Camera Critters: Cats Taking it Easy

You can find our cats just about anywhere as the weather gets warmer. They love to explore or find a cool place to take a nap. This is just four of them today. To find other camera critters go here.

Father's Day Pie Social and a Keeper from the Recipe Box

"The righteous man walks in his integrity;

his children are blessed after him." -Proverbs 20:7

Today our church had a pie social in honor of the fathers. My contribution was a strawberry-rhubarb pie. I found a bag of strawberries from last season hiding in the freezer and picked some fresh rhubarb from the garden this morning. The recipe is from my grandmother's original Betty Crocker Cookbook.
If you want to try it, you can read it here right off the page here.

Sibling Assignment # 66: Water: Cold and Clean

Silver Valley Girl gave the sibling assignment this week. You will find her's here and RP's here soon. Write about a Silver Valley memory where the central focus deals with one of the four Greek classical elements: fire, earth, air or water.

I grew up surrounded by water. Some was clean, some was polluted. The south fork of the Coeur d'Alene River ran through Kellogg and during my growing up years was called Lead Creek. Wallace even had a town celebration around the Lead Creek Derby. The grayish brown river was filled with pollution from the mines up and down the Silver Valley. Sometimes it had a bad smell. The clean water was close by. I have always been attracted to creeks, rivers, and waterfalls. I could walk to a clean creek that ran through the high school called Jacob's Creek. There was Elk Creek, Big Creek, and Pine Creek all close by that ran cold, clear water. We used to love to see fresh water cascading out of springs as we drove through Fourth of July Pass. Heading toward Enaville was the north fork of the Coeur d' Alene River. As it flowed toward the south fork its water came from mountain streams and spring runoff. It too was always cold and clean. I was always curious about being close to the place where the two forks merged. Later down the river it didn't look as polluted. The color changed, the smell left. When did it clear up?
It flowed along the chain lakes on its way to Coeur d' Alene Lake. I guess because I was so close to other sources of cold, clean water the river through Kellogg was just the way it was. Now that it has been cleaned up I don't think about walking the shores or floating down the river through town. I guess I still think of it as Lead Creek, plus there is cold and clean water so very close.

Water was a contradiction growing up. We were so close to pollution, yet so close to beautiful creeks, waterfalls, and rivers. We also had great tasting water in our town. Grandma said Mom's coffee was always the best because of the water in Kellogg.

I think cold and clean water is something we took for granted in north Idaho. I now see how scarce water can become and appreciate our water sources here in northeastern Washington and back in Idaho.

Photo Hunt: Emotion

Blissful

For other photo hunters using emotion, go here.

My Top Ten List for the Last Day of School

Top Ten Things I'll Miss Now That the School Year Has Ended
10. This view of Lake Roosevelt and Barnaby Island along my commute each morning.
9. Waving to the same commuters every morning as I head south and they head to jobs in Kettle Falls and Colville.
8. The first lines of "School's Out for Summer" sung by a seventh grader.

7. My morning snack of a banana and whole almonds at 9:45.

6. Morning highlights of the teams, plays, and favorite player antics from the night before told from the point of view of a middle school sports fan.

5. Hearing passionate conversations at the copy machine about the couples on Dancing With the Stars, contestants losing on American Idol, and the newest recipe challenge on Top Chef. Why do I need to watch any of these shows?

4. The view of the football end zone from my classroom window.

3. Hornet Tacos for lunch ( our school's own version of Indian tacos).

2. Goofy poses students will create to get their pictures taken.

1. The number one thing I will miss now that the school year has ended? (drum roll)

The laughter, creative energy, and intelligence of my eighth grade class as they move on to high school.

Last Notes to Self , Community BBQ, and First Annual Court Dance

This morning I wrote my last school list of "things to do" as I kept some java close by after a late, late night scoring exams and doing grades. Today the Community BBQ was held during lunchtime at school. Everyone in the community is invited to share a potluck with the students and staff at our school. A huge crowd enjoyed hamburgers, lots a great salads, and sunshine.
Later we held our first annual middle school basketball court dance. Here is a group of girls trying out some new dance moves. CG and I orchestrated some excitement at the end of the day as we wheeled out a huge garbage can full of water balloons. Is there nothing more fun than having middle school students line up and have a water balloon battle? The only thing more fun is having teachers with their own stash of water balloons that caught the students off guard!

Sitting and gazing at the beautiful sky tonight was a peaceful end to a hectic day. One last morning and the school year will come to a close.