Reminders of Grandma West and August

The two flowers that always remind me of my Grandma West's garden are dahlias and glads. I know August is just around the corner when I have these two flowers blooming in my garden. I always plant dahlias and glads because of those memories of Grandma's breathtaking flower garden in Orofino, Idaho. Last year the grasshoppers destroyed most of the dahlias, but we planted them in a new spot so I think they may be safer. Hopefully with the next round of blooms I will get a bouquet with both flowers. Other signs that August is just around the corner are the cucumbers just about the right size to begin making pickles, the freezer filling up with ziplock bags of raspberries, zucchini ready to harvest, and green beans twining up the poles.

Inspiration and Beauty on Puget Sound

"Education is to nourish your soul and transform your life."

Ruth Simmons, President of Brown University

My day of learning started with this quote. It was a perfect way to start a day exploring best ways to teach comprehension to students. In a room with about three hundred teachers I listened, talked, shared ideas,read, reflected, and was energized by Stephanie Harvey.

The other quote that stayed with me after I left today was:

" Every effort must be made in childhood to teach the young to use their own minds.For one thing is for sure:If they don't make up their own minds, someone will it for them. "

Eleanor RooseveltWe ended the day enjoying a walk at Saltwater State Park with a spectacular view of Puget Sound.

Lifelong Learning With Stephanie Harvey

If you are a teacher of reading you may have heard of Stephanie Harvey. Her first edition of "Strategies That Work" written with Ann Goudvis was a book teachers read and reread to try to unlock the mysteries of teaching reading comprehension to students. Now she has published a second edition that gives teachers more tools for teaching comprehension for understanding and engagement. I am sitting in a hotel room in Seattle and get to spend the next two days with Stephanie Harvey. As a teacher I have always been a lifelong learner and this workshop will be like a mini college course in teaching reading comprehension. I have my pen and notebook ready for "class". All of us have helped a reader. It may have been a student, a child, a friend, or a grandchild. When students can't understand what they are reading, we often don't know what to do next . I look forward to new learning the next two days that I can take back to enhance my own reading comprehension in the fall. Besides I get to spend quality time with four other teachers from my staff. That always makes a workshop even better!

Sibling Assignment #28: Thirteen

Thirteen years ago I said good-bye to this house.

This week’s sibling assignment came from Raymond Pert. We were to write about thirteen. You will find Silver Valley Girl's thirteen books to read about the Silver Valley here and RP's soon here.
This week I have been shuffling through pictures, calendars, and boxes of memories from my adult life. I came across my date book from thirteen years ago. As I looked over photos and checked on events I recalled the summer of 1994 was the summer of change. I left the Tri-Cities area of Washington state after teaching there fourteen years. During that summer I taught a course at U. of I. in Coeur d’Alene, I went to visit Z2 shortly after her birth, interviewed for a teaching job, packed up my stuff, sold my house, loaded up my dogs, and moved. I must have just been on autopilot. Just reading all those events today puts me into meltdown mode. I left behind good friends, good times, and a school I loved, but I wanted a change of scenery. I wanted to relocate closer to my hometown of Kellogg, Idaho, a smaller school district where I felt I could make a difference, and after a difficult divorce I also wanted to retreat to a quieter place. When I interviewed in Inchelium, Washington I had to find the town on the map. I didn’t realize you crossed a ferry across Lake Roosevelt to get there or that there is another set of Twin Lakes in Washington. I went from a school of a thousand middle school students to a K-12 school of 250. Since Inchelium is located on the Colville Indian Reservation I learned a high percentage of the students were Native American. Between the move, the new job, different cultural traditions, and isolation I certainly got a change of scenery. Now I love the small school setting and the family feeling at the school and the community. It was a smart move and I have never looked back with regret.

When I first relocated teacher housing was available close to the school. As I was leaving Kennewick my friends kept saying, “You’ll never make it. There are no latte stands, banks, or plant nurseries. Can you even get a fountain pop?” I did make it. Later I moved from the community up the lake about sixteen miles. You do learn to live without certain things and trips to town are very organized! It was a treat to get a latte, a bouquet of fresh flowers in winter, or dinner out in Colville. I was blessed with gorgeous scenery, no commute, and a football field for dog runs each night.

Thirteen years ago when I started another chapter in life I retreated to a much quieter existence. I learned to notice my surroundings, be thankful for quiet, clear nights with stars in the sky, and appreciate the companionship of my dogs (which now have both died). I cherished the times when I could visit faraway friends, browse a bookstore in Spokane or plan a family gathering. I put energy into reading, teaching, and learning. Yes, it was the right place at the right time for a retreat.

Reflecting on Five Inland Empire Bloggers

I was touched recently to be awarded the Blogger Refection Award from La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality. When I was thinking about beginning a blog hers was one of the first I read. Through beautiful pictures, scripture verses, quotes, and good writing she teaches all of us about gracious hospitality and how to take time to enjoy your surrounding, rest, and reflect. If you haven’t visited her blog take time to experience it. This award was started by a sixteen-year-old girl at Lothlorien, Realm of the Lady of Light! This is how she describes the award:
As for my award, it is called The Blogger Reflection Award. Why? The reason for the title is because this award should make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy... of knowing them and being blessed by them.

My five nominees are women who blog about things that matter here in the Inland Empire (one of which has been named honorary Inland Empire Girl). When I was in the early stages of my blogging each of these women encouraged me with thoughtful comments that gave me the confidence to continue each day. Each of their blogs have reflected encouragement, humor, and love plus set an example for me.

Silver Valley Girl: Yes, this is my sister at Silver Valley Stories. She has shared stories about her Christian faith, her love for the history in the Silver Valley where we grew up, and impacted others with her stories about events such as the Sunshine Mine Fire, saying good-bye to her former house torn down to make room for condos, and daily events in her family. She created the sibling writing assignment the three of us do once a week and still finds time to work, be a mom, perform in theater, and garden. She has also been an encouragement and source of love to me.

Mommy Dearest: After I met MD on Brodh2o through my brother’s blog I also began to read her insightful articles in the Spokesman-Review. This is a woman that does an incredible balancing act of covering crime for the paper during the day and being a mom and wife to a family that means the world to her. Her blog shares the simple joys of motherhood, great tips for quick housecleaning, videos of her many talents, and her views on topics of concern today. I was moved by her post about daycare centers in Idaho. I always know when I go to this blog I will laugh, cry, or leave with something to think about.

Katrina at Notes on a Napkin: Again, Katrina was a blogger I began reading even before I joined the blog world myself. This mom takes everyday events from family life and turns them into fascinating prose for all audiences. I have seen her son dance on YouTube, teared up when she paid tribute to her husband on their anniversary, and laughed at her posts on toilet paper, Spam,and conversations with her children. She has moved to fewer posts to balance her work and family, but the quality reins! I always leave her blog wanted to read more.

J’Belle at Notes from the ‘Kan EWA has her chows busy typing up posts that reflect on beautiful places around the world, her love for family and friends, gardening, and her North Idaho roots. Whether she is sharing personal views of a recent novel, displaying beautiful pictures of her roses, sharing recipes with a new dad, or taking us on a bike ride along the Hiawatha Trail she reveals a keen knowledge of the world and what is happening around us. I have been touched by her prayer to the nation, picture collections of her children on their birthdays, and her words about the garden she created in memory and hope. Those chows do amazing work!

My last is Marmite Toasty at Twaddle Everyday Rubbish. Marmite would say “this is the ramblings of everyday life in a madhouse”, but she gives us stories that make us laugh until we cry about toilets, her chicken Janet, and a gift from Starr. She reveals her “memories that are stacked on the shelves of her mind” which show a woman that is full of love, strength, and gentleness. She is a forgiving soul that has a house in England full of sons, laughter, animals, jugs of flowers, and smiles. Her Mother’s Day post impacted me that day and still does today.

Thanks to each of you for encouraging me. If you want to pass on this award return to Lorthlorien's site for what to do.

Sunday Scribblings: Wicked

The word for Sunday Scribblings this week is wicked. My favorite use of this word is the slang term in the British Isles for "excellent" or "great." My dogs are wicked watchers.

I can’t say Shelby and Annie are guard dogs, but they do love to watch. Sometimes we can’t even tell what they are watching. A perfect example of the wicked watchers happened yesterday. They sat at the gate and after about a minute of intense watching, we figured out two of our cats were below in the bushes. They wanted the cats to come and play. Last night Shelby was watching a tree. She stared so intently at the tree we figured a stray cat was up there. No, she was just watching a pretty little bird. That is all she did was watch and observe. It was wicked. Their favorite watching place is on our bed. The window above our bed has the best view of the gate. If JEJ is gone they will watch out the window for hours. They take the job seriously. They will rest their chins on the window sill and just stare. If he is arriving in a vehicle they usually hear that long before they observe him coming down the driveway. This is when I hear the wicked bark. It is an excellent bark that announced that someone is home. I have been told they do the same routine when I am gone.

When we travel they once again are wicked watchers. Shelby, being the herding dog she is, always notices animals. Of course it helps that JEJ says, “Shelby, look see. Cows, horses, sheep (fill in animal)”. Annie watches for the destination. She understands when we are close to a place that they will get out for a run. She is definitely a wicked watcher when we arrive at my mom’s house. How do they always know where we are? We may give it away when JEJ says, “ Look! Are we at Mary’s house?” I know voice inflection helps with the wicked watching.

There greatest feat as wicked watchers was keeping four eyes on their dog food. The food used to be in the patio. For awhile every morning they would run out and sniff around and we would discover food was missing. We figured it was a raccoon. One evening the dogs got excited and wanted out. We figured this was our time to check on the raccoon. We should have figured a bit more before we let them out. The food stealer this time was a skunk. The wicked watchdogs were stopped in their tracks. The wicked skunk did what skunks love to do. He left a wicked stench that stayed on the dogs' fur when came into the house.

I believe at that moment is when I, Inland Empire Girl used my wicked tongue. Then I mixed up a wicked brew of skunk odor remover.

If you want to see other wicked reponses go to Sunday Scribblings here.