Spring has Sprung!

 Spring is defined in many ways; by the Julian calendar, by the vernal equinox, by when the first crocuses bloom, by the last frost, and so on. Whichever way you measure it, for most of us it is when the weather becomes sufficiently warm enough to allow one to shed the heavy coat of winter and venture forth without mittens and hats. Here in Michigan, we often get a "false Spring", a day that tricks you into believing it just might be the end of winter and then the next day the temps plummet and a surprise snowfall greets you instead. 

This spring we had a few of those false starts, but as of today it feels like it just might really stick around. The sun is shining brightly, the plants are waking up in the garden. And the big tell... the LILACS are blooming on the large bush at the corner of my house! I absolutely did run out and snag a few blossoms to perfume my dining room! They have such a glorious scent. 

The other reliable indicator of spring is my own personal activity. I finally feel like walking the dog every morning instead of just letting him out into the backyard on his own. We have a dog that loves to walk... he would go for 3 walks a day if we would take him. Truthfully, we probably should take him more than once a day; it would benefit us even more than him. Now that Spring seems willing to stick around, my dog will be a happier hound, and my step counter will log more activity.

The upshot of all this is, we made it! The long Winter is over and it's time to get out an enjoy every beautiful day we have before us. Happy Spring!

In Need of Spring

Today the sun came out, for a little while at least. I am finding I REALLY need spring to come soon! I am super tired of cloudy days and relying on caffeine to get me through the day. My students seem the same way... restless, draggy, bored with themselves and me. I am going to have to do something to shake-up the status quo... but that's a whole other post.

Missouri is a tough place to live in between the seasons. It's warm one day and very damp and chilly the next. I shouldn't be complaining, I know. At least we HAVE seasons, unlike those in the South and we don't have eternal winter, like those in the far North. But I LONG for spring. I need to go outside and dig in the dirt and see the flowers come up.

Maybe soon?

Over the Hills and back Again...

March is coming in as I write this in the wee hours of the new month. I am wishing I could snatch back some of the wasted minutes from the past two months and make them into something more substantial, but that is not the way life goes.

We have been VERY preoccupied of late, so much is going on in the world, in our school, in our family, and in ourselves! Let's see.... where to start...

Well, the world is in an uproar. Clamor and calls for democracy and self-determination are roiling through the Arab world as I write this. Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, and currently Libya are all experiencing change brought about by young, disenfranchised youth in those places who are all interconnected via technology and crying for change. They will get it, and we are all left wondering what the world will feel like once it all shakes out. My students are mostly fretting about whether gas will hit $5 a gallon as a result. Typical American response, sadly. History is happening and we're fretting about our gasoline and whether our favorite Cardinal baseball player has signed his contract agreement... duh!

As far as school goes; big changes are on the horizon there too. We are switching to the intensive 4x4 block schedule next year. For those of you who may not know what that is, our students will take 4 classes per day for 80 minutes per day for an entire semester. Then in the second semester they will take a whole new set of classes. Should be a great way to learn, to be able to focus on something deeply and to have the luxury of TIME to think and process what you are learning. I must admit I am pretty stoked about it. On top of that, we are working toward funding (and recently were awarded a grant that will match those funds) to become a 1to1 school. That will enable us to put an iPad into the hands of every student in our school.... and to substantially change the way we do school in a HUGE way! The future seems to be arriving for us at LHS, and it's really exciting to be there to teach in it!

On the family front... big doings there too. Our family patriarch, Uncle Carl, is recovering from an ordeal with a sinus infection that had everyone believing he may have had a stroke! Honestly! It was a scary week or so til the doctors figured out what was going on. What a blessing Ed's sister and Kate's crew were to him through these days of recuperating! He's on the mend and we hope to see him playing in his vineyard again really soon. Ed turned 57 this past month... on Feb 21st... and Kate hit the big 32! That second event made me feel oddly old this year. Not sure why, but it did.

Perhaps that last thing is the "ourselves" part of this post. I am feeling as if I am approaching a personal crossroads in my life right now. Nothing certain about it yet, just that inner inkling that things are about to shift. A sense of a groundswell coming in life and it is making me vaguely uneasy. I am sure it will all come clear in the weeks ahead, but I know it's out there.

Then again, with spring trying to raise its head, perhaps that's the feeling entirely. The end of winter, or at least the wish for it, always makes me edgey with anticipation....there's no getting around it. I feel the need to slip away from the routine and do something different. What will that be? I haven't a clue and, perhaps, that's the adventure of it all.

Warm Day + Little Gardener + Hose = Fun!

I've written already about how much Sydney loves to be out in my garden. She would play outside for hours, digging and puttering about. Today's discovery? The garden hose! The pictures tell the story... but I've added a few captions for fun too!

Ready to start working.... Syd's got the hose in hand!

 

First. you actually water plants!

 

Are you sure this is work? This is fun!

Whoa! You can stick your hands in too!

 

The next thing you know, you're washing your face!

In for dime... in for a dollar! Besides, I won't need a bath tonight if I do this right!

Syd: "Look Gramma, I'm all wet!"

This is what happiness looks like on a 2 yr. old!

If you can dig, you can garden!

Syd learned to enjoy soil (yes, she calls it soil (as in "soy'-ill") not dirt) this evening. We were together after school and had stopped to get a few more herbs for the garden. We let her pick out a geranium to plant. Thus began her new love affair with "soy-ill". For almost 2 hours she sat on a stone happily moving dirt from one spot to another. It was fascinating to sit there and listen to her singing happily to herself while moving dirt. We should ALL be so contented! Our little garden buddy is well on her way to a lifelong love of digging!

Herbs & Closet Turn Overs

I am presently on spring break. Yes, it's that rare thing that we teachers somewhat live for this time of year. Be jealous of me only if you would be willing to grade papers from 6-10pm virtually every evening of the school term cycle.

In any case, owing to travels and other "must do's" of the time away from school, today was the first day (and likely the only day) that I was allowed to "sleep in". I lollygagged about in my pj's until the ripe old hour of 10 a.m. It was wonderful. Then I decided I must get something worthwhile accomplished, so I decided to change over my closet from winter to spring.  This is the annual sorting, pulling out, and packing away of clothes that I won't bother to look at again until the weather chills down round about next October. It always makes me feel good to do it. I pack the sweaters away with their cedar blocks, and change out my winter jammies for my spring/summer ones etc.

 As many of you know, I've lost a good deal of weight in the last year and a half so each seasonal turnover lately has involved pitching clothes that are too big or baggy and stating to myself, "Life is too short to wear baggy or ill-fitting clothes." and then off those go to the Thrift Store.  That makes me feel pretty great too! So today, I did a good deal of that.

Then it was off to run a few errands and we wound up at the plant market buying the herbs for the upcoming summer. I love planting them, even if I rarely cook with them. Ed does such amazing things with a little basil, sage, and thyme! So I help him grow those... and he cooks us things... it's a good deal all around. All in all, a wonderful day of moving from winter to spring!

Lion, Lamb? March Came In.... where did Feb. Go???

March is here, and I can't quite believe it. February whisked in and out so quickly one scarcely had time to notice it all. But March is here and it came in quite nicely, almost congenially. We are not yet counting the days until Spring Break at school, but the natives are noticeably restless.

The weatherman has gifted us with a couple of spring-like days to tease our hearts into believing that it won't snow anymore, when in reality, we know how fickle the Missouri weather can be. I am praying we have no late winter/early spring freezes. A repeat of the freeze of 2007 would be a bad thing for the vineyard... especially since it hit 70 degrees today.

Big weekend ahead... the grandkids are coming to visit us. Kate and her dad are running in the St. Pat's Day race on Saturday. I've decided to forego the 5 miler this year... 3 miles is plenty for me! I felt pretty good at 3 miles but totally whanked at 5 last year. So the kidlets and I will stand by and watch and cheer for them as the race about downtown. Should be fun!

March came in like a Lamb... and here's hoping the lamb sticks around!

Syd, Spring, & Socks

It's the "little things" in March and April that make you convinced you just might be able to hang on until Spring fully arrives. Some of these include early blooms of daffodils, spending time with a toddler who finds eating a zwieback cracker while spinning in circles in her Papa's big desk chair the most entertaining thing on the planet, and new socks. So here are some shots of those things....

The daffodils bloomed under our maple tree in glorious abandon this March. I love their delicate tenacity; these even survived a late March snow of about 2" that fell on them and melted quickly away.


Syd and Ed had a delightful time recently while whooping it up in the office on his desk chair. She has figured out how to climb up into the chair all on her own and takes great delight in yelling "Wheeeeee!" at the top of her voice while we spin her about. I've tried the same trick for myself, and find the true "wheee" is just not there at 53.... sigh... but I sure get a charge out of watching Syd spin joyfully!



Finally, I did it! I completed the "biggest socks" of my knitting career to date... I made Ed a pair of lovely SIZE 13(!!!!) washable Merino wool socks and he LOVES them. He's going to wear them to school tomorrow and tell everyone his talented wife made them for him.

It was a good weekend, all the way round!

Can We Go Outside for Class???!?!

Spring has sprung in St. Chuck! Today it hit nearly 80 degrees, the convertible tops came down, and the hearts and minds of my students went out the window! "Can we go outside for class?" was the question heard throughout the halls as kids begged like 3rd graders for time out in the soft breezy air. And I almost.... just almost... gave in. I must admit, in my heart of hearts, I felt for them. What is it about education the necessitates "trapping" adolescents in a building for 7+ hours a day. Part of me KNOWS there has to be a better way to greet spring than just reading Wordsworth's "Daffodils" - it's high time to go ROMP with them!

Daffodils (1804)
I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside a lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance,

The waves beside them danced but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee;
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund comapny:
I gazed.. and gazed.. but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
by William Wordsworth

Cousins Get Together

Asher gets to be more fun each day!

Rhylah is into her toys now that she can sit up on her own.

Sydney is still little enough to watch all the goings on and wonder what it's all about.

It's Stroller Time!

Moms and kids head for the park! Roll em, roll em, roll em!

It's been a wonderful week here! Kate arrived on Tuesday for a 5 day visit. Asher and Rhylah came along... Gabriel had to stay home with his dad so he wouldn't miss school. The weather turned more spring-like this week so the when the sun managed to shine it was delightful! Kate watched Sydney for Gretchen on two of the days she was in town. Both moms had fun swapping notes on what the babies were up to and taking the kids out in the strollers. We got to spoil them each night when we got home from work! All in all, it was a wonderful week for being a grandparent!

Spring into a good book!

Spring is officially here as far as the calendar goes, but the weather has been so up and down lately. We even saw a few snow flurries today! ENOUGH WINTER, ALREADY!!!! However, the daffodils are up and bobbing their heads in my backyard which is enough to make you smile just by looking at them.
Speaking of smiles.... our grand-munchkin, Sydney, is getting bigger and more fun each day. She discovered her hands this week in a big way and has been having much more fun with her board books as a result! She likes grabbing for the things on the pages even though it's puzzling to her that they don't come off in her hand.

Too Much of a Good Thing... or "Get Me an Ark!"

It's raining again.... second day.... puddles everywhere. And it's going to rain tomorrow too. Makes all talk of drought vanish... but automatically causes worry throughout our beloved state of Missouri!
So how much is too much?
Well, the folks in Piedmont, MO had to leave town today... that's too much. And my co-worker had to stay home today to keep his basement drained... that's too much as well! We are tired of that pitter-pattering on the roof.... and wondering when the sun will shine again.
However, my flower beds are starting to burst into life.... daffodils, tulips and all the irises are poking their green fingers of spring up through the dirt... just checking to see if it's okay to show up.
And I am wearing a rain coat instead of a snow parka.... and getting to use my flowered umbrella. So there are trade-offs! Spring will arrive in two days!

Meanwhile... drip, .... drip, ..... drip, ......drip.......

Great Weekend - Part 2 - GO CARDINALS!

Mother's Day 2006 and Lutheran Day at the New Busch Stadium a.k.a. Baseball Heaven. We made a total day of it by riding downtown on the MetroLink. Gabe got a kick out of all the tunnels. Sat right behind homeplate in the new stadium. Have to admit the new digs of the Cardinals are gorgeous! Gabe did the whole game day thing... hot dogs, cotton candy, 5 trips to the bathroom, cheering, the wave,....EVERYTHING! It was an absolute blast! We sure made some memories today! Oh, by the way, the Arizona Diamondbacks won 7-6, but we had a great time anyway.

Easter, Socks, & Grandpuppies!

Since Easter, which was a strange day by the way, I have been a total bum! I have been doing only the things I enjoy doing... which is pretty much the perfect way to spend an Easter break! Today I told myself, "Self, you better get busy and get some things done around here!" My self didn't listen too well. However, the break has not been without it's accomplishments... see the following....

Ed made a magnificent rack of Lamb for dinner on Easter Sunday!

Our Easter table looked awesome!


I have been making socks! Check these spiffy ones out!!!!




These greyish/purple ones are my first pair of socks... they are made of Merino wool... very soft and cozy. I love the color!






These are the ones I am currently making... with this very cool yarn that makes the stripes as you go! I think they are quite cool!




Bailey Jameson, our grandpuppy, is staying at our house while his parents are off playing in Hawaii. He's a good dog... and he likes watching me knit socks!

Everywhere you look... Beautiful!

I am hopelessly wrapped up in spring fever! Everything is bursting into bloom and it's a wonderful time of the year. Just wanted to share some of the pretty things around my home and yard. This is such a beautiful season. I am counting the days till Spring/Easter Break when I can actually just sit back and ENJOY it! The smell under this apple tree is heavenly!

What a difference a week makes!

As you can see... spring is here! And while it's cool and more cloudy than we like, we are seeing definite signs of the change. Our apple tree in the front yard is ready to burst into pink, and out at the vineyard the vines are trimmed and ready to start anew. In fact, the sap is rising in the vines... which if you look carefully, you can see in one of the shots.
I went a little crazy shooting photos of vines on Sunday. I love the texture to the wood and how interesting it looks under different lighting conditions. So here are the definitive signs of the new season in my world.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Today is the first day of Spring... really! And yes, Ed & I are home enjoying our first snow day of the now past winter season! Gotta love Missouri! Strange and exciting weather. And only this state would let approx. 1.5" of snow result in area wide school closings. Not that I am complaining, mind you; it's wonderful to get the gift of a Tuesday all your very own! But when you see how much snow actually was on the ground, you have to chuckle. So put your feet up, keep the fireplace blazing, it's a SNOW DAY! It's good to be a teacher!

Snip, snip, trim trim trim

Spent all of this weekend at our vineyard giving 1200 vines a "haircut" so to speak. Ahhhh.... spring! Time to trim all the vines in a weird sort of annual ritual that involves cutting away about 75% of what they grew last summer. People drive past and look at us hacking away at our vines... thinking, "What are they doing?! Are they trying to kill that vineyard, or what???!!" But we do it... every spring. And they grow... every summer. In a way, it's a nice cycle... one you can count on. And that's why I love it.
But for right now, it's time to go soak my right hand... I have a monstrous case of "clipper's cramp!" :-)

Spring on the Brain

It's March... so Spring can't be too far away, can it? Must admit to having the early stages of Spring fever.... so I decided to post a crocus. I know it's a bit early, but all my bulbs are up at least 2 inches in the garden. If it snows now, it won't be good for them!
Got my copy of "Pride and Prejudice" this week.... I love that movie. Watched it twice already. I was hoping that it might garner an Oscar for Keira K. but no such luck. However, it will always rank as one of my top picks to watch!

Think Spring!