Celebrate with Ruth Ayres at Discover, Play, Build each week. No matter what the week before brings, to reflect upon it and to celebrate those special things is satisfying. Thanks to Ruth, we're learning to find that there is much to appreciate every.single.week.
Yesterday, I hosted Poetry Friday, and one of the bloggers shared a poem by William Stafford. I'm going to share it again today because it speaks to our celebrations so aptly.
Yes
It could happen any
time, tornado,
earthquake,
Armageddon. It could happen.
Or sunshine, love,
salvation.
It could you know.
That's why we wake
and look out--no
guarantees
in this life.
find the rest here
Other celebrations!
- Teaching a lesson in a class of older students, fun to work with them again!
- Helping in my granddaughter's class, working with a small group helping to prepare some pages for their portfolio conferences.
- Learning the different ways that I work with the oldest and the youngest, but also what is the same.
- I won two books recently! Considering how much I purchased at our recent book fair, it was lovely to receive two books free!
- I post lots of sunset pictures on Facebook, and I love sharing them, but this week I took a picture also because I was trying to capture a view of the mountains when I walk one way around my neighborhood. This is well before sunset, but I caught it just right, and love the pic. If you look carefully, you can see the mountains peeking up far away.
- Of course, Halloween. At my school, and at most of yours I imagine, this is a most exciting holiday, wish we could bottle the energy! We dress up, we parade, parents dress up to join us too, and then we party. While most of the adults are pretty tired at the end, it truly is fun. The best part this year was seeing Granddaughter Ingrid in her class. What a joy!
- And I love seeing the trick or treaters come by, little to big--always fun to see and compliment. The little ones smile, but it's also great to see the older ones like hearing how good they look too.
I can only show a picture of her at home, because the ones I have
from school have other classmates, and I don't have permission
to share their pictures.
 |
| Part of the parade at school. |
Happy November!
Oh Linda, Thank you for sharing that poem. It was exactly the one i needed this morning!
ReplyDeletePS Your pictures and that granddaughter of yours are just filled with the energy and excitement this holiday spurs!
Anita, glad you loved the poem. It touched me too. Thanks-yesterday was quite the day!
DeleteThe poetry was beautiful. Thank you for encouraging us to read some this morning! I can see the mountains in your photo-I have "mountain radar" and can't wait to see them in the fall someday. Halloween was fun this year! At school, we also celebrated the 50th day of school, celebrating at school could have been a post! :) Thank you for continuing to share!
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed the poem, Kendra, & that you can see the mountains! Wow-50 days. I don't know how many we've had, but it's the 11th week, & time for conferences. We work on a trimester timeline. Have a good weekend!
DeleteSo fun to work with older students you taught when they were youger. And fun too to reflect on what is the same and different about working with older and younger students. Love your Halloween pictures. Happy November!
ReplyDeleteThanks, it really was a fun week all the way through.
DeleteOh that poem is a KEEPER!! It's brilliant...as are your sunset pictures! There's nothing like the sun in the autumn season!! Thanks for sharing your celebrations...a joy, as always!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle. I'm so glad that everyone is loving the poem. I think it's great too!
DeleteThank you for sharing the poem.
ReplyDeleteHalloween is not Estonian holiday and in international school we are not supposed to celebrate it either. Yet the fun of it sneaks in. Mimm had a dress up at school and our school had a fall costume party. The PTA did a great job organizing and I m glad I stayed after school on Friday to see the kids and parents dressed up.
I'm glad you had the costumes, too, Terje. Everyone enjoys it so much.
DeleteI've been reading lots of William Stafford this year since he's from Oregon- or he's lived here- and it's his centennial I think. I love how his words continue to be cause for celebrations!
ReplyDeleteI've been following a few of the festivities, wish I was closer. He writes so beautifully!
DeleteLinda, I love how you captured working with the young and the old has similarities. We need to capture more of working with the young, when working with older students. I also enjoyed your photo and thinking about walking with a mountain view sounds delightful. Good celebrations for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mandy. Those of us who live by those mountains don't notice as much as we should. You just get used to them. And yes, I agree about the work with all ages-much to use in teaching that is the same!
DeleteLinda, I love the Stafford poem and missed most of Poetry Friday yesterday, so thanks for mentioning it. A young mother we know from our time in Houston died of cardiac arrest this week. It's good to be reminded to celebrate now!
ReplyDeleteI love the pic of Ingrid and the costume parade. One of my first years of teaching I was Madame DeFarge with my knitting needles!
Oh what a wonderful costume it must have been, Ramona. I have a 'clown box' & just choose some accessories each year-always a clown. Sorry to hear about your friend. The Stafford poem does speak to that for all of us, doesn't it?
DeleteThe poem is perfect. You are right it fits beautifully. So wonderful that you can share your talents with young and old students. We need more of this! Love the Halloween pictures. A great celebration to start off November.
ReplyDeleteNow time to be a little calmer in November I think. It is fun to teach all the ages-much to learn from each group!
DeleteI love these Halloween pictures - of Ingrid and the parade. Such fun! And your sunset photograph is gorgeous. You have an excellent eye!
ReplyDeleteThank you Carrie, but that picture & the light off the sun was just a nice surprise. Our parade is always a joy!
DeleteYou closed October in the best possible way - poetry, joy, grandchildren, and celebration.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tara. I love November too-surprises always waiting!
DeleteI wish I could be as positive as you about that Halloween energy… yesterday was like herding cats, not feral cats… all day. But it was fun to watch them have such fun.
ReplyDeleteI loved that poem, it is so true. Show up every day, you never know what will come… but it doesn't matter because it will come!
Thanks Cathy, and yes, I know what you mean about Halloween. It isn't the usual day, but it is fun for sure. Glad you like the poem!
DeleteI have to say that I really enjoy Halloween too. For whatever reason, it's the only holiday my children can handle without issues, so they dress up and we go trick-or-treating and it's a wholly normal family event. Those are rare! Of course, I then cringe at the amount of candy they eat and want to ply them with organic apples and carrots! I really love WIlliam Stafford's poetry...
ReplyDeleteElisabeth, It's great that you and the kids love Halloween, universal appeal for sweets, at least in the US. Happy you like the poem, too. Hope Sunday is a good one!
Delete"Yes" is a poem that is just right for celebrating! I love that Ingrid seems to have taken on an entire cat persona. So cute. Thanks for sharing a Facebook pic here, too. I am just beginning to widen my Facebook world.
ReplyDeleteI just wrote to you, too. Nice to hear from you, will try to be there tonight!
DeleteI loved that William Stafford poem, too! Wonderful celebrations today - a beautiful pic, Halloween fun, and free books! Yay!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Holly-a fun week, & ending with Halloween was a good thing!
DeleteSo much wonderfulness wrapped up here. Thanks for sharing the poem. Yes, any of it could happen, but we often just worry about the bad things that could possibly happen. I like that thought that the positives are just as possible.
ReplyDeleteOh, so happy you liked the poem, Crystal. I just love the thought too. Thanks!
DeleteYour granddaughter is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHalloween I think must be one of the kids most favorite holidays. Friday a second grader returned his classroom books. I asked him if he was going trick or treating. He looked at me shook his head. "Yes, I'm a kid!"
What a great story, Ruth. I agree about Halloween. The excitement filled the air last week!
DeleteEnjoyed reading your celebrations!
ReplyDelete