Saturday, September 27, 2014

project 52: week 3

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

Looking through my classroom window at the signs of autumn.
The final harvest of tomatoes from my garden.
 What's New?
This past weekend I was super productive at home, mainly in the kitchen. I picked all the remaining tomatoes off of my plants, roasted them, and then made tomato sauce. I ended up with two 16 oz freezer containers full. I cut back and composted my tomato plants, as well as much of the rest of my garden, because it has suffered from a white fly invasion this summer. I made boozy applesauce cake, breakfast muffins, chicken stock, butternut squash soup, washed all the dishes, then washed all the dishes again (funny how that works). I also put my clean clothes away (what!?!). Shocking, I know.

I try to do so much on the weekends because I'm basically useless during the week. I come home from teaching, eat dinner, take a shower, and then relax in my pjs in front of the TV with my knitting. Sometimes I cook dinner, but if I can get away with it I just eat leftovers. That's one of the beautiful things about cooking a recipe meant for 4-6 people when there are only 2 people living in your house.

Currently Reading
Yes, I am reading 4 books at once. What that really means is that I've started all four books, and I trade off which one I'm reading. Sometimes I read one consistently for many days in a row, and sometimes I read a different book each day. My mother (and many others) often seem confused by this approach, but I find it fulfilling. Think of it like watching a different show each night. You are still "caught up" on the story from each show. You never confuse Walking Dead with Orphan Black (those are completely different stories, of course). Likewise, I don't confuse the different books I'm reading.
  • The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk
  • The Midwife's Tale by Sam Thomas
  • Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds by Lyanda Lynn Haupt
  • The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans and Heretics by Elaine Pagels

On the Needles
Progress on the Wood Hollow Vest is slow, for sure. I haven't knit very much since my last post (thanks to a sharp kitchen knife, a stubborn package of sausage, and my fingertip). But I have been making progress - one stitch, one row, at a time. Slowly, very slowly, I am turning yarn into a vest.

Looking Forward To
  1. attending a Town Hall Event about climate change
  2. picking up eleventy-billion pounds of apples for sauce and pie

Saturday, September 20, 2014

project 52: week 2

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

My small haul two weeks ago. This weekend I'll have three times as many, or more!
What's New?
I just got back from a whirlwind trip down to sunny California for my uncle's funeral. While the occasion wasn't very happy, it was immensely wonderful seeing family again. I got to meet some new people and see some faces I haven't seen in far too long. There were many hugs, laughs, and tears. There were children playing, asking questions, and telling strange stories as children do.

Currently Reading
I'm slowly working my way through these three books. It's slow-going not because I don't like them, but because I haven't had much time since school just started up.


  • The Secret Life of Trees by Colin Tudge
  • Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown
  • The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans and Heretics by Elaine Pagels

  • On the Needles
    Still working on my Wood Hollow Vest in the round. Lots of cables, and lots to remember, but going well so far.

    Looking Forward To
    1. roasting tomatoes from my garden
    2. this autumn's first batch of butternut soup

    Saturday, September 13, 2014

    project 52: week 1

    What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

    This crate has helped me stay organized so far. Each class has its own clipboard for seating charts, its own notebook, and a place for collected papers. I think this system is going to be one that I'll repeat every year.
     
    While waiting for my second bus in the downtown tunnel, I spied this Link light rail train sporting an add for my college!
    What's New?
    I've just completed my first full week of the school year. So far I've ridden the bus 6 out of 8 days. My goal is to ride the bus as many days as possible. Partly for the environment, and partly for my afternoon sanity. While the morning commute is much faster by car, the evening commute is slow and aggravating. I've been able to listen to music, knit, and read blog posts on my phone. Next week I'll remember to bring my e-reader so I can finish a book. Last fall I read so many books thanks to the bus.

    Currently Reading
    • The Secret Life of Trees by Colin Tudge
    • Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown
    • The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans and Heretics by Elaine Pagels

    On the Needles
    I've restarted my Wood Hollow Vest so that I could knit it in the round. I also wanted to fix the honeycomb cable part (I was using a short-cut to avoid the cable needle, but it didn't look great). It's always sad to rip out a project (I was 6" into the front piece when I decided to start over), but fixing mistakes and starting fresh is always worth it in my opinion.

    Looking Forward To
    1. going to the fair
    2. celebrating Kristi's birthday
    3. hugging Valerie

    ready for autumn

    The tree outside my classroom window is also ready for autumn.
    I'm ready for autumn.

    Summer is great. It really is. I'm a teacher and that means that summer is my time to garden, explore, and most importantly - to breathe.

    But I'm not a summer person. I don't enjoy heat - I like rain and cool air. I don't know how to cook summer food - I'm a pro at soup and comfort food. And I don't know what to do with myself when I have no schedule. I know, cry me a river. There are worse problems to have. All I'm saying is that I eagerly welcome crisp air, rain, sweaters, hot soup, candles, watching the leaves turn, and everything else that speaks of autumn.

    Of course, being a teacher, autumn also means the beginning of school. And while much of that is awesome (new beginnings, eager faces), I also struggle sometimes with the amount of stress that comes along with it.

    So I'm going to take a page from my summer book and breathe. Just breathe.

    Sunday, September 7, 2014

    so long summer


    This summer I...

    :: walked 30 miles with my friend Kristi

    :: knit two shawls

    :: went kayaking with Joe

    :: made a ton of jam and a few shrubs (the drink, not the plant)

    :: discovered a new farmer

    :: drove myself to Eastern Montana and back again

    :: learned how to be a paleontologist

    :: unpacked my classroom

    :: fought white flies in my garden

    :: rented a carpet cleaner and cleaned all the carpet