Lightening bugs

Hillsborough at dusk in the beginning of summer turns into lightening bug town.



A sea of light that a picture can not do justice.





And then it's dark, except for one.

To the garden!

It's late, I know. But today we gardened. We had to do something that grown-up people do on national holidays, and since we grilled and beered Saturday and Sunday, today had to be garden/yard day.

Jason tilled the earth and ate weeds while I planted. It was hot and I still smell of sunscreen and dirt, but it felt nice to get out in the yard a bit. This year, the word is simple. Simple simple simple. Just a few tomato plants, some basil, one squash plant and a pepper plant for fun. That is it. Last year we planted way too much stuff and the garden was out of control. We went to Guatemala and came home to a jungle of tangled gnarled vines and so many rotten tomatoes; I vowed to never garden again.

I'm excited about this year's low maintenance prospects. Surprisingly, a few plants will still yield enough goods for some yummy homemade pesto, delicious little tomato sandwiches and some fried squash. Can't wait!

Highlights from our garden adventures...

A shirtless man with a power tool thing in my yard.








Me, you know...just gardening.










Helper number one










Helper number two










Grow, little garden, grow!

My Favorite Student

I know, I know, teachers aren't supposed to have favorites. But, guess what? They do!

In some small way, all teachers have a favorite. We try not to treat any student differently because of this, but it is indeed a fact.

It is illegal for me to take a picture of my favorite student and post him on the internet.
So, instead I will post his animalification:



Yep. He's awesome.

An identity crisis

My blog is having an identity crisis. It cannot decide what color to wear, nor can it decide which template or format in which it would like to exist.

I mean, let's be honest, I am no internet aficionado or web "person", so I must resort to using the fixed templates that Blogger provides. This was acceptable until I realized that not only are there other blogs out there (who knew?) but some of them could be in the same template as mine! The shock and horror of knowing that I am just like everyone else sent me into a crazed state of trying out new templates, colors, schemes, etc... Do I want to be sassy? Earthy? Girly? Business? Simple? Should my links be bright orange or brown? It's enough to drive a blogger crazy! I've tried so many different combinations and contrasts, only to find myself back where I started, except green.

OK, fine. I'll settle for that. I choose my choice!

Could this be a life metaphor perhaps?

A kid's dream

In case you don't speak "broken kid writing", allow me to translate for you.

"When I grow up I want to be a police officer when it's my birthday. When somebody mess with a people and I stop them and I take them to jail."

An exception

About once or twice a year when Alex comes to town, I decide to cast away my nutritional scruples and go for gold medal of unhealthy eating:

The Bojangles Cajun filet chicken biscuit combo with seasoned fries and sweet tea.




Not only does this meal put a little hair on your chest and fat in your ass, but it also cures the severest of hangovers as learned during my wilder college days.

Once you begin to ingest this, there is no doubt as to why you've decided to make an exception and eat this; there is also no doubt as to why you only do this 1-2 times a year.

Lyme disease? Lets hope not!

Presumably this is not a Lyme disease tick bite. The doc says I have no need to worry. What it is though, I do not know. I suppose if I begin to exhibit signs of Lyme disease or turn the color lime, we shall have cause to worry.

Instead of worrying, we drink iced soy lattes and galavant.






Boom.