Sibling Assignment #196: Autumn Through the Lens of My Camera

Sister Carol gave the assignment this week. "Use a portion of the music from Vivaldi’s Autumn to be the
background in a slideshow of autumn images you have taken with your camera.  
They can be old or current images. " You can find sister Carol's here and brother Bill's here
Since I love autumn, especially autumn leaves, it wasn't hard to put the slide show together. Enjoy!

Sibling Assignment #195: The Gentle Hope of Autumn

I gave the sibling assignment this week. "The first day of autumn is September 22nd. Share a poem about the season that appeals to you and why." Sister Carol's post is here. Brother Bill's is here.

The Gentle Hope of Autumn

The many-hued leaves that fall
To nurture the life lying below the ground

The songs of birds trilling out
Lifting our spirits

The chill of mornings that lead
To a day of sunny warmth

The final ripening of fruit
Before the winter chill arrives

The light of dawn when I rise (sometimes)
And the early dusk that calls me
To quiet evenings of thought, prayer and words

Be still as all slows down
Be still in this time of quiet gathering
Be still and listen to Earth going to rest
Be still in peace in the hope of new life to come

For from the dying of Autumn
Comes the birthing of Spring

In the passing of the past
Comes the arrival of the future

In the changing of what has been
Comes what will be

In the moving forward of one generation
Comes the moving in of the next

In the silent listening of questions
Comes the answers for our times

Angela Coleman

I have memories of having autumn poems read to me before I went to sleep when I was a child. I also remember autumn poems that a teacher read, then had us memorize . While reading and rereading poems this week I first noticed the title of this poem. It reminded me why I love autumn. It fills me with gentle hope.

Things begin to slow down. the Earth is going to rest. Moving into autumn I experince the contrast of cold mornings and warm afternoons. We pick ripe tomatoes, then see black vines from frost. Sunflowers are the crowns of the garden, then  their heads bend as if weeping.
The poem spoke of what we do as the season is dying. We get our soil ready for winter, we build up the garden remains to produce compost in the spring, we dry the last rose pedals in a jar by the light.

As the author reminds us, autumn is "quiet evenings of thought, prayer, and words". I am ready for that after a hot summer of busyness and harvesting, tending flowers, and deadheading spent blossoms.

I will now go and listen to the birds trilling, observe the leaves turning, and embrace the gentle hope of autumn.

Sibling Assignment #194: Crossroads That Led to the Classroom

Sister Carol gave Sibling Assignment #194. While attending Cosette’s graduation recently, it got me thinking about when I graduated from college, what I did and didn’t remember from that day, and where I was at regarding my future.  Think back to when you graduated and received your bachelor’s degree.  What happened next in your life, and how do you remember feeling at this crossroads of your life? You will find her post here and brother Bill'shere

When you major in education in college you are on a strict timetable before and after graduation. When I graduated from college most teaching jobs were posted in spring/early summer and teachers were hired for the next school year by early July. Back in the day, we got a newsletter that listed all the teaching jobs that were open.

I knew I wanted a teaching job. I had student taught in Coeur d’Alene and hoped to continue teaching there. I did get an interview, but back then hundreds of new teachers applied for jobs there. I wasn’t  selected. I focused my search on the Inland Empire mostly because I thought it would make it easier to relocate.

I was most interested in fourth or fifth grade, but would have considered other grade levels. I had my bright yellow interview dress and often was driven to interviews in the early part of the summer because I didn’t have a car. Sometimes my parents let me use their car.  I interviewed in Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, Garfield WA, and Kellogg. I decided to take the job in Kellogg because it was fourth grade. The pay was better than the districts up north. It was at Pinehurst Elementary which meant I would know lots of the staff.

For me it was a fun crossroads in life summer. It was easy to find an apartment, I got my first car, and I got lots of help and support from my mom and other teachers in the district. I didn’t have much money in September so I ate dinner at my parents every night. I enjoyed that because I could troubleshoot teaching strategies with Mom. Dad’s favorite saying during that time was, “Are you two going to teach school all evening?” Yes, we pretty much did that.

It was a smart decision for me and it got my teaching career off to a strong start. I had quality people I taught with, supportive parents, students I have never forgotten, and a fun social life also. I stayed at PInehurst the first three years of my career and only left because a marriage to my first husband required relocation.

Sibling Assignment #193: Capturing Alaska

Brother Bill gave Sibling Assignment #193. “Write about a dream trip you’d like to take in the United States, even if you don’t think it’ll ever happen. Include where you’d like to go and, if it’s fitting, what time of year you’d like to make the trip. Also discuss why this is your dream. “ You will find Bill's assignment here and sister Carol's here.

I have always wanted to do a cruise to Alaska. I would like to see the lower part of the state. I would like to go in the summer when it isn’t too cold.

I want to go because I have heard so many friends that have taken the trip and just loved it. The scenery is breathtaking. People are friendly. Stops along the way are well-planned and allows the tourist to see many beautiful places in our forty-ninth state.   Alaska is a difficult state to drive to, so the cruise would allow me to see sites not able to see on a driving trip.

The Inside Passage is what really interests me. Stretching from Puget Sound, Wash., along the British Columbia coast into the Gulf of Alaska, the Inside Passage was formed by the movement of massive glaciers millions of years ago. It includes more than 1,000 islands, fiords and lush island scenery, habitat for whales, bald eagles and other wildlife — and, of course, the glaciers.

I think a cruise would also be an easier way to travel. If you want to get off the ship you can. When you are traveling in the ocean you have other activities to do. I have also heard the food is amazing on the cruise,

I also think a cruise would be a restful, relaxing vacation

Sibling Assignment #192 : The Memory of Lilacs

I gave the following sibling assignment #192:

“What flower evoke strong memories with you? Share those memories in our next sibling assignment. “ You will find brother Bill's assignment here and sister Carol's here.

I have been surrounded by garden flowers since I was a little girl, Both my
grandmothers raised beautiful flowers gardens as did my Auntie Lila. Mom did the best she could, but the smelter smoke always made it a challenge in Kellogg. Later she was able to add more flowers when the smoke went away. When I would go visit these family gardens, it usually was in August when many varieties of perennials and annuals were in bloom. 

In spring though I could also look forward to lilacs. Lilacs evoke strong memories
with me. When we moved to 516 W. Cameron the back fence was lined with lilac bushes. The lilacs were strong enough to stand up to the smelter smoke. I looked forward to them blooming in the spring and filling the air with a sweet, heady fragrance.

Grandma Woolum also had lilacs in Spokane. Spokane is the Lilac City and what I
remember is that hers always bloomed first. We would bring home a bouquet that would carry that sweet scent in the car and continue when we arrived home. I could treasure that bouquet until ours bloomed.

It was one the first thing I planted when I had room for lilacs at Martin Creek.
 Now that I am back next door to Mom’s lilacs, I was pleased a row of lilac bushes were planted in my new backyard also.

Lilacs are also a favorite bloom to photograph. Here are a few of my favorite photo images.There is one thing I wish I could change about ilacs. I  just wish they lasted longer.