Shelby and Scarlet: Separated at Birth

My blog friend at gracioushospitality posted a picture of her friend's dog Scarlet on March 19th under the title Desert Wishes. There are also pictures on March 20th under More Desert Beauty. Scarlet is a red heeler just like our Shelby. JEJ believes they have to be related. I will have to investigate where her friend's dog came from. Australian Cattle Dogs are herding dogs and make wonderful, loyal pets. Gracious had the same thoughts about Scarlet. Shelby's only jobs are herding her Springer buddy Annie and the cats. I think it keeps her pretty busy. Go check out Scarlet. Could they be separated at birth?

Give Me Some Time to Find More Time!

Gathering around the table recently a group of us were sipping coffee and discussing the ongoing dilemma of not having enough time in our lives to " get it all done". One friend shared a story a teacher had told a group of stressed grad students at finals time. " Each of us has the same twenty-four hours a day. It is just how we choose to use it." That is a tough pill to swallow when it is ten o'clock and you still have lessons to prepare, a bag to pack and a breakfast dish to make for a potluck before you go to bed.

When I get overwhelmed and feel like eight of those hours have been robbed from my day, I peruse time management books at a bookstore or online. Just reading titles like Organizing from the Inside Out and Leave the Office Early add extra minutes to my rushed schedule. Books with titles like this sitting on my shelf work wonders. Somehow by osmosis I hope the suggestions and ideas will just fall into my busy brain.

Recently I did take time to begin the book Find More Time by Laura Stack. Looking at the picture above, the cover screams relaxation and reclaiming your time. Laura has the book organized by Pillars that are all P words: plans, priorities, personality, pests, possessions, paper, post, and play (blogger note: post is not what I am doing now... it is the place you reside). Just pronouncing all those P words makes me feel more in control of my time. There are quizzes for each P. I am the queen of quizzes. Good information often, but not a lot of follow-thru! The section I have gleaned wise thoughts from is Pests, which are the time robbers in your life. I have moved through many time management phases. I read the "simplify your life" set, the "organization, system, declutter" set and now this book. Have I found more time? Overall, I think so.

JEJ and I have worked harder at prioritizing what is important to us. I carve out time for writing, gardening, and other hobbies I love. I don't spend as much time venting with co-workers at the end of the day. I am careful what extra tasks I commit to outside of my hours at school. We don't just get in the car and go out to breakfast now ( well.... sometimes still). We organize trips to town, make time for camping at quiet locations with our dogs, and are purposeful in the trips we take. We build in time for volunteer work, but watch less television and movies. Taking a walk through the gardens each day noticing what has grown and changed is a higher priority than complaining with a neighbor about a barking dog or wayward cat.

It is a journey, but I feel more surefooted than I did a few years ago. Days and months seem to move in cycles with events that often none of us can control. That is when we prioritize, rest, and recharge. Anna Quindlen is one of my favorite authors. Here is her quote that hangs above my computer.
"Look around at the azaleas making fuchsia star bursts in spring; look at a full moon hanging silver in a black sky on a cold night. And realize that life is glorious, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around." Enjoy your next twenty-four hours. Remember to rest and recharge!

Sisters of St. Michael's, Savory Soup Recipe, and Finding Time for Writing

A few weekends ago I attended a teacher conference sponsored by the Northwest Inland Writing Project. This spring conference is held annually at St. Michael's Academy in Spokane. This parish is high on a bluff overlooking northern Spokane. Each time I visit this place I am in awe of the serenity, views, and beautiful Tudor-Gothic architecture. Maintained by the priests and Sisters of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen, it is a perfect location for this conference. The Sisters, staff, and students do an outstanding job of providing a welcoming place for us to gather for two days with other teachers in a learning community focused on literacy education. This year it was chilly the second day before lunch. The kitchen staff made a savory soup that was a perfect menu option as we gathered in the dining room to eat and further discuss our sessions on literature and writing . Being the recipe collector I am, I had to ask the cooks about the soup. It had a distinctive taste and I couldn't put my finger on what the combination of flavors were. I did recognize the zucchini and knew that any tasty soup with zucchini as an ingredient would be perfect at the end of the gardening season when harvesters like myself are searching for one more use for that large summer squash. The cooks were very accommodating. Not only did they discuss the savory chowder, but went and got the recipe and gave me a copy. This recipe is a keeper in my collection.

Zucchini Garden Chowder

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 TB minced fresh parsley

1 tsp. dried basil

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 cups water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 can (14-1/2 oz. ) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

1 package (10 oz.) frozen corn

2 cups ( 8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

pinch sugar, optional

additional chopped parsley, optional

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium heat,saute the zucchini,onion, parsley, and basil in butter until the vegetables are tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually stir in water. Add the bouillon and lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes,milk and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Just before serving, stir in cheeses until melted. Add sugar and garnish with parsley if desired. Yield: 8-10 servings ( about 2-1/2 quarts).

( the beautiful classroom of my friend Sister M.)

I also presented a workshop at the conference. It was entitled:

Top Ten Reasons I Find Time for Writing in My Language Arts Class

These reasons may help you as a teacher, writer or artist. Here is a summary:

10. The more we do it, the better we get.
Fluency, fluency, fluency
Time, time, time
Authentic, authentic, authentic

9. It allows all of us to see writing as a recursive process.
Writer considers topic, audience, purpose, and form
Prewriting, drafting, responding and revising, editing, formatting/publishing
Writers are free to move in any direction back and forth throughout the process

8. It provides opportunities for having fun with words.
Word choice, word walls, words in literature
Warm-up activities
Creates motivation

7. I can use my favorite examples of well-written text.
Poetry, poetry, poetry
Things that make my students laugh
Quality writing about topics they care about

6. It provides a structured format to use the gradual release model.
I do it, we do it, you do it.
Structured formats
Collaborative writing

5. It helps my students view themselves as authors.
Writers’ notebooks, sharing their lives
Writing as gifts
Opportunities to share and publish


4. It helps my students see that reading writing connection.
Immersed in good models of text
Work with the structures of text
Read, read, read

3. Writing gives students opportunities to show their thinking.
Graphic organizers
Responding to reading
Writing for all contents

2. It will give my students a glimpse into my writing world.
Model my process and drafts- warts and all
Learn together to create a writing community
Gives me more opportunities to write

1. I want to find time for writing in my classroom because I am passionate about writing and writing instruction and I want my students to share that passion.

The Long Term Garden Plan: Amending Soil Part 1

Almost exactly eleven years ago I moved to the place I live now. I wanted to take the natural landscape and grow cut flowers, fruit trees, and perennials. The original owners had planted some trees and shrubs, but not much else.

I didn't know much about serious gardening at that point. Previously gardening was buying pony packs of annual plants at the nursery and putting them in pots, beds, and borders every year for color. They were beautiful, but it was expensive and short term. I knew I wanted a long term plan with the gardens at this new place. I took a class on landscaping and read, researched, and continued to refine the plan.

I ran into a huge glitch early on. My soil was not even really soil in my mind. It was sand. When you hear the term "sandy soil" you imagine a soil that is a bit gritty that water flows through easily. Mine was sand... pure and simple. The good news was I didn't have to get my soil analyzed. I knew what I was dealing with and just had to figure out how to amend it. I started to compost, but didn't have enough "green stuff" to make it work quickly. Lots of brown stuff, but since I was living alone there were not enough vegetable peelings and coffee grounds to work.

Through my research I found a combination of amendments that worked best for sandy soil. If you have a different kind of soil you can adjust this recipe easily. Obviously I didn't have to add sand to the mix. I started by amending small gardens and raised beds and each year the soil turned richer and healthier. Since that early start I (and now we) have also used lots of manure and continued with compost. We had chickens that provided rich, "hot" manure that had to rest before use. We also keep rabbits because they have a "cold" manure that can be added immediately. Flowers love rabbit pellets... but alas, another glitch. The dogs love rabbit pellets also.

Inland Empire Girl's Soil Mix Recipe

for Sandy Soil

1 1/2 bushels peat moss

1 bushel perlite or vermiculite

2 bushels compost

1 cup blood meal

1 cup green sand

1/2 cup lime

2 cups bone meal

Soak the peat moss. Add the other ingredients in a large wheelbarrow or tub. Add time release fertilizer. ( We like Osmocote... use according to package directions.)

Use as top dressing in garden beds or containers. We have read that deer don't like blood meal and it keeps them away. We have fencing, so I cannot say if that is true. I look forward to mixing up my first batch in a few weeks! I find the ingredients at my local feed store, but most gardening centers carry these products. This is not a quick fix and it is not cheap. Amending soil is a slow process, but I am glad eleven years ago I decided on a long term plan. It has been well worth the patience and time it has taken. This is the first in a series of posts on soil amending. Please pass on your tried and true methods for enriching your soil. I always love to learn from other gardeners.

Slices of Life:The Songs In My CD Holder While Traveling Through The Inland Empire

“The whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking, 'Is there a meaning to music?' My answer would be, 'Yes.' And 'Can you state in so many words what the meaning is?' My answer to that would be, 'No.'

Aaron Copland, US composer (1900-1990)

( the pictures are a landscape on Highway 395 by Chewelah, Lake Roosevelt by Kettle Falls, and Highway 395 by Loon Lake.)

Reflecting back on decades of song titles that have enriched my life, it is always a difficult task to pull out CDs to fill my holder when preparing for a trip. I agree with Copland that there is meaning to music. As we listen to a song, it takes us back instantly to another time, another place, a slice of life that is unforgettable. Can I state what the meaning is? Perhaps not. Does it matter? No. For me it is that strong feeling, whether past or present the music evokes. The feeling connects with slices of my life, creating a music tapestry. I always try to select an eclectic collection of CDs to match my many moods. Instead of the new question “What is on your I Pod playlist”, for me it is “What is in your CD holder for the trip?” That collection represents those slices of my life.

How many times have you heard a song and after playing it once, hit the number on the player so you could hear it over and over again while cruising down the highway? “Bennie and the Jets” is the quintessential selection. Traveling down a straight stretch of highway, this is the song that can re energize me. There was a spring in college that I had a roommate with an amazing collection of albums. We listened to Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, and Elton John. “Bennie and the Jets” was the song we all grabbed the perfume bottle microphones and belted out- especially the part Jetssssssssss, spreading out that “sss” sound. Other songs I hit the number repeatedly for are “Killing Me Softly” by Roberta Flack, “ Say a Little Prayer” by Dionne Warwick, “ Coming Around Again” by Carly Simon, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Michael McDonald, “Secret O’ Life” by James Taylor, “Constant Craving” by k.d. lang, and “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News.

Movie soundtracks are another group of CDs that often make it in the road trip collection. One example is Out of Africa. Watching Meryl Streep and Robert Redford fly over Kenya, grasping hands as they took in the beauty of the landscape, the theater was filled with the rich music of John Barry’s soundtrack. No words were said. The music carried the scene. On a road trip I often want those hauntingly beautiful melodies and few words. Out of Africa fits the bill. Another is A River Runs Through It. As “Haunted by Waters- A River Runs Through It” brings that CD to a close Mark Isham’s melodies have taken you to rivers, small town churches, and family… other slices of life. Other favorite soundtracks for the road are When Harry Met Sally, On Golden Pond, and Philadelphia. Each has a unique collection of songs matching moods of this driver.

The one artist that is always in my CD holder is Carole King. She is the artist with a song for every mood and every road. “ Jazzman”, “It’s Too Late”, and “Sweet Seasons” help me travel to a simpler time. “You’ve Got a Friend” illustrates how great words and music can be passed on to another artist like James Taylor to create another winning hit. Whether it is her original Tapestry, her newest Living Room Tour, or her Greatest Hits, Carole’s music has been a slice of my life since I was introduced to the first songs on Tapestry. That hippie, guitar, folk-like music seemed to reach out to me in a unique way.

Could I go on? Yes. Numerous songs have strong feeling attached to them. I haven’t even touched standards, classical music, the Beatles, Christmas music, gospel, or jazz. I get overwhelmed just thinking about getting an I Pod and trying to pick tunes for my playlist! For right now I’ll continue to be traditionalist and stick to my visor holder and the CDs of my life. While writing this post I just turned on the music channel and heard three more songs I could add- “ Betcha By Golly Wow”, “Hey Jude”, and “I Shot the Sheriff. "
.... Gotta go. The Carpenters are singing “Close to You” and I need to find a perfume bottle microphone and do a little singing to my dogs Annie and Shelby.

Sibling Assignment #15: A Book From Childhood I Remember

Reading books was a favorite pastime in childhood. It encompassed hours of my time. One book that always sticks in my mind is The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. At school our teacher always handed out Arrow Book order fliers once a month. I waited in anticipation to view the new, exciting books in that monthly order. We didn't have a bookstore in Kellogg, so this was one way of getting new paperback books. I filled out the little order checklist at the back of the flier and returned it to the teacher with counted out money at the end of the month. I waited and waited for the books to arrive. In fifth grade I received the book The Velvet Room in an order from Arrow. That book has stayed with me ever since. Robin, the main character was a middle child in a family that moved around to work farms in California during the Depression. They were migrant workers that picked apricots At that time I didn’t understand what that meant. I don’t think I really understood the Depression either. It didn’t matter. What I did understand was the main character Robin and the Velvet Room. When she was done working with her family each day she explored around an old mansion close to where her family was staying. She discovered a library full of books. This room was also equipped with a window seat and velvet curtains. It was a place any girl that was in fifth grade in 1965 would like to find. I loved the words mansion, velvet, and window seat. It was a safe place. It was full of books. It was an escape from daily life. Robin was away from her siblings and the struggles of her family. When I read one review of this book another reader quoted,” This book calmed me. It provided a place I could go in my mind while reading the book.” An unforgettable book does this. It transports you to another place, another time. The Velvet Room transported me. I tried to locate the book this last week. No luck at my mother’s house. I ordered it tonight and will wait in anticiapation again for that book to come in the mail. I hope to be transported once again to The Velvet Room. Will it calm me and make me feel safe again? I hope so!