Boy Kissing Dog by Joanne Morris Okano

The Secret Valley

The man from whom the people with the last name Harrison are descended was treated very badly by his enemies.  God was so angry , he sent a blast of wind and blew them all away.  You can read about it in a book called The Secret Valley.  There are 3 books I know of called The Secret Valley.  One is about the pioneers, one is by Enid Blyton, and one is the one this picture is about.

Don't Assume by Joanne Morris Okano

Don't Assume Everything Is The Way It Seems To Be, Children

Storytime In The Sky by Joanne Morris Okano

Still Life by Joanne Morris Okano

Adam And Eve by Joanne Morris Okano

     Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden for eating the forbidden fruit.

M. Holst And His Family Going On An Adventure by Joanne Morris Okano

They are going to buy icecream and survey a canyon where they are going to live in a house they moved on a truck from another village.

Teddy In A Deckchair by Joanne Morris Okano

My teacher, when I was seven or eight, had the class knit teddybears and weave seats for deckchairs for them.  What a delightful project that was!  Her father very kindly made the wood part of the deckchairs. I still enjoy knitting, to this day, and have weaved since then, too.

Somerset Okano by Joanne Morris Okano

Expanding Peace drawn by Joanne Morris Okano

Photo permission of Somerset Okano

The Bear-Like One by Joanne Morris Okano

Rose Child by Joanne Morris Okano

She Looked Down In Wonder And Amazement -

As Her Feet Turned Into Duck's Feet by Okano

Ideas Fly Into My Head by Joanne Morris Okano

     Here I am with two birds on my head, symbolizing ideas that come to me.  I am wearing my Dutch (orange) scarf given to me by my aunt (my father is from the Netherlands originally).  Above my head is a sun, red/white/and blue (the colours of the Union Jack symbolizing the British Isles where my mother is from) and a red maple leaf symbolizing Canada, because I am Canadian.

Thraxie Inside One Of His Mother's Cups by Joanne Morris Okano

(There is nothing else inside the cup but the pixie).

Gabriela's Mission - XIII

     Several fish saw this and came to her for advice. 
      "You have good ideas,"  they said.  "You should start a column in the Fish Times.  We have all kinds of problems we can't solve, but you seem to have, maybe not an answer for everything, but some answers to life's great questions such as What do I have for dinner?  Popsicles!"
      So she became an instant celebrity what with her trumpet playing, her advice column in the newspaper and most of all her kindness. 

THE END

     That's all my writing  for the next decade, children.  From now on I'll concentrate on art.

La Mision De Gabriela - XIII

     Varios peces lo vio y se acerco a ella para pedirle consejo.
     "Usted tiene buenas ideas," dijeron.  "Usted debe comenzar a una columna en el Times De Pescado.  Tenemos todo tipo de problemas que no podemos resolver, pero parece que tienes, tal vez no una respuesta para todo, pero algunas respuestas a grandes interrogantes de la vida, tales como Que tengo para la cena?  Paletas de hielo!"
     Asi que se convirtio en una celebridad instantanea lo que con su trompeta de juego, su columna de consejos en el periodico y sobre todo su amabilidad.

EL FINAL

     Eso es todo mi escrito para los ninos proxima decada.  A partir de ahora, nos concentraremos en arte.

Gabriela's Mission - XII

     She made the rules into a chart and stuck it on her clump of seaweed.

UNTIL LATER

La Mision De Gabriela - XII

     Ella hizo las reglas en una tabla y se lo metio en su grupo de algas marinas.

HASTA LUEGO

Gabriela's Mission - XI

1.  No answering back rudely.
2.  Never pop popsicles into your mouth while reading, because they might drip on the book.
3.  Always be polite.
4.  Never sit on a seat that's wet.
5. "Give the soft answer." (The Bible)
6.  Always wear your apron at the front, not the back.
     "That's all,"  she said.
                                                                UNTIL LATER

La Mision De Gabriela - XI

1.  No contestar de mala manera grosera.
2.  Nunca paletas estallar en la boca durante la lectura, y que podrian gotear sobre el libro.
3.  Sea siempre educado.
4.  Nunca se siente en un asiento que esta mojado.
5.  "Dar una respuesta suave." (La Biblia)
6.  Siempre use su plataforma en la parte delantera, no la espalda.
     "Eso es todo," dijo.
                                                              HASTA LUEGO

Gabriela's Mission - X

     She went off with a hop, skip and a jump and made a list of rules for herself.
                                                                    MORE LATER

La Mision De Gabriela - X

     Se fue con un salto, salto y un salto e hizo una lista de reglas para si misma.
                                                                       MAS TARDE

Gabriela's Mission - IX

     One day, Gabriela's Dad came back from the Yukon.  When he found out she had been playing in a band, he congratulated her with the words:
     "Why do you do that?  Don't you know anything better to do with your time?  Your mother would never approve if she knew you were doing this!"
     Do you know what Gabriela's mission was?  To show kindness, of course!
                                                                SEE YOU TOMORROW

La Mision De Gabriela - IX

     Un dia, papa de Gabriela regreso de la Yukon.  Cuando se entero de que ella habia estado tocando en una banda, le felicito con estas palabras:
      "Por que haces eso?  No sabe usted nada mejor que hacer con su tiempo?  Su madre no lo aprobaria si sabia que estaba haciendo esto!"
     Sabes cual la mision de Gabriela era?  Se trataba de mostrar bondad, por supuesto!
                                                                       A MANANA

Gabriela's Mission - VIII

     They played on television and around the nation of undersea critters.  The other folks in the band were Carmela, Pedro, David and, of course, Gerbil Latino, the vocalist.

TO BE CONTINUED

La Mision De Gabriela - VIII

      Jugaron en la television y en todo el pais de criaturas submarinas.  La gente de otras en la banda fueron Carmela, Pedro, David y, por supuessto, Latino Jerbo, el vocalista.

DEBE CONTINUAR

Gabriela's Mission - VII

     They played the top hits.

TO BE CONTINUED

La Mision De Gabriela - VII

     Jugaron los grandes exitos.

DEBE CONTINUAR

Thoughts For The Future

     I am thinking about a recipe book I would like to write :-)

Gabriela's Mission - VI

     "What shall I do with myself while my Dad is away?"  asked Gabriela of herself when she had become proficient in playing the trumpet.  "I think I'll start a band."

TO BE CONTINUED, CHILDREN, DON'T YOU WORRY

La Mision De Gabriela - VI

     "Que voy a hacer conmigo mientras me padre esta ausente?" pidio a Gabriela a si misma cuando se habia convertido en experto en tocar la trompeta.  "Creo que voy a empezar una banda."

QUE CONTINUE, LOS NINOS, NO TE PREOCUPES

The Weather This Morning

     The view of the frost-covered fields this morning was magical in the mist.  Then the mist cleared and the sunlight sparkled on the clouds behind the glorious mountains.  It was so cold that all the horses in the field were wearing blankets.

Gabriela's Mission - V

     She scraped together enough algae to put on a plate for supper.  Gerbil Latino, Gabriela's friend, fed her fish off the edge of the quay.
     She wanted to be somebody in life, so she played the trumpet every day.

TO BE CONTINUED

La Mision De Gabriela - V

     Ella junto las algas suficiente para poner en un plato para la cena.  Latino Jerbo, su amiga, le daba de comer pescado en el borde del muelle.
     Ella queria ser alguien en la vida, por lo que tocaba la trompeta todos los dias.

DEBE CONTINUAR

The Temple by Okano

Inspired by Van Gogh

Gabriela's Mission - IV

     Well, she woke up next morning with the sun shining through the water, but something was terribly wrong.  Mother wasn't home - or was she?  Gabriela searched for her and found her lifeless body at the foot of the stairs.  She must have died! 
      When she told her father, he looked at Gabriela with his big eyes and said,
     "I'm so sad this happened.  How are you?"
     She told him she couldn't believe it had happened and was very sad.  They hugged each other and shed tears.
     Poor Gabriela!  He went away to the Yukon to pan for gold and left Gabriela stranded, all by herself.

TO BE CONTINUED

La Mision De Gabriela - IV

     Bueno, ella se desperto a la manana siguiente con el sol brillando a traves del agua, pero algo estaba terriblemente mal.  La madre no estaba en casa - o fue ella?  Gabriela buscado por ella y encontro su cuerpo sin vida al pie de las escaleras.  Ella debe haber muerto!  Cuando le conto a su padre, miro a Gabriela con sus grandes ojos y dijo:
       "Me da mucha tristeza que esto occurriera.  Como estas?"
      Ella le dijo que no podia creer lo que habia sucedido y estaba muy triste.   Se abrazaron y derramaron lagrimas.
      Pobre Gabriela!  El se fue a la Yukon para buscar oro y dejo varados Gabriela, ella sola.

CONTINUARA

Gabriela's Mission - III

     Gabriela's home that was - at all the other homes the parents told their fishy offspring they were glad to see them home in one piece.
     "Why are my parents always so strict?" wondered Gabriela sadly as she lay in bed.  "I wonder if I'll ever be able to do anything right by them."

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW, CHILDREN at the blackberet

La Mision De Gabriela - III

     Casa de Gabriela, que fue - a todas las otras casas de los padres dijeron a sus hijos a pescado que estaban contentos de verlos en casa de una sola pieza.
     "Por que mis padres siempre tan estricta?"  Gabriela pregunto tristemente mientras yacia en la cama.  "Me pregunto si alguna vez sera capaz de hacer nada bien por ellos."

ESO ES TODO POR AHORA, LOS NINOS, en el blackberet