Twenty Words to Live By

Take the challenge!

Write a 5-paragraph essay about the meaning and importance of at least three of these words (introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion).  You can use more than three of these words, if you'd like to write a longer essay.   Include information explaining why it is important to "live by" these words. 20 points extra credit possible. 

Compassion

Cooperation

Courage

Courtesy

Forgiveness

Freedom

Generosity

Honesty

Justice

Loyalty

Moderation

Patience

Peace

Respect for the environment

Respect for others

Respect for self

Responsibility

Self-discipline

Sensitivity

Tolerance

1. Takes notes about  which words you’d like to write about and why.

2. Then decide about which words you'll write about.

3. Take notes about what that words mean to you; give details, examples, facts, opinions, and feelings.

5. Begin your rough draft.

6. Revise your first attempt.  Make your paragraphs blend and flow from one paragraph to the next using transitional words and phrases.

7. Finalize your document, and send it to me as an email attachment. Send to melissa.baker@idla.k12.id.us (for online students) or melissa.baker@lposd.org (for face-to-face students)

Change of Plans

Awesome Guitar Work

A New Piece from Zack

Owed Two Computers

OWED TWO COMPUTERS

BUY LORAINE REXFORD

  

THEE spell check on my computer

Tells WON if a word is an AIR,

I'm SEW glad TWO have this convenience

We FILL BETTOR because it is THEIR.

WEE RING ARE hands when we're worried

ARE spelling may KNOT BEE WRITE,

Webster WOOD TERN INN his grave

TOO NO WEE OUR KNOT SEW bright.

SEAMS the old-fashioned dictionary

Showed AWL the words clear and clean.

SEW what WOOD WEE DUE without it

           TWO SEA if words say what WEE mean?


(For extra credit, use your brain to correct the items the computer can't. Send your brain-inspired corrections to me as an email attachment.)

Use melissa.baker@lposd.org (if you're one of my face-to-face students).
Use melissa.baker@idla.k12.id.us (if you're one of my online students). 

Have fun! 

Live Office Link

Here's the link to get to my Live Office, every Thursday, 5 pm Mountain Time (which is 4 pm Pacific Time up north).  Link is below.  Sometimes doesn't show up until you put your cursor over it.

Baker's Live Office

Brian Jacques

Spooky story by Brian Jacques today in Live Office. 5PM Mountain Time, which is 4PM Pacific. 

Edgar Allen Poe at Lake City Playhouse

Anyone up for a road trip to Coeur d'Alene?  Great event this Saturday night, October 19, 7:30pm.  A dramatic evening with Edgar Allen Poe at Lake City Playhouse.

Lake City Playhouse

It costs $15.  Want to car pool?


Students, 20 points extra credit if you attend and write me a brief summary of the pieces presented and your impressions of the performances.  I know it's a long way to drive, but your parents will love it, too (if they drive you!).  I'm going!  Hope to see you there!

Writing Challenge: Write a long sentence!

 Write a long sentence! Make sure it makes sense.

Here are some techniques you can use to lengthen your sentences: add modifying phrases, connective phrases, adjectival phrases and clauses, adjectives and adverbs. 

For 10 points extra credit, write a really long sentence.  Type it up, and email it to me at melissa.baker@lposd.org

Here is an example by Robert Louis Stevenson, from his dedication at the beginning of Kidnapped, 1886.  He is discussing his novel.

“This is no furniture for the scholar’s library, but a book for the winter evening schoolroom when the tasks are over and the hour for bed draws near; and honest Alan, who was a grim old fire-eater in his day, has in this new avatar no more desperate purpose than to steal some young gentleman’s attention from his Ovid, carry him awhile into the Highlands and the last century, and pack him to bed with some engaging images to mingle with his dreams.”

I bet you thought “avatar” was a new word created with the digital generation; but no, Stevenson used in it in 1886!

Think Before You Post

Reputable employers run background checks on perspective employees which now include checking Facebook pages and blogs. 

What a person posts shows a great deal about his/her character. 

Recommendation: Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see/know. 

Competition for jobs today is intense. Why give a potential employer an excuse to hire someone other than you?

Extra Credit - Book Talk

Here’s another extra credit opportunity. Do the following, and post here on my blog, or send me your comments as an email attention.  10 Point E.C.

Book Talk Outline:

1. Characters
   1. Who are the major characters in the story?
   2. What are their relationships to each other?
   3. List 3 character traits for each major character.  One can be a physical trait, but the other two must be personality traits.
2. Setting
   1. Time (future, modern day, a year in the past…?)
   2. Place (Describe the physical location in approximately 5 sentences.)
3. Mood and Tone
   1. What is the atmosphere or emotion in the story?  Does it change throughout the story, or is it usually the same?
   2. What is the writer’s attitude toward the subject?  (Familiar, ironic, playful, sarcastic, serious, sincere…?)
4. Point of View
   1. Is the story told in first-, second-, or third-person?  Is the narrator limited in knowledge or omniscient?
5. Conflict
   1. What is the major conflict in the story?  Is it internal or external?
6. Plot
   1. Plot is the events that happen in the story.  Since you don’t want to retell the whole story to us in this assignment, and you may not have finished reading yet…Write a 3-paragraph summary that could go on the back cover of the book.  DO NOT COPY THE ONE ALREADY ON THE BOOK YOU READ! 
   2. Your new summary should list the characters, setting, conflict, and then fill in some necessary details to tell me what the story is about.  Make me want to read it!  Leave me in suspense…

Some Reasons for Writing from Anne Lamott

Bird by bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott

Some key points from the introduction. 

“Every morning, no matter how late he (my father, the writer) had been up, my father rose at 5:30AM, went to his study, wrote for a couple of hours, made us all breakfast, read the paper with my mother, and then went back to work for the rest of the morning.”

“One of the gifts of being a writer is that it gives you an excuse to do things, to go places and explore.”

“I understood immediately the thrill of seeing oneself in print.  It provides some sort of primal verification: you are in print; therefore, you exist.”

“I suspect that he (my father) was a child who thought differently than his peers, who may have had serious conversations with grownups, who as a young person, like me, accepted being alone quite a lot.  I think that this sort of person often becomes either a writer or a career criminal.”

“Do it every day for a while,” my father kept saying.  “Do it as you would do scales on the piano.  Do it by prearrangement with yourself.  Do it as a debt of honor.  And make a commitment to finishing things.”

“The months before a book comes out of the chute are, for most writers, right up there with the worst life has to offer… totally decompensating.”

 “December is traditionally a bad month for writing.  It is a month of Mondays.  I simply recommend to people that they never start a large writing project on any Monday in December.”

“When my (writer) friends are working (on their writing), they feel better and more alive than they do at any other time.”

“But I still encourage anyone who feels at all compelled to write to do so.  I just try to warn people who hope to get published that publication is not all that it is cracked up to be.  But writing is.  Writing has so much to give, so much to teach, so many surprises.  That thing you had to force yourself to do – the actual act of writing – turns out to be the best part…  The act of writing turns out to be its own reward.”

Tips for Online Success

Tips for Online Success

---

As the facilitator of an online course, it is important that you clearly communicate your expectations to your students. In your online course, you may want to include reference links to resources and tips for your students to use to help them be more successful online learners. Here are some tips for success that you should share with your students:

1. Take full advantage of online conferencing.
   Whatever you can do to avoid feeling isolated is extremely important, and participating in online conferences will give you access to other students who are taking the same course as you at the same time.
   
   
2. Participate!
   Whether you are working alone, or in a group, contribute your ideas, perspective and comments on the subject you are studying, and read about those of your classmates. Your instructor is not the only source of information in your course—you can gain great insight from your peers and they can learn from you as well.
   
   
3. Take the program and yourself seriously. 
   Elicit the support of your colleagues, family and friends before you start out on your online adventure. This built-in support system will help you tremendously since there will be times when you will have to sit at your computer for hours at a stretch in the evenings and on weekends. When most people are through with work and want to relax is most likely when you will be bearing down on your course work. It helps to surround yourself with people who understand and respect what you are trying to do.
   
   
4. Make sure you have a private space where you can study.
   This will help lend importance to what you are doing as well. Your own space where you can shut the door, leave papers everywhere, and work in peace is necessary. If you try to share study space with the dining room or bedroom, food or sleep will take priority over studying.
   
   
5. Become a true advocate of distance learning.
   Discuss the merits of the process with whoever will listen. In order to be successful in this new educational environment, you must truly believe in its potential to provide quality education which is equal to, if not better than the traditional face-to-face environment. In discussing the value of online learning, you will reinforce its merits for yourself.
   
   
6. Log on to your course every single day.
   ….or a minimum of 5-6 days a week. Once you get into the online conferencing system, you will be eager to see who has commented on your postings and read the feedback of your instructor and peers. You will also be curious to see who has posted something new that you can comment on. If you let too many days go by without logging on to your course discussion group, you will get behind and find it very difficult to catch up.
   
   
7. Take advantage of your anonymity.
   One of the biggest advantages of the online format is that you can pursue your studies without the judgments typical in a traditional classroom. Unless you are using video conferencing, no one can see you – there are no stereotypes, and you don’t have to be affected by raised eyebrows, rolled eyeballs, other students stealing your thunder, or people making other non-verbal reactions to your contributions. You don’t have to feel intimidated or upstaged by students who can speak faster than you because you can take all of the time you need to think your ideas through and compose a response before posting your comments to your class.
   
   
8. Be polite and respectful.
   Just because you are anonymous, doesn’t mean you should let yourself go. Remember, you are dealing with real people on the other end of your modem. Being polite and respectful is not only common sense, it is absolutely obligatory for a productive and supportive online environment. In a positive online environment, you will feel valued by your instructor, valued by your classmates and your own work will have greater value as well.
   
   
9. Speak up if you are having problems.
   Remember that your professor cannot see you, so you must be absolutely explicit with your comments and requests. If you are having technical difficulties, or problems understanding something about the course, you MUST speak up otherwise there is no way that anyone will know that something is wrong. Also, if you don’t understand something, chances are several people have the same question. If another student is able to help you, he/she probably will, and if you are able to explain something to your classmates in need, you will not only help them out, you will reinforce your own knowledge about the subject.
   
   
10. Apply what you learn. Apply everything you learn as you learn it and you will remember it more readily. If it is possible, take the things you learn in your online course today and use them in your workplace tomorrow. Also, try to make connections between what you are learning and what you do or will do in your job. Contributing advice or ideas about the real-world as it applies to the subject matter you are studying helps you to internalize what you are learning, and gives valuable insight to your classmates who will benefit from your experience.
11. From Illinois Online Network

The Hunger Games -- Extra Credit

Have you read the novel The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins?

If so, answer these questions for 15 points extra credit!

The Hunger Games – Discussion Questions

1. How does Katniss feel about the country of Panem? Why does she need to make her face “an indifferent mask” and be careful what she says in public?

2. Describe Katniss’s relationships with Gale, with Prim, and with her mother. How do those relationships define her personality? Why does she say about Peeta, “I feel like I owe him something, and I hate owing people”? How does her early encounter with Peeta affect their relationship after they are chosen as tributes?

3. How does the fact that the tributes are always on camera affect their behavior from the time they are chosen? Does it make it easier or harder for them to accept their fate? How are the “career tributes” different from the others? 

4. Why are the “tributes” given stylists and dressed so elaborately for the opening ceremony? Does this ceremony remind you of events in our world, either past or present? Compare those ceremonies in real life to the one in the story. 

5. When Peeta declares his love for Katniss in the interview, does he really mean it or did Haymitch create the “star-crossed lovers” story? What does Haymitch mean when he says, “It’s all a big show?  It’s all how you’re perceived”? Why do they need to impress sponsors and what are those sponsors looking for when they are watching the Games?

6. Before the Games start, Peeta tells Katniss, “ … I want to die as myself … I don’t want them to change me in there.  Turn me into some kind of monster that I’m not. ” What does this tell you about Peeta?  What does he fear more than death?  Is he able to stay true to himself during the Games?

7. Why does Katniss ignore Haymitch’s advice to head directly away from the Cornucopia? Did she do the right thing to fight for equipment? What are the most important skills she has for staying alive? Her knowledge of nature? Her skill with a bow and arrow? Her trapping ability? What qualities of her personality keep her going? Her capacity for love? Her intelligence? Her self-control?

8. Why does Peeta join with the Career Tributes in the beginning of the Games? What does he hope to gain? Why do they accept him when they start hunting as a group? Why do groups form in the beginning when they know only one of them will be able to survive?

9. What makes Katniss and Rue trust each other to become partners? What does Katniss gain from this friendship besides companionship? Is Katniss and Rue’s partnership formed for different reasons than the other groups’?

10. Discuss the ways in which the Gamemakers control the environment and “entertainment” value of the Games. How does it affect the tributes to know they are being manipulated to make the Games more exciting for the gamblers and viewers? Does knowing that she is on live TV make Katniss behave differently than she would otherwise?

11. When does Katniss first realize that Peeta does care for her and is trying to keep her alive? When does she realize her own feelings for him? Did Haymitch think all along that he could keep them both alive by stressing the love story? Are they actually in love?

12.What do you think is the cruelest part of the Hunger Games? What kind of people would devise this spectacle for the entertainment of their populace? Can you see parallels between these Games and the society that condones them and other related events and cultures in the history of the world?

13. In 1848, Karl Marx wrote in The Communist Manifesto, “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” Discuss this statement as it applies to the society and government of Panem. Do you believe there is any chance to eradicate class struggles in the future?

14. Reality TV has been a part of the entertainment world since the early days of television (with shows such as Candid Camera and the Miss America Pageant), but in the 21st century there has been a tremendous growth of competitive shows and survival shows. Discuss this phenomenon with respect to The Hunger Games. What other aspects of our popular culture do you see reflected in this story?

Extra Credit: Discuss a Quote

Hi Awesome Students!

Please use this website to earn up to 15 points extra credit.

Brainy Quote

1. Click on an author’s name.
2. Choose a quote that seems interesting to you and meaty enough to write about.

3. Write three paragraphs about what the author meant with this quote, and why you find it interesting, and how you can apply this quote to your own life to benefit from this writer’s knowledge.

Baker's Life List

Greater White-fronted Goose (in the background)

Here's our "Life List" as of today, 10/8/13.  I'd love to push it over 300.  Maybe this fall during migration.

 We went up to British Columbia for a short trip this weekend, and went to the Creston Wildlife Management Area. The best bird we saw there was the Greater White Fronted Goose.  Actually, we saw hundreds of them!  Creston WMA has the greatest concentration of migrating Greater White Fronted Goose in all of Brittish Columbia.

Hairy Woodpecker

Even though it's only 100 miles away from here, the Greater White Fronted Goose does not stop here in North Idaho on it's migration south for the winter (or on it's migration north in the spring).  We didn't get close enough to get a good photo, but we did get close enough to see their orange feet and legs!
Another thing we noticed was the craxy way the flocks come in for a landing.  They glide in and then flip sideways and drop lower, then flip sideways again.  It was very cool!

Anyway, here's the list as of today.

Red-winged Blackbird

Students who want extra credit, choose one of these species to research and write an informative report about (min. five paragraphs), for 20 points extra credit.  Click on the link below to see the list.

Baker's Life List

Beaver Chews

Hairy Woodpecker

Kayaking Dover Bay

I got the stitches out of my hand (from the carpal tunnel surgery) on Thursday. Doc said I was good to go kayaking.  So on Friday after work, we paddled starting at the Sand Creek kayak launch around City Beach and a couple miles toward Hope.

Birding via kayak!

Snack time on the Pend Oreille River.

Today, we put in at the Dover Bay boat launch and paddled around there for a few hours.  Beautiful day.  I wish the warm weather would last a little longer.  I'm not ready to put the kayak away yet, since we really just started, and then I couldn't go for two weeks.

Don wants to kayak when it's colder, anyway.  We want to see some migrating birds from water level!

The Baker's Oven

SMS Introduction

SMS Baker Introduction

Above is the link to a brief introduction about me for my Sandpoint Middle School students.  Students from Idaho Digital Learning Academy may want to view just the first two minutes or so, to get to know me a little better.  (The link may not show up until you hover your curser on it.)

Taking the Kayak Plunge

After a few lessons and a lot of research, we took the kayak plunge.  Lots of fun so far.

Summer's Over

Bergen, Norway

So, my Summer Journal idea worked for a few days of summer... Then I guess I was having too much fun to set at my computer.  I must admit, it has been a great summer without working and without having to sit on my computer every day to do work.  Most of the time on my computer was looking at bird photos, Facebook and emails.  Very fun computer activity this summer.  Just not as much of it as in past summers, which is also good.

Plus with this carpal tunnel thing going on, typing has not been really "comfortable."  My middle finger and my thumb on my right hand are just tingle-blobs. I have done the "nerve conduction study" in Coeur d'Alene, and go back to see DeBenedetto on Monday, hopefully to set up a date for the surgery.  The left hand is not so bad.  Mostly numbness in my middle two fingers there.  I am hoping I can put off that surgery until the beginning of next year.

Kittiwakes

So the "Big Event" this summer was traveling to Norway.  Here is a link to a 7-minute "Windows Movie Maker" view of some of my pictures from the Arctic Circle (mostly.) (The link is below here, but you may not be able to see it until you rest your curser over it.)

Images from Norway

It was such a great trip.  Don really enjoyed it too, which I was a little worried about at first.  I know he would enjoy the birding days, but I'm really happy that he enjoyed all our days.  Spending time with my friends from 35 years ago was so great for me, but also for Don.  It really made our trip to Norway wonderful.  Solveig took both of us under her wing, just like she did for me all those years ago when I was an exchange student my senior year of highschool.  But the rest of "the gang" was so welcoming and kind to us as well.  It's hard to know how to thank someone for kindness like that.

We also had a chance to stop by London and visit with my sister and her husband for a few days.  We also

Birding Buckinghamshire

visited with her kids, and Toni set up a bird watching day with two expert birders from her area.  Fun times.  Stand up comedy at the "Comedy Store" was another fun event, and we visited the "Tower of London."  Thanks to Toni and her family for a great visit there!

The secondary event which took so much time was revamping our entire front yard, gardens, etc...   For a non-gardner, that was something.  But it's finally done.  Last weekend we bought the gravel for the two little paths we added, and we got those all filled in.  It was a lot of money, re-doing all those gardens.  I hope it will pay off in the long run.  The pay-off hopefully being garden areas that need less upkeep.

Additionally, I took four classes this summer, two here in town, and one in the Boise area.  After that class I drove over to Vancouver, WA, to visit with my brother and his wife, Miller and Stormi.  The last class was

at the Human Rights Center in Coeur d'Alene.   "Integrating Human Rights into Reading and Writing."  Lots of great ideas there, too.  Hopefully I'll be able to incorporate the material from these four classes into my teaching this year.  Always looking for ways to become a better teacher!

Overall, it's been a great summer, and I'm almost ready to head back into the classroom!  I have to be back officially on Wednesday, 8/28, but have already been in a few times.  I'll probably go in on Monday and Tuesday also, a little longer each day.  I find it easier to work up to a full day schedule after being off all summer.  It also helps me feel more prepared for the opening of school!

Last Step (I Hope!)

Friday, July 5, 2013 - Well, we've been working like dogs planting and blacking and rocking and barking, but we're almost finished!

The last step (I hope!), is blacking these paths we made, and filling them in with rock.  We might pick up the rock today.  Here's the link to the four pictures of the path: The Paths

Grass has come in!

Thursday, 6/27/13

So, Wednesday I finished my IDLA Professional Development.  Woo-hoo! And now I'm free for the rest of the summer!  Tuesday and Wednesday I also finished putting the black fabric around the new trees in the front yard, and the cherry tree.  I thought I wouldn't be able to carry all the bags of "Mexican Pea Pebbles," but I was.  14 - 40 lb bags on Tuesday and 10 bags on Wednesday (I did not go to the gym those two days)!  So I'm going to take some pictures when the sun comes out and I'll post our improvements.  The grass is coming in pretty well now.

 I think as soon as it dries out Don's going to mow it for the first time.  It's been about a month since they planted it.  Don wants me to do the rocks around one more bush at the corner of the front yard.  I think I'll wait until it dries out a little more.  It's rained every day for about  week now, which has been awesome for the lawn!  It's supposed to get up into the high 90s by this weekend and early next week, so, I'm glad the grass has had a chance to get going before that hits!

Don and I have been watching Downton Abbey in the evenings, getting the DVDs from Netflix, and we've really been enjoying that show.  Yesterday I also took a nap for an hour and read my book, The Recessional, by James Michener, for about an hour. It is the book for our book club which meets the second Monday of each month.  So far I'm enjoying it.  It is about a retirement complex in Florida.  It makes we think about my mom and her retirement experience, and it makes me think about making plans for our own retirement (of which we have none at this point).  I have the bird photo book to work on, and a lot of photographs to edit and upload.  I'm sure that alone could keep me busy all summer!

This morning I was back at the gym.  The first goldfinch of the season showed up in our backyard also this morning.    And I saw our neighborhood merlin flying overhead with a captured bird in his claws!  Today, I thought I'd do some financial work, and other than that, I don't know.   This is the point when I think I should start to make lists for myself every day, so I don't end up sitting here doing nothing all day.

Well, I did sign up for another professional development that will be early in August.  I'll have to travel to southern Idaho for it, but I think that will be good.

Mom Eckhaus is going to come up Aug. 8 for a week, so that will be great company. Ok, outside again to take pictures of the yard and gardens!  So the real reason I need these pictures is because I have problems.  All the dirt areas are new.  I went to Northland Nursery to get advice, and we decided I better bring in pictures.  Most of the garden will be in shade, with some having about half sun (very front of the house).  I need help!  I am so NOT a gardner!

Here's the link to this photo album with our new improvements and the problem places I need help with (link doesn't show up until you hover over it):  Gardening Improvements and Problems

Digital Footprint

As part of my IDLA professional development, I need to blog a post about my understanding of the digital footprint or image a person creates with their online activities.

Fortunately, I have tried to be careful with what I post, that is it always school appropriate, and presents a positive image.  I'm sure I have failed at this sometimes, but I try.  I have changed my Facebook account to be a "teacher" account, so that my students can use it to get in touch with me, and even access extra credit assignments.  I have also used a tumbler account (for two years) and this blog (as of the new school year 2013-2014) to post extra credit opportunities for students.

Pretty much every time I post, I have to ask myself this question, "Is this something it is okay for 'the world' to know?"  Recently, I have deleted some more personal posts and changed some of my personal information (birth date) from facebook and Google+ to cut down on the risk of identity theft.  I guess that worries me more than other people finding out about me.

I did do the Google search of myself to see what came up.  My name is pretty common, so there were so many Missi Bakers and Melissa Bakers that it would be hard to choose me if you didn't already know quite a lot about me.  I did find myself, however, and using the Pipl search engine, It connected me to two of my family members.  That was a little weird.

Anyway, I will continue to try to be vigilant and only post information that I don't mind other people knowing.  I'm not a privacy fanatic anyway, but I do believe it is important to be cautious and careful, and informed about the potential effect of my digital footprint.  It is important to pass this information on to students as well.

Lewiston Trip

Monday, 6/24/13

As far as doing this every day, that's not working out.  How about I just make sure I go back and review the days I miss?  So far today I played some games on my tablet and went to the gym.  My third load of laundry is in, and I watched the daddy flicker and the two juveniles snacking in the back yard for a few minutes.  It is so cool the juveniles are here.  I hope they stick around!  They don't seem to know how to get to the suet yet.

Thursday I played on my computer until noon, did some laundry, and I think that was about it.  I did not feel good about the use I made of that day.  It was raining all day.  I think I reviewed some photos from our California trip over Christmas break that I still haven't finished.  I do need to finish that!  One of my goals for the summer is to complete our first bird online scrapbook.  That will take a lot of time.  I need to finish this IDLA online professional development first, however.  I worked on that some on Thursday evening.

Friday I spent all day digging holes and planting shade plants in my gardens.  I was out there about 8 hours.  It made me realize exactly how out of shape I am.  That was the hardest physical work I've done in a long time.  Watched Lincoln that evening.

Saturday we went to the gym, and then decided to do an overnight birding trip.  We headed down to Coeur d'Alene, and then went east to the Chain Lakes/Lane Marsh area.  Here's a dark-eyed junco from our first stop.

Dark-eyed Junco

Western Tanager

And it seemed like everyone in the whole world had seen a western tanager besides us, so I was so thankful (and amazed!) when we finally saw our first western tanager down there at Killarney Lake.  True to form, after this first one, we saw two or three more on our trip. At the same spot we also got to see this spotted towhee.  We've seen them a few times, but this is the first one this year.

Spotted Towhee

We followed Highway 3 to Highway 6, stopping at several places, and ended up in Moscow for the evening.  Sunday we drove further south to Lewiston.  We went to the North Lewiston Sewerage Treatment Plant, and then headed out to Hell's Gate State Park.  We were disappointed with the park, although we saw a new species, Western Kingbird, and several other fun birds.

Hell's Gate Entrance

On the way home we drove a scenic loop over Skyline Drive in another state park which name I don't recall now.  It was pretty, but not so many birds.  Two turkeys and several Swainson's Thrush, and a few others.  I'm going to posts the lists on eBird, and then I'm going to try to link it here.

I talked to Don a little last night about how summer is actually hard for me, if I'm not working.  It's hard to adjust to a schedule, when there is no schedule, no accountability, no "job" to do (besides the cooking and laundry...)  It's crazy, because I should be the happiest I ever am when I'm on this extended break.  But mentally, I just have a hard time getting used to it.  I think I could spend all summer driving around and shopping for clothes or plants or food or whatever.  And I like traveling.  We have this big trip to Norway coming up with is awesome to look forward to.  Lots of planning there.  And I'd like to brush up on my Norwegian.  Anyway, maybe I'm stifled because I've got this class hanging over my head... so let's get it done!

Time to work on my IDLA professional development class.

Tuesday, 6/25.  Had a great working day yesterday.  Finished about half of the professional development class, and played around with some more photos.  Here are a few more birds from our trip.

Song Sparrow

California Quail

Osprey with young

Western Wood Pewee

Raining Again

Thursday, 6/20/13 - To finish yesterday, after going to the gym, I drove down to Coeur d'Alene and went to Macy's for a few things.  Then met Zack at Meltz for half a Simpleton.

 From there I went to Costco for gas and groceries.  I was on my way to Northland Nursery when I called Gretchen to see if she'd like to come along.  She recommended I go to Lowe's in Spokane Valley to pick out some plants (lower prices), so that's what I did.

So, now I  have bout 20 holes to dig!  Since we put in the new lawn, TurfCare expanded my gardens, too, which is kind of the bad part about getting the new lawn.  I'm really not a gardener.  So anyway, now I have to fill up all the new spaces.  They also circled our trees with edging, so we are going to fill three of those with river rock, and the other two I'll plant some of the plants I got yesterday.  Got some vinca for under the one that is the driest and gets the most sun.  The other one is in the shade all day, so got some shade plants for there, and a couple of those tallish barberry bushes.

However, due to the heavy rain and wind, I won't be planting this morning.  It's supposed to lighten up a bit  this afternoon, so I might be able to dig my holes then.  I'd like to at least get started.

The other thing I need to get started on is my IDLA class.  I've put it off for four days...  Time to stop procrastinating, which I will do, right after I go to the gym.  :)

I've seen the Eurasian Collared Doves in our backyard these past two days, under the Cedar tree!

Napping, a goal?

Wednesday, June 19 - Unless I do this every day, I'm going to be backtracking every day.  We'll see.  I did consider getting on last night, but I had just spent three hours going through photos from our California trip, and I didn't feel like being on the computer any more.  I had never gone through them since as soon as I got back I had so much going on (online endorsement portfolio, journalism class revision, two online classes, and regular 7-4 job at SMS).  Anyway, there were 1100 pictures in one of the folders, since we went to three NWRs that day.  I've got them down to about 750 pics.  I like to edit them down and crop before uploading them to the web with Picasa.

Going back to Monday, I did go to the gym, then read my book for awhile to try to finish it for book club that night.  The Deep Dark, about the Sunshine Mine disaster in 1972.  I think that would be a good book for my class to read, since it is right here in North Idaho.

 Very well-written, I thought, interesting and of local significance. I went to the grocery store to get hamburger buns for Book Club (got a few other things, too). I didn't finish it before book club that night. After reading for an hour or so, I took an hour nap, and then read for another hour before heading out.

The Baker Bus picked up Joann at 4:50PM, then zoomed over to Amanda's house for a 5:00PM pick up, and then stopped at the corner of Sagle Road and Hwy 95 to pick up Teddy.  Then another 1/2 hour to get to Mary's cabin on the lake.  It was an adventure!  I think the last time I drove down there I used the truck, and probably should have this time.  Very narrow track.  A good book club night.

Yesterday, June 18, 2013, was not such a successful day. I did not go to the gym.  Monday I had thought to go down to CDA on Tuesday, but didn't get out for that either.  I did accomplish taking another nap yesterday.  Apparently napping is an activity I can always work in.  I did a lot of laundry yesterday, and watched some of the French Open tennis match I had recorded a couple weekends ago.  I also got on ebird and added another list from last year.  When Don got home, I was working on that, and I think we completed the Kern NWR list from our California trip.  The trip home, Jan. 5 or 6.  We also stopped at Colusa and Sacramento NWRs.  Those were the images I was going through last night.  I need Don's help to finish those lists.

So, today I am going to the gym, and might go down to CDA, to Costco, and maybe clothes shopping.  It's raining, and is supposed to keep raining all day.

Summer Journal

I decided that I don't want summer to disappear without me knowing what I did.  So I am going to keep a little journal of what I do.  It's a sad then when you get ready to go back to teaching in the end of August without being able to say what happened all summer.

Of course, "the big trip" will be a highlight (Norway in July), but I want to enjoy every day, and remember every day.  Summer is too short to forget.

So, last day of school: Monday, June 10.  Last day of school.  That day I got off a little early, but I don't remember what else I did.  See?!?  Bummer.  Maybe I'll remember later.  Well, I looked at my photo folders, so it turns out Don and I went on a bike ride to Chuck Sough (Half way to Dover Bay) that evening.

Tuesday, June 11 - First day off school, with no responsibilities.  I know I went to the gym, and spent some time updating my Quicken, which I hadn't done since I did my taxes in April. I cleaned out the bird baths, and took pictures of the starlings having their communal bath.

Wednesday, June 12 - IDLA Summer Conference in Coeur d'Alene.  Went by Northland Nursery on my way home, talked to a lady who said I should just use stone around the new Autumn Blaze Clumps.  We also decided I will bring down some photos next time to get her advice with what to plant.

Thursday, June 13 - LPOSD Schoology training at the SHS Library.  Informative.  Learned a lot.  Will need a refresher course when I get back to school.\

Friday, June 14 - LPOSD Common Core Writing Strategies at Kootenai Elementary.  Some helpful information.  Mostly really boring.  Stopped by the nursery in Ponderay on my way home.  Nothing too interesting that wasn't too expensive.

Saturday, June 15 - Kootenai NWR with Don.  Got bit up by misquitos really bad.  Got a great picture of a Virginia Rail that Don called out with his Audubon App. Saw their babies, too (little black balls). Also saw baby coots (orange-red heads) and baby pied-billed grebes (really stripy), both really cute!  (Photos didn't some out so well on those, too far away and behind tall grasses).   Saw a mystery bird. Lots of kingbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds, great grey herons.

Sunday, June 16 - Went to Little Spokane River Natural Area for the first time. Identified one new species for us, Willow Flycatcher.  Lots of families on the trail and floating the river.  Great for families, not so great for birding, but fun new place.  Definitely someplace we want to come back to again.  Lots of yellow warblers.  Also saw a downy woodpecker feeding her babies in a hole in a tree!  That was cool.  We saw a northern flicker feeding babies last weekend.  Love that!

Monday, June 17 - Today!  So far, watered the lawn (trying to keep new grass for new lawn damp), called ladies to arrange rides to book club tonight,  uploaded a few folders with Picasa to Google+, uploaded the photos from yesterday onto my computer and looked at some.  It's 9:07 AM.  I've been up since 5:30AM with Don.  Played a few games of Scramble with Friends.  Now I need to change and go to the gym!  I'd like to do that every day this summer.  I've had that resolve many summers, and it usually dissolves in a week or so...  Maybe this summer will be different.  :)

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Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

3/30/13
We saw:
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge:
Bald Eagle
Mallard
Pintail
American Widgeon
Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark

Black-capped Chickadee
Red-tailed Hawk
American Painted Turtle
Great Blue Heron
Tundra Swan
American Coot
Hooded Merganser
Steller's Jay
Belted Kingfisher
American Robin
Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Great Horned Owl
Northern Flicker
Eurasian Starling

At Home:
Pine Siskins
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-brested Nuthatch
Eurasian Starling
American Crow