Summer

Brooklyn, NY

Yesterday I spent a lot of time getting around to things I haven't had time to do in the past year, like call the Apple Support line to talk about my computer's battery. I've had no battery charge since last May.

Yesterday evening I spent a good while chatting with a genius at the Apple Store's Genius Bar when the phone support wasn't enough to fix my problem. The genius was very nice and from him I learned that the computer has a cool graphing program I'd never seen before and that you can open several windows at once and make them dance back and forth on the screen. It was a little mesmerizing. I did a better job of watching the swirling, dancing graphs than listening to his advice for what to do with my computer when I got home.

My battery was replaced, all seemed well, and one last check was run on the computer to see if there were any hardware problems. Something was wrong with a temperature sensor. The genius told me that my computer would have to go to repair sleep-away camp for an indefinite amount of time. It could be as long as two weeks.

School starts up again tonight. Eight sessions to go between now and real summer vacation.

Back to normal?

Brooklyn, NY

I've got my life back, at least for a little while. And I'm sick. I guess that's just the way things go. The body held it together while it had to.

My parents are here and we're going to visit the all places I've been working the past 9 months. Today's visit is to the school where I student taught and to my graduate school. Tomorrow the garden. Saturday, the park.

Another thing

Brooklyn, NY

Yesterday I learned that strangers become friendly not only when you are in the company of a dog or small child, but also if you have a grocery cart full of plants. I loaded up the cart with plants to take over to Dan's. I cleared out most of the ones that were blocking the fire escape. Until today.

This afternoon there was one last push to sell plants at the garden. I came home with another dozen or so. They equal another cartload. Another opportunity to meet smiling strangers in the street.

This weekend it's time to start planting what we've got because next week I'm acquiring 60 mystery bulbs.

Good things

Brooklyn, NY

I don't even know where to start. Things are good. Still crazy busy, but overall, good and exciting.

Everyone survived the camping trip this past wekeend. There was mist, there was cold, but there was very little rain. The fog and mist were beautiful. We went on night hikes without flashlights. The seventh-grade students did solo hikes in the dark. So brave, these city kids in the deep woods with only the sound of peeping frogs and rustling trees. Best of all, within 10 minutes of lights out, on both nights, they were asleep.

Yesterday our research group presented our findings to the museum we have been working with since February. I don't know how many pages our whole project is with the appendix. It's at least 100+. Whoohooo! WE'RE DONE.

After the presentation, I rushed back to Brooklyn to go shopping at a plant sale at the garden. I bought a small carload of plants (luckily I ran into a co-worker with a car). My friend Dan is letting me putter around in his backyard, planting things in the ground. Last week I was in his backyard, getting the space ready for planting. Covered in mud and bleeding from close encounters with thorny vines, I couldn't have been happier.

Today I helped at a plant sale where over 3000 children purchased plants. It was hectic but lovely. The sale happens again tomorrow and I'll get to show and tell about plant with the kids before they make their purchases.

This evening I went to Cringe, hoping to catch a glimpse of two of my favorite bloggers. I check in on their lives in a virtual way almost everyday, and it was surreal to have our paths intersect in real time and space. Not only did I see them, but I was able to speak to both of them. Heather and Jon were both very kind and welcoming. I really didn't know if I would be brave enough to speak to them if I had the chance, and I'm so glad I didn't give in to my shyness. It was a good feeling to be able to pass on some appreciation for their work. (Thanks Shokufeh, it wouldn't have happened without you.)

Here's to a good May.



The cherry blossoms are dropping, carpeting the sidewalk.





Peonies are blooming...





...and it's easy to get lost in the petals.

Two weeks and two days

Brooklyn, NY

Still alive and kicking... Two more weeks until
I'll be a normalish person again. May 17th. That's the last huge responsibility deadline.

Tomorrow I'm leaving on a two night camping trip with a group of seventh graders. I've been alternately looking forward to/dreading this trip for 9 months. It's supposed to rain from now till Monday. Yeehaw!

If I could be a tree, I would want to be this one.