Peace Like a River

Today I was enjoying taking a nap when I was awakened by the thought that I should go take a walk. After trying to shrug it off for 15 min. or so I got my coat and scarf and grabbed my journal and headed down to the river. It was so beautiful out with the sun shining and spring just around the corner. As I walked I noticed the buds just starting to come out for the early blooming trees, and even the daffodils had poked their way up through the grass. There was also some lovely crocus blossoms, yellow and purple.
As I continued down to the river the felt so at peace, and penned a little poem.

Lemons

Today I ate the best lemon I have ever tasted! You might wonder, "why would you eat a lemon?" I was cutting it to put on my delectable Greek pita that I made with lemon-tangerine chicken, yogurt spread, tomatoes, avocados, and olives. I squirted a bit on the pita for a little zest, and then put some in my water (Richland water is not what I would call 'pristine'). The water tasted soo sweet! So I licked the lemon with my tongue, and my taste buds were pleasantly surprised. I didn't get that sour zap that I usually expect, but rather a sweet flavor that was as sweet as a tangerine, but with a distinctive lemon flavor!
I remember someone telling me that fresh lemons are actually sweet, but I had no idea the delicious flavor they had!
Moral of the story: If life gives you lemons and they are store-bought and you live some-where where they have to ship them, they will most likely be sour....but every 27 years or so you might get a sweet one, and when you do, ENJOY IT!

Today I got asked on a date--to a Valentine's Dance! The guy that asked me out is sooo handsome, and he can cook BBQ like no-one I know! I have to answer him so if you have any ideas I would love to have them.

I've posted the pictures of how he asked me out. He says we will be doubling with Julie and Mike Brame....But he won't tell me what we are doing until I let him know If I am going.....

Maybe I'll say yes...

Substituting for the First Time

Well, I got my first substitute job in Richland! I was pretty nervous, but I think it went well...after all, they were kinder-gardeners! They were very cute and after the end of the day several of them came up to me and gave me a hug. I think i could handle teaching little kids! Now high-schoolers on the other hand are a little more scary! (Even though that is who most of my vocal students are)....
I am learning so much in my reading comprehension classes for Graduate School. I am excited to share what I know with children and help them get better at reading, and enjoy it too!

So I'm back, I forgot one thing.

I have to read a book in my grad class about Statistics and how they are erred. It was talking about racism and the origins of it (I don't know how the two relate) and in finishing an assignment I had to do for the class came across this great quote I thought I would share by Wendell Berry (my second favorite contemporary author.....)
This really puts into a new perspective (and I think a clearer one) the nature of man, and the root of racism.



"…..The root of our racial problem in America is not racism. The root is in our inordinate desire to be superior—not to some inferior or subject people, though this desire leads to the subjection of people—but to our condition. We wish to rise above the sweat and the bother of taking care of anything—of ourselves, of each other or of our country. We did not enslave African blacks because they were black, but because their labor promised to free us of the obligations of stewardship, and because they were unable to prevent us from enslaving them. They were economically valuable and militarily weak.
It seems likely then, that what we now call racism came about as a justification of slavery after the fact, not as its cause. We decided that blacks were inferior in order to persuade ourselves that it was all right to enslave them. That this is true is suggested by our present treatment of other social groups to whom we assign the laborious jobs of caretaking…….It is well established among us that you may hold up your head in polite society with a public lie in your mouth or other people’s money in our pockets or innocent blood on your hands, but not with dishwater on your hands, or mud on your boots."


Racism and the Economy
By Wendell Barry,

A Fast One

I know its been a while since I've posted...but Christmas was wonderful, and New Years great, and our anniversary the best one we've had yet!

And I promise I will be better at blogging.

Thanksgiving with the Family

We went to Idaho for Thanksgiving. This is Ben and the Falls in Swan Valley. It was a wonderful weekend. Unfortunately I didn't take any more pictures.
It was so nice to see our family, feel of everyone's love, and just be close to home. We love Idaho!