Over the weekend I noticed the profound (negative) effect that coffee had on me. I woke up in good spirits but soon after enjoying a mug or two of caffeine and sugar I became very rattled and irritable. I recognized the feeling but always thought I just felt that way from taking care of four kids from the moment I wake up.
I really like coffee, but I didn't like the way I felt so I put the coffee maker away! I'm trying to start the day with hot water and lemon instead, as it's said to aid digestion by helping our natural stomach acids along. And of course, I can't be irritable every morning when I have smallish kids and teach kindergarten every day!
I generally wear wrinkly clothes to school but decided to iron my pants yesterday. Of course, I realized that my 20 year old ironing board was gone to the dump, finally. It either spontaneously collapsed at inopportune moments or refused to raise up higher than two feet. So I ironed my pants on the bread board of our old kitchen cupboard.
I teach in a beautiful Catholic school, and as a contribution to the children's journey through the Lenten season I created a Lenten garden. Originally, it looked dull and lifeless with a dry pond, bare earth and grey moss, and just a few pine cones scattered around.
Yesterday morning before our students arrived I transformed it (as if by magic) into a garden brimming with green life. Moss dug up from the hill beside our house, water in the pond, a lilac twig, and some small fake flowers and reeds create the perfect setting for a doe and her fawn.
I just want to frolic in this garden! I love the accessible symbolism for small children of life after death. It fits in well with our latest inquiry into how things grow...from that tiny acorn which appears to be dead, a mighty tree can grow!
Using that old breadboard is brilliant.love the little garden
ReplyDeleteOy, have you got a caffeine withdrawal headache? I end up with those whenever I go off coffee without gradually weaning myself. And it always alarms me, having such withdrawal symptoms. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteYour Lenten garden is wonderful. You are the BEST teacher.
The bread board ironing board - I love it! How great would it be to have an ironing board installed in such a manner in a laundry area? Easy to slide in and keep out of the way when not in use. Regular ironing boards are so cumbersome.
We love the Lenten garden. I tried a different approach to it this year and it was not as lovely as I'd hoped it would be. We'll be sticking with the moss from now on! xo
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