At the beginning of July, when I heard that conditions would be ideal to view the recently-discovered Neowise comet, I smiled inside. I have a bad track record of viewing cosmic events, and this sounded like my chance. When I was very small, my parents took me to see Hailey’s …
Today, I took my kids to a socially-distanced outdoor activity—a farm/playground where families were asked to stay at least 6 feet apart. As you might expect, kids have a harder time doing so. A slightly older girl approached my daughter and said, “Hi what’s your name? I’m so-and-so. Can we …
Like many parents, I have been scouring the Internet for ideas to keep kids entertained while still providing some educational value. We have made cardboard boats, bead people (a throwback to my childhood), necklaces, drawings; we have gardened, weeded, cared for the lawn… But perhaps my favorite activity so far …
When I was pregnant, I could not write. I was overwhelmed with worry so that visual art became my creative outlet. I took up sketching, then drawing, something I’d done years before, but never professionally. I find that when times are stressful, I enjoy the simple beauty of art, the …
I’m a day late posting this. The idea for this blog post has been bouncing around in my head for over a week, but like many of you, I spent so much time in front of the computer for work/communication that I just needed a break! Living through these times …
Okay, so I meant to publish this last Friday, but as each day blends into the next, I didn’t realize it was Friday until…Saturday. So I figured I’d delay until today. With much of the world shutting down, I have not yet had a chance to be bored. My young …
The world is under stress. The news is grim. Panic is contagious. I, like many parents, am finding that I now have to work from home and watch my little ones full time. Though I am saving commute time, overall I find less downtime, less time for me. This can …
Like so many, I am home/working from home in social isolation to hopefully prevent the spread of COVID19. I must admit that as an introvert, being stuck at home is sort of nice (obviously, it would be much nicer if it were a) voluntary and b) without the threat to …
Friday was my second day home from work after my district, like so many other schools in the nation, announced a closing that would encompass “at least” the next two weeks. The first day off, I made arrangements. Made sure we had a full fridge and freezer. (No, I didn’t …
The anniversary of the passing of a loved one is never easy. But sometimes little signs are there to help us cope. I’ve been rereading (and teaching) The Grapes of Wrath, and one of my favorite characters is the preacher Jim Casy. He quits preaching and goes off on his …