Trekking with Me

I enjoy substituting more than I thought I would.  I like the variety, the flexibility and of course, the multitude of people I meet every single day.  I feel like a sponge at times too, because when you walk into a good teacher's classroom, it is the best education you can get as a teacher.  I pick up all sorts of ideas, insights, and more often than not, inspiration to be that good!   For example, after visiting elementary classes, I am inspired to get more organized, use lots of bright color and add simple structure to my life.  Elementary classrooms are full of these things!  I love the bright colors, the simple lessons, the little chairs and tables and the "town hall meeting" areas: specific areas of the room to gather together, designated by a cool rug, usually a rocking chair is off one corner and the rug has fantastic themes and colors all over it.  Personally, I envision creating a room or place in my home for the little people in my wor...

I am noticing a trend.  Every few days or so, my schedule has a bubble: a sweet surprise of open time and space to float around.  It's unpredictable, so I usually take care of obvious needs - cook something big to provide warm-overs for a few days, clean something, check to see if my laundry is overflowing... and then maybe find time to curl up on the couch for a catnap, some time to listen, process, journal, and maybe blog! Recently I reflected upon the fact that I have not posted anything too heavy or deep.  I commented to a friend that my thoughts can indeed be weighty, yet they are floating down like the autumn leaves.  They need time to land.  And of late, there are so many of them that I am rather bewildered as how to pull them all together into a palatable, conceptual presentation.  They are all loosely connected, falling from the same tree. God is leading me into wonderful new and yes, old, places and lighting me up with understanding. It's a ...

Oh Fall, how I love you.... It's God gift to me to live in South Carolina.  I never thought I would love living somewhere so much.  Sure, people make a place wonderful and God has definitely blessed me with a sweet community of friends.  And, yet, He has also blessed me with delight in the place. Growing up in Florida was great.  I went barefoot most of the time, wore shorts and tanks or my swimming suit 90% of the time and liked it.  But I have to say, experiencing a change in seasons, the sweet smell of spring, or brightly colored leaves falling as you enjoy a walk through the woods or the smell of a wood burning fire wafting through the neighborhood and sometimes a snowfall, is serious joy to my heart.   My wardrobe is definitely growing to meet the need, though I could do with some more warm layers. This Fall was even more accented with a Pumpkin party I co-hosted.  I was inspired by my sister in love in Florida, a native Colorado gal....

Care to join me for a Sunday evening chat with a delightful cup of hot tea?  It's the perfect evening for it.  I recently bought a "Night Time Tea Herbal Blend" tea and discovered it is my new favorite!  It's very smooth, mildly spicy and softly cozy.  Perfect treat as you snuggle down for a quiet moment before bed. Loving Fall, as it has come in it's fullness this last week or so here in Columbia, South Carolina.  It's Fall when you use the blower instead of the mower to do yard work!   I blew off my yard on Friday and it looked like it was in need of another blowing this afternoon.  Instead I gathered up some pine cones and kindling to light up a fire in my fire pit.  A friend stopped by and he graciously offered to finish the process.  We soon had some flames licking up the needles and my flip-flop baring feet enjoyed the toasty heat from a few inches away from the fire pit.  Lovely. So I smell like smoke now, as I drink my Night ...

It's been a beautiful October Saturday.  I sure needed a Saturday.  A friend asked what my average week was like, and I had to admit an "average" week is non-existant at this point.  My new normal is still working itself out.  I am so grateful for work, and enjoy the variety of my days immensely, yet I would not mind a little more stability.  How thankful I am that God is unchanging!  He is my Rock, a sweet refuge to which I continually go.   Today I stayed home most all day and enjoyed a quiet Saturday.  This week I read an article that reminded me that the Scriptures tell us to live quiet lives, by  Donald Miller.   Do a word search on "quiet" and it may surprise you.  So today I embraced the quietness of having the day to myself.  After walking the dogs, and spending time in the Word, I started in on my Saturday housekeeping needs.  It was so nice outside, I opened every window I could: some of the windows in m...

Last week I took Sasha out for an afternoon stroll.  I saw some kids meandering up the street which I recognized as some neighbor kids and greeted them.  I noticed they had a very young puppy on a leash.   After commenting on the pup, one of the kids shyly said, "Uh, Miss Tammie, would you keep this puppy in your back yard?" To which I cautiously responded, "For how long?" No clear answer. Since I am a softie, or maybe a sucker, I said "okay." A week and a half later, look who is starting to feel like my backyard is his home: Let's just say upon further investigation, this little guy was "found" and the boys whom had it on the end of a leash were really not allowed to keep it at their house. Guess who hasn't shown back up to take care of little pup? Guess who has started to get attached to sweet, darling Rottweiller puppy? Guess who has bought puppy food, and a toy so it would not chew up other chewable items in bac...

Hello To those who read my blog!  It's been a few weeks since I returned from Costa Rica.  A new season has begun and I am getting my footing.  No longer a student, I am back to work (substituting) Monday through Friday, embracing what God has for me each day. My new normal is very nice so far.  I like the freedom, flexibility, and variety I have in my schedule.   I have a new appreciation for everything, odd, and random, such as: The order we have in our society.  If you have traveled overseas, you will understand this appreciation. Groupons!  I just returned from a two-hour kayak excursion from a groupon I purchased earlier in the summer.  It was great fun which I enjoyed with my friend, Shayna.  She works with the Navigators and I like her very much. This is her chowing down on her juicy peach for lunch on the water :-) We had a very deep conversation about our favorite fruits, and I most decidedly came to the conclusion that peac...