Thanksgiving is on MeMe's mind

Not-Saint-Patrick is a good provider once again this year. He came home tonight with fresh venison! But get ready, friends, there may be an exciting post coming soon. We are going to California to spend Thanksgiving with PJ and Kristin, and NSP is planning on taking some meat out to PJ. Can't you just feel an "airline story" coming?!!

More lack of common sense?

Administrative nonsense:

I can't for the life of me figure out why November 16 would be "too late in the school year" to observe for evaluation a veteran teacher (not me). The year isn't even 1/4 over! (My administrator has observed/evaluated me in June!!!!)

(There are interwoven parts to this next "story." Bear with me while I work thru them!)

A. We were told on the first day of school that the district had received "incentive funds," so we had to sign up for technology "workshops." They would be held after school and/or on Saturdays, and we would be given a stipend for attending.

B. Flu season is here. And while it hasn't hit my school full on (...yet...I hope I haven't jinxed us!), we are a rural district, and our substitute list is quite short. So when 5 teachers were out one day, and there weren't enough substitutes, admin. had to do some scrambling. Sp. ed. classes were cancelled, and those teachers were sent to sub for classroom teachers. Students with 1:1 aides were absent, so the aides were asked to "sub" for reading teachers; but aides can't "teach" so rather than teaching a reading group they "assisted" classroom teachers in other ways.

C. Last week (in the middle of flu season) a schedule came out for those technology workshops. They would be held during the school day, and there would be substitutes for us. Nearly every day for the next 2 weeks, as many as 15 teachers will be out of their classrooms attending these workshops. I sure do hope the flu season is over!

(Wonder if we'll receive the stipend?teeheehee)

AND...

Stiletto Girl is at it again. Actually, still would be a more appropriate word. But today was a double decker, and 1 alone would have been blog worthy, but together? Well, now that's amazing!

Here's how she celebrated Halloween:

She tied a balloon on each (4 year old) child's backpack before putting them on the bus! Balloons! On a school bus?! Is it just because I am a teacher that it seems like common sense would tell you that this isn't a good idea? Oh, wait, she's a teacher too! If it is just because I'm teacher that I know this, then she should too, right??

She dressed as a hockey player for Halloween. Cute!

Here's the bloggable part. We have a parade around the "new" high school gym so all the kiddies can show off their costumes. Soooo sweet! It's a big deal at our school; the parents come...yadda yadda.... So the hockey player needs skates, right? Doesn't she come zipping into the gym on roller blades! Now, I am not, nor have I ever been, an athlete, but even I know skates are not allowed on the basketball floor! I sorta think a cheerleader coach would too!!

Maybe it's because I'm tired, or maybe it's because I hate Halloween. But these things just sorta "got to me" today. Thanks for "listening."

Tales from the Classroom

"Mrs. Teacher," says Billy to me the other day in his usual nasal, loud "outdoor voice," the only one he has. "I'm going to throw this in the garbage," he says while staring blankly at me.

"Oh," says I, starting blankly back at him, wondering what in heck he was talking about.

He holds up his hand, pointer and thumb pressed together, shoving it toward my face. "It's a hair."

"Oh, OK, Billy" I say as I quickly scan the classroom to be sure that everyone (else) is still working hard on the math assignment, without needing my help.

"It's from my nose. I just pulled it out!"

Since Little Billy felt compelled to share with me, I thought sharing with you all was the least I could do!

Another Entry in the Fall Favorites!

Stamp Camp!

For the past several years, every October, I have been getting together with a group of ladies for this "event." It's a day of making Christmas Cards! A few of the gals create cards, and the rest us us use them as a template to create our own. At day's end we usually have 12-15 different cards to take home. Christmas music, yummy snacks, and door prizes make the day fun, too! But the best part is that we share ideas and learn new techniques.

I had already planned my card for this year, but I really loved some of the cards I made yesterday!

A Few of My Favorite (Fall) Things Part 3

Sequentially, the third (favorite) Fall event is a trip to Pen Yan, NY with My cousin and her daughter. We call ourselves the 3 sisters because, growing up, Bunny was like a sister to me. Her mother and mine were best (sisters) friends, and I have as many memories from my childhood at Bunny's house as at my own. When Bunny wasn't at my house, I was at hers. She is 10 years older than I, and when she got married I was saddened to lose her, until I realized I wasn't losing her, but gaining a brother. Her daughter (Linda) is 10 years younger than I, and she is like a little sister to me. She spent a lot of her growing up years at our house, and I frequently at hers, often babysitting. The 3 of us love doing things together. We usually go to the Ag Fest at Genesee country Village together, and Linda often goes to the Hemlock Fiber Festival with me!

Each fall we make the trip to The Windmill for a day of shopping. we have our favorite shops there, but usually visit them all! Rain or shine, warm or cold, we always have a blast on this day. We love getting fresh produce from local growers and handcrafted items from artisans. At least one of us usually gets a basket (or 2); socks and jewelry are also favorites.

We always stop at a bulk food store on our way home. And that is another of our favorite places to shop. This year it was more difficult, because the store is expanding! Next year it will be even more fun!

It is a beautiful drive this time of year through the countryside of western NY and I am always reminded why I love living in this part of the world!

This part of our state is famous for growing sauerkraut! I wondered if there were any Cabbage Patch Babies in there!

Another thing that makes this day so special is a stop for Pumpkin Spice Latte!

On our way through Canandagua this year we saw this sweet old car! When we stopped at Starbucks on our way home, we saw it again! And she was with a friend!

A few of my favorite (fall) things Part Deux

After visiting the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, NY as a child, I decided I wanted to work in a place like that as an adult. So I was one of the first in line to apply for a job when the Genesee Country Village opened in 1976. I worked as an interpreter in several buildings, but most enjoyed working in the buildings where I could demonstrate cooking. I cooked on an open hearth, in a fireplace, and in a beehive oven. I only worked there for 2 summers, but have loved going there every year since. They have several special activities through out the season which make a visit extra special.

In October they celebrate the harvest with an "Agricultural Fair," which is number 2 on my list of Favorite Fall Things!

I only took pictures of the 21st century entries at the festival this year.

One way to stay warm on a chilly fall day!

In the poultry barn:

These are 2 of my cousins' Belgians. Aren't they gorgeous?

In these pictures my cousin's son has deliberately put the team and wagon into a "jack-knife" position, then got them to rights again! The horses never flinched. These are huge animals, but oh so willing to do their job!

These girls range from 8 years old to teenagers. The horses vary in age, (The oldest was 30, and I think thee youngest was 9.) as well as size. (Two were ponies!) They perform together to music. I admire the girls for their individual efforts (this is hard work!) and team spirit (this is not easy!) and enjoyed watching them twice! Aren't their purple outfits cute?! The horses have purple "hats" (ear coverings) on too!

[I was quite enamored with the appy as Amanda and I used to ride a wonderful horse named Star Lady who looked a lot like this one! Watching this little girl on the big horse brought back some grand memories!]

A few of my favorite (fall) things Part 1

I don't think I have a "favorite" season. But if forced to pick one today, it would be autumn. Perhaps only because it's a beautiful fall day, as I write. Or, maybe it's because a few of my favorite events happen in the fall.

The first one is a fiber festival. Every year I go to at least one, and sometimes two.

I love the Fiber Fest in Hemlock, NY! For me it is a tremendously rich sensory extravaganza. All 5 of my senses go into high gear that day. The fibers range from the finest of silks (watching someone unwrap a silk worm's cocoon) to the bulkiest of wools (being shorn from the sheep). Every color imaginable is present that day! Fibers that have been colored with natural dyes show off beautiful, rich, earthy, soft colors. Using Kool-Aid gives an eye-popping vibrant color! I can't help gawking at everything, and touching all of the fibers, and even smelling some of them.

I get goose-bumps watching the sheep dogs working. It never fails to amaze me that they can do what they do so well, and mostly with little help from their human.

I bought a sheep. I named her Suzette! Isn't she beautiful?????

Have you ever touched a stuffed animal made with alpaca? It is the softest thing I have ever felt.

I cant imagine how long it must take to get enough fibers from an angora rabbit to make a garment! No wonder it's expensive!

This year it was especially exciting for me because I learned how to spin wool yarn on a drop spindle.

I think it's pretty good for a beginner, don't you?