Saturday, September 29, 2007

A Tribute To My Sweet Girl

9 years ago this week the sweetest kitten you'd ever meet meowed outside my front gate. After walking the neighborhood to find her owner we decided it was indeed meant to be me! After letting little Sky, (then about 18mon, now 10! ACK! ) play with the kitty...















We decided she was definitely a keeper! Sky came away without a scratch or bite; nor did we hear a hiss, growl or mew in contempt!





We took a nap on the couch together later that day. That's when she let me know her name was Fern. Her green eyes reminded me of the ferns in the forests of NW that I missed so much here in Prescott.






I knew that I would let her have one litter of kittens, and a year later here they came! I really had no idea when she was due, only a sense that it would be soon. On my way home from work I stopped by Albertsons to pick up a fruit box for her to birth in, and while I was trying to watch my favorite show on TV that night she wouldn't leave me alone; going from her box cave in the bathroom to me and back again meowing and carrying on. Uh like HELLO! I'm in labor here and some support would be nice! Oh yeah, ok! ;-) It was my first birth... what can I say...? Such a good mama she was, always there for her boys.





And soooo cute were they!







This is my all time favorite photo of her since it shows off those beautiful green eyes! and it looks as if it were a professional portrait if I do say so myself. ;-)




And last, but not least... (This is the last picture I have of her. She was fat and happy.) The Abundant Ferna! Helping me celebrate all the cash I saved up to play with during my trip to Portland this past March.


After a long bout with an unidentifiable illness (we think she may have gotten into some chemicals outdoors) Fern passed away on September 7th, at home with me beside her the whole time. She now rests beneath the Cherry tree in our backyard. Blessings on your journey Ferna.

Thanks for choosing me and sticking it out through all the ups and downs we had together. I miss you. I will always love you baby girl.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Mtn. Oak

Thought you might like to have a look at my new home away from home!


The following pics are meant to be a panorama but the confines of the web limit my ability to do that so you'll have to use your own creativity!


The fenced in area with play house is the play space and garden for the Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd graders. Sometimes they need a safe play space away from the "big" kids! We're a K-8 school.

Sand box Gazebo




My classroom is... well you can't really see it, but if you walked all the way down the sidewalk and took a left at the door you see-Kindy, mine would be the next door. So it's right about behind the green trash can you see next to the white sign ;-)







The main level has classrooms for After-School Programs-Me!, Kindergarten, 1st, & 2nd grades. The second level is 3rd-6th, and we have 2 houses next door-more to the right of this picture. One is the Office, and the next one is 7th & 8th grades, and the next house belongs to a Mtn. Oak family! Across the street there are no houses in our block. On the other side of us is a bank so we pretty much run the whole block!! :-)





To the right of the dome play structure are swings and a small b-ball court too.

Of course the pictures don't quite do the whole place justice, but you get the idea anyways... It's very sweet. Lots of flower beds, gardens, trees, soon chickens will join us too as part of the 3rd grade farming curriculum!