Tableau Tuesday 5/31/2011

Took The Boys to the beach this weekend and everyone had a great time!

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Music Monday - Memorial Day

This song has been going through my head all weekend - since the Friday Shoot Out...


This is also Memorial Day in the US, a day when we take the time to remember all of those who have served in our military.

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Happy Monday all!

My Town Shoot Out - Scavenger Hunt - Spin, Drop, Rest

This week's Theme is courtesy of ME!

"Our second FMTSO Scavenger Hunt for May 27, Spin - Drop - Rest, was suggested by J9.
This is a scavenger hunt for images or items, or people or places in your town that represent the actions of Spin, Drop, and Rest. Because there really are no rules, you can pretty much interpret this however you would like. Do you have a drop roller coaster in your town? How about giving a new car a spin? What about rest? We know at least one personality thinking of rest rooms (Bagman), but what do people in your town do to rest? How about rain drops? Whirling Dervishes? Spinning Laundry? Mattress Stores? Let's see what we can all come up with, and have fun!"

Check out the other participants here and here.

So I really only had one image that kind of combined all three elements in one - a good friend spinning and dropping at the same time, and coming to rest a bit later:

Some bodies at rest:

Spinning until you puke:

Spinning and dropping:

A nice place to rest:

Spinning packaging into more packaging:

 Happy Weekend all, and I can't wait to see what everyone came up with!

My Town Shoot Out - Flowers

This week's Theme is courtesy of the My Town Shoot Out gang.

"Our theme for May 20 is Flowers in your town. I feel this will be a cheery and very colorful theme."

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into." ~Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858
"Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844
"Flowers have an expression of countenance as much as men or animals. Some seem to smile; some have a sad expression; some are pensive and diffident; others again are plain, honest and upright, like the broad-faced sunflower and the hollyhock." ~Henry Ward Beecher, Star Papers: A Discourse of Flowers
"I like what Henry Ward Beecher had to say about flowers. Think about it, do they have expressions? Do they emit a feeling? Challenge for our shooters for this theme .....
show us a flower expression
show us a flower thought
show us a flower feeling
show us a flower attitude
show us a flower mood
show us a flower emotion

and as always HAPPY SHOOTING!!"

Check out the other participants here and here.

These have been on my mind, and in my nose - they look cheery, but I think they harbor an evil underbelly:

The stars of this week are on bushes growing directly across a walking path from one another:

Snow White and Rose Red

 And as you would expect, after several years, the cross pollination takes affect, and you get the blush, amidst the white roses:

 And this hanger on, in the middle of the red roses:

Happy Friday all!

Thoughtful Thursday

Hug and love those around you while you can. Please send love, light, positive vibes, prayers for the people in my life needing it this week:
Diane - had a cancer related surgery, and her Dr. is confident that they got it all. She needs your healing light.
Sarie's Dad - just had major surgery and is in ICU. prayers for him and his family.
Me, yes me - I need clarity and patience this week, as these are particularly chaotic times, and I'm not really sure where the ride is going, but I need to be able to enjoy at least parts of the ride and trust that the end point will be better.

Love to you all!

Teacher Appreciation

image credit

Today, as I sat and waited at my OB/Gyn for my annual exam, gown open to the front, paper blanket draped across my lap, my mind wandered. I am not particularly fond of these exams, and I do like my Dr., but still - cold hard duck lips... I had time to reflect on teachers and the part they have played in shaping my life, and the lives of The Boys, so I want to right now, tell them (via this blog, out to the universe).

My Second Grade teacher Mrs. Friedman taught us how to play chess, we got to make peanut butter, and have a field trip to McDonald's. We had 5th Graders come in and read with us, and I remember thinking how much I loved school. Mrs. Friedman passed away a while ago, but I still remember the nurturing atmosphere of that class.

In Fifth Grade, Ms. Willis was hip, modern, and told us that she was on birth control! She believed in me, and helped me dig out of the math depression I'd been in from 4th grade. We had pods that year, and floated between three classrooms. I remember thinking how cool it was to be the oldest kids in school.

Seventh Grade brought me Mrs. Humphreys and much hubris. I was the star pupil, and brown nose. I was made her assistant and was responsible for teaching spelling and vocabulary to other students. No one listened to me, and I was miserable. Thankfully, they all failed the next test, and I was removed from my post, learning that it takes more than smarts to lead a classroom...

In High School there were many teachers who helped me, but the one that really sticks in my mind was Ms. Bradley. She was my English teacher for only a part of the year when she was diagnosed with cancer. She needed a blood transfusion, my blood type was a match, but I was only 17 and my parents wouldn't sign the release. I visited her at her home, and felt really helpless. She challenged me, and wasn't always my favorite, but that year I learned much more than what was taught in school. I am happy to say that she is still at that school, and the department chair. Other memorable teachers from that time include: Mr. Nix who gave me an award, and made me think of myself in a different light; Mr. Bonetti who was extremely patient with a snotty, know-it-all 14 year old; and Mr. Hansen who was the administrator garnering my wrath at the end of my time with them all.

In College it was Michael Fisher who most inspired and formed my life. He led me to the conclusion that my various interests and strengths culminated in Technical Theater, and in fact I truly belong there. I am however practical and work in corporate.

My own children have been extremely fortunate. From Pre-school with Miss Ruth as a kind and loving director, Miss Candi just loving them to pieces and singing to them, Miss Emily laughing the days going by, Miss Amy teaching them to love Australia, and Miss Michelle not taking their crap, and loving them like they were her own. I could not have asked for a better environment.

In Elementary, The Boys have and will have the same teachers the entire time. Miss Sharon, Mrs. Henriott and Mrs. Todd have such a great balance of love and toughness, and are truly invested in all of the kids doing the absolute best they can. They have set up a program that has it all. From the basics, to Spanish, Chinese, cooking, art, projects and field trips, multi age work groups, and always ensuring each child gets what he or she needs as an individual to succeed. These three women are amazing, and I love them all!

Music Monday Weekend Wrap Up

This is how I feel:


Friday, I took a personal day from work so that I could volunteer at The Boys' school all day. The morning was Kindy readiness, during which I was one of two making presentations about the Parent Faculty Club. The afternoon was spent with 4th and 5th graders, outside sketching nature. After school, I hosted an extended playdate, and The Dude went to a party.

Saturday was laundry and cleaning from the playdate. The Youngest had a Baseball Game, and The Oldest went grocery shopping with me.

Sunday, The Dude took The Boys to a birthday party for a classmate, and I cleaned bathrooms, the backyard, and weeded the garden. I also finished laundry, and planted seeds for beets, carrots, broccoli, onions, zucchini, and sunflowers. These are all now in my kitchen garden window. I did dishes, and prepared dinner of pot roast, baked potatoes, roasted beets and artichokes. The Dude skipped dinner to go to a "Survivor" finale party. Oh, I also was able to FINALLY sit down and process about 300 photos and start a book I've been meaning to put together.

Still untethered and unsettled.

Local death

One of the reasons I have been off blog for a bit. The rest will come out in due time, but this had me sad.

My town's local homeless man was shot dead during an altercation with a female police officer.

I knew this person, and had written about him HERE. That initial photo is now a part of his RIP facebook page, as well as the local news cycle blog HERE. It is always sad when a member of our community is killed, or injured. Unfortunately, and what has made me even more sad is the commentary from otherwise reasonable people on the sides of "all homeless are worthless", and "the cops are crooked". None of that is what this is about. This is about two members of our community who were negatively impacted by an interaction. I'm sure it could have been handled in a better way by both parties so as not to have this result, and I actually miss seeing Daryl around town.

Music Monday - Pink rocks

This has been going through my mind all morning (and most of yesterday):


Happy Monday all!

So, what's new with you?

I've been busy, tired, suffering from Spring fever, and a host of other reasons why I have not been posting on here. I am trying to work on myself and my IRL relationships, as well as navigate office ind interpersonal politics, oh and The Boys' school politics too.

Have felt too wrapped up to unravel and post, while at the same time feeling untethered and adrift...