The Scholastic Scribe

First DC Snow...Just in Time for SITSmas!

2009-12-08T00:05:00.002-05:00

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake

The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.

La Famila Scribe wishes you & yours
a Very Merry SITSmas & a festive, fun holiday season!

Editor's Note: Thanks to all y'all who contributed to Mrs. Scribe's fanTAbulous SITS Featured Blogger Day. Probably gonna take me mucho tiempo to respond to your dozens~dare I say hundreds?~of comments, but respond I will. And remember: I'm still available to cater your next cyber-affair! PS: The Superior Snap above captures only the beginning of last Saturday's snow. About 6 inches accumulated in our DC 'Burb...with more forecast on the way, today!

She's Available to Cater Your Next Cyber-Affair...

2009-12-07T00:01:00.003-05:00

Dateline: Somewhere in the DC 'Burbs~Melissa B., the intrepid former newspaper reporter known in the Blogosphere as Mrs. Scribe, welcomed members of the SITS cyber-community to her blog today.

The high school English teacher, who also slaves away as a student newspaper and yearbook adviser, said she was all agog at the hubub caused by her SITS Featured Blogger Status.

"I just don't know what to say, y'all," the Native Texan gushed. "I'm not used to receiving all this adulation. You know, they don't call me The Humble Scribe for nothing."

Mrs. Scribe credited her new-found fame to Heather and Tiffany, proprietresses extraordinaire of The Secret is in the Sauce, a social-networking site dedicated to "sharing the comment love."

In fact, Mrs. Scribe said, she hoped her 24 hours in the SITS Sun would help her to "connect with new cyber-friends, and perhaps generate a little social networking of my own."

Melissa B., who has been a blogger since March 2008, rides herd over about 150 students each year at Our Humble High School in the DC 'Burbs. As part of her duties, she not only teaches the curriculum mandated by the School Board & Principal Man, but also:

Copes with crises:"Seven Years Ago Today"
Interacts with members of the school counseling staff: "Would You Like Salsa on that Transcript?"
Teaches her high school journalistas the value of self-censorship: "No Sex for Santa This Season."

Mrs. Scribe is also loving wife to Mr. Fairway & Mommy to 2 fabulous chicas: Ella Numera Una, who is in her first year of law school, & Ella Numera Dos, a college sophomore who is a blogger in her own right. In fact, you should check out Dos's photoblog, MOO.

Melissa B. tries to serve as an arbiter of good taste & pop culture in the blogosphere as well, using her daily cyber-forum to comment on everything from traffic to politics to manners. In this role, she:

Counsels readers on handling big-rig mayhem on the highways: "What's the Word Wednesday: Hyperbole"
Comments on the de riguer nature of decorating: "The Christmas Breasts"
Cracks wise on the phenomenon of drugs in professional sports: "Well, We All Can't Be Michael Phelps"

In addition, Melissa B. is the Original Superior Scribbler, with more than 1,350 of her Superior Scribbler Awards to date distributed worldwide. And she hosts her weekly Silly Sunday Sweepstakes, encouraging readers to get their goofy on with crazy photos & captions.

"I just can't say enough about what blogging has meant to me over the past 21 months," said Mrs. Scribe, who prides herself on posting daily & keeping her insights fresh & her commentary relevant.

While she says that teaching "is the best job I've ever had," Mrs. Scribe continues to look for writing opportunities in the blogosphere. And as a prolific, poignant & on-point wordsmith, she's always ready for guest posting or book, movie & product review assignments.

"I'd love to figure out a way to make this blogging janx a permanent gig," Melissa B. said. "As it stands now, though, I'm available to cater your next cyber-affair..."

Sx3: Supernatural

2009-12-06T00:05:00.000-05:00

DC & environs received our first snow of the season yesterday. In fact, we got a whole heckuva lot more than the Weather Dudes anticipated. Let's just put it this way: There's more of the white stuff blanketing the ground in DC, which is supposedly in a "temperate" zone, than in Madison, Wisconsin, where Ella Numera Una is about to sit for her first round of law school exams.

Thought I'd thaw out by featuring a more chill snap of my eldest, in honor of the occasion & all. You long-time Scribe followers know all about our summer swim team janx & how the coaches like to dress up & all. Here's one interpretation of the Super Heroes theme. Take what you wish from it.

And you know what to do next, don'tcha? Take a gander at this Superior Snap. Then, conjur a caption for said snap & tippy-type it, real quick-like, in the comments section of this post.

That's all there is to it, folks! Of course, you'll win nothing tangible for all your trials & tribulations. Only the knowledge that you've given a whole herd of us a good Sunday giggle...and what could be better than that?

Yes, a Room with a View

2009-12-05T00:05:00.004-05:00

Editor's Note: My contribution to 6-Word Saturday is above, in the title of this post. The following is a student-written editorial in the recent issue of Our Humble High School's student newspaper. Thanks for the forum, Cate!

We are watching you.

For those of you who don’t know, the Journalism classroom is located in Rooms 215 and 218, on the back hallway overlooking the beloved senior parking lot. We produce this newspaper during fifth period, which also happens to be home to our school's three lunch periods. Our location provides us with a prime place to watch skippers.

After years of observing you from our perch, there are a few parking lot anecdotes that we would like to share with you.

Number one is tripping. You would not think it was as common as it actually is. We see five to six people a week trip over things. Sometimes it’s a rock, or some other piece of debris; but more often than not people simply trip over themselves. This tripping phenomenon keeps us quite entertained. So, next time you trip and think no one is watching, we want you to know there is an entire classroom of students laughing at your lack of coordination.

Another parking lot regular is dancing. We see dance-offs once a week or so and we can now predict when one is about to erupt as groups of students congregate.

Our favorite weekly pastime, however, is watching the loners, dancing their way to their cars, believing they are invisible.

We also take note of the food choices of the students at Our Humble High School. Chipotle definitely comes in at number one. The infamous brown bag filled with tin-foil covered burritos graces the arms of most lunchtime skippers. Coming in at number two is McDonald's, most likely due to the proximity of the school itself. Bagel Bakery, Popeye’s and Starbucks follow close behind.

And we have seen countless people hide behind cars as the security golf carts round the corner. We watch you inch around your car, hoping to stay out of site and not get caught. But we love it when you do get caught. We always see it coming. It’s like a car wreck that can’t be prevented. We know it’s going to happen and there is nothing we can do to stop it.

The best parking lot view, however, is the hammock-hangers. Every once in a while, a group of students hangs a hammock between their cars and just chills out after school. We want you to know, hammock-hangers, that on days when we have a deadline, and nothing is getting done, watching you swing in your hammocks makes it all a little better.

We journalistas get much enjoyment out of watching the “regulars” every 5th period class as we write our stories and lay out newspaper pages. But just know, next time you trip, dance, skip, or hang a hammock, we are watching you.

Commuter Heaven: Voluptuous Afternoon View

2009-12-04T00:05:00.002-05:00

Usually, the view out my front windshield is an immovable barricade of wall-to-wall cars. Depending on who's doing the measuring, DC & environs rank either 1st or there-abouts in worst traffic, nationwide. All I know is it doesn't matter when I start the trek home~at 2:30 p.m., shortly after school lets out, or at 5, when all my work is actually done~I'm going to hit the wall. It's enough to drive one to vehicular homicide...but I won't go there now.

In other words, I face some version of Commuter Hell most days. Although I have to say that when the big rigs get involved, it's more interesting than that car wreck known as Tiger Woods' marriage.

Imagine my surprise, then, yesterday afternoon around 3:30-ish~I was in a chipper mood anyway, 'cause Thursday afternoon means Friday's right around the corner, correctamundo? When what to my wondering eyes should appear but this voluptuous cloud bank.

Please don't turn me in for whipping out my camera for a quick shot. I promise that traffic had slowed to a mini-crawl...

No Sex for Santa This Season...

2009-12-03T00:05:00.004-05:00

Writer's Workshop is brought to you each week by Mama Kat.
My assignment? Numero Tres: Open letter to Santa Claus.

Dear Santa:

I'm fed up with Christmas. It's over between us. I'm tired, frustrated, & just a wee bit ambiguous about the whole durn season.

You may recall that I'm a teacher. High School. English, to be precise. Oh, & Journalism, too. I'm adviser to both the newspaper & the yearbook at Our Humble High School.

Yesterday, one of my cherubs, a certified journalista, asked me a question. And as we all know, I'm a great proponent asking before doing. In fact, "Question" is my middle name.

"Mrs. Scribe?"

"Whatcha need, sweet pea?"

"Do I need to be PC?"

"I don't know, do you?"

"I mean in the newspaper."

"What's the topic?"

"We're writing a Top 10. About things to do over winter break."

At that point, I was sure that my journalistas were planting the seeds of insurrection again. I knew for a fact that they probably were going to start writing about sex. I played it cool, though. Didn't reveal the panic that was welling up inside of me like a liter of Coke after some chemistry students drop a couple of Mentos down its throat.

"O-kaaaaayyyyy..." I offered. Long & drawn out, just like that. Yup, sex, for sure, was on their agenda. I just knew it.

"Well, we wanted to say something funny about Santa."

That's it. Better censor them now before Principal Man gets to 'em. Or worse, calls me down to his office for another 2-hour pow-wow.

"O-kaaaaayyyyy...like what?" I presented a poker face. Didn't want to reveal my hand.

"Like, maybe, one of our Top 10 could be, like, Cut in line at the mall to sit on Santa's lap. Make a little kid cry. Like maybe something like that." Remember, my journalistas are teenagers~average age, 16. They think making little kids cry is downright lol.

I waited, quasi-patiently, for the punchline. My cherub needed some prompting, was all.

"And...?"

"Oh, that's it. Are we allowed to, like, mention Santa in the newspaper?"

"Well, sure. He's a secular holiday figure, after all."

"What's that? That's not like, something about sex, is it?"

Only if Santa ends up in jail, sweet pea. And no, I didn't say that to her. But I sure did want to.

Hope your season is filled with joy. No, not that kind. This is a family blog, after all...

Grandma won't get run over by a reindeer this season, will she?

Your friend, Mrs. Scribe

A Scribe Disclaimer: Photo courtesy of Stéfan's Flickr Photostream.

Pretty Darn Cheesy!

2009-12-02T00:05:00.002-05:00

Mrs. Scribe Reviews: How to Lose Your Self of Steam

2009-12-01T00:05:00.002-05:00

I've said this before & I'll say it again: Carol Richtsmeier~known as "Richie" to her students~& I must have been separated at birth.

She's a high school newspaper & yearbook adviser. I ride herd on high school journalistas, too. She's a former reporter for The Dallas Morning News, in my hometown. Ditto, here~I worked for The News way back in the day. She graduated many moons ago from Our Humble High School in the DC 'Burbs. I teach there now.

Now Richie has packaged the joys, the tears, the laughter & the fears of being a high school journalism teacher. Her hot-off-the-presses book, How to Lose Your Self of Steam & Other Teaching Lessons I Never Learned from Professional Development, is the paen to our profession I should have written, but didn't have the time nor the talent!

No worries, though. Richie captures the experience in a brave, loud, opinionated & photogenic way. And while a picture may be worth a thousand words, Richie's student-centered vignettes are worth more than an entire year's stash of "emergency chocolate," which the author keeps in her desk drawer for dealing with meltdowns, putdowns & just about anytime anyone calls anybody a "Big, Fat Stupid Head."

Many of you may know Richtsmeier from her blog, Bellringers, which has been burning up the blogosphere since August 2007. Well, you'll really get to know this Central Texas teacher after reading her rap on deadlines, field trips & inane teacher inservices.

This woman even uses a yellow rubber chicken as a teaching tool. And for book promotion. The photo above comes from her blog, with the caption, "Buy the book or the chicken gets it!" And, Holy Moses, this funny & tender tribute to teaching is at Amazon.com right now!

Here's a snippet of Richie Wisdom, for your reading pleasure:

"Anyone who has ever spent a nanosecond with a teenager knows they appear to absorb every syllable uttered. In reality, not one single word registers; not one instruction, not one rule, not one of anything. Instead, it's more or less like the Charlie Brown cartoon~'Wah Wah, Wah Wah Wah Wah.' When I first noticed this phenomenon, I determined that apparently I must slip into speaking Mandarin Chinese; otherwise, why wouldn't the kiddos know what I just told them? Thus the phrase, 'Am I speaking Mandarin Chinese again?' was born."

Or, what about Richie's opus on high school dress codes?

"Even to the untrained observer, it's easy to see why dress code enforcement tops our list of 'Things We Didn't Go To College For'."

Richie's tales are true, they're funny, they're poignant & are guaranteed either to elicit a good, old-fashioned guffaw or a tender tear. And as for the title? Came from a student-written piece on the need to build "self of steam" in teenagers.

I can tell you that my self of steam has risen considerably since reading Richtsmeier's good-natured rant. I'll leave you with one more of her "Richie-isms," guaranteed to make you feel better about yourselves, as well...

"Life lessons don't come from lesson plans."

Beyond Thanksgiving...Butt I'm Thankful for So Much!

2009-11-30T00:05:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd do a Thanksgiving Roundup, of sorts, since I'm thankful for so much these days...

First off, I'm thankful that I found the above Superior Snap, just in time for the I *Heart* Faces We *Heart* Tooshies Contest. Pictured above are Ella Numera Dos & Robert John Burke, also known in NYC as The Naked Cowboy. Yes, the young man earns in the 6 figures every year, posing in almost the all-together at the intersection of Broadway & 7th Avenue. In all kinds of weather, I might add. Although we lucked out with a sunny day for the taking of this shot, temps hovered in the 60s. TNC says he wears double tighty-whities on days if it gets much cooler than this. BTW...You put the tips in his boots, ladies!

I'm thankful that the entire totality of La Familia Scribe was able to gather around my Martha Stewart table for a Thanksgiving feast that couldn't be beat. Ella Dos will be hanging around a while longer. Her college cancelled the "stupid 2 weeks" between Turkey Day & Christmas Break in a cost-cutting move. Makes an awful lot of sense to moi. Ella Numera Una is back crackin' the books again, preparing to sit for her first-ever law school exams. Wish her luck!

I'm thankful that I had 4 whole days to relax & de-stress, without a pint of Ben & Jerry's in sight! Well, we did consume mass quantities of pie, but that's good for one's soul, correctamundo?

I'm thankful that the weather cooperated, & I was able to get out for a couple of long walks. I'm a "destination walker," so put on my ramblin' shoes & set out for a local coffee shop on Friday, thinking I had about 2 miles to go. Turns out I journeyed a total of 6 miles roundtrip, & was none the worse for it, so...I hiked up there again yesterday. Gotta melt that pie off my hips somehow...

I'm thankful that I was able to re-connect, if however briefly, with a whole herd of folks who were back for the Turkey Day weekend. Saw several of las amigas de mis chicas, just out and about~Jen on the bike path to town; Katherine in her beat-up old VW; Lauren hoofin' it up the hill. Shannon & Lesley came by for an extended layover Saturday nite. Always good to hear the laughter of children in the house, even though those youngun's are practically all growed up by now.

I'm thankful I got through the entire month of November w/o having a NaBloPoMo Meltdown. I generally post on a daily schedule, but when required to do so, there's just so much more pressure. Today's the last day of the challenge, though, & I can say the 11th Month has proven to be an unqualified success for Your Humble Scribe!

And finally, I'm thankful that the Turkey Day leftovers are slowly, but surely, receding from my fridge. And that I was able to wrangle a few good recipes for said leftovers. Now, Mr. Fairway doesn't really abide by spinach, but I think I'll surprise him with this little number, anyway. Wish me luck!

Crustless Turkey Quiche

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, cubed while cold, then softened
4 eggs, beaten
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp onion salt
9-oz. steamed spinach
½ cup grated parmigiano reggiano (divided)
1½ cups cooked turkey or chicken, cubed

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixer, food processor or with a hand mixer, mix together all the liquid ingredients, the pepper and the salts. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. In the meantime, steam the spinach for about 5 minutes, until it starts to wilt. Add the spinach to the liquid ingredients.

Turn into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, saving out about a third of the Parmesan for garnish. Mix together gently until thoroughly incorporated.

Spread the mixture in a 9- to 10-inch pie plate. Sprinkle over with reserved Parmesan. Bake until quiche is set and the peaks are nicely brown, about 40 minutes.

Variation: If you want something more substantial, you could serve it in a store-bought crust (yay for Pillsbury!). Obviously, you'd then put the crust in a well-greased pie plate before you dump the rest of the ingredients in.

Enjoy!

Look, Ma, No Hands!

2009-11-29T00:05:00.000-05:00

Shot by Ella Numera Dos at a college pie-eating contest last Spring. Thought I'd run this one by you, in honor of Turkey Day and, of course, my recent Pie Adventures.

Y'all know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at this Superior Snap. Then, conjure a caption for said snap, & tippy-type your creation in the comments section of this post. And that's all there is to it. You might say this assignment is "Easy as pie"...

Of course, you'll win nothing tangible for all your toil & trouble. Just the knowledge that you gave a whole herd of us a good giggle today. And what could be better than that?

She's Got Spirit...And Your Vote?

2009-11-28T00:05:00.002-05:00

Clang the cow bell for MOO!

That time of year again, Scribe Fans! Some of you long-time followers might remember that The Scholastic Scribe was involved in a closer-than-close contest for Best Individual Blog about 1 year ago this month, in a competition known as The Edublog Awards. In fact, I lost by 9 votes, if I recall.

As we all know, close only counts in horseshoes & hand grenades...

Well, The Eddies have rolled around once more, with a couple of cool categories. And I'm making my own nominations this time around. Chief among them? Why, MOO, Ella Numera Dos' outstanding photoblog. And, yes, that is my youngest pictured above, decked out all her summer swim-team coach finery!

Here's the scoop:

Nominations are open until December 8; voting ends December 16. So, you've got plenty of time to put your own nominees forward for the 2009 Eddies. And hold on tight...be assured that Mrs. Scribe will let you know when the voting commences.

Cue the drumroll, please. I hereby nominate the following outstanding blogs for the 2009 Edublog Awards:

Best new blog: Miss Jo's San Francisco...Artistic, educational, comprehensive. A joy to look at & to read!

Best student blog: MOO...A college kid majoring in photo, she jumped into the blogosphere with enthusiasm & a great deal of God-given talent. Her topics are colorful, stark, informative; eye-candy, with an edge.

Best resource-sharing blog: TeachJ...I always find something of interest over here. He shares my passion for scholastic journalism & a great deal of knowledge with his readers.

Most influential blog post: NYC...There's Something About You...Outstanding for its insight & artistic magnetism. MOO captures The City with an Alfred Stieglitz-like passion...

Best teacher blog: Bellringers...Richie & I must have been separated at birth. She schools her journalistas down Texas-way in quite the Scribe-like fashion, never forgetting that this high school teaching janx is so much more than just a way to pay the rent...

Remember...I'll let you know when the voting gets underway. And thanks to Cate at Show My Face for letting me campaign a little today...

Thanksgiving Reflections

2009-11-27T00:05:00.001-05:00

La Familia Scribe added a wee touch of Martha Stewart to our holiday table yesterday. The hollowed-out gourds at each place setting hold votive candles. Saw this cute touch on TV~Kathy Lee & Hoda, I believe. Acquired the lillies & sunflowers at the local grocery store, on sale. The china & silverware are mine.

The antique spinning wheel in the corner, though, isn't a Scribe concoction at all. It's the real deal. Mr. Fairway's grandmother brought it all the way from Norway when she immigrated at the turn of the last century.

Of course, we ate too much & now our fridge is overflowing with food-stuffed Tupperware. If anyone has a couple of good recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers, please send them this way!

But for the Grace of God Go I...

2009-11-26T00:05:00.000-05:00

Going freestyle today for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop. In honor of the holiday & all...

I've used this space as a platform, of sorts, over almost 2 years to speak about the homeless, to honor Yoshio & to remind readers about those less fortunate than we, who get their sustenance~for both body & soul~from non-profits such as Miriam's Kitchen in Downtown DC.

Today's Superior Snap was shot by Ella Numera Dos during a trip to see Miss Jo in San Francisco. The photo is entitled, "Man in the Mission."

Please take a moment on this day of gratitude & gorging to thank someone for making a meaningful difference in your life. And give serious consideration to helping those who can't help themselves. Click on the link below to find out how you can help. And have the Happiest of Thanksgivings, y'all!

Monsters, Inc.

2009-11-25T00:05:00.001-05:00

Toy Story

2009-11-24T00:05:00.002-05:00

Those who know Mrs. Scribe know that she can't possibly do her job until Room 215 is just right. Beatles posters on the walls. Crippy-crappy~including Green Bay Packers memorabilia~displayed on the shelves behind her desk. And speaking of desks, no real "teacher station" is necessary in Room 215. Give me a writing space~in the case of this year, one of the lab tables from a chemistry classroom~so I can stretch my long, long legs out. A 34-inch inseam, to be precise.

But the school year doesn't really start until the Happy Meal Toys come out to play. And this year, my 200+ collection of plastic paraphernalia didn't make an appearance until about 3 weeks ago.

Can you say "Stressed"? I prefer to say I'm "occupationally challenged." I have too many papers to grade. I have to dust & arrange my HMTs each Fall to make sure the presentation is original & well, happy. I can't do both the grading & the dusting at the same time. Of course, the toys had to be sacrificed to the God of All that is Holy at Our Humble High School~Grades.

Part of this, of course, is my fault. I added 2 Advanced Placement English classes to my schedule this year. And after a couple years off the AP treadmill, I'd forgotten about the sheer volume of student~and therefore, teacher~work. If you want to take the class seriously & if you want the kiddos to learn something, you've got to load them up. As in assignments. Which need to be graded. Lots & lots of A's, B's & mostly C's.

I've been at this teaching janx for going on 16 years. I've got 3 Journalism classes~Intro, Newspaper & Yearbook~on top of the AP gig. But one constant remains in my topsy-turvy schedule.

Students started bringing in Happy Meal Toys to add to my collection way back in the day. I have an expansive set of windows overlooking the senior parking lot, & had put a couple of tiny plastic figurines on the wide stretch of sill. My cherubs thought Winnie the Pooh & Tigger looked lonely, so they started adding contributions, 'til the perch beneath the windows was overflowing with McDonald's memorabilia.

So, something sadly was lacking during first quarter this year. I'd assign a timed essay~the bane of my existence as an AP teacher~and then glance out the window. Every time I looked through that wide expanse of casement windows, I'd remember. My toys still lingered in the closet. Locked up. Gathering dust.

I came in to school on a Saturday a while back. To dust, sort and re-arrange. Sully~he of "Monster's, Inc."~is one of my faves, but I didn't quite feel complete until I pulled Inspector Gadget from the box. At about 14 inches tall, he towers over the other plastic mementoes of Disney flicks, My Little Ponys & the original Pooh & Tigger. He came on the Happy Meal market in 2001, and had to be assembled, in 9 different parts. The good Inspector sported 2 right legs for quite some time. Extra credit to the young lad who stole Gadget's left prosthesis from his little brother's collection.

On that Saturday, at least, the papers, my cherubs, Our Humble High School, could wait. I had something happier on my agenda.

The Packers' Pied Piper...and a PIE!

2009-11-23T00:05:00.000-05:00

The Green Bay Packers didn't disappoint yesterday afternoon. Well, they tried to, but San Francisco only clawed its way within 6 points. The Pack won, and is on a 2-game winning streak! But there's always Turkey Day, for those of us cynical Packer Backers who are looking for our 6-4 team to live up to negative expectations. We play Detroit on Thursday. And since we shut the Lions out in October, maybe we can stuff them again on Thanksgiving, huh?

I prefer to look on the bright side. Always have been a glass half-full gal, after all. The Packers have the best fans in the NFL, as evidenced by the spirited sousaphonist, above. Yeah, I know all y'all call that horn a tuba, but you're wrong-O!

Ella Numera Dos' last photo project before breaking for Thanksgiving involved a Green Bay Packers' theme. Entitled "Hometown Pride," her portfolio included 19 Superior Snaps such as this one, featuring what she terms "the craziness" of being a Green Bay Packers' fan. "Yes, some of the fans are a little ridiculous, but that is why they are so fun," Ella Dos points out. The fellow featured here is just the tip of the iceberg known as Lambeau Field & environs. More than one former high school band nerd dusts off an ancient instrument to toot at tailgates & in the stadium every Sunday, for sure!

Please check out Ella Numera Dos' Packer Pride all this week at her photoblog, MOO. The Superior Snap she's showcasing today is a quirky little capture of my SIL's MIL. You'll love it!

Didn't want to let you get away for the holidays without another pie recipe. This one's a tradition...in taste, in calories & in cholesterol. Not for the timid, that's for durn tootin'!

Susie Clark's Pecan Pie

1 cup Karo Syrup

1 tbs. butter

1 cup pecans, broken in pieces

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Pillsbury Pie Crust (you know, I always cheat on this part!)

Beat eggs well; mix with sugar. Add remaining ingredients (except the crust, of course), mix real well and pour into an unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. We like our pecan pie with vanilla ice cream on top. Enjoy!

Not the Brightest Crayons in the Box

2009-11-22T00:05:00.001-05:00

No, Mrs. Scribe doesn't really mean that. But the headline seemed to fit the image, somehow. And if you want to know how they got their hair to stand up like that~water bottles, twisties & a whole heckuva lot of hairspray...

You know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at this Superior Snap, which was shot the Friday before Halloween at Our Humble High School. Then, conjur a caption for said snap. Tippy-type that caption, real quick-like, in the comments section of this post.

And there you have it, Scribe Fans! You'll win nothing tangible for all your toil & tribulation. Just the knowledge that you gave all of us a good giggle. And what could be better than that?

Stick a Fork in Me...I'm Done

2009-11-21T00:05:00.002-05:00

Looking forward to stuffing myself Thursday!

Meet The Couch. I've written about her before. She resided in my Journalism Office (the classroom that adjoins my classroom, which serves as an annex, oasis & general sanctuary to ne'er-do-wells) from 2001 to 2006.

I think she was born sometime around the mid-'70s. I'm just guessing, because of her hideous plaid pattern. I inherited The Couch after someone else in the building had already had more than their way with her.

The Class of 2007 adored The Couch. So much so that I think they hold a tiny bit of enmity toward Mrs. Scribe for exiling this oozing pile of springs & stuffing to the dump after their junior year. No couch to sit on in 2006-2007. Instead, the kids sat around in a circle on plastic classsroom chairs. Looked like they were fixin' to sing Kumbaya. If someone had pulled out a pitch-pipe, they probably would have. In 4-part harmony, too boot.

My contribution to today's 6-Word Saturday alludes to getting away~from students, from parents, from grading papers. My chicas are coming home soon~one today, one next week. We (the gals in La Familia Scribe, anyway) always sit around in our PJs on Turkey Day. All blessed day long.

No dogs allowed.

Ah, bliss!

The Buck Stops Here...

2009-11-20T00:05:00.004-05:00

My neighbors looked out their living room window last Sunday & whom do they see? Mr. & Mrs. 8-Point Buck hanging out near the swingset. I almost couldn't see these dear deer, a) because my eyesight isn't what it used to be, and b) because they were slightly camouflaged by the grass & the leaves.

The thing I find amazing about this snap, however, isn't necessarily the buck & his doe chillin' in the DC 'burbs. It's the reflection of the Red Maple in the window beyond the fence.

Quilly introduced me to Weekend Reflections...I found Camera Critters on my own. You should visit all of them!

Turkey Trot Trauma

2009-11-19T00:05:00.000-05:00

Today's Writer's Workshop presents Prompt #1: A Thanksgiving to be Remembered...

Her first Thanksgiving qualified as a bloody disaster.

Turkey? Check! Family & Friends? Check, then check, again! Pretty party dress for the hostess? Oh, but of course! And although we were psyched to the eyeballs to watch our Texas Longhorns ride herd over those nasty Aggies, I don't remember the score. Heck, I don't even remember the game. I'm pretty sure I didn't have time to watch.

Time stood still for me just as I was taking the 25-lb. turkey out of the oven.

A yelp. A shriek. An interjected, "What the effing hell?!?"

I don't remember who invited the dog to my daughter's first Thanksgiving feast. Mr. Fairway said it was moi.

It doesn't matter now. What mattered then was getting the almost-10-month-old to the emergency room. Quick.

Ella Numera Una was a pull-up girl. Well, yes, she did graduate to Pull-Ups when she left diapers behind. But shortly after she learned to crawl, she started hoisting herself up to the standing position. Didn't matter who, what, where, when, why or how, as long as she could get upright, she was all right.

Until she pulled up on Barney. Barney, the older, grouchy, scruffy Westie.

Yup, a Toto Dog~As in the Wizard, Dorothy & Toto, too~snapped at my eldest. Took a chunk out of her upper right lip. She shoulda known better than to have pulled up on his hindquarters. And in the poor dog's defense, he didn't know she was just a curious toddler, trying to stand tall with the big folks.

I don't remember much after that. The turkey made it from the oven to the stovetop, I think. Adrenaline kicked in, and I drove my tiny, howling chica to the ER. Mr. Fairway stayed behind with the guests. I don't know if they watched football. I don't know if they even ate.

Fortunately, we hit the hospital at the right time. The doctor on duty had just finished his residency at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati. He knew that babies needed special care & teeny, tiny needles.

I do remember 22 stitches inside her lip & 47 stitches on the outside. I had to hold a bleeding (note to you who've just embarked on the mommy track~head wounds gush the most, which is a pretty freaky proposition. The good news, though, is they're usually not as bad as they look), screaming toddler down while the good doctor completed his handiwork. But when it was all over, the doc had encouraging words for this newish mom.

"By the time she's old enough to notice, no one but you will be able to notice."

He was right. About the stitches & the resulting scar. I was wrong, about inviting an old, cranky, excitable dog to a fiesta full of animated humans.

The proof is in the pictures, I guess. The Superior Snap above was shot about 3 weeks later, around Christmas. You can see that Ella's upper right lip is swollen & she's got a tiny, upside-down "V" etched there. And if you look at the kid now, you'd never know the trauma she's seen.

I was told later that the turkey was perfection, although no one wanted to eat much. The Longhorns won, I think. And I had to throw away my pretty party dress.

Too much blood.

All I Want from You is...Your Voice

2009-11-18T00:05:00.000-05:00

I Need a Kick in the Keister...

2009-11-17T00:05:00.001-05:00

I've been neglectful of my cyber-friends this past week~buried under a mountain of mixed metaphors & split infinitives, also known as student papers. I realize that all I really need is a swift kick in the pants to get me going on this grading janx. But, alas, I am the quintessential procrastinator. Keep looking ahead to Thanksgiving Break, thinking this, too, shall pass when the celebrations commence.

Just part of the ebb & flow of being a high school teacher, I reckon. At least I'm not a college soccer player, although Elizabeth Lambert might just give me what I need~plus a whole heckuva lot more, I'd say...

Green Bay Win Over Dallas No Small Potatoes

2009-11-16T00:05:00.000-05:00

Green Bay crushed the Dallas Cowboys yesterday. The Superior Snap above was shot by Mark Hoffman of The Journal Sentinel Online, and it pretty much illustrates the ebb & flow of the Packers' season this year. It's either feast or famine, to mix metaphors a tad more.

In other words, a Green Bay win over Dallas, in a season where we also fell to the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is no small potatoes.

When my family gets in a snit over the Packers' ups & downs, or ins & outs, we turn to comfort foods. Think pork chops, covered in Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, or oven-roasted red potatoes. Here are recipes for both. I'm not claiming any gourmet awards with these dishes, but they do seem to do the trick with La Familia Scribe.

Mrs. Scribe's Pork Chops in Faux-Mushroom Gravy

Package of pork chop loins-about 4 will do

1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 large onion

2-3 tbps. olive oil

2 tsp. tarragon

salt & pepper to taste

Put your best cast-iron skillet on the stove, and turn the heat up to medium. Pour the olive oil into the skillet & heat for about 1 minute, making sure to cover the pan. Just as the oil starts to get hot, place the pork chops in the skillet & cook for about 5 minutes, 'til browned on one side. As the pork chops brown, sprinkle 1 tsp. tarragon on the uncooked side, then season with salt & pepper. Turn the pork chops and repeat with the remaining tarragon & the salt & pepper, to taste. Slice your onion & add the slices to the skillet, turning the pork chops and the onion slices, 'til everything's good and covered. Then add the can of undiluted mushroom soup. Turn the pork chops over a few more times; the onion slices should start to come apart, which is good. Get everything all stirred up, turn down the heat, & cover, simmering for about 1 hour. Warning: Don't cook the pork chops on high heat or they'll dry out!

Mrs. Scribe's Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes

Enough tiny red potatoes to serve 4 people

About 1/8-cup olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. While the oven's getting hot, clean and quarter the potatoes and place them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Not too much~don't want your potatoes swimming in grease! Season with salt & pepper. When the oven reaches 425 F, place the cookie sheet with the potatoes on the bottom rack. Roast about 45 minutes, turning a couple of times so the potatoes don't stick. When you can stick a fork in them, remove from the oven and place in a serving dish. Tell your guests to sprinkle their potatoes liberally with parmesan cheese. Just delish!

We Are, Like, Soooooooooo Fetch!

2009-11-15T00:05:00.004-05:00

Ella Numera Una had this on her Facebook home page. Have no idea the origin, but it certainly "spoke" to me~in a Silly Sunday Sweepstakes kinda way, if ya know what I mean...

You know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at this Superior Snap. Then, conjur a caption for said snap. Tippy-type your caption in the comments section of this post.

And that's all there is to it, Scribe Fans! You will receive nothing tangible for all your toil & trouble~just the knowledge that you gave a whole herd of folks a good giggle today. And what could be better than that?

Three's a Charm, Am I Correctamundo?

2009-11-14T00:05:00.000-05:00

May you live long and prosper!

Ella Numera Una & the BF are celebrating 3 years together this weekend. Y'all may remember him from previous posts~with his head in the downtown stockade, flaunting his Flower Power, or dressed as Oscar the Grouch.

The chica keeps giving me a hard time. I've got snaps of My Peeps thru the years on the antique desk upstairs, but have yet to add The BF to this Rogue's Gallery. I probably should do something about that, huh?

Chica, consider it done! Virtually, at any rate. The Superior Snap above was shot at a college formal last year. The one below~from the same venue~is the young couple's attempt to recreate a high school prom pose. They crack me up!

Young Love, brought to you today by Cate, and her 6-Word Saturday.