graduation

a powerful emotional day . . . letting my kids go ... (part two) . . .today was ann-marie sullivan and my grade six classes' grad. it was a beautiful event - so very fitting, as we let go of such beautiful kids. for each of ann-marie and i, this was also a reluctant and sad letting go of our roles as the grade six teachers . . . i am super-excited that i am going to be a grade 2/3 teacher for the next two years before i retire . . . i've already named my class "the wild things" . . .and ann-marie is going to teach a grade 4/5. we received so many compliments from parents, kids past and present, and colleagues who have admired the work we have done over the past few years.

the pond

stopping by the pond

i ride by this beautiful pond every day . . .

riding for mental health

on the weekend i rode for the Ride Don't Hide fundraiser for the canadian mental health association. too many people i know and love struggle with features of their mental health and need support to get out and do something good for their body. i know from my own experience, that there's such a strong connection between mental and physical well-being.

the ride was a good challenge for my own body - not because of the distance - 30 kms door-to-door - but because i'm still healing up from last friday's crash. luckily i had the company of a rider called dayna. she kept up a good pace. we didn't talk, but it felt good to have some company . . .

on reflection

sunday morning .  . 

miss scruffypants offers her considered opinion . . .

"cats will be required to be attached to leashes" . . . a new bylaw in my city . . .

miss scruffypants profers an offensive digit to the lawmakers . . .

morning river

under a beautiful sky . . .

playful skies

buttercups and vine

summer solstice evening clouds

the moon . . . from my daughter's room

miss scruffypants

my neighbour's cat "soots" who i know as "miss scruffypants", spent the day lounging on my favourite chair on the porch yesterday. here she is striking a pose having reluctantly woken up . . .  moments after this picture she was right back down in her napping position . . . . .

still

daisies

fifty years ago today

i arrived in canada, 50 years ago today. 

we left ringway airport in manchester on a boeing 707. 

my first plane ride. 

i hadn't seen my dad for over a year.

i left behind all my friends. my family. many of my toys, my books, many of my clothes, my dog, the only home i'd ever known.

my dad met us at the airport.

he had a huge car.

a pontiac parisienne.

he drove us near downtown toronto. 

i was awed.

when he brought us to our new home - a tiny two bedroom apartment in a massive apartment building i was equally awed that we had a fridge, a stove, a bathroom with hot and cold water, and everything was new. it had furniture, a balcony, and i could see the don valley parkway from the bedroom window in a bedroom i shared with my brother. 

my dad took a huge risk in going to canada alone the year before. 

he took on the possibility that life there would be better. 

it had to be. we had next to nothing. 

i owe him my life, several times. 

all that i have i have through my work. 

but the possibility of the many kinds of work i now call my life was given to me through he and my mother's incredible decision to leave behind everything. 

thanks mum and dad.

the last grade six annual blue jays trip . . .

i'm home from a fantastic so very awesome day in toronto with my class at the blue jays game!!!! so many great moments. so many stories and best of all . . . being with my kids as they took in an 11-2 walloping of philly by the jays, jammed their faces full of food and pop and laughed themselves silly! the very best of times.

june skies

yard duty under these beautiful, powerful mid-june skies . . . .

peonie unfurling . . .

from holding itself ever so close, to unfurling its beautiful self for all to see . . . .

shadows

shadows under a stairwell . . . .

peonie wings

a little ant prepares to fly on peonie wings . . . .

the long way home . . .

emerging

jackson creek at dalhousie street, peterborough . . . .

blossom puddle

sprinkled

sprinkled with rain . . .

a rainy sunday night

sunday morning

waking to birdsong and rainsong . . .

peaceful . . .

a warm spring evening on the porch with my sweetheart . . .

riding home

under a threatening sky . . . .

this beautiful high bush cranberry blossom . . . . 

under majestic skies

first thing in the morning, out with my class to play ultimate frisbee . . . .

yard duty

under majestic skies . . .