We have a very special treat for all you grinning Jack-O-Lanterns out there!  Puppet Treehouse Podcast Productions is proud to present, "Quoth the Puppets!"  Read the poem below and listen to our SPO podcast!

Poem written & performed by Zelda Knapp
Introduced & Directed by Judy Puppets

"Quoth the Puppets"
Once upon an evening sunny, while I thought things fun and funny,
But regretting that I'd not got groceries from the local store,
While I nattered, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping (if someone can be"gently" rapping),
Rapping at my workshop door.
"'Tis some trick or treaters," I yawned, "tapping at my workshop door -
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember, 'twas the day before November...................

Just a mere teaser of our Halloween poem, going live tomorrow:

Once upon an evening sunny, while I thought things fun and funny.....

This month is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to bring awareness to a cancer that affects 1 in 8 women. But did you know that there are many things you can do to help decrease your chances of getting breast cancer? Keeping a healthy diet and a physically active life can help prevent cancer. Experts recommend avoiding sugary drinks, limiting alcohol and red meat consumption, and eating a good variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.

And of course, remember to do monthly self breast examinations (<-- click for a how to do self breast exams and what to look for!) and have a regular check up with your doctor. Early detection is the key to treatment!

Also, did you know that breastfeeding helps prevent breast cancer?  Just another reason to love it!
Take a look at the video Baby Puppets made:

Here are some websites...............................................

Hi everyone!

I really love Halloween - everything's so spooky, the air is all gusty, the clouds are taking strange shapes, and it feels like ANYTHING can happen! It's fun to tell scary stories and decorate with cobwebs, orange and black streamers, and pumpkins! My favorite is actually the Jack Be Little Pumpkins, which are tiny pumpkins that can stay fresh and pretty for months if you keep them out of the sun. Judy likes the larger pumpkins though, because then she can carve all sorts of faces into them. With my little Jack Be Little Pumpkins, I draw the faces on with permanent marker.

Right now all the stores are full of candy and other sweets, but Judy Puppets and I wanted to share some of our favorite healthy Halloween treats!

***

First off, speaking of pumpkins, here are three great recipes from Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks for roasting pumpkin seeds after you've carved your pumpkin:

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
1 egg white
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, sugar, cayenne and salt. Add the pumpkin

Q: Rocky, we understand you just returned from a roadtrip with Judy Puppets and Willow.
A: Squaaaawk!

Q: Wow, that sounds like you had a great time. What was your favorite part? We know that Willow liked the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.
A: Awk! Squaawk-squaw-awwk.

Q: Yes, WebSpider did mention you like windows.
A: Kawwk!

Q: Any fun plans for Halloween? We noticed Judy Puppets has begun decorating the workshop.
A: Erp.

Q: Oh, we understand. Some things are better left a surprise. Is there anything else you wanted to talk to us about?
A:Yes. This Saturday is International Stuttering Awareness Day. Over three million Americans suffer from this speech disorder - can you imagine how hard it is to struggle to communicate?  This is a day to recognize their struggle, and share resources to help!  Check out the website of The International Stuttering Association, http://www.isastutter.org/ for lots more information. Remember when we went to see The King's Speech?  I really loved that it brought stuttering to a more prominent position in general awareness, and hopefully will continue to shine as a beacon to everyone struggling with stuttering. With hard work, help, and understanding, stuttering can be defeated!  Did you know James Earl Jones was a stutterer? And listen to his voice now!

Q: Thank you for sharing that with us, Rocky. Both links are valuable resources, and we're glad you brought them to everyone's attention. Now tell us, Rocky, we've been hearing rumors about some new visiting puppets? Puppets from far, far away? Do you know anything about that?
A: [Rocky does not answer, but flaps around the workshop in either excitement or distress]

Q: And that concludes our interview with Rockefeller Fuzz. Have a wonderful day!

Why, yes, that is the sound of a busy noisy workshop. Which can mean only one thing - Judy Puppets and the caravan have returned from their epic road trip. Now, most people returning from questing quests might...............

Hi everyone! We've been having loads of fun on our road trip! We just finished wandering around in Boston (also called Beantown!), and now we're in Providence, Rhode Island. Rhode Island is such a small state, but it sure has a lot packed into it!  

Speaking of packing, Judy Puppets and I were just putting together a care package with Rocky to ........

Received these photos this afternoon, courtesy of Colin the Camera, who joined JP and friends in a beautiful cabin in      Jay, NY. I don't have anything pithy to add, as I think the beauty of these pictures speaks for itself. Please, look at them and enjoy a moment of quiet solitude.

Today's blogger: Web Spider

Hi everyone! We've been having a lovely time in Albany! We're staying in a beautiful cabin right next to the river, and it's so quiet! I hope you've been enjoying how lovely and warm the weather's been - or at least it has been all weekend here on the East Coast! We had big beautiful blue skies with light sketches of cloud, like a sand spray. And the breeze has been just right, to give a little of that early fall feel. The trees are all turning all those pretty autumn colors, and when the sun starts to set, it's the perfect mood for campires and ghost stories!

I'm too young to remember, Judy Puppets says, but we're very lucky to have such nice warm weather. She told me once, about fifteen years ago, it was already so cold in October that she had to go trick or treating in the snow!! Can you imagine?

Speaking of trick or treating, I'm so excited about Halloween - are you? What's your favorite ever costume? I'm thinking of going as a ghost, but I don't want it to be too scary.

Today's blogger: Willow

This week is World Mental Illness Awareness Week.

While it may seem fun to joke around the workshop that our very own Rocky's exuberance is ADHD or that I myself, in my endless dedication to spinning webs and taking over neglected blogs, could be diagnosed with OCD, there are many people in the world genuinely suffering from these and other challenging conditions, often incorrectly diagnosed, and difficult to treat. The brain is the organ we still know the least about, and the chemicals in medical treatments for mental illness affect each patient differently. Some mental illnesses are easy to recognize for everyone; some are much harder and can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

Whether you know someone suffering from a mental illness or you yourself are suffering from one, communication and information are key to dealing with it. Educate yourself and your loved ones.

Resources for screenings:
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Learn about Mental Illness
Support Groups

Today's blogger: Web Spider