"LOVE COW"

The cows are all paying attention to the man talking about them!

I went on a field trip today with the three special education classrooms to Maple View Farm in Orange County, but instead of just going for a picnic and ice cream, we took the whole tour.  The best moment was on the hayride: touring the cow pasture, the housing area for calves, the milking barn, and the newborn calf pen.   

The kids all liked this, but one little boy that I sat with, was especially enthused.  He had been acting up all day, but during the ride, he was pointing to every animal and vocalizing (he had little speech).  I showed him how to sign the two word phrase "love cow"---a big smile came on his impish little face, and then he signed this frequently--every time we passed a group of them.  This was a cool way to do speech therapy!

This was a great trip---lots of animals, an outdoor picnic area, nice folks, and a cup of homemade ice cream at the end.  I appreciate the teachers for setting this up.

Cool llama!   He didn't even spit at us!

Hey God, Are you there?

This is for Paige, my summer school buddy, who passed away yesterday.

"Angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are
gone."
~Author Unknown

Salamander Art

What happens when a biology major is also an artist?  You end up with the most artistic flashcards ever!
 At UNC Asheville, Vicki is taking a class where she has to memorize species of salamanders. To help her learn the names, she drew flashcards---if it were me drawing them, they would be stick figures.  Take a look at her creations!

I love the zoom-ins for the toes

She drew all the important wrinkles.

The one on the right has a bit of a personality.

I wish I had half her talent!

Time Machine

The kids have grown up so fast!   One minute they were preschool, the next they were adults.  I don't feel that much older, until I look at them, and often think wistfully that I'd like to go back and spend a few days with them again when they were little and cuddly.    

I was housecleaning, and found a box of used-up disposable cameras and rolls of film.  Why they were in a box, I don't know.  So, I sent them away to be developed.   I got the pictures back today, and it sent me back to the preschool days for the twins, elementary for the boys. 

Here are a few of my favorites:

 

 Ben and our first piano, his first year at playing it.  2nd grade here--now 25 years old.

 

Zach 3rd grade (now 26).  Old computer, when the internet was really new.

My favorite picture---Vicki at about 4 or 5. Now 21.

 Andorra's first hairdresser appointment, and she still remembers how much she hated that haircut.

Twins--at 4; now 21

Ordinary snapshots, but extraordinary in their 'time capsule' effect on me personally. 
Time flies, so enjoy every minute of it!