Hearding Cats

I am spending this week subbing in my friend's Kindergarten class.

I can not think of a more perfect phrase to sum up the experience of working with Kindergarteners in September.
It can be a whole lot of crazy, but it sure is a lot of fun.
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Happy Happy Joy Joy

This is a pictue of me and my fellow Browns Point parents.
After 8 days of striking teachers the kids are going back to school tomorrow.
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Strike

We are in day three of a teacher strike here in Tacoma.
In '94 when I was teaching my district went on strike.
Strikes are not fun and teachers would rather be in their classroom with kids than walking a picket line.
Talks between the district and teachers resumes today.
I hope they can find a solution.

Look who finally showed up...

Well, not so much a who more like a what.
Tomatoes!!!!
We have had the worst summer but now that the kids are back in school summer has shown up and the tomatoes are happy.
While I wish the overall look of the garden was a little more lush, there is fruit on the vine, so I guess that what is important.
My sunflowers and zucchini never came up (I must be the only person on the planet who can not grow these) so one bed looks a little empty. I find it funny the only thing that really took off was the marigolds. I'm not a huge fan of these oh so beautiful orange and yellow flowers, but all good gardeners plant them to help keep the bugs at bay. I guess the yellow ones aren't too bad.
So far I've harvested two handfuls of Juliets and about 6 cucs. It is supposed to be gorgeous this week so I'm hoping the extra sun will kick the tomatoes into overdrive. I like to get a batch or two of sauce made and it is always so much fun when the 'maters come from my own little garden.
Happy Gardening
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Heat Wave

Well, it took until the third week of August, but the summer has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Ahhhh, just in time for school to start next Thursday. While I have been doing my best to deal with the extreme heat the past couple of days (the above photo was taken on my dad's deck today) I do find myself longing for the cooler days of fall. We have had the GRAYEST summer EVER around here and so I am really hoping for a beautiful Indian summer.

Fall is my favorite season and usually the prettiest around here. Even though we are the "Evergreen State" we have our fair share of foliage that turns all those great reds and yellows. Between the leaves changing, Mt. Rainier and the Olympics against the crisp blue skies I don't think there is a prettier place. While I wish my tan was a little darker and vacation a little longer I'm ready for fall.
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Girls Weekend

This weekend I headed to the hills with my favorite girl and her Girl Scout troop. The girls decided that with the proceeds from their cookie sales they wanted to go camping. Now I'm all for camping, but I also enjoy toilets that flush, so I offered up our cabin. Nine girls and 5 moms headed up to Index, Washington. We have about an acre on the Skykomish River and it is the perfect place for "glamping". The girls did great. They pitched tents, cooked over the fire, built a "box oven" to cook a birthday cake for one of the girls, went on a killer 5 mile hike to Wallace Falls and of course made up skits celebrating being a scout.

Good Times

Happy Fourth of July

Today there is this big yellow thing in the sky. Rumor has it is called the sun.

A sunny 4th is RARE around here but none the less, I'm stoked.

We are heading up to our friends' annual bash and they could not have asked for a better day.

I made about 100 of these little guys as my contribution to the potluck. When I saw them on baking bites, I knew I had to make them.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July!!

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