On the Way Home

The days have been getting shorter to the point where I leave for school in the dark and get home in the dark, but tonight I had an appointment so I left school in time to "beat the darkness". I stopped at Long Cove by Sorrento and the water was so calm and the silhouettes of the trees  in front of the remnants of daylight in the west sky so beautiful that I had to post a couple of shots. Right place, right time, and the light was remarkable in this instance. Here are a couple of the shots I got.

Museum and Gallery

Dan & I brought some of our ART students to the University of Maine Museum of Art and to the Lord Hall Gallery in Orono today. It was an excellent trip, with students talking, laughing and really "getting into" the ARTS experience and showing a great deal of interest and enjoyment. Very worthwhile, here are some photos of our experience!

Embracing "Geekdom"

I'm posting here a photo I took yesterday of a young couple in our school. We do have a "Geek Club" here and I find it fascinating that the group has grown and flourished this first semester. Talk about tolerance and acceptance of people and who they are or want to be, it seems that we have a place for everyone! I'm not suggesting that things like bullying or discrimination don't ever take place, but for this blog entry I'm focusing on the positive! Here's the photo!

Saturday Walk

Sometimes contrast is the biggest "theme" I can see in my life. Whether it is over time or simply between two objects or two thoughts, it seems that symbolism and "signs" are all around me. I'm lucky and rich in many many ways.

Where Matt is living now he walks every day, something that he never did when he was here with us, so I offered to take a walk with him this morning. We went up across the street to the "Blueberry Road" and into the woods. It was cold, but good, and we got a nice look at Schoodic Mountain in the background. The barbed wire is contrast.

Staying with Jackson

I came to Portland yesterday for the Educate Maine conference, and so stayed with Jackson and his parents last night. I've had some great time with him and this morning I've been playing with him and his father through breakfast and having a ball!

Now we are going to make some music on the iPad... He is "talking" a blue streak!

12 - 12 - 12

Here's what I was up to at twelve minutes and twelve seconds past twelve today. I missed the first one this morning!

Thank you guys!!!

"On a Rant" Rant

Sometimes we just talk, letting one thing lead to another and another until we realize or maybe don't realize that our emotions concerning a particular subject have taken over and our mind somehow makes all these connections that reinforce the original idea or concept until we become more and more agitated or perhaps engrossed is a better word for becoming excited about a topic that fires our imaginations and causes us to just talk without worrying about sentence structure or even how we might come to a conclusion of our topic.

Here's a drawing I did last night that reminded me of or inspired me to the above!

A Good Day

I had a great afternoon with my son Matt today, and I felt that he had a very good day as well. I picked him up and we went to Bangor just to "play it by ear" and we had lunch at Denny's, cruised the Mall for a bit, and went over to Hermon and shot some pool for a few hours. He always beats me at pool and today was no exception. It didn't matter the game, 8 ball or 9 ball, he won every time.

This photo was taken with the "Hipstamatic" app on my iPhone.

Taunton River Sunrise

I know I've taken this shot before, and at least one from the old "singing" bridge, but the sun was just peeking up through the trees this morning so I had to stop (yes, right on the bridge, but with flashers going) and shoot a shot of the river. Here's one I didn't "miss" as I'm always telling my classes!

Holiday Gesture

I had a somewhat self-conscious Freshman come into my room this morning and offer me a plate full of cookies, saying that this was a gesture his family did for his teachers each year. It made my day on so many levels! Not that there was any kind of expectation, of course, and many students offer acts of kindness regularly, but this just seemed to touch and lift my spirit when it was sorely needed, and what a way to start the day.

I took a quick glance at the plate and appreciated immediately the variety of what seemed to "home-baked" goodies, but it wasn't until I got them home and unwrapped them at dinner with my family that I realized the care and beauty that was embedded in them. Each item was different, exquisitely designed and executed, and delicious! I had to photograph one and post it on the blog to make sure I remember this day! Thank you all very much!