Judythe Morgan

17 02, 2023

Chicken Cookies for the Win!

By |2023-02-17T12:12:15-06:00February 17th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A reblog from Chicken Wrangler Sara


Our school secretary/business administrator is a wonderful lady. I’ve always known that the school secretary is the one who runs the school, and that is never truer than in a small private school. When she was gone for a few days taking care of her husband it took 4 people to do her job.

She has two grandsons who were in my music classes when they were at the school.  They frequently visit so I keep an eye out at the food pantry for things they might enjoy.  Each week I stop by the school on my way home to deliver whatever prizes I have found.

Last Friday Mary had a prize for me. She had been working at a garage sale and found a basket of cookie cutters.  Among them was this

She immediately thought of me.

I was thrilled. I have quite a collection of cookie cutters – thanks to my mother – but a chicken was not among them.

Over the weekend, along with canning 6 pints of tomato sauce, 6 pints of spiced apples, 4 half pints of apple butter, and freezing 10 cups of mashed sweet potatoes, I made chicken cookies.

cookies

I took them to school and left them in the teachers’ workroom with a note explaining that they were chicken cookies – sugar cookies shaped like chickens, not cookies made from chicken. At least one teacher was glad for the clarification.

~~~First appeared on February 15, 2o15

10 02, 2023

Real Teachers

By |2023-02-09T18:04:11-06:00February 10th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara


“You’re not a real teacher.”  I’ve heard that many, many times in my years of teaching music.

Recently it was from a student. Early in my career, I was told I would never be “Teacher of the Year” because I wasn’t a real teacher. Another time someone walked into my classroom and said “O, you’re teaching” as if that was a surprise.

It used to really upset me. It doesn’t bother me anymore. I know what I do, and I love it.

Music teachers take the students who can’t sit still in “regular” classes, and those who struggle with “real” subjects and dread those classes.  We take all those wiggly little bodies and create ensembles that play and sing together. Music gives those students a chance to succeed.

No, we don’t give standardized tests. We have performances where students learn to work together and make music with instruments or voices in front of live audiences on a regular basis. All the students take part and their self-confidence soars.

If we aren’t “real” teachers, what about superheroes like my favorite teeshirt says?

6 02, 2023

The Full Moon and Me

By |2023-01-23T07:59:22-06:00February 6th, 2023|Uncategorized|1 Comment

Source: NASA

Moonbeams lit up our little corner of the world Sunday night. The sky was dark, but the light made shadows as Finnegan MacCool and I walked.

I guess that’s why the Native Americans named it The Snow Moon. We had no snow to sparkle here on the Texas Gulf Coast, but I remember how the ground glistened when there was.

Read more about Native American full moon names here. It’s fascinating.

Every time there’s a full moon I think of a rhyme my Irish grandmother taught me as a wee little girl, I See the Moon.

I see the moon, the moon sees me,
God bless the moon and God bless me:
There’s grace in the cottage and grace in the hall;
And the grace of God is over us all. 

She also told me the man in the moon would hear me. I remember that too. I wasn’t lonely. Not with my Finn along, but I thought of Carl Sandburg’s words.

Edie Melson, judythe morgan

The next full moon – called the Worm Moon or Lenten Moon – will be at its peak on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 7:40 a.m. ET.

Don’t miss the opportunity to go out and chat with the man in the moon.

3 02, 2023

Life Goal

By |2023-01-31T20:56:31-06:00February 3rd, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara


When I was in middle school, I took piano lessons from Mrs. Black.  She was an amazing teacher who had a major impact on my life.

Each week I had a private lesson and a group lesson where I learned theory, ear training, and improvisation. She taught in her home and had two baby ground pianos in her studio.  I can still remember her coming down the stairs in her house shoes and playing a second piano part to my Clementi Sonatinas.

I performed in recitals, festivals, and for the National Guild of Piano Teachers.  I loved every minute of it and decided at that point I wanted to be just like Mrs. Black when I grew up.

I did indeed pursue a degree in music education where all the group lessons helped tremendously in my freshmen theory classes.  I began teaching piano in the home of one of the professors who guided me as I began my teaching career.

Fast forward more than 30 years and I am still teaching private piano as well as classroom music.  And I still love doing both.  While I do not have a baby grand piano, much less two, in my living room, I try to impart the same love of music that Mrs. Black passed on to me.

I looked down this week and noticed my feet:

judythe morgan

I have achieved my life goal of becoming just like Mrs. Black – right down to teaching in my house shoes.

30 01, 2023

National Hat Day

By |2023-01-30T11:55:15-06:00January 30th, 2023|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Multiple sites mark designated days to celebrate that are off-beat holidays in the U.S. and around the world. NationalDayCalendar is one. NationalDay365 is another.

National days are not truly “National” days. There’s no act of Congress declaring it so. Still, they’re fun and I enjoy seeing posts on FB alerting me to them.

This month January 15th was designated as National Hat Day. To celebrate you are supposed to wear and enjoy a hat of your choice and style. Some hatter wanting to sell his hats probably originated the celebration.

Hats come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and styles. There’s a hat to fit every head size and personality.

judythe morganWearing a hat can …

  • make a statement.
  • identify your occupation or promote a cause or product.
  • keep your head warm or the sun from your eyes.

That last reason is why I wear my Irish cap all winter to keep me warm and a sun visor all summer to block the sun.

In the early 19th century, a woman didn’t go out without her hat. Hats have more or less disappeared from everyday fashion attire in the U.S.

On the other hand, if you’re attending the Kentucky Derby a hat is a requirement. The Derby gives a woman the opportunity to express her inner Southern Belle. I’ve even been known to wear a hat while I watch the broadcast on television.

National Hat Day allows us to try out hats. From the fantastic to the sublime, no rules or no limits. Wearing a hat is much like getting into costume, you might be pleasantly surprised to see what type of character you become.

National Hat Day is a fun way to express yourself. Mark your calendar and next year grab YOUR chance to display your favorite headgear.

Or don’t wait until then. Why not wear different hats any day?

23 01, 2023

Shivering

By |2023-01-20T13:08:54-06:00January 23rd, 2023|A Writer's Life|1 Comment

Another freeze snap came our way in December. What we call a hard freeze in Texas. Three nights of temperatures below freezing. But no precipitation. That was good.

Nothing like the great Ice Apocalypse of 2021 when we had subzero temps for days and ice came down in sheets. Resulting in no power for days.

This time the power grid paid attention to the weather forecasters. Homeowners made ready covering plants and dripping faucets.

Many still lost electricity as dead tree limbs fell.

Attention, people: You have to keep the limbs away from the electric lines. They break transformers and power lines in any weather or wind if you don’t.

Winter ice storms are uncharacteristic for our area and when they happen the whole place shuts down. Severe cold days for long periods can shut things down too. Ice and snow freeze freeway ramps and turn roadways into ice rinks. Most people stay inside trying to stay warm.

Rain can be as bad as ice. Heavy rainfall leads to flooding. That’s why we have flood stages predictions with rain forecasts here. Water has no place to go. It sits on roads and in fields for days.

Problem is, most local drivers don’t manage either ice, snow, or rain very well. Southerners know how to sweat. Not slip, skate, and slide.

But let me tell you, the Gulf Coast Texas can get COLD. Very cold. We’ve lived in the high mountains of Colorado where temperatures drop below zero but the humidity here makes even thirty degrees feel like -30.

I spend every winter cold snap shivering. But I don’t let shivers stop me. I bundle up, grab a mug of hot chocolate, and let the words blaze.

Don’t let cold weather shivers keep you from what you need to do either, hang on Spring will be here in sixty-four days. Click here to check how many days and hours.

20 01, 2023

Chicken Socks

By |2023-01-20T11:57:01-06:00January 20th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara


My black socks were dirty when I went to find them last week so I pulled out my chicken socks.  They are black – with chicken legs and feet on the front.  I was wearing pants so I figured no one would notice.

The problem is my shoes have an opening on the top of the foot just big enough to show the chicken feet.

judythe morganThe younger kids sit on the floor right at my feet so in every class at least one student noticed my socks.  In fact, one girl told me her grandmother has the same socks.  I am glad I am not the only goofy grandma.

The older kids sit in chairs and so they did not see the socks.  Or if they did, they didn’t say anything.

The next day the students wanted to know if I was wearing my chicken socks again.  I explained they needed to be washed.

Perhaps I need to get another pair.

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