The Color of Sunday

is wet!

Local Weather Alert

River Flood Warning for Oxford County, ME

From 7:15 PM EDT, Sun., Oct 02, 2011 until 3:21 AM EDT, Mon., Oct 03, 2011

I have my class tomorrow after school and I'm looking forward to it! It's cool because the new things I learn each week sustain me for the whole week. I so enjoy putting my new knowledge into practice and by the time the weekend comes to an end, I'm ready for the next class and actually feel excited for it. I'm learning a little at a time and I'm not too overwhelmed, which is perfect for me. It's cyclical and wonderful. I wonder if next year, I'll take another class? I wonder if I am heading to +30 on the salary scale? I shudder to think that far ahead, but that could be an interesting opportunity. We'll have to see.

The Color of Sunday

...back by popular demand...is sunny. Imagine what sunshine does to the green grass and leaves on the edge of turning on an eighty degree day - in late September, and that's been our day. Gorgeous. We put the garden to bed morning with a scattering of winter rye. And for the first time since we got a tree taken down, we were able to see exactly how much sun our garden will get. Prior to removing the pine tree, our garden would be in shade until ten o'clock. Now we're thinking we'll get it from eight o'clock on...And that could be a conservative prediction. Yay us!

Hello

I'm back!

As it's September, we're all back to school. Which brings to me to some big news...I am working in a different capacity as an interventionist. Actually I'm doing a few things. First and foremost, I'm teaching/training as a reading recovery teacher. I also provide: small group instruction using Literacy Lessons for the Individuals (LLI), and targeted skill instruction in math for grades two and four. Quite a change from being a first grade teacher for twelve years. I won't lie...I respond to change in lots of funky ways, yet I'm fulfilled and feeling HAPPY.

Summer was divine. June and July were quite warm and dry. And as it sometimes works out, August was wet and mild. I got my normal shorts tan as I tended our garden and the abundance of tomatoes and cucumbers made learning how to can necessary and fun. Now we have jars of salsa, dill pickles, spaghetti sauce, bread and butter pickles, winter vegetables, and dilly beans on our pantry shelves. Last weekend we actually pulled most of the garden up, but we still have carrots, peppers and a few cherry tomatoes in the ground. With a frost warning in the forecast, we covered things up last night.

No promises, but I suspect I'll be back. This felt right.

Today was a nice end to a wonderful, hectic week. Although it was a short one due to a snow day (#5 ) on Monday, it was busy. The trimester is coming to an end, so I was up to my ears in DRAs (Developmental Reading Assessment) and other assessments. But amid all the work and grades, we had Jennifer Richard Jacobson spend Thursday and Friday with us. As she talked about "quality details" the students were enthralled...Actually starstruck. It was powerful watching them listen to her presentation as she told stories from her childhood and how they serve as ideas and themes in her books. Jennifer was complimentary of our school and sadly, it caught some of us (teachers) off guard. This time of year is hard...It's approaching "mud season" and the snow is melting...which triggers a host of worries because we're on a hill and leaking is an annual problem. Water used to seep into our library every year without fail, until the drainage was re-dug but sadly, it's leaking again upstairs and the conference room downstairs has moisture rolling down the wall. Irregardless, we were blessed to have such a sweet visitor who refocused my attention on the dryer things.

Snow Day #4

and it's the last day of February...

In celebration...I'm feeling the need for a list.

My top ten favorite things about February:

1. Snow days...No surprise there!

2. February vacation...Very restful! Especially with an extra day tacked on...because of our snow day!

3. The shortest month of the year...Twenty-eight days this year.

4. Anticipating day light savings...March 13th can't come soon enough.

5. Conversation Hearts...I'd eat them year around, and although my teeth would't appreciate it, my tummy would love it.

6. Avoiding the scale for the time being. Something about my last birthday (and maybe those conversation hearts) have expanded my rump. I'm just buying bigger pants and accepting it.

7. Reading smut...nothing troublesome, but interesting enough to escape and embrace my inner fan girl.

8. Making tracks in the back yard on my cross country skis. I've even managed to ski around the block a few times during our recent snow storms. Only a couple kids gawked at me.

9. Watching the snow fall from my window. I wonder how many storms are waiting in the wings?

10. Trying this yummy recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

I Love Snow Storms...

and we're right in the middle of one. We haven't had a storm since February 8th so it was time...That's the way I look at it anyway.

While some people drove into work this morning and anticipate a yucky commute home, I'm lucky, as a teacher, I don't often experience that anxiety.

I'm at the end of February vacation...so I don't even have to make this day up. Big time bonus.The snowflakes fall at a good clip and the temperature hovers around thirty degrees, as I type away.

I think I'll go cross country skiing and when I get back, make some pasta with homemade sauce.