Success – Lombardi
7
09, 2022
5
09, 2022
Labor Day Thank You
It’s Labor Day, I want to acknowledge workers and the work they do.
Those who work in farming, ranching, and trucking, or in factories, warehouses, retail stores, and other labor-intensive jobs are the ones who make our country such a great place to live.
Our backbone.
Medical professionals like doctors, nurses, EMTs, and soldiers serve, day in and day out, with no time off for holidays to protect us.
Because y’all do your job, I can do what I love – write. I have to pause here and give a special nod of awe to fellow writers who work full time and come home to write.
Writing is my job. Because so many workers do their jobs, I’m able to do mine. Specific thank yous to
- Teachers, college professors, writing workshop presenters, and conference organizers. Because you did your job, I can read and write!
- Thank you, farmers, ranchers, truck drivers, and grocery store employees. You do your job and I can shop in comfort at the local market for my family’s needs and meals.
- Thank you to carpenters, electricians, plumbers, designers, and builders who provide a roof over my head, heat, and air conditioning. Doing your job provided a safe, dry place for me to work indoors.
Writing is different from other jobs.
We don’t have to clock in or out. We’re not docked if we’re late or choose not to write one day. It’s a solitary job. For the most part, it’s us and the computer or pen and paper. But without all of you doing your job I can’t do mine.
Thank you!
2
09, 2022
Egg Hunt
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
It has been quite a while since I have been challenged by a game of Egg Hunt.
In fact, I didn’t even know the chickens were still playing until Beekeeper Brian found eggs in the brush pile at the back of the chicken yard.
I wasn’t quite sure how the chickens managed to lay the eggs there. Then I caught a chicken in the brush pile.
Perhaps she was expanding the Egg Hunt game to Hide and Seek. If that is the case – she is the champion!
Of course, now that I know her hiding place, I can also find her eggs.
31
08, 2022
29
08, 2022
Bye, Bye Summer
Another summer is about over. Labor Day is coming.
Fall will officially arrive on September 22, 2022, at 9:03 pm EDT.
Every year at the end of August this one-time schoolteacher becomes a little nostalgic. I’m not saying I’d want to be back teaching in a classroom again. Not with the challenges teachers face today.
Once the back-to-school chatter begins, I can’t stop a part of me from missing the excitement of setting up my classroom and seeing the eager young faces.
I swallow the lump in my throat from memories when I spot a school bus and send up a prayer for a “really good year” for the bus driver, the kids, and the teacher waiting in the classroom.
Back-to-school this year meant three grandchildren headed off the college. One to Arizona, one to Missouri, and one to San Antonio. Two others continue honing their craft as electricians and auto mechanics. The youngest granddaughter continues her homeschooling toward high graduation.
The most exciting thing about this year’s back-to-school is another granddaughter follows her mom, Chicken Wrangler Sara aka music teacher, and me into her classroom as a first-year teacher.
Another granddaughter will continue her teaching career at a new school. Say a little prayer for both of them and all teachers.
August is more than back to school though, it’s the freshness of new beginnings. A time of changes. A mid-year New Year’s Day.
I’m looking forward to the new season. What about you?
26
08, 2022
A Good Year
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
I have to follow up on last week’s post about being encouraged by the amaryllis. Here’s the picture from the blog:
This week we have had rain which has been wonderful. It waited until after all music and PE classes finished each day which allowed the students to be outside. Even more wonderful!
Today, 10 days after the first amaryllis picture, I took these:
The first plant has more flowers and two more amaryllis plants have bloomed!
I’m going to take that as a sign that this will be a good year.
Perhaps even a very good year!
24
08, 2022
22
08, 2022
Ice Cream Day and Waffles Cones
Last month was National Ice Cream Month. Did you know?
Me either. But it’s okay.
National Ice Cream Day has been happening every July 17th since President Reagan’s 1984 proclamation. We’ll have another chance to celebrate next year.
I was researching ice cream-related memorabilia for an estate sale when I uncovered Ice Cream Day.
I regularly read Kovels’ Newsletter for current pricing and learn lots of great trivia. One of the newsletters discussed the origins of ice cream cones.
One story claims an 1896 New York City ice cream pushcart vendor named Italo Marchiony wanted to stop customers from carrying away with his serving dishes and invented the edible cone. In 1903 he patented the special mold for waffle cups with sloping sides.
A different account claims a 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair ice cream vendor W.W. Turnbull ran out of paper dishes. He made a deal with a neighboring vendor of zalabia to put his ice cream inside the waffle-like pastry. The rolled-up waffles to hold ice cream were a big hit with fairgoers.
Three years later, Trumbull invented an ice cream cone vending machine.
The Turnbull Cone’s motto: “Eat a cone every day. You’ll feel better in every way.”
I would agree! Wouldn’t you?
A light bulb on the inside keeps cones warm and crispy. Pushing the levers on the outside releases the bottom cone down the chute. One of the vintage machines sold for $800 in 2014.
The idea of edible cones exploded in popularity after the St. Louis World’s Fair and somewhere along the way ice cream businesses like Dairy Queen entered the picture for all ice cream lovers.
Texans call the distinctive Dairy Queen sign the Texas stop sign. I can promise that my vehicle certainly stops far too often.
But only to confirm Mr. Turnbull’s motto, of course.
19
08, 2022
Inspiration
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Teachers went back to school last week to get ready for a new year. I teach at a small charter school that is not immune to the many challenges facing education right now.
Finding teachers was hard last year and even harder this year. This resulted in some hard decisions for our school. People were not happy.
Then we received our rating from the state based on our test scores last year. Not surprisingly, they were the lowest they had been in many years. More people were not happy.
I was pretty discouraged as I pulled into the driveway on Friday afternoon.
Then I saw our amaryllis.
We have been in a record-breaking drought this summer causing many plants to give up and die. Part of this amaryllis did just that.
Then there is the bunch of flowers that bloomed despite all the challenges. They seemed blissfully unaware of the brown all around them and showed their colors proudly.
I was inspired.
If a nonscientient plant can produce color amidst all the brown around it, I certainly can proudly display my courage to face a new year. Even if those around me seem overcome by the drought, I can continue to bloom.
Maybe others will be inspired, too.
17
08, 2022
