Category Archives: pets

Let it snow – part 2

Monday, January 2, 2012, @ 8:01 amadventure, Cooking, Family, pets, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, eating, education, Family, Grayling, great days, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

ivy_stairs — Ivy looks down from upstairs

It is still snowing and I hope it doesn’t stop, or at least doesn’t stop until I want it to. I was up late, too late, last night and when I woke up this morning, I peered out the front window and was relieved to see a blanket of fresh snow covering the front yard and extending out into the lake Evidence Ivy’s and my walk had been erased.

Olivia is sleeping and I hope she sleeps for a bit longer; she was up late, though not as late as I was. This morning, Ivy barked and wanted out and I was afraid she was getting up, but she went back to bed. Ivy went outside did her business and came back inside and snuggled up on the blanket by my feet and went back to sleep, too. Continue reading Let it snow – part 2 →

Let it snow!

Sunday, January 1, 2012, @ 10:31 pmCooking, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, Family, Grayling, making the days count, reading, sports, teaching, weatherClay

It is New Year’s Day and I’m still in Michigan and I’m loving’ it. It has been a peaceful break. The kids have enjoyed the slopes – despite the lack of snow. And I’ve enjoyed watching them, taking pictures, and being close enough to go home and cook dinner and have it ready for them when they’re finished skiing and ‘boarding. And yes, I’ve been able to play with MtDC.org or Making the days Count dot org.

Yesterday, the weather service pronounced a Winter Storm Watch, which changed into a Winter Storm Warning, and today turned into reality. Continue reading Let it snow! →

Making Time

Thursday, December 29, 2011, @ 8:44 amFamily, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, travel, Writingchildren, Christmas, church, education, Family, Grayling, great days, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, weather, winter sports, writingClay

moon_margrethe — A sliver of a moon slides across the sky as a frozen Lake Margrethe sees the last part of day

@MakingDaysCount and MakingtheDaysCount dot org, on many occasions, I have written about time and using it wisely; and if you have been looking for an update and wondering where I have been, I’ve been here, or there, seemingly everywhere – but not on the internet and certainly not at MakingtheDaysCount dot org. It has been a long three weeks. During that time, I have started a couple of entries but they have died on the figurative vine and been left unfinished. Continue reading Making Time →

Giving Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 24, 2011, @ 9:44 amcountry, Family, jobs, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, eating, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, Paris, pets, reading, scouting, teaching, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving 2011, writingClay

I went back in time yesterday morning to last year, the year before, and all the way back to Thanksgivings past. I went way back. I have been blogging at Making the Days Count since late May 2010 and have a few readers who follow along, so I feel I can go back to last year’s post without much of a problem for readers feeling like, ‘hey, I have been here before!’ Continue reading Giving Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving →

Falling Back

Sunday, November 6, 2011, @ 7:24 amFamily, jobs, Life in General, pets, teachingBethany Hamilton, children, eating, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, pets, reading, Soul Surfer, teaching, weatherClay

pancakes to start the day, what better way?

It was wonderful to stay up to 10PM with the kids and put them to bed knowing that it was really 9PM or would be in a few hours. Daylight Savings Time is the bomb! At least for a day. I looked at today’s details the sun rose at 6:30 AM and will set at 4:41 PM, even this early in the morning that is 10 hours and 11 minutes, how can that be? Regardless, that is the daylight we have, so we must make it count, worthwhile. Continue reading Falling Back →

Rising Action, falling leaves

Saturday, November 5, 2011, @ 7:30 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, seventh grade, weather, writingClay

Yesterday was a glorious Fall day. It had been windy and wet in the middle of the week, but Thursday night the skies cleared and the temperatures dropped leaving a hint of frost everywhere. I know there is more of that to come, a lot more of it. I was up late Thursday night writing my narrative and getting ready for school even though I was out of school Friday, I still had to prepare via the web and the Blackboard – an electronic Blackboard – of sorts. Beth is out of town visiting her parents in Ohio and the kids needed me at home before school started and after when they came home. Continue reading Rising Action, falling leaves →

Sunday morning, again

Sunday, October 30, 2011, @ 11:34 amadventure, Family, jobs, Life in General, pets, Reading, Writingchildren, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, high school football, politics, reading, seventh grade, teaching, writingClay

It is Sunday morning and somehow, Saturday passed me by. Saturday morning, I got up late, about quarter to eight. The rest of the house slept and it was quiet, peaceful, it was wonderful. Everyone needed rest, I included, but I was awake, so I got up. Friday night we had been out at a – you guessed it – high school football game Friday night and had been the last off the field as William and Olivia helped the grounds crew pick up the yard markers, end zone cones, and put them away for another week and perhaps the season. The Tigers had made the state playoffs but have had a difficult season dropping three games this year. They won Friday night, but next week play the number one seed in the bracket – in their stadium, so it will be interesting.

This morning, the phone rang and woke Beth and me up. She went back to sleep, or tried to and I came downstairs, let Ivy out and made coffee. We let the kids sleep; Continue reading Sunday morning, again →

Catchin’ up

Thursday, October 27, 2011, @ 4:31 amFamily, pets, teaching, Teaching and Learningchildren, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, great days, making the days count, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

re_orange_leaf — a leaf from the maple, picked this morning

Monday night I came home to be with Olivia. Monday night has been harried for me this year because I have to get out of school and home before Olivia makes it home from school. William has a standing appointment and that leaves Olivia unsupervised, unless I am there. Until this past Monday, Monday also included softball practice and an opportunity to get outside. But, on Saturday Olivia’s softball season ended with an 8-1 win and the Fall League championship, way to go. Continue reading Catchin’ up →

Another beautiful Fall day

Monday, October 10, 2011, @ 12:56 pmadventure, country, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, eating, Family, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

pumpkin_stack — a stack of pumkins, checking to see how they look!

Wow, what a beautiful morning. I am on the deck, again. I came out to supervise Ivy. You would think one would not need to supervise a dog, but, they are like children: curious and they can get themselves in a jam when you are not watching. A couple of weeks ago, she had an encounter with a raccoon and won. Last week Beth found a dead chipmunk. And, a notice came from the wildlife center that the raccoon had distemper a seriously nasty canine virus. Continue reading Another beautiful Fall day →

Saturday, update – Falling ahead

Saturday, October 8, 2011, @ 8:31 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, sports, teaching, Writingchildren, education, Family, football, hard work, high school football, reading, restaurants, sports, teaching, writingClay

The kids and the Pink lady apples - a bright, sunny, and beautiful afternoon

It has been a while, too long a while. But, I’m back. Over the past two weeks, I’ve had so many ideas to write, but so little time. I know that almost sounds like a whine, and it is. I really enjoy the time to sit, think, and create. When I started writing MtDC in May 2010, I had no idea where it would take me or what it would teach me; all I knew was that I wanted to be a better teacher and that if I was going to teach writing, I had better get good at it. I really wanted to write about Making the Days Count and I think I have, though at times it is more diary than other blogs and chronicles how the days count to me and the people and things I care most about. Continue reading Saturday, update – Falling ahead →