Fall

The Colors of Arizona Fall.

One Community

One Community.

December's words were chosen by me and they are: needle, chair, pillow, speech.

Needles I use in my projects.

The chairs in the school garden

my new pillow pet, a gift from a sweet daughter.

A woman who delivers great speeches.

Silence speaks loud

Oftentimes I think I am a poor writer, always struggling with finding words to describe what I see, what I know, what I want.

art by erika 

I believe that words can never capture the essence of what I know to be true. In fact, once words are used, the truth can lose all meaning. So I speak through images, always carting around a camera, hoping to capture the essence of a moment.

One Community

One community.  Ok, so, basically a bunch of people are Kelli followers and joined her in posting pictures about words chosen by one of teh group.

Blue - The Blue of the early morning in Arizona.

Gratitude - I am grateful to have this beautiful dog who loves me so much.

Fun - High school football games, especially the moment the team approaches the stand to acknowledge the band who is there to cheer them on with their music.

Family -  The girl who marches to her own beat made by her own drum...  It's all quietly done, masked so to speak.

I will soon figure out how to have you all see the other participants.
For now check out Kelli.

A Local Landmark

Ask anyone here in Chandler, anyone who cooks, and they will recognize the name Lee Lee Supermarket.

I was looking specifically for scallions but I left with much more: fish, and a bunch of what I call exotic vegetables.  It is a must go to place.

Marching Band Monday Night

This is me passing time on the so very cold stands at Corona during Monday night Marching Band rehearsal.

My Tagine

If you looked at my cook book collection you would know that I like food from far way places.

Having layed eyes on a tagine some years back, I knew I would own one sometime.

I did get one and finally decided to use it.  Maybe it was because I had just finished a conversation with two Egyptian girls and what they ate.

I had a roast.  It went into the tagine with some middle eastern spices.  It cooked for 1 1/2 hours.

I am not sure it was any more tender than if cooked in a different container.   It made a very tasty dinner.

One Community

One Community is a monthly photo project in which participants photograph their homes and community with a theme in mind. The theme varies by month. The goal is to both showcase similarities and differences in our communities worldwide – and bring us all closer together in understanding through art.

                               The words for October are plant(s), bake, orange, and activity.

Plants - They are now growing in the Herb Garden at Corona Grows.

Bake - A simple cake using the blueberries I had in the fridge.

Orange - The color of Corona del Sol High School.  Included in every sports uniform of the school.

                             Activity - Marching.  The Corona del Sol Marching Band marches every Friday night.

About One Community

Dot Day

A teacher friend recently told me about Dot Day.  All because she was purchasing sweaters with dots, which she would use on Dot Day at school.

But Dot day isn't about sweaters. It's about pondering what kind of  mark we want to leave on the world.  Mine is slowly expressing itself in my work with gardens, specifically school gardens.

How are you making your mark?  Check out this website.

Hair

I like hair very much.  I like touching it.  More than most people.

That is all.

Intoxicating elixir

I am constantly on the receiving end of brain stimulation.  Phones, IPads, computers, radio, and my mind travels to far away possibilities and that is how I like it to be. Information is my intoxicating elixir.

One Community

One Community is a monthly photo project in which participants photograph their homes and community with a theme in mind. The theme varies by month. The goal is to both showcase similarities and differences in our communities worldwide – and bring us all closer together in understanding through art.

This month’s words were selected by Rebekah. They are: Work, Gold, Centerpiece, and Balance.

Work -  The girls work hard in the clean up stage in the life of a school garden.

Gold -  Yes, he is gold. The backbone that makes many things in my life possible, even while he is being silly.

Centerpiece - They are the centerpiece of everything I do.  Becoming a better person in order to be a good mother has been a focus of my adult life.

Balance - The bicycle as a metaphor for life.  A family, each a bit different from the other, hanging together, in California, pictured above.

One Community participants include:

Sarah Sarah is a life-long Missourian who shares her home with her husband, two sons, and an old grumpy dachshund. Like every good Midwesterner, she can (and will) talk to you at length about the weather.  Sarah blogs at www.beautyschooldropout.net

Colleen lives with her handsome hubster and two feisty felines in Portland, Oregon. She loves rain and sun (in that order), words and pictures, and chatting up the neighbors. She blogs at: www.underaredroof.com

Rebekah lives in Kilkenny, Ireland with her husband. An American by birth, she’s discovering what it means to be an expat on the Emerald Isle. She blogs at: www.honeysucklelife.com 

Kara is a cheerful nerd living in downtown Phoenix, AZ with her law-studying husband and an anxious pound puppy. She works full time in the mental health field but in her off time enjoys sunshine, great food and the occasional craft beer. She blogs at: www.sunshine-cupcakes.com

Wife and Mom to a houseful of boys in sunny San Diego; word geek and all-kinds-of writer; maker of things both creative and useful. Sue is now blogging again at nobaddays.wordpress.com.

Teresa lives in Massachusetts with her husband, college aged daughter and two crazy cats.  She is a creative spirit who tries to find the lesson, blessing and humor in everything and she blogs at http://laughteramongtears.blogspot.com/

Stephanie is a lifelong Wyomingite with ranch girl roots.  She has her own marketing and graphic design business and in her free time, she enjoys knitting, fishing with her boyfriend, and team roping.  She blogs at: www.nowicanseethemoon.co  

Kelli Kelli lives in Phoenix with her dog, Willie Nelson Mandela. She is a novelist, public health advocate and United Methodist. She blogs at: www.africankelli.com

Eduarda  is a curious, visual creature who believes all pictures tell a story.  She hails from Mozambique, via Portugal and NJ, and now is desert rat living with her husband and two teenage daughters in Chandler, AZ.  She blogs at: http://of-blue.blogspot.com/

I left my heart in Metropolis

Education Innovation Summit

Having the Education Innovation Summit take place right in my backyard made it irresistible and I promptly registered.  I was introduced to the start up world in the education space.  Fascinating stuff.

A panel

A panel

Ava, Media

Mr. Crow,ASU

 KIIP schools.

Small panel

Night view from the pool.

Another panel

 Outside.

1.  Great speaker.

Grand Ballroom for a panel.

I was a bit apprehensive about the choice, but I went and did what I do best - gorge on information and learn all I can.  This was a new arena for me, and a missing piece in my puzzle. 

Despite the fact that most people were there to do business, I managed to run into people like me who are involved in education in some way and needed to know more. 

And did I say it was held at the Phoenician?  Special!