I Wrote and Illustrated a Book!!

After two years of working and dreaming, I’m excited to announce the release of my first children’s book, Imagination Vacation Yellowstone.

It is available now on Amazon and you can find it by clicking here or by entering my name, Anastasia Kierst, in the search window at amazon.com

I’m really hoping that people I know will support me as an author by considering my book when choosing gifts for the young people on their lists and by telling others about my book. Sales now will help boost my Amazon rank and hopefully draw more sales during the big holiday rush.

You can also help raise my rank just by signing into Amazon and then clicking the “Like” button with the thumbs up symbol under the title listing. Reviewing my book also helps my Amazon rank.

Below you'll find a short blurb on the book and a few images to give you a sneak preview.

Imagination Vacation Yellowstone

Are hot springs rainbows, curled up to nap? Or are they pools of water, heated deep within the earth? Yellowstone is an amazing and mysterious place. Emmaline has some imaginative ideas about the origins of the park’s wonders. Her scientist father has some pretty wild theories of his own. Follow their magical adventure through America’s first national park.

Written and illustrated by an elementary art teacher and her own geologist father, this book is a playful lesson in earth science.

Happy Holidays and Thanks in Advance,
Anastasia (Andi) Kierst

Halloween Fun

We had fun roasting hot dogs and marshmallows and carving pumpkins. I carved a witch mouse next to a mushroom. Sent from my Etch-a-Sketch

My Parents 50, 40th Anniversary

It was a great celebration. Lexi made a beautiful, pink butter cake and Uncle Terry broke out the champagne. Even Chase the Cat toasted the happy couple. Sent from my Etch-a-Sketch

Hiking with Aunt Janelle.

Sent from my Etch-a-Sketch

A walk down Green Valley Road

We're in St Louis for my parents' 40th anniversary. We all love their woodsy neighborhood. Sent from my Etch-a-Sketch

Homemade Sarsaparilla

We gathered sassafras roots, washed them, hacked them up and boiled them into a syrup. Added to seltzer it made a great soda. Sent from my Etch-a-Sketch

This is what you do when you get a tattoo for your softball team, only to be kicked off the team.

Unique Handmade Cell Case

I did a makeover on my cheap Amazon cell case. First I widened the AUX cable hole and added snap closures so that removing the case will no longer be a major ordeal. I painted a charming axolotl on the back and finished it all off with gold leaf from my visit to Wat Pho's reclining Buddha. I'm not crazy about how the closure system turned out, but I do really like the axolotl and the gold leaf.

A day on the lake

Bryan's aunt and uncle invited us out on their boat today. It was a little too windy, but fun none the less.

Everything's Bigger in Texas...

We came home this evening to a tarantula surprise. I had my hand on the doorknob before I saw him at face level. We're not sure how he made it into the garage. He's a little to big to be squeezing through cracks.

A Skunk - Who Knew!

Last night Gohan, summoning all of his canine wisdom, managed to get himself sprayed by a skunk for the SECOND time this summer. Needless to say, he spent the night confined to the patio. This morning, as Jeff was leaving for an 8 am on a Saturday (Ugh!) meeting, he noticed a little skunk laying on the side of the road just down from our house. He called me and suggested that I might call animal control. I dragged my self out of bed and found the little guy, unable to move his back legs. He was struggling and the sun was beating down on him. Temperatures have been hitting 105 - 110 with regularity here, so I decided I better get him in the shade quick. I came back with a towel and a box. He made no attempt to spray, bite or scratch me as I wrapped him up and tucked him into the box. It wasn't the first time I'd seen him. One night, weeks earlier, he was playing in our yucca. He looked like such a happy, cheerful little guy. Now he needed help.

For the next few hours I called dozens of numbers trying to find a wildlife rehab. Unfortunately, at 8 am on a Saturday, no one answers phones. Finally I loaded him in the car and took him to Cedar Hill State Park. They are part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife system after all. They turned me away at the gate, wrinkling noses when I said baby skunk. Apparently they weren't serious about the "and Wildlife" part. Back at home, the TX Wildlife Coalition was finally answering their phones. They gave me the number of a lady in Arlington. She said she wasn't accepting anymore animals and that if his hind legs weren't moving, I should just call animal control and have him put down. I called Jeff and told him he'd have to make the call, that I didn't have the heart to do it. He'd quickly crawled into the warm, fuzzy corner of my heart reserved for kittens and baby mountain goats. Jeff made the call. When I went back out to check on him, he was moving around more. He hadn't taken water from a dropper earlier when I offered it, but I decided to try again with a small dish. He lapped it up shakily, but eagerly. I went back inside and called TX Wildlife Coalition back and asked for the number of another rescue.

I loaded up the little skunk and drove him to Ft. Worth. The wildlife rescue lady was really sweet. She cuddled the skunk like a kitten and reassured me that she would do everything she could to help him.

Who knew a skunk could be so sweet and tug at your heart!

My House Choice...

So Jeff likes the house on the river and I like this one on an acre and a half of sunny mountain meadow. It has a stable and a big shop and overlooks the valley and rock formations.

Echo Lake on the Way Up Mt. Evans

This lake was gorgeous and I found fresh water shrimp in it!

Mountain Goats!

Mountain goats rank high on my list of favorite creatures. And their kids are right up there with kittens for cuteness.

From the Summit of Mt. Evans

We drove all but the last 300 feet up this Colorado 14er, so don't be too impressed!

Summit House and Observatory

Fiesta at the Top of the

We found a fleet of three Ford Fiestas in the parking lot at the summit of Mt. Evans. A driver explained that Ford was testing their performance at altitude. Judging from the covered emblem, they weren't too proud of this car's performance!

Alpine Garden

On our way down from the summit of Mount Evans, we decided to take a walk across the tundra. There were a million tiny details to notice. Jeff took a lot of photos and I gathered mountain goat wool. I think I have enough to make mittens.