Spring

Those of us who live somewhere north of the 44th parallel hardly dare say the word spring aloud. If it is to be spoken, it is stated in a gingerly manner so as not to jinx the uncertain arrival of such an event. Our winter was particularly vicious this year with sub-zero temperatures lingering into March and raw winds unleashing fearful punches upon man and beast. No one is sure whether spring weather will arrive tomorrow or the middle of June. Blessedly, spring doesn't always have to be ushered in by milder weather. Sometimes it is an event or a tradition that heralds the vernal equinox.

One such event for me was the arrival of baby chicks on the farm I grew up on. After a long winter of being cooped up with siblings and cold weather monotony, nothing was more anticipated than the sight of a jittery mass of yellow fluff balls. My sibs and I would hustle out to the brooder coop and breathe deeply of the warm, earthy smell of chicks, feed and feathers. The heat lamp glowed with a comforting warmth that felt a bit stifling during lengthy stays. Watching the little chicklets scurry from side to side in their enclosure was great entertainment. There was always a little drama as certain chicks struggled at the bottom of the pecking order and others aggressively took charge, not unlike life in a big family.

Most of all we enjoyed the incessant cheeping. I think such a sound would drive me mad now but to the ears of a youngster, it was what spring was all about. New sounds, new sights, new babies, a promise of winter's demise.

The future of our little chickie friends was about as certain as the exact arrival of a new season. Some would not survive life beyond the brooder coop. Some would graduate to another barn and join the ranks of the egg layers, supplying my family with a bounty of protein. Others would join us at the dinner table with their delicious drumsticks and gizzards.

Our little kid minds didn't dwell on the fate of the chicks. We lived in the moment and savored the fun of picking up a warm, soft, cheeping harbinger of spring.  We watched them lose their little downy feathers and sprout leaner white feathers. Roly-poly shapes morphed and stretched into full grown chickens. Fascination gave way to annoyance as the chickens took over the yard and left behind sticky messes that were quite unpleasant on new shoes.

Spring, chicks, hope, equinox. Call it what you may. Seems like there is always something new around the bend. Sometimes it is best to embrace our little kid minds and savor the moment. Ice storms, raw winds, sleet and rain fade away when you have a little puff of yellow in your hands.

Happy Spring!

Different World

Most professions feel a certain amount of pressure to keep up with the technological advances of our world. Teaching is no exception. I've learned to love my computer, Smartboard and tablet. That being said, I confess that there are times when I long for a different world. To be perfectly honest, my teaching style still clings to the last gasps of an environment without computers.

A few weeks ago, my students were required to build a model of the internal anatomy of a frog. We were preparing for a non-virtual frog dissection lab. Supplies needed: paper frog, paper internal organs, scotch tape, scissors and colored pencils. Gasp, they were asked to use low tech supplies to complete a project with their lab partners. Gasp again, Google and computers were not necessary.

As I watched my students complete their task, I asked myself what it would look like in my classroom if I had assigned them a similar task using virtual manipulation of frog organs on a computer screen. My prediction looks and sounds like this. Silence. Eyes glazed over. Tapping of fingers on keyboards. Breathing. Hands raised for my help. More silence. More finger tapping. Activity done.

Contrast that with a low tech activity. Animation. Chatter. Giggles. Working with lab partners to complete a task. Messy scraps. Pencils sharpening. Discussions about sushi, little brothers, parents, high school, friends, TV shows and last night's basketball game. Naming paper frogs. Compromising on the color of the small intestines. Heads together. Sharing one roll of tape with six others. Running out of tape. Losing a stomach part. Finding the stomach part. Cleaning up. Pride in a completed frog.

I sense that my district would be much happier with me if I turned over my papers and pencils in favor of computer activities. Truth to be told, it would make my life a lot easier. Quiet students staring at computer screens. What's not to love?

Plain and simple, I long for a different world. A place where people communicate with the folks sitting next to them. A place where kids start talking about their likes and dislikes without being prompted. A place where completing an on-line worksheet isn't seen as more valuable than using a piece of paper and a pencil. A place where touch, color, talk, giggles, compromise and problem solving happen with other human beings. A world where Google doesn't tell kids what to do or what to think.

Would classrooms be better without technology? Certainly not. I don't miss chalk dust and creaky ditto machines. I want my students to be prepared for their future in a world of gadgets that haven't even been invented yet. But, please, oh please, don't judge me for letting kids experience a moment or two without the constant blinking and tingling of technology. Let kids experience, build, tell stories and look each other in the eyes. If only for a moment, let their minds wander, think and be still.

And most importantly, let kids believe that they are more important than devices.

Unpairings

There are many sweet and blessed pairings that make our world a better place (see last post). There are also a few duos that need unyoking in my estimation.

1) Chinese egg rolls and C-stores--Soda, coffee, gas, bottled water and beef jerky make sense to me. A flaccid little tube of ground something-or-other rolling away on a series of speed bumps is just plain creepy. I love a good egg roll but I think they are best left to restaurants specializing in such delicacies. (Full disclaimer: My husband will eat anything that comes out of a C-store and he says, "It's all good.")

2) Smartphones and dining out--Shut the rectangles of distraction off, people. Unless you have an app that is alerting you to the coming of the rapture, I am at a loss as to what is more important than the person who is sitting across the table from you. Yes, conversation can require creativity and a little work, but the rewards are great.

3) Sleevelessness and below zero weather--Not a wise combo. I teach in a middle school so I've seen it all. Shorts and flip-flops are the fashion selections of choice for many of them. Hats and gloves are virtually non-existent and zippers on coats are just for decoration. It's best for me to button up my third sweater layer and look the other way.

4) Coffee and flavored cream stuff--Eat a hazelnut if you are in the mood for such a thing, but leave the flavorings out of the joe. Enjoy all that an unadorned cup of coffee has to offer. Even bad coffee deserves a little respect.

5) Sixty degree weather in the winter time--Please don't send me hate mail, but I am a purist. Winter is about crunchy snow, swirly breath, sharp icicles and puffy parkas. It's a shock to the system when a chinook wind unexpectedly blows through the plains. Let springtime ease in with a whisper rather than an occasional shout.

6) Dentist appointments and days off--Yes, it makes sense to schedule appointments on days when there are more time slots to choose from. But, why should a perfectly good day be spent with a suction tube in your mouth and the sound of metal scraping on your teeth? Add that kind of joy to a work day and call it good.

7) Morning and exercise--Should be the perfect match, starting the day with a little blood pumping movement. Despite all the good reasons for dawn workouts I find it difficult to sully the beauty of daybreak with such activity.

8) Fluorescent lights and dressing rooms--It's cruel enough trying to find clothes that fit. Add to that the frightening patina caused by harsh illumination and I'm rejecting most purchases. I propose dimmer switches in all dressing rooms and mirrors with avatar choices.  

May your week be filled with many joyous pairings and feel free to unpair the annoying duets.

Pairings

Romeo and Juliet. Peanut butter and jelly. Dust and my furniture. Some things go together without saying. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it's time to share a few of my favorite pairings.

1) Cheerios and chocolate chips--no cooking required. Grab a handful of Cheerios and use your other hand to sprinkle a few, or a lot of, chocolate chips on top. Pop the whole works in your mouth and enjoy the crunchy, chocolaty numminess. Repeat, if necessary.

2) Basil and tomatoes--planned by God, I'm sure. Sadly, both are in short supply this time of year in the Midwest but a few dollops of pesto on a sandwich can remind us of better times. Tomato season is only six months away.

3) Mustard and honey--must haves in every pantry. I suppose it's the sweet and savory juxtaposition that makes this pair so appealing. Whatever it is, one can't go wrong with slathering honey mustard on chicken, pork, veggies, pretzels and fingertips. Slurp. Slurp.

4) Coffee and morning--heavenly duo. Enough said.

5) Popcorn and butter--no microwave bags allowed. I want the real stuff, swimming in butter, sans the paper bag taste. Add a favorite TV show or movie and you're in business. Cheap thrills.

6) Rhubarb and strawberries--tarty sweetness. Midwesterners are always proud of rhubarb, a decidedly upper latitudes crop. One can make a sauce, a crisp or a pie, your choice. All will be tasty.

7) Walnuts and golden raisins--gorpy goodness. This combo is especially appreciated when one needs a little protein kick and a touch of sweet. Both are a little pale for their species, but so am I. Maybe that's why I like them so much.

8) Chocolate and...well, just about anything. Okay, maybe not with brussel sprouts or kale, but that could be good, too. Maybe.

9) Fries and ketchup--drooling now. I just can't eat a naked potato. I like them whipped with butter, scalloped with cheese, baked with sour cream and dredged in condiments. Dipping is such fun.

10) Frosting and saltines--delish. They are like little flat cupcakes you can make whenever there is a growl going on in the stomach. Truthfully, I don't even wait for the growl. I just go for it when both ingredients are handy.

11) My husband and me--a pairing for 37 years. It must be all the hearts and roses making me a bit sappy, but I can honestly say that I've been married to my best friend for almost four decades. I'd be lying if I said it was always mushy, googly-eyed love (not sure it ever was). True love is like the weather in the Midwest. Warm, cold, blizzardy, rainy, windy and sometimes all of that in the same day. Only the committed experience the joy.

Whether it's chips and dip, bath and bubbles or cocoa and conversation, I hope you can experience your favorite combo this month.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love Hate

I received some cash for Christmas and I decided to spend it on something that I wouldn't normally buy. After much deliberation, I settled on a Nook tablet. It's a sleek little gadget, filled with the promise of jetting me forward into a world of technological wonderment. Gratefully, I had no trouble getting it up and running. Apparently, the techno-geeks of the world have figured out just how stupid some of us can be when it comes to setting up new toys.

After a month of working with my new gizmo, the jury is still out as to whether it is a friend or foe. My initial goal was to check a book out from my public library. After downloading the necessary "app" (and other sundry stuff I'm sure I don't need), I successfully borrowed my first official book. Now begins the love-hate relationship.

I love the fact that I don't have to worry about the library closing when I'm down to my last book. I downloaded a book on Christmas day and never left the comfort of my own couch. Sweet.

I also like the idea of not carrying around ten pounds of books  when I travel. I no longer have to fear that I will leave a borrowed book behind and have my wages garnished indefinitely by the library. Books just fade away into cyberland when they are due back on their imaginary shelf. No more overdue fees or stern reminder calls from the automated Dewey voice.

Perhaps best of all is the ability to interact with the text. My worn out eyes appreciate the ability to change font sizes. The lighted screen is an additional bonus when natural lighting fails. And just a tap on the screen connects me to a dictionary when I need word clarification. What's not to love?

Well, it turns out there is one big disadvantage. I miss my books. The paper and dust jacket kind. The kind that doesn't need to be plugged in after so many hours. For over fifty years I have been transported into worlds beyond by opening a set of pages bound by a singular spine. I have rummaged around for bookmarks to hold my spot until my next reading engagement. I propped many books just right in bed so that I could enjoy a few more minutes of reading before they slipped out of my hands and reminded me that the day was done.

I miss the feel and smell of books. I miss browsing through real books on real shelves with real librarians near by. I miss the sense of anticipation that comes with touching a tangible object that is filled with the promise of new adventures.

Yes, my Nook is a tangible object. Yes, an e-reader has words and and little bitty book covers for one to enjoy. And yes, electronic reading is more convenient, less bulky and filled with additional features. But, no, I don't love my Nook yet.

Unless it's time for the next level of Candy Crush. Move over words and make way for the color bomb.

Farewell

I said goodbye to an old friend last week. My friend is a lot like me--likes to cook, not too beautiful and is wearing out a little around the edges. For almost twenty-four years, we spent daily time together as we wrestled with life. But, as with all good things, time takes its toll and willingly or unwillingly we are required to move on.

Yes, I am bidding adieu to my General Electric four-burner range, circa 1989. We bought it when we built our house. Our budget was very tight and top of the line appliances were never considered. We settled for a modest little work horse stove and I certainly put her to the test the minute she arrived. We had been living on quick meals and whatever scraps we could piece together as we scrambled to complete a home building project in addition to our full time jobs. The day we signed papers for the house and officially moved in, I prepared a pork chop dinner. It wasn't anything special but I remember the comfy fragrance of a home cooked meal. Better yet, it was our first meal prepared on our new stove in our new house. It was a moment that settled us into the rhythm of new surroundings and new mortgage payments.

Ms. GE never complained as I continued to cook and bake throughout the years. She never needed a house call from the doctor as she preheated, baked, broiled and boiled with relative ease. It was only in her latter years that signs of aging began to surface. The scrawny little knobs on the clock/timer broke off first. Next came an impossible battle with the drip pans and burner rings as they charred themselves to a crusty patina. The self-cleaning oven needed additional help with the sticky messes I managed to create and finally, the burners started screaming for mercy as I jiggled and juggled them into place. My soup pots became accustomed to sitting at an angle and losing heat when the connection was suddenly interrupted.

Despite Ms. GE's frailties, I stubbornly continued onward and would probably still be doing so if my soft spoken husband hadn't finally declared that it was time to end my co-dependent relationship. Shortly thereafter, we trudged our way through snow and slush and entered a local store filled with smiling, gleaming new appliances. Once again, budget constraints meant foregoing the seductive call of top of the line ranges. We moved, instead, toward the less flashy little models and after some deliberation and crunching of numbers we settled on an LG range, knob-less, smooth top and basic white, please.

As I prepared my last meal on my tired GE, I said a prayer of thanks for all her years of service. Conservatively speaking, she cranked out over 14,000 meals, 1,000 desserts and 1,200 dozen cookies. My family and friends are grateful for such faithfulness.

Now, there is a new sheriff in town and I hope we have many productive years together. I know for sure that her knobs won't fall off, her burners won't require jiggling and she is easier to clean.

I wish I could say the same for me.

New Year's Promise

Since becoming a blogger, I find myself reading and analyzing other blogs. I probably should have done that before I started blogging, but I am quite sure I would have been too intimidated to begin so I guess it all worked out in the end. I have no right whatsoever to be critical of other blogs but I have noticed a few features that can be a bit annoying.

One is the choice of advertisement styles. I understand that the only way to make a living at this business is to make it a business and that means having ads splashed across one's blog. I just don't want to read a blog that includes flashing, twirling or blinking ads hawking my attention. No words of wisdom are worth that kind of abuse in my estimation. A few tasteful ads placed along the edges of a blog is really all one should have to cope with during a reading experience.

The second annoyance button for me is the word "journey."  Many blogs invite their readers to join them on their journey as they:
a. bake pastries from Grandma's cookbook.
b. care for an adopted 3-legged dog.
c. find peace in fitness.
d. eat paleo, gluten-free and organic meals.
e. balance work, photography, writing cookbooks, raising kids and never sleeping.

No thank you. I will let those folks walk the road on their own. I like bacon, 4-legged cats and sitting.

A third red flag for me is reading paragraphs that are sprinkled with strike throughs and hashtags. Certainly blogging is a writing style that allows for a great deal of literary and grammatical freedom (I am exhibit A), but I need a little more formality so I don't feel like I am reading another paper from my 7th graders. Leave the strike throughs for editing and the hashtags for tweeting.

Finally, I bypass blogs that have formats that are hard on my old eyes. Fancy schmancy backgrounds can be a distraction if they are not balanced with the site's color scheme and font choices. Too many pictures and too little writing can also make my head spin with scrolling and re-focusing.

Therefore, my New Year's pledge to you, dear readers, is that this blog will never have twirling ads that promise to bust belly fat in 5 days. I will not use editing marks to get my point across. I won't use hashtags for effect because, quite frankly, I don't really know what a tweet is. And above all, I will not ask you to join me on a journey to somewhere, doing something that doesn't sound fun.

You, of course, are invited to join me for a cup of coffee and a bag of chocolate chips any day of the week. That's a promise I can keep.

Happy New Year!