Sunrise in Yellowstone National Park. North Twin Lake flashes pink during a sunrise late last week. From the Park’s Facebook page.
More
Archive for November 2014
Twin Lakes 8 comments
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge Leave a comment
One of five national wildlife refuges in Rhode Island, Sachuest Point is a 242-acre refuge that is a popular spot for birdwatching. The refuge is home to the second largest wintering population of harlequin ducks on the Atlantic coast, along with other colorful birds. Photo by Chris Hunter. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 11/8/14.
Point Reyes National Seashore 1 comment
Point Reyes National Seashore. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/7/14.
The National Bird Leave a comment
Check out this handsome pair! Bald Eagles at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Photo by Jeff Bizjak. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/6/14.
Mammals Leave a comment
Fur seals from the Alaska Maritime Refuge. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior on 10/14/14.
Manatee in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/3/14.
Bison taking to the road in Yellowstone National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/5/14.
Sunrise + Milk Way 10 comments
Sunrise over Half Dome, with the Milky Way arched above. Lovely photo by David Shield. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 10/28/14.
More
A Double Rainbow And The Half Dome
The Narrows 3 comments
The changing fall colors in Utah’s Zion National Park. This is in The Narrows, which has canyon walls 1,000′ tall. Photo by Kevin Roland. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 10/26/14.
What I Did On My Staycation 1 comment
Thank goodness MrsMowry came back to us for yesterday’s post after her first 12 weeks in the classroom! I needed a break from the diary format … as I am sure you did, too.
So, the staycation is over and now its time to share the photos of all of the lovely things I did on my staycation.
51 boards.
You love seeing photos of what other people do for fun, yes?
Good. Happy to share.
Click on the photos for enlargements, and note that the measurements offered are approximations only. I was too tired to be more accurate. Good thing I was through in the shop … for a day or three, anyway.
# 22 Cutting Board, $60. Edge grain. Walnut, maple, padauk, oak, and cherry. 16″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Edge grain. Jatoba, walnut and maple. 14″ x 10″.
Edge grain. Sold the only one exhibited on day one. Walnut, oak and purpleheart. 8″ x 12″ x 1″.
# 25 Cutting Board, $50. Edge grain. Walnut, maple and cherry. 12″ x 8″.
Edge grain. Sold the one exhibited on day one. Oak, purpleheart and walnut. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
# 17 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Walnut, teak, and yellowheart. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
Edge grain. Walnut, purpleheart, cherry and maple. 11″ x 9″ x 1″.
Edge grain. 11″ x 9″ x 1″. Oak, purpleheart, walnut and cherry.
# 24 Cutting Board, $50. End grain. Walnut, cherry and maple.
# 32 Cutting Board, $50. End grain. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″. Maple, purpleheart and yellowheart.
# 23 Cutting Board, $50. Edge grain. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/2″. Maple, cherry and walnut.
Edge grain. 11″ x 9″ x 1″. Walnut, teak, yellowheart and maple.
Edge grain. Maple, cherry and walnut. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
# 16 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Maple, purpleheart and yellowheart. 11″ x 9″ x 1″.
Edge grain. Maple, purpleheart, walnut aand oak. 12″ x 12″ x 1″.
# 15 Cheese Board, $30. Edge grain. Oak, walnut, and cherry. 8″ x 10″ x 1″.
# 14 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Walnut, oak and cherry. 12″ x 10″ x 1″.
# 13 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Ash. 10″ x 8″ x 1-1/2″.
End grain. Walnut, ash and cherry. Three sizes, 8″ – 12″ x 10″ x 1-1/4″.
Edge grain. Oak, purpleheart, cherry and walnut. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
# 51 Cutting Board, $60. End grain. Black walnut and cherry. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″ thick.
# 21 Cutting Board, $50. End grain. Black walnut. 14″ x 10″ x 1-1/2″.
End grain. Black walnut. 14″ x 10″ x 1-1/4″.
Breaking the Silence 6 comments
After a grueling 12 weeks in my own classroom, I’ve put some passing thoughts together.
I call them “passing” thoughts because I haven’t had space in my brain for anything more than a passing thought. So here they are…my disjointed, unorganized, all-encompassing passing teacher thoughts.
1. This is really, really hard work. Disguised as easy work. (Don’t tell me our work schedule means we can’t complain. I might have to kill you.)
2. I sleep (usually at 9:00 pm) because I MUST.
3. This is expensive. Who knew classes needed so many things?!? How did it end up being $600 worth of things?!
4. If I didn’t have so many meetings about my students and what I must do for my students, I might have more time to plan fun things for my students. But I need the meetings and I need the information, so this is a pickle.
5. Why did I choose to train for my first marathon right now?
6. Alarm clock is set for 4:00 am.
7. I care too much.
8. I get grumpy easily.
9. Common Core.
10. If you love me, bring me potato chips. All of the potato chips.
11. Kids are hilarious.
12. What can we do to motivate our students? Why don’t they want to be here? Why won’t they try? Is it something I’m doing wrong?
13. Is it always my fault?
14. I miss cooking at night.
15. Sometimes, changing everything you thought is not only a good idea, but necessary. Teaching must be fluid. The class rules can change. The teacher’s ideas can change. The students can change. There is nothing in teaching that can’t change. Maybe it won’t happen now. Maybe it will. Maybe it will happen all at once, or maybe it will happen over many years. But the biggest thing I’ve felt is that the teaching profession is always changing. There is always a new teaching technique. There’s always something that can help out students gain the skills they need to be successful in college. In 8th grade, we are honing those skills. 8th grade. That’s how important college is. And yet…does our society need everyone to go to college? (If you’ve read my first post, you know how I feel about this.)
So I’ve taken this huge step in my life, experienced this huge change…and it just keeps going. I must learn to be fluid. I must learn to accept change. This is my path and my life. My passing thoughts.
Staycation: Day 6 4 comments
So, if you’ve stayed with me through my 6 day staycation, perhaps you’re wondering WHY on earth did I subvert MowryJournal.com to this diary format about woodworking? Two reasons, really:
1. At last weekend’s little boutique, I sold 9 boards. While doing so, I had 2 different people ask me how long it takes me to make a board. I told them the truth (something that I do): “I have no idea.” After this week … I have an idea.
2. This weekend (hopefully as you are reading this!) is the Saugus High School Boutique Fantastique, featuring over a 100 vendors including, you guessed it, Mrs M’s Handmade. This event is in its 25th year, and is noteworthy for 2 reaons: it’s the biggest holiday boutique in our area, and in spite of living in our Saugus home for 24 years and putting 3 kids through Saugus High, we’ve never attended. That will change on Saturday. The Mrs M’s have been making lotions, balms, sprays & scrubs for weeks (New holiday scents! New manly scents!). And since I’m the hired muscle and will be there no matter what … I needed some boards to sell. Hopefully, a lot of them.
So, I needed a staycation.
Time to see what Day 6 will bring me.
8:08a: in the shop. Sanding 180 grit.
9:27a: done with 180, time for 220.
10:25a: 220 is done.
11:13a: plugged in the branding iron.
When the shop door is open, my little Hula Girl always puts a smile on my face.
11:23a: 320 grit is done.
I’ve done marketing for all of my career … and this is what I call branding.
12:25p: branding is done. Clean the shop; load the Jeep.
1:17p: finish the prep.
1:36p: begin oiling.
2:13p: First oil is done. Lunch.
2:50p: Oil rub down on all boards … three times on the end grain boards.
3:30p: work on an upgrade on my second step unit.
4:36p: upgrade done. Oil is saturated on the boards. Take a break.
5:34p: Wax on.
7:08p: Wax off.
7:56p: Done with 14 boards, including non-skid feet and stainless steel screws.
Every flat surface in the shop is required.
When the boards are oiled, their beauty begins to show.
The beeswax/mineral oil topcoat will show the ultimate beauty of the boards … when it’s hand rubbed into the board..
More
