Photo Safari

There are some beauties growing in my neighborhood that put a smile in my heart every time I drive by them. (And since they're right on the main route home, I see them several times each day!)



A lady two blocks away planted these all along the edge of her property and the alley. A whole glorious row of amazing colors!

Phew!

It's been a busy, busy time for me. We got the youngest graduated and are so proud of his accomplishments. I can't believe I'm at that point in life with both kids out of K-12. Now we get him ready to head off to college.

The end of the school year was a blur for me. We ended reading groups, did leveling, then spent two weeks going through record keeping and book room inventory. That last bit was painful only in that I would have much rather had more time actually helping the kids! (Although they did get pretty goofy those last two weeks!)

So, our last day was last Friday, June 1. (We were making up snow days.) I must say that the "bump" process was not fun. Despite having received two excellent reviews from both my principal and the district, everyone still had to endure the bump meeting. Because one of the buildings in the district is being repurposed, all their staff were displaced. Several of them are coming to the building where I work. And I just happened to be low-man on the totem pole...thanks only to having the lowest last 4 digits of my social security number. (4 of us signed contracts the same day. 3 of us were bumped. The tie breaker is your social security number. Not your education level. Not your job performance reviews. Just a random number.)



I have picked up work with the local newspaper again, doing copy and taking photos for the advertising department. I've been working on a Regional Visitors Guide for them. The photo above is of Lake Cornelia near Clarion, Iowa. It was actually taken by my DD who enjoys going out to take pictures. There are a few other special sections coming up that will keep me busy over the summer.

I'll try to keep up a better posting rate over the next few months. Perhaps it will help me establish a better habit for when the school year begins again in August!