I can hardly believe I’m almost finished with this small quilt. I’ve turned under the binding and will begin slip stitching it tomorrow. The next picture will be of a totally finished work.
Border quilting Wednesday, Feb 27 2008
experimenting with quilting and second quilting project 6:28 pm
All of the small squares have been quilted; now I’m quilting the running design along the border. When this is finished, I’ll do the binding and be done.
Hope for the future Saturday, Feb 23 2008
friends and hope and school 4:25 pm
As I retired last year, my hope for the future was bolstered by several of the young teachers who were hired. The young woman in this picture and her husband were both in that group of new teachers to our district.
They are expecting their first baby soon. It is reassuring to see a baby coming to a family who wants him/her (they have chosen not to know); it is also reassuring to know this baby will be nurtured in all the ways that matter.
I attended a baby shower for them today and came away feeling so good about these young people and what they add to the community.
Ordinary life Thursday, Feb 21 2008
Home spaces and Third quilt project and cat and experimenting with quilting and quiet day and sewing room 10:43 pm
My evenings are often spent right here at this table, quilting the folded-up flowered quilt or piecing together another square for the World Without End quilt.
I still relish peace and quiet, but I’m “recovering” enough that I’m appreciating the National Public Radio programs as I work.
And, of course, my cat wants to be near me; I’ve rolled the chair closer to my straight chair so she can snooze as I work.
Closure…finally Wednesday, Feb 20 2008
closure 9:29 pm
The MEAP results are in for my last year’s seventh graders, now eighth graders. These students took the test in October; I’ve been waiting to see how “my kids” did. Not bad…
On the Reading portion, 38 students scored a “1″ (the highest and best rating); 47 scored a “2″ (not as good, but still considered a passing score…perfectly acceptable); 7 scored a “3″ (not passing, but almost…); 1 scored a “4″ (failed miserably). I could, but I won’t, explain this “4″—more power to the teacher who hopefully will ”turn him on” some day.
On the Writing portion, 8 scored a “1″ (these were my stellar writers all year, of course); 69 scored a “2″ (the majority learned a lot and apparently remembered to apply it—hooray); 10 scored a “3″ (didn’t apply it obviously); 5 scored a “4″ (didn’t want to get it, didn’t apply it—no surprises here).
The percentages look like this: 91% of my students passed the Reading portion of the MEAP; 9% failed it. 83% of my students passed the Writing portion of the MEAP; 17% failed.
My eighth grade teacher colleagues were generous in letting me pour over the results in order to do some tabulating.
Surprisingly, NOW I feel my job is complete. It was, of course, finished last June; however, I knew I needed/wanted verification that most of my students got what they should have last year. I feel good about the results; this was the closure I needed.
I also realized if I choose to visit the school next year, there will be no students in the building who were “mine.”
To reward and recognize the hard work teachers are required to do in our public schools, I bought large bags of Peanut M&M’s, one bag for each of the seventh and eighth grade teams. Small reward, but teachers don’t expect much and are glad for even tiny little pats on the back.
Red Cross blood donor Thursday, Feb 14 2008
Red Cross blood donor 9:50 pm
This tiny little recognition pin is important to me. Yesterday I donated my 64th pint of blood to the Red Cross. They give a pin for each gallon, thus, I received my 8-gallon pin.
Wholesome Wednesday, Feb 13 2008
Meditation or Scripture and decisions 11:25 am
No, it’s not a new word or a new idea.
Galatians 5:22-23: Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. [and I love this next part...] Against such things there is no law.
Philippians 4:8: whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy—think about such things.
A friend mentioned Awakening Joy. As I viewed the website, I couldn’t help but think of the above verses.
So…now…where is the place for my doubts, my negative self-talk… I don’t believe it’s in these lists.
Choices made with ”wholesome” in mind will be filled with goodness, “against which there is no law.”
Four corners remain Tuesday, Feb 12 2008
experimenting with quilting and second quilting project 5:54 pm
All of the inside squares have been quilted, plus the two center ones on each side. All that remains to be finished are the pinks and whites for each corner—8 in each of the 4 corners = 32 squares to be quilted. Progress is being made!!
12 squares pieced together Sunday, Feb 10 2008
Third quilt project and experimenting with quilting 6:46 pm
Finished piecing five of the red squares.
Seven of the tan are pieced. I’m getting the hang of it.
Only a few more squares on the small quilt and I will be able to begin quilting the final, outside row of squares. Then I will bind it and it will be done.
