back

chocolate bag

dessert at mccormick and schmucks is a beautiful treat.

i have books to recommend for first through fourth graders, so i'll be back soon.

joy to you.

wires

Joy to you. 

boca

23 years of marriage and a quiet dinner to celebrate. 

joy to you. 

healthy pumpkin snack

clementines and celery. 

natural beauty

fall view

trying to slow down. 

peace. 

50th birthday cake

flowers and

cake go together. 

fall beauty. 

joy to you. 

field trip

learning about fossils in the classroom is one thing. finding them here is something else. peace to you. 

weed

geometry in nature. peace to you. 

september birthdays at the park

joy to you. 

on the wall

it was bigger than any arachnid I'd seen outside the tarantula at the zoo. the children at recess were mesmerized. when another brave teacher got it into a glass container for a short while, we could see the egg sack underneath. 

the beauty of nature, best kept outside. 

fog

chilly and lovely. Peace to you. 

maria montessori's birthday

born in August 1870, we still  celebrate her birthday in the classroom. this year a sweet mom made us these. 

joy to you. 

today

an after-dinner trip to the park. no filter or changes, just everyday beauty. peace to you. 

91 F

soccer game in the blazing heat. evening sky. 

past their prime

and still lovely. 

morning

10 miles and this view. today's beauty. 

peace to you. 

survive institute

my older teen and i went with friends to a self protection training.  

the survive institute believes in learning by doing.  the teachers, former law enforcement officers, are warm and welcoming, and very direct.  

we made our own pizza, and sat outside with lemonade or water infused with mint.  the view of the ohio river was lovely.  

                                            


let no one confuse your kindness as weakness is the motto.  

we've trained our children to have good manners.  the trick is when to use them, and when to throw them over for a more effective strategy.  the survive trainers helped the teens know when that is.  the evening we went, there were only girls attending with moms, but boys are welcome.  i plan to bring my son when he is a little older.

the evening was scary, and very hands-on.  for almost-college-kids who will attend urban schools, this training was really useful.  

you can find out more information at their facebook page.

the beauty of staying safe.

peace.

heart

passing beauty. 

a peaceful thursday to you. 

outnumbered

a quick preview of an excellent training my teen and i attended last night.  

time well spent.  

a peaceful tuesday to you.

chocolate reading camp

this year for the first time I created an educational camp using two of my favorite things. I had the children pre-read roald dahl's charlie and the chocolate factory.  during the camp the children read the chocolate touch.  For fluency practice, I wrote chocolate fever into a script. campers read the script each afternoon, and performed it for their parents on Friday.  

we also ate chocolates for morning and afternoon snacks.  On Friday we made chocolate. 

the children played vocabulary charades and made finger puppets from wool roving. here are the puppets before being made into characters. campers also made dioramas from cardboard boxes so they had a little puppet theater. 

it was so much fun, with hoopla hoops for Venn diagrams- but the children built their skills. And got warmed up for school.

only down side?  i'm craving chocolates at least twice a day now. 

maybe we need a kale and blueberry camp?

here's hoping your kids are reading and enjoying it as a sweet experience.

joy!

portraits from the cleveland art museum

modigliani,

picasso,

roualt,

renoir,

matisse,

monet (a surprising portrait!), 

de fitz-james, and

amerling 

will slow your walk through the cleveland museum of art.

the beauty of people.

joy to you.

cloudy

and still beautiful.

happy tuesday.

the inn at brandywine falls

if you get to the cuyahoga national park in northern ohio, you will want to see brandywine falls.

while there, you may want to stay at a bed and breakfast built in 1848, the inn at brandywine falls.  you will be able to walk to the waterfall and to trails.  

not a place for children, the inn has a formal feel with antiques and period dresses as decorations.  breakfast is served with classical music and delicious homemade treats.  there's no rush.  

peace.

cleveland botanical garden

japanese garden-cleveland botanical garden

peace found here. 

summer evening

in the swing chatting with a dear cousin. beyond this garden, lawn and the river. 

peace. 

view from a parking garage

just parking and there it is. beauty. 

mobile blogging this week so it might look a little different. joyful summer adventures to you. 

first college visits

new adventures.
a peaceful wednesday to you.