May it always be summer

This summer is already one of the best. Sunshine. Rest. Accomplishments. Company. Friends. Books. Good food. Coffee. Cats. Fresh fruit. Light breezes. Laughter. Music. Mmmmmm.

I'm posting a couple of pictures. Mom visiting. Warren and Vince working on a new deck lower on the property, closer to the water, but not too close. Flowers.

This summer really has been terrific. Each day has been packed full with a rich variety of things. Like a garden run amok. That's me. Laughing my way through the days and totally surprised by deep joy.

I decided that if I want a long-lasting break I need to create it. It turns out not to be that hard. Just enjoy each day fully. Take time to take in everything except worry and fear. That means driving to Coupeville on the back roads at 20-30mph instead of 50. Smelling the countryside and looking at it. It means stopping at the beach, removing shoes and jumping in . Running on the beach, looking at rocks, rubbing the salt and sand off with a sock. Laughs and smiles and joy.

I've been able to visit several friends. Traci York and I went to the nursery and bought flowers. Is there anything more wonderful? Warren and I split our irises so we can replant and share the bounty as well. We have a new deck and we can hear the water from there. I love to prune and weed when there is time, so I'm in hog heaven weeding and pruning the back garden.

Summer is great!!!! And the cherries will be ripe in another day or two. First strawberries and now cherries. We even have some tiny wild blackberries. As I said, summer is great.

Summer: Golden Days

Summer. Not every summer is easy and refreshing, but this one has started out perfectly. A nice mix of catching up with errands and jobs and time to unwind. A balance of visitors, those to be visited and time alone.

Lots of sleep the first couple of days and a trip to the local bookstore to prepare for summer reading. Then mom came to visit. It was the kind of visit that golden memories stem from. We laughed almost non-stop. Time to enjoy the eagles and there were many!!! Time for gardens, books, shade and sun. Time for me to learn to play pinochle...the basics anyway and time for a drive to Bellingham on Chuckanut Drive. The views were spectacular. The lunch was yummy. The toy store entertaining and the nursery inspiring. WE HAD FUN.

And now, daily chores and a run on the beach. Visiting local friends and talking with my cat. Hooray. Time to be happy, to let worries and stress disappear. Summer is great.

Me9(g)

June

It's nearing the end of June. My middle school classroom is packed and ready to be moved. The portable is emptied of all traces of life...kids, teachers and their stories. It's ready to receive me and my version of a school year.

Once the portable is cleaned and the multitude of boxes moved, I'll settle in and make it mine. Like moving into a new house. What posters will I hang? How will the furniture be arranged? Where will the kids' work be hung?

School fills my mind even if it is summer. That's the life of a teacher!

For awhile this morning there was room for other thoughts as well. Eagles! One, two, three? No more! Five, six, seven, eight? More! Nine, ten, eleven, twelve? Keep going! We made it to eighteen. They were diving for fish, scanning the sea from the sky, drifting in the thermals, and playing tag. Mom is visiting so we gasped and pointed, oohed and ahhd together. Now a bit of rain has arrived, so its tea and talk. Isn't vacation great???!!!

More talk later! Love ya'll. Me(g)

OMG Here we go again!

I am the queen of job changers! Every few years I get a new challenge. Up until now I've initiated the process, but this time it's the economy and budgets starting it all up. No, I haven't lost my job. But I am being moved back to elementary!

It was a bit of a shock and surprise and some tears were shed with my team at North Whidbey, but they need some middle school staff to move to elementary. Our district isn't firing staff this year, but they do need to reduce staff size by 22 over the next year or two. That means any openings that come up have to be filled by current staff. I'm filling a 3/4 job at Crescent Harbor.

Fortunately I learned of the possibility a day before they told me, so I had time to think about it. The Math teacher I work most closely with was told on Thursday of the change and why. We were pretty sure I'd be next. I didn't want to move, but oh well.

I've decided to just dive in and love it and I'm finding it easy to be excited.

I love those little kiddos and my mind is exploding with ideas. I love the creating part of this job.

I stopped by to tell my friends at CHE that I'd be there next year and I received an amazingly joyful reception. I know more people than I realized and it was non-stop hugs for quite awhile.

I'll be in a portable that has a really nice feeling to it and windows from which you can see the Olympic Mountains when they are out!!!

Anyway, I'm moving again and starting over again. And its OK, I love change and I'll have new little kid stories to share!!!

Love you all, Me(g)

Kids

Not only do I have a big family, but I'm a teacher so I have lots of kids at work too. We just finished a big field trip. All of my advanced students (25) spent most of a day on the job with a mentor from our community. We were spread out throughout the town. Support for the project was rich, everyone had a mentor and parents volunteered to drive, so we didn't need a bus. Once in a while something goes very right at school and this was one of those events. The kids each had an "amazing" time and came back with excitement and facts and impressions that will last a long time. At the moment they are preparing power point presentations to share with the class and perhaps other classes as well. Then their presentations will edited into a presentation next fall for the community group that funded the outing. Fun!!! I'm including a few photos so you can share our day. We went to beauty parlors, veterinarians, glass blowers, jewelry makers, daycare providers, theaters, film-makers, photographers, oceanographers, policemen, interior decorators and more. A great day!

Thank-you

As an Auntie I get to love lots of special nieces and nephews. I'm lucky to have lots and lots of them and each is very precious to me. Our family is big and as quirky as can be, but we are rich in love nonetheless.

These are two thank-yous I received from my two great-nieces, Zoe and Madison. What a lucky Auntie I am. I love you all!!

Great-Auntie Ina

Early Spring

I've taken a few photos and thought about entries to the blog, but somehow I never make it online. I'll try to post a bit today. First of all, I'll share a few spring photos. It's so beautiful here. These were the first spring buds and flowers. Now we have lilacs and rhodies. MMM I love spring!