E-I-E-I-O !!!

After the school year has ended, the three schools in our company each have a Pre-K summer camp and a School Age summer camp. Each class goes on 2-3 field trips a week. Our favorite field trip by far is our trip to Valley Hill Farm in Keysville, Ga.  So far, I've taken 3 groups so far this summer.This is hands down, the best field trip EVER!!!  It has become a beloved part of my summer and even though I am "officially" off for the summer, I am escorting the children on this trip again.

It's about a 45 minute drive out into the country. As soon as we get there, we are greeted by Chipper, a Jack Russell Terrier and Jessie, a Doberman Pincher. Occasionally, Chipper will hop on the bus to greet the kids~ I think he gets as excited as we do about these visits!

We make it to the farm by 9:30 or 10:00, but the horses have already been working.

As soon as we go over the "dos and don'ts" of the farm, we get ready to ride the horses. Mrs. Barbara, one of the owners, talks to the kids about rules and safety and talks about the horse's anatomy.

The kids line up and everybody gets a turn. After the first or second turn, the kids are free to pick whatever horse they choose to ride. Generally, we ride until the kids are tired or until the hay wagon arrives.

 A few of our kids have been so excited, that they dressed for the day!

Wish you could see this better. Joey has his hat, boots, bandana, belt buckle and even a Sheriff's star!

Yes, that's Woody, from Toy Story!

After our rides, we're all pretty hot and the cool breeze of a hayride is most welcome. The horses are ready for a little rest and water, as well! The temp here Friday on our last trip was 101 degrees, so it's hot already, even first thing in the morning.

Mr. Tommy, the other owner, plans special routes for our hayride covering a portion of the 100+ acres they own. Many of the animals are free range on the farm, so it's nice to ride and see them in their natural environment.

They have one area for the riding and work horses, a barn and area for the thoroughbreds, and other horses that have not been broken that roam freely on the acreage.

We love to see the foals on the farm with their moms. They are so precious!

The baby calves are pretty cute, too. They are not as skittish as the foals and often they will allow us to pet them.

We met some of the goats that live on the farm.

Harley, a Great Pyrenees, lives with the chickens and bunnies and protects them from foxes, wolves, coyotes and other things that go "bump" in the night!

We saw eggs that had just been laid and chickens pecking. The bunnies were a big hit with the kids!

Earlier in the summer, a wild boar was caught on the farm and they've been getting him fat for the July 4th BBQ. He's not real friendly and didn't appreciate having his picture taken, so many of the shots I got didn't come out.

All along the hayride, Mr, Tommy stops and tells the children about this or that. One of the stories is about a little shack that was like The Little House on The Prairie.

Here's a shot of one of the ponds we go "mud boggin'" in.

The farm is now situated on what was once a catfish breeding farm, so there are ponds galore. Part of the hayride fun is riding through the corners of the pond at a quick pace, and "mud boggin'" through the muck. It's a bit smelly and messy, so I always tuck my camera away for that part of the trip.

This year, we've discovered a mulberry tree and learned that the wagon is just the perfect height to stop and pick a few berries and feel the breeze. They are quite tasty, but boy do they stain your hands!
As we pass the ponds, Mr. Tommy tells them about an alligator seen on the farm on occasion. The children are always looking for the alligator near the ponds we pass. Finally, we reach the pond where the gator was last spotted and Mr. Tommy pulls the tractor over.

He tells everyone to get quiet and watch the pond. He's spotted one.

He reaches in ----and pulls it out and brings it to the wagon.

The kids squeal and get excited until someone notices that there are very large hole in the gator toy!
Eventually, it's time to head back to the stables and have a picnic lunch.

  By the time we return, the horses we rode earlier have been tended to, and are roaming free, often stopping to check if we have anything we'd like to share. We eat and then pack up to take buses full of happy and exhausted children back to school.

This is one of the best experiences I've had the opportunity to share with young children.They learn so much! In our technological world today, we forget how different life can be just a short drive away from you, many of our children had only seen many of these animals on tv and in books. This was truly an experience many of them will remember for a lifetime!

I haven't got a picture of me on a horse this year yet, but here's one from last year. I ride too, when time allows!

Thanks, Tommy and Barbara, for sharing Valley Hill Farm with us!

Happy Trails to you!

Ashley Across the Rainbow Bridge

I mentioned in an earlier post that our family had some stuff going on and combined with the end of the school year, I wasn't posting much lately. One of the "things" that has kept us so busy is the declining health of our beloved merle Great Dane, Ashley.

We rescued Ashley from a farm where she was being treated unkindly by both humans and bigger dogs. She was a birthday present for me, but she quickly endeared herself to each member of our family and became "theirs" as well.

Our dear companion crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday. As much as we knew it was time, it was still so very hard to let go. Ashley had been declining for quite some time, but she took it all in stride and still tried to be playful and engaged in our family activities.

Last night, we had a terrible storm. There was some solace to know that she no longer had to cower under furniture or try to curl up in our laps because she was terrified of storms. She doesn't have to fear the storms any more. The thought of her waiting by the Rainbow Bridge is comforting. In case you're not familiar, here's the story of "The Rainbow Bridge":

 Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

 Great Danes have shorter life spans than many other breeds, usually about 8 years. We were told that merle danes have a slightly shorter life span. When we got her, she and our youngest daughter, Bailey, were both about a year old. Lyndsay was 8, the perfect age for a canine companion.They all grew up together, and Ashley was like a third daughter. We were fortunate to love her for 11 years.

I was sent this beautiful prayer and it is so appropriate.

A Parting Prayer


Dear Lord, please open your gates
and call St. Francis
to come escort this beloved companion
across the Rainbow Bridge.


Assign her to a place of honor,
for she has been a faithful servant
and has always done her best to please me.


Bless the hands that send her to you,
for they are doing so in love and compassion,
freeing her from pain and suffering.


Grant me the strength not to dwell on my loss.
Help me remember the details of her life
with the love she has shown me.
And grant me the courage to honor her
by sharing those memories with others.


Let her remember me as well
and let her know that I will always love her.
And when it's my time to pass over into your paradise,
please allow her to accompany those
who will bring me home.


Thank you, Lord,
for the gift of her companionship
and for the time we've had together.


And thank you, Lord,
for granting me the strength
to give her to you now.


Amen.


- © Brandy Duckworth, 1998

Our house seems so empty right now. We still have our new little dog, Max, and I'm sure, in years to come, we'll open our home and hearts to other pets. Ashley will forever live in our hearts and memories.

♥ ♥ ♥ Rest in Peace dear Ashley

1998-2010

Beloved pet, loyal companion, best bud. 

We will always love you! ♥ ♥ ♥

Wednesday's Wisdom

My motto is "Do what you love....Love what you do!". It serves me well and I try to remember on the tough days that I am doing exactly that. Some days, it's tougher than others. Our job description covers a vast array of skills that we must be prepared to utilize. I love the following poem, because it sums up many of the daily duties we must perform, in addition to the all of the actual teaching we do.

I Am A Teacher

by Stacy Bonino

I am a counselor and psychologist to a problem-filled child,
I am a police officer that controls a child gone wild.
I am a travel agent scheduling our trips for the year,
I am a confidante that wipes a crying child's tear.
I am a banker collecting money for a ton of different things,
I am a librarian showing adventures that a storybook brings.
I am a custodian that has to clean certain little messes,
I am a psychic that learns to know all that everybody only guesses.
I am a photographer keeping pictures of a child's yearly growth,
When mother and father are gone for the day, I become both.
I am a doctor that detects when a child is feeling sick,
I am a politician that must know the laws and recognize a trick.
I am a party planner for holidays to celebrate with all,
I am a decorator of a room, filling every wall.
I am a news reporter updating on our nation's current events,
I am a detective solving small mysteries and ending all suspense.
I am a clown and comedian that makes the children laugh,
I am a dietician assuring they have lunch or from mine I give them half.
When we seem to stray from values, I become a preacher,
But I'm proud to have to be these people because ...
I'm proud to say, "I am a teacher."

Blueberries!

I went out to my parents' farm today and picked a big bucket of gorgeous blueberries.
I'm going back to Valley Hill Horse Farm tomorrow and wanted to take a little something to the owners. They are so nice and the kids always have such a good time while we are there. On our last visit,  we parked the hay wagon under a berry tree (boysenberry, I was told), enjoyed the shade for a few minutes and ate fresh berries from the tree. I was telling Mr. Tommy, one of the owners, that my parents grow blueberries and have started a U-Pick business in their retirement. They sell blueberries and blackberries for a fraction of the cost in the grocery store.  One of these days I'm going to arrange a field trip to their farm, as well. Blueberries don't come into season until just after school lets out, and since I'm taking the summer off......well, I'm working on it!

If you enjoy blueberries, I invite to you to become a fan of the Sweetwater Creek Farm Blueberries -U Pick on Facebook and feel free to share your favorite blueberry or blackberry recipes. If you live in our area (Augusta, Ga or N. Augusta,SC), give them a call or stop on by during picking hours. They'd love to have you pick!

Wednesday's Wit.... from the farm!

Last Friday, I took a group of school age children to a real working horse farm. This is a very special trip that our family of schools takes to a real working horse farm for horseback riding, a picnic and hayride. I usually accompany each group from each of our three schools (6 trips in all). It has become a beloved part of my summer and even though I am "officially" off for the summer, I am escorting the children on this trip again.

I will write a full post with lots of pictures from the farm~ the kids have such an awesome time while they are there and I can't wait to share it. I'll just share a quick anecdote for now.

During our hayride, we made a few stops and got out and saw some of the animals. One little guy (3rd or 4th grade) pointed one of the bigger chickens clucking around us and said, "Hey, you know what his name is?"

I knew none of these chickens had names, but I was game,"What is his name?" he said

"Dinner!" he said matter-of-factly and smiled real big. His little joke and big smile made my day!

Kids, you never know what they will say next! ;)

This was the post that was due yesterday~sorry! I thought I was having internet trouble yesterday, but I saw on the news today that Comcast has been having a lot of problems in our area.I'm returning to the farm tomorrow with a group of preschoolers, so I'll work on getting a post together about the first two trips.

At The Zoo.....

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo;
How about you, you, you?
You can come too, too, too.
We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.

                       ~Tom Paxton, Going To The Zoo

I have taken the summer off for the most part, but our school has a summer program that I am occasionally helping out with. My first summer "adventure" was a trip last week to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, SC. We took the school-aged kids (kindergarten-5th) from our 3 schools on our annual trek up the highway.

We had to get a few pics of the kids before they set out to see the sights.

 This big guy and I have a history. A few years ago, my niece (2 yrs.old) dropped my daughter's monkey lunchbox souvenir over the side and he got it. We had to call the zookeeper over to get it out so he wouldn't get hurt. The zookeeper gave it back with giant teethmarks in it. My niece takes it for show and tell now each year. Luckily, nothing like that happened on this trip!

 We saw lots of pretty birds!

The lemurs were cool! (I've always wanted to meet Zoboomafoo!

 The Silverbacks are amazing!

 This guy got loose last year the day after our visit. He created a little havoc, and a few folks were hurt, but thankfully measures were taken to prevent that ~ hopefully!! He's happily back at home.

We got there in time to see the feeding. We were inside a building (pictures through the glass) and the Silverbacks were outside. The zookeepers threw the food down from the roof into the brush for the gorillas to get. They are pretty good and will reach up to catch a head of romaine lettuce with one hand!

 We stopped by the giraffes to check them out.

It was so cool to have them eat right out of our hands! The kids were fascinated by their long purple tongues.

This little guy's name is Lewis. He is absolutely adorable!

We were chillin' with the elephants!

Isn't this guy too cute?

These little meercats seem so intelligent!

Hey, we found Timon! Hakuna Matata!

Riverbanks has an aviary with tropical birds that you can walk through and see them close up.

 You can purchase nectar to feed the birds. Mr. S didn't realize they would just start landing on you if you had the nectar in your hands!

Soon, it was like a mini feeding frenzy!

One of the dads bought our group Icees to cool us down. Thanks, Mr.S!
We had a great time and many of the friends enjoyed a much needed nap on the long drive back to school.

I'll leave you with one of our family's favorite zoo songs. It's not preschool appropriate, but it's a classic and we love it! (This is a pretty cool montage to the song!)

Simon and Garfunkel's "At The Zoo":

Wednesday's Wisdom and a few good beach reads.......

As it is summer, I'm feeling the pull of the beach tugging at my heart. I spent 3 days recently enjoying the sun and the sand, but it's just not enough. I am counting the minutes until July when my entire family (parents, siblings, spouses and children) will gather together to spend one bliss filled week together under one roof on the shores of the Carolina coast.

Summer at the beach translates into many things, but a good read is right at the top. One of my favorite southern authors is Pat Conroy. His words take me right to the smells, sights and sounds of this magical place of my childhood. You may know "The Prince of Tides", his bestseller, that was made into a movie (although the book is MUCH better). He is also author to many other wonderful books. My personal favorite is "The Water is Wide" which chronicles his exploits as a fairly new teacher in the impoverished South Carolina lowcountry. With the state of teaching today, it's humbling to read his struggles and realize we teachers really don't have it so bad at all. I encourage you to check out his books. I'll leave you with a few of his words regarding teachers:

“The great teachers fill you up with hope and shower you with a thousand reasons to embrace all aspects of life,” Pat Conroy, My Losing Season

Wednesday's Wit

It seems every year, there's one kid who's a little more worldly, even if they don't even know it. I'll have to wait for August to see who it will be next. I love discovering all those little personalities as we get to know each other. I can't wait to see what the friends in my new class will bring to the table!

First Grade

One day the first grade teacher was reading the story of the Three Little Pigs to her class. She came to the part of the story where the first pig was trying to accumulate the building materials for his home. She read, "...And so the pig went up to the man with the wheelbarrow full of straw and said, "Pardon me sir, but may I have some of that straw to build my house?'" The teacher paused then asked the class, "And what do you think that man said?" One little boy raised his hand and said, "I think he said 'Holy %$#@! A talking pig!'" The teacher was unable to teach for the next 10 minutes.

Happy Wednesday!