Tuesday, May 31, 2005

corn fields and storytelling..

It was a day of storytelling..which always makes for a good day...and driving through Indiana's heartland to get there! The weather is stunning today...not hot..not cold..farm fields are just planted with the shadow of corn beginning to creep into the fields..farm stands are being repaired and rebuilt for the srawberry crop which will soon be here as well as sweet cherries.

It makes me feel quite poetic and a scavenger at the same time..a little James Whitcomb Riley an Johnny Appleseed..tossed around with my own thoughts..yes, spring is Indiana is worth waiting for!!

Saturday, May 28, 2005

a bouncing, fat, red haired baby..

Today Aaron and Karen and the babies are moving into their new house..just one block away. It has been quite the six months them with the fire and moving from one place to another. They have lived out of suitcases for the last six months. Ahhh, but today everything changes..they have a lovely old house in town. Actually Karen and Friends are moving, Aaron is still on a butterfy adventure with his brothers in Honduras. (As Karen was walking out this morning of just one more load of stuff, she said it so well...he really owes me for this one!!)

My job is taking care of babies...off to a birthday party (those car seats are really something these days)...then diapers, a bottle for Jonah and a nap.

They are both adorable and I have had the wonderful fortune of getting to know them as they have lived with me this past six weeks. Matthew will be four this summer.. dark haired and sweet (except when tired)..Jonah just turned 8 months and is a red haired, fat little baby. He says dada, has two teeth and is smart and beautiful, of course...except he isn't fond of blogging at this moment, so I'll just sign off for the day.

Friday, May 27, 2005

"there is always something to miss...."

Dear Friends,
It is late on a Friday afternoon...I am sitting in my empty, but dusty classroom here in Norhern Indiana..and before I log off, shut down, unplug, I just had to take a few moments to reflect on the school year.

There is something so serendipitous when leaving. Today is my last day of school (the others have to stay another week, but I am part time!!) I said my good byes at 3:20..and spent the last couple of hours wrapping up the last minute details...

What a year this has been...lots of projects...lots of activities. I hope the kids all learned as much as I did! In an empty classroom it is hard to tell...all signs of learning have disappeared..the walls are bare...the clutter is gone, and oh, how I have clutter.

So I'll just check off another teaching year...and move on to the next project which is to get Karen and the babies moved. (More on that later!)

Patricia MacLachan (children's author) once wrote..."there is always something to miss wherever we go..." So my farewells to my classroom and school routine..to Keith, the night custodian who keeps me lots of company in the evenings...it was a good year.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

breaking of the bread and the promise

So, I promise not to stop writing, and my laptop loses a wire or two..it has been in the shop for the past week just now coming home to me. How did we ever manage without email? I didn't even get the Sunday Passage done...so sorry about that.

Anyway, I am back on tract. It has been cold here in northern Indiana...jackets and heat at night. Aaron and Karen and the babies are still with me...school is winding down and I have been on the road most of my free time with performances, not a dull moment this spring!!

My to do list doesn't seem to get smaller as I keep adding new tasks as I prepare to leave for the summer. There is, however, always a little time for haiku writing..

poignant cry above
one faltering blue feather
lunch for the black cat

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

alabaster time...

It was late last night when I slung my house key around my neck and went biking, still later when I went walking and still later when I watered all the new plants that I put out on the week end.

I love late spring nights. My house is still full of family so I waited til the quiet sounds of sleeping began to lul the house at white picket gardens to rest.

The streets were quiet...just a few lights on here and there and the scent of spring lilacs was so pungeant that a few times I just stopped to twirl and take it all in.

Nights walks help clear my head..so much in there theses days..personal, professional. I didn't realize my thoughts were so transparent until my neighbor, Amy, brought me a bouquet of roses this morning...you look for forlorn, she said.

But the day has started..off with 300 kids to the Wizards Baseball game...then to Indy for a performance and dinner with a friend.

Amy, is you are reading my blog, I love the roses.

I'll close with a part of a poem from Emily Dickinson,

How lonesome the Wind must feel Nghts
When people have put out the Lights
And everthing that has a Inn
Closes the shutter and goes in.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

late afternoon hours....

I am sitting in my classroom at the end of a long day...with more yet to come. I am lucky enough to have windows that open..so the breeze stirs the costume I have hanging up on the windowsill...this week a cowboy..last week a lady in waiting.

The sounds of softball practice echo in over the music on my CD player. Schools are lovely at the end of a day...reflecting on their work...my work. My room is always messy, even when I stay late to clean, you just wouldn't know it by the next day. It is full of books and music and forms and talent show papers and posters..we had a party for a student teacher after school in my room so there are crumbs from the chocolate cake.

Tonight is our Writer's Workshop taught with my friend and colleague, Kathy. We both love writing and teach it differently...but a nice blend. We are hoping for a good turn out on our last night.

My board is littered with vocabulary words from the fourth grade. Words such as enraptured, frail, celestial, azure. One of my fourth grade students, Jacob, wrote the word perpetual. Then he came up to see me..."Ms. Homan-Saylor...look at this word. P E R P E T U A L..never ending, very frequent. Just like writing is to us!"

Yes, I say, never ending, just like writing. It makes me smile to know that he understands. That is enough for me.

Thursday, May 05, 2005

a public apology....

To my neighbors on S. West Street in Angola, Indiana.....

I have failed you. Yes, I know. My lawn is unmowed. I have violated Indiana code 470 which states: "All homeowners in Indiana will mow their lawn when the grass tips begin to wave in the wind."

I have not trimmed...violating code 834 which states: "All homeowners in Indiana will trim their lawns when the grass tips are higher than the mowed grass."

I have not weeded yard or garden...violating code 923 which states: "All homeowners in Indiana will weed their yards and gardens when one or more weed appears."

I have excuses...really I do. Do you want to hear them?

All right, all right...Saturday I will mow and trim and weed. So please stop marching in front of my house...please remove the TV cameras...it is so embarrassing to go to work with my coat over my head...and please don't withhold my paycheck. Isn't it enough to be honest with you, yes, my neighbors, I have sinned.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Early morning treasure...

I found this on my desk early this morning..what a nice way to start the day!!

Dear Ms. homen salory,
You are pritty.
You are a good reader
Thank-you for seting all of the programs up for us.
from,
Kassandra
Age 7

Spring break in St. Pete...

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