Finally Feeling Like Fall

It finally feels like fall today. We have the windows open and there is a cool breeze coming through. (Also the smell of wild onions, since Steve is cutting the "grass". I use the term loosely, as we have very little actual grass.)

I just have a few zinnias left, but this one stood out. Such a pretty pink.

It's been a really full week, which makes me appreciate a weekend that much more. I am thoroughly enjoying my new students this year, and am starting to find my rhythm with each of the different bells. I have two science classes with unusually small numbers this year and that is a first for me. It is a totally different dynamic when you have ten students instead of the usual 25-30, and it requires a different flow. It's nice but it took me a week or two to find it. I've also had to adjust my teaching style somewhat, as a result of being on my scooter instead of being able to walk around independently. One of the positive results of having limited mobility is that I've had to relinquish more control to my students, with respect to getting out lab equipment, writing on the board, and distributing supplies. As a control freak, this has been a good lesson for me.

My other two science classes have twenty and thirty students, so that's pretty normal. The class of thirty is an honors science and I'm really excited about implementing some new lessons for them; taking some of the gifted strategies I'm still learning in grad school and applying them is pretty cool. My class of twenty students is my AVID science class, and they still hold a special place in my heart. AVID is the program that takes students who are average achievers, gives them a bell of support mainly in the form of organizational skills, and treats them as if they were honors students, which improves their achievement. In other words, they rise to the high expectations we place on them. AVID also exposes them to the idea of college and what it takes to get there, so they start taking the courses they need in order to have a good shot of being accepted, and most importantly, being successful in college.

My SOL Prep bell is actually my gifted elective bell, with only nine students, and the curriculum for it is pretty wide open. Basically, I'm supposed to encourage their giftedness and challenge them to find their passion. The past two weeks, we have been reading articles about racism and sexism and how social media impacts both those -isms. Listening to their discussions and reading what they write is quite simply amazing. I am loving this class. Next week we're going to do a mini science fiction unit and then I'm going to turn them loose in the library and see what they come up with.



I met my youngest daughter, Melissa, for coffee the other night during a major thunderstorm. Apparently there were even a few tornados sighted, but thankfully, not in the area she and I were. On my way there, I took this picture of the sun shining through the dark clouds. I thought it was an interesting shot.



Last night we had hail with yet another thunderstorm. Weird weather around here these days. Hope you are enjoying a lovely fall weekend!

False Fall

Stephen took these gorgeous photos of some caterpillars feasting on our rue plants. I think it's interesting that they have inverse (reverse?) coloration. I have no idea what kind they are, but it's one of the benefits on no pesticide gardening, something my husband is passionate about.

It may look like fall here, but it doesn't feel like it. It's muggy and warm. I think we've had rain for the past two weeks, maybe longer. Everything is damp, inside and out, and lichens are even growing on our roof, just as if we lived in the Pacific Northwest.

But my fall cleaning continues, one weekend at a time. I've cleared out the main food cabinet, wiped it down, and it's drying out. Now it's back to the kitchen I go to put everything back. I did a quick written inventory of what we have, and plan on flipping through my cookbooks for recipes. I am so out of the habit of meal planning and cooking, that I am having trouble getting started. A friend of mine plans her meals by the month, building in a day of leftovers every week. I don't know if I can do that just yet, but I'd really love to get in the habit of planning a week ahead and doing some of the prep work on the weekend. Any suggestions?

Weekend Wrap Up

I finally finished my mom's "summer" sweater! I did the majority of it in June, then stopped working on it until the end of August. After making a list of my unfinished projects, I pulled it back out and now it's done! Even though it's a cotton sweater, I think she'll get a lot of use out of it, since I modified the pattern and made long sleeves. Now it's getting a wash, and tomorrow I'll take photos of it. (Edited to add photo. I pinned it closed, but still need to add a button loop.)

Last weekend, despite staying in my pajamas most of the time, Steve and I did a fair amount of fall cleaning; it made for a great start to the work week. This weekend, we had planned to go out of town, but things came up and we stayed home instead. Even though I had looked forward to the trip, it was probably better for my healing foot that we didn't go. So I got a lot of errands run, ate out, and saw the movie, Sarah's Key, with a friend. I thought it was a really good movie and I'm glad I saw it. That sounds like a weak recommendation, but it's a hard one for me to describe for some reason.


My plan for tomorrow is to go through our kitchen cabinets and make a menu for the week to use what we already have on hand. We got in a really bad (but fun) habit this past week and ate out almost every night. It was good timing, since it was my first full week back at work after my surgery, but it's too expensive to keep up and it's not the most healthy diet plan. But it was fun and very sweet of Stephen to be such a good sport about it.


My school year is going just great; I have another group of wonderful students, which makes life so much more enjoyable. Plus, this year I'm teaching a class of gifted students for one bell of enrichment. We're doing some really interesting things. I'll write more about that later. For now I'm going to try and go to sleep, even though my after-the-movie cup of coffee is keeping me awake. Either that or menopause, take your pick.

A Back to School Giveaway

I had fun with my little giveaway, but caffeinegirlknits is having an even bigger one. Check it out for a chance to win some really nice stuff.

I made it through my first week back at school, although I did take off Wednesday. I did a lab with my students on Thursday and Friday, and stupidly invited my administration team in to observe. Unfortunately my new principal showed up during my difficult bell and followed up with an email telling me I need to get a few of them under control. Believe me, they won't be the difficult bell for long, but it was just hubristic to invite anyone in to observe me on my fourth day of class. I'm just so used to having solid classroom management that I forgot it does take a little time to get there with new students. One positive thing that will come out of this is that when the principal does return, he will definitely see a major improvement in the students' behavior. Trust me on this.

Anyway, I spent most of yesterday in my pajamas and am hoping to do the same today. The weather is certainly cooperating, as it is in the low sixties and drizzly. Definitely a hint of fall here. And I'm almost done with my mom's "summer" sweater. Better late than never, eh?

Fun Stuff

Have you ever felt like you were spending more time thinking or reading about creativity than actually being creative?

I was browsing Brooklyn Tweed's Fall Collection of patterns and oh my, quite a few caught my eye. I love the Acadia Cardigan, the Levenwick Cardigan, the Sullivan Cardigan, and the Quinnipiac Cowl. I mean, really I love them all, but these are the three I can actually see myself making. The Perry Cardigan is great too, but I don't think it would be flattering in my current size.


I also found some pretty (and free!) patterns from Blue Sky Alpaca, like the Java Cloche, One-Cable Mitts, and the Zig-Zag Mittens and Hat.

And PurlBee never ceases to amaze me with their beautiful projects, like this baby blanket.

What patterns are making you swoon?

I Am A Seeker

I am a seeker of balance, joy, and contentment. For as long as I can remember, I have tried to find joy in everyday moments. Obviously there are days when I fail miserably, but I always keep striving.


My first guidebook to this consciousness was the Anne of Green Gables series of books. Sounds odd, but it is true. Anne, through L. M. Montgomery's writing, was an amazing influence on me.



La Leche League was another powerful resource. It was so much more than breastfeeding advice, it was a community of women. A community of women before there was the Internet. Three mantras I attribute to that wonderful organization are: "people before things, always", "take what you need, leave the rest", and "good enough is enough". Whenever I feel overwhelmed, these three concepts remind me of my priorities.


Sarah Ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance was another amazing resource for me as well. Her book gave me concrete ways to practice gratitude at a difficult time in my life.


And now the internet has opened up even more places for me to find inspiration: SouleMama, Slow Love Life, habit, Letter to a Long Lost Friend, The Gift of an Ordinary Day; these are all blogs that remind me of what is important, that how I choose to live my life matters.

I know you have your own sources; I'd love to hear about them.

Finally, A Start

I had my first day with students today and surprisingly, I had a bad case of butterflies right before I got to school. That hasn't happened since I first started teaching, but as soon as the kids got there, all was well. They seem like a great group and I'm looking forward to getting into the rhythm of teaching again. Although my foot hurts, it's not too bad, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to take off Wednesday to make sure I don't overdo it this first week back. It's just so hard for me to stay seated; it's not my style of teaching, but I'm going to have to do it or else miss even more time, so seated it will have to be.

I did finish the baby sweater this weekend, and although the color is washed out in this photo, I'm quite pleased with how this project turned out. I felt like I took some design chances on this one by my placement of color. (I'd describe the green as celery green).
Turns out my idea of posting the multiple projects I had in my queue was actually a good motivation for me this time. So far I have finished the baby sweater, unraveled the Saroyan and Stripe Study shawls, put the thumbs in the Cane Sugar Mitts (forgot to even include them, they were so close to done), and I'm now knitting the sleeves on the sweater for my mom. (She just told me she'd prefer long sleeves, so it'll take just a bit longer, which is what I get for waiting until September to finish a sweater that was started in June!) That will leave me the purple shawl and then I plan on casting on for this or this, using some Knit Picks Tweed that I bought while on pain meds. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

I'm pretty sure my posting is going to slow down a bit, now that I'm back to work. My knitting too, although I'll try and keep at it. I'd really love to get in a new routine of going to bed and getting up a bit earlier so I can knit for a bit in the morning, to see how that affects my day. Anyone do that as a meditative practice before work?

Enjoy your week!