The Book of Knowledge Series Comes to a Close / Summer Schedule

("Violets. Eeyore. Eeyore.Violets.")

     It is with some sadness that I conclude the Book of Knowledge series here on my blog. I did end up enjoying writing about what I read and that is something I didn't think I'd enjoy at the beginning of the semester. Hopefully next semester I can do it again, and my writing style will mature some more.
    As for the summer, I would like to continue writing here so as not to lose the habit of writing. But what shall I write about? I thought maybe I could pick ten books I think everyone should read and write a post on each book explaining why everyone should read it. Would that get monotonous, do you think? I'm also going to try to get more readers. . . something I'm not sure how to do. Summer is looking like an especially busy one, so I think I'll cut back to one or two posts a week.

   Adios to the Book of Knowledge series! 

  Olivia

The Book of Knowledge: The Behavior of a Sound

(Grape hyacinth blossoms)

     The Book of Knowledge says everything so well I could just quote the whole chapter....

     "We have been reading of music; let us go a little more carefully into the question of overtones, or harmonics. We can study it very well by taking a single string stretched between two points over a sounding-board. That is practically the same as a violin with a single string. Everyone knows (do they?) that a violin string may be sounded by plucking with the finger, or by being played with the bow; and we all know (do we?) that the kind of sound produced by bowing is vastly different from the sound produced by plucking."

   I might also note (ha!) that harmonics are (on the violin) when I gently lay my finger on a certain point on the string, no pressure, and play. The note will be higher than if I had pushed down on the string. It's a lot of fun to play around with. The common harmonics are the fourth position fourth finger on all four strings.

Enjoy the sunshine! 

The Book of Knowledge: Wonderful, Wonderful Music

(The music paper flower again, this time resting on peony shoots)

     I bet you knew this post was going to happen eventually. :) It just so happens that the Book of Knowledge has a section on music, too.
    Music, that glorious, enchanting, emotional string of sound that leads us into other worlds, so to speak. I can never get enough of music... just ask my sister. :) But really, what about music is so magical? Anyone can play the notes but it takes a musician to play the piece. And musicians often differ as to what the piece is suggesting, or what emotion it is conveying. I don't think I became, and it is something you become, a violinist until a few years ago. Of course, it happens differently for everyone.

The Book of Knowledge: Heat and Temperature

(a music paper flower)

   In a vein similar to the last Book of Knowledge post, this post has to do with temperature as well.

The Book of Knowledge: Hot things and cold things

(lilac sprouts)

   Resuming the Book of Knowledge posts... did you miss them? To be honest, I kind of missed writing them. 

   Today's chapter is on the temperature and the state of things in certain temperatures, boiling water, ice, and "a piece of solid air that can be seen."