03.31.09

Another snow.

We awoke Monday to some wonderfully large snowflakes. I captured the tree in our front yard. Well, it's pretty sad when I take a picture and forget that I've taken it! I was taking a photo of the new pair of bluebirds today and while I was checking out the photos I came across this picture that I had actually taken before going to school yesterday.

Maybe it had something to do with the "smell" at school.  We all noticed an odor in the air - something like a nail salon.  Not too long after school got going we had to move all the students to the gym and cafeteria.  Yes, all 600 of them.  District and building folks assessed the situation.  There was some work done on the floors during break and the epoxy was emitting a non-toxic odor...it was just very strong.  We ended up doing an early dismissal.  Within two hours we had the majority of students home.  Our leadership team did an amazing job.  It was an interesting day back from spring break!

Anyway, I liked the photo so I decided to go ahead and use it today.

03.30.09

Pricey printing.

Well, I got my new printer set up this weekend. When we were looking at which printer to purchase, we saw that the ink cartridges were expensive. And now I know why...they glow! The cartridges are chipped. I'm not exactly sure what that means just yet, but it makes them glow when inserted properly.

I decided to take the photo without the flash for a better "effect."

03.29.09

Plant.
I was originally going to take a photo of the shells I have in a jar...but while l was looking at the jar, the plant caught my eye. It's not a special plant, I just thought it looked cool with the blue sky in the background.

03.28.09

The meltdown begins.

This is the view from one of upstairs rooms - looking toward north Castle Rock and across the Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course.  Our snow from this last week is beginning to melt...I hope it goes slow so all the moisture can get soaked up by our plants.  We added a lot of trees, shrubs and plants to the backyard in October, so I'm sure they are enjoying the water.  We're anxious to see everything leafed out.

Bluebird Update:  Well, last week I posted a photo of the bluebird pair.  Since the Thursday snowstorm, they have both been MIA.  I'm sure where they are, but I'm hopeful they are still nearby.  We did acquire two mourning doves after the storm.  Not sure if they are the same pair from last year, but we've had two hang-out in the backyard and scrub oak the last couple of summers.

03.27.09

Drifts.

What a shock...the weathermen didn't know what they were talking about!  They managed to get one thing right - it was going to snow!  As for the 16-22 inches we were supposed to get here in Castle Rock, not so much.  I would say we were lucky if we even got a foot.  Here's one of the drifts on our back deck.

03.26.09

Let it snow!

I was VERY excited to see the snow and moisture...we REALLY need it! I was disappointed that there was a snow day...when I'm on spring break! The snow here in Castle Rock began around 9:00 and is still falling. We had some pretty high winds this afternoon so there are some good sized drifts. I'm guessing we've had between 9-12 inches. I'm anxious to see if we actually get the rest of our 16-22 that they originally forcasted...not holding my breath. As of now, it looks like DCSD will be having school tomorrow - bummer for them. ;o)

At least Chad got to use his snow blower once, actually twice, this year.

03.25.09

Road Trip.

Well, it's not exactly a diving destination, but our trip to Fort Collins was a lot of fun. Chad and I both went to college in Fort Collins - he graduated from CSU and I ended up graduating from UNC. We hadn't been back since graduating so we made the venture north.

Our first stop - Odell's Brewery for one of our favorites - Easy Street. Nothing really beats an Easy Street with a lemon on a hot, summer day. We purchased their sampler and had the chance to try a few new beers.

After Odell's we were off to our old neighborhood. We drove along the north side of campus and were a little surprised to see how trashy some of the places looked. The old SAE house was actually boarded up - not sure what happened there. We were on the look-out for a place we used to eat, the Teriyaki Wok. Back in college we loved it - didn't taste too bad and it was cheap. We were disappointed...until we rounded the corner of Elizabeth & Shields...and there it was...Teriyaki Wok II!! We discovered a sub shop in our old BW3 building, so that was a little disappointing.

We continued on to our old town homes. (Chad and I were actually neighbors - that's where we met.) Their upkeep over the last decade seems to have been lacking. We didn't hang out too long...didn't want to scare anyone with "stalking" behavior.

Getting back to Teriyaki Wok...we weren't brave enough to try it, so we went to another one of our favorites - B&B Pickle Barrel...and it was great! I loved how they still store their cheese in stacks, on small plates, covered with Saran wrap. The pickles were still spicy and the beer was still cold.

Our final destination was the New Belguim Brewery. It was MUCH more crowded than Odell's...especially for 3:00 on a Wednesday afternoon - and it wasn't all college kids. We enjoyed our four samplers and purchased a few items...we had to get some new schwag for our new bar.

And that brought our trip down memory lane to an end. It was a lot of fun...maybe we'll have to do it again in another 13 years.

03.24.09

Painting - Day Two.

One room down, one more to go. Chad couldn't resist and had to get in on the painting action. I once again had to get out my lining brush to touch up the ceiling. Chad's not overly happy with the color (he only likes brown and white) but I think it will look great with the new bed spread.

So, we are on to room two - my new craft room and library. I used to keep all my craft (or crap as Chad calls it) supplies in the basement. With the finish, I lost this space so I'm moving it upstairs. After leaving the classroom I have my entire library here at home. I wanted to store them on shelves versus in boxes...and have them available for my niece and nephew. We still haven't figured out what we are going to do for shelves, but I'm hopeful it will be great when it's all done.

03.23.09

Time to paint.

Well, I mentioned that I was on spring break...unfortunately I won't be diving with any fishes or sharks this week. (I couldn't talk Chad into going anywhere.) It was actually good that we stayed home - it will give me the chance to get things reorganized after our basement job. I have two rooms upstairs to get painted and then packed with "stuff." If things turn out well, I will have to share some photos. First room...guest room (Chad's old office).

03.22.09

A perfect pair.

Well, yesterday the pair was the bride & groom atop the cupcakes...today it's the bluebirds. I know it's their backsides, but I was glad to see them.

The new pair seems to be here to stay. They do seem a little confused...they both are going back and forth between the bluebird box and the box that the swallows use.

I'm anxious to see which one they choose.

03.21.09

Bride & Groom.

Well, today was the big day...my sister's bridal shower. Last December we had a Scholastic Book Fair at school and I noticed a cupcake cookbook. I thought it was fun, but I didn't make a purchase. Well, at the March Book Fair the book once again made an appearance. As I thumbed through the book, I saw a number of creative ideas...but the one that stuck out was the bridal display. This time I took a copy home.

So, for my sister's bridal shower I created! I actually really enjoyed this project. I haven't been this creative in a while. I would have to say that my favorite part was the bride and groom on top. They are made out of chocolate with various decorative pieces. The cupcakes turned out pretty well...at least the ones that I didn't over-bake. And the frosting was amazing (Marshmallow Fluff, butter, powdered sugar) - I just had to forget how many calories were in it!

The shower was great. Everyone seemed to have a great time and blushing bride-to-be was sent off in style.

03.20.09

More spring.

Spring break began today! When I got home today there was another spring flower in bloom. I can't remember what the name of this one is...maybe my mom can help me.

03.19.09

Oh deer!

On my way to work this morning there were six deer along side the road.  Fortunately, I saw them early enough, pulled over and got my camera from my purse in the trunk.  I drove up closer to the deer and snapped this photo out the window of my car.  And yes I was pulled over...safety first!

It was fun to see watch them munching on the grass.

03.18.09

Got milk?

Fortunately, we have another gallon in the fridge for tomorrow's cereal.

03.17.09

Another sign of spring.

Well, I had hoped to be creative today and capture a little bit of the "Irish."  But as you can see, that didn't happen.

When pulling into the driveway tonight, two yellow dots caught my eye...miniature daffodils.  I'm sure our wonderful weather today coaxed them out into the open.

03.16.09

Neighboring hills.

I can't believe how lucky I am...around the school we have some great trails.  With the amazing weather this spring, I've been able to go for a few walks during my lunch time...and today was one of those days.  This photo is of one the trails - I didn't get much further than this point because it was time to head back to work.  On my next walk I plan on taking this trail a little further.   And I'm looking forward to late spring and summer when everything greens up and there's leaves on the trees.

03.15.09

Signs of spring.

We had great weather here in Colorado this weekend. As we were pulling in the driveway, a small flash of color caught my eye...it was a mini-iris. I only have a few of them planted in the front yard, but they really enjoy them. I noticed that some of the grasses are beginning to green-up so I need to get out there and clean up last year's vegetation. I'm anxious to see everything else bloom in the near future.

03.14.09

Champions!

As a last minute decision, I joined my family on trip to watch my cousin (coached by her dad, my uncle) play in the Consolation Championship game in the 2A State Basketball Tournament. They rocked! Congratulations Lady Cougars!

03.13.09

Filling up.

You know you have a short commute when you can make it back and forth to work 3 days with the "low fuel" light on.

03.12.09

Laundry.

Well, we just finished our final night of parent-teacher conferences at school. It was a crazy day, so I realized after getting home that I didn't have a photo for the day. I was doing a little laundry tonight and decided to capture that for my blog.

03.11.09

Color.

I guess I must have a thing for color these days. I was in a 1st grade classroom today. They were working on the laptops...and doing a great job.

I noticed this cup of markers sitting on one of their desks and thought it was a fun shot.

03.10.09

Wishing tree.

As I mentioned yesterday, I was having to do a little rule breaking. I didn't take this photo today, but if you check out yesterday's post you'll see why I just had to save it.

Just west of Castle Rock there is a highway that I consider the "scenic route." It consists mainly of equestrian properties and rolling hills...it's beautiful anytime of the year. Whenever possible, I try taking this route if I'm headed home from the northwest. And yesterday I had that chance.

There is a small park that I have passed for years, but have never stopped and visited...until yesterday. The brightly colored ribbons blowing in the breeze caught my attention. This "Sanctuary" is actually a park funded by the Colorado Lottery. There are several small paths, benches, meditation areas, bells hanging in the trees, nesting boxes, and of course - the Wishing Trees - there's three of them. It's a very peaceful place.

There is a box of ribbons on which people can write their wishes and tie them on to the trees. I began taking photos of the trees just straight on, but then decided to change my angle. I began shooting up, into the tree from the ground and was much happier with how those pictures turned out.

I didn't add any wishes of my own...if you visited the Wishing Tree, what would you wish for?

03.09.09

Wasp Nest?

Well, I have changed the rules a little for today and tomorrow. Today we had a PLC (Professional Learning Community) day at school. We were at our building in the AM working on integrating literacy into our specials' classrooms and in the PM we went to a school in a nearby town for a session on brain research. It was a great day of learning and collaborating.

On my way home this afternoon, I was able to take a scenic route and came across a "wishing tree." Did I peak your interet? Well, you will all have to wait until tomorrow for the wishing tree. This was such a funny story that I had to share...sorry Chad. :o)

When I arrived home, Chad asked if I had gotten his email. Due to the fact I had a work day, I wasn't able to check my email. As I was looking out into the backyard, he began quizzing me about whether or not I'd seen the birdfeeder. I was looking at the feeders and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He pointed out the item sitting on the hanging, platform feeder and began refering to it as a "wasp nest."

So here's the story...the contents of his email. At first, he thought it was a squirrel. (We have a pair that frequent the feeders.) He then noticed that the birds were pecking at it, so he thought it was maybe a dead squirrel. Upon closer examination, using the binaculars and then the telephoto lens to take a picture, he "discovered" it was a HUGE wasp nest! :o)

Well, it's actually not a wasp nest, but a large sunflower head. My dad, who grows black oils, gave me several heads to feed the birds. So, Chad is actually the "author" of today's photo...and provider of a great story. Love ya babe!

03.08.09

Life is rough.

You could tell it was a Sunday around our house.  Here's Fiji sleeping on the chair in my front office.

03.07.09

Melting.

We actually had two dustings of snow today...just enough to get the sidewalk wet. The surrounding hills still have a little covering them, but we didn't get enough to really make an impact.

As the sun was getting ready to go down I caught this icicle mid-drip..I love the continuous shooting feature on my camera. Even though I'm anxious for spring and summer, I would LOVE a really big March snow.

03.06.09

Books.

Our second book fair is underway! It's so fun watching the kids make their wish lists and look through the wonderful books.

Of course I couldn't pass up all the books! I got some fun Easter gifts and a great cupcake book...I think the cupcakes will warrent some future photos!

03.05.09

Not just blue birds.

There are more than just blue birds in my backyard.  This female housefinch was sitting up on our deck piller...with some "fuzz" in her mouth.  I'm assuming that her and her friend, a male sitting just out of the picture, are getting ready to nest.  I look forward to sharing photos of the other birds that visit our yard over the course of the year.

03.04.09

Blue!

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the blue birds have officially arrived. I snapped this shot this morning...not the best, but I had to make them the topic of today's blog.

I saw both the male and female around the nesting box both this morning and this evening. Last year I created the "Blue Bird Blog" but never posted to it.  I know that the birds will take over this blog, so I've decided to start using it to keep everyone updated on the birds.

03.03.09

Confused?

Chad, my husband, would say that my Mac is confused...does it want to be a Mac or a PC? We had to purchase the Vista license in order to use the yearbook software on my computer. I still haven't gotten used to hearing the Windows chimes on my Mac computer.

On a completely different note...the blue birds have arrived!!! For the first time ever the male and female showed up at the box on the same day! I typically see the males around the neighborhood for about a week before seeing any females...or either of them at the box for that matter. It was late in the evening when I first saw the male. He flew up to the box and checked it out several times. I was a little worried...I hadn't gotten the box cleaned. So, I grabbed the step stool & electric drill and headed out to the box. The pair flew off and it was too late in the evening for them to come back. I'm hopeful to see them again tomorrow...and I'm even more hopeful that the same female has come to nest - for the third year in a row.

03.02.09

Shadows.

I had just arrived home this afternoon and was looking out at the backyard.  The sun was beginning to set...the shadow from one chair on the back of the other caught my eye.

This time of day is my favorite.  I love the brightness of the sun and the casting of the shadows.

03.01.09

First signs of spring!

I was updating www.theteacherscorner.net today and realized that March 20th was the first day of spring.  I'm so excited!

While I was doing my cleaning this weekend (which included filling my bird feeders) I noticed some little green "sticks" coming out of the ground...my mini daffodils!  I also found many tulips coming up as well.  These flowers have a southern exposure so they are always early to rise.  I am looking forward to spring and summer!    

02.28.09

Driving home.

Saturday night was GREAT!  We were able to arrange a last-minute dinner with all the family.  It was a fun evening of visiting and enjoying some amazing steak.

The evening was topped off with most everyone coming over to our place for pool and refreshments.  We've really been enjoying the new basement.

02.27.09

Afternoon sun.

As we near spring, the sun is out longer in the evenings...and I LOVE that!  I was just getting ready to leave school on Friday and I saw all of the dust floating around in the sun.