Good Stuff

Every February our town has a Camellia Festival. There is a parade down main street. The floats are covered with Camellia petals. At the end of the parade route everyone enjoys a Carnival at the park.

Since most of my students attend the festival, I wrote them some math word problems, relating to the festival, for tomorrow's math class. I put their names into the problems. I'm looking forward to their reaction.

Today I read the story of Ruby Bridges to a first grade girl. She was so inspired, she wants to write Ms. Bridges a letter. Ruby was one of the first black children to attend a white school. The children's book handles the story well, and Ruby's faith in God and in prayer shines. It's a pleasure to read the book at school and allow the children to see her strength and her faith.

My fifth grade class is reading a story about Sarah Winnemucca. She was a Paiute Indian who learned to speak, read and write English. She spent her life speaking out about fairness and peace for the Paiutes. (I'm sure learning a lot at school!)

Oh...and we just finished a story about Deborah Sampson. She wanted to fight in the revolutionary war. She dressed like a male soldier...and they never discovered she was a woman. Well...eventually a doctor discovered it when she became ill. After the war she married and lead a fairly normal life. She became a public speaker and traveled all over the country sharing her experiences.

That's all for now...

Except I just walked outside to the end of the driveway to bring the trash cans in. I saw a neighbor out in his yard and thought. I don't have time to talk...I have to start dinner. But something slowed me down.

I waved. He turned off his edger and we shouted back and forth--as he lives across the street and 2 doors down. I noticed his girlfriend (who I don't know well). She has an illness and is in a wheel chair. She was sitting in his driveway watching him edge the lawn. Then as I turned, to go back down the driveway, I saw my daffodils. It seemed I should give her one. I picked 2 and broke off some lacy green foilage from a bush. I walked over and handed them to her.
"Oh thank you! Daffodils were my grandmother's favorite flower."

I felt good inside.

I think she did too.



I'm off to make dinner...bacon and tomato sandwiches...with split pea soup.