Quasi-nature lover here

Could it be? Is it really spring? I'm so excited! Of course, if I use the clothesline, it will probably snow... I did finish a very respectable hat recently, just in time for the warm weather =) Into the gift closet that one goes!

Hi, y'all. Things are pretty much the same here. I actually have more time for myself, since drama club is finished. I've been baking bread almost every day, vacuuming when the floor is dirty, checking kids' homework before it's actually due. Yikes! I'm starting to see how lovely my days could go if I'd quit filling them up! I did find a cool musician to share with you all. His name is Jonathon Coulton, and I can't seem to link to the one song I wanted to share, so I'll link his page. If you get a chance, listen to Code Monkey and Re Your Brains. They're so funny, and we sing them all the time around the house now.

We've got nature abounding around the house outside. I've spied two owls when I come home at 4:00 in the morning. I keep interrupting their hunting, but I kind of like the bats, so I'm divided on that one. Guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, and let them figure it out. (Yeah, I know. That's what people always do) We've also had an abundance of snakes around the house, messing up our outdoor playing time. We've seen exactly two snakes, to be fair, but that's an abundance to me. I'll go with one snake to help keep the mice down, but two snakes makes me think there aren't going to be enough mice (what with the owls and such), and the snakes are going to get the idea of moving inside the house. Lots of tasty snacks in here! *shudders*

I start teaching sign language today to 2nd and 3rd graders, as an after-school enrichment program. Arleta teaches knitting, that cool girl. She tried to switch to bracelet making or something, just to change things up, but there was too much demand for knitting. We had such a positive response with the spinning class we taught to the 3rd graders, I think we could do an after-school enrichment class on that some time. There are a bunch of 9-year-olds wandering around with CD spindles and bags of wool at the school. It is a wonderful sight to see!

Teaching Spinning

Tomorrow, Arleta, Melanie and I are teaching spinning to two classes of third graders. They've made their CD spindles and are ready for the wool! We did this last year, and this year we were asked to come up with an introduction about spinning, with the Navaho indians featured in particular. So I've spent the evening reviewing and learning about the history of spinning, when it started, how it came along with people adding better and better ideas. This is the sort of thing I love to read about now. Save your bodice-rippers and mysteries, give me something with wool =) And I always thought that Navajo spinning was more difficult than using a drop spindle, but I think that I get it now, how they work it with running the spindle down their leg for the twist. I'll have to try it some time.

I'll take lots of pictures and let you know how it goes! At any rate, I'm sure that I'll be having a fun time. Working with kids seems to be the direction my life is going in now, what with the drama club, after-school sign language classes and whatnot. I love recognizing that I'm in a good place in my life, with good friends around me. At any rate, pictures and a bunch of spinning coming soon!