Sweet Summertime

Working in a school has definitely had its ups and downs for me...I quit teaching because it got to be too exhausting because of having lupus.  So now just working part-time in the school library still gives me summers off - that's one of the major positives of working in education.  I truly thank God every day in the summer for having the opportunity to be home with Bella and to relax and try to restore my heath.  

Having a chronic illness has taught me that such simple things make the days so sweet.   I'm also learning that things I create with my own hands, things not perfect are also so sweet.  I do love documenting those sweet moments with my camera phone, especially instagram. I know some people say you're missing out on life if you're constantly behind a camera, but I wouldn't say I'm constantly behind a camera - I just sometimes feel such beauty that I can't let it pass me by without snapping a forever picture of it.

The simplicity of fresh-grown mint in a sweet jelly jar, next to a shell perched on the wooden window of my sunroom.

Clouds...I don't even need to say more...I'm a daydreamer and noticing the sky shows me how beautiful life is even when it can be rough as well...

Taking time to just "be" and relishing the shade after a refreshing swim, being barefoot, drinking fresh water with a slice of lemon...

Years ago, I probably wouldn't even take a picture with my feet in it...you know long toes, bunions, but I am now so grateful that I still have these toes, these feet that have both had surgery and are full of scars because they are still getting me places, still letting me walk on the green grass that I so love.

Whether you work all day in the summer, work from home, maybe even create art and life from home, what do you find sweet about summertime? I'd love to hear and be inspired by some of what makes you sigh with happiness at this time of year.

Voting and Education

First I have to say, I am not a political person.  AT ALL.  I don't even watch the news (well hardly).  I'll admit I don't often know what the candidates are "pushing" for (I'm a bit embarrassed, but the news is so depressing, so that's my excuse).  Anyway, education should be one of the first and foremost issues of concern to EVERYONE, even those who have grown children or no children!  These children are your neighbors, your future caregivers.  If they don't get the education they need with good teachers and classrooms that aren't overcrowded, they will affect YOU.  Period.  If they don't know how to read (that's another issue as well--PARENTS--read to your kids A LOT), do you think they're going to be wise citizens?  I'll try to stick to the issue at hand, even though I so want to go off on a reading tangent.  If kids don't have a good education with the right attention they need in the classroom, how is their behavior going to be outside of school?  If their parents don't care about the state of education, what kind of influence do they have on their kids outside of school?  Possibly a negative one.  Well probably, not just possibly.  If teachers are just seen as babysitters who have SO much time off during the summer, our nation is very mistaken.  They need resources to help this nation that seems to be disintegrating.  The American family is in a crisis--really how many parents (and I'm speaking from being a former teacher) truly are involved in their kids lives relating to their learning.  I don't talk about voting often, hardly ever really, but education is so important.  I really don't want a bunch of illilterate, misbehaved, non-consequence kids taking care of me when I'm older.  When you decide to vote, think of how important education is, really.  Things have changed in the past few years in education, for the worst because of budget cuts in schools, and I'm not talking about teacher salaries, I'm talking class size, etc.  What happens in our schools, affects us ALL.