Recovering in the horticulture room: an annual gift of cuttings of Christmas Cactus

Christmas cacti cuttings

Last year was a rough year for our Christmas cacti. Overwatering may have done them in. So it was especially nice when my colleague and friend showed up with her plants this year. Once again she allowed us to take billions and billions of cuttings. Great success with rooting and now planted in these bright yellow pots. Caught my eye as I pondered a photo as my teaching week came to an end. Probably the fact that being a UofO Duck alum helped their cause

 

salvia morning; marigold afternoon. A day at work

Morning sun streaming though Salvia blooms at my school

The air was warm. The soil moist. The sun was low. This was the setting as I walked onto campus this morning. The salvia and yarrow in the garden area that surrounds our flag pole was teeming with life. I booted up my computer and went to photograph the moment.

As the day ended, I left my classroom and as I have for the past several months, I walked by a diverse gathering of marigolds. I sat on the sidewalk and caught that moment as well.

Marigolds in the afternoon. The work day was over.

 

 

Two Duets of quilts: design and classroom

Squared Illusion 6 by Gloria Hansen

 

Labor Day Celebration of the work of my grandmother continues. Two duets of quilts spoke to me. The first was all about circles cut through by straight lines.

Behind Bars by BJ Titus of Coatesville PA

 

The second duet had to do with themes from my classroom, science and horticulture.

My Last Nerve by Stacy Hurt of Orange CA

Dancing Kalanchoe by Carol Villars of Apple Valley CA

 

Creeping Back to a Well Kept Garden

Creeping thyme overhanging white wall

Summer school has arrived and though I enjoyed the three week break, the garden took advantage of the time to run in its own direction. Weeds. Dead blooms. Plants in need of support.

So it is a good thing that I asked for more horticulture time this summer and that the temps have stayed low enough to get some gardening in at the school. But back to back to back horticulture classes following a pre-school day weeding session, had me a bit tired out. Each class brought a set of fresh legs while mine grew less fresh. When it was over I drank some water and walked up the hill to some creeping thyme.

I'm not sure why but of all the blooms encountered the last two days, these small flowers asked the most for my attention. Saint Ignatius would say God was conversing with me when those blooms caught my eye so deeply. The desire to respond to a garden in need of attention is a much greater call that I find difficult to ignore. It gets me to the school early to rid the flower garden of weeds and helps me to keep going as those fresh legs enter into my classroom.

Celebrating Plant Diversity: Artist's Acanthus ~> Acanthus montanus

Artist's Acanthus Acanthus montanus

The last time I walked about Longwood Gardens with my camera, I tried to be patient, to wait and see what plants would jump out at me. Artist's Acanthus did just that and now I am trying to imagine a slug causing damage to such a fierce looking plant. To learn more about Acanthus montanus, a plant native to Tropical Africa, check out this site.

Artist's Acanthus Acanthus montanus bloom

 

 

My Horticulture Classroom. Update 3.17.2014

Four Moments from my horticulture classroom update 2.26.2014

From the day Pete Seeger died to the blooming of an orchid.

 

Moments in my horticulture classroom, update 1.24.14

 

 

 

 

Wordlessly celebrating the plants we care for at school

Thoughts on testing my teaching

My students have many a river to cross and on top of that my PA Dutch grammar can baffle the average student. With that said, I can write tests that all will fail or tests on the same material, which all the same students will get A's. Too often us teachers see tests as indicators only on what students have learned. They are also an indicator on how the students were taught. If a question baffles many, then I need to try to teach the material differently or as a friend told me recently ~> ask the question differently.

My students would not be in my classroom if their only problem was test taking. I see this as my goal - to show them that a classroom can be a place that is not traumatic. So why fail them and have them leave feeling the same way about school. The other day in my bio class, I joined them at our communal table. I sat down at their level. I looked at them and said, "You have had a marvelous quarter. You have completed everything I have asked of you in and outside this room." It was the truth, however, I couldn't have said it to all my chemistry students.

"So now I need to see what you have learned in the past nine weeks. I really don't care if you have learned everything. I do care that you allow me to see what you have learned so I know how well I have taught you. You all have earned a fine grade from me. Don't fear this test." Then we reviewed.

The cool thing is this ~> when they are proud of themselves, I can be proud of myself.

Today my horticulture students were given a boatload of flowers and told to create something beautiful. They passed.

 

A lunchtime moment in my classroom

Yesterday a student came in to my classroom. He had reached a level hat gav him the privilege to come to horticulture. His first words affirmed that it is quite the different place. One day it will be another's place to teach. For now, it is mine. And for that I am grateful.

RevGals Five ~ Sneaky and other thoughts

numbers 15 to 21 in my
Wisdom Series

this Friday the Revgals take us here ~ 

Who knew it was the Second Friday of the month?   

Thank goodness something reminded me, but my apologies for the late post.  I have been busy getting ready for Blizzard Nemo (really, 24 inches in Boston?  Why on earth don't I have a snow blower???) and pondering life transitions--oh, but enough about me.  

How about you?  

1) What is sneaking up on you, and what have you been 

thinking about? 

Mosaic Woman and I will have our first show the first weekend in March.  Three weeks to the Owen J Roberts show.  Are we ready to get started again?  We are ready for the chocolate cake served in the cafe.  

2)  What will you have for lunch today?

Lunch was typical for me.  Peanut Butter and some tasty jam on whole wheat, yogurt, and corn chips.   

3)  If you were to get snowed in for two days, and you need to hunker down, what essentials and treats would you store up?

Water for sure.  How about some bread and pastries from some local bakeries.  I think we could survive. 

4) Tell me a story about one awesome thing you have experienced in the last couple of weeks.

At school my students and I experimented with taking a variety of ways to takes cuttings from a begonia.  It worked successfully no matter which way we did it.  The most amazing ones were the ones we placed in water.  One leaf on a long stem.  When we fished them out this week, the roots were nice to see.  But the ring of tiny gem like leaves emerging from the stem right above those roots was a splendid sight indeed.

 

5)  What is your favorite office supply to splurge on? (now 

THAT is random, right?)

Sharpies, which I used to design my coloring pages.

Flower Petal Art

Flower art my Wayne Stratz

Every year I am amazed at the plant art that is displayed at the Philadelphia flower show and while we have explored pressing flowers, I have never handed my students

• a pile of cut flowers
• Elmer's glue
• a piece of cardstock

as any good teacher would do, I was obligated to demonstrate how to do it.  above was my third and final piece of the week.  The students amazed me and the majority dove right into the task and did it their way.

Here is my first piece...

Flower art my Wayne Stratz

and here is my second piece... 

Flower art my Wayne Stratz

Shopping Local: Buying Perlite and Vermiculite at Rhoads

Wayne Stratz in 2007 at Rhoads Gardens

It was in 2007 when I last gave Rhoads Garden a shout out, and what is a bit scary is that most of that time they have been preparing for and witnessing road construction on route 202 where they are located just south of the intersection with Route 63. 

This week in a moment of frustration with myself (Yo fool, you had off for over a week and did you get to Rhoads) I posted something like this on facebook:  "I really really really need to buy perlite." 


So today I supported my favorite local nursery and got myself some perlite.  Why, well at work the aloes clearly desire to be re-potted, the marjoram seedlings need to move on, and seeds will need to be planted.  So I walked through the gift shop and went back into the deserted garden center and re-emerged with 10 paperwhite bulbs, and big bags of vermiculte and perlite.

If you want a variety of plants, friendly staff who love their workplace, and quality gardening supplies:  check out Rhoads. 

The Man of Hope remembers 10 years ago

I know I watched no news that day.  Mosaic Woman and I did not watch TV and we had a dial-up connection.  So here is want I remember:
I remember walking into a building as a class period ended and hearing TV's playing in every classroom.  This was so out of the oridinary, so I asked what was going on:  planes, towers, burning, pentagon...

I took my horticulture students to my room.  Told them to wash up.  Sent them on their way.  Did they watch TV and fill their souls with horrific images?  How many Americans watched and watched...

My next class came inside my classroom.  Buzzing.  I grabbed a packet of Swiss Chard seeds.  And every year on this day when I am told that I must not forget, I remember that packet of seeds and the students wondering why we would go outside and me saying, "I can't imagine a better place to be."

 ...

better than free time

As the meeting stretched out Thursday afternoon, the e-mail entered my brain and took shape. It would point out to my supervisor that by volunteering to help cover a summer club for two days I had not had any prep time in my classroom. I asked for some time on Friday. Then I wrote unless...

I do not go on the weekly summer field trips. I see it as a chance to work with the younger students at the school who go on trips earlier in the week. So as I was sending out my homeroom students to meet up with their trips, I was also aware of a missing student and the presence of a group of younger folk ready to garden. They were being patient as I talked over the situation with my assistant... she would try to locate the missing student.

With my floppy hat in hand, I was one step out the door when the phone rang. I was called to the phone. The missing student was in crisis. A meeting had just occurred with student, residential staff, a nurse, and a therapist. The field trip was out and the student had voiced that she could spend the day with me. ahhhh the unless had arrived.

The student helped me and the younger folk harvest green beans, zucchini, red onions, green beans, cucumbers, patty pan squash, and more green beans for nearly 2.5 hours. Then she ate while I ate during part of my prep time, before it was over the student was back. We washed dirt of veggies and weighed out green beans.

I stepped outside to dump some dirty water and saw my supervisor. She seemed upset. She explained she had worked hard making my request to have a free afternoon come true, then she had gotten a call from the nurse explaining how I had volunteered to take a student for the whole day. As our conversation ended she said something about nice guys losing out. However...

Then I did something I had not done yet this year and much at all the last few years since I had gotten an assistant. The student and I covered the entire campus selling veggies. The student did the talking for the most part when we first entered the room. But then I chimed in and we joked with folk... "You only have ... You never come here first..."

I heard that a lot when I used to go out selling with students. My response to these staff, "Let me paraphrase... You SHOULD always come to my room/office first and if I'm not here, you should not sell anything till I get back," I go on, "However buy our last onions and your good deed may plant a seed which will blossom to get us to come here first next time." She buys one of the four onions.

The president of the school buys the last three and we head back to my room to snack on some more of the lavender brownies that have been fueling us this day. We save one for her good friend who loves them.

as I sent the students, who had returned from their field trips, forth for their weekend, I was tired. But glad for the day. I cut a lavender and rosemary brownie and walked across campus on my sore feet to visit a friend.

peace

how our own laws drag us down

I've been reading about how Jesus dealt with legalism. You know all those shouldnt's that he did. Let Mary hang out by his feet while Martha did what women folk were supposed to do.

I am amazed at how a person chooses to read a psalm can drive my inner spirit into a frenzy. I favor breaking the verses in half so the call and response has the first part of the verse read aloud, then the congregation and myself reading the second half of the verse. It is so clear that this is the BEST way to read a psalm. SHOULDN'T it be done this way. However, most Sundays it does not go this way at my church. We switch at the verse. I swear I am ready to condemn folk to hell for this blatant sin, well maybe not that far, but it could get ugly if my thoughts leaked out of my mouth. Then I read in the Book of Common Prayer that the normal way for my church is the most popular way Episcopalians do such things. So I could throw the whole lot to hell, or relax. I think I am doing more of the latter lately.

On Wednesday a student asked if I had any veggies for them to sell, and I said.... No, but maybe on Friday.

Surprise surprise... he came back Friday and his memory was not that I said maybe. I grabbed a scissors, and headed off into the approaching heat advisory. As I climbed back up the hill, one hand filled with lime basil, the other carrying a bag of basil, I saw a student, who was hotter than the temps outside.

I sent a few students out to sell the herbs and several golden beets harvested on Thursday, and with one hardy student, headed down to take on green bean harvesting. The hot student was still in turmoil. The field trip van was about to pull out, as I approached the scene and asked for one minute. My message was simple, "you don't want the possible consequences. trust me." I almost got him to give in to the legalism thrown at him that morning, but failed.

5 hours later he thought his day had turned out OK. Then a staff member stopped by with a message for the student, I took it. Thought it best to wait till I could chat with him alone. Then forgot.

Which is fine, because I want to make sure I have the message from the administrator (passed down the line to me) right before I chat with the student. A battle of control is taking place. Being low on the chain of command my student needs some wise advice. The other night when praying on my day, I asked God for wisdom when I spoke to my students. I will be asking for the guidance again this weekend...

and most likely many years to come.

emerging from the heat wave

It was 20 degrees above normal for 4 days starting on Saturday.

Mosaic Woman grew up in Edmonton where the average high in July is 72 degrees and humidity is no big deal. I grew up north of here on a tree covered hilltop, not quite Edmonton, but cooler.

So we melted. and I did not blog.

Monday and Tuesday we were told to keep the students inside... I may have grumbled about the weather, but then a mighty wind blew, our power went out, neighbors and candles filled porches, winds shifted to being from the north, and temps fell 10 degrees. I was gifted with two days to garden.

As I climbed the hill away from the garden with a student who helped weed and mulch a bed of leeks this afternoon, I stopped and turned around. "We did well." A wet cool May put us behind but beds of zucchini, sweet peppers, golden beets, purple carrots, leeks, red onions sweet onions, garlic, new zealand spinach, patty pan squash, basil, dill, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatillos, green beans (2 types in two beds).... await our return in July as do the flowers we planted. Tomorrow is graduation.

Tuesday night I awoke wondering what time it was... then the power came back on a bit after midnight. Thoughts consumed my head so I came down to the computer and wrote my speech which I would read to honor a horticulture student at an awards assembly. My practice of examen came to mind.

My speech started joking about how the student points out my gray hair, and ended something like this...

"As I sat writing this speech my mind drifted to the last thing I do each night. I sit and do an examen of my day. Part of that is remembering things to be grateful for in my life. I can truly say that I am grateful that ........ is in my horticulture class."

Sadly the speech was directed to one student as the rest sat in the audience. That night as I did my examen, I regretted disappointing some in the midst of honoring one.

after the deluge

First period came today with a student asking for some fresh air and to see nature. I hand the remote to a student, tell all including my assistant that they will now learn about birds, and grab my camera...




... which I had not taken to the school for a while. at home I discover the flies (click it to see them) on the iris and choose 13 in all to highlight at flickr.

two hours later I climb the hill from the garden and find a student missing. anger builds.

But... the last two nights while doing my examen I have written about the sadness around this student. I ask him to stay as the rest leave for lunch. He moans about his birthday blues. I agree that it is sad.

Then I tell him I too am sad. I am sad that after years of being my best worker he has sunk way down the list. I am sad that he will likely not be back in horticulture and that we are ending with me being angry. I say you wanted out, you stayed, but only half-hearted. I tell him that my desire is to not let these last few months ruin how I feel about him.

He thanks me for the talk.

tonight as I examen my day, I am glad for these two students. And glad for the blessing of controlling my anger which can be terse, oh so very terse.

more thoughts on my job

most proud--

The garden, because it shows the effort, care, and commitment that the students have exhibited over the last nine years. I am proud that my love for gardening and cooking has come together with the students and thus flow into them. I never could have imagined growing lavender from seed, drying the flowers, or making sachets ten years ago. But how amazing is it that I have students who have developed a love for brownies with lavender. Then there is the student, who is all excited about growing his own melons at his home this summer, and he is doing it from seed.

I remember the student who shined in horticulture and I recommended for working off campus. However, he was so nervous he would not go to IKEA. I was asked to go with him to relieve his anxiety. It worked and by the time he left Pathway he was employed at a job, which he has kept. It wasn't with plants, but I am proud of him and all the students who learn a thing or two about being a worker while being in horticulture.

I am proud that through our hard work, we have been able to sell veggies and herbs at a low cost to members of the Pathway community. I try to see this as a benefit to my co-workers.

I am proud that we do all of this while having fun.

needs: what would make it better---

I am in need of time. When I started the program, all my classes were horticulture classes. Then I was asked to teach a science class. Then I was asked to teach another science class. With the sampling class taking another spot, I am now down to three horticulture classes and the students in the functional academic classes do not get the time to be in horticulture as they did before the changes. It is true that opportunities arise in the summer for most of the students on campus to participate in horticulture.

As I write this there are three weeks left in the school year and many activities taking away from time in the garden, so it is clear that my greatest need is time. It is hard to expand the program. It is hard to find room for more students and give them the time they need to succeed. It is hard to help maintain other areas on campus. With time, I could do all these things.