the time's they are a changing

The season of spring has sprung here in the California valley. Her whispered promises, barely louder than a dream's breath during the cold grip of winter, are gaining strength as witnessed by the lengthening tendrils of daylight each day. The longer minutes of daylight trigger transformations in nature for both flora and fauna. These changes are what we look forward to each spring. Here, I share a few of my favorite spring happenings.

• Birds are returning, their songs marking a rekindling of courtships and setting up house. Nesting "stash" is disappearing from the bundle I have hanging in a tree. Somewhere there are embellished nests lined with assorted strands of fine wool and alpaca as well as natural cotton batting.
• White and pink clouds seem to surround trees and bushes as the blossoms explode in pollination competition. Planted by the city in long linear lines, they brighten up streets like a flowered runway for cars.
• The sight of buds foreshadowing new growth are expanding, swelling, popping open with tender, shiny new leaves. The oak, having bravely held onto its long-spent leaves of last year, will soon begin shedding them, turning the tree from brown to green. The ground, cleaned of fallen leaves months before, will again be blanketed with the crisp brown leaves.
• Windows are being washed of the dust, grime, and gloom of winter, allowing the warm rays of sun to come inside. On especially nice days, windows are opened to blow out the staleness of winter, replacing the fragrances of winter with sweetness of lemon and jasmine blossoms.
• Taking our meals outside. Morning coffee, a light cloud of steam rising above the rim of the cup as the still-cool air meets the heated liquid, with a breakfast of toast and fresh strawberries. The back warmed by the first rays of the sun. Evening conversation with dinner. Fresh salad greens from the garden dotted with beets, jicama slivers, kidney beans, oranges slices, crumbled aged cheese, and balsamic vinegar are good partners with something on the barbecue.
• The smell of rosemary in the fur of the cat after he's been on "guerrilla maneuvers", hiding and blending into the environment watching the birds, causes me to give him an extra hug.
  
• The slightly musty smell of the soil being turned for planting, as well as the sighting of worms, points to a promising growing season.
• Flannel sheets, wonderful on the dark, colder nights, holding in heat, wrapping one in a soft cocoon, are tucked away in the back of the closet. Preferring a lighter touch in the warm months, cotton sheets, which provide a cool smooth surface, are given front-of-the-closet status. I like to stretch out on these cotton sheets, experiencing the contrast of the crisp chill against my warm hand or leg.
• Priority status for clothes are also visited. Wool and alpaca sweaters are replaced with light cotton t-shirts and three-quarter-sleeved shirts, long pants with capris, shoes with sandals.
• The last trimester of school has begun. I like to spend a little time reflecting on the changes of the students over the last seven months. There is marked growth--they are taller, wiser, more confident--which we celebrate in the classroom.

things i delight in

More times than not (it seems), this blog ebbs and flows with snippets, bits, and pieces of me. Don't think for a moment, dear friends, that this negates your duty-sworn promise to keep in touch through writing letters (the old fashion way), phoning, email, or a lunch date.

I enjoy the challenge of writing and photography this blog gives me. Having said that, here are ten things I delight in. They are in no particular order of preference, and by no means are they the only things I delight in (as a reminder, re-read the first sentence of this entry).

• the gliding sensation and effect of graphite as it gives itself to paper; the constant gauge of a mechanical pencil

• the lingering aroma of pine and dirt while walking through a forest

• brushing up against herb plants to release their earthy fragrance

• the influence and silent communication of my husband's gentle touch

• getting lost in the magic of a book's words

• the sweetness, acidity, and warmth of that first freshly brewed cup of coffee in the morning

• the rush of cold water from a creek rippling over bare feet after a long hike

• the scent of horses, the hint of hay on their breath, the trace of leather lingering in the air

• ebbs and flows :: a stillness in the air with the first callings of birds preparing for the day just as the sun begins its promising ascent; surrendering to the subdued colors and peacefulness of the evening as dusk and darkness approaches

• foods :: fresh; rich, intense flavors mixed with subtle, multiple layerings
  

r & r time

Take away those chores and necessities that need to be done each day, each week. Take away the dishes, the essential cooking, the laundry, the sweeping. Remove the dusting (who am I kidding...this chore is never completely done), the grocery shopping. What's left is the sweetness of nothing. Add in the change autumn brings--the chill in the evening that lingers long enough in the morning so that children wear light jackets to school, the yellowing of leaves modifying nature's color palette, the lengthening shadows and light teasing us as the sunlight shortens. What could I do with that time? Here are ten things...

Prepare something that usually takes too much time during the week to make, something comforting, something that requires the oven. Take pleasure in getting close to the foundations and heart of food.

Many other cultures have the right idea of siestas. A midday rest following a meal, or a break to spend time with the family or with friends sounds ideal. I do this in the classroom following lunch recess. I give students a quiet 15 to 20 minutes to cool down or warm up from outside, re-center their minds and bodies from the chaos of playing outside by resting their heads on desks or drawing while I read to them.

Coax my ufo's from the knitting basket. I used to wonder how knitters could be working on so many different projects at the same time, how they could just place one beloved pullover or sock off to the side and start on something else. Choices of fibers and colorways are a factor. Temperature of our environment is another. Crispness in the air naturally leads to wrapping that fine merino wool or baby alpaca fiber around the fingers and through the needles once again.

My listening to podcasts declines in proportion to the warmer weather activities. I-Tunes tells me I have 92 unheard podcasts! Oops! The fusion of listening and knitting makes for a relaxing evening.

Remove the stifling heat of summer, add a pinch of briskness in the air, and we have the beginnings of a recipe for evening bike rides.

With my husband, in love I am. I enjoy spending time with him, whether we are cooking, hiking, watching a movie, reading...

It seems that "unmentionables" and socks in drawers spontaneously appear with holes, yet most of us continue to wear them because we are too lazy to throw them away and buy new. This deferred maintenance of culling the worn is a dandy project for the oncoming seasonal shift.


Meeting with friends, sharing gossip and food...a delightful activity following the busy schedules of summertime.

Donning socks and hiking shoes, throwing the camera bag in my backpack along with a sketch pad, a water bottle, a towel (to sit on), and a bit of knitting, I head for the rice fields or natural parkway.

for a month, for a year

Priorities change with time. No little human in the house--she has her own home and life now. Jobs are good but what holds us to them are retirement and the benefits attached. Friends are facing the same predicament and issues. What if we were to move for a month, for a year somewhere else? The answer is different now than it would have been ten, twenty years ago. I would go. We would go. We would be far more likely to go to another country than stay in our own. If you are going to go, go big. Embrace the event. My list would alter if based on jobs. This list is based on "California dreaming."

• Edinburgh, Scotland. I love the country, the bagpipes, the embracing of life.
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada. There seems to be many knitters in this city. This is a good sign. The city has a great vision on being "green."
• Dijon, in the Cote d'Or, Burgundy, France. This city has a gourmet reputation (doesn't all of France). The countryside is dotted with vineyards. Bicycles and walking are great ways to get around the city. The TGV high speed train connects this city to Paris.
• Malaga, Spain. The history here is so rich. It was inhabited by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Moors. It's the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas (what more is there to say).
• Salzburg, Austria. I would go for the beauty of the baroque architecture and the countryside.
• Perugia, in Umbria, Italy. This region is much less crowded than it's "sister area" Tuscany. The city is well known for its much prized chocolate 'Perugina.' It hosts Europe's largest jazz festival each year. Chocolate...jazz...what more is there?
• Taos, New Mexico, US. The city rests on a high desert mesa at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and is known for the artists who live and work there.
• Seattle, Washington, US. This is a wonderful city, close to the ocean, to mountains, and is a great base from which to explore more of the west coast (of the United States as well as Canada).
• Bangor, Maine, US. The city has a 650 acre City Forest. It's close to Canada, and has the allure and charm of just being in Maine.
  

fire inventory

Although there's been an abundance of rain and moisture, almost to the point of saturation in the eastern U.S., here in California it's been hot and dry. It's not abnormal to have August cook its way towards autumn, and so the month went out as thirsty and parched as it began, with zero precipitation. Trees ill-equipped to handle the hot, dry climate in the valley, planted by landscapers as a cheap, quick fix to the bare land along roadways, in parking lots, and in front lawns of cookie-cutter houses, are showing their stress. The leaves are turning caramel colored and blanketing the baked ground like a crazy patchwork of bronze. The grasses in the foothills, long since given in to the heat, lay like a sepia shag carpet between the oak trees. We are still in the depths of fire season here.

One reads about the items people grab and save in the panic of escaping a fire. Sometimes the items make sense (financial papers, pets, photographs) to be rescued. Sometimes the items are rather odd (from most people's view point) and seemingly random for the effort of rescue (antique chair, suitcase, dishes). I have made a list of ten things I would save in a fire. Remember, this is my list. I have tried to explain the reasoning behind each "save."

• Of course, I will start by lumping several things together. These items seem obvious to me, kind of a "duh" knee-jerk reaction--thus all under one big "umbrella," if you will: any people and/or animals being threatened or near in the pathway of the fire; important paperwork in the home office (neatly organized in a fire-proof box) like passports, insurance information, and important contact information.


• My down pillow. Now, it's not an extraordinary or outstanding down pillow, not made from special fluff of a rare goose, not lined with noteworthy Egyptian cotton. It's a pillow that is broken-down, crushed, as they get with time, losing some loft and shape. It flattens easily when needed, wraps neatly between my arm and neck, making me feel relaxed and safe. This pillow always travels with me--to Chicago, to China (yes, you can giggle all you want, but I like to carry my pillow for its coziness and my contentment, no matter the distance).


• My toothbrush. My Sonicare, electric, vibrating, massaging toothbrush. What pedicures do for the feet, what manicures do for the hands--my Sonicare does for my teeth and gums. A mouth is an entry point for bacteria. I may lose a house in a fire, but I will have a healthy mouth and fresh breath.


• A sweatshirt with a hood. A sweatshirt is good to keep you warm, to wedge behind your back for comfort in an uncomfortable chair, or rolled up for a pillow (for those times I don't have my trusty down pillow). The hood is very important. It covers and protects the head, in case you find yourself somewhere like a movie theater where who knows how many people laid their dirty heads on the seat-back prior to you taking that seat. Um-hum...think about it.


• A pair of comfortable Levi's. They don't have to be the brand specifically--Levi's brand-name is used in a generic sense for most people to describe blue jeans made of a canvas type material--although I am partial to the button-up front. The crucial aspect is that they are comfortable and durable.


• Extra pairs of clean underwear. Doesn't everything have a better outlook with a fresh pair of underwear?


• A pair of hand-knitted merino wool socks. Mmmmm. Total complete bliss, tranquility, and luxury. One can look at the feet and say they are loved.





• My backpack. I have some delightful and brilliant bags, as well as baskets, but I still have a hard time kicking the habit of my backpack. It carries so well, snuggles my laptop in padded bliss, and has pockets of all sizes for every need. It fits well under an airline seat, keeps both the hands and arms free for drinking that wonderful caffeine elixir called coffee, as well as retains control of all items within zippers.



• My Birkenstocks and my Mephistos. I can't decide. My Birks have been with me for many many years. They are truly comfortable. I could walk in them all day without an issue. They look great with a pair of hand-knitted socks too. My Mephistos don't have the history with my feet that the Birks do. However, they did travel with me to China last year. Can't wear socks with them, though.

There it is. My fire inventory list. Why didn't I include my knitting, or a book (or three), or my purse? Well, frankly, all those things are usually by the front door, next to or in the backpack, so I would probably grab it all anyway.

B.: This is a "Where's Waldo" question but much easier to answer--what has been added to this picture that is a surprise? [Hint: look at the toes.] I don't color my toes. I just don't. But I was talked into a slice-of-heaven pedicure today by C. This is the result.

ten split

I would rather focus on the positive than negative, but there is the dual concept of balancing opposites--the yin and yang of all things. Thus, I have split my "ten" for the week into two "fives."

Five peaks about my job:

• Learning the code that unlocks the door to the brick wall that some children put up around them. That wall is their protection, their safety from something that has happened or is happening around them. But that wall also keeps them from learning, from being a child, from enjoying new ideas and skills. When I can show these children that my classroom is safe and solid, that learning can be exciting, there is a change in their perception of the world.
• Sharing the joy of words, the world of books, the magic of numbers with children. I think that if teachers don't have a love of these things, if they are frightened by them, they shouldn't be teachers. A teacher's enthusiasm for learning is catching.
  
• Discovering a new facet each year about the same curriculum. I keep notes about what worked/what didn't work on lesson plans. This helps me look at the curriculum differently to see how it can be tweaked or augmented to allow all the children to be able to access the material.
  
• Learning new things by continuing to take classes and workshops. This is a requirement for teachers in California. Every five years, teachers have to renew their credential for teaching and show that they are on top of the latest teaching methods as well as keeping current on curriculum topics. I would be doing this anyway, since classes and learning is fun for me. It's a bonus I get "credit" for doing it.
• Being part of a community. That community is the school, with the students and faculty, as well as the parents and extended family.

Five valleys about my job:

• The separation and distrust among some teachers, both within grade levels, as well as the division between primary (kinder through third grades) and intermediate (fourth through sixth grades). At any school there is always a teacher or two who should wear a t-shirt that states: "Does Not Play/Work Well With Others".
• Politicians and government (both state and federal) seem to relay the message that all of society's woes and ills are on the backs of teachers and their seeming inability to teach. This is one of several messy subjects surrounding my job. I just have to say, I am with my students for about six and a half hours a day (out of twenty four), five days a week, for about nine months a year. I don't go home with them, see that they eat a balanced dinner (and breakfast), see that they have a quiet, focused place to do homework, see that they have a loving home, see that they get to bed at a decent time to get the rest they need, see that their clothes are clean, see that there are positive role models in the home. That's not to say there are not any poorly equipped teachers out there...sure there are some who should not be in this profession, some who should never have chosen teaching, some who have been teaching for too long and have lost the "spark" inside. But, as a teacher, I see so little of these children in the coarse of a year's time, and am asked to perform as if in a bubble. Children and their families are dynamic, not static.
• The constant assessment of students making it difficult to actually teach. Assessments are needed, and should be used by teachers to compare to what their objectives were for the lessons. Did the children learn what you needed/wanted them to learn? Was the "big idea" retained so it can be built onto? But too many formal assessments over the year put a strain not only on the teachers, who sometimes feel like their job depends on how well the children perform (see previous "valley"), but also on the students and families.
• Having to teach something that most students are not physiologically and/or cognitively ready to learn. My degree is Child Development, where (I know--surprise) I learned about the growth and development of children's bodies and brains. Did you know that a humans brain continues to develop and mature until you are about 25? Humm...yet we are forcing children to learn some concepts of reading and mathematics earlier and earlier in their little lives. Wondering why they don't get it? Wonder why you had difficulty with (especially math) concepts growing up and then, somewhere along the way during college (for some, after college) the "light" turned on and it all became clear? The brain matures at the rate the body wants it to. Those synapses (connections between nerve cells) are being developed through learning, as well as over time. Can't rush it.
• Having to buy many of the materials needed for the classroom out of my own "pocket." Parents are usually good about helping out their children at the first of the year, but remember there are nine months of school. Supplies don't replenish themselves. Pencils, pens, erasers, notebook paper, notebooks, Kleenex...these items are easier to find and stock. Art supplies for projects to help all the children access and get a deeper, richer understanding of a topic are more difficult to acquire, and more expensive. A classroom library, for the children to read above and beyond the language arts books/textbooks, is very expensive to stock and build. My classroom library is used for pleasure reading, research, literature groups, and more.
  

ten sites to share

As children, we thought of the world as so large, so unknown, so adventurous. Before the internet and cable television, our access to that world was limited by books in the library and dated encyclopedias.

The world is still large, unknown in the sense that there is always some new facet to learn, and adventurous, but now more accessible with technology. We have always been connected to each other with a fine web throughout the world. Each event is connected to all others and is felt on some level by each of us. Here are ten of my favorite sites to share with the rest of the world.

1. Our hold on life is fragile. This site offers each individual a chance to share with others their inner-most secret(s) using a handmade postcard with art and few words. http://postsecret.blogspot.com/


2. And just when you thought you had it all for your computer or iPod or iPhone...here are some fantastic covers. http://www.gelaskins.com/


3. Looking for something unusual to buy that's handmade (but above the level of ceramics you did in art class for seventh grade)? Look through this web site. http://www.etsy.com/


4. Canadian holiday location #1. Winter. Summer. Lodges. Quiet. Nature. Check it out! http://www.goldenalpineholidays.com/


5. Canadian holiday location #2. Sweet...1938 era with cabins and nature. http://www.outpostlodge.com/


6. Want to work/teach overseas? This site has many avenues to explore. http://www.escapeartist.com/jobs34/jobs34.htm


7. Teachers: need some infusion for your language arts lesson plans? have a specific lesson in mathematics you would like a fresh perspective on? Check out this amazing site. http://www.marcopolo-education.org/teacher/teacher_index.aspx


8. Discovery Channel and TLC have a super resource for teachers. http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/


9. Does your taste in decorating lean towards eco-friendly, modern, sleek designs? This is a site for you. http://www.dwr.com/


10. Looking for a travel trailer that doesn't require a huge, gas-sucking vehicle to pull? Want style and a slick look? Direct from the factory. No "middle man". http://www.casitatraveltrailers.com/happycustomers.html

**Added later: Wonderful journals. http://www.littleotsu.com/catalog/

ten things i will/would never do again

There are sometimes changes in life's decisions from the past one may want to change or adjust. The old saying of "hindsight is 20/20" is true. It's easy to see all the pathways a little clearer once past them. Not all the chosen pathways of the past are mistakes or regrets, some were just fast and furious rides without a seat belt. Written below are ten "rides" in my past.

1. I will never join the military again. I truly enjoyed my work and responsibility. I enjoyed not having to think about what to wear each day. I have friendships that have continued twenty years later. However, the political ebb and flow of the country is inextricably connected with one's job in the military. For better or worse, whether one's political views swing left or right, the mood and focus of the military is very different now than it was for me at the time.
2. I will never jump into a new job without doing extensive research on the "foundations" that underlie the ethos of the "community" I am thinking of entering.
3. I would never stop at having just one child. Life happens and circumstances played out in the past for a reason that have lead me to where I am now. However, I miss the depth of a larger family unit. I love to watch the "firsts," to teach, to share, to love.
4. I will never perm my hair again. Enough said.
5. I will never again be able to fit into a size 3. Body changes over time. Gravity pulls and readjusts. Hormones change. *sigh*
6. I will never again attempt to climb the Great Wall of China in the summer months of heat and humidity.
7. I will never again (knowingly) swim in a swimming hole infested with leeches. This was a summer "ritual" for us growing up, spending hours in a fresh water spring and peeling leeches off each other afterwards. Now I shiver at the thought.
8. I will never again have a vehicle without air conditioning and a radio (in that order). I can hum to myself but there's only so many clothes one can legally peel off trying to get cool in the breeze of opened windows while driving down the freeway.
9. I will never again hunt with a gun. Now, that is not to say I don't or won't eat meat. I am an omnivore. But I can't hunt down an animal. I wasn't fond of it when I was a youth, and even less fond now. I will not be pulled into a debate on how my meat that I eat is raised or killed. I am an omnivore.
10. I will never again go through an internship which involves two years of my life working full time, going to school full time, and attending several meetings a week.
    

ten silver linings

Hug O'War

I will not play at tug o'war.

I'd rather play at hug o'war,

Where everyone hugs

Instead of tugs,

Where everyone giggles

And rolls on the rug,

Where everyone kisses,

And everyone grins,

And everyone cuddles,

And everyone wins.

----Shel Silverstein----

There are always negative things in life. I prefer not to dwell on these, but to look for and relish the positive in life. I share below ten "hugs", if you will, that have been given to me. They are my little tendrils of silver lining holding me in what can sometimes be dark clouds in life.

1. A surprise baby shower for me where the spouses and partners were also invited. That may not seem like much to some, but spouses and partners are generally left out of showers. It is a good thing to have had my husband there. We both have memories of that evening.
2. A husband supporting me with all my endeavours. Here are two: joining the Navy when our daughter was six (yeah, I know...Buddhist earth mother in the Navy?...but that's a story for another day)...you want a highlight: I was gone for training for four months while my husband was working on his Masters in Geo-technical Engineering and our daughter came down with chicken pox during finals week); I changed careers which involved going back to college, temporarily losing a second income for a short time, and concluded by being engulfed in full-time work while taking an average of 14 units a semester to finish up for the last two years of college work.
3. A friend house-and-cat-sitting for a month while we went on holiday. During this time, my friend had to contend with: a stolen purse containing my house keys (the only other set was with our daughter so she had to drive four hours to Santa Cruz to get them and return back to our house), a trapped skunk and snake in different large holes (they were for posts) my husband had dug before we left (no one would come help her with the skunk), and daily watering of our 180 square foot garden plus pots.
4. My principal giving me some of the most needy and low-performing sixth grade students. This may not seem nice but he told me he knew I was the only teacher for these students, who could help them be successful because I cared so much about my student's well-being and put so much into my lesson planning. The neat thing is: some of those students come back to me and let me know how well they are doing in school.
5. My daughter telling me that I am not only her mother but also a good friend. Where her friends say what they would do differently in raising a child, she tells them she would do nothing different. When her friends meet me, they say "oh, this is the fantastic mom you are always talking about."
6. My mother providing me examples of drive and focus. Going to college in another state after having two kids and a divorce, and giving temporary custody of my brother and myself to them for that time was a big commitment to her future. She also had to take private lessons for some high school classes (like chemistry) at night which were required for entry into college.
7. My grandparents raising my brother and I for a few years. We learned values sorely missed in many homes today. A few things remain strong in my memory. Grandpa taught me multiplication tables. Grandma taught me to knit. They both taught me what love and caring for each other looked and sounded like. I learned the value and appreciation of what you have.
8. My daughter being a support whenever I need one, knowing intuitively when a need a boost.
9. My friend for always being at the ready on the phone for daily downloads my first year of teaching.
10. Parents of my students who came to my classroom before school started to help out with classroom setup, bringing fresh coffee, fruit, and hot scones from the oven.
    

ten favorite movies from my childhood

My childhood was in the 60's, so movies that I remember are few and far between. Let me clarify why: not because they were so long ago (even though they were), but I was not raised on or with tv; the small town I grew up in had (*chuckle* still has) only one indoor one-screen movie theater and one seasonally-open single-screen outdoor drive-in. In my home, it was a big deal to go to the movies. It was predominately better to go to the drive-in than the theater--so much "cooler" and "hip". As a parent now, I can look back and see the attraction of the drive-in to my mother: no other people's noise and talking, the children can just go to sleep in the car, bring your own food, and get out some excess energy before the movie by letting the children play on the playground (there was a playground off to one side of the drive-in).

1. Mary Poppins (seen at the drive-in)--yes, the first time it was shown to the public. Chim chim cher-ee.
   


2. Nevada Smith (seen at the theatre for a matinee)--my brother and I were much too young to see it but the marque said the matinee was a Disney film, which it wasn't. I am still scarred from some of the scenes in the original movie. To watch it now, some of those scenes have been edited out.


3. Sound of Music (seen at the drive-in)--still my favorite.


4. Fantastic Voyage (seen at the theatre)--this was before computer help with special effects.


5. Polly Anna (seen at the drive-in)--to this day, when I see lamps with beads and crystals hanging from the rim of the shade, I remember that movie.


6. The Love Bug (seen at the drive-in)--this is the original. My first car was a VW Bug, special edition gold-colored, with a sun roof. I loved my VW Bug. It could go through snow drifts like a pro.
   


7. That Darn Cat (seen at the drive-in)--helps explain my love of cats and their independence.


8. The Three Lives of Thomasina (seen at the drive-in)--solidifies my attraction to cats.
   


9. Jaws (seen at the theatre)--I still wonder what lurks deep in the water where I can't see.


10. The Jungle Book (seen at the drive-in)--yes, this is the original, too.

If I would feel safe now at a drive-in (which I don't), I would go. Think of the knitting one could get done while watching a movie. No lost DPN's on a sloping, sticky floor. Room to spread out your work and munchies. No one complaining of a flashlight or reading light.