Education

Education

June through August 2017

As the saying goes, “one man's trash is another man's treasure,” but sometimes one person's treasure becomes another person's treasure.

I needed a new desk. The one I had, an outdated computer desk, was not filling the bill for me anymore. It had features no longer useful, not enough drawers, and one shelf that was sagging under the weight of my growing collection of nature reference books. It felt cramped. There was never enough space.

To do the work I need to do – research my nature observations, or research for a piece of writing, or for a program – I needed real space and plenty of handy drawers.

I would need to have room to spread out my notebooks, sketchbooks , real books, and samples (such as dead bugs, pond water, bits of moss, etc.,) and to set up my laptop or microscope, or both. I needed to feel that my ideas, imagination and rambling thoughts would have room to grow. And I would need my most useful, needed books within easy reach.

In other words, to expand my knowledge and work for the kind of education I wanted to accomplish, I needed the right desk.

I kept an eye out for used desks, which were what I preferred, but also for new ones, in case one of those happened to be the right one at an affordable price. I had not started looking diligently yet but, as with many things, I knew I'd recognize the right one when I saw it.

The absolute ideal desk, I felt, would be one of those big old wooden teacher's desks -  the desks with lots of surface area on top and lots of drawers of various sizes, including that one narrow drawer at the top center where teachers tucked away squirt guns, big rubber bands and other items confiscated from troublesome children. They also have that pull-out square of wood where teachers often taped a class roster or seating chart. And they are as sturdy as all get-out because they were made during times when things were meant to last and be hard-working.

I wanted to avoid a metal desk, if possible. They are dark, cold and impersonal, their drawers opening and closing with the same squeal-bang of metal lockers echoing in an old school hallway. They have no real give, or acceptance, as old wood has.

I found my one-and-only in early June.

Garden views out of the screened porch on June 3.

Pester enjoys the screened porch quite often.

  

It was that time of year when summer was felt but not yet oppressive, when porch time was at its most pleasant.

One way I was enjoying June, and the rest of the summer: all of the Jane Austen novels (with tea, of course.) "Persuasion" was the first one.

A local friend on Facebook who knew I was looking for a desk (barely anyone did) sent me information about a sale at one of the local elementary schools – the next school in line for total remodeling. They were getting rid of a lot of old stuff – out with the old, in with the new. This was wonderful luck – not just the sale itself, but that someone told me, because it seemed to be barely advertised at all.

And so I went to be there one Saturday morning, right when it started at 8:00 am, in great anticipation, but not allowing myself to think I would find my “dream desk.” I walked into a hallway lined and stacked with stuff. Then I turned into the school gym where there were several rows of items, spanning the length of the gym. As if that wasn't great enough, I was told to walk about the whole building, because everything in every room and hallway was for sale.

Starting in the gym, I went up and down the rows of classroom furniture, white boards, various shelving units and magazine display racks, old A/V equipment and much more. There were piles of variously colored child-sized desk chairs taped off, reserved for a charter school that bought them during a special sale the day before.

I found a couple of old metal teacher's desks and, though they were not what I preferred, I kept them in the back of my mind, just in case.

Then … there it was, with racks and a pile of old headphones on top of it … the Desk of my Dreams. That big old sturdy wooden teacher's desk – and in great shape, to boot. I spoke to the friendly people in charge there to say I wanted to buy that desk, but I was going to look around the school at other things before paying. Two men took all the stuff off the top and moved it over to the side of the room. It was mine.

I wandered the building. In different places I found two of those sturdy old wooden school chairs (adult size) and snatched those up, bringing them down to “my” desk in the gym. Then I noticed there were chairs piled on the stage. One was a wheeled, adjustable, padded office chair. I inspected it, it passed, and it was mine.

I went to the nice people to pay for my choices. This is what it turned out to be:

–        sturdy wooden teacher's desk:                $5.00

–        3 chairs                                                    $1.00 each

Yes, that's correct – my Dream Desk cost me a five dollar bill. I had to have them repeat that to me.

The two nice men then carried the desk and chairs to my truck and loaded them in. Off I went, driving carefully home, letting my great good fortune gradually sink into my mind.

I explored each drawer, discovering the desk had last belonged to a Reading teacher. My explorations revealed remnants of the life in her classroom.

The pully-out thingie - there's one on both sides!!

I also found a strip engraved with the teacher's name as well as print-outs of the last class rosters used in her classroom.

The next day I scrubbed the desk inside and out and then spruced it up with lemon oil.

Nice, yes?

Mireille immediately took to it.

Her Highness, Queen Mireille, always seeking places where she can look down on the other pets.

What a cute nose.

The day after that I had the great pleasure of clearing out and cleaning up the mess that was the old computer desk. It was still in very good shape. I took it to the St. Vincent de Paul store in town, where they were very pleased to get it.

Now ya see it ...

... now ya don't!

A few days after that I had the pleasure of seeing the “new” desk put in its new position, with Richard's help.

I had remembered (and had designs on) a shelving unit that Richard made years ago, which had been left in the barn (a.k.a. “graveyard”) after we weren't using it anymore. I had checked on it a few times to see that it was still in good shape (it was.) This was the perfect time to resurrect and use it.

I backed my pickup truck down near the barn one day, then turned the shelving unit end-over-end out the barn opening, across the old sheep lot, up a little slope, and across some lawn to the truck, and lifted it into the bed.  I then drove it up in front of the screened porch. After Richard got home he helped me move it over to the porch door, then into the porch.

As anyone can imagine, it was filthy after years in the barn, and when I again found some time I scrubbed it all down.

 There were constant interruptions to the desk project after that, and time dragged on.

Garden views from the screened porch on June 24

The corn was knee high before the Fourth of July, and just about as high as an elephant's eye.

But eventually Richard was able to take the old backing off the shelves and put on a nice new, sturdy pegboard backing.

In process: new back for bookshelf

Next he deftly, creatively repaired a corner of the shelf that had been broken (or chewed?) by something while in the barn. I painted the whole unit with paint left over from Richard's own recent bookshelf project.

We had another spat of delays, including Independence Day/weekend festivities, and then we got back to it.

On July 5, Richard and I carried the shelving unit into the office room and stood it up on the desk while he inserted some screws to anchor it to the wall. It looked just as I had hoped it would.

The desk and shelves were IN!!!  What a great relief, as well as very exciting for me.

I wasted no time lining the shelves with field guides and other reference books.

And with room to spare!

Gradually I went through bags of stuff that I had removed from the old desk and started to determine what should go in which drawers and what should go on the desk top. I knew I wanted very little on the desktop, and only the essentials for quick-grabbing, because I wanted plenty of work space. And I knew that (ideally) I wanted the stereoscope on the desk, as I use if often.

Drawers ... it's just a start ...

Top left: mostly some things related to microscope use.

The top center drawer - some quick-grab items.

Top right: for quick notes, staples, etc.

The deep bottom right drawer will be for "current and ongoing projects" so I won't have to waste time hunting them down (label not related to my work - old VU library folder being reused.)

I'm still working on other drawers.

My drawers were already very different from the Reading teacher's drawers.  I did leave her name plate and the class roster in a drawer as a respectful nod to her work.

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Time has dragged on through this work-in-progress and I am anxious to have it all ready and useable. I want so much to work on and accomplish things here. I want essentials at my fingertips. I also want to make the whole room a pleasant place to hang out and work, so I will be changing curtains, decluttering the whole room, washing floors and walls, improving the lighting, carefully placing wall hangings, etc.

*********************************************************************

Before I could finish organizing the desk and filling drawers, I would have to completely shift books in the floor-to-ceiling shelves nearby so that I could make spaces for books and other nature study/education materials near the desk, move some books completely out, and completely reorganize it all.

Existing floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, section near desk: nature education books (for leaders and children,) other nature-related books, binders for citizen science and other projects, natural area information, and a bunch of history books that need to be gone through and re-shelved elsewhere.

*********************************************************************

It has been frustrating trying to find time for this large project, despite its importance. There has been one delay after another (various kinds,) and summer is busy with gardens and food preservation. But, I WILL get to it, and it will be done.

When it does all come together it will be a wonderful situation that I feel will propel my work along on a smoother continuum. Who knows what great things I may be able to accomplish?

There was a time when the Reading teacher was new, when she first sat at this very desk in a classroom, her first class roster at hand as her first batch of students filed in toward their desks. It was a fresh start for that teacher.

When this project is finally completed, when I am sitting at that same desk in the “extra room” of our house, my books, notebooks, and microscopes at hand, it will be a fresh start for me, too. It will be a different kind of education, but it will be effective and far-reaching, just as the previous teacher's practice must have been.

In my case, I'll be spending a lot of time “out there” in nature, then bringing it “in here” so that it can go back “out there” to other people, in various ways.

Almost total chaos during the book-shifting project.

One side of the room, with Indiana Dunes-related wall hangings that will stay (one especially inspiring one is about one of my heroes, Henry Chandler Cowles.) That couch is for studying and unfolds as a guest bed - obviously it can't be used as either for the time being.

As I always say: “It always gets worse before it gets better.”

Volunteer

Volunteer

Early Spring 2017

April 8

We were having classic April days – birds bursting into song at dawn, the first butterflies appearing, trees in bloom or just leafing out, and sunny days interspersed with cool nights and spring rains.

This meant that everything was happening oh-so-quickly. I had been so busy since (and including) winter that gardens took a spot on the back burner much too often. It all got way ahead of me.

In the above photo, you can see fruit trees that we finally pruned in February, sprinkled with blossoms. You can also see the Volunteer Peach Tree (just to the right of the porch chair) with a dusting of early leaves. It was pruned in February, also, for its very first time. I studied pruning instructions in books and videos, then did my best.

You can also see and expanse of almost solid green just before the porch. That is the Herb Garden Transformation Project, transformed, unintentionally, into a Weed Garden. It should look like a place of meandering paths and nicely planted areas with herbs and early vegetable plants. Actually, there are some herbs and vegetables in there – take my word for it! But, it was mainly a place of Dandelions, Plantain, Purple Dead Nettle, Henbit, and a great abundance of trailing, tangly Chickweed that was about to go to seed. I don't mind keeping some of each of those, as they are all useful, but this was way beyond my intentions.

This was one of my lessons, one of my teachers. It was one of the things letting me know I was doing too much, chopping up my time into pieces, saying “OK” and “yeah, sure, I'll do that” too often, getting off track, getting out of focus.

This fresh new spring meant a fresh new attitude, a different way of living through each day. I was asked to do a number of things (all volunteer) and I was turning them down left and right. Soon, I could turn some ample time and energy back to nature study, writing, and gardens.

But, in the meantime, my gardens looked like this. I will show you a photo from April 11. Yes, I will. I will be brave. Here I go (cringe) ….

 April 11

There is hope. It just takes time, that precious commodity.

Now that I've been brave in showing you that, I will say that the photo will serve as a “before” to a very different “after”photo that I hope to take in the near future.

Do you see that brand-spanking-new fence? That was a greatly needed accomplishment of my husband Richard and our brother-in-law Tom. Here's a view of it from the porch:

And some more views from the porch on that day:

  Richard bringing up the hibachi grill to use for the first time this year

Newly-bought plants

 Ronin (one of our Grand-dogs) and the rolls of hardware cloth that will be used to make compost sifters

Here is how the same garden looked at the end of December, 2016:

You can see the Volunteer Peach Tree festooned with a garland of snowflake lights for the holiday season. It was not yet pruned, so the strand goes high up.

You can also see the decrepit old fence that we've replaced since.

And, on February 27, 2017:

There was some greening happening on the ground. You can see that our fruit trees were pruned by then, and that the Volunteer Peach Tree (far left) was pruned and devoid of holiday lights.

Now I will give a “tour” through time of the Volunteer Peach Tree, starting from its immediate post-pruning time:

February 27: Just pruned, some buds swelling (we had an unseasonably warm period.)

 March 13, 2017: Branch with snowy blossoms.

After that warm spell, which caused some blossoms to pop out early, we had a freeze and some snow:

March 26: Back to a normal spring, blossoms just opening, just starting to get leaves

 April 3: Now the tree is fairly leafy, with a scattering of open blossoms

Almost mid-April and, my, how things changed with the Volunteer Peach Tree!

 

It had very leafy branches …

… still some blossoms hanging on …

… and some spent blossoms with insides just beginning to swell toward becoming fruit.

So far, so good. Since this was a Volunteer Peach Tree that probably sprouted from a peach pit that ended up in a compost bin and then ended up n the garden with the compost, I knew that the fruit would not be true to type. It likely would not be the variety of peach that grew on the tree where the pit originated. But, there might be peaches, and that was exciting enough.

I left that sprout in the garden just to see what it would do.

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I, myself, have functioned as a Volunteer in many capacities, for many years. The Volunteer Peach Tree reminded me of my trials and tribulations as a Volunteer, and the good aspects, too.

Some situations I had hoped would lead to the creation of a job in my field (none existed in my geographic area.) I worked hard, was creative, worked well with other people accomplishing common goals – I made a difference. But, the job did not come to fruition.

I am hoping that the Volunteer Peach Tree's efforts, and my efforts nurturing it along, will come to fruition. But, I will let the tree be what it will be as long as it wants to be where it is.

And, that brings me to the philosophical part – my advice, based on my varied experiences, not on how to be a Volunteer, but How To Treat a Volunteer.

To be clear – most of my Volunteer experiences have been positive, and I am still involved in some, though not as much as I used to be. Some Volunteer jobs I have quit simply because I had to cut back on extra things in my life or re-evaluate where to direct my time and energy, due to changing circumstances, energy, or focus. I am needing to be very careful about spending time with other pursuits that take away from my focus on nature study, writing, and, to a lesser degree, gardening. These pursuits are very demanding and I need much more time for them.

I have rarely quit a Volunteer situation because of a problem. But, from those problems, as well as the positive experiences, comes this list: How To Treat a Volunteer.

1. Remember that you can lose a Volunteer in a flash, since they don't come and go with the requirements and complications of a paid employee. They are not going to put up with hassle or disrespect when they are not getting paid – or, rather, they have the freedom to put up with much less. They will just go volunteer somewhere else. So, treat your Volunteers well (I spell Volunteer with a capitol “V” for a reason.) If the ground is not fertile, or if the climate is hostile, they will not grow for you.
   
   
2. I've learned to think of pruning the fruit trees not as a taking away but as giving – helping the trees to be their best- as encouraging strengths. In other words, recognize the strengths in your Volunteer and then allow them opportunities to use them! Guide them to a situation where they may work best and have more satisfaction. Believe me, that will greatly help your organization, business, school, church or whatever. A Volunteer will blossom, and there will be fruit. But you must pay attention and recognize.

3. Every person's uniqueness should be valued. Everyone is different and everyone is beautiful. No two peach trees are alike, and you need to get to know each one as it is and care for it accordingly.

4. Related to that, be aware that a Volunteer's uniqueness and strengths come mainly from his or her background and experiences. Bother to get to know them, what they have done, what they have learned. Actually care about where they went to school, what they studied, what kinds of work they've done, what kinds of projects they have led or been involved in, and general life experiences. This helps Volunteers know that you care about them, and it will help you, too. They do not have to be current or potential employees for this to matter.
   I don't know what variety of tree my peach seed/tree came from, but I would like to know. This is the first time it's been a tree, but I can be aware of how it has been experiencing things along the way and treat it accordingly.

5. I value the tree's part in the whole Herb Garden Restoration Project garden, and in our landscape. I let it be a part of all of that. Allow your Volunteers to be a part of the whole picture, and to feel a part of it. Let them know how important their part is in it. Saying “thank you” now and then is nice, and giving out certificates is, well, appreciated by some (excepting people like myself who do not like personal attention, only attention to the things we do.) Better than all of that, just show real respect and appreciation, any day, for what they do. Make sure they have what they need for the job they do (yes, ask them what they need.) Include them in all-company/organization events or meetings when appropriate, because, as per #2, you truly value them. Give them something that identifies them as part of the whole, such as a tag or pin with the place or organization's name, a shirt they wear to the job or event, etc. Make sure they are listed as contributors to projects, and that they are featured on brochures, websites, a display, etc.. All of these serve, too, as good conversation starters about your organization with people the Volunteer encounters outside of the situation. True story: I was once asked if I wanted a shirt (with logo) and I felt honored to be included that way with the staff, though I was a Volunteer. I even got to pick out what color I wanted (and my favorite color was one offered.) But when the shirts arrived, I was informed that they were sorry but my shirt had been given to someone else. Well, I thought, just a mistake. However, no effort was ever made to get me another shirt. Imagine how that made me feel.

6. Listen to and respect the ideas and suggestions given by a Volunteer, because that person may have special insight, knowledge, creativity or experience to lend to a project or decision. Furthermore – ask for their ideas and suggestions! Respect, respect, respect. You can “listen” to your tree. You might have an idea of how you want to go about a project, but the tree, if you pay attention, may have a better “idea.” Maybe pruning this branch would be better than that one. Maybe it is telling you the soil needs to be enriched. Maybe more sunlight would be better. True story: I had been a diligent, dependable Volunteer in a certain situation, but, due to circumstances in my life, it was going to be necessary for me to scale back. So, I put a great deal of thought and creativity into how we could still accomplish what we had been doing, or even more. I wrote up discussion notes and made an appointment to talk with the person with whom I'd been working directly all that time. As soon as I introduced my problem, he said, “Oh, yes, the problem of the volunteer!” (well, it wasn't “problem,” but a word I don't recall that implies unpredictable, undependable, fickle, that sort of thing.) Obviously, things were not off to a good start. And every idea I presented, even as I encouraged discussion between us, just seemed to be brushed off. After that meeting I went to my vehicle, said, “well, so that's that!” turned on the ignition, and turned my wheels away, never again to volunteer there. Respect is needed, or the Volunteer is gone in a flash.

7. Respect and value the work the Volunteer has put into the place. I try to see the value of what every plant, including the Volunteer Peach Tree, puts into my garden as a whole. Know how your Volunteer has worked hard to make something happen – without pay. From another true story: Don't call your Volunteers in a panic to have them come up with something to get you out of a fix, allow them to work hard on the solution, then partway through the activity decide to call off the rest of the thing without consulting with those who worked hard to create it.

8. In order for my Volunteer Peach Tree to flourish and be an asset to the garden, I must clearly “communicate” with it. I must do what I need to do, according to its needs, in response to what it is communicating to me. Communicate with your Volunteers – frequently and clearly. Keep them abreast of what is going on. If you cancel or postpone something in which they were to be involved – be sure to let them know (if you want them to continue giving their time.) Let them know about other things coming up that might interest them. Keep them in the loop. Be sure they are part of the network. Ask for their input and evaluations. And when you ask them to do something state clearly, in detail, what that is, and its components. If your Volunteer is putting time and work into a project, keep communicating with him/her about it. If he or she asks you for suggestions, advice, clarifications, ideas, etc., or sends you a finished project, respond to them without any prodding or reminders needed from the Volunteer. Another true story: Do not respond to them with “thanks” - no upper case, no names, no further words. That's not communication, or respect. Be gracious. Be prompt. Be complete.

I don't mean to dwell on the negative, and I hope I have given enough positive alternatives to mistakes. I have also had people show true appreciation for my work without trying to get excessive, should-be-paid-for work from me. I have had, and still have, people who have been terrific communicators. I have had people include me in a project, letting me know my expertise was truly valued, unique and needed. I have had people ask me, as a Volunteer, for advice on an aspect of a project. I have had (and have now) volunteer experiences that are a lot of fun, and where I know I am helping to accomplish important things.

You can bet I've left the negative ones behind, and that I remain focused on the good ones.

A lot of what I listed should be just common sense, if one wants to keep a good Volunteer, but it can be surprising, sometimes, how that is lacking. If you have a Volunteer who is dedicated, hard-working, dependable and valuable – don't mess it up!

And, I'll try not to mess up the Volunteer Peach Tree. Hopefully, by paring back on the extra stuff, I'll be able to take better care of it and my whole garden.

Fall-ing

Fall-ing

Autumn 2016

Scene on October 30, with Pester asleep

Autumn is my favorite season.

I welcome the cooling-down, and when a crispness comes to the air.

I welcome the change in colors, after having green for so long. The change seems to creep up so slowly, then – BAM! - all at once the trees have exploded in golds, reds, russets, oranges, as if it all suddenly caught fire.

October 18 - marigolds and pineapple sage in bloom, but otherwise still a lot of green

October 30

October 18 - Tulip Poplar changing color

October 30 - Tulip Poplar losing leaves

I welcome the more acute slant of sunlight, not so harsh, bright and all-consuming as summer sun, but more restive, almost bittersweet.

Through my windows I can watch every day the evidence of “falling” at my home. And, I do watch it, every day.

October 18, with Silas

One thing I love to do in early autumn is to get the windows clean. Yes, that's right – I love to wash windows. At this time, it is very symbolic, cleansing in more ways than one.

October 10 - a kitchen window before cleaning

September 28 - bay window before cleaning

Summer is my least favorite season, when the heat and humidity argue with my body all season. The fall window-washing signals an official end to summer. I start the process when the air is finally cool enough for me to stand it, but still warm enough for the work.

It is also a great washing-away of the dirt of summer – all the piling-up of general dirt, pollen, chaff from farming, scores of the brittle bodies of dead insects, old gnarly spiderwebs and cobwebs, and just plain dust. I'm too busy to clean it up often, and it happens at such a pace that I can't keep up, anyway, so I just let it go. In early fall, it gives me great satisfaction to sweep a wet, vinegary cloth over the glass, sweep piles of dead bugs off the sills and casings, and finally to lemon-oil the woodwork around the windows.

October 10 - clean kitchen window

September 28 - a clean bay window

(the left window always looks foggy - it has a problem that makes it trap moisture)

The final satisfaction is the clear view. After a long summer of haziness, I finally have unobstructed views through the glass. Instead of an ever slightly foggy scene, everything is clarified and detailed. This happens just in time, because then everyone can enjoy the full glory of autumn color through the windows.

As the colors progressed, so did fall activity.

I brought in the plants from the colder temperatures that would threaten them on the screened porch, and arranged them at the bay window in the kitchen.

October 18 - all but the hanging plants are in - we would have some unseasonable warm weather after this

Our fields were harvested.

October 18

October 18

Fruit flies invaded the kitchen in September and wouldn't disappear for a long time. I had to re-wipe some windows now and then after the tiny flies left the glass speckled with tiny spots.

October 11

The fruits of fall appeared as pumpkins, gourds and mums decorated the porch and the smell of persimmon pudding wafted throughout the house.

October 18 - some sweet potatoes and white potatoes from the garden

October 21

And, we got ready for Halloween (my favorite time.)

Richard went up on the roof to do some caulking around the chimney, in preparation for winter. Here are his feet dangling off the porch roof.

October 30

A little later, I went out to hold the wobbly ladder so he could get down.

Colors deepened. Some saddened to dry browns and then dropped. The woods view started to become more open as the wood floor thickened with layers of leaves.

Late in the autumn color season, the oaks came into their full auburn glory.

November 21 - White Oak outside of bedroom window

Oak leaves hang on much of the winter, even after turning brown, so eventually our view was that of bare trees with spots of slightly russet oak leaves, and some slightly golden Sugar Maple hangers-on. Almost everything had fallen.

And then came November 8^th and 9^th.

The news made my heart feel as if it fell to the floor. I had never felt this way before. It seemed our whole country had fallen. What was happening to it all? What did it all mean? How could this be? Will we ever be able to pick it all up and get moving again, reaching for the sky and the light as we always, generally, have done?

Everything felt … so … heavy.

But, surely we will. It will happen as millions of individuals refuse to stay down, refuse to be so low, as we remember and feel that rising of “spring” in ourselves and push for new, fresh growth. It will happen as we send out millions of new buds and leaves – each a good thought, meaningful intent, positive action. It will happen as individuals, and groups of individuals, stretch out in natural determination.

I love autumn, and I don't mean to equate it with this other “falling.” And I adore winter (especially when there is plenty of snow.) I feel so much better in the cooler weather, and with the awakening edge in the air. It keeps me aware, active, and engaged.

So, I am one of those individuals who will keep picking up, moving up and out, growing, doing what I do better than ever, because now it is more important than it ever was.

November 5 - with Pester

January 3, 2017

A new year. The feeders are up again outside the bay window, and the birds have begun to gather.