The Mexican Walking Fish

 

This is the Axolotl or “Mexican Walking Fish.” They can be found in the waters of Mexico and in some Asian pet stores. Unfortunately, they are on the brink of extinction.

This adorable salamander can regenerate almost any part of its body, including some parts of its brain. It rarely grows longer than a foot, and it keeps its “teenage” body its entire adult life. Imagine that!

It’s so cute. It’s no wonder that it’s always smiling.

The Run for Freedom: The Life and Times of Lemuel Xandiver - Part 9

Lem forced himself not to panic. After living with dragons for over a month, he knew better than to make any sudden moves. A drop of nervous sweat traced its way down from his forehead and dripped off his chin. He felt a chill as the night air fanned his face. Glancing around slowly, Lem wracked his brain trying to think of a plan, but he came up with nothing. His mind was empty except for the vision of those red and black eyes so intently focused on him.

The largest of the beasts slowly began to creep forward. Then, following their leader, the others advanced. That’s when Lem noticed it. One of the dragons walked with a limp. Lem knew that limp. He knew that dragon. It was the first one Lem had ever met, the one from the school yard. The question was did the dragon know Lem. He had spent some time with the creature in the hidden village but not much. Not much at all. He tried to remember its name. It started with an “A.” Ahote, that was it!

“Ahote,” Lem called to the dragon. “Here, Ahote.” The dragons stopped, and Ahote cocked his head and looked curiously at Lem. Lem slowly reached into his pouch and pulled out some of the thick jerky he had packed to eat on the trip. He held it out to the dragon. “Do you want something to eat?” With his focus on the injured pet, Lem almost didn’t see the alpha dragon until it was too late. Apparently, he wanted the jerky too and was willing to take Lem’s hand off to get it. Lem quickly threw the meat to the side when the big beast pounced on it. He reached back in his pouch and grabbed the rest of the treat tossing it as far from himself as he could. They all rushed after it, and Lem got up and took off in the other direction. He realized he was lucky that they had lived with people long enough to prefer prepared food to human flesh, but he knew that if he didn’t hurry away, he might just be next on the menu.

Lem tore through the forest without even bothering to try and cover his tracks. He knew that his only chance of escape was speed. When he originally made his plan, he had hoped that his absence wouldn’t be discovered until the next morning, but with the guard hearing him leave, he suspected that time was not on his side. Luckily, the moonlight was bright enough that he could see his way. He only had to stop once to remove his makeshift kneepads as they slid down his legs. Stuffing them in his pouch, he kept running.

Lem clutched at the pain in his side as he stumbled along. He felt like someone had stuck a knife in him, but he didn’t dare stop. He didn’t have much night left. Once the sun rose, it would be much easier for the guards to track him, so he had to put as much distance between them as he could. It would have been so easy to give up. His life in the village hadn’t been bad after all. Everyone had been very friendly with him, and his side and head did hurt so. Maybe he could risk sitting down for just a few minutes. Besides, he was so tired. A short nap couldn’t hurt. He had been up all night. As Lem’s body began to grow heavier and heavier, he almost gave in to the temptation but, fighting against the very persuasive voices in his head, he staggered on.

Just when he felt that he couldn’t go any further, Lem saw a strange blue glow through the trees. At first, he thought his exhaustion was causing him to hallucinate, or he had collapsed and was experiencing some strange dream. He pinched himself, and still the blue glow remained. His natural curiosity was piqued, and the wonder of it shot through his body giving him new energy.  As he made his way closer to the strange glow, the trees thinned and he began to hear the sound of waves rushing against the shore. The blue light grew more intense, and he could see that it came from the water. It formed what appeared to be a ring outlining the shore, a ring made of small glowing, moving pieces. Lem hurried forward taking a nervous glance behind. He realized it wasn’t wise to stand on the exposed beach, but he just had to see what this was.

Moving closer, he recognized the small creatures. They were squid, glow-in-the-dark squid. He’d never seen anything like this before. It was beautiful. A thick line of them ran down the length of the beach as far as he could see illuminating the night in a blue ethereal glow. Exhausted, sore, injured, and hungry, Lem stood there soaking in the beauty of the scene.

He didn’t hear the silent footsteps come up behind him, but somehow he suddenly felt that he wasn’t alone. Lem sighed. So, they’d found him. He was almost too tired to care. Tearing his eyes from the wonderful sight in front of him, he slowly turned around and saw Running Wolf standing there staring out at the sea. 

An Experiment You Can Do at Home: A Balloon-Powered Craft

An Excerpt from The Lost Laboratory of Professor Xandiver

Once all of the boxes had been loaded in the raft, and everyone had seated themselves securely beside them, one of the sailors stepped in the front and started adjusting some strange-looking valves on the platform.

“What‘s that?” asked Jake.

Anicia looked over at him. “Oh, those control the pressure inside the balloon.”

“The balloon?” asked Jake.

“Well, it’s not really a balloon,” corrected Ms. B. “It’s bigger and thicker, but the concept is the same. Professor Xandiver invented it.”
            “Who’s Professor Xandiver?” asked Molly.

Jake glared at his sister then looked up at the balloon-like contraption hanging over them. “More importantly, just what does this balloon do?”

“It runs the raft,” Anicia answered in her usual formal tone. “Do you see the bar to which it is attached?” 

Molly looked up. She hadn’t noticed the huge balloon connected to a bar floating over the raft. How did I miss that?, she thought.

“The raft is also attached to that bar. A cable runs through the middle and extends from here to the manor entrance along the stream. The driver adjusts a valve, releasing the air pressure from the balloon, and we shoot out at a great speed over the stream.”

“Wow, just how fast are we talking about here?” Jake asked.

Anicia smiled slyly. “You will see.”

An Experiment You Can Do at Home

The Balloon-Powered Craft

If you would like to make your own miniature version of the balloon-powered craft that Lord Ravenworth uses to bring goods and passengers through the caves from his ship to his manor, just follow the directions below.

Easy version:

Items needed

   Two small cotton threads (one shorter one to tie to the boat and one longer one to run the length of your tub or pool.)

   One straw (Bendy straws do not work as well as regular straight straws.)

   One balloon

   One small toy boat

   One large tub or pool

   Tape

Directions

1.  Run both of the threads through the straw.

2. Tie or tape both ends of the shorter thread to both ends of the boat to attach it to the straw. (Make sure the thread is connected to the center of each end, so the boat will float straight.)

3. Set up a mini clothesline by tying or taping both ends of the longer thread to a wall or other solid support on both ends of the tub or pool. Adjust the height so that the boat just rests on the water. Make sure the thread connecting the boat is not slack and the thread tied to the wall or supports is pulled taut.

4. Next, blow up the balloon and hold the end closed without tying it.

5. While you are still holding the balloon closed, tape it to the top of the straw.

6. Once the balloon is securely attached to the straw, let the balloon go. It will fly quickly from one end of the thread to the other.

Advanced version:

1. Follow the directions above except replace the thread holding the boat to the straw with something more solid and steady such as small light pieces of cardboard or wood. You want the boat to be firmly attached to the straw, so it is stable and moves smoothly and unwaveringly through the water.

2. Replace the thread that you use as a line with something thicker and steadier such as a leather string or small wooden or metal bar. Just make sure that it is small enough to enable the straw to slide smoothly over it.

3. Measure carefully to ensure that the boat just sits on the water before attaching the line to both ends of the pool. If it sits too low in the water, it won’t run as well.

4.  Instead of holding the balloon closed, go ahead and tie it. When you are ready to set the boat in motion, get a straight pin and poke a small hole in the boat. It needs to be big enough to let enough air escape to move the boat, but small enough to make the air last longer, so that the boat can travel farther.

Now, you are ready. Put your own miniature passengers in the boat and watch their ride.

My New Book: A Blurb

Now that I’ve signed a contract with Bluewater Publications to publish my first manuscript, I’ve had to think long and hard about finalizing some points associated with it. One of which was my penname. After much deliberation, I’ve decided that it would be better if I publish under my real name instead. As a result, I’ve had to change the title of my blog.

I hope you will continue to read and enjoy.

Below is a short blurb about the first book in the Guardian series: The Lost Laboratory of Professor Xandiver.

For many generations, dangerous secrets have lain hidden in a cavern laboratory deep below the surface of a small island in the Pacific Ocean. Despite many efforts to find and claim the incredible powers within, none, so far, had succeeded, and the story of the lost laboratory faded into legend. Until now. A dark enemy has arrived on the island, and he has heard of the wonderful power waiting to be found through the professor’s scientific creations. A power so great and unfathomable that it surpasses the magical. 

It’s up to Jake, his sister Molly and their new friends to hold back the evil that threatens to rise. To do so, they have to find the laboratory before their enemy and his minions do. With the help of the professor’s ancient journal, the group begins their quest. They must solve numerous puzzles, overcome countless obstacles, and survive perilous traps set by both the professor and their new enemy.

Even after getting stuck helplessly hanging by their ankles from the branches of a large tree, finding themselves locked in an underwater cave, and almost freezing to death inside a volcano, they don’t give up their search for the laboratory. Little do they know that their greatest and most dangerous challenge will come after they find it. It’s then that they must make a terrible decision: turn their backs on the world and let evil win, or risk losing everything they know and love, everything they are, by using the powers in the cavern themselves.