Reconnecting with Your Teachers

 Meadows of Dan Cardinals
This little guy looks MUCH more ferocious
than our mascot did back in the 1970s!

 

In October 2011, just after the Meadows of Dan Elementary School burned, I wrote a blog post entitled "Tribute to a Wonderful Teacher" about Miss Ruth Jean Bolt, one of my teachers. She was my fifth grade teacher and she also taught science and art to the sixth and seventh grade. At the time of my original post, many of my elementary school classmates and school teacher friends encouraged me to send her a copy. I thought about sending it, but then, like so many things, I kept on putting if off.

Finally, just before Christmas, I printed the post and mailed it to Miss Bolt. Just this week, one of my friends from Meadows of Dan sent me a message to let me know that Miss Bolt wanted to talk to me.  Now, I'm not much for talking on the phone and I try to avoid it whenever possible. For me, talking on the phone is just awkward because you can't read people's expressions and you may be calling them at a bad time and they are just too polite to say so. Add in the fact that I was calling one of my elementary school teachers, an authority figure, one that I respected SO much, just made this even harder.  However, the day after receiving the message, I grabbed the phone and made the call before I could think about it too much.

What a fabulous phone conversation! Miss Bolt immediately made me feel at ease and her voice sounded just like it did in elementary school. She is such an interesting person to talk with that I could have stayed on the phone for hours with her!  I am going to try to pay her a visit the next time that I am in Meadows of Dan.

To see what the new Meadows of Dan Elementary School looks like, click HERE.

If you had a teacher who means a lot to you, go ahead. Contact them. Just do it! It will make you feel good and I'm sure it will make them feel fabulous too!

Winter Solstice

Happy Winter Solstice!  We should be bundled up this time of year in Virginia, or, at least be wearing a coat.  Instead, it is nice enough outdoors to be wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals.

What a fine day to do a bit of dyeing! I have so much fiber, but I decided that I was going to dye various odds and ends of white wool roving that was in my stash to use for blending. I also wanted to dye up all of the silk hankies that I have.

The shades of blue is Coopworth wool.
The other colors are are on unspecified breeds of wool although
I suspect that the pink/green/yellow is Merino.

This was my first time dyeing silk hankies and it was so much fun!
This is almost 5 ounces of silk.

What a gift to be able to be outdoors this time of year!  

A Box of Switches

When I was growing up, my mom & dad always told me that if I didn't behave, Santa would bring me a bag of coal or a box of switches for Christmas. I was no stranger to a switch nor what it was used for since I had a bad tendency to backtalk.

For some unknown reason, even knowing what a switch was, I always pictured finding a box of light switches in my stocking on Christmas morning.  I was always horrified to think that I might get a box full of these!

Strange, I know.

What did your parents tell you that you would get for Christmas if you were bad?

Hoop Snakes

When I was growing up, we always watched out for snakes.  The thought process in our family was that the only good snake was a dead snake!  The only poisonous snakes in that part of Virginia are rattlesnakes and copperheads, although the only snake that we ever saw was either a garter snake or a black snake.  

My grandpa always told me that the snake that I had to worry about the most was the dreaded hoop snake. He said that it looks just like a black snake, until it gets mad at you. Then it will bite its own tail, form a hoop and roll after you!  He said that they only way you could escape from the rolling hoop snake was to run up a hill!

Did you ever have an encounter with a hoop snake?

Handspun & Handpainted Yarns for Sale!

I have just listed a bunch of handpainted & handspun yarns on my Spinn Lady Facebook page.  

Also, I have listed my handpainted millspun yarns.  

Please visit the page to find that perfect gift for the knitter or crocheter in your life!

Handspun & Dyed Yarns

Handspun & Dyed Yarns

Handpainted Millspun Yarns