of the deep, but at the risk of boring you the reader, I will leave you with the two of the biggest mysteries (pun intended). We live in a remarkable world and the ocean is perfect evidence of that.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
What our employees are up to (Devan and Pat)
The Western Washington University Men's Ultimate team is proud to present the first annual BROWN v. ORANGE inter-squad exhibition showcase game at the Turf Field on WWU campus. This match-up will be in conjunction with the WWU Women's team’s tournament going on from 9am-7pm on Saturday.
Come out to see what collegiate ultimate is all about as a top recognized team in the nation gets ready for their upcoming season. There will be team discs, gear and possibly baked goods for sale!!
*Note: there is no permanent seating at the turf field. We will provide as many camp-style chairs as we can but be prepared to stand or if you have your own chairs feel free to bring those too
And Allie is going to Florida!
Come out to see what collegiate ultimate is all about as a top recognized team in the nation gets ready for their upcoming season. There will be team discs, gear and possibly baked goods for sale!!
*Note: there is no permanent seating at the turf field. We will provide as many camp-style chairs as we can but be prepared to stand or if you have your own chairs feel free to bring those too
And Allie is going to Florida!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Ball
Throughout human history the ball has been the most revered and widely used tool in the industry of fun. Cultures that were a globe away from each other in times predating transatlantic exploration, developed games/ceremonies that used a ball. Before the Egyptians or the Romans or the Greeks or the Mayans or the Aztecs ever had contact with outside cultures they were thought to have developed games. And the ball was a crucial aspect of these games. Somehow, the ball - as an instrument of fun - is part of the human subconcious; streaming through the mind of every human on earth is an idea about the ball and the fun that can come from it's use.
Even in the developement of the mind from infancy, one of the easiest words for a young tounge to accurately articulate is "ball". One of the easiest objects to understand on a physical level is the ball. The human mind just seems to want to understrand and manipulate the ball. And as man kind progressed on it's march through time, the greatest and not-so-greatest games in civilization used or still use the ball as an integral piece of the game: baseball, soccer(futball), ulama(ancient aztecs), football, lacross, polo, cricket, billiards, tennis, raquet ball, rugby, etc. etc. etc. The list can and does go on for a long while.
History has given us reason to beleive that the ball is the most universally valued toy and personal experience would have hopefully given any reader of this a similar conclusion. I would even venture to say that humanity needs the ball. Which makes it all the more fortunate that we want the ball. Here's to the ball.
Even in the developement of the mind from infancy, one of the easiest words for a young tounge to accurately articulate is "ball". One of the easiest objects to understand on a physical level is the ball. The human mind just seems to want to understrand and manipulate the ball. And as man kind progressed on it's march through time, the greatest and not-so-greatest games in civilization used or still use the ball as an integral piece of the game: baseball, soccer(futball), ulama(ancient aztecs), football, lacross, polo, cricket, billiards, tennis, raquet ball, rugby, etc. etc. etc. The list can and does go on for a long while.
History has given us reason to beleive that the ball is the most universally valued toy and personal experience would have hopefully given any reader of this a similar conclusion. I would even venture to say that humanity needs the ball. Which makes it all the more fortunate that we want the ball. Here's to the ball.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Workshops at the FairhavenToyGarden
Feb. 7: Felted Heart Gnome
This adorable little guy is holding a heart for you or your sweetie!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person
Feb. 14: Felted Valentine Fairy
Come and make a pink (or whatever color you choose) fairy for you or your favorite Valentine!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person
Feb. 21: Felted Purse
Create a beautiful small purse by needle felting and hand sewing.
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person
Feb. 28: Felted Dragon
We had such a long waiting list for this class when it was offered in Dec., that we decided to offer it again. Sign up quickly!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person
Call 714-8552 to register. Payment requested when registering
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Oopsie!
Oopsie is a new game that was developed exclusively at the Fairhaven Toy Garden, with the help of a rambunctious 2 year old. The rules are simple, but first you must find a partner of roughly the same age as this games co-creator.
Rules:
1. The younger of the two participants must yell "Oopsie!" while falling to the ground.
2. The older of the pair must then follow suit, paying close attention to the youngster's movements so that every detail can be replicated.
3. Repeat and laugh.
Enjoy this game spread the good cheer that will most certainly ensue.
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