I remember it like it was yesterday. But thankfully it was seven years ago. I had moved into my new classroom at the senior campus.  I was to teach five periods of English 11.  It was maybe the fifth day of school and I had just had a broken back molar removed, so I had… Continue reading When there was an almost fight in my classroom

School starts next week.  So, of course, I'm feeling overwhelmed and a little sad. I had so many goals for my summer, and you know how many I accomplished? Zero. Yep, zero. Don't get me wrong, I had a fabulous summer with two great trips, some riding, some reading, some relaxing.  Just none of it… Continue reading Summer’s Over

They're back. All twelve (or more) of them. Finally. I'm talking about our hummingbirds.  We have three feeders and a swing in our back yard and, I'm not gonna lie, we're a little obsessed.  We sit on our patio watching them all the time. We've had about five of them back for a month or… Continue reading They’re baaaaack (#btbc16)

"The word is 'depressing'" "Oooh, I have a good one!" Three red cards are laid down. One young man picks up each card and reads them out loud. "Doing the dishes, Ernest Hemingway, Buying Groceries.  Hmmm" "What is there to think about? The answer is obvious," says one confident young lady. After a minute of hemming… Continue reading Proud Moment (#btbc16)

I love quotes. It always seems that they encompass exactly what I want to say, but more eloquently. They help me express my own beliefs more adequately.  This is why my classroom is covered in quotes: in hopes that my students will feel the same way. While the quotes in my room range from funny or sarcastic… Continue reading Wise Words (#btbc16 & #sol)

Dark clouds roil and tumble to the north and west. They inch across the sky, casting a dark gray pallor over the landscape. Wind whips branches against branches, and shakes the leaves on the trees and shrubs. Thunder rolls overhead, startling the dogs as they chew their elk antlers. Tiny flashes of lighting can be seen… Continue reading Bring on the Rain (#btbc)

Summer is the best, but I just realized that my first day back is one month from today.  Boo! Anyway, here are my summer rituals. Riding my horse Five years ago today I went to River Run Farms with my friend Judy.  And ever since that day I've been at the barn all the time.… Continue reading Summer Rituals (#btbc16)

Today was a long one, despite being on summer break. Pup was sick last night, and then big boy Kosmo was sick around 2:30 am.  Since I'm the light sleeper, I was dealing with them both.  Finally Kos went back to bed and Georgie and I went to sleep on the couch, that way I'd… Continue reading Stress Relief (#btbc16)

I knew it. I'be been saying that Alabama drivers are the WORST for almost nine years now. And I wasn't too far off.  Turns out they are the fifth worst in the country.  I feel justified! And sad. This morning I lay in bed cuddling with the new pup so he'd go back to sleep… Continue reading Road Rage, Justified (#btbc16)

"Home is where the heart is", that's the saying, right? Well I agree, 100%. I refer to three different places as "home", and I love them all equally albeit differently. They each represent something slightly different for me. My first (and original) home is Michigan.  I was born and raised there and I love it… Continue reading Home (#btbc16 #sol)