Outside my window: grass!   We have growing things!

I am thinking: about my sister’s arrival tomorrow to await the birth of her twins.

I am thankful for: my starter plants and the fact that they seem to be thriving.

From my classroom: finishing science fiction studies; love that genre.  I think everyone should read Madeleine L’Engle’s work.  All of it.

From the kitchen: multigrain, whole grain hamburger buns for salmon burgers tomorrow.  Maybe rhubarb salsa.

I am wearing: jeans, a little flowered t-shirt, pink tank top, and a burgundy sweatshirt because this is Alaska.

I am creating: plants!  Well, growing them.  I hope.  Kale, lettuce, swiss chard, and carrots.

I am going: to organize my recipes this summer.  I have two recipe boxes, a bunch of binders, and a billion cookbooks.  I am out of control.

I am reading: Dragons in the Water by Madeleine L’Engle because I teach by example.

I am hoping: that my Achilles’ tendon feels better soon.  I miss running.

I am hearing: street cleaners cleaning the street.

Around the house:  candles!  It’s been sort of dark and cloudy.

One of my favorite things: Etsy.  So many fun things to see.

A few plans for the rest of the week: jewelry and jewelry, let tendon heal without aggravating it, make summer plane tickets to Dillingham, clean out the fridge.

A picture thought I am sharing:

I really like these bowls.

Outside my window: wind!  Wind, wind, wind!  It’s very windy.

I am thinking: about the sweet peas I planted and how nice they will smell by the door.

I am thankful for: warmer temperatures; I’ve been running in shorts!

From my classroom: science fiction studies; love that genre.  I think everyone should read Madeleine L’Engle’s work.  All of it.

From the kitchen: moose fajitas; I did the whole tortilla thing over the weekend and am finishing the leftovers as salads.  Next up, smoked salmon something.  Maybe toasted sandwiches.  Maybe pitas.  I have tons of bread in the freezer and need to eat some.

I am wearing: khaki pants, a green flowered belt, long-sleeved green t-shirt and a brown wool sweater.  Yes, wool.  This is Alaska.

I am creating: earrings, jewelry, sparkly stuff.

I am going: to start a new journal this week with my teaching epiphanies.  I’m tired of losing all my good ideas.  I’m also going to cull some recipes.  This is ridiculous.  I could make something new every day for the rest of my life.

I am reading: Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers.  Usually, I loooove Francine Rivers, but this book isn’t totally exerting hold over me as did her works in the past.  Of course I will finish it, but I don’t think I will make it a permanent member of the bookshelf (the copy I am reading is from the library).

I am hoping: that my Achilles’ tendon feels better soon.  Sorta strained it yesterday.

I am hearing: Artemis the cat purring.  Hard to miss since she’s colonizing my lap.

Around the house:  new beads!  New beady beads!  I feel inspiration tingling up.

One of my favorite things: baby plants for the garden!  Can’t wait to poke them in the ground.

A few plans for the rest of the week: jewelry and jewelry, make some sweet thing for work, arrange hair appointment since my hair is reaching unwieldly mane stage, play the piano a bit, and start making my summer list of plans.

Outside my window: I think spring might be here!  The sun is shining, my rhubarb is growing, and I saw a fly this afternoon.

I am thinking: about my garden and how it will look two months from now with growing things instead of dead things.

I am thankful for: light, light, light.  Can’t wait for the 22-hour days that are coming up!

From my classroom: finishing personal narratives.  Using Thoreau to push the whole meaning of experience thing.

From the kitchen: I attempted shredded potato pizza crust.  It wasn’t crispy and delicious.  I like the concept, so I may try again.

I am wearing: workout clothes.  I’m jumping on the elliptical trainer since my movie is due tomorrow.

I am creating: earrings if the components for them arrives in the mail.

I am going: to buy a loaf of bread this week.  I don’t buy bread often, but this is a local bakery that I am curious about.  Rise and Shine Bakery is the name; they use some local ingredients.

I am reading: The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser.  I’m coping with the reality that I’m now reading textbooks in my spare time…

I am hoping: to enjoy the personal narratives my students are writing.

I am hearing: the refrigerator run.  I so enjoy appliances that work!

Around the house: vaccuum tracks!  I vaccuumed yesterday; I so enjoy a freshly cleaned house.  It’s calm and peaceful, and feels friendly.

One of my favorite things: sunlight.  Extended, beautiful Alaskan sunlight!

A few plans for the rest of the week: garden stuff, work the track meet on Thursday to make a little extra money, and put birthday boxes together for the birthday boys, Dad and Michael.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

Aren't space photos cool? This one reminds me of "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle.

Outside my window: s-word.  It fell all afternoon.  I am taking it personally.

I am thinking: that winter might be here for a while yet.

I am thankful for: the rhubarb knobs popping up through the ground.

From my classroom: writing personal narratives.  Using Thoreau to push the whole meaning of experience thing.

From the kitchen: spaghetti squash in a tomato-white wine-garlic-olive sauce.  It’s fabulous.  It also has the benefit of helping me clean out the fridge.

I am wearing: pajamas.  It’s way past my bedtime.

I am creating: earrings.  I need to send more to the gallery.

I am going: to start the seeds for my garden.  I maybe possibly didn’t get them planted over the weekend…

I am reading: The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser.  I’m coping with the reality that I’m now reading textbooks in my spare time…

I am hoping: this is the last time that s-word falls on us.

I am hearing: my eyelids creak down.  I am tired.

Around the house: recipe pages.  I am on a cooking research kick.

One of my favorite things: sleeping until I wake up instead of fumbling around for the alarm clock and moaning in pain about the fact that I have to get up.

A few plans for the rest of the week: get motivated.  How’s that for a plan?  I have sooooo much to do.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

This pretty step painting didn't make it through the winter.

Outside my window: grey and windy.  Stormy.  I’m about to start planting heath and heather.

I am thinking: that the teeny green buds on the tree outside my window are the most encouraging things I’ve seen all day.

I am thankful for: the drain-unclogging tool.  Trust me, you don’t want the details.

From my classroom: writing personal narratives.  Using Thoreau to push the whole meaning of experience thing.

From the kitchen: the biggest cauldron of soup I’ve ever made.  Guess I know the menu for this week: Potage Villageois.  It has a fancy name, but the soup is mainly milk, cabbage, leeks, and potatoes.  The recipe is from Twelve Months of Monastery Soups by Victor D-Avila-Latourrette which is, by the way, an amazing cookbook.  Good for families, I’d guess, since I just made a gallon of soup with one recipe.  This will be a good time to eat up the breads and muffins I’ve got in the freezer.  I am always blessed with too much bread around here since I use baking as a method of procrastination.

I am wearing: jeans with the biggest flares ever, a brown lace-trimmed tunic, and a funky wrap-around top.  I’m sort of hippie’d out today.

I am creating: a diamonds (shapes, not real stones!) and forget-me-nots bracelet.  It’s a new design!  Brand new!  Just created by me!

I am going: to start the seeds for my garden.  I maybe possibly didn’t get them planted over the weekend…

I am reading: The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser.  I’m coping with the reality that I’m now reading textbooks in my spare time…

I am hoping: to be less tired this week.

I am hearing: silence.  Not even the jingle-jangle of kitty tags.  There is peace in my house.  Unless that cat is eating a plant somewhere…

Around the house: apples!  Five pounds of organic apples, courtesy of Costco.

One of my favorite things: strawberries!  A sure sign of spring somewhere!

A few plans for the rest of the week: plant plants, add morning walks to my workout regime in hopes of enough light to do morning runs soon.  And eat soup.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

I think this table on Etsy is cool.

FOR TODAY: April 5, 2010

Outside my window: grey and brown.  But, every day, a little more grey and brown, so soon the green will take over.  GO GREEN!

I am thinking: that spring is marvelous and much-needed.

I am thankful for: new life inside and out.

From my classroom: Standards-Based Assessments so that our administrators will have a job next year.

From the kitchen: lots of main dish salads to go a little lighter in the wake of recent indulgences.

I am wearing: workout clothes.  I will get back into the regime this week.

I am creating: a diamonds (shapes, not real stones!) and forget-me-nots bracelet.  It’s a new design!  Brand new!  Just created by me!

I am going: to start the seeds for my garden this weekend.

I am reading: The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser.  I’m coping with the reality that I’m now reading textbooks in my spare time…

I am hoping: to get it all done.  Isn’t that what I’m always hoping?

I am hearing: just my fingers on the keyboard.  Oh, how I like quiet.  Quiet, quiet, quiet!

Around the house: Easter trees in full bloom!  They make my living room smell green and good.

One of my favorite things: Thinking Person’s Cheesecake recipe from Diet for a Small Planet.  It’s made in the blender–so easy!

A few plans for the rest of the week: survive SBAs, make a birthday phone call to my aunt, and replace the one butterfly egg that got broken yesterday.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

Can't wait for the return of these blue days!

FOR TODAY: March 27, 2010

Outside my window: snow.  But there was sun this morning, and my deck is nearly clear!

I am thinking: about grilling!  I’m looking forward to being able to do it without a coat on.

I am thankful for: my houseplants.  I love seeing green leaves even though the ground is still covered in the white s-word.

From my classroom: finishing our poetry unit and beginning final preparation for our Standards-Based Assessment so that our administrators will have a job next year.

From the kitchen: first round of barbecue food!  Deviled eggs, baked beans, tabouli, carrot-ginger salad, grilled pork chops, and jalapeno-cheese corn bread!  Also, a new granola recipe that uses egg whites.  Egg whites?  Weird.  We’ll see about that one.  AND, hummus pita bread!  Those were a glorious success–easy to roll out and nice and puffed up.

I am wearing: jeans with rainbow embroidery, a lace-bordered pink t-shirt, and a red sweatshirt.  I am Rainbow Brite.  I was a little girl in the ’80s…

I am creating: a double order of diamond-shaped bead earrings.  Very pretty.  I especially like the beads I’m using as they are iridescent and shiny, shiny, shiny.

I am going: to take the screws out of my running shoes.  Okay, actually I already did.

I am reading: Gone by Michael Grant.  It’s basically an updated Lord of the Flies, and just as terrifying.  However, it makes me feel sort of good as a responsible adult.  I help hold the line against adolescent murder-mobs.

I am hoping: that the s-word that is falling outside is the last round of this for the year.  I’m ready for spring now.

I am hearing: music.  I’m having a rare moment of music and writing.  Usually, I prefer quiet when I blog.

Around the house: my Easter trees are leafing out!  I will hang eggs this week.

One of my favorite things: baked beans from scratch.  Hours of time syruped into molasses-steeped goodness.  Yum.  I even like them cold.

A few plans for the rest of the week: get my vehicle registration renewed (so, maybe I didn’t do it last week), corral the trash boxes downstairs, and finish the earring order.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

Glorious success: pitas!

FOR TODAY: March 15, 2010

Outside my window: MELTING SNOW!  FINALLY!  IT’S HAPPENING!  Not that it will be spring any time soon or anything; this is Alaska after all.

I am thinking: about how much time I wasted napping this afternoon: a couple of hours.  I was so tired that I fell asleep on the floor.  Maybe I needed that nap.

I am thankful for: electricity.  I love having light when it’s dark outside.

From my classroom: finishing our poetry unit over the next few weeks.

From the kitchen: corned moose and appropriate side dishes: soda bread, potatoes, carrots, cabbage.  Yum.  Then, Reuben buns!  Blueberry smoothies for breakfast this week.  On a sad note, I tried making Rice Krispie Treats with popcorn instead of Rice Krispies, and that wasn’t a great idea.  Those were weird.  Definitely a failed experiment.

I am wearing: my favorite new jeans, white eyelet blouse, and red scarf.  I am flag-themed today.

I am creating: a unit on the personal narrative that I will teach after the poetry unit.

I am going: to refinish a stool that I got at the Salvation Army and intend to use as a nightstand.

I am reading: Friendship Cake by Lynne Hinton.  I haven’t read grown-up fiction for a long, long time.

I am hoping: that the driveway doesn’t turn into a mega disaster as the snow melts.

I am hearing: my cat’s collar tags clinking against her dishes.  It must be snack time for little cats.

Around the house: it’s clean under the fridge and oven!  Oh, how I detest that cleaning, but how I love knowing that it is done!

One of my favorite things: dried mangoes.  I don’t eat them often since they’re basically a candy, but so, so good!

A few plans for the rest of the week: get Easter trees, finish my library DVD, get my vehicle registration renewed, corral the trash boxes downstairs.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

This is my fun new skirt! I love new spring clothes!

FOR TODAY: March 9, 2010

Outside my window: eyelash snowflakes.  The teeny, fringed ones.  I’d like them to stop falling on my driveway.

I am thinking: about how much time I have on this Spring Break week away from work and about how fast that time will go!

I am thankful for: sustainable fisheries.  Just read a really scary article on dead zones in the ocean and mats of nasty bacteria.  The clock-ticking return of salmon every year is such a blessing of free food and a reminder that God times it all.

From my classroom: SPRING BREAK!

From the kitchen: toasty halibut tortillas, peanut butter-sweet potato-pumpkin soup, and Crockpot salmon casserole.

I am wearing: pajamas.  It’s vacation time!

I am creating: button earrings.  They’re currently my only seller.

I am going: to Katie’s clothing party tonight!  Haven’t seen her in a long, long, long time.  While I am totally looking forward to the visit, I can’t help but hope that she serves chips.  Yum.  Chips.

I am reading: Adorable Crochet for Babies and Toddlers by Lesley Stanfield because my sister is having twin girls!

I am hoping: that the well issue gets resolved soon.  Plumbing makes me nervous.

I am hearing: the refrigerator run.  I am so happy when my appliances work.

Around the house: my jasmine plants have buds on them!  It must be spring despite the snowflakes outside!

One of my favorite things: sweet chili sauce.

A few plans for the rest of the week: clear out some clothes, oil the cedar wall, touch up paint, send button earrings off to Babes in the Woods.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

A pair of button earrings--I like the silver-gold-grey thing these have going one.

FOR TODAY: December 7, 2009

Outside my window: 13 degrees!  It’s brisk.  I need it to warm up to 20 degrees so that I can run, run, run on the trail.

I am thinking: there are only 18 days until Christmas.  I think time is speeding up.

I am thankful for: Christmas music–especially the old Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald variety.  I love the dreamy mood the tunes create.

From the learning rooms: we are finishing The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin this week.  Then the student teacher takes over in January!

From the kitchen: baked potato soup and about a billion calories.  Yum.  Then, some salmon to balance out the damages and roasted root vegetables on the side.

I am wearing: a red snowflake print skirt, black sweater, black boots, and earrings with huge, vintage, lucite, black roses.  Yes, black.  The Matrix has me.

I am creating: a snood.  Heehee–snood is a hilarious word.  But the article in question is actually quite pretty; it’s a crocheted, lacy sort of hairnet thing.  It’s for my grandma for Christmas.  If she’ll actually wear it, she will look quite fetching.

I am going: to mail off all the Christmas packages next week.

I am reading: The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw.

I am hoping: that my lost necklace gets found.

I am hearing: Christmas music tinkling from the radio.

Around the house: lots of dead plants.  Poor plants.  I need to have some plant funerals.

One of my favorite things: my piano.  I wish I had more time to play it.

A few plans for the rest of the week: finish crocheting the snood, make one more crystal bell, and survive on very little sleep.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing:

I am a big fan of Swarovski crystal.