Anorak Magazine Volume 55 / In the Park

Dear ANORAK friends, Spending an unusual amount of time at home this year has made us realise how much we love these special spaces even more. They are filled with fun creatures, wild plants and plenty of things to climb on. No, we don’t mean our bedrooms but rather… Whether they are small or big, whether they have swings or squirrels, in all weathers, parks are the places where we can run around, meet friends, jump in puddles and climb all the way to the moon! This issue invites you, dear readers, to celebrate all the wildlife, the games and the trees that parks generously give us, so that we never take them for granted ever again.…

NEWSWORTHY Take a newspaper and cut out words from the big headlines to create your very own fun newspaper. TIME CAPSULE Take an empty shoe box. Put inside it a picture of yourself, your favourite small toy and a note about who you are and what you do every day. Don’t forget to add the date! Bury it in your garden, if you have one, or ask your parents to hide it in your house for a few years! DOODOO DAY Today is Doodoo Day. Which means you must add doodoo at the end of every word you say. STILL-OFF The opposite of a dance-off. This is a challenge to see who in your house can stay the most still for the longest period of time. RAINBOW SHELF Organise your…

What you'll need: • 1kg of potatoes• 3 tbsp butter• 1 medium onion• 2 carrots• 100g of frozen garden peas• 2 cloves of garlic• 1 tin of brown lentils• 4 cups of vegetable stock• 2 tsp fresh thyme• Salt, pepper Peel the potatoes, cut them in half, put them in a pan with lots of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, and let them cook for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to gas mark 7. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and put them into a large bowl. Time to turn them into yummy mash, with either a fork or a masher. Add the butter and leave to one side. Add a little oil to a non-stick pan and fry the sliced onion in…

WHAT ARE POSTCARDS? Postcards have existed for hundreds of years. There are so many different varieties of them, some small, some big. They show cities, monuments, buildings, famous parks or landscapes, celebrities, good wishes messages, or animals (cats!!). POSTCARDS ARE OVER 100 YEARS OLD? Yes, closer to 200 years old in fact! They were extremely popular in the 1870s, when printing and postal services became efficient. It is estimated that billions were sent out all over the world. While they seem a little old-fashioned now - as we can send messages or holiday pictures with our smartphones - we still love them loads. WHY DO WE LOVE THEM? Because they are so fun to collect and they hold nice memories of places we have visited. Sending postcards to our loved…

TO LOLLYGAG It means… To waste time when there’s actually lots to do. Example When Miss Severe - Elijah’s maths teacher - asked him why he hadn’t handed in his homework yet, he said: ‘I am sorry Miss, just had one of my lollygagging episodes.’ A BLATHERSKITE It means… A person who talks a lot but makes no sense. Example Miss Severe was not impressed by Elijah’s revelation. ‘You are such a blatherskite!’, she barked at him. Miss Severe was clearly trying to compete with Elijah’s vocabulary, he thought. A FURUNCLE It means… An infected spot or boil. Example Miss Severe was mouthing something about how Elijah needed to be more committed to his work. All Elijah could hear was ‘wah wah wah’ while he stared intently at the furuncles…

What do you call a plant that runs on electricity? A power plant. What is a tree's favourite month? Sept-timber. What kind of flower grows on your face? Tu-lips. What TV channel do squirrels like to watch? Nut-flix. What do trees wear to go to the beach? Tree trunks. What did the flower say after telling a joke? I was pollen your leg. Why can't pine trees sew? Because they always drop their needles. Why do birds fly south in the winter? Because it's too far to walk. Why do hummingbirds hum? Because they don't know the words. What kind of lion never roars? A dande-LION. What happens when a frog par ks illegally? It gets toad. What do you give a sick bird? A tweetment. Why is the letter…