Today was the last day of school at Cherryland and perhaps my last time there as a teacher. Never say never because I keep coming back like a bad rash (or a pretty good teacher.) Anyway, I'm feeling nostalgic since this has been my work/project/greenbaby since 2004. Jake has also sunk much of his blood, sweat and energy into the soil at my school. Wonderful folks like Ave and Sam and Jayeesha helped us break ground four years ago and now there are flourishing gardens all over school.
Like my majestic totem animal, the beaver, I work hard and leave the environment changed (in a good way.) Where there was once mud and weeds, there is now a colorful garden, benches and paths.
I left my signature passion flowers behind and now they are merrily eating a fence. I have a bad habit of doing this. I love the hell out of them.
I dropped nasturtium seeds all over the dirt strip behind the primary yard when I was pregnant in the hopes they would do this. And they did. Nice thing about nature.
Two buddlea plants (butterfly bushes) have grown from puny little six-inchers to these ten foot tall monsters that provide the only shade outside the portables. This one was even weed-whacked into oblivion in 2006 only to rebound stronger. You can tell my favorite color is purple since all of the perennials I've planted run from aubergine to lavender.
This is my other pride and joy, (not just Laura and Memo) all my kids at school. They are (mostly) extremely awesome little people who have given me hella joy over the years. My fourth graders this year were my kindergarteners when I started. I have fed them kiwis, sugar peas and asian pears and watched them grow. I read them fables, taught them French, showed them how to cook root vegetable soup and make spring rolls.
Griffin gave me Night-Night Squirrel to bring to our slumber party-themed end of the year fest.
Love those kids.
2 comments:
Can someone be too winsome? Nah! Our potamus' preciousness abounds & we'll just admit, we revel in it.
And, oh, to have such fun being an educator - makes some of us wish we hadn't pretended we didn't hear the calling. But, it's been gratifying for me to have the chance to work/play w/ a bunch of 9-10 year olds at day camp this week. Gotta say, kids are FUN and the rewards tho' often not tangible, are worth every bit of the blood, sweat and ...
They say a teacher touches a life forever. I believe it. Those kids at Cherryland will always remember you.
The transformed school grounds are incredible. You have good reason to be proud!
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