Fortunately, Unfortunately: Back to School

Winter break is over and it was back to school today.

Fortunately the roads weren't too bad when I headed down the lake.

Unfortunately lots of deer and turkeys made travel a bit dicey.

Fortunately I arrived at school a bit early so I could reacclimate myself.

Unfortunately I fell on the ice rink parking lot and had to use the bumper of a truck to pull myself up.

Fortunately my teaching partner didn't have his digital camera with him as he helped me.

Unfortunately I had a sore elbow, knees, and lower back. ( I am better tonight!)

Fortunately all the children arrived to school safe, but some very late.

Unfortunately two buses slid off the road and had to be rescued.

Fortunately my students WANTED to go to the library and get new books because they had finished reading books over break.

Unfortunately the students that arrived on the late buses missed a trip to the library.

Fortunately students picked up where they left off before break writing news stories.

Unfortunately their teacher (me) couldn't seem to remember all the five W's and H in a news story.

Fortunately everyone made it through our first day back to school in good shape.

Unfortunately the turkeys and deer were still waiting to run across the road when I drove home.

-inspired by the book Fortunately by Remy Charlip

Week-End Snapshots: Snow Falling on Sherman Creek

For my first posting of weekend snapshot I chose Falling Snow on Sherman Creek. In deep snow yesterday JEJ parked behind a tree and I walked to the bridge to get two perspectives of Sherman Creek under the snow and ice.

To find other weekend snapshots go here.

Gathering Around the TV: Inland Empire Team Day

I am not an obsessed sports fan. I do like to keep up with the Seattle Seahawks because they are our state's NFL team and it helps me bond with my middle school students on Monday mornings. If I can though I watch my two favorite Inland Empire teams: The Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Washington State Cougars. My love for the Zags goes back to childhood when my grandmother lived close the Gonzaga University in Spokane, plus Dad was a fan and used to stop at Jack and Dan's bar on Nevada. It was run by former Zag /Utah Jazz/Olympic Team member John Stockton's dad. I think the whole Bing Crosby connection at GU was part of it also. I am an alumni of WSU plus they are just a fun team to watch and it is exciting to see them ranked #4 in the nation.

Today was The Saturday of Inland Empire Sports Viewing. First the Seahawks played in the afternoon, beating the Redskins 35-14. Next Gonzaga played Georgia at the Spokane Arena, beating them 75-67. At seven o'clock the cross state rivals Washington State and University of Washington began their game. At this point it is too close to call. I'm relieved I can multitask while games are on or we may have gone hungry and this blog may not have been posted today!

Go Cougs... Kyle Weaver just scored... oh yeah... back to publishing the post!

later update: The Cougars just won 56-52. Three for three...not a bad day around the TV!

Sunday Scribblings: Breaking a New Path

The topic for Sunday Scribblings this week is New.

Today we awoke to even more snow. About noon we decided to take a walk through the deep drifts with the dogs. We attempted to drive up to Canyon Creek Campground off Highway 20. The road was plowed but the campground road wasn't. We let the dogs break a new path in the snow so we could move up the road to take some photos. Even though about a foot and a half of snow was on our path I think our dogs knew we were at Canyon Creek. They explored around the snow and bushes for familiar smells. As the snow was falling harder Annie headed up the path further letting her ears fly in the wind. Heading back to our rig on the new path we were able to pause and catch some photos of the campground.

This tree stood tall and stately in front of a small grove of other trees at the entrance of the campground. I will have to catch the same photo in the spring to see the changes with is particular tree. It was a fun hike, especially since our snow dogs made it a bit easier by breaking a new path.

For other Sunday Scribblings on New or New Year go here.

Photo Hunt: Delicious

What better way to greet the new year than with a combination of chocolate and peppermint? Delicious! ( to my dear friend CM ... thanks so much for the yummy drinking chocolate and to dear friend 2 JM... thanks for the festive red and white plate.). You can find other photo hunt posts on delicious here.

Why We Write

I love Julia Cameron's book The Sound of Paper- Starting from Scratch. It is a book filled with personal essays and exercises to help us when we struggle with our creative endeavors. I wrote first about this book here.

I just gave my sister Julia Cameron's memoir Floor Sample for Christmas. I found this poem inside the book before I wrapped it up. I think the poem articulates reasons I have heard from fellow writers about why they write. Whether that writing is in a personal journal, on an online blog, or in published works I think this poem speaks to all of us. Her other books have been recommended to me and are on my list of books to read. I hope to read her memoir when my sister finished it .

Why We Write
There are many things which resist naming,
And that is why we write.
We write because language is slippery,
And the truth is.
We write because
The light we have to see by
Is always shifting
Never forget that writers are prophets.
We speak in tongues.
We testify.
We are for each other a believing mirror.
Our words make us visible.
Our listening makes us heard.

Never forget that writers are soldiers.
Our writing is the long march,
The walk into time.
Each word is a drum.
We sound it across great distances,
Reaching one another and ourselves.
Every poem is a day's march.
A celebration more necessary than water or wine.
Every poem is a drink of blood.

Never forget that writing is an act of courage -
Not on the days when it is simple and we discount it.
Not on the days when it is hard and we write like sand.
Our words are torches.
We pass them hand to hand
And mouth to mouth
Like a burning kiss.

Never forget to say thank you.
Every syllable is a grace.
-Julie Cameron, an excerpt from her memoir Floor Sample.