Thoroughly Modern Mimi

Tomato Time!

2014-09-06T11:46:00.000-04:00

One of the best things about late summer is the abundance of ripe, juicy tomatoes...hearty beefsteak tomatoes, regular red tomatoes, roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes...love them all! Recently I posted some references to my favorite fresh tomato recipes on my FB page with a promise of providing the recipes soon. Now that my first few weeks of settling into a new school year are past, I'm ready to think about cooking again!

Super Simple Fresh Tomato Marinara

This recipe is from a Kroger store flyer that I got in the mail a few years ago. I've modified it a bit to fit our taste, so I've included my changes along with the original recipe.

Ingredients:
4 cloves of garlic, minced (modify to taste...if the cloves are large, I use only 2)
1/4 cup onion or shallots, minced (I use more, about 1/2 cup, because we like onions! Sometimes I use a combination of white, red, and green tail onions for variety. Frozen onion are fine, too.)
1/4 cup olive oil
15-20 medium size, very ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped (Seeded?? Really?? Feel free to skip this step, as I do. I also chop the tomatoes and put them in a large bowl to sit for awhile before putting them in the pan. Drain out some of the excess liquid if you want your marinara to be thicker.)
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped (Now that's vague! How big is the bunch? I use fresh basil from my herb garden, and chop about 15-20 large leaves, more if the leaves are small.)
Salt and pepper to taste (I use sea salt and freshly ground pepper for more flavor with less salt.)

That's it for the original recipe, but I add two other ingredients:
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes to add a little heat (My mom used to do this with her sauce and my husband still comments on it to this day. Adjust accordingly...a little goes a long way!)
20-30 chopped oregano leaves from my herb garden (These leaves are very small, so you need more of them to get the flavor.)

Cooking directions:
Saute onions and garlic in 2 tbsp. olive oil, just until softened. Add tomatoes, spices, and the remaining olive oil. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2-4 hours. Leave the cover off the final hour to evaporate some of the excess liquid if you like. Serve over pasta or freeze for future use. Makes plenty to do both!

Enjoy! Come back tomorrow for my recipe for Bacon-Cheddar-Tomato Biscuits!

40 Days of Growth

2014-03-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

The phrase "in like a lion, out like a lamb" is a definite possibility this year here in Ohio! Saturday, March 1, was rather pleasant, with a little sunshine and relatively mild temperatures. Sunday, March 2, was another story entirely, as the sleet and snow made it clear that Mother Nature wasn't quite ready to give up on winter just yet! Now, two days later, the skies are clear and blue, but the temperatures are still frigid and ice still blankets the north side of our driveway where it remains shaded all day long.

There are a few signs of coming spring weather around my yard and garden...little, brave sprouts of hopefulness that March will, indeed, go out like a lamb.

So while I wait for growth in the garden, I will turn my hope in another direction. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the time that Christians set aside each year to stretch our spiritual muscles and prepare for the joyous celebration of Easter. Everyone I know has a different way of honoring this season, which has traditionally been associated with penance and atonement, but which is for many others a time of reading, reflection, and a search for life's meaning in the context of the Gospel message.

I know several people who are choosing to give up something, such as social media, that they feel is taking up too much of their precious time that could be better spent. Others are taking time for daily readings, reflection, and prayer. Until this evening, I wasn't sure what I was going to do this year. And then I saw a post on Facebook about a 40 day challenge with an interesting title: 40 Bags in 40 Days. I checked it out and saw so much possibility for personal and spiritual growth, as well as a much cleaner house!

So I am going to focus my Lent journey on 40 Bags in 40 Days. Yes, I'm sure that I will be de-cluttering the rooms and closets in my house, but even more importantly, I hope to be de-cluttering my mind and spirit...getting rid of personal baggage along with the household clutter. So, I've printed out my Daily Progress sheet, found some unused Kroger bags, and put out my journal and book of meditations for the more traditional early morning quiet time. I don't know where this year's journey will take me, but I am ready to find out...

Hints of Spring?

2014-02-23T16:53:00.003-05:00

Yesterday the temperatures hit the high fifties and I hit the neighborhood sidewalks for a long-anticipated walk in the warmth of the late February sunshine. Wonder of wonders, I even had to discard my hoodie and tie it around my waist...a long-sleeved tee shirt was almost more than I needed in the mid-afternoon. I knew that the next day the temperatures were due to drop and the snow flurries resume, but for a few glorious hours I was able to face the sun and bask in its glow.

When I retuned home, I got my trusty camera and went back into the yard to photograph a few clear signs that winter is on the way out.

The last pile of dirty snow in a shaded spot by the deck

The green shoots of an early spring iris

Little buds of sedum bravely peeking out from the dried leaves

The first buds on the lilac bush

Little white blossoms by the garden barn...early birds!

Of course, not all the signs of spring are so beautiful...

Trash along the ditch...visible now that the snow has melted

Driveway potholes

Hundreds of little "land mines" from the sweet gum tree

Back inside, a few more hopeful signs of spring days to come...

My shamrock plant reaching for the sunlight

Furnace set to "off"...a few more dollars in my bank account!

An open screen door to the deck....but don't tell my husband!

All in all, it was a very good afternoon with the promise of more to come.

A little love for the real heroes...

2014-02-09T19:42:00.000-05:00

Now that the Super Bowl hype has died down and the celebrity media crews have moved on from the latest Justin Bieber escapade to the Olympics, maybe it's time for the rest of us to sing the praises of the unsung heroes in our lives...the firefighters and police officers...the road crews keeping our streets and highways plowed and salted...the teachers, school administrators, and support personnel responsible for our children and grandchildren...the plumbers and electricians who keep our houses running efficiently...the store clerks and restaurant wait staffs who make our shopping and dining out possible...and how about the mommies and daddies who are doing their best to raise a new generation of responsible citizens?

By now you might be wondering, just where is she going with this? Where did this come from? Well, it came from a recent iPad message from my daughter. Her almost-four little boy, my sweet firstborn grandson, had just told her, "you're not a woman, you're a mommy, so talk like a mommy". She added, "Truth. As I sit here in my pajamas, dirty hair, and not enough sleep. About as far away from a woman as I can get." My response was to remind her that her children LOVE her as their mommy, that she is much more important to them than any other woman they know. These words were a little boy's only way of expressing this kind of love. And this little snippet of conversation got me thinking about the unsung heroes in our own families

Not just the mommies who haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks, if not months, and who would love to get their hair professionally cut and colored, but instead choose to spend their hard-earned money on replacing those quickly-outgrown shoes, and coats, and shirts, and pants.

There are also the daddies, loving and dedicated family men, who work long hours and even second jobs to make sure that those precious children have every opportunity to grow up safe, and strong, and secure.

Add to this, the loving grandparents who give up their own days off to take care of the children while the mommies and daddies are off to work, or when they just need an hour or two to rest and maybe even spend a few hours renewing the closeness that came so easily when there were just the two of them.

So, as you watch the Olympics and cheer on those amazing athletes, don't forget about those amazing people in your own family, in your circle of friends, and in your community. Take a moment to give these unsung heroes a little love, too!

Snowy memories!

2014-01-20T17:57:00.001-05:00

December and the Christmas holiday always mean a very busy time in my life, so it's no surprise to see that I haven't even looked at this blog since mid-December!

My delightful visit to Rochester, New York, was extended by two days, thanks to a New Year's night snowstorm. No complaints here!

Even better, when I returned to Ohio, we were blasted with more snow and extreme cold, so my Christmas break from school was also extended by two days. Serendipity for sure!

There were so many wonderful moments during my week long visit, but one small evening moment gave me a reason to smile when I returned home.

As I was unpacking after my return home, I decided to grab my camera and go outside to take a few photos and fill the bird feeders in the backyard. When I went to put on my boots, I felt something a little bit sharp in the toe of my boot. Upon pulling it out to investigate, I discovered a slightly crumpled package of Starbucks Via coffee...Christmas blend, which I had taken with me to New York. And then I remembered....

This cute little guy who likes to play peek-a-boo with mommy's kitchen towels, also discovered my package of Starbucks Via packets.

Not wanting to induce unnecessary tears of frustration, we had let him continue to play with the packets and the box. Somewhere along the way, little Jackson must have toddled over to my boots, inserted a coffee packet, and then quietly returned to his play. All of which speaks to this truth...we spend money buying kids and grandkids all kinds of toys, but they are often most amused by the packaging!

Happy days...happy Christmas!

2013-12-21T13:43:00.000-05:00

Finally! The first grade Merry Matisse videos were published. The second grade clay ornaments were fired, painted, glittered, and sent home. All the other grade level projects were put on the shelves for our return in January. At last! I am finally home for Christmas!!

The past week was a flurry of activity both at home and at school. My sister, Rosanne, and her husband, Wayne, came from Georgia to stay at Mom's for the week. Our evenings were filled with delicious dinners and plenty of laughter as we caught up on the events in our lives since our July family reunion. Mom, my sister Kathy, and I provided the meals, but the highlights were the desserts, thanks to Rosanne's week long baking and candy making efforts back home in Georgia......yum!!

Now, with two weeks of vacation ahead, it's time to prepare for one of my favorite times of the year...Christmas! Lights and carols to enjoy, presents to wrap, cookies to bake, and the joy of anticipating a visit with my two precious little grandsons.

The recent warm weather and rain have left our landscape a bit sodden and dreary, but here's a glimpse of the backyard as I left for school earlier this week...so lovely as the moon was setting just before sunrise.

I hope that wherever you are, and whatever your weather, your heart and home are filled with the warmth and blessings of this sacred season as we anticipate and celebrate the birth of our Savior so many years ago. Merry Christmas to all!

Snow Days bring Christmas joy!

2013-12-16T21:44:00.004-05:00

Of course, too many snow days could mean going to school longer at the end of the year, but for now, I'm taking my December blessings as they come! This week I'm scrambling with my second graders to get their clay Christmas ornaments decorated and ready to take home, so I have to admit that I didn't mind sloshing my way to school in the unexpected (at least to me!) snow early this morning.

Freshly falling snow is so peaceful, especially early in the morning or later in the evening. With the Christmas lights glowing softly and the hush that comes when traffic is stilled, there is a beauty that we often miss in the rush to complete our Christmas shopping, baking, house cleaning, and other holiday chores.

A snowy day, whether during the week or on the weekend, gives us time to slow down and savor the moment if we will let it. It's so easy to worry about chores not done, lessons not taught, or errands not run, but those things will still be waiting for us when the flakes stop falling and the roads are cleared.

So wherever you are and whatever your weather, as we get closer to that magical time of Christmas, take time to breathe in the quiet joy of the season. Let peace, joy, and quiet expectation replace the hustle and bustle, if only for a moment.

December already???

2013-12-08T22:19:00.002-05:00

Here it is, December 7, and it's now been over a month since my last post! With the combination of teaching, taking care of a house and yard, and travel to visit family over Thanksgiving, it's been quite a busy month. All this, and still trying to get my Etsy shop up and running by the first week of January. What was I thinking anyway?

The leaves were slow to fall this year, and the snow a bit earlier than usual, so we actually had some piles of leaves raked up that were frozen before they could be hauled back to the wooded area behind our yard. As a matter of fact, when I was shoveling the sidewalks this afternoon, it seemed that I was shoveling as much leaf debris as snow!

I am making some progress on the Etsy shop, although at a much slower pace than I had hoped. Right now, I'm listening in on The Thriving Artist Summit, an online seminar for artists and crafters who are either running a business already, or planning to do so in the future. It's been an inspiring series, although I am a little bit behind on listening to all the interviews with successful artists and business coaches. Fortunately, each interview is available for three days after the first time it is scheduled, so I've managed to hear most of them and I've been able to download all the great information that each of them is offering...for free, which is great for someone on a budget.

The highlight of the past month was my visit to Rochester, NY, to see my daughter and her family for Thanksgiving. The boys, Aiden and Jackson, are growing up so fast! I saw them last during the first week of August and it seems that Aiden has grown at least an inch taller and Jackson is now actively crawling and beginning to pull up and cruise the furniture. Aiden generously gave me some of his latest artistic creations, which I will be framing for our family room here in Ohio...so cute!

Even more fun was being able to watch Aiden helping to decorate the Christmas tree. He loves all things Christmas, especially Santa, so just watching the joy on his face made my heart sing!

And now here it is, December, with Christmas just a little over two weeks away! I was blessed with the words every teacher loves to hear... "snow day"... on Friday, which gave me some extra time to clean house and decorate for Christmas. Although I no longer put up a large tree, I have three table top trees, plenty of lights, my Santa collection, and other holiday treasures to make up for it.

Although it has been a hectic and crazy month, I have so much to be thankful for...good health, a loving family, dear friends both near and far, and a career doing and sharing the art that I love so much. As we continue through the final weeks of Advent and prepare for the joy of Christmas, I hope and pray that each and every one of you are blessed with a spirit of gratitude for the goodness in your own lives.

What to do with an "extra" hour?

2013-11-03T17:44:00.001-05:00

Spend it doing something I don't get enough time for these busy fall days! Since we get to "fall back" in time in the wee hours of the night here in Ohio, going outdoors to enjoy the colorful scenery wasn't an option. Instead, I opted to play with lots of colorful beads, paper, and fabrics for that extra hour last night.

Today I did get in that lovely autumn walk just before the sun began to set. There is just something so stunning about the orange, red, and yellow leaves against the dark clouds and occasional patches of bright blue! I've never quite captured the glow on camera, but not for lack of trying.

Peace Grows in My Garden

2013-10-13T19:27:00.000-04:00

We've had some lovely autumn weather the past few weeks, but I know it can't last much longer, so today I went outside to take some photo memories to warm up those cold winter days that are bound to arrive!

Although the colors are fading on my mums and the petunias have pretty much decided that summer is over, there was still a lot of color to be found.

This is the last of my lovely, brilliant flag-red porch front petunias.

A few more white ones also remain, especially the little miniatures by the garage.

The blanket flowers are still thriving and adding a pop of bright yellow and orange to the front garden, but the lovely red gerber daisies are spent for the season.

One last lily remains...

and one last impatiens hangs on in the window box on the barn...

along with the last little happy-faced black-eyed Susan's on the vine.

But, as you can see, the red and white begonias are still looking amazing and the shy, delicate toad lilies are still thriving in the cool shade of the backyard garden barn.

The little fairies are gracing the fern beds along the deck...now I just need to get them safely put to bed in the garage before the first frost of fall arrives!

Until then, let peace continue to reign in my garden...

Rainy Day Creativity

2013-09-29T17:49:00.000-04:00

The day started out partly cloudy and it took until almost one o'clock for the partially mowed grass to dry out enough for me to get out the mower. Then, before I could get the second half of the front yard mowed, the rain began. Nothing heavy, but enough to make me decide to save the rest of the mowing for another day. With Bruce at work, the afternoon is "free for me" time...no football, no baseball...no TV at all, just the sound of the rain, the birds, and the insects getting ready for fall weather to arrive.

So I decided to start with a little culinary creativity...nothing fancy, but an easy, quick late evening meal for the inevitable Sunday Night Football game...Buffalo Chicken Sliders. The recipe is from a Kroger coupon flyer we got in the mail around Super Bowl time last year. So easy, but so good, too!

Ingredients: 1/4 c. butter, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 cup hot sauce, one rotisserie chicken (shredded) , red onion, lettuce, slider buns, blue cheese or ranch dressing, celery sticks

Heat the butter, honey, and hot sauce in a pan until the butter is melted and the honey is dissolved. Add the chicken. Heat through.

Fill slider bun with buffalo chicken, top with onion and lettuce. Serve with celery sticks and dressing. You can add the dressing to the sandwich, too, if you like.

My personal suggestion: Use Frank's Red Hot Wings Buffalo sauce. It was the "secret ingredient" in the original 1964 buffalo wings made famous by the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY. Yum!

Once tonight's dinner was safely stored in the refrigerator, I decided to pull out a long-neglected art quilt that I started several years ago when I took a summer workshop at the Dayton Art Institute. The instructor, quilter Cathy Jeffers, does some pretty amazing work, so check out her website! Anyway, she invited me over to her house last weekend to pick up some fabric and other art supplies that she was donating to my art room. Wow, I do appreciate that!

While I was there, she pulled out some quilts she's been working on and then she asked me...the dreaded question...so...have you ever finished that mermaid quilt you started during my workshop??? Sadly, I had to admit to not quite getting to the fabric finish line. So today, I got out the quilt and my sewing machine...and discovered that I was not as close to finishing as I had remembered. Here are a few close ups of some areas, but there is a lot of work still to be done!

Actually, I'm a little bit glad that I hadn't finished the quilt because now I have a fresh take on the project and some new ideas for how I want to finish it up. Expect a progress report soon...I hope

Projects in Progress

2013-09-09T21:44:00.000-04:00

During the last few weeks of August, I was able to work on a few ideas for coloring and embellishing a collection of silk scarves in a variety of sizes and weights. The scarves are white when I get them and the first step is to wash them all to get out any sizing or residue on the fabric. After that comes the fun of dying and painting the scarves. It's a messy task, so my goal is to have all the dye work completed before the cold weather sets in. I can easily do the hand-painting, stenciling, and beadwork in the house later with a minimal amount of mess.

One technique I'm using is quite simple, but makes an elegant scarf, especially on the heavier weight silks. The scarf is first dyed a solid color. The dye is then heat set to make it colorfast and the pattern is added using either stencils, as in the picture, or by hand painting with metallic fabric paints.

Some of the scarves are a very light weight, semi-sheer silk and lend themselves quite nicely to sponge painting techniques, which give them a watercolor appearance. This is my first attempt at adding a simple beaded fringe to one of these scarves. It's a little more time consuming, but something that I can easily do while watching "Project Runway" or just about anything on HGTV!

This scarf didn't quite work out the way I planned, but the result is still interesting. I first wet the scarf, then sponged and brushed the silk paints randomly on the surface. After that, I sprinkled salt crystals on the wet surface, sprayed water over the salty surface, and let the salt react with the dyes.

I'm thinking about adding some beading fringe to the ends where the color becomes softer...or would that be too much with all this color and pattern?

Reflections on days of summer past...

2013-08-19T16:19:00.000-04:00

School starts tomorrow, so I consider today to be my last chance to do whatever I please, whenever I please...within reasonable limits, of course!
Of course, as a teacher, I have been "at school" off and on since early August, preparing my classroom, attending meetings, and getting things ready for another year in the classroom art studio. There's no way I would ever be able to jump in on the first day of school without at least a week or two of preparation!

Today is Monday, normally a work day, but we had our annual "Meet the Teachers/Open House" yesterday, so today is a well-earned day of relaxation and reflection.

All in all, it was a good summer for me! June was a quiet month mostly at home with my husband, who was recovering from a knee replacement in mid-May.

Peaceful Center Hill Lake

July got off to a bang with my family's big reunion at Center Hill Lake in Tennessee, which was great fun! So many new additions to the family since we last gathered in 2011...new babies, new relationships, anniversaries, engagements...all the joys of being part of a very large extended family!

Snuggle time with Papa

Learning to captain the pontoon

In mid-July I spent five days with two of the best friends one could ever have. This was our seventeenth summer together...so hard to believe how quickly the years go by!

Celebrating 17 years of summer friendship!

When our summer reunions began, we were teaching together here in Ohio. Over the years, we have supported each other through moves and changes and watched our children grow up and raise families of their own. Although we live miles apart and lead very different lives, when we get together each summer we pick up right where we left off the summer before. It's like we've never been apart...truly long term friendships are a blessing!

Late July meant a quick few days at a Muse Machine advisor workshop, just a brief taste of school activities to come, before heading north for the baptism of grandson, Jackson, and a visit with my daughter and her family. Unfortunately, Papa was unable to join us because he was recovering from a second knee surgery...another story for another time!

Jackson wore the family heirloom Christening gown, originally made for me by my great-grandmother out of the train from my mother's wedding dress. It was worn by my siblings, several of our children, and now our children's children! What a family treasure!

And now, my summer freedom is ending...

...but it was all good!

Lions and tigers and...paperwork! Oh my!

2013-08-10T11:07:00.002-04:00

So there I was, all excited about my new artistic venture, happily making jewelry, painting scarves, and designing my own fabrics for some future projects, when my creative train was suddenly derailed by cold, hard bureaucratic reality...aka the Taxman!

Etsy has some great tutorials to help new Etsians (love that term...sounds a little Star Trek!) get started so I felt pretty certain that I was on the right track, and for the most part, I was. This past Wednesday, I went to the credit union to open my business accounts. Simple, right? No, not so fast, my little pretty!

I had my federal EIN in hand (Employer Identification Number- necessary even if I have no plans to employ anyone but myself) , but was totally in the dark about the need to register my business name with the Ohio Secretary of State office before I could qualify for any business banking services. So back home I went, to log on to the proper website, download the proper forms, write my check for $50, and send it off to John Husted's office.

Now, I am in creative limbo, waiting to learn if my business name has already been taken by someone else first! According to the website, I should be go to go, but in these days of electronic communication, who knows?

Thanks to the advice of that very knowledgeable gentleman at the credit union, I am now signed up to take a Business Start-up workshop through the Ohio Small Business Development Center!

Setting sail in a new direction...

2013-08-04T11:50:00.000-04:00

The winds of change are blowing! For the past several years, I've tried to find time for my own art, all while teaching art full time. Ironically, I created more of my own art while working as an assistant principal than I have while working as an art teacher. After eight years in the art classroom, it's time to make time for myself!

When I first started this blog, my intent was to create an online journal for sharing thoughts on faith, family, and friendship, as well as ideas for long-distance grandparenting. I started a second blog, Thoroughly Artsy Mimi, for my creative, artistic efforts. It didn't take long to learn that managing both was a bit of a stretch!

So, in the interest of my sanity, my "artsy Mimi" will be joining my "modern Mimi" here on this page. I guess I will now be somewhat of a Thoroughly Artsy Modern Mimi!

Artsy Mimi

Yay! Signs of Spring at last!

2013-03-19T23:14:00.000-04:00

Although the weather has been up and down the past week, I've spotted a few welcoming signs that spring is finally on the way. Last Wednesday, I noticed the first two of my early spring iris blossoms smiling up at me...a wonderful, cheery sight to be sure! And today, several more little blossoms added more color to the garden. It won't be long before the tulips add their pop of red and yellow to the mix.

Over the weekend, just as St. Patrick's Day dawned, I noticed a second harbinger of spring, my sweet little shamrock plant waking up after a winter nap on the bottom shelf of a plant stand in the living room. It will be a month or more before any little white blossoms appear between the leaves, but I'm happy to see that my little plant has survived to see another spring, especially since I don't have a very good track record when it comes to house plants! I bought this plant exactly four years ago this month when I saw a display in the grocery store. It spends the warm months on my back deck, then winters over on that bottom shelf. My one and only long-term success with a house plant!

As I write about my little plant, I'm reminded of the legend surrounding St. Patrick of Ireland. According to tradition, he used the three leaves of the shamrock to teach his followers about the Trinity...God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So with this in mind, my little plant with its cheery green leaves is more than just another sign of spring. It is also a sign of our faith in God, our hope in His promise of salvation, and the love of His only Son who came to dwell among us over two thousand years ago.

When the sun rises on the first day of spring, may you be blessed with the gifts of faith, hope, and the love of the Lord.

Happy Spring!

Snowy solitude...heavenly peace!

2013-03-06T08:40:00.001-05:00

When you're a teacher, a snow day is a gift. When you know about the snow day before you go to bed, it's a heaven-sent gift! And when you wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep (bad cold, not a gift!), grab your camera, and snap a few photos in the dark, that's just plain heavenly.

The first thing I noticed when I stepped outside, was the stillness. Heavy flakes of snow were still falling and hitting my camera lens, so I only took a few photos before deciding to put the camera in my pocket and just enjoy the moment.

It's amazing how many sounds there are in silence (Simon and Garfunkle, anyone?) when you take the time to listen. The first thing I heard was the sound of the birds nesting in the evergreens that dot our front lawn, a reminder that this is March and spring truly is on the way! The crack of a branch falling in the wooded area behind our house was a sudden reminder that I needed to be wary of where I stood. Heavy snow was taking its toll on the older branches in the trees and there are a few near our driveway that were precariously hoovering above my head. And in between the birds and the branches, I could hear a soft, delicate sound as the flakes settled on the bushes near where I was standing. So heavenly!

This morning, when I woke up around 7 AM, I grabbed my camera again to get a few shots before the increasing winds blow the snow off the branches of the trees and bushes. Without the flash, the early morning light cast a blue glow over the entire landscape. So pretty to see, although I'm not sure it is quite the same through a camera lens.

As I've said in a few previous posts, these months of winter are always tough on my spirit. I can't help but think that my gift of snowy solitude last night was a reminder from above that God is with me even when I feel most alone, that life is around me even when I feel most deadened and lifeless in spirit.

So today, I'm going to appreciate the beauty of this late winter "time out", thankful for these simple gifts, and mindful of just how fortunate I am to be alive to enjoy them. My wish for everyone today is that you, too, can find beauty wherever you are, whatever the weather, whatever the circumstances that surround you.

Little Leprechauns at Play

2013-02-24T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'm not at all Irish, but when it comes to school, kids, and fun, it's hard to resist all those bright green shamrocks, colorful rainbows, and smiling little leprechauns dancing around their little pots of gold!

Right now, my first graders are busy painting pictures of the colorful monsters they created on their iPads using the Yay!Monster app, so we're not quite ready to "go green" yet, but I've been scouting Pinterest and a few of my teacher blogs to see what I can find.

One of the cutest, and simplest, ideas came from Blog Me Mom. This creative mom had her kids use heart-shaped cookie cutters dipped in green paint to create the outlines of shamrocks that were then colored in with green paint. It doesn't get much easier than that!

For the complete directions and lots of good pictures to follow, check out this link:
http://www.blogmemom.com/st-patricks-day-activities-shamrock-printing/

While searching for shamrocks and little green elves, I came across some good blogs for parents and grandparents with young children. Check out the links on the side to Brick by Brick (so nice to see a male role model teaching kindergarten kids!), PreK + K Sharing (a collaborative site with lots of good ideas), and Blog Me Mom (source of the shamrock printing idea- this site is full of great projects for young children).

Now, if food ideas are more to your liking, check out this great blog with some yummy and colorful ideas for serving healthy lunches and snacks for St. Patrick's Day. This mom blogger serves up plant based meals that would be fun for even the pickiest of preschool eaters. Actually, I think I wouldn't mind eating these lunches myself!

http://www.bentoriffic.wordpress.com/

Happiness is not a place

2013-02-17T13:41:00.003-05:00

"Happiness is not a place. Therefore, you can't get there. You can only decide that you are there."

I read this a week or two ago in a newspaper horoscope column, jotted it down on a notepad, and then forgot about it until yesterday when I was doing some cleaning up on my desk. It got me thinking about my annual February blahs and how hard it is for me to feel upbeat about much of anything this time of year.

So this morning I decided to take stock of the first half of February and see if I could possibly already be in my "happy place". Using the words "happy place" reminded me of my dear friend, Alice, who was the first person I heard use the term. So, Alice, thanks for kick-starting my mid-February happy place list!

Right now the sun is shining and I'm enjoying a cup of coffee by the window. It's Day 3 of a four day weekend and that is certainly a reason to be happy!

Yesterday, I spent the morning building some new shelves for my crafting supplies. In the evening, mom and I went to church, then she came over for dinner and the Duke-Maryland game on TV. I'm not a huge fan, but she and my husband had a great time bonding over basketball.

While mom was here, we enjoyed some iPad face time with my two grandsons. Gotta love that!

Friday morning was sunny and slightly above freezing so I took a morning walk, a rare treat for a full-time teacher.

Last Thursday afternoon, my first graders had a Valentine party, so I had the free time to participate in a crafting webinar with Cloth, Paper, Scissors.

Not bad at all! Five happy events over just four days in February...I think just might be in a happy place after all!

Hearts, Flowers, and Valentines...it must be February!

2013-02-09T21:05:00.001-05:00

There's simply no way to ignore February 14, is there? Between the television and radio advertisements for greeting cards, flowers, and diamonds, shows like "It's Valentine's Day, Charlie Brown!", and paper hearts in storefronts everywhere, there's simply no way to avoid the day.

One of my classroom samples

In the spirit of the holiday, I like to introduce my second graders to artist Jim Dine and his lovely prints and paintings of hearts. This is an easy project to do at home if you happen to be spending time with the grandchildren, or your own children. All that is needed is some heavy drawing paper, oil pastels or crayons, and watercolor paints.

I made heart-shaped patterns in several sizes out of discarded cardboard from cereal boxes. Cookie cutters work great for tracing, too. After tracing, color the hearts with thick layers of oil pastels or crayons, then brush watercolors over the background. We make our classroom projects on 12-inch squares of paper, but the project can also be scaled down in size to make pictures for homemade Valentine cards.

Student Work

If you're looking for a quick and easy gift idea, the 12-inch square pictures can be placed in frames designed for record album covers.

What parent or grandparent wouldn't enjoy this special Valentine?

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

28 Day Challenge!

2013-02-03T17:19:00.001-05:00

Friday was the beginning of the longest short month of the year...February. By now, the anticipation of a white Christmas is long past and our oh, so pleasant two-day January thaw ended very abruptly over the past few days. The first day of spring is still a long way off, especially here in Ohio.

I love December, with the anticipation of Christmas, and for that month, don't mind the shorter daylight hours because they are warmed by the soft glow of holiday lights and candles. But once we've said "Happy New Year" the bottom just seems to drop out of my life. I can usually make it though January, although with each passing week I find myself spending more time mindlessly surfing the web and watching television, and less time in active pursuits. By the time February rolls around, I'm mired in my own enertia and it takes every ounce of willpower I can summon just to get through some days.

So for the 28 days of February, I'm going to try to do one positive, constructive, creative, or uplifting action each day. I know there will be days when it will be more than challenging not to fall into my February slump, days when the gloomy clouds don't part to let the sunshine through, but that's ok. I know that once March arrives, those first early blooms will poke through the soil and spring will be on the way once again!

So far, I've cleaned up my crafting space and storage closet, so hopefully some new art projects will take care of the constructive and creative part of my goal. And while cleaning, I rediscovered "Through Artists' Eyes: An Exploration of Bible-Inspired Art" by Joe Garland, Cindy Garland, and Jim Eichenberger, a three-book series I purchased a few years ago and never quite started. I'm looking forward to working through some of my favorite painters first, starting with my "main man", Vincent VanGogh.

One more "find" during my two-day cleaning frenzy was a set of two cute little cross-stitch pictures made by my daughter when she was little and I was still doing cross-stitch. With just a simple frame, they will be a cute addition to grandson Jackson's bedroom! Hard to believe, but I do think that this year February just might be a very fine month!

What about you? If you're like me, and don't live in a warm and sunny climate, how do you get through the dreary winter months?

Mission accomplished!

2013-01-29T06:29:00.000-05:00

With my Janury 12 post, I set a goal to send my grandson, Aiden, a little piece of snail mail every month. Today, I'm proud to say "mission accomplished", at least for the month of January! It actually started with a thorough desk cleaning in my rather messy art classroom at school. I discovered a box of those random, unsolicited "gifts" sent from charitable organizations in the hopes of getting a donation to their cause in return. As luck would have it, I found 12 cards that each had different animals on the front and a blank space inside for a personal message.

I decided to start with the African Elephant. For some reason, Aiden has been fascinated by this animal ever since his first visit to the zoo last April. Lions and owls and dogs are interesting, and he loves checking out all the animals on the 3D Zoo for Toddlers iPad app, but it's those elephants that he goes back to time and again.

Aiden's other fascination is with trains, presently Thomas the Tank Engine and all his little "friends" on Sodor. After my Christmas visit, I had the words to "He's a Really Useful Engine" dancing in my head for several days after my return home, so of course I included a set of stickers that will let Aiden build a little train...hopefully somewhere that mommy says is ok for the home decor!

The other day, Tara told me that Aiden loved getting his own mail, so I'm happy to say that it's "mission accomplished", at least for January!

That's the way the cookie crumbles...

2013-01-26T22:10:00.001-05:00

Did your parents or grandparents ever say that to you when things weren't going quite your way? Mine sure did! I was thinking about that today while sipping herbal tea with mom after Saturday afternoon Mass at St. Leonard's, the church at the retirement community that she now calls home. We were talking about this coming summer and our biennial family reunion, a gathering of siblings, our children, and now our grandchildren. The conversation included her wondering how many of us would be able to make it to the Tennessee lake this year, something that has become much more challenging as our family has grown and our children have grown up to have children of their own.

Edgar Evins State Park at Center Hill Lake, TN

I must say that I am one of the fortunate ones, at least as far as summer planning goes. Most of my career has been spent at the local Catholic school, first as a fifth grade classroom teacher, then an assistant principal, and now as an art teacher. I won't have any trouble setting aside a week in July to spend with my extended family, unlike my daughter and son-in-law and some of my siblings and their families who work at year-round jobs.

And yet, I still find myself longing for more time...time to cook a meal for my husband...and actually savor eating it...time to spend with my two grandsons...time to travel with friends who are now retired...time to finish all the unfinished artwork in my cluttered spare bedroom...time to read all the books on my "must read" list...time to just "be", sitting on my back deck in summer or taking a walk in the park on a sunny late morning in October.

I know that I am not alone with my feeling that time is all too quickly passing me by. After all, I'm a member of the Baby Boomer generation and there are quite a few of my fellow Boomers who are just like me. We've raised our children and now have grandchildren. We're closing in on retirement age, but aren't there yet. We aren't always so sure that we'll be able to afford retirement even when we do reach that magic number. And so we wait...for leisurely meals...precious grandchildren...distant places...creative endeavors...opened pages...sunshine...and time.

And that, dear reader, is how the cookie crumbles.

What about faith?

2013-01-21T09:44:00.000-05:00

About a week ago, I responded to a Facebook post by Mitt Romney to join in a Day to Pray on Sunday, January 20. I said I would do that, along with thousands of others who responded similarly. Yesterday, before Mass began, I found myself thinking about all the reasons we come together in community to worship and pray. As a lector that day, I led the Prayer of the Faithful, reading the community prayer requests for our church, state, and national leaders, for those in need emotionally, spiritually, and physically, and for families, especially parents. These prayers always conclude with a prayer for those who have gone on from this life and the loved ones who have been left here in this life.

Lots to think about on a January day...less than two weeks from the day three years ago when I said good-bye to my beloved father...on a national Day to Pray...the day before the inauguration of the President of the United States...the week that holds the 40th anniversary of the passing of the controversial Roe vs Wade...lots to think about...

The three words I have always associated with my Dad are Faith, Family, and Friends. My siblings and I used those words in his eulogy because they summed up everything that our father held dear in his own life. His faith in the Lord gave him the strength and wisdom to be the leader of our rambunctious family of eight children, a leader in his career and church life, and a friend to everyone he ever met. He prayed and read scripture every day, even on vacation. We'll never know exactly what or whom he prayed for, but I am certain it was not only for all those he loved so deeply, but also that more people would come to know and follow the Lord as he did. That, to me, is the definition of faith.

As grandparents, we cannot always be there for our children as they raise their children. We may live too far away to offer to babysit so mom and dad can have a date night or just go to the grocery without taking the little ones. We may not be able to offer financial assistance when money is tight because it is tight for us as well. What we can do is pray and offer words of encouragement, support, and advice. So today, take a few minutes to pray for your own children and grandchildren, then pray for the children and grandchildren who have no one to pray for them, because you are truly blessed.

You've Got Mail!

2013-01-12T08:26:00.000-05:00

Remember that movie with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks? One of my all time favorites! The mail in that movie was email via AOL, which by today's tech standards seems almost antiquated. Now, we attempt to keep in touch with texts, tweets, blogs, and Facebook posts...all well and good, but somehow not all that personal.

What about good, old-fashioned snail mail? Remember that? One took out a nice pen and some pretty stationery, took the time to write out the words, folded the stationery and put it in a matching envelope, added a stamp, and took it to the post office...or placed it in the mailbox and pushed up the little red flag that let the mailman know there was something to pick up.

Quaint, right? Now, all I find in my mailbox by the road is usually junk mail advertising a local real estate firm, law firm, or politician running for office. Even bills no longer arrive by post; I find those in my email, or at least a reminder to go to the website to pay up by the due date. The past few years, even Christmas cards, the last hold out of the pen and paper era, are on the decline. And those that do arrive have a brief signature, nothing more personal than that, with the exception of one or two rare folks who still include a Christmas newsletter. Of course, I'm guilty, too! My cards may be pretty and spiritually relevant - they must say "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays" - but they still just have a quick signature from me and my husband, Bruce.

Now think about this from a child's point of view. Remember the pleasure of going to the mailbox and finding an envelope with YOUR name on it? Knowing that it might contain some special words from the favorite auntie or uncle, or better yet, Grandma or Grandpa? That along with the words might be some simple treasure to remind you of how much they loved you and wanted to spend time with you, even if it was long-distance time?

I remember visiting with Aiden over the summer and seeing how excited he got when the mailman parked his mail truck on the block and began walking house to house to leave those magical envelopes in the mail boxes by the front door. I decided then to try to find time to send Aiden some mail of his own, but after a time or two found myself right back to emailing, texting, and phoning his mommy for the news.

So this year, my first resolution is to find one reason each month to send Aiden his own mail, real mail, snail mail. It doesn't have to be expensive or even bought at the store. I have a collection of those unsolicited cards sent by various charitable organizations in the hopes that I will send back a donation (not likely, except for St. Jude...I like that one!). Perhaps one of those, or a drawing or note made with the many papers and stamps I use as a crafter. The only cost will be the cost of a stamp...and a few minutes of my time...and an occasional sheet of the stickers that Aiden loves to put all over his clothing, hands, and anywhere else they might stick! Maybe a photograph taken during the times we do get to spend together, or one of me and Papa just to let him know we are thinking about him.

I'll still text, call, and email Aiden's mommy for the news and updates...and I hope there is a lot of iPad face time in the coming weeks and months...but for just a few minutes each month, I want Aiden to know that Mimi and Papa are thinking about him in a special way