Luigi and Captain Dangerous both wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
turning over a new leaf
Plant care is self care! There are plenty of new leaves growing among my houseplants. Check out the greenery!
what you water will grow
What you choose to water will grow. Here’s what Rebekah Ballagh wrote in her Instagram caption: “Have you noticed when you’re feeling down or anxious that it becomes so easy to only notice things that make you feel worse?
“It’s so easy to go down that thought spiral and your focus shifts to all the things you don’t want or like.
”Where we put our focus is a powerful tool to harness. Remember that not all thoughts are true, and not all thoughts deserve our attention.”
pi day Mario Monday
Sometimes the exact right thing comes along at the right time. Don’t you love this Mario pie for Pi Day?
you are here *for now
Need a short, easy book to read that will give you some things to think about but not bum you out too much? Adam J. Kurtz has written just the book! Check out You Are Here *For Now.
happy plant a flower day!
Today is Plant a Flower Day! It’s pretty cold where I am, so I will not be planting any flowers, but I do have some to show off!
My Hoya Carnosa Krimson Princess is blooming again! I first noticed the peduncle (fancy plant word I learned from my friend Sarah @theleafyvine, who also has a hoya blooming) in mid-February on a trailing/unsupported vine. Three weeks later, full bloom! I’ve included progress photos.
I received this plant as an expression of condolence when Rader died in 2017. It has thrived hanging in the window of my plant room. First time it bloomed was July 2021.
new partner school added!
SUCH exciting news today! The Rader Ward Memorial Scholarship program is delighted to announce our partnership with a third local school: Faith Montessori School!
FMS is a secular homeschool co-op in Greenville County, S.C. We first heard of them last fall, and have been excited to connect with them and determine that they meet our criteria: as an elementary/middle school with a nontraditional educational philosophy, offering an alternative to public school pedagogy.
Because it’s a homeschool co-op, FMS requires a certain amount of parental involvement, and also is not a full-time, five-day program. But for some families seeking a student-centered education for their creative children, it will provide a welcome option.
FMS joins our other partner schools, Five Oaks Academy and Montessori School of Mauldin.
FMS already has been added as a choice on our scholarship application. Welcome, FMS!
HAPPY MAR10 DAY!
It’s always fun to show off parts of our Super Mario collection! These are most of our Mario figures, but there are a few small ones secured to a display shelf that I didn’t want to dislodge just for this photo shoot.
Mario was Rader’s favorite character. Keeping the love for Mario alive helps us feel that part of Rader is still with us, too.
words matter week wisdom
We are celebrating Words Matter Week!
I mentioned on Sunday that it's Read an eBook Week. I have already finished Megan E. Freeman's "Alone," and loved it!
But this week is also Words Matter Week, an observance started years ago by the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors — yes, they're word people.
We know words do matter. The things we say have the power either to harm or heal, so we understand how important it is to be thoughtful about what comes out of our mouths. I appreciate the guideline of THINK before you speak: Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?
break the gender bias
Happy International Women’s Day! I’m sharing this collection of illustrations from Harmony Hansen of Harmony Willow Studio because all of them make me feel good.
This year’s Women’s Day theme is #BreakTheBias. If you see social media photos of people making an X with their arms, it’s in support of gender equity!
The International Women's Day organization says:
“Imagine a gender equal world.
A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
A world where difference is valued and celebrated.
Together we can forge women's equality.
Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.”
Mario Monday: Yoshi food art!
To see Manna-Tanuki’s other edible art videos, visit their YouTube channel! Here’s another tiny Mario one with royal icing, and here are some Yoshi meringue cookies.
celebrate 'read an ebook' week!
This week is Read an eBook Week! Since I have always loved reading, I was an early adopter of eBook technology. My first Kindle was Amazon's second generation, released I think in 2009.
These days, you can check out eBooks from your local library — give it a try to see how easy it is! My library offers the Hoopla and Overdrive platforms. With Overdrive I can send the book to my Kindle (or the Kindle app on my iPad), and with Hooplal, it looks like I need to read on a mobile device. There's also the Libby app by Overdrive, from which I can send books to my Kindle device/app or read right there in Libby. (Hoopla and Overdrive both also have apps.) Just enter your library card info, and once your account is connected, it's time to browse!
I looked in Libby and right away, found a suggested book I want to read: Alone by Megan E. Freeman. It's an award-winning middle-grade book recommended for fans of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet. Survival story Hatchet is one of my all-time favorites, and Alone has a female protagonist. I've already gotten started.
Take a look online at your local library to see what the options are, and enjoy Read an eBook Week!
i am a work in progress
My sister reposted this one on Facebook and said, “I’m down with all of the Saturday sayings, except: ‘I believe all of this is happening for a reason.’ Some things happen, no reason.”
I told her I agreed. Sometimes we make the best of it and in hindsight it looks like a reason. But applied broadly, “it happened for a reason” is grossly oversimplified.
“Maybe ‘I will try and make the best of this’ is a more apt saying,” she replied. Indeed.
respecting pronouns is suicide prevention
Today is National Grammar Day!
I’m involved in advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community as the president of my local PFLAG chapter, and something I hear frequently is how challenging a person might feel it is to use pronouns different from what they assume are correct for someone. This includes the tired argument that using “they/them” in a singular sense is grammatically incorrect.
Greatist says, “Pronouns aren’t a preference — they can save lives. The Trevor Project’s research on mental health in 2021 found that 42% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, yet those who had their pronouns respected by all the people they live with attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns affirmed.”
To learn more, check out mypronouns.org. There’s also an excellent ‘singular they’ blog post at Grammarly.
this panel discussion could save a life
Today, March 2, is World Teen Mental Wellness Day. If you’re the parent or guardian of a teenager or have one in your life, please make time for this free virtual panel discussion from our friends at The Liv Project. Register here to learn lifesaving communication tips I didn’t know when I was doing my best to parent a teen struggling with his mental health five years ago.