August 2024

Howdy Y'all

I'll forever be a creek girl.

Curled up with the twisted roots and the ever flowing water; whether it be shallow or mellifluous - still flowing.

The family cow's name is "Chuck"; but brother lovingly deamed him "Vaca" (spanish for cow).

My first ferry ride to the "island".

My mama and her "grandgirl" on her first day of preschool. So proud and so beautiful. *happy tears*

The dads with the big guns at Fort Casey. This was so epicly cool and a highlight of my trip to Widbey Island.

I absolutely adore how the morning light pours into my house and lands on my "pink wall" in the early morning.

Nina and Wesley were playing "Rockstar" at the family party. I love her confidence.

My first pottery class: throwing mud and channeling the same energy from that scene from "Ghost".

Flow, Baby.

Figs are in season...and they are easily my favorite fruit.

I was first introduced to this fruit at a sleepover as a child. The "Hall Family" lived in a big suburban home with a life-size ceramic Dalmatian that held their family dog's ashes. Going over there felt like a field trip and a look into another family's existence. They had so much stuff and so much space; in comparison to my humble upbringing in a 900 square foot home.

I enjoyed my time with them. They were so kind and generous to me...and it was Mrs. Hall (who was also my girl scout troop leader) that gave me my first bowl of figs.

So, now as an adult in my very own little 900 square foot home, I eat my bowl of figs in gratitude for all the love I have experienced in my life and the random opportunities in my day that I get to remember them. And when I do, I send them love and light. Because it is true, that we are the sum of all the people that have ever loved us.

I planted a mix of wildflower seeds at the start of summer. And, this month they came into full bloom.

Triathlon training has me feeling strong, fit, and proud.

I have even adopted a deep love and appreciation for the sweat that collects and drips from my shirt during/after a workout.

For much of my life, I have been unable to sweat "properly" as my skin was perpetually inflamed from my chronic skin disease.

So now, with every drip of sweat, I rejoice in the gratitude of my body finally being able to cool itself down which enables me to exercise and move without a constant ache & itch.

My sweat rings are a sign of joyful victory. And, the first time I truly experienced them, the sweat rings were then commingled with tears. I am so so grateful to be healthy, healing, and in my prime.

My fastest swim to date. Thanks to consistency; that's progress, baby.

Family & Sunsets

Choosing to trust high schoolers with chalk is a dangerous game.

"Bad Girls" by Donna Summer: Disco has been my music genre of choice lately. This song is calling all the bad girls/sad girls to shake and shimmy their cares away to the sound of a perfectly timed whistle. I can't count the number of times I've listened to this song this month. And, if any of yall write music, I think the whistle is under used and utilized into today's music...especially in the bridge section of a song like this one!

"Casio" by Jungle: Some modern day disco vibes that is perfect for your evening cruises around the city. Its sexy, cool, and if I was a disk jockey at a skate rink, this would be on heavy rotation.

"After Midnight" by Chappell Roan: A pure pop song. God Bless. Who doesn't love a song that reminds you to have fun, not take shit so seriously, and that at the end of the day it's all about play.

Your Body's Callin’ by R. Kelly: Now, I know R. Kelly is a total creep and rightfully behind bars....butttttttt, this song is impeccable. A proper R&B song with the silkiest melody. And then those vocals as he sings, "I hear you calling, here I come baby, to save you,/"Baby, no more stalling/ These hands have been longing to touch you".

And oldie, but a goodie.

Good Lord. God Bless.

To play like a child is the honey of life's bark.

Climbing barefoot into my garden after school has become a joyous and muddy routine.

Running views from the coast of Widbey Island.

A sunrise in West Denver. And in the distance (on the left) you can see the infamous "cash register building" (my "popeye/grandpa" helped build that).

I love my neighborhood and the generations of my family that have lived here.

Biking indoors so as to do my "brick workouts". 15 min max speed ride; then jump on the treadmill for a mile run. Repeat that 4 times.

Zoom to see my puddle of sweat.

My first day of school for my 10th year of teaching.

On August 18th, 2015, I wrote these words in my journal:

"Today is my first day of teaching. I'm incredibly nervous...terrified even. But, I know this is a gift - an opportunity - and a new road. I hope I love it, I hope I do a good job, and I hope I serve well. I also hope that I can love well and give back to a place that formed me. Oh, and I wanna have fun. Create fun. Be fun. And give joy. Be joy. But I'm still terrified...but again, I know that this is a gift..and I, in turn, am a gift."

It has truly been a gift.

My screen saver for the month of August is my pissed off niece on her first day of school.

She cried and protested all morning, not because she didn't want to go to her "new school", but because she hated her "outfit". And, I can't blame her. That plaid is dreadful.

I love her persistence, her strong spirit, and her fashion sense. Oh, and I also love how she's mean mugging the camera for her first day of school pic. Mood.

In the river, collecting white rocks for a my river rock mosaic...

The finished product.

It was a meditative experience as I collected and placed each rock. I chose the shape of a heart to communicate the love that I have for this place.

My morning/mourning rock has been my escape for the past two summers. It's been a place of peace and healing for me.

Furtherore, this river, itself, has been a place of love for me.

So, that little rock formation served as a love letter to a place that I adore and that I will have to part from as I transitioned into the school year. Gratitude, once again.

"My heart" was left at the river, but I got to witness so many people stop and admire it. Take photos of it. And hear the little children say, "Look mommy, a heart!".

Scenic Heights in Washington.

My four reads of August

”The House on Mango Street”: A Chicano Literature Classic comprised of little vingnettes about a blossoming girl on Mango Street. One of favorite quotes from this book is:

"I have decided not to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain."

"The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture": Gabor Mate is a prophet in our times. His message concerning trauma, chronic illness, and the emotional toxicity of modern culture is stark, but consequently comforting. I would advise you to check out one of his many podcast appearances to get a taste for his message before buying this book as it will rock your world. My copy is heavily underlined and being slowly digested. If you have ever struggled with your health, whether it be a chronic illness or mental health, then I highly recommend this book. Here are a few of my favorite quotes so far:

“Likewise, trauma is a psychic injury, lodged in our nervous system, mind, and body, lasting long past the originating incident(s), triggerable at any moment. It is a constellation of hardships, composed of the wound itself and the residual burdens that our woundedness imposes on our bodies and souls: the unresolved emotions they visit upon us; the coping dynamics they dictate; the tragic or melodramatic or neurotic scripts we unwittingly but inexorably live out; and, not least, the toll these take on our bodies.”

“far from expressing inherited pathology, depression appears as a coping mechanism to alleviate grief and rage and to inhibit behaviors that would invite danger.”

Unreasonable Hospitality: This was an "out of left field" read that I thoroughly enjoyed. This book followed a young man as he journeys through the restaurant business and his passion for "unreasonable hospitality". I have long lived with the desire to be a "hospitable" person in life, but also in my teaching. Here are some of my favorite quotes from this read.

“Intention means every decision, from the most obviously significant to the seemingly mundane, matters. To do something with intentionality means to do it thoughtfully, with clear purpose and an eye on the desired result.”

“When you ask, “Why do we do it this way?” and the only answer is “Because that’s how it’s always been done,” that rule deserves another look.”

Leading with the Heart: A memoir from the infamous Coach K from Duke. As a former basketball player and coach, I found this read to be nostalgic as well as applicable to everyday leadership. Here are few of my favorite quotes:

“How does a person show respect for anything? He gives it time.”

“My hunger is not for success, its for excellence, because when you attain excellence, success just naturally follows.”

"Too many rules get in the way of leadership. They just put you in a box...People set rues to keep from making decisions."

"The person with the heart inspires the entire team. It's like chemistry. He's the one who makes the formula work -- the one element that sets off the explosive reaction"