I was so busy this week! Back to work after a lovely week off and we were thrown right back into the thick of things. We went to the Effie Yeaw Nature Center on Wednesday. It was a great field trip. The students had a great time. Here we have this beautiful nature preserve right in the middle of a busy, busy city! If you didn't know it was there, you would miss it completely. I know adults who have never been there and they have lived her for years. We saw hawks, squirrels, a snake and deer. The river is a very short walk and the animals don't run when they see humans because they are used to humans. The animals are left to themselves to fend for themselves. We saw a dead deer (I didn't tell the students it was Bambi like I would have if it had been my own kids--such a mean mom) in the river (the Sacramento River). When we asked our naturalist, Jackie, why it wasn't removed, she said they leave nature to do as nature does. Other animals will take care of it--such as the hawks eating it. YUCK! We took the blind students with us this time. They loved it. The snake we saw was named Eddie. Jackie held it--a king snake--and she showed the students how to touch it with the back of their fingers to avoid getting our oils on the snake. I declined to touch Eddie. Thursday was big day because I had my quilt guild meeting. From now on until April 2016, every fourth Thursday will be a biggie because I am president of the guild beginning in April. I really like being an Indian--not necessarily the chief. Today the students made a salad bar for the office staff. We had such an array of toppings--all food grown in California--California Specialty Crops. This was our second annual lunch. All student directed--the menu, selection of foods served, who is invited and prepared by the students. It is all from our grants. We have a fresh from box of food each month, taste testings of California Specialty Crops and Cooking in Chemistry. This afternoon I was taping pages from a copy of the Outsiders and I decided that I would actively search out a grant for a new set. Our books are falling apart from use, not abuse. Every seventh grade class reads this book. Then we watch the movie. The kids always like the movie. I am watching an episode of House Hunters International. Tonight they are in Trieste, Italy. I'm watching this cute couple drinking their glass of wine while relaxing at an outdoor cafe`. I think I will enjoy a glass of wine too and watch more episodes! There are a couple set in England and Germany. My favorite episodes are the ones in France--mostly Paris. I love the look of the neighborhoods--even though I may never see them in person. SO cheers to all.......