This photo was taken at one of the marching festivals.
Erin is second from the right of the shortest tuba, top row
Jack is the rude Frenchman 5th from left, bottom row.
Their show was music from the show Spam-A-Lot. I think I mentioned that a while back.

Thursday- Feeling Like Saturday

Taking a mental health day today and enjoying as much outside time as possible. When I walked into school on Tuesday, I felt oppression which isn't normal, as I usually can wait until spring for such feelings to surface. I think those feelings stem from the fact my co-worker and I rarely leave our room during the day, lunch with each other (a measly 20 minutes) and host a continuous stream of pesky, work -avoiding kids that don't seem to make reasonable attempts to change. They don't care that they are missing recess- amazing!

Im still digging strawberries out if my garden for transplant to my friend, Andrea's where our fruit garden is. I never got them transplanted this spring to our raised beds out there because...there were no raised beds constructed! We managed to get one constructed and I mixed the soil for it and transplanted some strawberries but I have probably three hundred new plants that grew in my garden last year and set runners. I still have at least a hundred new starts to dig even now. Soooo, thats on my agenda.
I also decided to deconstruct my two flubby raised beds in my front yard that have been taken over by either tansy or northern sea oats. I would like to neaten up my yard with some shapely beds, incorporating some perennials and shrubs from other places in my yard and replanting those holes with a single variety of shrub. I have planted willy nilly. I doubt that will start today but it's on my mind.

This Week's Activities, God Permitting

70 degree days, a walk that doesn't freeze my you- know- what off, bike rides, the band banquet this evening, Fall Festival (okay, that's not that great but still), work in the garden that doesn't require a pair of hip waders and mud boots, patio time.
It's about bloody time we have some fall weather!

Halloween and three of my peeps surfaced to help hand out candy. One brought her hubby which was cool because he brought the bottle of Crown Royal , which I had just put down on my Christmas list. He didn't read my Christmas list because he took the balance of the bottle home. I think she may have packed it up actually, as they had come over after attending her Grandma's funeral. I think she might have needed the evening and the bottle of CR for later.

One had her hubby show up with his best friend, who got rather irritated with our teachery, liberal stance on a few topics of conversation.

One came as a tired, cranky 50 year old woman. That could have been any of us.
More were invited but one just had surgery and she wasn't up for it and others had previous activities planned. One showed up even though I wished she hadn't with a very sick child who, it turned out today was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia. NOT smart at all.

I dressed sort of BeetleGeuse-esque and Mother Nature.

What were you all doing on Halloween?

Posts have been few and far between here. Ive been on no rant or found much of anything relevant to comment on or bring to anyone's attention. My job and the kids are taking a lot of my time, I know. I'm feeling pretty boring and am in the process of "brightening" myself up so I can troll for suitors again. It's been a few years and I think a change of scenery would help me feel lively again. Time is fleeting...

This incessant rain has my spirits down, too. Is this how Seattlites feel?!

Marching season is done for the kids. I have yet to post any pics of them but I will. The last competition they were to perform in was canceled because of- YOU GUESSED IT! rain. Have you ever seen football on a muddy field? Marching on a muddy field is crazy looking and the uniform cleaning bill is ridiculous.

Figuring on having the girls over for our Halloween get-together. Our normal hostess who is a nut for Halloween and goes all out with decorations and food is living out of town until her house is built. We have to have it here close by so we can wobble home easily after festivities. I am the obvious candidate. I've got some decorating to do.

Work is calling. Ciao!

A post from last year but really helpful ideas and reminders for me. Ive done well with #2 and #3. Im really hard on myself when it comes to knowing if I've managed to do #4 adequately. #1- meh, not too good with that. I am honest and don't gossip very often but the part about saying what I mean is troublesome. I do have a habit of working to only say good or constructive things.


1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. -I think of the people who I admire and when they speak, its after a pause to reflect what it is they want to say. That old adage of "think before you speak".

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering. -Ok, really useful if I'd understood that concept a long time ago. And I try to help the kids with this as well, reminding them when someone is hateful directly to them, no telling what else is are has gone on in their lives to cause them to lash out. Understanding some can take some of the sting out of the meaness.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life. -Simple and oh, so helpful to have learned this years ago. There was much more to this agreement than just the communication encouragement.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret. -When I read this agreement in the book, I thought "how stupid! How can we expect to do our best when we many times don't have it in us?" But it manages to take the pressure off by the next few sentences and then it does make sense.

Anyway, as they say, these are guiding principals we can use on a daily basis if it helps flesh out existing principals we live with. I'm pretty much a "do unto others" kinda gal but but I need more.

The kids are competing today in a field marching competition. J was asked to join h. s. band along with 9 other above average 8th graders, to help flesh out the band. It's been successful for him allowing him to join up with E and her crowd and his own little harem of friends in a positive way. The music for the show is from Spam-A-Lot, which, as you all know is from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", one of the family's favorite. J gets to start the show in character as the Rude Frenchman. I think he as a future in theater.

Other news is sparse. You'll have to come round another day for more.

Ciao.

Ta-Da!

It's my berfday. Sing to me.

Someone once related a story to me about moving to a town in the Yukon Territory. He was driving along through this amazing scenery (that phrase is dull compared to what he was seeing) when he topped a peak and lay eyes on a scene so achingly beautiful, he cried.
I understood exactly what he felt because when I am in the woods or even driving through the woods or hills here in my own state, I am griped with feelings just shy of that. It's a response Ive had since my earliest recollections. My family was always taking off on a Sunday to picnic somewhere woodsy. Once I even told my family I wanted to live in the woods and asked what would I do there to which I replied "I would just dwell". They laughed uproariously which strangely didn't bother me.
The PBS special "National Parks" has outlined the political as well as the human side of the formation of our national parks and I appreciate knowing the work and effort put into protecting them and the reasons these awesome lands were chosen for preservation- "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People". It made me want to pack a bag right now and take off to see each and every one of the parks.
One of the men they profiled during the show was Horace Kephart who settled in the Appalachian mountains and wrote accounts of the people who inhabited the region. I hope to find some of his books to read because the excepts from his books that were read on the special made me feel like he had written exactly what was in my heart when I am in the woods.

Toodles.
Time to wake the chillen.

My Luck

I had my eye on a very creative, musically-inclined, fairly handsome, whiskered gentleman. I found out tonight he won't be interested. Word is, he likes men.
*@#?!

Love Apple is the Drug

Tomato season is far too short in Missouri.

Last night I picked my Indian corn and stalks for shocks, pumpkins and gourds, butternut squash and okra. Im still getting a nice load of tomatoes and almost a half bushel of okra. The shot of the watermelons were from a couple weeks back but I too proud of them not to post the pic. They are old fashion varieties and I grew them to ripeness ON THE VINE. I have to say my sample of them made the sweat and chigger bites worth it. My stuff will be at the Apple Festival tonight at the orchard booth. Stop by and marvel. Then look me up and we'll have a beer...

I am actually in a classroom setting this year instead of an old trailer with a desk in the corner. My co-worker Brenda, and I are set up as an at-risk room. So far, lots of business is coming our way.
The other photos are of the garden in back of the orchard. My sweet corn blew down during one storm but managed to stand back up. These shots were during July so the grass in between the rows had yet to take over. I won't show you the shots of August.

A Quickie

Back at school. Killer schedule. No computer at home since financially I thought it best to replace the phone, dishwasher, guttering, buy food, pay bills, buy gas, buy school supplies, save for the inevitable washer (it sounds like a chain gang fighting in the laundry room when it runs and no, it's not repairable) - you get the picture. What we want in a computer will start at $800+ so I am holding off until I meet my sugar daddy or I win at the local casino.

Children are good.
Daughter is working at Hardees and now has a full load of classes as a Senior. Son is looking more like a 9th grader than an eighth grader.
My summer went way fast since I worked in the garden at the orchard. I have done on the producing but there was a lot of competition especially from the Amish so sales were soft.
Fall crops are going in so maybe Ill have something others won't offer.

Ill be around checking in on you all. Hope you are all fine.

@^$&*#! I just got a call from my computer guy and after replacing the motherboard and starting it up, they have determined the hard drive is bad. OMG! Crap! Crap! Crap!.

Ugh. I am depressed.



Hello to you all out there. Im still around and Ill back when I can afford it.

Im at my mom's this weekend for my dad's side family reunion. Its changed completely since the olden days when there was so much good homemade food, lively conversation, tiny babies and tons of cousins all wrapped up in a day at the city park I grew up playing in which was a lovely setting, btw. I looked at some photos from the seventies today and man, was there a lot of polyester!

Now it's KFC and Walmart cupcakes at a stuffy first cousin's house. I am rather picky about things, huh?

And all the original aunts and uncles of the Provance clan that started the reunion have passed except one aunt. 200 people easily were at the reunions and I couldn't remember half their names but there was always someone to play with or talk to and they knew me.

Now it's a whole new set of people I don't know and not many at that.

We are taking homemade meatballs, buttermilk fried chicken strips and fruit cocktail cake along with veg salad. I won't stray far from the table.

Next Wednesday E and I fly down to Orlando for the National Beta convention. E is competing in spelling. I can't wait to make it to the beaches near NASA. I rented a car and we will see how well I navigate. We stay at the Caribe Royale resort which looks scrumptious. The school is picking up the tab (except the alcohol, I suspect). Whoohoooooo!

Ill check in on my blogfolk asap. Until then, toodles.

Im thinner, more shorn than before, having cut my hair all off in a pixie cut and I am rather relaxed these past few days since shool has let out. Working in the outdoor classroom every day before school was out in addition to working several hours in the truck garden took several layers of winter and spring fat off. While I was working out so much, I noticed my hair was looking more like a rat's nest and less like a head of hair so off it came. I like the results now although I was initially afraid to look too manish. No women have flirted with me so far so Ive got that going for me....
My daughter turned 17 Wednesday. What a slap of reality! Seventeen YEARS OLD! I remember coming in to R's office and closing the door to share the results of the "test" and realizing I was going to have a baby like it was yesterday. And when my former mother-in-law walked in to the hospital room after E was born and I told her it was a girl, she burst out crying and hugged me. It makes me weepy just to remember those wonderful moments. I was so scared and not too bright especially given less than adaquate sleep to manage a newborn baby all day by myself with no one around until R came home from work. I was a mess. But it was frightening.
So she has made it to 17 in spite of me being her mother and it may be alright from here on out. Time will tell. She is a gem.

Im still thinking about all of you and wondering what is going on with you just like we are friends. Hope things are okay. Ill be back around when I can and certainly after I get a working computer.

Last day of school!-- hoorah! Words cannot express my joy. I need to make a trip to the liquor store...*hic*

No computer will be in use at my house for another few weeks on the inside. Got a lead on some work to do on it.

What a piece of news! The kid's dad invited me to his house for a Memorial Day bonfire/cookout along with several of our old and his current friends plus our children. Interesting....

I took on the job of starting the truck garden with the orchard guy. We have had so much rain earlier in the month we could get the plastic and irrigation laid. Last night we got it in and I planted 120 feet of tomatoes (lost count of how many) and 9 rows of sweet corn. The next few weeks I will be trying to get it all in plus my garden needs some stuff planted.
Im pretty excited since he is letting me treat it as my baby. He knows nothing about vegetable gardening. Could a person ask for more? All I have to do is try to make a profit.

I will look you all up when I have the chance at a computer. Til then, Toodles.

My brother's son graduated high school this week and this afternoon we had an open house and this evening a bonfire complete with s'mores and hot dogs at my mother's house. It doesn't take much to make any of us happy. Ben was very pleased.

Only three and a half days of school left. It really seems like we were just at this point but it HAS been a year. I am so ready. Many women at school are becoming increasingly hard to stand. I detest two-faced, lying, lazy bitches. Oh, my- that as harsh.

One thing my coworker and I have been doing is taking each class for an hour and working on planting in and mulching the beds in the outdoor classroom with the native plants and trees. It is amazing how well-behaved even the most annoying child is when they are allowed to work on a project like this. Many try to outdo each other with lifting, toting, shoveling and instruction but I noticed them also having good conversation amongst them selves, talking in friendly tones and helping each other. Brenda and I sat back at one point and just listened and watched while they worked. It was inspiring.

Toodles until Monday.

So my computer guy says my HP has a motherboard issue. Like it needs a new one and they can't be found. I may be naive and he is just yanking my chain but since he has nothing to gain from telling me that, I assume its true. I have another source that I can verify it by.
I am so gonna write a letter expressing my disgust with a four year old machine that is not even used every day having problems to this extent. I know, I know- they will not even read it but I am still writing it. I should have done my homework before I bought it.
So as it stands right now, I have no computer at home nor will I unless I find someone with a used one that wants to lend. I haven't checked with my peeps.
I have had some withdrawal symptoms associated with no home computer. My Facebook account is slightly overloaded with "stuff" too. No biggy though.
My mom had been visiting since Saturday and doing some lovely housework for me. It's nice to go home and have no laundry or supper to cook. AND- she primered my bathroom so now I can slap a coat of paint on it in no time. It's all taped off and everything. I will so be ready to have my bed back and a decent hour of retiring. She keeps late hours, that one and I like my sleep. I was glad she came because she got away from the worries she has everyday at home.
The storm we had last week- the inland hurricane they called it was exactly that. My trampoline was once more wrenched apart and bent perhaps for the last time( my brother manhandled it until it fit back together last time), my Red Spire ornamental pear was snapped off neatly at ground level- ~sob~ so no shade for the patio this summer, and my downspout guttering on the front of the house was blown off. Luckily, I had not roof damage as some of the surrounding houses did nor were my big trees downed like some were.

Lunch duty calls.

Sandi, I messed up yours and Mathman's urls on my blog roll. I haven't left you out intentionally.
I'll get it fixed as soon as I get my computer back at home. 'Cause Lord knows I have zero time at school to mess around on the computer.
Hope all of you are good.
I still have yet to answer Anne's questions about trees. One might assume I was less knowledgeable about that stuff than Ive let on. *cough*

Sorry about that, Iamnot.

So much stuff last week at school and at home. Coming and goings of my offspring and myself.
Sorry Anne about forgetting about the recommendations for replacement trees. I think you are pretty much in my growing zone- 6. And for those dogwoods- they can receive sunlight but I think they like a bit of shade. I have a lot of favs, btw.
Working on putting together an at-risk classroom with my co-worker. She is actually doing the work of scheduling and set up but Ive worked and troubleshot with her and visited other schools with these classes in place so I have a hand in it. It's taken a while to get a handle on what we are after.
We have what we can have in place and the next move is to implement next year and change what works on paper but doesn't actually work in reality. I just wonder what I should really get paid when I start this. Common lament among teachers.
E went to prom Saturday night but since my computer decided to be finicky about something, I haven't been on to upload them. Wait until you get a load!
I spent the weekend making up a seed and plant order for the orchard guy's truck farm he's starting. I also turned my garden over, mowed the backyard (should have had J do that before he left for Dad's), transplanted tomato and pepper seedlings (don't know if I can get them big enough to use in my garden in time) black-eyed Susan and garlic chive volunteers from my beds, planted white pine and tulip poplar seedlings as a windbreak on the north side of my house, retrieved my daughter and 3 friends from an hour and a half away after their Saturday band contest so they wouldn't come slugging in at 3 pm and have 2 and 1/2 hours to get ready for prom (could you imagine only having 2 and 1/2 hours to get ready?!) but shopped for clothes before I picked them up, transplanted houseplants and moved them outside to live, cleaned and washed, cooked and baked for the week.
Good Gosh! I sound like ANNE!

Middle school Prom Better Known As Night of the Rolaid

All 8th graders except for J. Doesn't it make your blood run cold?


I will say, the DJ was doing a fabulous job when I peeked in. I wanted to stay and dance but it would have been a mistake.


His date came with her own corsage but decided it would be nice to wear J's too. Even those points he scored didn't manage to save him in the end. Things fell apart midway through the evening.
Dancing with another girl, even if it is your best friend and not putting more than finger tips on her while you dance and not even with your date dancing with another girl? at the time is reason enough to keep you out of trouble. Boy, was he bummed.





He was certainly feeling stylish and he smelled very nice. He has a little dance move he does when he is feeling particularly happy and I saw it a lot last night.

Really, one could look at middle school prom two ways.
1: It's an excuse for 6th, 7th and 8th graders to have tremendous amounts of money and time spent for a dressed up, too grown- up experience.
2: It's an opportunity for those kids to learn some lessons on how to act responsibly and with better manners than in daily
life. And to experience the excruciating pain and drama that an 8th grade girl can inflicted on a slightly numbskulled but well-meaning 7th grade boy.
Such is life.

In between making the deviled eggs and the shrimp salad we took these.

Not a bad bunch.