You Know You’re Getting Older When…#sol22

I celebrated a birthday yesterday and now I am closer to fifty than I am to forty. I realized that I am definitely getting older when I got so excited that all of the socks matched up when I folded the laundry this afternoon. The socks never match up completely, or at least they never seem to do so. I cannot remember the last time when this happened. I even checked the floor around the dryer to make sure that I hadn’t missed a lone sock, but everything was clear.

Now, I’m thinking about all of the other little things that might also signify that I’m getting older. I’m noticing that I have to hold things out further to read them, especially if they include small print. I recently got excited over a deal on new sheets and I was just checking out vacuum cleaners and comparing them online for the best deal. These are little things, but the younger version of me would not have been excited about matching pairs of socks, sheets, and vacuum cleaners!

Trying to find a slice #sol22

I’m struggling with settling on a topic for today’s slice. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent a good part of the day working on other projects and my brain is mush. Maybe it’s because I’m anxious to grab my Kindle and head out to the deck to enjoy some early evening reading. No matter what the reason, slicing is a bit challenging today.

I scrolled through the photos on my phone searching for something to write about, but nothing really spoke to me. I thought about the day, but I stayed around the house working on an article that was requested and some PD that I’ll provide teachers in my division in the fall. I almost wrote a slice about the chocolate chip brownies that my Mom made for me, but instead, I snacked on the brownies.

So, today’s slice is just about showing up, even when the ideas are not flowing but the brownies are calling. So, I’m off to grab my Kindle and a brownie for some reading time on the deck!

The first fawn of the year #sol22

I’ve been anxiously waiting to see this year’s crop of fawns. I love this time of the year when fawns are born and I love catching little glimpses of them with their mothers. We recently started our evening rides looking for deer and while we’ve seen plenty of does and a few small bucks, we haven’t yet seen a fawn.

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting at the dining room table at Mike’s house and happened to glance out to the backyard. Mike has a fairly sizeable backyard bounded by fields. The farmer who leases the fields had mowed some of the fields, but not the small area directly behind the house. Anyway, some movement caught my eye and I immediately hopped out of my chair when I realized that it was a fawn moving along the edge of the yard and the field. Mike was out on the front porch, so after watching the fawn for a moment and snapping a photo, I hustled through the living room, opened the front door and excitedly announced that we had our first fawn of the year. By the time Mike arrived in the dining room, the fawn had disappeared into the tall grass, but I had several photos to show off.

Since yesterday, I have been drawn to every window on the back of the house, hoping to catch another glimpse of the fawn, but nothing yet. I’m looking forward to setting up the trail camera in the backyard to see what images we’ll be able to capture now!

The First Days of Summer Break #sol22

Last Thursday was the final day with students for the 2021-2022 school year. Our last workday was on Friday, so I’ve now had a few days of vacation. First, I caught up on some house cleaning over the weekend. I love the sight of those neat lines in the freshly vacuumed carpets and newly dusted tables. However, it wasn’t all work and no play. I curled up in my favorite chair with a book (I’ve been reading David Rosenfelt’s mysteries) and enjoyed the coolness of the air conditioning, a glass of iced tea, and Skinny Pop popcorn (I can’t stop eating that stuff!). I watched the NASCAR race, even though the drivers I like all crashed out. I took naps even though I slept in late. We had a family dinner (Mom made brownies!) and took a short ride. We started watching the series about Theodore Roosevelt on The History Channel. I’ve done a lot of writing, too! Today, I shopped for a new laptop and found what I wanted after having a nice, relaxing lunch with my Mom. Then, back at home, I’m watching the second part of the Theodore Roosevelt series and I’m thinking about the bag of Skinny Pop in the pantry. It’s been a busy few days!

Hey, Mr. (or Ms.) Rabbit! #sol22

I pulled into the driveway and paused my audiobook. As I prepared to exit the car, I noticed a rabbit nibbling contentedly on grass. It had rained earlier today, so I’m sure the grass tasted delicious to him (or her). I expected the rabbit to notice me and hop away, but this rabbit must have been enjoying the meal. He looked at me and continued to eat, jaws working furiously. I sat for a few moments, not wanting to get out of the car, scaring the rabbit, and then ruining the rabbit’s meal. The rabbit glanced at me a few times, chewed the grass, and seemed unconcerned about my presence. The rabbit didn’t stop eating when Mike pulled his truck in next to me. It wasn’t until Mike got out of his truck that the rabbit moved. The rabbit seemed to be determined to not let anything disturb his meal. And, when the rabbit finally did move, it did not seem to be in any hurry!

Six Word Memoirs #sol22

Sticking T key frustrates my writing.

Kindergarten conversations prompt many hidden smiles.

Handing out books, watching excited faces.

Channel surfing and snacking while relaxing

I ate the cookies-oops! #sol22

My Mom is an incredible baker. She makes the best cookies, cakes…you name it, she can make it and it will be delicious. Recently, she’s been making the most divine red velvet cookies. I could eat an endless supply of those red velvet cookies. And of course, I cannot forget to mention her chocolate chip cookies and another double chocolate cookies that are a part of her repertoire.

We met in town to run some errands together on a day when she’d been baking. When I hopped into her car after school, she handed me a bag of cookies. I immediately grabbed a cookie and started munching. The cookies were small and very, very tasty, so after finishing one, I pulled another from the bag. I’m not sure exactly how many cookies were in the bag (and did I mention that they were small?) and I hadn’t had much for lunch. Before I knew it, there were maybe two cookies (and they were small) left in the bag.

Mom and I finished our errands and I headed to Mike’s house. Later on, when I talked to Mom, she asked me if Mike liked the cookies. My response was, “I was supposed to share the cookies?”

“You ate them all?” she asked incredulously. I glanced at the bag with two (small) cookies.

“They were small!”

“You were supposed to share with Mike!”

“I was hungry and they were small cookies. And they were really good!” I could envision Mom shaking her head. Now, when she bakes cookies, she makes sure to remind me that I need to share the cookies and she checks with Mike to ensure that he gets a share of any cookies that she bakes. We have had a good laugh over this!

Checking in on Rosie and her baby #sol22

This evening, I sat out in the yard at Mike’s and worked on a paper for my School Finance class. I settled down in an Adirondack chair under the tree and started to write. It was a beautiful evening with a slight breeze and before long, I was cranking out words about school budgeting.

As I worked, the cows and their calves began to show up in the field across from Mike’s house. I’ve noticed that they have developed a pattern where they move in a circle around the available fields, ending up in front of the house between 6 and 7 o’clock.

Tonight, Rosie, the cow I’ve written about before, was out in the field with her calf, so I took the opportunity to take a break and check on them. Rosie’s baby is growing quickly and seems curious about the lady who always stops to take her picture!

Taking Time To Notice

This is the view from the front porch at Mike’s house. I stopped to snap a photo after crossing through the living room and noticing the view from the window. I had been working on reading for tomorrow night’s class, compiling a purchase order for my school’s book room, and jotting notes to myself for tomorrow’s lessons. It had been a busy time, but when I glanced outside and noticed the sunset, I had to stop and take time to pay attention to the beautiful colors. I stepped out onto the porch and for several minutes just soaked it all in. It was such a peaceful sight and I felt myself relaxing and ready to settle back down at the desk to complete my tasks.

Spring? Really? #sol22

It’s April, right? I’m really starting to wonder based on the weather. The photo below is of the walk at my house yesterday afternoon when I arrived home from school. While the weather in Virginia can be quirky, sleet and a sprinkling of snow in mid-April just seems like a little too much! Last week, during Spring Break, the temperatures were in the 70s and the weather was gorgeous! Then, Saturday is supposed to be in the 80s. I’m ready for some consistency and not this mish-mash of weather!