Beautiful Spring

I have been having such fun planting and watching things grow. We have had a wet Spring; which the plants all seem to be loving. I decided to return to pot gardens this year. The garden ground was too hard this year. Maybe [probably] it was because I was too lazy to chop away at it - and this system seems to be working well and I love the look of it. My friend, Judy, suggested I use magazines and newspapers to cover the ground and then cover with mulch. It looks great, and so far, only the spearmint is working its way through. Spearmint smells so beautiful - and it clearly can live through a chilly winter. The most exciting part of the garden thus far is that I have Roma tomatoes growing ... many of them. Roma tomatoes are my fav and I have yet to reap too many over the years. Trusting this year will be different. Can't wait to enjoy and share.

Another cool thing that is sprouting is lavender ... I have not been great in the past with lavender ... the seeds are growing beautifully - along with the other herbs on the herb wall.

I am so excited to have a rain barrel ... one of my Mother's Day gifts ... thank you, Taylor. It is all 'hooked up' now - Caleb put up the gutter and set it all up - we've had so much rain, the barrel has remained full. Love it, Love it.

Another 'new' in the gardening realm - pallet garden. Last year Alison had some beautiful ones, so I decided to give it a try this year. The pic below is after just 1 week ... it is looking better now - will add more pics. It has to lay flat for a few weeks - then I have the perfect spot in which to stand it up. It has flowers, yellow squash, zucchini, and I recently added radishes to the bottom row. We shall see ...

It was wonderful to spend a week with Taylor. She was home for Amy's and Adam's wedding last Saturday. My first time at officiating a wedding. What a gift - 'firsts' are often uncomfortable - this 'first' was amazing. To be able to be a part of such a beautiful day, with people I so love ... so grateful.

Amy and Adam

Here are some more of today's garden pics ... 

cantelope

cucumber - and a cup of beer for the slugs

green peppers and asparagus

I'm loving this time of the year ... anxious to get back to school on Monday - missing the kiddos - much.

I'll get back to the quote of the day thing soon - today I saw this - and thought it was 'food for thought' ...

Until tomorrow xo

Another Perfect Monday

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.  - unknown

I still love Mondays. New week – new ideas - new energy … hopefully this week will bring warmer temperatures and much sunshine.

Wow! It has been quite a long time since I have written. I’ve missed it much, though have been in a quiet, mostly intake place for the past several months. Following the spirits of ‘little guys’ every day is a quiet [observing] job; although, the noise that fills the building would never lend one to think so. For anyone who has a passion for teaching … we realize, over and over again, who the true teachers are … the students.

Not really sure if I have many thoughts ready to share – trying- I’ll get there – I hope. In the interim, please bear with me …

A thought worth repeating: After working with younger children during the past year and a half, for the first time in many years, I find myself often shaking my head [that is a real understatement]. Little children are sponges – they learn most of what they learn from what they see and hear. I’d like to see people stop and pay more attention to that. They copy us … the way we speak, the way we respect others, the way we take care of ourselves and the planet. We are all teachers – and little ones follow our lead. 

My pups

The newest member of our fam – DJ – he is my body guard - we rescued him from Miami, with the assistance of a beautiful person whom I taught [and/or learned from], many years ago.

Here is Lewis, sporting his Obama collar … 

And, Dodge … being her huge puppy self.

One of my favs:

I hope everyone is having a beautiful start to a wonderful week.

Until tomorrow xo♥

"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another."
-G.K. Chesterton

another perfect monday

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
James Baldwin

Another beautiful Monday.

As you know, I love Mondays. New week – new ideas - new energy.

I can't believe it has been a week since I posted here ... so busy lately - all good busy, but busy just the same. 

 I am feeling quite accomplished here lately … though am really ready for a vacation. After the person comes from the state education department to accredit the school on the 26^th, I will relax more. We have working hard to create our newly joining of schools. It is always stressful when government agencies come [like it or not, they are in charge], even though I know [or think] everything is in order. You would think after doing this for so many years, it would get easier – still makes me very nervous. Health Department came last week – we got an A rating. Should ease my anxiousness – but, until it is all said and done … send good energy, please … 

Here is a rug I am making for the classroom – loving it so far – about ½ way finished.

On the homefront, things are looking great. Plants are all in the ground [planning for no more serious frosts] and seeming to like their new spaces … looking forward to veggies galore soon.  Here are a few photos – can’t really see too much [except all of the spearmint running wild]. I am leaving the spearmint – think it may help with bugs – and if not, it smells so nice.

A thought: After working with younger children during this school year, for the first time in many years, I find myself often shaking my head [that is a real understatement]. Little children are sponges – they learn most of what they learn from what they see and hear. I’d like to see people stop and pay more attention to that. They copy us … the way we speak, the way we respect others, the way we take care of ourselves and the planet. We are all teachers – and little ones follow our lead.

My little guys

https://www.etsy.com/people/PatriciaA

I hope everyone is having a beautiful start to a wonderful week.

Until tomorrow xo♥

In learning to know other things, and other minds,                    we become more intimately acquainted with ourselves, and are to ourselves better worth knowing.
Philip Gilbert Hamilton

Monday ... My favorite day

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer.  ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

I hope everyone is enjoying a beautiful day … I so am.

Taxes complete – one day early – that has never happened. And probably wouldn’t have had I realized we had two extra days this year.  

It was a busy, busy weekend around the homefront. Much garden/yard work, Spring scarf creations, hours of curriculum building, time with my lovely friends … and Saturday, we had a great yard sale at school. It was a fun day of many sales, meeting new people, and having an opportunity to share all that we are at The Lake Norman Learning Center/Academic Illumination Day School. The excitement is building as we join together to offer a unique, nurturing school environment for children ages 2 through 11. 

Many new blooms to share … the yard and gardens are looking better with each warm day. We are in need to rain here … I hope we get a good rain soon. I water the gardens, though the bushes/trees are looking very thirsty.

strawberry

first yellow rose

It is time for Spring scarves and new jewelry … please check out my shop

https://www.etsy.com/people/PatriciaA

Until tomorrow xo♥

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.  ~Ruth Stout

Sparkling Sunday

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap 

but by the seeds you plant - Robert Louis Stevenson.

Brrrrrrr – it’s a very cold morning. Covered with frost and I am grateful that all of the seedlings seem to have stood up to the cold. I am glad I hadn’t yet put them into the ground. 

Remember these newly planted tomato seeds? Well, it seems Dodge prefers them before they become tomatoes … she [played with and] ate all of them. Planting new tomato seeds today.

The pups seem to enjoy the cold mornings much better than I.

It is quite lovely [even when chilly] here on the hill in the woods. When I first moved here I couldn’t imagine how people slept without the sounds of traffic in the background. Funny, really. Now I can’t imagine how I did. I’d always thought of myself as a city person, and now that I have been here in the peace and quiet, surrounded by nature, I guess I am not. I love the city … though think living in it won’t be for me again. 

I have begun creating wreaths … if you would like to order a Peace Wreath, message me in my etsy shop and I’ll get started on it for you.

 http://www.etsy.com/people/PatriciaA?ref=si_pr

 

I hope everyone has a lovely day …

Until tomorrow xo♥

Happiness is like a butterfly.
The more you chase it, the more it eludes you.
But if you turn your attention to other things,
It comes and sits softly on your shoulder.
 - Henry David Thoreau