27 Years!!!

Today Jim and I celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary.

It was a muggy, somewhat overcast day in August, 1986 when we woke early to go to the courthouse in downtown Akron to stand before a judge and get married.  We ended up in a courtroom full of people whom I assumed must be traffic violators.  The judge asked if we wanted to get married there or in his chambers. We looked around at all the people in the room and said, "Here is fine."

And we were married.

Wedding day August 15, 1986  Akron Ohio

Walking down the courthouse steps, we suddenly were pelted with rice.  My parents had come to greet us, and we went to breakfast together.

It has been an amazing 27 years -- many ups and downs, but always hanging firm together.  Being married to my true soulmate makes everything in life easier.

Happy Anniversary, Jim.  

July 2013 somewhere in Tennessee

Poems Inspired by Emily D.

My new school will be doing a Bee Authentic fundraiser -- basically selling honey and spices and honey-related products.  As part of the promotion, the Language Arts teachers do a curriculum unit on bees and teamwork.  In preparation, I found a couple of cool bee poems, both by Emily Dickinson.  One in particular lends itself well to a mentor text assignment -- writing a poem in a similar style.  Here is Emily's poem, written 1788:

Fame is a bee.
It has a song --
It has a sting --
Ah, too, it has a wing.


I practiced writing a couple of my own, creating a metaphor for something intangible, using repetition of sound, and one rhyme at the end.  At first I stumbled with this, but soon it smoothed out.  Here are my versions:

Freedom is a butterfly.
It is loose --
It is light --
Ah, too, it is bright.
 *
Betrayal is a snake.
It has sorrow --
It has sight --
Ah, too, it has bite.
 *
Generosity is a tree.
It has roots --
It has reach --
Ah, too, it can teach.

Okay, I admit I'm no Dickinson. However,  it was a fun little activity.

If so inspired, write your own and share it with me!  I'll share some good ones here from my students when we get to this lesson, which isn't until next week.


 

 

Checking In...Finally

Finally back to the blog.  So happy!

It has been a super busy two weeks.  First, all the getting-back-to-school process, then a full Saturday in the classroom meeting parents, then a birthday celebration, then back to more sitting on hard chairs all day in professional development, then finally the kids started and I'm getting to know my 7th and 8th graders, getting to know the new routine, getting lesson planning and seating charts...and so much more...

Whew.

Starting this blog last summer was part of my dream to write on a regular basis, and as busy as I've been the last two weeks, I found I was deeply missing my daily writing. 

I suspect a lot of what is to come will be about what I'm teaching. 

****

Ricky made me a "happy happy happy" card

So, I turned 58 and no longer can honestly say I am in my "mid-50's."  I actually had a wonderful birthday -- Mexican lunch at La Casita with friends Natalie, Susan, and Joe.  Then a fabulous dinner at Cibo with Jim.  My family here in Fort Myers had a celebration for me last Sunday which also included Mexican food, some awesome gifts, a handmade card from my nephew, and chocolate truffle cake.

I am a fortunate and blessed person, living the life I love.  What more is there to say, except it all goes by too fast, doesn't it?

Have a relaxing Sunday.