Well at least we had good intentions.

For our "end of the year" party yesterday we had planned to go to Norman and help the Salvation Army clean up after the recent tornado. We arrived at school in boots, jackets, old jeans, work gloves and baseball caps--all swathed in sunscreen, carrying crowbars and magnets. We were ready to work. We were prepared for tetanus shots. They called all the teachers into the workroom at 8:15.

Problems. It was pouring rain in the city and nobody wanted a crew of kids and their chainsaw-wielding dads to descend upon the wreckage in the slippery mud...especially if there was a chance of lightening. So we all came up with ideas. Surely somebody needed us. But every phone call we made led to a dead end. It was frustrating, to say the least...especially for the students, who had been excited about helping.

There was another problem also: Lightening had struck the pumps at the COOP and there was no gas for the bus. We would probably be able to make it to the next town for fueling, but there was no guarantee of that. Do we risk it and go to the park?

So the students watched a movie and played in the gym. I worked on the senior slide show for the graduation and finished averaging all my grades for the year. This is the earliest I've ever finished them. Good thing though, because I'm going on senior trip Monday. Yikes, I need to do all my laundry!

Anyway, I was proud of the students. They took it all in stride, and with all those boots it was some stride!

Sophomores and a Seven Mile Hike

This is what they looked like at the beginning of the hike--almost running. It's a lovely day, cool, brisk, perfect for a long hike and so preferable to sitting in desks...















Halfway through the hike. Some took the wrong trail, but they arrived here in time for the all important class picture.
















The trip home. I think the hike was a little more strenuous than they thought it would be. Ah well. They are young. This little nap will restore all the energy they lost.

I feel spoiled...

Long hours at school without a break...the year is almost over.
Just when I was feeling harried, harassed and haggard, three great blessings came my way:

First, a good friend and the mother of a couple of my students volunteered to help me catch up with my pile of ungraded papers...which has been going through an untidy and unmanageable growth spurt. She worked for hours and inspired me to get everything graded--up to today's turn-ins. Blessings on her!

Second, the home economics class invited us to eat a home-baked lasagna meal in the library. Since it was their quarter test, they outdid themselves: settings! candles! waitstaff!

Third, when I finally straggled home, my husband had grilled a steak for me. It was just perfect--not too done. I felt like a grand dame.

Only one unfortunate thing happened today. I had a bad fall.

I fell off the top of my "no sugar" diet and landed in a chocolate cheesecake.
Alas!

Yesterday the Wheat was Green...Today it Started Golding.

I couldn't believe it, but sure enough, this morning on the way to school I saw the sun break forth in golden promises and coax the wheat to glimmer back. This evening as I meandered home--late and tired, but not too weary for wonder--I stopped to take some pictures of this gilded overglow.

Tornado Watch?

We're supposed to be under a tornado watch until 10:00 p.m. but there really isn't much to watch. The horizons are foggy with dust. The sun still shines on the rippling wheat.
What you can't see, however, is the wind. It was lifting me off my feet as I took these pictures, and driving home today was not very easy, as the wide side of the suburban kept getting buffeted. Our plan for tonight was to visit our son's music program...but that county is under a watch also, and the miles between here and there, while beautiful, are also desolate so we are not going to brave it. I guess we will sit here at home, wash clothes, and grade piles of papers...unless, of course a tornado swoops in and blows them all into the next county, which, at this point, would probably not be too unwelcome.





I tried to take a video of rippling wheat--green and supple. If it makes you seasick to watch, I apologize in advance. Believe me, I had to have "sea legs" to stand there filming it.

...For a Mom Who Read to Us

Thanks God,
for a Mom who read to us--
showed us Daniel, fearless in Babylon;
Jorli, alone in the white, cold Alps;
read us Little Pilgrim's Progress,
Christian and Faithful on the perilous path.

We heard about Ruth and Esther and Joseph
About Joan of Arc and Pollyanna, the glad girl.

"Oh Please," we'd cry, "Just one more chapter!"
thus begging our way through many a book--
through Hiawatha's lyrical childhood,
down the Highwayman's "ribbon of moonlight" road,
into dark Sherwood with Robin Hood.

We listened to songs of Arabian Nights,
Heard about King Arthur and his friends:
Lancelot, Merlin, and righteous Galahad!
Dragons! Damsels! Mighty Men!

She taught us courage!
Our slumber was brave,
and our dreams intrepid!

Thanks, God.
Thanks, Mom.