The bank said "Fuggetaboutit"

So much for making quick fixes on the house.  The bank tried to run the loan two ways, as a complete refinance or a home equity loan.  Both required enough of an inspection that when the inspector came out, they deemed the place not worth any more than I currently own on it, and lending me another $30K would put me more seriously underwater and them at risk.  Can't much blame them.  Five years ago, no one was silly enough to buy this joint except for me, and on the $80K loan, I still ow$75K.  And that was in the days when you could get a loan for 100%.  Property values have fallen so mine probably did too.  I'm still delusional enough to think that as the baby boomers, the ones that have a little money and retire might want to move to the mountains to beat the heat, and my place will prove to be a decent investment in the long run.  Just would rather be paying 4% than 6%.

So while not upset, I need to start re-thinking what to do and prioritize.  That means what can I do to make it warmer without spending hardly any money at this point.  In a week and a half, I'll have almost two weeks of Xmas vacation to tighten up the house to keep it warmer, and start digging dirt out of the crawlspace.  Most of the cold is coming right through the floor I'm convinced.  I have a lot of insulation that I bought a couple of years ago specifically for that project. 

I could pre-write my assignment if I were a student these days.  "Now class, what did you do on your vacation."  I could turn it in six months early.  I know what I'll be doing on my vacations for the next couple of years.  Working on the house, and doing a few handyman jobs on the side to support my habit (of buying used stuff at the RESTORE).

The fellow that owns his own home is always just coming out of a hardware store.
Kin Hubbard


Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_home3.html#ixzz1gJl2UEq9

More on Willing Workers Yahoogroup

Everyone I talk to thinks this is a good idea. I know there will be pitfalls and issues that need to be resolved, which is just part of the process.  I figured out a long time ago, it's better to start something and work out the kinks, than wait till it's all figured out.  Pre-planning is sometimes overrated. 

Got one handyman already signed up, suggested he input his information into a folder.  He seems very computer literate so curious to see what he comes up with.

I contacted the local newspapers and radio shows with a short blurb to publish. 

Got a great suggestion today to buy the domain name "WataugaWillingWorkers.com" or .net.  Will got on that soon. 

You can't punish yourself into change. You can't whip yourself into shape. But you can love yourself into well-being.~~ Susan Skye

Watauga Willing Workers

Let's see what happens.  Some ideas will fade, others will take off.  Freecycle took off and is helping lots of folks recycle and help others at the same time.  WataugaBuySellTrade allows local folks to sell or buy items at a reasonable cost.  Maybe this new group will allow those with a fix up need to connect with those that can do the job effeciently. 

It has been created.  Here are the links you need.    If you use Yahoo email, you can subscribe right there.  If you use something else, you will have to send an email to subscribe.

Visit the site at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/WataugaWillingWorkers/

Subscribe:  Send an email from your email account to...
WataugaWillingWorkers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Post message: From your email account, send an email to...WataugaWillingWorkers@yahoogroups.com

Unsubscribe:  From your email account, send an email to...
WataugaWillingWorkers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

Email the List owner:  From your email account, send an email to...
WataugaWillingWorkers-owner@yahoogroups.com

I want to test the waters, and start small with this, in effect, making and keeping it local. 
Your thoughts are appreciated.

Honeydo listserve idea

Help me think this one through.  I'm thinking of starting another yahoo group or maybe a google group but this time it is to match people up who need something done but don't know who to call, or at least want to make it available to maybe a high school kid, or unemployed person looking to do a little work.  I might call it something like "Watauga HoneyDoers".  I don't really trust something like Craigslist for something like this...I would want this to be more local, or community oriented.

Recently,  I wanted to hire someone to locate and dig the hole to access my septic tank.  The septic company wants $100...well heck, there has to be someone willing to do it for less than that, some strong college kid, high school kid, etc.  But how do you find them? 

A friend tells me about the Job Board at ASU for students looking to do odd jobs.  I posted it, and got one response so far, but the kid charges $15/hour...a little more than I wanted to spend.  I offered $12. but why should college kids be the only ones getting in on the all the work?

So I'm wondering about creating a list.  Folks that are available to do side jobs, be it catering, construction, repairs of any sort could be on the list, and then homeowners and such could send an email to the group saying something like "Looking for one or two people to clean up the yard, rake leaves, dig up flower beds.  Willing to pay $10/hour plus a little for gas.  Cash.  Must be done on weekend so I can supervise."  They send the email and wait for the response, which might come from any number of folks.  Each responder might want to share references, experience, or negotiate a different price even. 

I've got a buddy who is very skilled at repairing and replacing well pumps.  Had I known, I would have called him and paid him instead of the local well people that did a great job, but for $700, they should have.  Wonder what my buddy would have charged. 

The ups and downs of listening.

Listening

Here are some random thoughts as usual. 

·         How well do I listen?

·         What do I have a hard time listening to?

·         How do I respond when I don’t want to listen, and does it depend on whom I’m listening to?

·         Do people listen to me?

·         When do they and when do they not?

·         What do they do when they don’t want to?

·         What is the appropriate way for a person to exit a conversation they don’t want to be part of?

I’ll answer those questions to the best of my ability later.  You might have some input.  But if you are going to say what a lousy listener, at least couch it in humor or as constructive criticism.

Chivalry

Chivalry

noun, plural -ries for 6.

1. The sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms.

2. The rules and customs of medieval knighthood.

3. The medieval system or institution of knighthood.

4. A group of knights.

5. Gallant warriors or gentlemen: fair ladies and noble chivalry.

There is a term you don’t hear often anymore.  When I think of the wars in the Middle East, and Viet Nam, and Korea, I think, brave soldiers fighting unnecessary wars.  WWI and WWII, now those were necessary.  I know only a few veterans from WWII.  My dad was one of them and my friend John too.  It is difficult to imagine men that are so talented, kind and generous spending so much energy on killing other human beings.  But those were necessary.  I imagine that they were chivalrous.  Yes, this is war, it sucks, and I hate killing.  As for Hitler, there was no other way to stop the genocide and innocent killing of others.   If we didn’t stop it ,it would have taken over the world.

There is a short film at http://spiritclips.com/films/chivsky.  It is especially heartwarming to watch if you were in WWII, and even more so if you flew.

Hospital Stay

Ain't it great when things work as they should.  Below is my thank you letter to Watauga Hospital.

November 11, 2011

To the staff of the emergency room and 300 Hall,

I want to thank you for the wonderful care you provided me on Monday and Tuesday, November 7 and 8.  I arrived at the hospital around 1:00 to a non-scheduled CT scan and the kind people down there were able to fit me in.  It was a good thing to as my appendix was inflamed, I was in pain (and had been for three days) and who knows what would have happened if I had waited another day. In fact, the CT also discovered a small hernia and a gallbladder full of stones that at present don’t seem to be causing any problems, though it might explain my pre-coffee crankiness first thing in the a.m.

I believe Dr. Crumpler was the first to see me in the emergency room.  She was great.  And considerate.  All of you were, knocking first before entering a room.  I was the one that responded with an “Enter at your own risk!”  No one got scared away.  Andy, whose last name I forget started my IV and checked with me a few times, and we had a good conversation.  Small world too.  Turns out he and his wife contributed to my daughter’s baby shower just in the last month.  It is worth noting that Andy and his wife don’t know my daughter.  This was an event created by a group of kind people sharing love and resources.  It meant a lot to me to be able to thank him to his face.

As for the prep for the surgery, I couldn’t ask for anything smoother.  Scott Vandiver, the anesthesiologist made me feel safe and sure that I was in good hands.  Then there was this big guy, with a biker type bandana.  I wasn’t intimidated.  I wear one myself, and they are more functional than style, and not meant to intimidate (except for the ones that says things like, “if you look at me, I’ll kill you.”  We chatted about bikes, scooters, hogs, but ran out of time before getting to the fun stuff, like accidents, near misses, and top speed coming up Hwy. 421.

Before going into surgery, I facetiously told my siblings that if I didn’t make it, who would get the truck and the tools.  Maybe I was tempting fate but I feared not, thanks to the confidence imbued by the staff.  My sister was somewhat disappointed to receive the text message that I had in fact made it through, and she would have to wait for another life threatening crisis to get the truck.  I appreciate what Doc Edmisten was able to do for me, and the aftercare follow-up. 

The wonderful staff on the 300 hall made sure I was comfortable Monday night and Tuesday day.  And the food…OMG.  It was perfect for hospital food.  Bland for those that need something mild, plenty to fill you up, and hot to make you feel like a grandma might have cooked it. 

I came home Tuesday and am taking it easy, which is hard for me to do.  I’m pretty active.  I have lots of sedentary or low activity things to do but there’s nothing like cutting wood with a burly chainsaw on a crisp sunny fall day.  But that will come soon enough. 

Thank you for your kindness (and effectiveness) during my stay at Watauga Hospital.

With many thanks and high regard,  

Richard Tidyman

My letter to AAWMAG

I wrote this letter to the editor of All about Women and can be read at their archive page at http://issuu.com/mtimes/docs/aawoctober2011/1

One man’s take on women’s fashion

I read the October article “falling for the look’ and was amused, confused and addled at different points.  I know, I know, I’m a guy and you aren’t marketing your rag to my ilk.  And I’m a dues paying member of AARP and a closet bohemian with an opinion. 

I am amused at the conscious or unconscious attempts by the author to implore others to go out and spend their hard earned money on the latest fashion nuances. “The “must-have” for most closets”.  And the “can’t do without a cape” followed later by “crucial time to build your wardrobe” is laughable.  And to what gain is this encouragement to go out and fill your closet?  To do so will make you look “trendy, classic, and Bohemian” and you too can have that “bold and daring look or an “edgier look.”  And I ask, is that a good thing? The author seems to think so. Is there a reason maybe found in the phrase “blouses that result in a classic, feminine feel.”  So is that to say that feeling feminine is based on what is worn?  I did an experiment to see if I feel more masculine in my Carhartt’s compared to my sweatpants. Same either way.

I along with many men think women’s fashion makes little sense e.g. capes.  I would assume they wore capes in olden days because they were easier and cheaper to make than a coat with arms and buttons.  So what advantage is a cape now, other than to look edgy, bold and daring?  Give me a break. 

I thought it ironic that the author is a psychology major.  I’d love to read an article sometime in your magazine about how the fashion industry psychologically manipulates the populace to throw away or fill their closets with perfectly good clothing only to buy overpriced, lower quality clothing often made in sweat shops, or at least, by people paid barely a living wage.  Till then I’ll read my second hand copies of Adbusters.

As for the reasons for certain clothes over others, is it only to imbue a feeling?  Is it to communicate a statement to the competition (I can afford to buy (or fit in) this, and you can’t, therefore I’m better or more desirable than you).  I wonder if in a few cases, some might dress to appear to be more attractive to a potential partner.  And that is about the only thing I can say I know anything about…what is attractive to me.  Clothes communicate a message.  I like the person whose clothing says “I shop smart, looking for quality, clothes that are functional, feel good, fit good, look good, made by people earning a fair wage.  I abhor pretense and anything over the top or glitzy. I live by the Latin saying Esse Quam Videri – To Be Rather than to Seem.”

Just sayin’.

Richard Tidyman 

Down but not out

11/9/2011

I should have called this..."It only hurts when I laugh".

Do you think you are pretty strong?  In good shape for your age?  Build your life around the fact that you can lift, climb, reach, pound, pull and push?  That’s not a bad thing as that’s pretty much how I operate all the time.  But one’s plans can require some adjustment if something like a case of appendicitis hits you. 

On Friday evening I started feeling very achy around the middle section and tired, exhausted.  Went to bed about 7:00 p.m. and slept fitfully, on and off.  I attributed my achiness to a failed attempt to remove a flat tire.  I yanked twice real yard on some lug nuts but gave up. 

Saturday, I was definitely achy but crippled.  I spent the day taking it easy, cleaning up the driveway, cutting scrap wood into kindling, burning scraps of wood.  By 7 pm, I was spent once again but with increasing pain around my middle.  Again slept fitfully.  I didn’t have an obvious temperature and no sinus issues, so I started to think this was not the flu but just throwing my back out of alignment. 

Sunday, I was worthless…all day.  Slept on and off all day but not for long and not deeply.  Monday morning I went to see my chiropractor, Stuart Kaplan, and he figured out pretty quick this wasn’t a structural issue, and suspected the appendix.  From there, I went to Blowing Rock Hospital and saw Dr. Charlie Davant, Jr.  And he too was 99% sure it was appendix.  From there, went to Watauga Hospital for a CT scan which showed not only an inflamed appendix but also gall stones and a hernia.  Surgery Monday night took care of the hernia and the appendix.  Doc thought maybe I could go home in the a.m. but surgery was complicated the length of time my appendix was irritate my insides, and being in the wrong place.  The anesthesiologist also had a rough time getting a breathing tube down my throat.  Multiple attempts left me with a minor sore throat.

I was released about 6 p.m. and given a prescription for pain pills and antibiotics.  Hannah hung out with me some and brought me home.  Doug and Jo came by and had me laughing so hard, I kicked them out before I split a stitch, internal or external.  Ben came by, chatted and offered his assistance as well. 

While no one likes to this stuff to happen, I’m lucky in several ways.  I have health insurance.  I have a pre-tax account to cover the deductible.  I have great friends and neighbors who have expressed a willingness to help if I need it.  I’m in pretty good shape and expect a pretty rapid recovery unless I do something stupid and overdue it too soon.  One of the best lucky breaks is that I got this out of the way before Hannah delivers her baby.  I could use a week or two to get ready for that, even if the house isn’t exactly ready yet…but I’ll get there.  The doc said I couldn't lift anything more than 20 lbs for the next two weeks.  I told Hannah...she seemed so concerned that I told her the doc said I couldn't do dishes, or vacuum for a year...she ain't buying it.

I have to say, the hospital staff treated ne vert well, other than the fact that they said they were too busy to give me a CT scan on Monday and I'd have to wait til Tuesday.  The good doc in Blowing Rock leaned on them and they got me in, actually quite quickly. 

I had a nice "six degrees of separation" experience.  A male nurse named Andy came in to hook me up to an IV.  We chatted about one thing, then another.  Turns out, he is friends with our next door neighbor Tammy and Ken, but his wife was at the baby shower they threw for Hannah.  I was able to thank him in person for his generosity. 

All this makes me appreciate my health.  I hope and expect to be pretty functional for a while, so this little temporary setback will inspire me to take better care of myself.  It will also teach me to get checked out as soon as possible if I don’t know what is going on.

Fix it up or just keep patching it

Five years ago, I bought a "house", using the term loosely.  It is a poorly built, worse maintained log cabin.  We were able to move in, and almost everything worked, but I knew then it was a fixer upper.  I'm doing what I can, including landscaping, adding a couple of outbuildings, shingles, interior things.  But there are other jobs that I don't have time, money or skill to deal with.  So now that I've pretty much decided to stay in the area for a while, I'm considering refinancing my loan, if I can at a lower interest rate, and getting enough to pay the pros to do some of the jobs right and quickly. 
What do I have to loose?  If I can get a lower rate, then my payments wouldn't go up much if at all.  Resale value would or should go up.  And it would be a lot more fun living here.  Who knows..it might be nice enough to actually invite people over once in a while...and they would show up...and not be in a hurry to leave. 
See a more thorough explanation at:  http://richardstidyman.net/FixItUp.aspx
Your opinions wanted. 

CHEATING OUR WAY TO THE TOP

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about contradictions. Here’s one.

We want our kids to be successful. So towards that end, we tell our kids to work hard and get good grades. Higher grades will be rewarded, we say. That may or may not be true, but it sounds good when trying to motivate our children. At the high school level, prestige and potential scholarships await those with high GPAs.

Let’s step back, though. We want our kids to be successful and excel in school and in life. But let’s not forget that our examples will be the most powerful teachers, and they are watching us ever so closely. They observe and record all the little hypocrisies in our lives, all the "white lies" we tell. In addition, we even enlist them to lie for us and maybe to steal. Phone rings: “Tell him I’m in the shower and can’t talk right now.” Or: The cashier accidentally gives you too much change. Whatever your next move, the child at your side is observing you closely.

Frankly, we are pretty good at rationalizing to our children why we don’t really have to play the rules. We don’t drive the speed limit because no one else does. We see non-handicapped people parking in handicapped spaces. If they do it, why can’t I?  And while it may seem minor at the time, we sometimes lie, cheat, or steal and tell our children it doesn’t matter because no one got hurt (other than a mega-multi-billion dollar company and they won’t miss it, and, besides, they deserved it.).

So welcome to the modern day conundrum[KT1]  of encouraging our children to succeed in school even as they witness the positive benefits of lying, cheating, and stealing. Considering what kids see at home, and in newspapers, trash magazines, television sitcoms, and movies, it comes as no surprise that many kids have no moral problems with cheating in school.

At our schools today, students probably cheat at all levels, from those struggling at the bottom to those competing for top honors. And what are the excuses given? “No one is getting hurt.” “Everyone else is doing it.” “I have to get a good grade if I’m going to get into college.” “If I don’t pass (or get a B, my parents will ground me.”

Who does cheating hurt? The fact is people get hurt. Whether or not the cheater gets caught, developing a habit of getting something dishonestly can affect the cheater’s future behavior. It may become so natural that the cheater doesn’t know how to “achieve” differently.

How do we instill integrity into our kids?  Growing up, the Ten Commandments and the threat of Purgatory and Hell made a big impression. But what happens when faith in a higher power holds no power?

I wish I had been instructed in the fundamentals of true happiness and psychological well being, instead. I wasn’t told that by cheating or stealing, I was depriving myself of the most basic foundation of personal satisfaction; that  my sense of personal self esteem depends on striving to become my idea of my ideal self: The real “I” is trustworthy, capable, respectable, loved for who I really am—or  as Pinocchio says, “a real boy.” By cheating, I am robbing myself of that pillar of emotional well being and peace of mind.

How do you define peace of mind? Brian Tracy calls it freedom from fear, guilt, and anger. People who lie, steal, or cheat fear getting caught, but even if they don’t, guilt alone can gnaw away at one’s sense of happiness.  We hurt ourselves in ways we may not realize. Our acceptance of these behaviors in ourselves warps our perception of others, either assuming others are like us, and not to be trusted, or just easy marks. Either way, it does not make for healthy relationships. In fact, it seems to me as a middle school teacher that cliques are formed by students comfortable at different levels of integrity. Cheaters must hang with cheaters. Kids with integrity hang with other kids with integrity. Thugs hang with thugs.   In each group, “like” is more comfortable with “like,” as members think, “I’m okay because I’m like these people, I like them, and I like what we do.”

Maybe we need to spend less time telling our kids to get good grades and more time instilling in them an understanding of personal satisfaction based on honesty and treating others fairly. Maybe we should spend more time saying work hard, work smart, and maybe you will win the prize, but win it honestly. Someday, when they are successful, we can all sleep well and look at ourselves in the mirror without fear or guilt.  And if liars and thieves should win the prize, as they sometimes do, we, and our children, can still hold our heads high and be proud of the honest effort. What greater success is there?

---

 [KT1]Richard, I took out perfect storm for two reasons: 1) it’s overused; 2) it involves 3, not 2, elements joining forces.

Why I want to integrate gardening in my CTE classes

This is just a rough draft but trying to organize my thoughts.  Any suggestions?

The middle school curriculum for Career and Technology is extremely broad.  This can be daunting, especially if you are starting out as a new teacher.  This can also be very freeing in the respect that each teacher has their own unique circumstances in which to function.  In my case, I teach at four different elementary schools in Watauga County, visiting two schools per day.  

Students and teachers alike want their classes to be interesting and relevant.  This year I’m going to try something new.  I haven’t named it yet but for this article, let’s call my activity “Growing Things”.   Generally, students will be involved in growing plants, some started indoors, some transplanted, some from cuttings, some from seed, grown on the window sill, others in a greenhouse, or maybe even sprouts in a mason jar in the cabinet (aka hydroponics). 

Why use gardening, horticulture, and even landscaping as a medium for teaching career and technology?  Here are some ideas upon which to speculate.  How many careers are related to food?  Fast food, restaurants, food distribution, transportation of products, chemicals, and biology.   I’d be willing to bet that any food production, distribution, or service industry would have its share of accountants, managers, information technology specialists, and marketing arm.   Maintenance of facility and equipment requires technicians, mechanics, and even engineers in larger companies.  In advertising, one must be adept in photography, videography, social skills, business etiquette, and money management. 

Maybe you are the type of person that wants to emphasize entrepreneurship.  You don’t have to come up with some simulated pie in the sky pretend simulation to teach small business.  Teach it for real.  Market research in the local community will reveal what fresh grown fruits, veggies, flowers and other plants they are anxious to buy.  Further research on the student’s part will reveal what can be grown and at what cost. 

So far, we have included small business, internet research, engineering, financial skills, multimedia, science, marketing and biology. 

That I believe is the tip of the iceberg.  At one of my schools, Mabel Elementary School, we have received three grants in just the last year to promote healthy eating and gardening.  Students have measured the school, and drawn up the school grounds in Google SketchUp to best plan where our raised garden beds will go.  A community day brought out different speakers, who presented their information to the kids with 12 learning stations with information about health and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, landscape architecture, and the SunCatcher greenhouse we plan to build. 

What do we need to grow things?  Besides sun and water, brute force might be needed to dig holes, turn soil, and weed. So now we have exercise.  In fact, a little exercise outdoors might do some of our button pushing Play Station and computer game players some good.  For those bigger tasks at home though, we utilize small engines trim or cut grass.  This presents an authentic need to teach power mechanics in the form of small engine maintenance to support the growing things lesson.   

Once grown, what does one do with the food we grow?  Some is suitable for selling, but much can be prepared for eating, either fresh or cooked.  This too can be another CTE activity in the classroom.  Not only should cooking be considered but also food preservation, such as canning and drying.  Drying can be easily and affordably done with solar food dehydrators, which students can design using drafting and CADD software and construction skills to build.  And the seeds from many plants can be saved, which connects to sustainable living.  As for the leftovers, we can compost that using aerobic or anaerobic composting, or maybe we should venture into vermiculture (worm composting). 

During WWII, having a victory garden wasn’t just a hobby. It was a necessity.  With the current state of the economy and globalization, who knows how our economy will do in the next generation or two?  Some will argue that with the cost of energy, and the concern for health and the environment, growing our own food, flowers and foliage will make strong economic sense for anyone that owns a few square yards of dirt out their door. 

It is the beginning, at least in my mind of something big.  I foresee students across the grades and curriculum growing food and flowers from seed, cooking with some, selling others and donating some to worthy charities.  I see them developing a better understanding of the soil, the earth, climate, solar power (greenhouse, cold frames, and dehydrators) and the need for conservation and preservation of natural resources.  Research skills will be honed as my students search, compile and report on items related to composting, tools, and soil analysis.  Students will experience authentically the fruits of their labors.  When things don’t grow as expect, real problem solving will have to be used to identify the cause and resolve any issues causing the undesired effects. 

We are charged with teaching children how to live in the 21^st century with 21^st century skills.  Seems to me, growing things could be a pretty important skill. 

I may not really understand, even if you explained it to me.

I just got in and looked at facebook.  Tammy, my dear sweet neighbor, already posted a picture of my daughter from the shower she hosted for her.    Baby is due around Thanksgiving.   Baby shower's are not all that uncommon but this was remarkable.  My neighbor Tammy doens't really know daughter.  Unlike me, daughter is shy, and hasn't gotten to know the neighbors.  Very shy.  Daughter is taking classes, working part time and lives with me.  She has lived with me on and off full time since her mom moved out of town when she was 13.  Daughter doesn't have lots of friends, and none that could throw and organize a shower for her. 
So get this.  My neighbor, just because she is loving and kind, organized an incredible shower, and invited many of her friends, also people that didn't even know daughter existed until recently, and met only for the first time today.  I showed up late (in time for cake), created (made is not a sufficent description) by yet another loving and kind neighbor, Sandy. 

I guess I'm not used to people being so kind and generous to people they don't know, but I sure appreciate that they picked my daughter to shower it on.  It helps more than you can imagine.

Thank you all who were involved in making a wonderful day happen, and making daughter and her son's life off to a good start. 

A few simple thoughts on school gardens

I've been posting a few hopefully thought provoking questions on Facebook and enjoying the feedback.  I wondered though, what if I could present my ideas, a little more expanded, and also enable others to comment more thoroughly for all those interested. 
So this is it. 
This morning's thought is on gardening in the schools.  Tell me where I'm misguided.  From what I see and hear, living in our society, is not going to get easier.  Unemployment is up, poverty is up, the environment still suffers will continue to do so as we go to greater extremes to acquire what we need to maintain our comfortable life styles.  The rich get richer and the poor and middle class get poorer. 

While we may learn to live with less, there is one thing we can't do without.  FOOD.  I see us going back to the days of Victory Gardens, and all those that can raise some food will be in a better position.  Growing one's own food increases one's own value in the community and increases one's health, assuming one is growning without chemicals to the extreme. 

The physical and psychological benefits are numerous.  Maby you can comment on that. 

One of my goals as a teacher is to broaden the horizons of my students about FOOD.  Where it comes from, how it is transported, and impacts the energy situation.  What are the health benefits of food choices.  And ultimately, introduce them to growing their own.  Add to that, the opportunities for cooking, meal preparation, health benefits, career opportunities. And then add to that, the interrelatedness of what we need to grow.  An understanding and cooperation with nature.  How to research effectively.  Social and communication skills needed to most effectively maximize the benefits.  Understanding of the tools and equipment needed.  Maintenance of the tools.  Metalurgy.  Power mechanics.  Then throw in the documentation of the activities with photography and video, public speaking for the kids, possible contests.  The list goes on. 

 If it isn't obvious, I am drwaw to the big picture.  Working out the details though is a challenge. 

One detail I'm working out is the beautification of the school grounds at Parkway.  We'll do some vegetable gardening too but at this point, perrenial flower gardens has my immediate attention.  Getting the kids outside to dig and plant flowers is fun. 

I'm learning as much if not more, than they are.  That's just one of the reasons I love teaching.  At this point, I am in fact overwhelmed with where to start. Suggestions?

Do you have suggestions as to where to begin learning about land scape design?  The best book?  The best videos?  The best local resources (Watauga County). Do you know of a landscaper or supplier that might donate a little bit of time or a plant or two, or a truckload of mulch?   I expect this to be a serendiptious collaborative effort with kids, parents, and community. 

Here is a corner of the school lot we hope to amend. 

The wall on the right with the windows faces due sounth.  Will need to put in plants and shrubs that love sun.  The wall on the left gets sun from noon on til the sun goes down pretty much.  More sun loving plants there too.  Possible rock wall on the corner, tapering down, mulch.  Tall sun loving plants on the back side, along the white rail. 

Keep those ideas coming.