ESl Academy Day 5

These are left clothes from numerous vistors over the summer at the pool. It is kind of like an abandoned pet or friend. It is sad. I feel a little sorry, especially for the one sock. All just waiting to be picked up.



My brain is really tired. These 12 hour classes are beginning to wear me down, but I have to hang in there.

ESL Academy Evokes Memories of 4H

I am spending the next 13 days at the ESL Academy. The in-service is being held at the C. A. Vines 4H Center. I spent many, many summers at the Center through 4H. It holds many fond and warm memories of a time that is simpler and actually better.
These birds used to wake us up when we stayed at the rooms at the center. They always put their nest in the windows and they always chirped. I did notice that the upper rooms no longer have the balconies, I guess all those times we slipped down the back was probably a bad thing.

Worm on concrete. Poetic and yet perilous. I did save it.
I followed this guy/girl around for 15 minutes waiting for him to sit down.

I was lucky to be there when this counselor caught this large mouth bass. He threw it back.
One of my most favorite pictures I have taken to this date. The lines, the light, the softness and the warmth...it moves me. Gives me hope that the world can be and will be a better place full of people who are caring...beyond their own selfish needs and opinions.
This is the place where I kissed my first girl. I ended up making out with her brother a year later.


Oh, if these halls could talk.

A few pictures here and there

I love the picture above.  Just something about the thought of it made me feel small and yet poetic.
This is Delicious my new rescue.  She is a long-hair guinea pig and I just love her.
Sinbad is getting older.  He is sleeping here and we have a heat pad on his back.  The arthiritis is hard on him, especially when he gets up and down.  We have him on meds but it doesn't seem to work.

Man if I had a a  book about the relationship between these two.  Two of the most important people in my life and they are just alike in so many ways that they can't get along.  You should have been in NYC.  Thank God they weren't there togther that much.

Today was a good day.  Now that I am finished with college unitl August, I have some free time.  I tell you it feels good not to have a paper due or something else.  A lot has happened since NYC but this is not the place to discuss it.  My birthday was cool.  I got to eat at Capers and then the next day I had mimosa and brunch at Loca Luna.  I have the greatest boss.  Her husband and she bought the whole meal.  I got to meet her brother and his firend.  It was really nice.

NYC Day Five

Day 5 is over and I am home.  I am wore the heck out.  I am so exhausted.  Below you will see Ellen and Bryan getting along and loving each other.  I miss NYC already but I am also glad to be home.

NYC Day Four

I really enjoyed the John Lennon Memorial.  I met the Mayor of Strawberry Fields, too.  He takes care of the memorial every day.  I love Central Park.  If I lived there, it would be the place I visited every day.

This was a very cool memorial for the eleven victims in the American Express office that died during 9/11.  The crystal is supported over a shallow pool by eleven wires.  At the top there are eleven holes that drip into the pool.  It is called the Tear Pool.  It is very cool.



Okay, I am getting tired now.  I am beginning to wear down, but I can't stop because I only have one day left.  But I hate to admit that I am ready to go home and see my babies.  The Museum of Natural History was cool, however, I think that the judges are really really rude.

New York City Day Three

Today was another great day of site seeing and I tell you I didn't know that there were so many cathedrals in NYC.  We had a huge history lesson, too.  Manhattan used to be hilly and it is now flat for all the building.  However, we saw a part that was hilly and it was very reminiscent of San Fransico.  The natives seem to be getting a little restless, too.

New York City Day Two

There are a lot of cathedrals in NYC.  I did learn the difference between a church and a cathedral.  But now I can't remember.  

I can check of one item on my Bucket List.  I finally got to see the Statue of Liberty, up close and personal and found my family on the heritage wall on Ellis Island.

What a great day.  I mean it was awesome.  The day was packed with everything and honestly this is a great group of people to be on tour.  We saw and learned a lot and then we had the best Italian food in Little Italy that I have ever eaten.

New York City Day 1

Look at my cutie.  Isn't he handsome.  Ellen looks okay, too.

We began our first day at 30 Rock.  I was somewhate amazed at the fact that the show 30 Rock is based on a real place.   I never watched the show so I didn't know.  Having Bryan and Ellen here made the pace of the day go by so easily.  And we have an awesome, awesome tour guide named Kim.  The whole area was cool.  He took us to Grand Central Station for lunch and then we walked forever.  But I loved it.  I could live in this town.


I paid the money and lit a candle for all my loved ones and friends.

Rainbow in the backyard

Last Saturday, the storm brought in a rainbow. It was really close.

My mom's 60th birthday

This is an unusual thing for me. I don't go home often and when I do, it is just to see my family. But it was my Mom's birthday and I didn't want to disappoint so I went to her birthday bonefire. It was at barn or storage room at a friend of the families house. These are a collection of pictures that I took while I was there. Look at the cologne hand. I wonder if the perfume de toliet is still good. I was too scared to open it. Here are some old tools hanging on the wall. It kind of reminded me of the old horror movies.

This was the sign that the hosts made for my mom's signal to turn here.

This is the barn that we stayed in all night.

My borther and my niece.

Every year my grandma made my mom a black walnut cake with 7-minute icing. I have restared the tradition and made my mom her favorite cake. The black walnuts and icing are the dang deal.

Here is the entertainment we had to watch.

This was the heating source for the building.

And here is my momma. I love her and miss her. I wish we all lived closer.

Overall, it was fun. Many times I think that I might be considered a snob for not wanting to see poeple I grew up around. But they don't know me really anymore. I was a different person. Remember they new me as straight. Too much change to go back now.

Denver

We had a great time in Denver. Bryan has all the shots of Madonna, however, I have some of the pictures that we did while we were there. I like the balls below. It was in a section labeled, time. Isn't he the cutest, not the turtle. He had to wear that dang arm brace most of the time we were there.

I love this chair. I bet it is the most uncomfortable chair in the whole world.

The Denver Aquarium is really cool. I was blown away by the tanks of all the cool stuff.

I feel in love with the sea tanks and told Bryan that we have to have our own salt water tank soon.

This is the only person that I hooked up with in Denver. Ha!

The museum of art was really cool. This was outside the doors.

Posted for Ellen

Well, I haven't posted in a while and Ellen is driving me crazy about it so here we go. I will try to post more often, but to be honest my new job is quite time consuming...I love it anyway. The first several pictures are at eStem's Carnival. For those of you who know Ellen, get ready for this, ...she didn't bring her camera. What??!! I know, I know! She takes it everywhere, looking for a moment to snap. The other day she showed me a picture of her toliet paper roll. There they are...the chosen ones. It doesn't matter what anyone says, these two kids have stolen Bryan's heart and mine, too. Look at the innocence. Bryan thinks this is D's chance to go Goth. We have a bet she will have her nose pierced by age 16.

Don't let the smiles fool you. These two are up to no good. I promise, somewhere that night, somebody was hexed.

Just look at him. What can you say?

The several pictures are some I took while at Gilliam Park. I thought I better throw some other things in their besides the chosen family.

I have heard my comments about my Halloween costume. People asking if I was truly not straight. Well, up yours! I am who I am. I don't have the gene that others have for clothing and decorating but I can make mean Itailian Creme Cake.

Bryan and I went to the park in our new neighborhood to feed the birds. It was beautiful

Doesn't he look so handome. We were woored about the male bird below because his wings were al pointed back up and we hoped he was okay.

Putting this in just for fun.

Chicago w/ Kids

I am going to try to do this in sets. Now that I am home and rested, I am trying to revist the whole experience of an educational field trip with 45 students in the city of Chicago. So this is my way of debriefing the whole experience through photos. For instance, the mating turtles. It was spring in Chicago and that means it is mating season. The animals were on the prowl and the students were on the aware. I avoid many questions. My favorite, "Do all animals do it that way? You know from behind."
Love the trees in Chicago. Prettiest trees and best fragrances. Nothing like those stinky Bradford Pear trees all over Little Rock.
This is my first time seeing wolves in the wild. I just watched them as they moved. They made me homesick for my two babies.

Sundat in the Park is one of my favorite paintings of all time. I love the show of classes, the shadowing, the little monkey and the colors.
I don't know how Idid it but this is actually one pot and the back one is the reflection.