Category Archives: Writing

Monday morning awakening

adventure, Family, growing up, jobs, Life in General, Writing, , , , , ,

It’s cool this morning outside on the deck. The sun is slowly creeping across the yard toward my ‘office,’ the birds are singing, and the wind is gently rustling the leaves above me. It’s quiet and peaceful outside.

Ivy rests at my feet, always with eye open, always
Ivy rests at my feet, always with eye open, always

W's location Monday morning - the crew will be kayaking room island to island until Friday.Yesterday morning, W took off on an adventure of a lifetime – kayaking the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior with his Boy Scout Troop. Saturday night was a late one for all of us packing and final details for his kayaking trip after dropping him off and waving goodbye, we went home and back to sleep.

I felt mildly guilty waking when I did, but feeling much more refreshed than I would have been had I stayed awake. We spent the afternoon talking, planning, and laundry – doing, folding, and putting away. B wanted to get outside to her garden and I suggested we wait until the evening, when it was cooler.

It was much cooler and the beds where we were working were shaded. Ivy joined us but spent most of her time scanning for bunnies and squirrels. B needed me to help plant and spread mulch, but it was a wonderful way to decompress from a busy hectic weekend and plan for the week ahead. I am not usually a good gardening partner, but I can tell a weed from a plant – most of the time – and I am quite handy with a shovel and a wheelbarrow. I am the strong back in the operation and B’s the strong mind. It’s a good partnership. Continue reading Monday morning awakening →

Three for Thursday

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It’s Thursday morning and it is the twenty-seventh day of summer break, almost two-thirds remain. There is a myth which persists that teachers don’t work a full year. It’s not true, it is nowhere close to being true and the myth misrepresents what educators do to be ready for the coming year.

Class starts in an hour.

that's y foot and W's old parking spot
that’s my foot and W’s old parking spot

This summer I am taking a professional development class, in fact the last several summers I have taken PD classes. Classes are taught by fellow educators and are filled with rich curricula and new methods to help students grow and learn.  This summer I am taking a two-week long class at the local high school. The class is offered through Fermilab Education and W’s freshman biology teacher is the instructor, he was also one of W’s wrestling coaches. It has been an interesting eight days of being transported back to being fifteen again, and then morphing back to my real age. It’s been forty years since that high school freshman year, I’d mostly forgotten that very awkward time.

Continue reading Three for Thursday →

Curve – a photo challenge

Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Weekly Photo Challenges, Writing, , , , , , ,
this morning's lily curving and reaching for the sun
this morning’s lily curving and reaching for the sun

Another Saturday morning and I am enjoying my summer office. If it weren’t for the lawn crew next door, I’d be able to hear birds chirping, the splashes of birds in the bird bath, or the wind gently rustling the trees around me. Ivy is at my feet and we are both enjoying our summer morning. My lawn crew is upstairs, still sleeping or at the keyboard writing.

“There are no straight lines or sharp corners in nature, therefore buildings must have no sharp corners or straight lines.” Antoni Gaudi

Many summers ago we carved a stone path from the front yard through to the backyard. I remember B reminding me of Gaudi’s mantra. That summer I hauled several tons of limestone gravel and New York bluestone and I spent many days kneeling and fitting the stones together. There are no straight lines. What lines there are were created in nature some are curved and some are jagged, but between the lines weeds grow and flourish.

Since, the backyard garden has grown in around the path and I can’t remember what the backyard looked like before the of our work was complete. We’ve added plants, removed a couple trees and added Ivy, my faithful companion, and the path remains. Continue reading Curve – a photo challenge →

Pure: a photo challenge

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I love my kids.

We have two: a boy, really a young man, and girl. They are W and O, respectively. Both are determined and focused, when it’s their time. Both play sports and both are good students, but more importantly good, solid people.

It’s summer and school’s out – for both me, and the kids. It’s also softball playoff season. O plays softball and has talent, pure raw talent. I’ve watched her grow as an athlete, and as a softball player. This year, she has really developed as a hitter and fielder, as well as positive leader on the field and in the dugout.

pure concentration, pure focus, pure desire
pure concentration, pure focus, pure desire

Continue reading Pure: a photo challenge →

Day 4: three days in

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It’s officially the fourth day of my summer. It’s the last day of spring – if you’re a meteorologist, and I am headed back to school for the day.

the local VFW post carries the colors
the local VFW post presents the colors

The first three days of summer vacation – the weekend – flew past, as weekends tend to do, especially summer vacation weekends.

Saturday, W graduated and received his high school diploma.

Sunday all four of us, B, W, O, and I attended the Indy 500 – a family tradition on B’s side. It was our first race since 2012 and the 21st race I had seen. For W, it was # 9, O, – # 2, and for B – I don’t know the count but it is likely close to mine. B’s dad introduced the race to me when I moved to the Midwest in 1991. It was a good race and the winner went down to the wire – and ran out of fuel after the race was finished. It was a great day and we remembered B’s dad who, I am certain, was looking down on us and watching the race, too.

Monday was Memorial Day and O was in the parade. Actually, O is in the band that was in the parade, but that is a small distinction.

After the parade the kids – W and O went to the pool and B and I trimmed Ivy, then gave her a bath. She did not like the bath. It was clear by her howls, but she is clean and trimmed, for now. Continue reading Day 4: three days in →

First day, again…

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It’s the first day of summer, again. I’ve been looking forward to this day, I always do. This year is different, this day has been marked on the calendar for four years, maybe even longer.

my 'decades' selfie - living the fabulous Fifties for a day!
my ‘decades’ selfie – living the fabulous Fifties for a day!

Today, W graduates from high school. He’ll cross the stage and think this is it. Yet, it is only the beginning of a long journey.

Summer is like that. It marks an end, and a beginning. They, the ends and beginnings, tend to blur and meld over time. It’s a reboot, of sorts.

Each year, I have my own reboot. A time to reflect on what I’ve learned and where I’ve been, adjust my bearings, and chart a new course. And, for the last six years I’ve gone back and re-read what I blogged the year before at Making the Days Count dot org.

It had been six years since I began the journey at MtDC.org.

First Day Posts

And my first ever post – precisely one day short of six years ago.

I re-read those posts this morning and as I usually do when I read an old post, I edited a couple of them correcting misspellings, updating bad links, and a finding a new video to replace one which had gone private and was no longer viewable; and I remembered writing the words with uncanny clarity. Continue reading First day, again… →

four more

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It’s Saturday morning. The forecast is rain – by the time I finish writing it will be raining – and softball will be cancelled, again. O’s game Thursday was cancelled due to wet fields. It’s the same every year, April showers bring May flowers, and softball rainouts.

Last night, I stayed late at school and wrapped up the World War II unit. The WWII test is Monday and then we’ll find out just how much my students have actually learned about America’s involvement in the war. Since we returned from spring break it’s been more and more challenging to get their focus. Most of my students seem to be more focused on ‘four more’ and how many days are left than they are in making them count. It’s a ritual which plays out every year. It’s when I work the hardest.

truman_quote_WWII

April has been busy. We had our annual state testing the first two weeks right after break. After testing, we took a field trip to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. It was excellent and it helped many of our students understand the magnitude of the Holocaust. We study the Great Depression and World War II in social studies and they all read Night by Elie Wiesel in their English Language Arts classes. The last two weeks we’ve been learning about the war – I’ve used video clips from The War by Ken Burns and Band of Brothers to help, but the most significant clip I showed, was yesterday when I screened the video below. The Fallen of World War II from Neil Halloran on Vimeo.

It’s staggering to watch. Continue reading four more →

Landscape: a photo challenge

adventure, Family, history, Learning, Photography, Weekly Photo Challenges, Writing

It’s Saturday morning and like most Saturday mornings go, I find myself the only person awake in the family. That’ll change soon. O will be up before long, then B, and finally W. Once B wakes I’ll need to get busy and pack to go home.

Friday morning at Seven-Mile Bridge
Friday morning at Seven-Mile Bridge

We’ve been on vacation, spring break, in the Florida Keys. The break came at a perfect time for all of us especially B. She remembers coming down to the Keys on winter and spring vacations as a child with her family and the trip has helped her heal the wounds of her parent’s passing. The trip has given me time to slow down and catch my breath and think ahead. When we get home later tonight we’ll unpack our bags and memories, then get ready for the week ahead, but until then I can continue to breathe at a different pace.

Wednesday morning at sea - going diving
Wednesday morning at sea – going diving

This week, my landscape has been a seascape, Continue reading Landscape: a photo challenge →

picture book

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March 31. Today would have been my father-in-law’s 90th birthday. I remember celebrating his 70th and his 80th birthdays and several in between. We miss him.

We’re on spring vacation in the Keys. The Keys are a special place, it’s place he and his daughter introduced to me in 2002. B has fond memories of her time in the Keys – visiting with her folks. I had never been to Florida, outside of Miami International, until that trip. I fell in love with the Keys and we’ve been back several times – 2004, 2007, 2013, and this year. Each time I come here, I think of him and grandma and enjoy the sun.

The first time we came, they met us at the airport – it was B, W, and me. B was pregnant with O at the time, so I suppose you could say that O came along, too. Continue reading picture book →

Half-light – a photo challenge

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Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

We are away this week, but I have my laptop. I never travel without it, though sometimes I don’t use it, or can’t use it. It is Spring Break, a much needed break. We left town Thursday night and arrived here, at the beach, Friday evening.

this morning's early half-light, a new day is coming
this morning’s early half-light, a new day is coming

It’s been a while since I posted anything, my last post was early February. It has been a long break from writing, I’ve been overwhelmed with life, seemingly been in the half-light of the world. Sometimes we need to press the ‘reset’ button. Continue reading Half-light – a photo challenge →