Last updated summer list

Today I started my 17th year of teaching. Students will start on Wed. Today was professional development about mental health and emergency situations. (Kind of a sober 1st day.) I would love to spend some time catching up but I'm exhausted and want to read for a few minutes before going to bed. So, here's my updated summer list. I did WAY less things than I had hoped, BUT it was still a nice summer and I really enjoyed the time spent at home with my kids. It was very hot and humid here this summer (and I intensely dislike heat), so we spent a lot of time inside.

Summer "To do" list:
-Visit a museum (x)
-Go somewhere touristy- x
 -Have a picnic x
-Make snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches. (Don't they look delicious? D is most excited about this)
-Go on a local bike trail (maybe this one, which we've never been to.)
-Make s'mores x
- Go camping
- Have a firepit x
- Go fishing (x- Well, Matt and David went)
- Go deep sea fishing (boys have never been) or a whale watch (? Timmy and I went to see the Hokule'a sail out)
- Explore some of the local towns for a day. x (Not local, but new towns)
 -Swim in a lake x
-Swim in a river (x)
- Swim in a pool  (x)
- Learn to surf (T)
- Do a puzzle (x)
-Stay in a hotel x
- Go to a different state x
 - Visit Dogtown
-  Eat at Woodmans (or get fresh seafood somewhere)
-Plan Quebec vacation  (Anyone reading from Quebec? Suggestions for us?) Did not happen this summer. Unsure when it will.
- Try to learn some French for Quebec
- Invite friends for dinner
-Visit relatives x
- Run around in the rain (x)
- Visit a farmer's market (x)
-See The BFG (x)
- Visit Pettingill Farm  (I have relatives that are Pettingills, I'm wondering if there are any relations.)
- Family tree research (Anyone into genealogy research? I'm stuck in a few places.)
-Watch fireworks
- Go to an outdoor concert. x
- Play a board game (x)
- Get an ice cream (x)
-Ride a roller coaster
- Catch fireflies
- Get slushes at Sonic (x)
-Go to a beach x
- Visit the Rochester Fair
- Canoe on the Ipswich River
-Make Brazilian limeade (x- We made this recipe and loved it.)   
- Visit Six Flags  

    I think I will try to make a fall list soon. Enjoy back to school! 

Sculpture exhibit

    One of the items on our "Summer Bucket List" was to visit a sculpture exhibit at our local library. Here are some pictures of the sculptures (and my boys, who felt the need to pose with each of the pieces.) I'm not quite sure I understand sculpture fully, but I do appreciate how much work goes into creating a piece of art. I tend to appreciate some art when I know the background of the piece. I'm sorry that I don't have the name of the sculpture or the artist.

    This was made of marble. We liked the symmetry of it.

     Timothy didn't like this one. He said it looked like someone trying to go to the bathroom. It was called "Figure in motion" or something.

 We all liked these polar bears. It was made out of steel.

 David said that the sculpture felt all smooth, kind of like pottery. They also were surprised that it was hollow until I asked how much it would weigh if it was solid.

 The shadows made this a little hard to see. It's made of concrete and kind of reminded me of a sandcastle.

 A dog made of resin and bronze patina. Careful, he bites.

     This one immediately made me think of a solar system (from a different angle). Timmy walked up and said "I bet you like this one, huh? This is really cool. It's really obvious what the artist wanted to make." I asked him what he thought it was and he said "A conductor." The piece's name was "Holst" so- maybe a conductor conducting Holst's Planets?

 "This one looks like a time portal"

This one was titled "Sanctuary."  Again, Timmy with his insightful thoughts (after the potty one of course) said "This is pretty cool. I bet this is God's hand... and that's us, resting in His palm. This is awesome." Then he asked if the artist was a Christian. I don't know if she was or not, but I liked the interpretation of her art. 

 Wood and metal, not quite sure about this one.

 Liked the colors. The boys said that this was a woman.

 We liked the smooth, polished pine in this one.

 David got all excited when he realized that this artist was the same who did "the colorful lady."

 We liked the purple stone at the top of this one. The color didn't come out nicely in this picture. Again, weren't quite sure what it was supposed to be, looked different depending on the angle.

 This one is Timmy's favorite. I think he and I have a lot of the same preferences. I liked that it was very orderly and Tim liked how smooth it was.

 Dragonfly, so...

 I liked the kids in front of the sculpture more than the sculpture by itself. This one was David's favorite. Sorry I didn't make myself into a dragonfly for you all.

 2 rocks...?

 These ones were interesting. They were both hollow and had a hole in the top. Timmy sung into the top and it resonated through the sculpture, which was pretty cool.

 The "Reading Dog" with friends, one who kept giggling.

 The Reading Dog by himself.

      Out town library is beautiful. We come here about once a week during the summer. (The boys get books, I still have my "to read bookshelf.")  The building itself is apparently in the Georgian Revival style. I learned that our original library used to serve 2 towns. Once it was decided that each town needed their own library ("for the promotion of knowledge and morality" apparently), a library was built in 1869. It burnt down in a fire and the one we have now was built in 1892. I just read that there was once an auditorium that held 1, 100 people while the library basically functioned on the 1st floor. I might actually ask the library staff about that. I'd love to see pictures. I can't picture how the upper floors were ever an auditorium.

A brass urn that was recently renovated.
      Then, we just enjoyed the beautiful day under the shade of this giant tree.

   We also took "Going to another state" off our list after going to a Fisher Cats game yesterday with my good friend, Wendy.

Updated summer bucket list

Here's our updated lists. The (x) have been done.

Summer "To do" list:
-Visit a museum (x)
-Go somewhere touristy-
 -Have a picnic
-Make snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches. (Don't they look delicious? D is most excited about this)
-Go on a local bike trail (maybe this one, which we've never been to.)
-Make s'mores
- Go camping
- Have a firepit
- Go fishing (x- Well, Matt and David went)
- Go deep sea fishing (boys have never been) or a whale watch (? Timmy and I went to see the Hokule'a sail out)
- Explore some of the local towns for a day.
 -Swim in a lake
-Swim in a river (x)
- Swim in a pool  (x)
- Learn to surf (T)
- Do a puzzle (x)
-Stay in a hotel
- Go to a different state
 - Visit Dogtown
-  Eat at Woodmans (or get fresh seafood somewhere)
-Plan Quebec vacation  (Anyone reading from Quebec? Suggestions for us?) We might have to postpone this trip. Maybe around my birthday? We didn't realize that we wouldn't get back the paperwork from baseball until today. It might be too late to get passports to travel this summer.
- Try to learn some French for Quebec
- Invite friends for dinner
-Visit relatives
- Run around in the rain (x)
- Visit a farmer's market (x)
-See The BFG (x)
- Visit Pettingill Farm  (I have relatives that are Pettingills, I'm wondering if there are any relations.)
- Family tree research (Anyone into genealogy research? I'm stuck in a few places.)
-Watch fireworks
- Go to an outdoor concert.
- Play a board game (x)
- Get an ice cream (x)
-Ride a roller coaster
- Catch fireflies
- Get slushes at Sonic (x)
-Go to a beach
- Visit the Rochester Fair
- Canoe on the Ipswich River
-Make Brazilian limeade (x- We made this recipe and loved it.)   
- Visit Six Flags