tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33146632464671986012024-03-05T23:37:07.042-08:00This Little Blog of Mine....Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.comBlogger749125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-57097219930237282792012-11-28T06:09:00.002-08:002012-11-28T06:09:43.205-08:00789 Posts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At 789 posts, I have reached my google storage limit.<br />
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Thanks blogger, its been great. I'm off to search for a new platform! ADIOS!!<br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-74903365505632303282012-11-24T14:34:00.001-08:002012-11-24T14:34:17.692-08:00Art and Music. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I am stressed, basic decision making ability goes completely out the window. Even something simple like picking out a flavor of ice cream or deciding what brand of toilet paper to buy becomes difficult. My response is a quiet, 'I don't know' because honestly....I don't want to decide, I don't want to be in charge. I just want someone else to tell me what to do.<br /><br />There are certain, stressful situations in which I don't mind being in charge. There are times when my survival mechanism kicks in and I can easily remain calm and take care of the very serious things that need to be addressed. But later, when faced with the reality of the new normal, the stress possesses me and I am unable to function at my regular pace.<br />
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Earlier this week, I was out with friends and someone decided to put some money in the jukebox. "Come on, Nellie, help me pick out some songs," he said. We stood in front of the touch screen, as he scrolled through an alphabetized selection, waiting on me to choose something I liked. I felt completely frozen. I couldn't choose a single song I wanted to hear. Finally, after several minutes of choosing nothing, I dragged over a friend with a very sophisticated level of musical knowledge to help him. And I scurried away, tail between my legs.<br />
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Its times like this, when I am feeling underwhelmed, self-conscious and embarrassed that I am quite pleased to retreat inward and become an introvert. I want to grasp tightly to my thoughts without letting a single one escape as part of the conversation. I don't want to hide out at home, alone....I still want to to be among friends, but I do not want to be the center of attention. I just want to listen. To exist on the outskirts of the conversation, asking questions, soaking in the answers, but not revealing my own opinions.<br />
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Later that night, I was sitting around with a group of friends who were discussing the White Stripes. The three of them went on an on about their favorite album, favorite songs, least favorite songs, and side projects of Jack White. It was as if they were speaking a different language. Sure, I have listened to the White Stripes, and I can generally identify a song of theirs when I hear it. However, I lack any an all ability to name any albums or song titles.<br />
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This is true of most music for me. I love to listen to music....usually, I adopt a favorite CD and play it on repeat for a long time, as if no other music even exists. It becomes a sound track for a particular season and when I hear it again, later, I recall that time of my life and the music conjures up special memories. I would never claim to have any real knowledge of any bands or musicians.<br />
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In fact, I don't have a favorite band....and I don't actively seek out concerts. If I am writing, or working at school, I rarely turn on music....It isn't a necessity for me to function. Sometimes I revel in the stillness and quiet of my classroom and my home.<br />
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Suddenly, the group realized that I hadn't contributed anything to this conversation. They apologized for leaving me out and someone quickly asked me who my favorite artist is....<br />
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I completely froze.<br />
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I went from fondly listening to a foreign language, and appreciating the experts discussing their opinions to being thrust in the spotlight of a question that I wasn't prepared to answer.<br />
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"Um...I dunno....I like a lot of different ones...I don't really want to talk about work." Yeah, I actually said that. It was the most awkward transition, and one I've later thought about what I would've said if asked again....I was outwardly uncomfortable and inwardly writhing....a total....'ahem, I carried a watermelon' moment.<br />
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A few friends of them threw out their favorites, some artists I had never heard of....putting me even more into a silent, frozen uncomfortable position. I should have said that music and art are seasonal for me....I go through periods of time when I am completely obsessed with one particular genre, usually because I am studying it for the benefit of my students.<br />
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I don't HAVE a FAVORITE artist....I can appreciate all art to some extent. If I walk into a gallery and see a Anselm Kiefer, I get really excited but I would never say that he is a favorite, that would just be....weird....I can appreciate his work, but I would never hang it in my home. Just as I might get excited about a Hopper, or an O'keeffe, I would never say that any single work is my favorite painting ever. Who is your favorite artist? That is such a loaded question...especially for an art teacher who happens to love every single thing.<br />
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Art is more of an experience for me. When I think about my time in Venice, for example, I will never forget the juxtaposition of the historical architecture with the modern, voluptuous sculptures of Fernando Botero. Now, whenever I see a Botero I am transported back to the shiny, smooth sculptures, poised as a Renaissance era classical Greek bronze in the streets and alleys of the Floating City. I actually have a Botero print hanging in my house...but his work isn't one of my favorites, really....I just appreciate it for that experience.<br />
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At that particular moment, none of these ideas about art bubbled up to the surface....I just sat there, dumbfounded by my own embarrassing display of knowledge about nothing....I knew nothing...I said nothing...and I was humiliated by my own behavior.<br />
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I guess with this post, I am trying to rectify the situation. I'm thinking of all those 'could've' 'should've' 'would've' things I wish I had said. I'm also trying to find blame in the fact that I have been under a lot of stress lately, and that is why I froze...not because I'm uninteresting with no knowledge of art or opinions about music whatsoever.<br />
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I will never be an expert on music, or art....I will have my interval, in which I study everything about Ancient Chinese art and culture...or in which I listen to that Shakira CD on repeat a thousand times....but a few weeks later, both of those things will fade into the file of that season, melded with that time in my life, like the familiar smell of my mom's perfume, conjured much later as part of the vernal spirit of my youth.<br />
<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-3788990276793563022012-11-22T06:54:00.002-08:002012-11-22T06:54:19.614-08:00Hope your day is delicious....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-85974532946558231862012-11-14T07:33:00.000-08:002012-11-14T07:33:12.846-08:00A tribute to my beautiful motherApril 25 1962---November 9th 2012
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-79286990309964507682012-10-28T13:42:00.003-07:002012-10-28T13:42:57.614-07:00Smörgåstårta aka Swedish Sandwich Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Over the summer, I found an amazing book while thrift shopping in Galveston. The recipe I was dying to try was the Party Sandwich Loaf. I stuck pretty closely to the original recipe in the book. On Pinterest, <a href="http://paninihappy.com/celebrating-4-years-with-a-smorgastarta/">I spotted another version of this cake that is much more "Swedish" </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.983333587646484px;"><a href="http://paninihappy.com/celebrating-4-years-with-a-smorgastarta/">which is filled with smoked salmon and smoked herring mousse</a>. It looks incredible, topped with smoked Salmon and shrimp...definitely a wower if you are wanting something more refined. My recipe sure impressed everyone who tried it....now that I know how to put it together, I am definitely open to doing some creative fillings and other sandwich toppings. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Foodarama Party Book copyright 1959</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LY5ZGWvHSYoNNt0xh9BdIXI8FtE2l0D7TNhdin83fJ-9qA357F08s1d3GdiIZyLqzyle7PYTyPAUMYwtW8-N7pPfT_l7qWepjhWRZJKphmHmoQ-f1JZ4gRNtOYcr6_kT_Y5DBeN5xHYE/s1600/A94E5C0B-AEDB-4E11-A5D0-E58362123D8C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LY5ZGWvHSYoNNt0xh9BdIXI8FtE2l0D7TNhdin83fJ-9qA357F08s1d3GdiIZyLqzyle7PYTyPAUMYwtW8-N7pPfT_l7qWepjhWRZJKphmHmoQ-f1JZ4gRNtOYcr6_kT_Y5DBeN5xHYE/s320/A94E5C0B-AEDB-4E11-A5D0-E58362123D8C.JPG" width="238" /></a><br />
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<b>Party Sandwich Loaf Recipe</b><br />
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1 small round loaf white bread (I used sourdough)<br />
Softened butter or margarine<br />
Ham and Celery Filling<br />
Curried Egg filling<br />
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced<br />
Avocado filling<br />
Cream cheese (I used 2 packages)<br />
Light cream (I used a 16 oz sour cream)<br />
Sliced stuffed olives<br />
Sprigs of parsley<br />
Other vegetables to garnish<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Ham and celery filling: </span>Combine 1 cup ground cooked ham, 1/2 cup finely chopped celery and enough mayonaise to moisten<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Curried egg filling</span>: Combine 4 finely chopped hard-cooked eggs, 1/2 tsp. curry powder and enough mayonaise to moisten. (I used a lot more than 1/2 tsp. and it was soo good)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwD3xlwLY_71wDmivGF-LG5mfD0JHYKQCjiimD7Py3Rj2hv5UOFhbEpwUjzLWgDL8Q8bKkT1nEE0IeIYEu_ctajIJbka-SYv4DZpqDwiqFtuVaWesy-yF3SvxNVxibiL7KedBKiZpAKxk/s1600/AF7ED412-301D-4F5D-AAF4-82E5FBB03829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwD3xlwLY_71wDmivGF-LG5mfD0JHYKQCjiimD7Py3Rj2hv5UOFhbEpwUjzLWgDL8Q8bKkT1nEE0IeIYEu_ctajIJbka-SYv4DZpqDwiqFtuVaWesy-yF3SvxNVxibiL7KedBKiZpAKxk/s320/AF7ED412-301D-4F5D-AAF4-82E5FBB03829.JPG" width="239" /></a><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Avocado filling:</span> Mash 2 fully ripe avocados; add 2 Tbsp. highly seasoned French Dressing. Stir until well blended. (Not sure what 'highly seasoned French Dressing means so I just bought the one that said sweet and tangy)<br />
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Cut bread loaf, crosswise into four thick slices. Spread each slice with butter. Spread bottom slice with Ham and Celery Filling. Top with second bread slice; spread with Curried Egg Filling. Top with slices of tomato and third bread slice. Spread with Avocado filling; top with remaining bread slice. Mash cream cheese; stir in enough cream so cheese will spread easily; beat until smooth. Spread on top and sides of loaf. Garnish with olive slices and parsley. Cut into wedges and serve. Makes about 12 servings.<br />
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I mixed up a little extra cream cheese and sour cream than necessary, and I also had some of the ham filling left over so I threw it all together and it was a delicious veggie dip for the extra carrots and radishes I used for garnish.<br />
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Veggies I used on top:<br />Thinly sliced lemon<br />
Radish<br />
Parsley<br />
Olives (I didn't use black but they would've been good too!)<br />
Cherry (or grape) tomatoes<br />
Carrots (using my apple corer, I cut rings)<br />
Cucumber<br />
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I was afraid the bread would get soggy, but it stayed dry...it was a big hit at the fall fest party I went to Saturday night!!<br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-21041436405124105332012-10-23T09:43:00.001-07:002012-10-23T09:43:29.759-07:00Knob Noster. Each fall I look forward to the Missouri Art Education Association conference. It is held at the Camp BobWhite State Park in Knob Noster, Missouri near Warrensburg. It is a good three hour drive to the campground and the accommodations are notably primitive. We sleep in bunk beds in a cabin without air conditioning or heat. The presentations and demonstrations are held in open air tents. The local Boy Scout troop prepares our meals (and I must say, the food is fantastic--bread bowls with soup, BBQ and biscuits and gravy--all of my favorite foods). Perhaps the best thing about Knob Noster is the camaraderie among the people. Every single person there is an art teacher, and every person at the conference does the same job on a day-to-day basis so there is always someone to talk to who 'gets it'. It is one of my favorite things of the year....it is a place where I can be myself.
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You can read more details from Knob Noster conferences in previous posts. <br />
<a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2010/10/fun-times-knob.html">Knob Noster 2010</a>, <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2009/10/so-what-does-one-do-at-art-teachers.html">Knob Noster 2009</a><br />
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And from last year, 2011....I guess I never posted these photos.<br />
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I needle felted this iPhone case last year.....to match my ugly sweater. Isn't it awesome!Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-52011094619441423622012-10-21T09:27:00.000-07:002012-10-21T11:21:54.750-07:00I love a good sunset. Okay, now I am going to go all 'girl gets a camera, thinks she is a photographer and takes pictures of barbed wire and sunsets' on you. I know, these photos are totally cliche.
But I don't even care.
I brake for sunsets. And sunrises. I pull the car over and hop out if I see a pretty silhouette.
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-36022570934842665152012-10-21T09:20:00.001-07:002012-10-21T11:23:19.642-07:00my first fried twinkie ever. If you've never been to the War Eagle craft fair in Arkansas, you should really try to go just once.<br />
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And if you do go....here are a few things to keep in mind.<br />
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#1 It really doesn't matter if you go at 9:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m., you will be stuck in traffic for at least an hour....so be ready to entertain yourself.
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#2 The traffic really isn't that bad...because you are surrounded by Arkansas in the fall. And it is gorgeous.<br />
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#3 Watch out for Turkey legs in the parking field. We ran over this one. It made me hungry for a turkey leg. And then I saw the grease stain on the tire. And I still wanted one.<br />
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#4 Put a bird on it.<br />
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#5 War Eagle has amazing food. I decided to try something new. A fried twinkie. My first ever. And probably my last. It tasted like a funnel cake.<br />
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#6 Funnel cakes and kettle corn are delicious.<br />
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#7 Cotton candy is delicious too. Especially to kids.<br />
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#8 There are some pretty cool crafts at War Eagle. Many of the things I saw were from Pinterest. Some were new to me...and I thought, hey, I wonder if I can find a DIY for that on Pinterest....or hey, I could probably figure that out...and do it with my students....I wonder where I can get 50 metal rods?<br />
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#9 Wear comfortable shoes.<br />
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#10 Or just have someone push you in a stroller.<br />
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#11 Real craftsmen are so cool.<br />
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#12 Some people are hard core about craft fairs. Rain, sleet, or two broke feet....they are there. (Back to # 9, wear comfortable shoes.)<br />
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#13 Arkansas really is beautiful this time of year. My favorite part of the whole event was sitting by the river, enjoying the shade, watching the people.<br />
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Some of my favorite memories are days like this. When the sun is shining, and I'm trying something new. I'm so happy to have my new camera. It was a fun day taking pictures and telling the story of War Eagle. </div>
<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-41568374614146508612012-10-19T06:24:00.003-07:002012-10-19T06:24:58.552-07:00Third Thursday October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've finally replaced my camera (since my D5000 was stolen)......I've upgraded to the Nikon D90 and I am having tons of fun playing around with it. Last night at the Joplin art walk I took a few photos while wandering around downtown. The sunset was just gorgeous.<br />
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This was the last art walk of the season. My favorite thing about the art walk is stopping by the Focal Point gallery for a cheap original print by the MSSU art department. And eating pizza at the Blackthorn. Awesome stuff.<br />
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I'm so glad it is Friday.Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-59372810490267457042012-10-15T16:21:00.000-07:002012-10-15T16:21:00.198-07:00The Crawlers. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Crawlers are a group of bike-riding, beer drinking, pipe smoking hipsters in Joplin. Show up downtown on Wednesday evenings on your two-wheeler, and the group 'crawls' around local businesses making 2 or 3 stops. Sometimes the group is 8-10, but it has been growing....I rode with the group just last week and we had around 20 people. The week before was a sponsored ride, local businesses provided a few free appetizers or drink specials and there was a give-away at the end of the night....usually a bike is given away along with t-shirts, free coupons for hair cuts and pint glasses. At the sponsored ride, there were over 40 people riding. It was like a flash mob. Every bike took to the streets unison, one big mass of spokes and skinny jeans. It is always exciting to ride with the crawlers, even if we are only riding a few blocks. The goal is to raise awareness in an effort to remind people to share the road with bikers. My goal is to make new friends, and get a little bit of exercise, and ride my bike before the tires go flat from lack of use while it sits in the garage. <br />
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And ring my bell.<br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-18075934110737897562012-10-15T16:03:00.000-07:002012-10-15T16:03:26.386-07:00Spinner 360While I was in <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/03/these-streets-will-make-you-feel-brand.html">NYC</a>, I really wanted to make a special trip to the lomography store and buy something really amazing to bring home. I decided to buy a <a href="http://usa.shop.lomography.com/cameras/spinner-360">360 spinner</a>. Frustratingly, the store did not have any 35mm color film so I ended up buying black and white. Don't get me wrong, I love black and white film, but I think some of these photos would've been really amazing in color. I hand processed this film in the darkroom and my favorite photography friend Robert scanned the negatives in so that I could share them here.<br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-46798862471841147512012-10-15T16:02:00.001-07:002012-10-19T09:45:12.221-07:00Creative Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wow. So I totally organized the photos into this post ages ago...but I am just now getting around to writing it up. </div>
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Without naming names, I just want to say in writing that I have been blessed with some amazingly talented friends this year. They are the kind of friends that love art. They are the kind of friends that are excited about pinatas, magnificent corpse drawing, and blind contours. They are the kind of friends that will crochet stuffed foxes, prepare film all old school in the dark room and go local to clay studio openings. </div>
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To the outsider, none of these photos go together. But for me, they tell a story. And I am so thankful for a great group of people who appreciate the handmade, hand drawn, creativity outlet, silly sketches and all the other fun things that I have been craving for years. </div>
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Like I said, these photos might not make any sense to you....but they mean the world to me. Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-60353560922607478792012-09-27T04:52:00.001-07:002012-09-27T12:48:28.465-07:00The Littlest OwlThis week, the book fair is set up at our school. The kids have been super excited to go shopping for books. They each got to fill out a wish list and bring money and buy (somewhat over-priced) Scholastic books, posters and school supplies.<br />
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We have a family in our school with lots of kids. Several of them walk to school each morning and stretch from Kindergarten to 4th grade, the youngest brother is still in preschool. They eat free lunch and breakfast, they get free food from our district backpack program. This is not a family with a lot of money. Especially not for things like book fairs. <br />
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Today, I went to visit my mailbox and inside there was a little owl
eraser with a note. My principal had written, "Charity wanted you to
have this." When I realized who the little eraser was from, my heart
completely melted.<br />
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The youngest girl of the family is in 1st grade. She had only a handful of pennies to spend at the book fair. She spent her only fifty cents to buy me an owl eraser. I cannot even think about this sweet gesture without crying. Today, I am going to buy her any book she wants from the book fair. Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-63981079159241302602012-09-25T05:37:00.001-07:002012-09-25T05:37:51.121-07:00Saying Goodbye. When my dad called at 4:00 a.m. Monday morning to tell me that my grandpa had passed away during the night, I had actually already prepared myself to hear those words. Of course you can never truly be ready to let someone go, but he had been in the hospital for several days and I had a feeling that he might not go home.<br />
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When I visited grandpa Bob last week, the first visit was over an hour. It was a good visit. He wasn't feeling well, his stomach was hurting, but the conversation was good. We talked about all sorts of funny things.<br />
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We talked about when he was in the army and he go to go to New York City and he went to the Radio City Music Hall to see the rockettes.<br />
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He actually told me three jokes. (But for some reason, I can only remember two of them right now).<br />
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In church, a preacher said, 'Now who here has enemies? And every one raised there hand except for one grouchy old man. The preacher asked again, raise your hand if you have enemies in this world? Again, everyone but the old man raised his hand. So the preacher called him out, "You mean to tell me that you don't have any enemies?" The old man replied, " Nope. I've out lived them all."<br />
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In Tennessee, a hillbilly died and his family was sitting on the front row of church. The preacher was standing up at the podium talking about the "Wonderful, loving, kind, generous good father who they were laying to rest that day." The mom looked over at her oldest son and said, "Go up there and look in the casket, and make sure it is your daddy in there."<br />
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He was the grandpa I have the most memories spending time with. He always let us kids sit on his lap and 'drive' down the old Missouri dirt roads. He always took us out in the spring, to pick the beautiful daffodils, peonies and little purple wild flowers for grandma. We would bring them home in a big handful and she would put them in a vase of water like they were the prettiest bouquet she had ever seen.<br />
<br />He would always take us fishing in the summer. We would take a rod, with a bobber and drop it over the edge of a bridge on an old country road and fish for tiny perch and goggle eye. If they were big enough, or if we caught a stringer full, we would take them home and grandma Pat would fry them up. He even bought some old cane fishing poles--those were much harder to use. <br />
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Grandpa loved going to the flea markets and finding treasures. He bought me the coolest old type writer that had its own special suitcase. He would buy horseshoes for my cousin Stevie. He would buy books, toys, all sorts of things. <br />
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For Easter one year, Grandpa Bob brought me 3 baby chicks. I raised them as babies until they were full grown. Eventually, two of them got eaten either by a hawk or a coyote, but the little fuzzy yellow one grew into a beautiful, white, egg-laying hen that I called Jean.<br />
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When Grandma and Grandpa lived out on the farm, my cousins and I would sleep on a big pallet on the floor, play in the hay loft, jumping onto an old mattress down below. We would go exploring in the outfields, and we would climb the big mimosa trees in the front yard.<br />
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When they moved to town, we would stay sleep on the divan, ride bikes in the alley, and play on an old tire swing (in the shape of an elephant) in the yard. One time, the tornado sirens started going off and my brother and I were at Grandpa's house all alone. He made us go down to the basement. It was scary.<br />
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When I was in college, I injured my back and I could hardly walk. It was grandpa Bob who drove down from Carthage to pick me up and take me to the doctor. He was there for me when I really needed someone. <br />
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My grandpa Bob was one of the sweetest, kindest grandpas ever. While I was visiting him he told me how proud he was of me. He even bragged to the nurses about my award. When he mentioned that I had 'grow-ed up to be pretty' the nurse responded, "Yes, she is just gorgeous." When the nurse walked out he said "Now, I haven't ever used the word gorgeous because I didn't want you to get a big head, but now that nurse said it, I only say you are pretty."<br />
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My grandpa Bob loved little children, and animals. He had a cat named Clancy and oh gosh when I was little they had a little dog named Tippy (You can read about <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-easter.html">Tippy+Grandpa+Peanut butter easter egg here</a>). <br />
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Monday I was driving and that song by Dave Mathews called <i>Satellite</i> came on the radio, and it made me really sad. I started thinking about how my grandpa had retired just as my grandma got really really sick. He spent his first months of retirement caring for her. And then she died. And he was alone. And now he was with her again. <br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-3821906657626833162012-09-21T13:00:00.000-07:002012-09-21T13:00:00.189-07:00Hello!Gah! Has it really been almost a month since I posted anything?!<br />
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My school work has been consuming every single day. Most days I get to school between 6:50-7:05. Sometimes I have a bus duty that starts at 7:05 and some days I have breakfast duty at 7:30 so if I can get there a half hour early, it really helps me--I have lots to set up and clean and organize and the extra time in the morning helps. A bunch of teachers have started working out with some short DVDs after school. This is so nice because I can get my workout done by 4:00! But that also means I am not working in my room from 3-4 like I did last year. I need to get motivated to stay and work in my room after working out, otherwise I will never feel caught up.<br />
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This year, I have really cut back my involvement in extracurriculars. Aside from a few social things here and there, I am not responsible for teaching or organizing lots of extra things. I feel so much less stressed and overwhelmed because I actually have more free time. Actually, I look back at all the things I used to do and I wonder how I did not have more melt downs!<br />
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One of the main reasons I haven't been blogging is because my D5000 was stolen a few weeks ago. I am so mad at myself and the jerk who took it. I have been too depressed to blog--even though I've got plenty of iphone photos I could share.<br />
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My camera was stolen very late at night on Labor Day. The week that followed was one of the worst weeks I can remember. Nothing was going right that week. You can see my shoes that got destroyed by a black paint spill on Wednesday.<br />
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And I was trying to prepare a screen for a cool screen print and I just couldn't get the emulsion to work--even after 5 tries. On Friday, I was super excited for my Nelliepalooza retreat--but freakishly on my way I was caught in a scary storm. With high winds over 80 MPH, I had to pull over behind someone's house and then I had to use my best stunt car driving skills to dodge downed power lines and trees in the road. I even drove through the ditch to get to the campground.<br />
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When I arrived, the power was out! It stayed out all night, which meant that we were 'crafting' in the dark. The camp's water pump runs on electricity so I was worried we would have to cancel. Everyone was so nice---even though it was a very bad end to a very bad week. Saturday, the sun came up, the power was back on and it the horrible awful, no good week was over. Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-77399698744321971852012-08-23T03:30:00.000-07:002012-08-23T03:30:03.000-07:00Mohaska FarmhouseFarm-to-table eating is so so so good. Mohaska Farmhouse is one of my favorite spots in Joplin. I love the pizzas, the BLT (OMG the bacon), the fresh bread and pizza crusts and the freshness of all the ingredients. Sometimes they even feature Anderson's ice cream. <br />
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This summer I have eaten here several times...and I always find something worthy of a photo. <br />
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Have you been to Mohaska yet? What did you think? (Another favorite: <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/eagle-drive-in.html">Eagle Drive-In</a>)Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-11204462881227076362012-08-22T03:00:00.000-07:002012-08-22T03:00:01.958-07:00Early Morning Sunrise Part 2Sometimes the sun shines through my dining room and illuminates things in my living room. It is a golden rich light that can only be seen for a few minutes each day. Taking photos of cameras....interesting concept. <br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-15092645497880673752012-08-21T03:30:00.000-07:002012-08-21T03:30:00.229-07:00Early Morning Sunrise Photos Sometimes you have to get up early to take beautiful photos. Taken on my D5000 with my Lens Baby 2.0. <br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-68044097168417783552012-08-20T03:30:00.000-07:002012-10-19T12:20:05.451-07:00Promoting Divergent ThinkingQUOTED: Sir Ken Robinson, chair of the UK Government's report on creativity,
education and the economy, described research that showed that young
people lost their ability to think in "divergent or non-linear ways", a
key component of creativity.<br />
<br />
Of 1,600 children aged three to five who
were tested, 98% showed they could think in divergent ways.<br />
<br />
By the time
they were aged eight to 10, 32% could think divergently.<br />
<br />
When the same
test was applied to 13 to 15-year-olds, only 10% could think in this
way.<br />
<br />
And when the test was used with 200,000 25-year-olds, only 2% could
think divergently. . . .<br />
<br />
Education is driven by the idea of one answer
and this idea of divergent thinking becomes stifled.'<br />
<br />
He described
creativity as the 'genetic code' of education and said it was essential
for the new economic circumstances of the 21st century." signed: (TESS,
25 March 2005) You can see a wonderful TED animation of the entire speech about creativity <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html">HERE</a>. Our superintendant showed the animation at our annual back to school meetings in August.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nelliemaeii/7797445544/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="time machine by nelliemaeii, on Flickr"><img alt="time machine" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/7797445544_f72a5fd50b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Last week, I told you about <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-time-machine.html">how I am starting the year off with the 'Time Travel Theme</a>'. When students arrived to the art room, the lighting was dim so that they could walk in and feel the magic of my own time machine sculpture. It has flashing lights, an electric lightening ball and moving parts. I asked my students, what do you think this is? What do you think it does? What do you think it is made from? I explain that it is a sculpture that I created out of things that I found. Once this sinks in, I explain that it is a time machine sculpture that symbolizes the theme for our year in art. We are going to travel back in time to study ancient art and artifacts, things that were made before paint and paper even existed!!<br />
<br />
It has sparked some amazing discussions like: 'can people really time travel?' 'does your machine really work?' 'how did you build it?' 'If you could go anywhere in time, when/where would you go?' 'What will life be like in the future?'<br />
<br />
I showed the video below as part of my introduction to the unit, just so students could start thinking about moving through time. I also showed a slide show of various ways that time travel has been represented in movies, cartoon, and in books.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/6963612?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=f50206" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/6963612">The Scientist, the Cat and the Time Machine</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/matthewsnyman">matthew snyman</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">DISCLAIMER: If you decide to show this video in your classroom, please note that I downloaded the video and made one small EDIT....if you watch the video, you can guess what I cut from it....It is a funny part, but not school appropriate and not relevant to my lesson. ;-)</span><br />
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As part of the slide show of images of time machines, I briefly explain that I read the book <i>The Time Machine</i> by H. G. Wells over the summer after I saw an artist re-create a cover for the classic novel. The design of the time machine on the cover is SO powerful....that tiny ladder, I just love it!<br />
<br />
For the lesson, I challenged my students to create their own time travel device. Their design doesn't have to be limited to a 'machine.' They drew a 'blueprint' on grid paper and then decide if they would rather travel to the future or the past. Students then re-drew their time travel device on a larger sheet of paper and created a scene showing their perspective of the future or the past.<br />
<br />
The magnificent thing about this lesson is that it promotes divergent thinking....something that is so important in education. For students to be able to solve a problem creatively and from their own imagination. I've only had about half of my classes so far....I cannot wait to challenge the other half of my students!!Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-7101490872933639762012-08-17T03:30:00.000-07:002012-08-17T03:30:00.055-07:00Retro Vacation Photos {Sydney Harbor}Sydney, Australia was one of the most beautiful cities I have visited. It was clean and new and modern. I loved the Opera House, it was incredible to go inside such a famous structure.<br />
<br />
This post pretty much wraps up my <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/retro-vacation-photos-series.html">Retro Vacation Photo Series</a>. What a fun summer! I am so glad I was able to take some time to dig through my old photos, scan them all in, and remember these amazing trips. <br />
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Remember, its not a good vacation until you feed something out of the palm of your hand. <br />
<span id="goog_1205545869"></span><span id="goog_1205545870"></span>Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-15552617346851916832012-08-16T03:00:00.000-07:002012-08-16T03:00:05.189-07:00A Time MachineMy theme for this year is Art History: Prehistoric through Renaissance. I'm using a lot of visuals from my mentor teacher but I really wanted to put my own spin on things so I am starting the year off by doing a lesson about time travel. To prepare for this lesson, I read H. G. Wells The Time Machine, and I watched the movie The Time Machine...and I just thought about how to incorporate everything all summer long.<br />
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Around the 2nd week of summer I decided that in order to incorporate time travel with prehistoric art, it would be necessary to build a time machine sculpture...and challenge my students to design their own machine. Here it is in all its glory...with a LOT of help, and planning over the summer it finally came to life this week. It is really hard to photograph...because of the lighting, most of the special effects and the plasma ball 'flux capacitor' look better in dim lighting...but you can see the basic components....and appreciate something made out of all the junk that can be randomly found in my basement...with a few lucky things from a friend's farm.<br />
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Actually, this is the sort of thing that can probably only be fully appreciated in person....from a child's perspective....with a little bit of magic. But I thought it was worth sharing here because I've had a few people request to see it. <br />
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Next week I will be installing a cave in my classroom....and between now and Christmas, we will study Egyptian, Roman and Greek art. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flux Capacitor in all its glory. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot taken in the dark so you can see the ground effects. </td></tr>
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My lesson today went pretty well. I explained that we would be traveling back through time to study art....but I let students design any sort of time machine they could imagine and then place it in an environment either in the future or the past. There was no wrong way to create the fantasy world or the machine, it was up to them to be creative and use their imaginations.<br />
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I am really excited for this year!! Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-1582579378731560702012-08-15T03:00:00.000-07:002012-08-15T03:00:09.647-07:002012-2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First Day of school. Happy New Year. Let's Do This.Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-26900032010894118392012-08-14T03:00:00.000-07:002012-08-14T08:39:12.102-07:00Doing whatever I want.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When someone asks me: What have you been doing all summer?<br />
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I tell them the TRUTH: Whatever I want. <br />
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In the past, I have spent my summers volunteering, teaching, or doing something that fells like fun but its actually work, I just tell myself it is fun so that I am tricked into believing that I had a restful vacation.<br />
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I've just had 12 consecutive weeks off.<br />
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Every single day I tried to savor the morning the most. During the school year I am out of bed by 5:45, but in the summer I was in bet until at least 7:30, sometimes 8:00. It was marvelous. I must hit another level of R.E.M. between 6:30 and 7:00, that I don't normally even get a chance to experience....I'm going to miss that hard morning sleepy time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen1LVV-ntKLCIEHgSdh9c8SGG6ToohXgZmV7BZRLq7erm8pW0cKVfUpGAOppVABnZQ-j9HPgW31VNecNISHmfVM1lIeNaKYpZGw99Bg58D396QhJzdYHtOv4TNptJX30BOIpAsEt4efHd/s1600/4890DEE6-F4ED-4EE3-9B48-88B743E3CB0C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen1LVV-ntKLCIEHgSdh9c8SGG6ToohXgZmV7BZRLq7erm8pW0cKVfUpGAOppVABnZQ-j9HPgW31VNecNISHmfVM1lIeNaKYpZGw99Bg58D396QhJzdYHtOv4TNptJX30BOIpAsEt4efHd/s320/4890DEE6-F4ED-4EE3-9B48-88B743E3CB0C.JPG" width="239" /></a>Every single day, I tried to savor the evenings and stayed up past 10. This may not seem super late...but when I have the freedom to watch one more episode of the Tudors on Netflix, instead of turning the T.V. off at 9:30, it feels pretty sweet. Evenings haven't been rushed. I can cook dinner at my leisure, and still have time to relax afterwards. Even if I chose to go to the gym at night, I still had plenty of time to do whatever because I wasn't hurrying to prepare a sack lunch or iron a pair of kakis.<br />
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Every single day, I savored my free-time lunch. During the school year, I have a limited amount of time to eat lunch and a strict schedule. I also have a very regulated time frame at which I can use the restroom. It is very liberating.<br />
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Every single day, I tried to enjoy the free afternoons.....I actually fought the urge to take a nap every day. Ha! I met up with friends for an afternoon cupcake+drinks date...in the middle of the day....and I drove to a coffee shop for an iced coffee with free WIFI and blogging. Or I hung out with Martha and we made crafts or sat by a pool somewhere.<br />
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So maybe I did not meet all of these summer goals:<br />
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Read 10 books. (only 7)<br />
Grow a Wild Flower garden. (HA! it was too hot to grow anything)<br />
Workout/Zumba 4 times a week. (It was about 2-3 times average)<br />
Ride bikes. (TOOOO HOT!)<br />
Art Walk Dates. (YES! Braved the heat for all of the Joplin art walks and <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/lens-baby-kansas-city-art-walk.html">one in K.C.</a>)<br />
Analog Film: Take and Develop. (I haven't been in the dark room a lot...but I do have a few rolls processed)<br />
Paint. Draw. Collage. Art. (Perhaps I could've done a bit more of this, but I did make some cute stuff for Martha's Shop. and I <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/teacher-desk-makeover.html">painted my desk</a>)<br />
Bake Bread. (Only one loaf, but I did it!)<br />
Blog + Write. (Done! I spent a lot of time working on my<a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/retro-vacation-photos-series.html"> Retro Vacation Series</a>)<br />
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And I did a few things I hadn't planned:<br />
Went to the farmer's market for fresh peaches <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/that-one-time-when-i-baked-peach-pie.html">and baked a pie</a>. <br />
Had a fun girl's night out at <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/glazed.html">Glazed</a>. <br />
Went to a <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/blackberries.html">blackberry farm</a> and made lots of yummy <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/red-velvet-cake-mix-cookie-tuxedo.html">blackberry desserts</a>. <br />
Crafted something new out of <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/scrabble-tiles-4-cool-ideas.html">scrabble tiles</a> for <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/fluffy-pop.html">Martha's Shop</a>. And framed some <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/lomography-framed.html">lomography photos </a>to sell. <br />
Revisited my <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/hometown-appreciation.html">hometown firework</a> carnival for the 4th. <br />
Baked the most delicious <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/almond-joy-cookie-recipe.html">Almond Joy Cookies </a>ever.<br />
Grew a gorgeous <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/green-thumb-who-me.html">veggie garden</a>. (A lot of my succulents died!)<br />
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This week is a busy one. With the first day meetings yesterday, and open house last night...tonight we have more meetings and an education committee meeting at Spiva...and tomorrow is the first day of school....with art walk on Thursday night. By Friday I will be exhausted!! But at least I am well-rested. And I am excited for the new school year. <br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-32746766546962833202012-08-13T03:30:00.000-07:002012-08-13T03:30:01.265-07:00Retro Vacation Photos {Australia}As much as I loved New Zealand, <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/retro-vacation-photos-sweden.html">Sweden</a>, <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/retro-vacation-photos-london.html">England</a>, <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/07/retro-vacation-photos-scandinavia-b.html">Norway/Denmark</a>, and <a href="http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2012/06/retro-vacation-photos-rome-italy.html">Italy</a>; Australia was the country with the most adventure.<br />
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The tour was so organized, we got to do more than just annoying little scheduled shopping trips, we actually had thrilling things to experience. I have so many memories from this trip. I can practically describe it using all five senses. I can remember distinctly how the giant biscuits with fresh whipped cream and jelly we had for a snack one day tasted, to the fresh-grilled fish we had for lunch. We actually tried vegimite on toast. blech. Our tour bus was constantly filled with the sounds of Australian music like 'Down Under' or movies like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298228/">Whale Rider</a>.<br />
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We got to try throwing a boomerang, cracking a whip, we rode in off-rode jeeps through the bush, we got to snuggle koala bears, and feed wild wallabies right out of the palm of our hand.<br />
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We got up close and personal with a <a href="http://www.fraserisland.net/fraser-island-wildlife.html">sand monitor on Fraiser Island</a> (while we talked about wild dingos and snatched babies) and we swam in the beautiful white-sand lake.<br />
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We took a long boat ride to the tip of the Great Barrier Reef and snorkled and scuba dived with the tropical fish. <br />
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We went on a tree top hike through a rain forest and some people even climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Not me. I was too chicken.<br />
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When I wasn't singing along to the music or watching the movies on the bus, I was reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Down-Under-Bill-Bryson/dp/055299703X">Bill Bryson's Down Under</a>. It was an incredible companion to the trip. I learned so many fun facts about Australia while I was actually there. I must add that Bill Bryson is an incredible writer. He is so funny and informed. Loved the book so much. <br />
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314663246467198601.post-35391234897331588952012-08-10T03:30:00.000-07:002012-08-10T03:30:02.875-07:00Retro Vacation Photos {New Zealand}<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzzkudPrbb_bfO4gt1oJTiXeC98EuBYxHUjr6zV195E-FGlBJp4nAukn9aBwIeG2yC578hW2gPYekTowi7bGF9WKb8iUMY1Soh0WXOhUrdffvd6xRInys9EW6nrNpPHKdqvVrnzSnHmDu/s1600/SCAN0559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzzkudPrbb_bfO4gt1oJTiXeC98EuBYxHUjr6zV195E-FGlBJp4nAukn9aBwIeG2yC578hW2gPYekTowi7bGF9WKb8iUMY1Soh0WXOhUrdffvd6xRInys9EW6nrNpPHKdqvVrnzSnHmDu/s640/SCAN0559.jpg" width="474" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYa7H9W2T4qSDG0FUpsEUD347VMZWbKxapsZ4Ot9f4Bo9B3dciiwH-IZfosBZpPUqFYJ8puExmVPG4u-QikNhrlDP5DUdqRraCL2Fhsfvvw8dLgI6KfwH0XIxOnmwygKADODgUtaHXXvlS/s1600/SCAN0558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYa7H9W2T4qSDG0FUpsEUD347VMZWbKxapsZ4Ot9f4Bo9B3dciiwH-IZfosBZpPUqFYJ8puExmVPG4u-QikNhrlDP5DUdqRraCL2Fhsfvvw8dLgI6KfwH0XIxOnmwygKADODgUtaHXXvlS/s320/SCAN0558.jpg" width="287" /></a>New Zealand was one of my favorite places. It was definitely one of the most exotic destinations I have ever experienced.<br />
<br />I did a lot of detailed journaling on this trip in my trip notebook. <br />
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Frustratingly, even though it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, since we went in May (early winter/late fall for the southern hemisphere), it was cloudy and foggy much of the time, and I just didn't get as many great photos of the natural landscape as I would've liked. <br />
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And when I did hand my camera off to someone to try to get a good one of me...they often didn't know how to use it. This was one of the first trips where nearly everyone had a digital camera. When I went to Italy just a few years prior, everyone was using film. But on this trip, everyone had pretty much switched to digital cameras....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLziAvEgh1utTpVyIFEIIII-BhOXxAkoN7aRXPbfEiQCkEXDNzmiXZhIATW4YOV3ewOaduAzy6mIrjvxWRV16mcV4Aqi9aSOYMphHE-BZgit5luIhZO1AIe2IHEunUlPCj5EfJBhPDjTpo/s1600/SCAN0717.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLziAvEgh1utTpVyIFEIIII-BhOXxAkoN7aRXPbfEiQCkEXDNzmiXZhIATW4YOV3ewOaduAzy6mIrjvxWRV16mcV4Aqi9aSOYMphHE-BZgit5luIhZO1AIe2IHEunUlPCj5EfJBhPDjTpo/s640/SCAN0717.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi mom. I'm in New Zealand!! (huge thanks to whoever took this picture. good job.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kind of reminded me of Missouri. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day we went to see the geysers in Rotorua it was so rainy and foggy!</td></tr>
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We got to visit the Waitomo glow worm caves. It was
incredible. I knew that I wouldn't be able to adjust my camera to the
right settings in our little moving canoe, so I just made the executive
decision to enjoy the cave as it was from my own eyes and not spend the
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I found these little postcards and things from my scrapbook from the trip. They are too precious not to share. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rugby players...in the airport...SO HOT! New Zealand had the most gorgeous men. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The carvings and art of the Maori are just incredible. </td></tr>
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<br />Nellie Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04075085958362460963noreply@blogger.com0