Day 365 + 4: Veggie patch

"A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them" - Liberty Hyde Bailey

Project 365: #365 + 4

Summer has been amazing, especially without the early morning routine of school. The weather has been perfect, am definitely not complaining about the 'dog-days' as soon enough winter will be here, and we will be missing the heat of summer! The girls both have jobs to earn some extra pocket money, and I have had time to work in the garden, yay!!! My latest project has been the veggie garden, which started from an overgrown patch of 1-m high Canadian thistles. I then asked Mike to drag up an old frame from the treehouse at the bottom of the garden to create a perfect raised bed....then came the soil, and finally the plants. I even have some donations of tomato plants from kind acquaintances. So exciting. I have sprinkled down cayenne pepper to deter the bunnies, and shooed the kitties and dog away. Hopefully I will actually be able to harvest something before winter....it is a fun experimental work in progress, requiring patient labor and attention. It would be nice to keep us sustainably in veggies!

Day 365 + 3: Cheeky chipmunks

"I had in mind a message, although I hope it doesn't intrude too badly, persuading Americans, ..., of the critical importance of land and our vanishing natural environment and wildlife." - E. O. Wilson

Project 365 Plus: #365 + 3

With the vanishing natural environment, wildlife creeps closer and closer to urban areas...this little chipmunk is a frequent visitor to the front porch, and sat still for long enough for me to take a quick photo. I know they are often considered pests and are almost at the bottom of the food chain,  but they play an important role in the ecosystem, eating seeds, nuts, and vegetation...often a key seed disperser.  They provide an important food resource for the birds of prey and foxes in the area. I feel the need to educate not only Americans, but all people on the importance of conserving our natural heritage and wildlife so that it is preserved for future generations. We cannot survive without natural resources, and as everything is so interconnected it is fundamental that we do what we can to look after our beautiful environment.

Day 365 + 2: Toasting the IB diploma!

"147. You find yourself thinking "Without stress my life would be empty."- ibquotes.com

 Project 365 Plus: #365 + 2

Toasts with glasses filled with bubbly fizzling over were most welcome as sundowners this evening to mark the occasion of Caitlin being awarded her IB diploma! (Actually, the whole bottle was welcome). We cannot express how proud we are of her, and this achievement. The IB is in itself a rigorous academic two-year program, but add a move in the middle and it is ten times worse, as two of her six courses were completed over Skype with respective teachers for English and German. Yet, Caitlin managed, and still fulfilled her NJ high school graduation requirements, in addition to participating in spring and fall sports. And, she achieved grades at the same level as her German classmates that she left behind - an accomplishment in itself!! Needless to say, based our experiences over the past two years, Nicole has not opted to take the IB diploma (much to her father's dismay but my relief, another celebratory bottle called for!!) I will not for a minute think that life will be empty without all this stress, and am rather looking forward to getting back to normal, (whatever normal is!!!) with lights out before midnight!

 

Day 365 + 1: Awesome Independence Day weekend

"It is very inspiring, my friends, to come to this that may be called the original fountain of independence and liberty in America and here drink draughts of patriotic feeling which seem to renew the very blood in one's veins." ~Woodrow Wilson, Presidential Address at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1914 July 4th

Project 365 Plus: # 365 + 1

This weekend marked the anniversary of our arrival in the US a year ago. What a year this had been, it has passed in a blur of deadlines, seemingly dragging by, yet the weeks flying by simultaneously. It was a celebration with new friends at a poolside BBQ (complete with home-baked American pie, fully clothed swimming, live concert music drifting from the Green, and fire-pit roasted marshmallows), and an immersion in age-old patriotism that really does renew the blood in one's veins. I cycled to the local parade, and enjoyed a celebratory free beer (or two or three) and hotdog hosted by the fire department afterward (not many places can boast of still being able to host free beer without public disturbance!) The weather couldn't have been kinder for this occasion steeped in tradition. What a celebration of independence and liberty, for which we are very grateful, especially  those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom!

Day 365: Happy sweet 16!

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah Winfrey

Project 365: #365

With unplanned omissions through this project, it has lasted a couple of months longer than initially planned, but the timing was still perfect. This being day 365 of 365, and Nicole's 16th birthday! Certainly an exciting day to celebrate, we are proud of the beautiful, kind, and caring young lady she has become! The joy of making a wish and blowing out candles. Although we celebrate birthdays especially, it is important to celebrate each and every day, for in the gratitude of celebration we come to realize how much in life there is to celebrate, from seemingly mundane every day events to momentous occasions like graduation and 16th birthdays. We can find something special each day to celebrate, and share the joy with those around us. In this, we stop looking down, and look around, appreciating life around us. After this whirlwind year, I am looking forward to living life again, enjoying the simple things, and embracing each day!

Day 364: High school graduation!

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Project 365: #364

What an exciting day, and what an awesome end to a school career. It was such a proud moment for us when Caitlin walked across the stage, receiving her high school diploma. It seems just yesterday that she started Grade 1. What a journey, three continents, and three high schools! Despite all the challenges and changes, she has grown and developed beyond anything we could have imagined, and we are so proud of all her accomplishments, her drive for success, and the confident, caring and beautiful young adult she has become. She has used the setbacks to her advantage, and with her strong foundation has learned to think both intensively and critically. The goals of both intelligence and character have been achieved. This marks the end of a chapter for her, and the beginning of an exciting new one. There are so many things and people to be grateful for, including all her dedicated teachers each step of the way, in the classroom, sports fields, and extracurricular activities.  Each one has provided valuable input into who she has become, and molded the direction of her path. May she use the valuable lessons learned over the past 12 years in the next step of her education, and always remember the importance of education, intelligence, and critical thinking.

Day 363: Sit and rest a while

"As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest." - Nelson Mandela

Project 365: #363

This has been such a busy year, especially this last term, that when I went for a run this morning, this little makeshift bench caught my eye - just calling me to sit and enjoy the peace in the forest for a little while. Just a while, enough time to catch my breath. We cannot ever really just rest, since we must always do what we can for the world, to eliminate poverty, injustice, and inequality. We can all live in our bubbles, apparently unaffected by these things, but in our hearts we know this is not reality, and it is up to each and every one of us to use our talents to make this world a better place for those around us.