Friday on the Miller Farm Archives - View from the Front Porch

26 05, 2023

More than A Teacher

By judythemorgan|2023-05-25T07:04:34-05:00May 26th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

One of the fifth-grade boys in my class asked me if I could fix his backpack. His friend had grabbed the strap and pulled it completely out.

I figured one of his classmates had referred him to me. I had reattached the arm to her stuffed monkey earlier this year. I’m not sure how I ended up with that task.

Before I agreed to make the repair, I asked several questions. First, was there anything in his backpack that he needed? He assured me he had no homework to do. Since the next day was Field Day and a Friday, I figured he was being honest.

Then I asked if he had any food in there. I did not want anything to spill or spoil while it was in my possession. He assured me there was no food in his backpack.

Finally, I asked if there was anything living in his backpack. I once had a fifth-grade boy of my own who may or may not have brought living things home from school. He told me there was a duck in there but it was a toy duck. I told him that was good because I already had several ducks and did not want any more.

Once all those questions were answered, I agreed to fix his backpack.

It was a quick, simple job. It reminded me, though, that I am more than just a music teacher to some of these kids. That is ok. They are more than just students to me.

19 05, 2023

Still Using Sticky Notes

By judythemorgan|2023-05-19T06:28:24-05:00May 19th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

As my brain gets more and more full, I find myself using more and more sticky notes to remember things.

For example, my last piano student today was telling me about the Talent Show at her school. She will be playing piano along with some of my other students. I wrote all the pertinent information down on a sticky note and stuck it on my computer, right next to the sticky note where I have written what levels of theory books to order for next year and my reminder to check on the theory awards.

My student agreed that putting them on the computer was a good plan.

This reminded me of the Sticky Note Wars blog I wrote on February 23, 2018. Students wrote sticky notes and attached them to my piano. You can read it here. https://judythewriter.com/sticky-note-wars/

After more than 5 years, I am still using sticky notes.

5 05, 2023

Full Circle

By judythemorgan|2023-05-04T09:41:38-05:00May 5th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I had my Spring Piano Recital this past weekend. I usually have two recitals a year and over the past few years they have become more informal. My goal is for the students to perform in a supportive environment.

When I first started teaching, I held my recitals in an art gallery on the Texas A&M University campus. There was a beautiful nine-foot grand piano and the sound was wonderful.

I held many recitals there and my mother and I played a duet on that piano at the Christmas Recital one year. It was the same year our daughter also played.

When the building that housed the gallery was renovated, the piano was put into storage. I had to find other places to hold my recitals. The pianos were not as impressive but the goal of having fun was always achieved.

The piano was recently relocated to a church near our house and was once again available for recitals. This is where the recital was held this weekend. The sound was better than I remembered and my students all sounded amazing!

It was somewhat bittersweet.

One of my students is a senior this year so this was her last recital. She is the youngest of three siblings I have taught since moving back to Texas. In fact, she attended recitals in the art gallery as an infant while her sister played. She was able to finish her time with me on the same piano her sister had begun her lessons.

Things have come full circle. It may be time to retire…….or not! There are still many students who need to learn that playing the piano is fun!

28 04, 2023

Templeton Eggs

By judythemorgan|2023-04-26T16:40:06-05:00April 28th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

My NAP (not a pet) chicken has grown accustomed to roaming the backyard. She has wandered all the way up to the back porch and even follows me into the shed to get food.

Things were going fine until Beekeeper Brian made an alarming discovery under the shed.

The silly chicken has been laying eggs under the shed.

They are completely out of reach and so far, are all intact.

I thought about Templeton, the rat in Charlotte’s Web. The goose gave him an egg that was not going to hatch so he would leave the goslings alone.

Avery, Fern’s brother, accidentally breaks the egg sending horrible fumes through the farmyard.

The children run away, forgetting all about their plans to catch Charlotte. So, I guess, in that case, the rotten egg served a good purpose.

I just hope the eggs under our shed stay in one piece. We have no spiders or pigs to be saved on Miller Farm.

21 04, 2023

Examples from Nature

By judythemorgan|2023-04-20T08:23:24-05:00April 21st, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I found a song in one of my old music books about a bee that I have incorporated into my Spring lessons every year. It tells about a bee working in the clover, resting on a flower, and hurrying home. It allows for movement and the kids really enjoy it.

I always start by explaining what clover is and how bees will fly from one flower to another gathering pollen to make honey. There are dots on the floor where I teach so I use those as the “clover.” I must confess, my favorite part is when they rest on the flowers. Anytime I can get a group of 4-year-olds to sit still, I consider it a win.

Our playground is covered in clover and right now, the bees are working in the clover just like the song says. I managed to take some pictures of them to show the kids.

I tried to be very discreet when taking pictures so as not to attract attention to the bees.

Singing about them in music class is one thing but I’m not sure the students would be excited about sharing the playground with them.

14 04, 2023

Field Trip Fun

By judythemorgan|2023-04-13T08:55:04-05:00April 14th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Last month my principal asked me to go with the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades on their field trip. They went to the Museum of the American GI and Veteran’s Park. To be perfectly honest, I was not excited at first.

I was looking forward to the time at school without them. However, this seemed to be another example of “other duties as assigned” and I decided to make the best of it.

The museum was actually fascinating. I learned many things and my group of students was able to complete all the questions on the assignment we were given. It was a beautiful day so being outside at the park was nice. There were statues for each of the wars fought and my group wanted to take silly pictures at each of them. We had a lot of fun.

My favorite part of the day, though, was the last activity. We visited a different part of the park which included a music section.

I don’t know who had more fun – me or the students.

I can’t wait to go back and take my grandsons! I may even go by myself.

I am a music teacher, after all.

I can play whatever musical instrument I want – even if it is in a park!

7 04, 2023

Guess What We Found!

By judythemorgan|2023-04-06T13:51:56-05:00April 7th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

My 5th and 6th grade class had earned their free time so we went outside. The girls headed for the swings while the boys grabbed a football. Within a few minutes, the boys came running over saying “There’s a baby raccoon!”

Being an experienced teacher, I didn’t necessarily believe them at once. However, upon further inspection, there was indeed a baby raccoon.

Its eyes were not open but it was still alive. I sent one of the students to the office for reinforcements.

In all my various encounters with animals, I have never run across a raccoon but I knew enough to stay back and keep anyone from touching it.

I texted Rachel who happened to be at recess with her class. She called and suggested we contact Texas Parks and Wildlife to see if there was a small animal rehabilitator nearby. She texted me the number which I sent to the school office.

Meanwhile, the principal came out and got a shovel and bucket and moved the little fellow out of the sun. By the time I checked on him at the end of class, he had perked up a bit.

The woman from the wildlife rehab center came and picked him up. I have not followed up to see how he is. I like to believe he is happily growing and preparing to return to the wild.

31 03, 2023

Between the Fences

By judythemorgan|2023-03-27T09:09:37-05:00March 31st, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Our neighbors, who also have chickens and ducks, have a privacy fence. It was erected by the previous owners when their real estate agent convinced them no one would buy a house next to chickens. Obviously, this was not true.

Anyway, chickens have regularly gotten themselves caught between the two fences. I have, on several occasions, climbed between the fences to rescue them. After getting multiple scratches and tearing several pairs of pants, I stopped retrieving chickens.

They got themselves into that spot. They could get themselves back out.

Recently, Beekeeper Brian discovered a collection of eggs between the fences. I thought perhaps my wayward, nameless chicken had laid them. But that was not the case. It was one of the neighbor’s ducks.

I heard the kids outside one afternoon and hollered over the fence to tell them about the eggs. Being smaller and more agile than me, they were able to retrieve them.

I guess we won’t have ducklings living between the fences.

24 03, 2023

New Chicken Wrangler Skills

By judythemorgan|2023-03-20T18:02:39-05:00March 24th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Penelope, Rachel’s dachshund, spent the night with us this weekend which meant I had to keep an eye on our wayward chicken.

I didn’t want to put her in a separate cage so I just held her whenever Penelope was outside. She didn’t mind at all and in fact, she talked to me the whole time.

I decided to clean one of the nest boxes which was particularly disgusting. It happened to have a chicken in it but that didn’t stop me. With a chicken in one hand, I carefully moved that mess out of the occupied nest box and replaced it with clean shavings. As I was carefully working around the stubborn hen, I wondered if perhaps this is what it is like for nurses who change sheets with a person still in the bed.

As soon as the nest box was clean, the hen moved to the dirty one next to it. They do have bird brains.

PS I do not have a pet chicken but if I did, what should I name it?

17 03, 2023

Turkey Trot

By judythemorgan|2023-03-16T09:19:43-05:00March 17th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We recently acquired a turkey. We have had white turkeys in the past, Tom and Tina, but they went to live on a bigger farm. I was initially not excited but this turkey is handsome.

He is a red bourbon heritage breed and is destined to be dinner so I have not given him a name.

I enjoy hearing him talking to the chickens but lately, he has started following me around the chicken yard. I am not sure if he thinks I am a female turkey or if he sees me as a threat. In any case, I have added the “turkey trot” to my list of farmyard dances which includes the “chicken dance” and “ring around the chicken coop.”

I have learned many skills as a chicken wrangler. Some are very useful in my day job as a music teacher.