Tag Archives: pets

Saturday and the Full Moon

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My editor, Olivia!

Another Saturday, gone; it was a busy day as Saturdays during the school year seem to be. Beth had been busy all week organizing and preparing for wreath pickup and delivery for William’s Boy Scout troop and Saturday morning was wreath day. She is the wreath coordinator for the troop and managed the sale and delivery; last year she earned the nickname, ‘Awretha,’ and it stuck, so did the job. Next week, the troop will be selling their wreaths and garlands outdoors at a local grocery store and in front of our church. Continue reading Saturday and the Full Moon →

Numbers and Daylight Savings Time

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The view Sunday morning into the backyard.

Saturday was over before I knew it, it counted in so many ways: thirty, two, twelve, forty-four, ten, and negative one. All of these numbers are significant because they are related to an event during the day. Yet, the most important number of the day is the rollback of Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. It is always a sad time, yes we do gain an ‘extra hour’ of sleep Saturday night, but we lose daylight in our day. Continue reading Numbers and Daylight Savings Time →

Day 38: Counting….

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“We ought to hear at least one little song every day, read a good poem, see a first-rate painting, and if possible speak a few sensible words.”  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I was leafing through a book of quotes and quips and came across the quote above, it made sense and resonated with me.  We all try in some way to make our days count, to make a difference, to be a leader, and to be the change in the world we want to see. Speaking a few sensible words falls into that category, so today I just have a short post. Continue reading Day 38: Counting…. →

Fall, leaves, and walking Ivy

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Fog hugs the ground as the sunrises on a cool morning in early October.
Fog hugs the ground as the sunrises on a cool morning in early October.

It has been fall for over three weeks now. The autumnal equinox has come and gone. September 22nd marked the official start of autumn in the northern hemisphere and relatively equal day and night across the globe. That day, three weeks ago, we had twelve hours and eight minutes of daylight counting the daylight between sunrise and sunset. Today, we had eleven hours and six minutes and each evening and when the sunsets, we will have even less. Fall is here and we are on our way into winter. Continue reading Fall, leaves, and walking Ivy →

1492 – Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue, the rest of the story

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Painting of Christopher Columbus taking possession of the new world. In the painting, Columbus kneels on a rocky coast, with a flag in his left hand and a sword in his right. He is surrounded by European men, some of them bearing flags. In the background, three ships are in the water.

 This was supposed to be the weekend I caught up but, time is fickle and just as Johann Goethe, the noted German philosopher, wrote, “Every man has only enough strength to complete those assignments that he is fully convinced are important.” So therefore, I accomplished what I felt was truly important. Some of my to do’s will just have to wait for another day, or week. 

Columbus Day is one of those holidays that was intended to celebrate diversity when it first began to be celebrated in the late nineteenth century. The holiday has since been mandated as an official federal holiday, but it is now outdated. Continue reading 1492 – Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue, the rest of the story →

The moon, the stars, and Ivy

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I woke up late this morning, relatively. It was 5:30 and I would have preferred to wake earlier say 4:00 or 4:30, but I was awake. Over the years, I have learned to get up earlier and get a start on the day. Never the less, it gave me an opportunity to take Ivy for a short walk  in the crisp autumn air. The weather has turned cooler and we even had a mild frost yesterday morning. Though, I expect cooler and frostier mornings ahead. Continue reading The moon, the stars, and Ivy →

Day 79: Sunday: church the kids come home…

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Beth had wanted a wakeup call and I woke up early and came downstairs about six. As usual, I was welcomed by Ivy, but she curled up on her pad and went back to sleep, she was fast asleep and stayed that way until eight, when I had to wake her to go outside before I left for church.

Wheaton was established when the United States was growing rapidly in the nineteenth century. It is largely a Christian town with Wheaton College and legend has it – more churches per capita than any other town in the United States. Wheaton was established by the Wheaton and Gary families who settled it west of Chicago. Continue reading Day 79: Sunday: church the kids come home… →

Day 77: The Meteor Shower, Triskaidekaphobia, and …

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Perseid Meteor Shower - from Macedonia

Last night, Thursday, after I posted, Ivy and I took off for a journey into the country. Earlier, I read this is the time of the astronomical year when the Perseid Meteor Shower can be seen by the naked eye and the peak viewing would be Thursday evening, especially in the late night and early morning hours. I remember making a similar trip last year with William and Olivia to look up at the sky for meteors, but we were unsuccessful. 

This year and I drove west along the old Lincoln Highway toward DeKalb, Continue reading Day 77: The Meteor Shower, Triskaidekaphobia, and … →

Day 76: A visit to school…

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courtesy Chicago Tribune.com – Tom Skilling’s Weather Page

Thursday was hot, very hot. So hot the National Weather Service called for an excessive heat warning and urged people to stay inside and avoid strenuous activity. Ivy and I were more than happy to comply. But, I wondered how in the world did I ever survive growing up in Sugar Land, Texas? I do remember summer in my youth, but I do remember staying indoors quite a bit, but I also remember swimming in the pool or in the lake. But, that was then and I was used to the heat, now I am not. This type of heat is uncommon for Chicago. Continue reading Day 76: A visit to school… →

Day 75: This means one week to go…

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Summer Reading is Killing Me by Jon Sciesczka

The number of days remaining in summer vacation hit single digits earlier this week and now I am down to a single week. I am left with spending time getting ready for school and wrapping up loose ends before school starts.

Teachers view the end of summer much like students do, I am certain. We view it with a sense of sadness that our time to rest, relax, and rejuvenate is over. Our time of dressing casually will end, as well as sleeping late or staying up late, they too will come to a halt. It also means some activities will need to curtailed or stopped altogether. I had not really planned for summer to end so I had not planned what to do with the blog, I do want to continue but I cannot keep the pace of writing daily and maintaining my sanity and grip on class all at the same time. I have some thinking to do on this matter and I hope that – if you are reading – you continue to stop in and read along on my journey through the year. Continue reading Day 75: This means one week to go… →