Post #700 : Bright Blooms, Bargain Books, and Blue Cookies at the Bakery

The flowers blooming in front of the courthouse.

My first blog post was entitled "Four Seasons in the Inland Empire" and I explained many of the joys of living in this part of the northwest. Today for #700 I experienced inland empire joy again in Colville, Washington. It is the largest of the towns in our area. It has many historic buildings and two of my favorites are the Stevens County Courthouse and the Colville Public Library. The courthouse from spring through fall has eye catching displays of blooming flowers. Today it was giant mum-like marigolds that were brightening up the whole area in front.
Across the street is the Colville Public Library. Today was my first time attending one of the book sales held the basement of the library. I learned that it is important to come early and bring your own canvas bags. There was a line weaving up the stairs when I arrived and it had been that way since they opened an hour before. Only so many people enter at a time because of the size of the room. It was worth the wait. The sale had an amazing selection and all paperbacks were 50 cents and hardbacks a dollar. I found books for JEJ, myself, my students, and some poetry books to add to my growing collection. The Friends of the Library have this sale about four times a year and take donations of books all year. It is a great way to recycle books and support the library.
I finally took time also to visit our newest bakery today. JEJ had to find some tool part at the hardware store and the bakery was across the street. That was an easy decision to make. Heather's Fairy Tale Bakery is also located in Colville and I walked in to an appetizing display of cakes, cookies, bars, European pastries, and breads. Locally roasted coffee and free wireless are also available. We will definitely return to this spot another day. They always have free samples of many of their wonderful pastries and bread. I just love the door they chose for the entrance. Silver Valley Girl... they did have baklava also! I came home with fresh baked oatmeal bread, almond biscotti, and a wonderful French plum tart slice.I look forward to having another pile of books to read. Mary Clearman Blew is an Inland Empire author and instructor at the University of Idaho and I have always wanted to read these two memoirs.

Visiting these places today made a Saturday errand trip to town even more enjoyable. If you are from the area or visiting soon, stop in at Heather's Fairy Tale Bakery. Just seeing the cookies for the two political parties frosted in red and blue with the names of the candidates piped in white frosting is worth the trip. The worker said the red Republican cookies are selling the most, but the woman in front of me decided it was only because people don't want cookies with blue frosting!! I settled for the yummy plum tart.

Photo Hunt: Wild

A plant showing it's wild side in the woods by Trout Lake in northeastern Washington last fall. For other photo hunts go here.

The Need of Being Versed in Country Things

The Need of Being Versed in Country Things

The house had gone to bring again
To the midnight sky a sunset glow.
Now the chimney was all of the house that stood,
Like a pistil after the petals go.
The barn opposed across the way,
That would have joined the house in flame
Had it been the will of the wind, was left
To bear forsaken the place's name.
No more it opened with all one end
For teams that came by the stony road
To drum on the floor with scurrying hoofs
And brush the mow with the summer load.
The birds that came to it through the air
At broken windows flew out and in,
Their murmur more like the sigh we sigh
From too much dwelling on what has been.
Yet for them the lilac renewed its leaf,
And the aged elm, though touched with fire;
And the dry pump flung up an awkward arm;
And the fence post carried a strand of wire.
For them there was really nothing sad.
But though they rejoiced in the nest they kept,
One had to be versed in country things
Not to believe the phoebes wept.

Robert Frost

Lessons Learned from My Students

My eighth grade students have been working since school started on how to present speeches. We studied diction, using expression, projection, and how to avoid"fillers". Students could speak on any topic, but many chose to teach us something. As always, I am constantly learning from my students. This week I was taught not only how to use an X Box, but how to play Madden Football. I have to admit after watching that speech I can understand how kids like this video game. Everyone really got into cheering for their favorite teams.
It was also a week for learning dances. Two students decided we needed to be exposed to the chicken dance. They explained that it was a really old dance from back in the teacher's day. ( minus 20 points... lol)They felt it was important for everyone to learn it. The picture really caught the tempo of the two girls' moves as they twirled around.I had watched the native Owl Dance and Jingle Dance, but had never really learned the steps. AM demonstrated how to do the Owl Dance with a partner volunteer. It is tradition that girls ask boys to join them in this dance. She also showed all of us the fancy steps involved in the Jingle Dance. Her white moccasins seemed to make her lighter on her feet. I think a few of us needed moccasins!! We also were introduced to the newer version of PowerPoint today. I can't wait until tomorrow when I will learn how to work the Wii Rock Band Drum Set, how to do yoga, make mac and cheese, and play with a hacky sack.
Later at break another group of boys showed me the art and science of kicking a football. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

What Remains

As summer winds down and the weather cools at night our gardens have come back to life. I love to observe what remains from the summer flowers as the fall ones begin their show. The blue morning glory is still a beacon each morning.This lovely Love rose remains.
As do these vivid petunias.
The red begonias have never looked better.
The trumpet vine blossoms keep going and going despite the heat wave and dry conditions.
We always hope the red geraniums will never stop blooming

and what is late summer without nasturtiums?

A Jar of Buttons

photo by thebrendablog.typepad.com

A Jar of Buttons

This is a core sample
from the floor of the Sea of Mending,

a cylinder packed with shells
that over many years

sank through fathoms of shirts -
pearl buttons, blue buttons -

and settled together
beneath waves of perseverance,

an ocean upon which
generations of women set forth,

under the sails of gingham curtains,
and, seated side by side

on decks sometimes salted by tears,
made small but important repairs.

-Ted Kooser from his Pulizer Prize winning poetry collection Delights and Shadows
Do you have that jar of buttons with many stories to tell?