the girl shorties show up
with perfectly smooth curls
and braids.
hair-grease, with the help of
baubles and clips and hair-ties,
keeps it all in place.
but after hours of swimming
(that story to follow
sometime this weekend)
the smoothness kinks,
the braids float out under water,
and the styling products run
down wet cheeks
as the vanity of the
perfectly-coiffed-do
expires.
this is one of the best parts
after a day of swimming
with the shorties.
it is the last week for
this month's self portrait challenge.
my last pop-art portrait reveals
one of my favorite parts of summer
(drumroll please)
POPSICLE TONGUE!
oh yeah, bay-bay.
green,
orange,
purple...
but we all know that
blue is the best.
than mine?
ya gotta check these kids out.
a fellow blogger, marilyn, turned me on to
these tiny rappers.
just click here
and smile away.
man oh man...
could they even be cuter than
my shorties?
yikes.
too much.
just too much.
so much goodness going on.
i am thankful for so much.
i am grateful to kristine
for the fundraising idea for the shorties' trip.
(look for the small picture of the flipper-wearin' shortie
in my index).
we only have four more weeks together
and it is going to rock!
i am grateful for the encouragement
and love that has been sent our way.
i am thankful that i am loved.
my husband, recently, threw
a surprise 40th birthday party for me.
it was very much a surprise
as my birthday isn't until august.
all night, i looked around at all of the
faces from my past and present
and my heart was full.
and, finally, on this sunday,
i am thankful that my cousin
had her son, jackon, who was
born safely and wonderfully
in their home in yosemite.
have a safe, healthy week, ya'll.
peace to all.
work with me here, people.
the flickr site was down yesterday,
so i am posting my orange
and pink
and red
today.
crabfeasts. a maryland summer tradition. yum-o-rama.
old bay seasoning, vinegar, mallots
and hours with good friends.
virginia may be for lovers...but maryland is for crabs, hon.
the baddest of all kitties. paprikash is his name. defiance is his game.
honfest 2006
makes ya love baltimore
even more
if that is possible.
"you're not white, ms. k.,"
my shorties assure me,
"you're just light-skinned."
i smile. i like that.
because, white is like paper.
and i certainly don't look like paper.
i am more like tea with a lot of cream.
or apricots.
i learn something new
each day
from these beautiful brown jewels
as their words of wisdom and peace
fill my heart.
hate and love.
i hate teaching to the test.
i hate worrying about scores.
i hate being personally graded by numbers
that don't even come close to what
my shorties can do.
i love when the scores come back
and the numbers rock.
i love that those same numbers
give our principal ammunition to
pull out when the
school board of commissioners
say that they have no money
for our school.
i love that it proves, even more now,
that baltimore city schools do not want to
fund success.
we are right.
and they stink.
yesterday, i found out that
our msa scores rocked.
i looked at the numbers and felt pride.
but i also felt resentment.
all of the time and money spent
testing our children
to make sure that teachers
are doing their jobs
could buy an awful lotta books
for my classroom.
it could buy us a computer lab
or a playground.
it could buy
wholesome, healthy food
for our cafeterias
instead of the frozen
preserved plastic
food they serve now.
i felt angry that the scores
don't take into consideration
all of the hours spent in morning circle
learning how to cope with real issues.
issues of the heart.
issues that teach us to be good grownups one day.
if there was a way to measure
hard work and perserverance
and hugs and reflection,
then my shorties would be off the chain.
we only have one classroom rule:
we take care of each other.
period.
no exceptions.
it is too bad that i am not required to teach to that test.
four weeks and three days
until the shorties go on
to fifth grade.
two weeks until our
beach trip.
this is serious ya'll.
not only is our time
as mother chicken and her chicks
limited...
but we have a lot of
pencilsandbouncyballsandsoftdrinks,etc.
to sell!
the shorties have been
working their little tails off
hauling coolers outside
at the end of the day
to sell iced-down beverages
to the thirsty masses as they
run through the school doors.
they sing their song:
soda and water!
two quarters!
soda and water!
50 cents!
ice cooooold...
"we want to go kayaking, ms. k!"
"how much more do we need to raise?"
and we count.
and it gets more serious
as the days count down
until we leave.
my mom and i try and figure
out the rental costs and the food...
(yikes!)
the shorties are pushing fireballs and
now-and-laters and bracelets and
raffle tickets.
we will keep our fingers crossed.
no matter what...we have four more weeks
together.
and that is what matters.
note: thank you kristine for your
suggestion about the tip jar!
if you scroll down to the bottom right
of my index, you can click on
the cute flipper-wearin' shortie
to make a donation! xoxoxo
i spent saturday at my mother's house
picking crabs and swimming
all afternoon.
the best part is when everyone
goes to bed and she and i
sit up and talk for hours
next to the glow of the pool.
summer is here.
(again...for you non-balwmerese speaking readers,
downy oshun, hon = going to the beach)
my friend, shelley, and i
went to the maryland shore
while we were on our june break
(we teach together).
we walked on the boardwalk
for a coupla' hours
with all of the high school graduates
who were intoxicated,
smarmy,
and full o' themselves.
i reminisced about my
senior-week-at-the-beach
while shelley listened in horror.
"great!" she exclaimed while rolling her eyes
as i told each story.
shelley was getting nervous
about her graduating son's
upcoming week there.
we ate funnel cake,
and barbecue, and
boardwalk fries, and
soft serve ice cream.
but the best part of the
boardwalk fun (i think)
was the photobooth.
shelley...i am going to miss you, girl
when you move to texas.
we'll have to find some photobooths
when we roadtrip to houston!
more photobooth fun here.
crabcakes, hon!
fried or broiled.
fresh lemon, tartar or cocktail sauce...or all three.
sprinkled with old bay seasoning.
served on crackers or a kaiser roll.
i like to hollow out the
soft part of the upper bun
to create a little pocket so
my cake doesn't slide out.
it also makes room for
tomatoes and one, crisp
piece of lettuce.
so mosey on down to
your nearest weekend festival
or crabhouse and grab a
cake and an ice cold one.
'tis the season, bawlmer!
(for those of you who aren't from
'round these here parts, bawlmer = baltimore )
get the recipe here.
being corny is
one of my favorite
parts of teaching.
making the kids groan
and roll their eyes as
they look at you like you
are the biggest dork-o-la
is a feat not to be scoffed at.
so, for the pop art challenge
this week
i decided to feature
not only the shorties'
snack of choice,
but my love of
corniness.
pop til you drop, i always say.
yup.
they're all mine.
purdy, ain't they?
i love my new boots.
i love my brother and his fiance,
who spoils me, more.
they are a cowgirl's
dream-come-true!
i am the luckiest lil' lady east of the prairie-lands.
click here
to take a gander at any angle.
yippe-yi-yodel-ee-ooooo!
this month's self portrait challenge
is all about pop art.
for my first entry
i decided to include my
camerathatilovelovelove
as it is usually found
in my right hand
no matter where i go
(yes, keno, even the water).
the colors reflect my moods
as they seem to shift and
change so much lately.
i feel restless
and ready to conquer something.
ideas fill my noggin...
the world is so vast
and i want to fill it
with something...
something...
as i finish up my two week break
from the shorties
i ponder future adventures.
how far can i take this teaching gig?
how can i make my lessons rich and deep?
betterbiggerstronger. more intense.
more pop art here.
(view the large or the original size to be completely doused.)
baltimore heat
mixed with early school closings
are the ingredients for the
uncapping of a corner fire hydrant.
all of this watery goodness
took place right across the street
from the school.
i kicked off my shoes and
i ran up three flights of stairs
to grab my camera
once i realized where the water in the
gutter was coming from.
i ran up to the corner
along with shorties
and parents
and was in photography heaven.
click here to view the bliss.
