There is little chance that meteorologists can solve Ahhh, it's the weekend! I'm very grateful Friday is here. I don't even have a formal job, and I'm still thinking, "TGIF!" Some weeks are just like that, and this was one of them.
Hubby and I were awakened at 1:30 this morning by the strangest sound. We had to lie there and listen for quite some time to recognize it, since it had been so darn long since we'd last heard it...
It was raining!
I realize that this would be no big deal for many of you. But here in my corner of southern California, rain is a rare thing. We've been in a draught for so long that I honestly can’t remember the last time it stormed. It was wonderful to lie in bed this morning, listening to the rain come down. What a soothing sound!
My tomatoes are happy this morning...
So are the pomegranates. Our bush is loaded this year! They won't be ready to harvest until October and November, though. Only a few of them are just starting to turn red.
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Part of why I'm so glad it's Friday is that this old brain of mine is tired. It's been asked to think about things it hasn't accessed in 30 years or more!
When was the last time you sat down and diagramed a sentence? I'm talking verbs and nouns and subjects and predicates? Now, if you're a teacher, you're not allowed to answer my question: you probably do it for a living (and God bless you for it!) But for those of us who are not professionals...
I did two tutoring session with Mark this week, and I honestly feel like I'm only one step ahead of him when it comes to this stuff. It's not that I don’t know how to write a proper sentence: most of us who blog are fairly decent writers, and we can spot grammatical errors a mile away. But trying to teach someone these basic ideas we learned decades ago is really taxing. As I keep telling Mark, our brains are like a muscle that just needs to be stretched and strengthened, to get in top shape. Well folks, my brain is sore from working out this week! I'm truly not complaining: I love what I'm doing. I just wish my recall was a bit better!
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Do you like blueberries? If so, head over to Pea's Corner. She's giving away blueberries - well, not real berries, but the next best thing! It's a basket full of blueberry-themed goodies such as tea and soap and note cards, etc. Be sure to stop by and tell her hello.
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I hope you have plans to do something fun and relaxing this weekend? We've got friends coming for dinner Saturday night, which is always nice. I'm going to be studying sentence structure at some point this weekend. Oh boy! But I'm also starting another quilting project. I'm designing a scrappy quilt, to use up some of my leftover fabrics from other projects...
I've got lots of little three-inch squares already cut, ready to be pieced into what I hope will be a leaf block. Pretty apropos for autumn, don’t you think – which is just around the corner. Stay tuned, and watch it grow!
Have a great weekend!
Until next time...
13 comments:
Pattie, I can already see by the squares that your new quilt is going to be gorgeous! I love autumn colours.
When/how did you learn how to quilt?
I would love to learn and at least make one quilt in my lifetime.
Lets see, I guess it's been about 30 years since I diagrammed a sentence. Sure glad it's you and not me. English is not my strong suit. I'm more of a math/science kinda guy, oops gal.
That quilt will be gorgeous!! Do you make them to sell? I am quilt crazy and even tried my hand at it a couple of times but was no good at it and it bored me to make something that large that took that long to make. Never did finish one. My mother bought me 2 from a lady in Florida that made them to support her children since she was a single mother. Just stopped to count and I have 9 right now (and only one bed) and am always on the lookout for more. In my book I just can't have too many quilts. I've even got two hanging as doors for my closet and laundry room.
Those colors look like autumn! Great idea.
I was just talking about diagramming sentences the other day. I always enjoyed the logic of sentence construction as opposed to the abstract nature of literature. I was always wondering how anyone knew what exactly was in the mind of the writer and who decided how a poem should be interpreted. Give me the solid diagram any day!
Tutoring sounds like fun. Not diagramming sentences though. Can you tutor me? heehee What if our blogs were graded? Hey, that would be a good thing for English teachers to use as a teaching tool. Blogs. I know I would be in big trouble. I think blogging has helped strecth my brain just a little and believe me I need it.
happy post Pattie! I hope you have a fabulous weekend too. I'm glad your tomatoes are happy ;)
Rain...I can't think of any day in quite a wile that it HASN'T rained here! We've had one wet summer! Thankfully - the sun always manages to pop back in for a visit.
Funny, I was just talking about grammar and wondering if they still taught it! I remember HATING IT. I just got my schedule of classes for fall and of course language is there.
I can vividly remember kindergarten and learning phonics for the first time. I just didn't believe Mrs. Sansburne when she said "C is for CAT"! No way! And PH is F? Uh-uh.
I believe that my writing benefited from being an avid reader (I read Jane Eyre in grade school and Wuthering Heights, which I didn't fully comprehend until University).
Whoa, long post. Anyway I'm sure I'll be sharing some stories before long and wish you luck in imparting your stores of knowledge to your pupil.
Happy quilting :)
We've had a lot of rain this summer and everyone is tired of it! I'm glad you had some rain and you could enjoy it!
I went to my new classroom for the first time today and thought of you and Mark when I found a picture book on verbs. I know he's an adult but this book just caught my attention. it brings the point of verbs home. Here's a link to see it in Google books.
http://books.google.com/books?id=EiBbeg1atSsC&dq=root+toot+parachute+verb+book&pg=PP1&ots=PiU12XWsbt&sig=BOTWhhsw0FzkbAmh7M5_4xRbLxc&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result
Relax your brain this weekend!
Oh what a beautiful quilt it will be!
I remember diagramming sentences in high school-way too long ago!!
I'm glad you got some rain! We've been getting some also.
Have a great weekend!
Patti
such an interesting post, Pattie, and this one time english major is EMBARRASSED at how much she'd need to relearn before she could teach.
So proud of you for sticking with the tutoring as it is *hard word*
happy friday!
Miz.
I can well imagine how happy you were to hear the rain! I'd heard of how dry it's been in your part of the world while here it's been raining TOO much!! At least I haven't had to water the garden by hand much! lol
How awesome that you grow your own pomegranates! I'd never seen the tree they grow on before, so found your picture quite fascinating.
I could never be a teacher...my brain would be hurting all the time! hehe I'm sure you're doing just fine with Mark:-)
Thank you so much for announcing my Blueberry Giveaway:-)
I love autumn colours and those squares you've cut out to make a quilt have gorgeous colours!! Can't wait to see the finished project:-) xoxo
You're such a willing teacher and Mark is such an eager student, I'm sure you'll be able to help him a lot!
I've always liked leaf blocks, maybe because I've always liked autumn leaves! Looking forward to seeing yours.
If I try to put myself in Mark's shoes, I think I might feel less inhibited or embarrassed if my tutor was in the learning process as well. I'd feel more like we were working through something together. Then again, I'm not Mark. :) Hang in there. I'm sure it will get easier the more practice you have behind you.
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