Friday!!

The last Friday of the school year.  The kids are so ready to be on vacation.  The biggest reason I am ready for vacation is that the kids are nuts this time of year.  There are many things that I hope to do over vacation, but only time will tell what gets accomplished.

The eco-column I made at school got brought home today.  It is sitting high up on a shelf where it shouldn't get knocked over.  It may get overlooked or forgotten there though.  If I can get productive over the next few days I want to make some kind of a plant hanger for it.  I have an idea in my head that I can't put to words.  I also want to make a larger eco-column for the long-term.  I have no idea how long things will last in there...

Gideon and I walked to craft night this evening.  With a slight detour it was almost a mile and a half.  He was great.  We got ice cream after and then a ride home from his parents.  I decided to be home earlier rather than later tonight.  Getting to spend some time with Gideon is my happy for today.

Gideon

Roses

Moon 

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Three More School Days

Once again my plan was to go to fighter practice tonight.  Instead, I went out with the family.  Gideon and I looked for some youth armor for him while K & Z took care of some business at their bank.   We were hoping to find some used hockey gear and tried a thrift store but they had very little used sporting equipment.  I did pick up a little wooden table I can bring to events for $5.  I found a small pitcher and a little craft organizer container too.  The family went out to dinner after to celebrate Gideon's completing first grade.  I still have three more days of school before break.  Gideon is done and looking forward to starting a summer homeschool program with K.

There is an event over Labor Day weekend that K and I have been trying to come up with the right people to receive the right awards.  It can be tough.  Now that school is almost over I hope to be able to make it to more things around the Barony.  A big part of what I wanted to do was to get out there to meet people in more relaxed settings, like crafting and martial practices.  Getting up at five in the morning is difficult though if I don't get to sleep until eleven or so.

Today my happy thing is doing my exercises with Gideon.  He didn't do very many, but we aren't trying to push him to do them either, just to participate a little and maybe learn some for now.  They are starting to plan when to have a park day with other homeschool families when fall gets here.  So many things to do I think this summer may just fly by.

Z was in the picture when I pushed the button.

Guess I should practice more with the selphie stick. 

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Beans and Mustard

The students have finished with their eco-columns (sort of like this) and since some of them aren't taking them home, there are plants available.  The teacher was thinking of throwing them away but I asked for some and I brought them back to my friend's house this afternoon. She was kind enough to let me plant them.  Now her little herb garden area has some mustard and mung bean plants as well as some more worms.  We shall see if the plants will handle the change well.  I found it more difficult than I expected to get the plants out of the column and there was more bending than I would have liked.  We also planted some basil and cleaned that part of the garden up a little bit. We may get some vegetables to plant soon too.  Helping things grow is my happy for today.

Dogwood, I believe.

They still need water... 

The basil.

The chives come up every year.

There was a little parsley and some sage 

trying to come up too.

There is a moon in the sky! 

(Really, that little white spot over the tree)

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Short-ish

Today's Spirit Week theme was tourist.  I had fun with this in the morning with my hip pouch Camelbak and a selfie stick.  The reality of work did set in though.  Things fell, stuff happens and then the day is over and unwinding can happen.

This evening I had a hard time stepping into my roll for rehearsal but I took notes and will work on it over the week to be better prepared next time.  I was taught something new to do upon entering and exiting the stage that I think will help my performance once I can build it into some sort of routine.

My happy things for today are playing tourist and laughter during rehearsal.

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Jeans

For the last full week of school the administration decided we could have a spirit week.  Today was to wear red, white and blue like it is the Fourth of July.  Tomorrow is to dress like a tourist.  Fanny pack time for me.  I seem to have misplaced my binoculars or I'd wear them as well.  The best part about when we have a spirit week is that the teachers can wear jeans.  

In SCA happenings, K wrote an award letter recommendation today that brought a tear to my eye it was so positive and uplifting.  I'm not sure what I did to have such awesome children that have grown to be such awesome adults, but they are my happy for today.   Currently the plan is that C will be visiting from Texas for a little while at the end of the month.  I am very much looking forward to having both my 'kids' around again, together, for a little while.

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The Statue

About two years ago or so I hiked in a local park, Winant Park, and there was a plaque near the top that introduced me to John Winant.  I don't remember much about that except that I was somehow intrigued by this person and wanted to learn more.  I didn't find out much, former teacher at St. Paul's and former governor of NH.  Then, walking through the city one night I was startled by a man standing in the dark who turned out to be a statue of Mr. Winant that had recently been erected.  There was more information to learn and this was good.  Again I tried to do a little bit of research and didn't find out much. 

A few weeks ago I found that there was a Geocache at his statue.  It isn't the usual-find a little container and add a name to it-type cache, it is a virtual cache.  This requires specific information about the site and to answer questions.  This required me to do more research and I somehow found much more information.  Enough that I am wondering if I spelled the man's name wrong or something before.  I don't think I did, but maybe I used other key, but limiting, words like teacher or St. Paul's School.

Anyhow, finding information about the former governor of NH, teacher, US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Social Security head, fighter pilot, father, husband, friend to Winston Churchill, etc is my happy for today.  I now have more books to add to my reading list and things to learn about this man.

Bugs

Last year I hiked up to and then climbed up a local fire tower.  Once by myself and once with Gideon.   This year the tower is being renovated and so not open for climbing.   The trails are open and I went up this afternoon.

Forgetting to bring bug spray was not my wisest move.  On the way up the hill they were tolerable.  Coming back down the mosquitoes became more and more vicious.  My walking time lately has been mostly spent on town and city roads rather than the woods so less bugs.  The woods were a nice change when the insects weren't swarming.  This was not my first time to the tower, but if was the first time up the path I chose.  It didn't take as long as I thought it would and I had time to try some of the spurs on the way down.  Had the mosquitoes not been biting I would have had time to do more, but I chose to finish and get back to the safety of my car instead. 

That small hike and playing a game of cards with Gideon are my happy things for today.

 This little snake slithered its way across the path before hiding.

Lady Slippers!

There is a butterfly in the left top corner of this picture. 

This piece of equipment is at the top by the tower. 

The tower is not really tilted.

Some things that are being used during renovations. 

Outhouse. 

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