So--urged on by all your reports of the miserable cold--I took the opportunity of Monday's relative warmth to make my first visit to my site sit (good thing I did, since the Polar Vortex has now arrived!). Anyhow, the first thing I noticed was the discarded paper cup. The second thing I noticed was the noise. Here you go: http://youtu.be/ac1I-PDRtos

The site is really lovely--look @ how it looks! But the noise...dunno if I can stay.
Mark Lord (who is using his sabbatical to, among other things, meditate)
tells me that my task is to rise above this. I'm not sure, ecologically thinking, that it is.
Or that I can....

Check out these two articles on the growing movement to opt out of standardized testing:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20150215_N_J__opposition_to_new_standardized_test_growing.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20150215_Parents__teachers_opting_in_to__opt_out_.html

Check out these two articles on the growing movement to opt out of standardized testing:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20150215_N_J__opposition_to_new_standardized_test_growing.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20150215_Parents__teachers_opting_in_to__opt_out_.html

The snow was coming down in heavy flakes, sticking to my hair and coat like little pieces of cotton candy. I was balanced between two stepping stones, trying to catch the cold snow flakes and let them melt in the warmth of my mouth. My efforts were it vain; why is it that even in a heavy snow, snowflakes still find a way of avoiding capture? I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small chocolate heart wrapped in pink and red aluminum foil. As I was chewing on the cold, dark chocolate, I unfolded the foil, smoothing over Dove Chocolate’s personalized Valentine’s Day message with my thumbs: “Be your own valentine”. Thanks Dove.

I couldn't make uploading the videos here work, but I uploaded them to YouTube so here are the links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEBMuCmecso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEAsvzj1GNY

I was unable to find sufficient time to spend outside yesterday since it was so crazy, so I ended up spending my time outside in the snow this morning.

Because I was struggling last week with writing about my outside experience with words, I am trying something different this time. I'll try to include videos, of the creek and of my walk back up from the creek. (I'm having trouble uploading the videos so hopefully that will be up soon...) I'll also include two haikus I've written, because they are an example of trying to say a lot with very few words.

delicate fractals
stealth beauty, oft unnoticed
one breath and it's gone

frozen stillness, sleep
snow fall blankets the silence
one stream flows, alive