A Joy in Winter : Arrival of Seed Catalogues

I am a person that loves winter. As I have said before I love this season as a resting, thinking, and planning time. I love thinking of our garden soil taking in the nutrients of the leaves we placed on top in the fall. I love thinking of the melting snow watering our trees. As JEJ was heading out to shovel one more time this week he looked on the positive side. " At least this will help our water situation in the summer." If winter brings snow, that only helps our gardens flourish in spring, summer, and fall.

I love that time in January when the seed catalogues arrive. Even though we know it will be three months before planting begins catalogues and stack of gardening books help with the early planning. We can have conversations about how we are going to change the garden to conserve water. We can draw out a plot of what a new cutting garden might look like. We can decide if the big trees that loom in the driveway may need to come down.

I love gardening because it is about planning changes, but also about sustaining what has worked. It is about enjoying zucchini in the winter and waiting eagerly for spinach in the spring. As I look out at the piles of snow enriching my gardens I thumb through these catalogues with eagerness. Let the planning begin.

Celebrating My Birthday The Whole Day!

I don't mind getting a year older when I can have such a birthday full of blessings and surprises all day! I was greeted with "Happy Birthday" and students decorated the white board in the class. One student asked,"When are you over the hill?" I quickly responded," I think now you just begin over the hill at seventy." I don't know if I convinced him.
I wondered what AH was searching for on the internet when he was hiding the screen from me. I am glad I trusted this student. It didn't ruin this surprise he created on the painting program.
Next from the same computer I was hearing the Beatles sing a lovely rendition of Happy Birthday straight off YouTube. The class joined in on a second chorus. I loved that they chose The Beatles!! This lovely indoor lavender plant from JEJ was waiting when I arrived home. It was just one of many more surprises today.
Our friend GH treated JEJ and I to dinner at a yummy Mexican restaurant to end a wonderful birthday. The messages, phone calls, wishes and surprises made this a day I won't forget very soon. Thanks family, friends, and students. P.S. Thursday the prompt for Sunday Scribblings was "date". This post is about a perfect date! To read other Sunday Scribblings here.

Trees on Tuesday

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!