Color Buzz

The Beauty of Time

By Michele Coppin

Today is today, with the weight of all past time,
With the wings of all that will be tomorrow,
Today is the South of the Sea,
Waters old age,
The composition of a new day.

- An excerpt from Pablo Neruda's "Today is the day"

Time is strange, elusive, eternal and unavoidable - especially in Switzerland where everything is "on time.” The Swiss love their clocks, watches and seem generally concerned by the passage of time.

Inspirational Books

By Michele Coppin
 
Children are not usually involved in home improvements. But here are a few books that will develop and celebrate children’s imagination and creativity so they can become brilliant DIY’ers when they grow up – or at least help them become expressive, happy, kind and well-balanced individuals. These books and their wonderful messages all share lovely illustrations and charming stories – great for bedtime.
 
One by Kathryn Otoshi
 
One is a beautiful book that illustrates colors, numbers and themes of acceptance and individuality.
In One, Blue is dreamy and sweet and generally happy with his color until hot-headed Red shows up. Red bullies everyone, including Green, Yellow, Purple, until one day a stranger arrives, Number 1. One is not afraid of Red and he puts an end to the bullying. He also gives Colors confidence to be all they can be. Through lovely, simple illustrations, this number/color book reminds us that it just takes “one” to make a difference and make everyone count.



The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
 
For everyone who has been afraid to express themselves, from children in art class to adults whose fear has shut down the imagination, The Dot reminds us to “make your mark” and see where it takes you.
With whim and humor, this simple but inspiring story recognizes the creativity in everyone and proves that imagination lies within us all.



And my all time favorite :
 
The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
 
Le Petit Prince was first published in France in 1943 by aviator and author Antoine De Saint-Exupéry. It has become his most famous novella, translated into more than 180 languages and having sold more than 80 million copies, making it one of the bestselling books ever.

This book is a true work of art, a masterpiece of its genre. It tells the story of an unlikely friendship between an aviator whose plane has crashed and a little prince who has fallen to earth from his tiny planet, in the middle of the Saharan desert. Populated with odd characters and unexpected teachers, The Little Prince is a story about love, friendship, tolerance, acceptance, beauty and imagination.



Happy Reading!

Speaking of home improvement, are you giving a friend or loved one any home improvement gifts this holiday season? If so, send us your gift ideas! We’d love to learn from your creative DIY skills.

The Colors of John Deere

By Michèle Coppin

In spring and summer, the countryside comes alive with the chirping of birds, the buzzing of insects and the low hum of those beautiful green and yellow tractors.

This is the season for John Deeres to go back to work after a long winter's rest. I love watching these powerful machines plowing the fields like giant toys, sturdy and American as the flag.

The story of John Deere, the man who developed the world's first commercially successful self-scouring steel plow, closely parallels the settlement and development of the Midwestern United States, an area the homesteaders of the 19th century considered the Golden Land.

No one really knows why John Deere tractors are green and yellow. The earliest illustration of John Deere equipment with the green and yellow color scheme is of a plow in the 1905 Deere and Weber catalog.

I think Mr. Deere was inspired by the ground under his feet: yellow flowers, green grass and weeds.  What a wonderful choice, as the green and yellow combination is reminiscent of nature. It is fresh, fun and totally unexpected for machinery.

This palette from "color lovers" speaks of spring and illustrates perfectly the John Deere colors.

My fondness for tractors has led me to read a very good book entitled, "A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian," Marina Lewycka. This novel is a comic look at family bonds and a vehicle for social satire. The surprisingly fascinating and philosophical history of tractors interweaves throughout the text, a true delight and a wonderful summer read.