Puzzles

Day 153

I am thankful for a day off.  I took today off to get a couple things looked at on my car.  Wheel alignment was easy and not expensive.  But, at the 2nd place the mechanic couldn't get my car to do it's hesitation during acceleration while he was driving.  On the positive side his engine diagnostic shows my 7 year old little car is in good shape.  Of course, it only has 52,000 miles on it.  It should be in good shape.

I'm going to try to find someone from work who lives close to me to drive me to work so I can drop the car off at the mechanic's shop.  Then he can drive it cold and hopefully catch the problem.

I'm not sure why but we have water in our river bed.  Maybe it's that the California snow pack is at 130% of normal and we're getting an early distribution.  Could be anything from a canal needing to be drained for service to a local water company's using the river bed to recharge the below ground aquifer.  We're not used to water in our river bed.  I'm startled everytime I catch a glimpse.    Looking west:

Yet another storm has added to the snow pack.  Turning to the south:

Scanning

Day 152  Thursday, April 29 2010

I am thankful for my computer being tied up with scans.  I only had a few rows left on my capelet scarf and not being able to use the computer gave me the time to finish it.  I'm pretty sure I'm not going to crochet a ruffled edge but I want to show it to a few people and ask their opinions.   I like it but it isn't a style that looks good on me.  I'll have to find someone who loves it or add it to my giveaway pile.  I'm sure I'm going to be knitting this pattern again.  I enjoyed it quite a bit.  I'll link the designer when I do my next Knit/Crochet Blog week post.  I'm hoping to get caught up on those on Saturday. 

I just love this shade of pink on callas. 

Computer woes

Day 151  4/28/10 Wednesday

I'm amending this post because I didn't really post something to be thankful for.  Wednesday my brother gave me a good suggestion on a program that would scan the computer.  I couldn't use it Wednesday evening but Thursday evening IE seemed stable so I found and started the scan.  I am thankful for my brother and his excellent suggestion.  

I am thankful but frustrated!  My computer access to internet at home has apparently fallen prey to some kind of bug.  I can't post briefly from work on week days but will have to do catch up posts from work if this continues. 

sigh.

I'll try to catch up posts for Knit/Crochet Blog week over the w/end and post them Monday as well.

Work, Flowers, Blogging

Day 150

I am thankful for perspective.  The job shift, while welcome, threw me for a bit of a loop.  I had my mind set toward the other Speech and Language position and was having trouble with the idea that I could have the preschool SLP job.  (That and it was less than 100% sure.)  My sister pointed out that the unexpected position was a perfect fit for my skills and experience.  Yes, it is.  I can be excited and anticipate a bit more.  Thanks, Sis!

Calla Lily!  This is the first of what looks like a bumper crop of lilies:

 Santolinas are brightening, such happy looking little things:

 A few days ago I was thankful for old calendars.  

Here are our pictures and stories up on the wall in my classroom: 

The students are eager to read these to the principal.  It is so gratifying to see them excited about writing, that they willingly spent time on the difficult task of putting thoughts on paper, and then to see them them eager to share.   If I could do a cartwheel I would!

Knit/Crochet Blog Week Posts are moving!

To the Knit/Crochet Blog Week Page.  Link at top of blog. 

Tipping back into uncertainty

Day 149

I am thankful for stepping back into working as a speech and language pathologist.   I attended my first SLP meeting this morning where the group with the director hashed out staffing needs.  An opportunity appeared that wasn't available a month ago.  I will most likely be returning to my roots in preschool-special ed/speech and language.  I want to be thrilled but I'm back to 95% sure means a 5% chance that we're not sure.  hooboy.

I drove by the Ripley Desert Woodland preserve on the way home yesterday but didn't take the time to hike around.  I had noticed this stand of Joshua Trees (yucca brevifolia) on my last trip and thought I'd see if I could find it for a picture of a blossom.   I did!

Another Wildflower Jaunt

Day 148

I am thankful for whims.  I had thought about visiting Dad and his dear wife but made no plans.  I decided after church this morning to give a call and see if it was ok to head over.  Yes, yes it was!  The plan was for me to take Dad out to lunch as they are preparing to go on a trip but it ended up with all three of us going to a local diner (Scrambles).  Then I was treated to a short trip to a nearby field of Poppies!

In person it seemed so much more orange but I think part of the yellow of this photo is having the sun to the side.  

The poppies look very yellow in the strong afternoon sun:

Here's Dad, again.  The poppies look more orange with the sun on my back.

It's so hard to stop taking photos!  I came into the valley from the north.   Looking across the valley the poppies were an orange blaze that went on for miles.   I drove back home heading east and then back to the north.  The entire valley floor and foothills seemed to be one wash of color after another.  The poppies were the dominant color but there were miles of goldfields and acres of school bus yellow fiddlenecks.  

Back at home the white amaryllis opened.  I think it might be my favorite:

Sleepy Saturday

Day 147

I am thankful for yet another Saturday to relax.  I did a lot of knitting and a lot of napping.  I think the evening's migraine had been coming on for much of the day and I didn't recognize it.  Ah, well, seems to be over and gone now.

The capelet scarf I'm working on is nearly done.  No new pictures, it just doesn't look any different than it did before.

The amaryllis are being their big ole showy selves.  Here are a couple of the white with red

This big!  My hand is about 7 inches wrist to fingertip:

It's not magic

Day 146

I am thankful for the students we work with everyday.  They challenge and inspire all three of us.  We do good work but there are times I wish for a magic wand.   Some of my students want to do better and go farther and, so far, can't.   We'll keep plugging away hoping that knowledge, intuition, and inspiration lead to a direction before hope fades for any of them.

The Amaryllis Show:

The Apricots...this is the time of spring when I need to pretend I don't have a fruit tree.  Keep it watered but pretend it isn't there.  It feels like the growing has stalled.  It has not.  Sweet apricots take 4 months.  It has only been 2 months.   There, I can stop wondering if all is well in apricot land. 

Sweet William or dianthus.  Pretty with either name.

A Creative Spark

Day 145

I am thankful for old calendars.  I had saved a stack a few years ago.  This week I cleaned out the bottom of a drawer and there they were.  We were going to let the kids do writing projects with them after state testing but the students have been so stressed out we decided to relax a bit today.  Just being able to choose a picture seemed to set off a spark in a lot of the kids.  They wrote or dictated little stories and then set about mounting them on construction paper and adding their own touches.  I enjoyed the change in energy and I know the children did, too.

I don't remember if I bought a potted chrysanthemum or if it was a gift but it budded out this spring and bloomed.   I remember taking my 3rd grade teacher chrysanthemums and she knew I knew how to spell it.  I didn't know how she knew that.  I did know I could.

It's a little hard to see but the mountains south and east of town are snow capped.  For the last two days we've had a cold storm blow through.  For the first time ever I turned my heater on in April.   Temperatures are usually high 70s to low 80s by now with some spikes into the 90s.  It was 60*F today.  My house was even chillier. 

(click on it to see the photo large.)

Every day Blessings

Day 144

I am thankful for the people I work with.  I probably wouldn't have said that a year ago.  I do recognize how many of them care deeply about doing right by the kids.  It is a pleasant surprise to be learning that some wish to do right by their colleagues as well and to be finding friends.

 The newest of the red amaryllis:

 Tiny Santolinas, not yet opened:

Learning Old Things and New Things

Day 143

I am thankful for reruns of old favorite programs.  I ran across Star Trek, TNG one night last week and again tonight.  Tonight's episode is one of my favorites when Data is shocked by an unknown device and begins to dream. 

I learned today that amaryllis do not like a good soaking of rain while santolina do.  The amaryllis are fine but a little curlier than they were before.  Maybe they'll look better once they dry out.   My little favorite santolinas are showing color now.   Right now the flowers are about a quarter inch across.  

 We're having a late season storm.  The temperature dropped quite a bit around 11 a.m.  Wind howled, old leaves swirled off the school roof, and rain came in at a slant.  We had a gentle rain on and off for the rest of the afternoon after the first burst of bluster.  A bit of winter and a bit of spring all in one.   The local mountains are again snow capped.   Tomorrow is to be colder and wet again.

Because of the weather we had indoor recess.  8 RSP kids came in with me.  I had two playing math games on the smart board, three on the computers, two building with lego, and one making a pot-holder for his Grandma. 

 This was the view on the way to work today:

I also learned what a Googlewhack is.  I'm going to be participating in a knit/crochet blog week through a Ravelry group.   The woman organizing decided to create our own unique group tags to include in our posts or tags.  Anyone with the tags can enter them into a Google search and find all the posts for the group participating in the blog week.  I'm looking forward to adding to my thankfulness posts for a week.  The topics are lined up and we begin Monday, I think.  Might be Sunday but I'll check in before then. 

Busy time of year.

Day 142

I am thankful for extra time in my day.  We're in full "test prep" mode at school in anticipation of state testing.  Many of my children are staying with their classes to work on test taking skills so I have gaps in my day.  I've been packing two to three boxes a day.  Today I went through another file cabinet.  I think I can reduce the number of file cabinets I'm taking with me by one.  It's mainly due to not teaching academics next year.  I'm letting go of all things math except the masters or blacklines.  Language arts I'll keep until I figure out how much I'm able to incorporate reading, speaking, and writing into speech therapy.

These are from yesterday morning before my jaunt to the wildflowers.   The amaryllis show:

 White and red, as predicted:

 Roses just past their prime remind me of Ballet Folklorica constumes:

Wildflowers!

Day 141

I am thankful that God made flowers in an endless variety of size, shape, and color.  Sis and I met up to see the poppies near where we grew up.  It's a very good poppy year!

Near but not in the Poppy preserve:

In and among the poppies:

Sisters being silly:

Poppies, goldfields, blue dick:  

Blue dick, lupine:

So many more.  Maybe I'll put a slide show on the flower show page.  Tuesday.  :oD

That's what you get

Goobered up Header.  That's what you get for wanting to change your photo.  hmph

A couple Ravelry friends have been giving me some tutoring and ideas about how to fix.  I might have time Tuesday.  Until then I'll probably gripe a bit every time I log myself on!

Saturday Quiet

Day 140

I am thankful for sleeping in.  I think I must either think or say that every Saturday that I do sleep in.  I like having a day with no obligations.

The amaryllis show, a white blossom with red stripes should be open in a couple days.

I don't know why but it surprises me every year that the bright yellow buds become a soft yellow as they age.

A friend.

Day 139

I am thankful for friends and tonight for one of my church and bell ringing friends.  I forget that we are allowed to talk to each other between church times.  I'm going to try to get in the habit of calling her more often.

I think this might be Mexican Primrose but I seem to remember that being more pink.  It's pretty whatever it may be.  

It is a delight to walk out in the morning and see such beauty. 

News! News!

Day 138

I am thankful for the news that I will be in speech and language services next year rather than a resource room.  This is such a relief to me.   I am overcome with gratefulness.

I am also thankful for a surprise bouquet of roses on my patio table today.  They are from the neighbor whose roses are on my flower show page.  So beautiful!

 The amaryllis show, 2nd act:

 From my backyard:

From my front yard:

The "see how it grows" post:

Singing

Day 137

I am thankful for choir.  I was away for Good Friday and Easter.  We don't rehearse the week have after Easter so it's been a while.  I love singing with these people.  I love giving praise to God through song.

Iris

Day 136

I am thankful for this: 

  This iris, the roses, the wildflowers, the weeds, the endless variety and beauty, for all of these I am thankful.

Doing it Right

Day 135

I am thankful that 11 adults would take the time to attend a meeting to make sure that one 11 year old has a good transition from 5th grade to 6th grade.   I like this definition of doing our jobs.

Yesterday's wind and bluster brought snow to the local mountains again.  The ski-bees must be itching for another outing.

The wind did a bit of damage at school.  Some of the kids didn't believe that wind could do this:

Just yesterday at church I was thinking that it would be nice to get a picture of the two flagpoles that are new this year.   Then I thought to myself that we're past the type of weather that would get those flags to really show well.   Thanks to this storm:

Even though it was windy this afternoon I found a sheltered rose in a bed at church.  The roses there are as beautiful as any I've found: