And Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve

I cherish all the love and friendship

Reflected on my Christmas Tree!

Nice job Holy Spirit- beautiful voices and smiles!

So nice to see former students at Highland Catholics Christmas Program

(And so nice to just enjoy the show and not be in charge!)

First Snow

A shroud of snow covering the ground

Trees mummified in white linen

Treasures buried under pyramids of ice

A sarcophagus not to be raided until Spring

Meet Bao Bao
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/#update

         I’m sure I’m blocking all the tension and stress, but in my holiday filtered memory, Thanksgiving was fun. 

         The best part of Thanksgiving is that it was like a Sunday in the middle of the week. Sleeping in, waking up to good smells from the kitchen, everyone home, including dad. He may have gotten up early to go to church and I can’t remember him being particularly visible, but his presence was felt. That must have had a calming effect, because unlike Christmas, I don’t even remember mom being particularly anxious.

         I do remember trying to stay out of the way. I might have been in charge of the kids as usual, but we were all plopped down in front of the TV and I was so engrossed in the Macy’s Parade, I can’t remember fighting or yelling. Mom always made it sound so special to “Go watch the Parade”. It was like it was our job to carry on that tradition. Looking back, I think she just wanted us out of the kitchen and to sit still for a while. But I waited with baited breath for the Rocketts because when they appeared, we knew what came next- Santa! And once Santa made his trip from the beautiful float to his throne in Macy’s, the holidays could begin.        

         I know preparations for the Thanksgiving meal started days ahead and we all had to pitch in. Bob’s job of shining the silver, reminded us of the tradition of the occasion. Those ancient forks our ancestors used to gobble turkey before us. We used certain dishes and linens and a leaf in the table. I’m not sure whom we were trying to impress. I only remember grandma and Aunt Clara coming a few times. Mostly I think it was just us. We made a full table ourselves. And although the setting made it special, paper plates would have worked just as well. But I think it was mom’s way of trying to make magic. She had her dreams and had her vision of Rockwell’s American Family. And maybe if she could get the picture just right, we would be like the people in the novels she loved to read, with a happy ending.

         And of course, I remember food and lots of it; Mashed potatoes and a decent gravy, dad’s crusty crunchy stuffing, mom’s sugar coated sweet potatoes and the moist, hot turkey, something we never had on any other day. I don’t know why.  Turkeys weren’t that expensive and you got a lot of food out of it. It surly would have been better than those stringy roasts we had. But again it may have been tradition and Thanksgiving wasn’t a time to argue about that.

         I can’t remember a single conversation or interaction of that day. It comes to me in still pictures. A shot of us lined up on the green couch in front of the TV, like The Simpsons’ opening credits. Panning the living room into the kitchen I capture a shot of mom at the stove, a Betty Crocker commercial. Then, a table covered in food, like the Last Supper, surrounded by people, a blur of activity a hum of voices. Jostling for positions conversations on the side. Until stuffed like the turkey, tired and satisfied, we waddled to the sink and dishes then made our way back to the TV to fall into a tryptophan induced stupor content to fall asleep and dream of the next Holiday.

Home for the Holidays!

Even my Thanksgiving Cactus 

is getting ready for the Holidays!

Best Friends Forever

When you’re young, it seems like you’ll always be together. Your world is a nice tidy room of grade school friends who will always be there. A scene frozen in time.

Nancy will always like Bill Cosby and Star Trek. Beth will always remind me of Spock and books. Mary Jane will always be a compassionate teacher. We didn’t yet realize the outside influences that would disrupt our little scene. High School expanding our perimeter, outside influences stretching us in every direction. Pulling us beyond our small group into an ever-widening world.

Yet for a while, we were a group of girls, somehow sensing that we valued the best in each other. We respected the smart, witty way we could carry on a conversation, both talking and listening. Realizing the value of each point of view. Expanding our world beyond the classroom. Exploring pop culture with a sensible guide. Not gossiping but caring. Mirroring for each other our best selves.

Through the years we’ve grown and changed. We’ve moved beyond our tiny neighborhoods and elementary ideas. We now have a larger scope of family and friends.

But I like to think that at the core, we’re still those little girls, who found each other and learned the gift of friendship.

Bare branches
Like a skeleton
Flayed and exposed
No pretty platitudes
Or leaves
To protect it
Nothing to soften
The coming season
A life extinguished
Too soon.

Happy Birthday, Joni!

            Every autumn, we go on a leaf hunt. Like the anticipation of the spring lilacs, we gauge the months against nature’s calendar. Waiting for the exact moment when the blossoms begin. Fall brings its own treasures.

            It starts before Labor Day with “Back to School” advertisers littering their papers with bright orange and yellows hues. That sets the stage. As patrols of kids shuffle down the street back to school lifting their voices, the trees listen. Their cheers tint the edges in red; their sad laments are the color yellow as some stubbornly hang onto their green. We watch and wait.

            According to tradition and the Department of Natural Resources site, Northern Minnesota leaves start changing “Mid to late September” slowly creeping down. People flock to the North Shore to catch their first glimpse of this Annual transformation. The “Peak color map” is a bible for this miracle.

            We went up north too early for the peak, things got off to a late start this year. Not hot enough, not cold enough, not enough rain, too much rain.

But being early, we were able to spot the first sparks of color. Those early trees always seem to be some of the prettiest. That may be because they are set against a canvas of green or because our autumn minds are starved for color.

            Some of the early colors were muted this year. Again everyone had theories. They tried to explain why this year just didn’t compare to last year’s glory and don’t hold your breathe. But we did.

            According to the DNR peak colors make an appearance in the Twin Cities shortly before Minnesota Education Association’s meetings in October. MEA was usually a day to enjoy a last gasp of color ending in a dark and dreary end of the month. But this year the autumn lingered. Halloween was vivid with costumes and maple leaves. All Saints Day halos ringed the oak trees. On All Souls Day, we prayed for this miracle of suspended animation.

            The news explained it as an effect of the drought. Some sort of chemical reaction failed to hold up its end of the bargain, so the leaves couldn’t fall. I think the trees are just enjoying our admiration. And like us they are not quite ready for the long dark months ahead. Just one more day of glory and hanging on for dear life. 

            

            

            One cold, dark and scary night, was always the way you remember October 31^st. By the end of October you could usually count on the weather taking a turn for the worst. No matter how bad you wanted to show off that creative costume, it had to be worn over sweat pants or under winter coats. Then factoring in the end of daylight savings time, the sun would be setting by 5:00. With a typical overcast autumn sky, it was a cold, dark and scary night.

            Halloween, like abracadabra, is a magical word that conjures up all the joys of childhood. There was the feeling that anything was possible. If you ask kids what’s so special about Halloween, they’ll usually answer the candy. But it’s more than that. Otherwise you could save a lot of time and money by just keeping that giant bag of candy that you buy to give out.

            I think the dressing up was a big part of it. The idea that you could be anything you wanted to be. Not just in a “Grow up to be president” sort of way, but like in the way books and movies could take you to places you couldn’t imagine. You could be witches, or princesses, ghosts or pirates. No judgment or commitments, just good costumes and fun.

            You also could let your dark side out. Under cover of costume, you could howl and scream. You could be scared or brave. You could suspend disbelief and think what if… if only for one night. If we knew the ghost and goblins of the evening would be gone by morning, we could let them creep into our peripheral vision for this one magical night.

            And then there was the camaraderie, the secret society of kids at Halloween. Talk on the playground centered around,  “What are you going to be?” And “What’s your costume?” Plans were made, alliances were forged, anticipation mounted.

            Came the fateful night. and with it that feeling of invincibility. You and your friends ruled the night. Mom and dad were good for comfort, but the night was for you. You went up to each door. You had the power to say the magic words, “Trick or Treat” that unlocked the treasure of candy, even though mom got to check and ration, it was still your booty.  You made the decision; which houses to go to, which house was haunted and when you were too tired to move anymore.

            And then there was the candy. I think part of it was the mystery. Unlike going to the store and buying a bag of candy, to paraphrase Forest Gump, at Halloween, you never knew what you were going to get. Halloween was a map to buried treasure and it wasn’t as important what you got as the adventure of the hunt. Favorite candies could be debated forever, but what I remember was the variety. Dumping out your bag on the living room floor, it was amazing to see exotic colors and wrappers. We never realized so many kinds of candy existed.  Some we were willing to share, but we always got to keep something for ourselves. It was satisfying to have the chance to be a little bit selfish and the slightest bit greedy if only for a few hours, to let the monster within feast.

            It will probably be a cold, dark and scary night this October 31^st, but after all the little monsters are tucked away and by the time the sun rises on All Saint’s Day, they’ll all be little Angels again, with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.

Happy Halloween!

http://barebonespuppets.org/halloween-show/
Fantastic Halloween celebration of life (and death) at Hidden Falls

Some old friends and new ones

at Holy Spirit School

Cooking
Like life
Lends itself
To improvisation.
Chili becomes sloppy joes
Without the peppers,
Shepherd's pie
Is now a hot dish
With tator tots,
And a dreary day
Turns toasty
With the oven on.

Happy 35th (Jade) Anniversary

To us!

http://www.zooatlanta.org/1212/panda_cam
New baby pandas to name!

Always somethin' happenin' at the Zoo....

Romance
Is transcending the ordinary;
The beauty of a walk through the leaves
And the conversation that ensues,
The wonder of a Harvest Moon
And holding hands beneath it,
The serendipity of a picnic lunch
With a kiss for appetizers,
The shared experience of a romantic movie
And focusing on the person beside  you,
The serenity of the fading sunset
And feeling all's right with the world.

My multi-talented, sister in law, Amy

at her Almanac Reading

Like being a grandparent
Volunteering is all of the fun
Without the headaches.
I loved being back in the classroom!
Thanks, Ann.

No Panda cam?!
What are they thinking?

Channeling all my creativity-
Using the resourcefulness
Honed from making art projects
From nothing,
The creativity of creating
Interactive and educational
Projects,
The quick on your feet decisions
When the teachable moment strikes,
The inspiration needed
To make math fun,
All went into my cooking lasagna.

Our good luck charm for cards

Squirrel stalking food
Twitching whiskers
Seeking out
The left over banquet
Of summer
Like me storing up energy
For Fall.

I should be teaching reading about now
Just before the lunch bell rings
Instead of sitting on my deck
Reading a good book.
I should be looking out
At hungry minds and restless bodies
Instead of  sipping soda
And relaxing.
I should be doing recess duty
Watching children play
Instead of monitoring
The squirrels in my backyard.
I should be counting money
Or telling time in math class
Instead of losing track of time
Or even what day it is.
I should be doing a science experiment
Instead of experiencing
The wonders of nature
And the chemistry of a fall day.
I should be in school
Instead
I'm still learning.

Watching the kids
Waiting for the School patrol
Flash of colors
And waving arms
Tangle of legs
And sleepy smiles
Forming the student body
At the Bus Stop.

Trying to process
The process of a new job

My brain seems to melt
Into the computer
Like the buttons
On the cash register

People in line
Become items
To check off

Books on the shelf
Are an inconvenience
To dusting

Making change
Is a dirty job

Things take on new meaning
As the meaning of work changes.

Recipe for a clean drawer

A pinch of paper
A smidgen of aged receipts
1/2 stack of expired coupons
A dozen broken binders
Pens and pencils to taste
Close drawer and enjoy!

September

The cycle of summer
Fading into fall
A disruption in time
For a teacher
To be home
The first week in September...

Thanks, Gary

My own Panda!