New Bridge and Our First Winter Snow

Wooooo-Hooo! It's been a long wait but overnight it began to snow. At five thirty a.m. I looked out the window, and there appeared to be over an inch of snow. By 7:00 a.m., there was at least two inches. It's continues to snow... our area could get as much as three or four inches... another big wooo-hooo~!



It's below freezing temperatures, so I'm expecting that even by tomorrow, the snow will still be with us. I'm more excited for the kids in our area than myself. The last significant snowfall we had was years ago... and an overnight dusting a couple of months ago.
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This month, kindergartners are painting a snowman scene with tempera paint, and first graders are painting a polar bear scene... also using white tempera paint. This is a convenient arrangement, as I have the kinders before the first graders, so I can leave out the plastic disposable cups with white paint out for the next class. Here's a tip to save money in the classroom: I get the disposable cups from the cafeteria... before the kids can toss them in the trash I collect them in a dish basin. Then, with about 150-200 cups, I carry them to my classroom, and as soon as students leave the building, I wash them. It's my contribution to reusing and recycling of plastic.
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When I asked a group of kindergartners to raise their hands if they had ever built a snowman, nearly all of them raised their hands... an unexpected response as we really haven't had much snow during the past five or six years. How could they have built a snowman, I wondered.
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When I repeated this story to my friend and her daughter, they reminded me that we'd had enough snow to build a snowman the last time it snowed, but it had to be done late at night because it was gone by end of the next day. Okay, so I missed that one. I don't build snowmen in the dark anymore.
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Things have been warming up pretty good in my classroom, though. Second grade students have finished their warm hues painting... actually, an oil pastel and watercolor resist. The various suns and star-like images are hung throughout the school.


Some kids added facial features to their sun image, as this student (above) is doing here. Oil pastels are not tricky to work with... they are a leap above crayons when comparing quality of color and blend-ability. Oh, but I do love crayons, the marks they can make on a paper, as well as their clean convenience, however, oil pastels can spread like butter. Despite that oil pastels can be messy, they certainly do leave vibrant colors on the paper, and allow for a variety of applications. You can draw with oil pastels in much the same manner as with crayons, but you can also develop a painting style with them by blending the colors with your finger or with a paper towel or wax paper.


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After they drew their sun/star image, they had to continue radiation-like lines or shapes that filled their paper, all the way to the edges. Only warm hues were used because that was our focus in this lesson. Black watercolor was the final treatment. The reds, oranges, and yellows just popped right off the page!



Sometimes art teachers will model a painting or drawing before students paint to show them how it's done. There are times when we don't like to model a particular drawing or design because we don't want to encourage copying... we'd like them to rely on their own imaginations. In this case, I did model a sun image to show them the steps of watercolor resist. However, the results of their own work surpass the one I did by a long shot. The one above and this one below are two examples that stand out as being spectacular!


Yesterday, though it was cold at 48 degrees, Alyson, Marlene and I walked to the new bridge. We are now calling it "Our New Bridge"... we walked across it for the first time since the road/bridge crew started working on it in August of 2008. It's less than half of a mile from our homes, but it's a very hilly walk... good for the legs and heart.


You can see in this photo (above) that the concrete 'floor' is completed, as well as one metal rail (on the right). Close-up below, and the only construction vehicle is this great shovel at one end of the bridge. Further back is a port-a-potty, a huge box, and a few odds and ends of materials. For the most part, the bridge looks completed. The bridge builder happened to be there, and he answered our questions. He told us our bridge cost a million dollars...! That's taxpayer's money at work. I'm not even going to get into the discussion the three of us had about that. I have no idea why we needed such a grand bridge out here in the country, but it may have something to do with future expectations for the area. I'll have to look into that.


We love our new bridge, and plan to continue taking walks from time to time for our own good health and friendship. Can't wait for it to open up to traffic, possibly by early May.

Speaking of new bridges, I am so excited that it snowed today for one reason: it's Inauguration Day! That means I can watch the event on TV... had we been in school I would probably have missed it because I had my tv removed back in December. I didn't feel that I needed a tv when I much rather would have the space it occupied for other more practical things, like storage space. So it was removed.

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I know some of you are chuckling about our miniscule snow fall, especially if you live up north and east, and you Canada folks... but here in North Carolina, we love our little snowfalls. It feels like a real winter when we get snow, unlike those fake winters where it just gets cold and rainy.

Koopa's Painting has been hung!

Happy New Year to anyone who has stayed around and kept me on their lists despite the fact that I haven't written an entry in over a month!!! And thank you to all those who have sent emails ... I've been absent, but only regarding blogging, and I suppose if I were a true blogger, I'd be posting every day. I had time off from school, and a long list of things to do. I stayed focused and got most everything done I had set out to do this week.
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I wanted to show you something very special, something that many of you will remember from our AOL Journals time, when a certain little turtle named Koopa painted an abstract painting for me. If you are new to this blog, here's a quick recap:

Koopa, of Turtlekiss.com, and his owner Kira, made a painting for me after I had entered a contest and was one of the winners. Koopa actually did all the painting himself. Kira set up the canvas with the colors I chose, and turned Koopa loose. Here is a link to some videos that Kira has made of Koopa at work and play.
This is the part that Kira did, using words I had sent her that she worked into the painting in order to add the colors I asked for.

Then she put Koopa onto the canvas. He walked, or should I say, ran across the turtle-safe (non-toxic) tempera paint like it was wet mud .

The final result is called "Ponderings," to remind me of our pond which was (sadly)filled in two years ago. But in this beautiful abstract, Kira and Koopa have captured the feeling of our koi pond. I will always remember our pond when I see this painting, and I'll never forget the adorable box turtle who added his unique paint strokes and style.
I didn't know where I wanted to hang this lovely addition to our home, an original masterpiece which I will always treasure. It would get lost in the darkness of our living room walls (barnboard, rustic style). It would look very small in our bedroom, and no one would see it but us. But in my drawing room. Hmmm, now there was a possibility.

So, today I hung the painting right over my drawing table. Finally! Kira has probably given up on me, but I have to tell you that over the Christmas holidays I used my vacation time to reflect, to ponder, to rearrange, and to clean. It was more than physical cleaning that took place... I took a good long look at the 'vessel' inside, and saw the light still shining there. But that could easily be another journal entry.

Now, after I had hung Koopa's painting, it was then that I noticed the similarity between Koopa/Kira's, and one I had done using melted crayons about ten years ago. I call it Lightfall, Third Series. Possibly no one else will notice the similarities unless I put them side by side, which I haven't done yet. I'll do that another day and compare them in a blog entry to sharpen my critiqueing skills.
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BTW, Kira has retired Koopa from painting following a recent illness, but she continues to paint using her understanding of color theory and her own unique (personal) style. You might wish to visit her website at http://turtlekiss.wordpress.com/ to learn more about Kira's colorful abstracts and the story of Koopa's life as an artist.

Kaleidoscope

My fifth grade students had been happily creating Kaleidoscope designs. Drawing the design posed a problem for some. Those who drew in only two or three lines in each section had the least difficulty transferring the design to each of the eight sections.


The Kaleidoscope design is a crayon and watercolor resist. Black lines are drawn with black crayon, then watercolors are added. Since wax crayon resists the watercolor, you can paint right over the crayon. The dark, bold crayon lines define the shapes of the design, and contain the color similar to a stained glass effect.


It was a first time project for me. I wasn't sure which way to go with the instruction. Should they make reflections of the design, or rotations? To find out, I had two classes do reflections of their initial design, and two classes made rotations of their designs. I don't think one was any easier than the other. Some kids found the reflections easy, while others had no trouble doing the rotation version.

Not everyone followed my directions when it came to painting the colors, though. The instructions were to paint each section using the same color pattern they started with. This piece below shows a student who had made a reflection for their kaleidoscope design, but didn't follow the initial color pattern. Sometimes it happens and you just got to keep going forward with the artwork. Sometimes starting over is not an option.

Other students in the lower grades were working on the Holiday Candles. One lesson I learned is worth mentioning. I added to my routine a means to aid cleaning up at the end of their classtime: the styrofoam meat trays. I had been saving them for a couple of months for some project... nothing particular in mind. As I prepared for the candle project, I realized the kids would need many materials at their desk. Giving them out as they are needed would take up too much class time; asking them to get out of their seats to come get their materials is also asking for trouble when time is a factor. Having at their desks several supplies all at once means things rolling off the table and fidgety hands playing with the items. The meat trays solved that problem!

I had all the materials laid out on a table as they filed into the room. Students picked up the styrofoam tray first, walked by the materials, picking up each supply and material needed and laying it in the tray... kind of like when they get their food at the cafeteria. It went smoothly... and clean up was done in reverse. Students carried their materials back to the table at the end of their class time and returned everything, each to its own basket.

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Special Note to teachers: Just make sure you wash the meat trays in hot soapy water before you give them to students, much as you would any dish you plan to eat from. A good rinse isn't enough to clean a tray that has had raw meat on it. Hot soapy water and nothing less than a good scrub will do!

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The kids loved the tray idea as well, especially the youngest ones. There was a bonus feature to having the tray on the students' desks as they worked... it provided a place to hold all the supplies they weren't using at the moment. Crayons and pens weren't rolling off the desk; scraps and small pieces didn't fall on the floor; etc.

Organization is the key to success! Yes, indeed!

Thirty Years Ago and Today

It's 20 degrees at 7:00 this morning... but how good it feels to wake up on a Saturday morning with sunshine beaming through the windows... and how sweet it feels to drink a hot cup of tea while I download some photos of art projects we've been working on these past couple of weeks.

Thirty years ago, my life ... no, our lives... changed completely... a new person was born in me, from me. Our son was born that day.

Today is his 30th birthday... and it hardly seems possible. It's odd not having him here for dinner tonight... not being able to bake him a special cake... to hug him as he walks in the door... this is his first birthday away from home, and it feels like something is missing. I am grateful, though, that we are all of us well, that he is living where he wants to be right now, and that he works in a profession which serves to mend, heal, cure, and restore people who are hurt, sick, and dying. I'll see him next week.

                                   Happy Birthday to my son!

 This photo was taken back in March, when Steven came home to help us bury Max, to share the grief. Misty was still with us then. 

He was in high school when we brought Misty into our lives and made her a part of our family. Three years later, while Steven was in college, we decided a second dog would keep Misty company when I became a teacher and started working full time. During those 8 1/2 years the two dogs were our companions... they went with us on vacations... I took them to school with me on weekends... they cuddled with us in the evenings, and were free spirits by day. To our great sadness, Max crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, and Misty followed him less than two months later.

Pet owners know that one day their beloved pets will die, and very likely, they will die before we do. It's a risk we are willing to take. We soon learn that what we receive from our pets is so much more than what we give. When they are gone, we feel like we never gave enough, and yet, we know that we gave all that we could. It's a paradox, this feeling and this knowing. They seem to contradict each other.
In the end, after the initial shock and pain subsides, one thinks it is worth it. The love, the loyalty, the antics, and especially the joy they share with us. Their willingness to always be there. Always. No wonder we are heart-broken when they pass, and no wonder the silence is heavy and painful when we come home after work. But even that pain passes, and we are left with the memories. And they are oh, so sweet. Yes, it is worth loving a pet. I imagine some people love their pets more than the humans they live with, or their pets may be their only solace, only companionship for weeks and months on end. For some, it may be the only love they experience, ever. So love them and enjoy them while they bark and jump and wag their tails... love them and take care of them and keep them groomed and healthy.

This kind of love should be applied to our human friends and family as well! It all applies. In the end, after they are gone, we think we could have... we should have... if only I... I wish I had... . Why wait until someone dies to do more for another? Why wait until they leave this world to wish you had visited them more often, or called them more often, or said you were sorry, or said "I love you"? Why not do it now? Resolve those guilt feelings now, while communications are still open, and if they are not open, be the one to open them. Be the one, because it matters to you, and it probably matters to them too, but they don't know how to do it. But you do. Be the one!

That's my wisdom for the day!

The last few weeks have been filled with color and design in my class. I am forever amazed at what the kids will do when I leave them to their own thoughts and ideas. Last month, third graders worked on a a task to learn how to create overlapping. Their pieces were so colorful and vibrant, I just had to do the 3D glasses next. I have some commercial 3-D glasses, but wanted the kids to make their own first. !






The best moment came when they looked at their own art works through their glasses. "Ooooh!" was all they could say. Incredible. Somebody pinch me!!! Does it get any better than this! .... thank you, God!

Second graders learned about warm hues and painted the sun using oil pastel and watercolor resist. The key is to use at least an 80-90 lb paper. The water color will cause excessive warping and curling if using anything with less weight.

Paper tile pumpkins were made by kindergarteners as they learned about broken line. And how to use a glue bottle! Squeezing glue from a glue bottle is a very tricky maneuver, particularly when you have to squeeze it onto little squares. For those with the least dexterity, I gave them a Q-tip and glue-plate.


Expressive Words was a fourth grade project... many great words. Line, color, and balance were the focus of these designs. I told them to pick short words... longer words cannot be drawn very big on 12X18 paper. Here are two:



Coming soon: Kaleidoscope paintings and Holiday candles. I thank you all for visiting and leaving comments.

Juggling Pumpkins, hues, and Obama

It's been a beautiful week... in many ways! On Monday I was able to attend my weekly Bible study group... something that I'd missed for several weeks. I had even been thinking that I should just drop out altogether. After all, I had missed at least three chapters of reading, all three discussions. How could I catch up with all the things I had still to finish for school? But one of the group members approached me and said that it wasn't ALL about content study...that we were each of us part of this group, and each giving to the group. When one is missing, it's noticeable. My pastor reminded me that I wasn't so far behind, and that all I had to do was show up. Another member said she'd missed me. Another asked if I was ever coming back. Okay, I had promised, I would try to make it Monday night.
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So glad I went back. Our pastor didn't have to, but, like the good teacher that he is, he reviewed the past few weeks to catch me up. I felt welcomed again, I knew that no matter how busy my weeks are, there's always a friend or group of friends who will miss me if I don't show up for the commitments I have made. I feel the same way about them when they don't show up. I know they have busy lives too, with their work and families. Mine is no fuller than theirs. Time management is a big issue with me. And biting off more than I can chew at times.

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Juggling is probably an apt way to describe what I do. When one of my commitments becomes too heavy, I toss it into the air so I can attend to another one. And when a prior obligation becomes more urgent, I will toss something else into the air so I can take care of what seems more important at the moment. Hmm, I really don't care for that analogy. Tossing things into the air seems a bit irresponsible somehow. Even though my hands will be on all these things at one time and another, they're still getting tossed when I have too much for my hands, heart, and mind to attend to at any given time.

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I'd rather adopt the image of one who carries her load to the end, and who helps others when her load becomes lighter. And maybe even accepting help from others who offer. The dilemma, though, is determining what that load will be. As one journeys, the load doesn't stay the same. Challenges arise, barriers appear out of nowhere, and endurance levels fluctuate. You shift the load. Life has a way of teaching us to be strong, to endure, to be faithful, and trustworthy. We gain knowledge of ourselves through the challenges we accept, as well as through the failure of them or the success of them. The good news is that even the failures contribute, in a beautiful way, to our development. We do become stronger, we can endure, and we can change. Yes, we can!

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I can say this assuredly because I did get to sleep late this morning and I feel completely rested and well. I write this because I want to remember this beautiful day, weeks from now, when I might well be tired and exhausted, or even sick with the flu. (A flu shot next week should remedy that, though).

Here are some of the pumpkins first graders have been working on these past couple of weeks. Oil pastel pumpkins, cut out, glued with cardboard tabs under them so that they stand out from the black paper. Then the kids draw leaves, weeds, vines, etc on the black paper. We've been calling them 3D pumpkins.

Second graders worked on an oil pastel piece called The Sun... they are learning about warm hues... and the fact that they now understand the difference between hues and colors impresses me and the other teachers. The question I posed to them was "How can we express a warm object in a piece of art?" After I had shown them several examples of art works that did express warmth through use of color, they were able to answer that question easily.

Each student created their own sun-like image using only red, orange, and yellow. Oil pastels blend so easily. When they are through with the drawing, they will paint black tempera or water color over it... resulting in a resist.



And then there were the elections on Tuesday ... I was thrilled that I had voted early because it meant that when I got the email at school telling me that I could hang some student art work at the local Starbuck's, I was totally free! I carried the stack of mounted pieces in a large plastic pouch through the parking lot in the dark and drizzling rain. Two hours later, voila!

Kindergarten through fourth grades were well represented. My only complaint was that the room I was directed to was very small... in fact, it was a vault. The place used to be a bank. Vaults make for tiny coffee shop rooms. Cozy and private, yes... but not roomy in the wall space. I made good use of it, though.

I was pleased with the look of the display. The next day, I typed up a sheet with all the names of the students whose work is on display. Parents will be told so they can visit and admire.

The best day of the week had to be Wednesday morning when kids walked proudly into my room, telling me who had won the elections. Had they thought I hadn't heard? Or were they letting me know that they already knew?

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"Hey Mrs. G, did you know that Obama won President?" one boy announced to me.

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I smiled and said, "Yes, he did!"

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The rest of the week the sun did shine! And today is a beautiful day.

Student Art: Overlapping

Sometimes I'm at school until 6:00 or later, but I still can't help feeling like I'm the luckiest teacher alive!... fortunate... blessed. Whatever you want to call this feeling, I am happy in my classroom, with or without the students. I stay late some days because I'm hanging up the students' work. It's my gift back to the school.

The above photo shows the second Fall Trees display I've hung in a week... this one is missing the apple pictures. The paintings and drawings were done by kindergarteners (the single tree) and second graders (three trees reflection). This display I hung right outside my classroom... I had been returning the work to the teachers when the students finished their art. Then I started thinking, I should have something to show what's going on in my room out in the hall. I never get tired of looking at their work!

Third graders have just completed a project featuring a new skill and concept they've been learning: overlapping. This is their introduction to the idea of how and why artists use overlapping. In this lesson, they learned how to show overlapping. They were given nearly free choice regarding the colors they chose to color their picture. Most of them chose to use bold broad tip markers. I taught them how to make the strokes with the marker so their lines would be smooth. They used common household plastic lids (and other 'circle makers' that I've been saving just for this purpose) to make circles of various sizes.

The most difficult skill these third graders had to learn was drawing a straight line with the ruler. At the introduction to the project, I asked them how many knew how to draw a straight line with a ruler. Nearly all raised their hand. When it came time to draw the lines, I discovered that maybe a handful could indeed wield the ruler and pencil properly. It's a lot more difficult than you'd think, and for a third grader, it was definitely a skill they honed while drawing their lines. They are developing and strengthening fine motor skills with this one!

This student got around the ruler problem by not drawing so many straight lines. Clever little kid!

When you see the results, you'll see why I wanted to hang these in the first grade hallway... that's where my class is. I want to see the paintings and drawings when I walk down my hall... I'm not going to be greedy! There are five third grade classes... I just want the work of one of them near my room.



The colors are unretouched... I took the pictures with no flash... see how bright they are! Our next project is to make 3D glasses. Nothing gets their attention and makes them go "WOW!" like seeing their own work with 3-D glasses... each will make their own pair. I got the idea at last month's art teacher meeting.

This one above truly captures my interest. The student actually did not follow the rules I gave at the outset of the assignment, but look how balanced it all is. She demonstrates overlapping, but adds her own sense of line and color. I didn't make her do it over... she proves she understands overlapping. It looks great. This is natural talent sprouting in my room! I'm just providing the tools, a little motivation, and teaching the skills... and the rest comes from them.

Below is the display in its entirety. It looks so good, I'm thinking of staying late again tomorrow night to hang another!

Pond Reflections

Carly at Ellipsis posts the Monday Photo Shoots at her blog. I decided to join in this week because I don't usually take part in these blog assignments. Usually it's because I don't have a photo ready to post that fits the topic of the week, and I don't have time to go in search of that special photo.

But this time, I did have a shot. In fact, I could probably fill an album with them. Pictures of our koi pond from years past. Memorable years that all seem like a dream now. The pond has been filled in for two years, and I've even gotten used to the front yard without it. I think I spend less time on our front deck because the pond is not a part of our landscape... the beautiful fish, the lotus, the water lilies, and water hyacinths, the cattails... the nightly summer chorus of frogs, and the snakes... I miss them all.

A grassy lawn has replaced what used to be a refuge for wildlife. Not that a grassy lawn doesn't provide a home to countless species of wildlife, and the woods that surround our yard and home are filled with all sorts of mammals and reptiles. But I do miss the fish. They were beautiful, graceful, fun to watch.

You would have loved it. They were the closest I would ever get to flying.

I used to post pictures of our pond nearly every month, the changes it showed through the seasons... it was fascinating to watch as the years passed.

If you have some Reflections to share, stop by Carly's and get the details.

I found a real Tribble today!

What is this?

Are you asking yourself that question?

I didn't know either, until I looked it up on the internet.

I love the internet! Beats any encyclopedia set, hands down!

I found this little guy crawling on my dining room table this afternoon.

He came in with a basketful of leaves I had collected earlier... an art project to be... the leaves, not this furry critter.

I did a search on "furry caterpillar." Nickname happens to be the Tribble caterpillar, or the Puss Caterpillar. You can see why.


I knew better than to touch the little guy (or gal, who can tell?)
Generally, I have found, that when a critter looks very unusual compared to other critters in the same family, like it's more colorful, has more striking features, or is unusually bright red or furry, it could very well sting you. That's been my experience... so don't touch these amazing little critters that look as cute as a kitten!

Even if it looks as cute as a Tribble. But it isn't a Tribble. It's a Megalopyge Opercularis. That's the scientific name for the Southern Flannel Moth. Apparently they are pretty common around here in the south and east. I didn't know that, since I've never seen one before. I read that their sting is very painful.

Well, you know me... I took care of a polyphemus caterpillar two years ago... for six months, and it emerged a beautiful Giant silkworm moth. I took the Tribble critter and put him in an insect cage to take to school... maybe it will cocoon like my last one did. I'll keep you posted. I don't know a thing about this critter, but as with the Polyphemus, I will learn as I go.

I do have a fondness for Tribbles...er, at least, a fondness for Star Trek. Here is a YouTube video about the time Captain Kirk discovered what was wreaking havoc on his ship. This is my first blogspot video post, so I'm holding my breath as I hit the publish button.

Bridge Reflections on a Fall Day

I was researching an author on the internet today when my friend Alyson called.


"Put on your shoes and let's go for a walk!" she said. The sun was shining... my other choice was to clean my refrigerator.

I hung up the phone, put on my shoes and walking clothes for the cool air (60 degrees), and headed up the driveway. She met me at the stop sign up the road, and then we headed for the bridge.


As we approached the bridge, a country neighbor across the creek appeared on his side of the road. We waved and hollered hello. Alyson and I took careful steps across the metal I-beam to the other side of the creek, and introduced ourselves to the neighbor. His dog and Alyson's dog greeted each other nose to nose, then did all the other obligatory sniffing that dogs do. Eventually their neck hackles laid back and they romped about the mounds of straw covered dirt and rocks like old friends.

Recent rains have left the bridge site wet and muddy. Piles of new wood lay strapped amongst other materials on the sides of the road. Two huge cranes stand like silent sentinels guarding the concrete posts and beams. I'd like to visit on a day when the bridge builders are out here, to hear the sounds and see the mechanics of the equipment hoisting and lowering, digging and pulling, spinning and groaning... I think it would be interesting to watch. I've never watched a bridge in the process of being built. Just seen the results when it's done. I'm beginning to appreciate what bridge builders do as I watch this bridge appear from week to week.




While the dogs chased each other playfully, the three of us stood and admired the construction of the bridge, and wondered at how much higher it is than the old bridge was.


We've all gotten used to the new dynamics of having a closed road nearby. The Neighbor said that a lot of folks, who don't know how far down the road the closed section is, use his driveway to turn around in because it's the last driveway before the bridge site.


From our side, we have to deal with speeders (45 mph speed limit) who don't pay attention to the Road Out signs... how do you miss those enormous bright orange and white signs, anyway?? And there's the issue of the detour for us... those living on our side of the bridge have further to drive to get to work.

Thank goodness the price of gas is down to $3.99 a gallon this week!