Blessed

 

John Fuller, farrier, philosopher and friend.

I smiled. I listened.  I pinched myself. I felt grateful. 

Yup, yesterday's interactions with old friends, new friends, a former student, an acquaintance and friend with whom I have entrusted everything on our Lovestead filled my cup full and then some. 

Twas truly a banner day for visiting and reflecting. 

I did mow some lawn, and the two boy doggies, Liam and Foster, put on one of their classic fake-fight frolicking all around the newly mown front yard last night. 

BTW:  Foster sez "Happy Birthday, Raine." 

Still, the highlight of the day came in doses, starting with John Fuller's first visit to give Lily, Lefty and CB their first pedicures for 2021.  

While snipping off and rounding off 12 horse hooves, John provided his usual fascinating dose of philosophy on life. 

John's life is going to change this year cuz he's decided this will be the year that the nippers, rasp and hoof knives will do their last duty, along with his taped up fingers. 

We talked a lot about transitions and how we make decisions associated with major life changes, just as we've done for at least 30 years with horses standing and listening while we talk. 

I still remember John quoting one of his friends back when I was still teaching but looking forward to retirement.  

"You're in final quarter, and you'd better make good use of this time."

That thought has guided me every day since, as have several of John's notions picked up from all the books he reads, the people he meets and the experiences he's had with horses since coming west from Chicago as a young man. 

There were no good bye's yesterday because it ain't over til it's over, and John plans to keep on nipping through the summer----until it gets cold, he said while heading out the driveway in his van. 

After mowing parts of my lawn in worse-than-late-August conditions featuring ever erupting dust clouds from the road and ultra-dry soil, I took a shower, washed my hair and put on all clean clothes.

Weird, to say the least, to encounter such dust in mid-April.

Twas on my drive around the countryside looking for pictures and relaxing, that I found pay dirt.  First, I stopped off and visited my friend Elisabeth, who has stayed at the Lovestead numerous times while Bill and I have gone on trips. 

Unfortunately, she has not had to come for more than a year, but she assured me that if and when we want to take off, she'll be happy to continue watching the critters and the place. 

We just enjoyed some good visiting yesterday.  

Later, I turned on to Evergreen Road and stopped to visit with a couple who were out walking.  

Mike and Maureen have recently settled in the area for their "final quarter."  

Turns out we had something in common besides her being Irish and having traveled to Ireland. 

Maureen spent her career as an English teacher in Massachusetts and in Western Washington.  Meanwhile, Mike worked as an engineer. 

Very nice and fun folks, and we all agreed how fun it is to meet someone along a country road. 

Just on down the road, I met a young lady whom I'd met before---just before her second daughter was born.  

She and her girls were out enjoying the beautiful day. 

Upon arriving home, I received a note from a former student named Randy. 

Since sitting in my senior English class as a student, Randy has spent a career as an educator/wrestling coach in Washington.  

Coach Miller has gone from high schoolers to middle school students.  He teaches science but encourages his eighth graders to hone their writing skills in different disciplines. 

As a part of this strategy, he asked his students to show him some of the work they had done in their English classes.  

Randy sent me some impressive samples of poetry he had read by eighth graders at Royal City Middle School. 

This morning I'm thrilled for Randy, the students and their English teacher to share the work with readers. 

This anecdote about Randy illustrates so much about education----its sharing, its connections among professionals and the lifelong connections between students and teachers. 

I always enjoyed having Randy as a student and knowing him as a family friend.  

To reconnect with him so many years later and to see what he strives to do as an educator makes me proud. 

It's the way education works in this world, and it's the reason we should honor the profession, which serves as a constant flow of poignant and profound life-changing moments for all involved. 

Thanks, Randy, and special appreciation to Jaelyn and Briana for sharing your work. You are ALL winners.

Keep up the good work. 

Oh yes, I also saw a herd of elk on North Center Valley Road but did not visit with them.  

Happy Friday. 

Randy Miller, SHS grad and Royal City, Wash., educator

Music

by Jaelyn

When in the depths of despair

We use your sound

When we put in our earbuds

It’s as if the darkness has been drowned

However on other occasions

You help us cope when we’re down

Like a bit of therapy when needed

You always seem to be around

Whether it’s musiek, mele, musique, or ongaku

Music differs from one to another

Like no two snowflakes are the same

You’re composed differently than others

As beautiful as a field of daisies

But as drastically changing as day to night

You can give us a comforting feeling

Or even give us a great fright

Yes, you’re only a word, I know

But the way you’re used is more than a word

In movies you set the mood

Or even give us something to do when bored

You build up great intensity

Or even make our eyes water

You can also make us eternally grateful

Or very happy, like we found a dollar

You’re used in many ways

You’re medicine to the souls of all who partake

You’re the light at the end of the tunnel

You’re played at events that celebrate.

This poem is my thanks to you

My final words to conclude

You’re a great thing in my life

And often help me out of my mood

Sadness

by Briana

Sadness you’re just a word but you slice through my soul. 

Tristeza rolls off of the tongue gently and so peacefully

As though the wind was slowly blowing my hair  

Sadness is like a cold breeze on a Winter day. 

Traurigkeit says the Germans hurt more than one thousand punches 

Creating depression and not letting us escape our rooms

Droefheid you’re like fire burning through my body 

You despise seeing a smile on my face

 It's very calm to be sad all alone

With tears rolling down my cheeks reflections fill my head

I see a puddle on my bed after a waterfall appeared from nowhere

Droefheid despairs us from happiness 

when we try to stop our nose from running and our lip from quivering it feels like the end

Bēishāng everyday a wave of sadness 

defeats my body and I don’t know how to make it 

disappear

 You increase aches, and pain across my body

 Your pain makes my eyes burst into tears

Dripping, I see each tear as it falls onto the floor

I wish you didn’t exist, sadness makes life less fun, and less full of adventure but you do let us see a whole other world made of

 black, white, and gray. 

Sadness is the worst feeling a human can reach

It can be from something so small like losing your favorite pen to something even more like losing a close loved one

 There is no extent that sadness can’t reach

You hurt me once 

And I said no more but you ignored me

I tried to run away from the pain but it would only make it 

Worse

Leaving us in despair

~~~~~

And, can anyone guess why I would I enjoy posting this one?

Love

by Paola

Love? Love is like a amazing feeling

You have inside of you

It creates many types of friendships.

Koreans say sarang to say how loved and lucky they are to have a wonderful person like you.

Love will be hard in some days,some

Days you won't be hearing Amor 

Somedays you will be hearing love 

But love can be like a flower that only 

Opens its petals in spring and dies in the fall.

I´amour only comes when you really need it and you let that love come in you

Love is  just a word but to many people it's more than just a silly word

You make many people smile, feel loved. Without love you won't be as happy. 

Love may break hearts, but to others love heals them.

Love...becomes really strong when you really 

Love someone. To me your just a word but a word 

Can be stronger than you think.

Love will be important sometimes in your life.

Love will break you 

Love will heal you

Love is needed

But overall you will become stronger each day

Just remember that

You have a very special person in your life 

Named…

Love