Best Dog Photos of Jack

When I was home in Kellogg over winter break I loved watching Jack, the very beautiful dog next door. Jack craved attention and would jump up on the fence to say hello. I think my dogs wanted to meet Jack, but the fence was always between them. Jack is said to be a mix of dalmatian and greyhound.

Whatever he is, he sure loves to pose for pictures. Jack was "visiting" next door and she couldn't keep him any more. I just hope Jack has found a good home.

He seems like a better-than-average dog. He is one I would like to accidentally put in our car as we left one time!  I think Annie and Shelby woul like that too. ( Don't tell JEJ of our plan!)

The Best Time to Just Wait

As I was driving home in the pouring rain this evening I saw the lights of a police vehicle up ahead. It looked like the rig was right in the middle of the road. As I got closer I could see why it was. He was using his vehicle to block the lane from a huge fallen pine tree that had completely covered the county road. I knew my choices were pretty limited as far as getting home soon when he came to fill me in on the situation.  He said they were just starting to use a chainsaw to remove the tree. It could be fifteen minutes or up to an hour. He said I could wait or head back to Inchelium and drive around.I was about a mile and a half from home. If I decided to "drive around" that would be fifteen miles back to Inchelium, time to wait for the ferry, a trip across the lake, then a drive all the way up the other side of the lake (thirty miles), then the drive from Singer's Junction to home. I am guessing that drive would have been more than an hour.

As the rain poured down I also figured out I could go up some other back roads and get home, but I decided to wait. I had work I could do in the car. How long could it take to cut up a tree? It was the best decision I made today. I was home within fifteen minutes.

The rain had weakened the hillside and the tree was uprooted causing it to fall down. I don't know all the details, but it appeared that all the cars on both sides of the tree were safe as we drove gingerly over the road covered with branches and pine needles. Through the fog and rain I could see large pieces of the tree trunk along the side of the road.

The rain also created a new mini- lake outside by my classroom door today. It doesn't matter the age of children when it comes to puddles large or small. Many middle school students came in with soaked shoes and pants dripping wet, but all they could talk about was how fun it was to splash and play in the water.

When the rain continued to fall yesterday at home, the icy, frozen ground kept it from seeping into the ground. A new "creek" flowed down our rock path as about two inches of rain accumulated.  The "creek" stopped when it flowed under the door and into our sunroom. This was probably not the best way to clean the carpet. JEJ is honing his dam building skills as he figures out another route for the "creek"  knowing more rain in coming in the next few days. Last year we had two feet of snow at this same time. I sure hope we don't get two feet of rain!

The Best Flower In Winter: Amaryllis ( Part 2)

In my earlier post I wrote of the beautiful amaryllis plant. We have been blessed now with the blooms of the red one. Enjoy these pictures as I now have two in bloom at the same time! They certainly are the best winter flowers.

Best Poem About a Snowy Day

Gazing at this lovely scene in the front of my house on New Year's Day would inspire most anybody to want to write. The poem below is one I  love to use with students as a model when I am encouraging them to describe a certain type of day..... such as a snowy day.


Awakening to Snow
Blades of light slide under my eyelids
and prise them open to discover
softness.
This is whisper day, muffled in deep down
of eiderdown snow, day of
those other echoes and shadows on frosted window-panes
that pass by furtively, wondering.
Today is hushed blue day of nothing, of
empty footprints where feet were,
of absence.
Today adrift from all the gongs of time,
suspended on the feather of your
silent white breath
-Sylvia Kantaris

 

photos taken 1/1/10

Best Birthday For This Year!

How can you ever pick a best birthday? Each year something special occurs to make that birthday a special one. Yesterday mine was awesome. I got to start the day with my teacher group at GU and had Foster broaden my thinking once again about what I do each day in the classroom. 

An early Chinese dinner in Kellogg was enjoyed by all as we laughed and conversed and experienced a variety of traditional dishes. At 7:00 we attended the play " I Do I Do" at the 6th St. Theater in Wallace. Silver Valley Girl and her husband were the two actors that carried the whole play with grace, ease, humor, beautiful singing, and tears. ( more on the play on another post)

The evening wrapped up with blowing out of candles, singing, opening of presents, and a nightcap and conversation with my Mom late into the night. I am just glad Mom and I were able to stay up so late. Thanks to all of you that birthday wishes. You made my day very special.

Best Number: 55

I was born in 1955 and turn age 55 today. I look forward to a day filled with a road trip with JEJ, coffee at Starbucks, meeting with fellow teachers at GU, afternoon spent with Mom in Kellogg, and Chinese food with JEJ,Mom,my nieces,my sister, her husband, and a family friend. The day will be topped off with a visit to the 6th St.Theater is Wallace to watch SVG and her husband perform in " I Do, I Do".