Garden Goals at Bumpus Ridge

Today marks a new adventure for Team Tengs and Bumpus  Ridge. With the help of our gardening guru, Eric and I are starting our very first vegetable garden.

Earlier this year my school (www.fgcschool.org) hosted a seed fundraiser courtesy of the Territorial Seed Company from Cottage Grove, Oregon. We purchased the following:

Today we got a few of the seeds ready ...

Sunshine Productivity

Well folks, it is just after 5pm and I have finished all of the reading and stewardship/citizenship report cards.  All that I have left are writing report cards - which will hopefully go quickly as I would really like to be done TONIGHT.  

Here are some photos from our sunshine productivity for your enjoyment:

These sunny spots are far superior to being upstairs with his face smushed to the wall.

 My outdoor work space courtesy of Ron Morrow's drop leaf kitchen table (cerca 1990s?); and another photo of Benson being a strange distraction.

  Time for kibbles ... and to work on writing report cards. 

Benson's Latest Tactics

It is another painfully beautiful day at Bumpus Ridge; and Benson is trying a series of new tactics to get me to take him outside:

Tactic #1: Finding the only sunny spot upstairs; then laying in said sunny spot despite the obvious discomfort (his back/face were shoved up against the wall).

Tactic #2: Being very cute and photogenic in said sunny spot.  Unlike Daisy (our old boxer-rotweiler) Benson loves the camera and poses effortlessly.  Dogs are strange.

Tactic #3: The Old Lady Lip (dog pouting)

Tactic #4: The Stare-Down

 Tactic #5: The Block

 

Yesterday I did set up an outdoor work station that is in the shade enough (although I got bitten by mosquitoes when I was out there last night).  My todo list today is uncomfortably long:

• 10 x Reading Report Cards
• 10 x Stewardship/Citizenship Report Cards
• 23 x Writing

To the Great Outdoors we go ...
 

Distractions

A few things are distracting me this morning/afternoon and I am having a hard time staying focused and even getting started.  Blarg, and it's already after noon. 

First distraction -- the sunshine.  It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL at Bumpus Ridge today.  Here is a view from the deck (which I can't use while doing report cards because of the glare)

This view is hideous. It hurts my eyes.  
My Benson nugget loves to be outside; and it is hard to deny him something so basic - enjoying the sunshine.  So, I thought I would try something new: let Benson outside unsupervised (but clipped in).  He is free to beetle-sniff and sunbathe, while I can sit upstairs guilt-free.

 At first, no big deal.  He found a sunny spot and seemed to be enjoying himself outside.
I peeked through the window a few minutes later and ...

 He was still there. 30 minutes later ...

Curious, but still there.  Then after I just started getting into my report card groove, I hear a loud crashing onto wood sound ...

Whoopsy.  Apparently, Benson had wrapped his 30 foot leash around the hot tub multiple times and then dragged it below a large flower pot and got stuck.  He may not be smart, but he sure is handsome.  Points for Benson because he also waited patiently for me to run upstairs to get my camera.  

As he and I meandered our way back inside, I couldn't help but stop for one last distraction:

Aren't we supposed to stop and smell the roses?




 

Project Section: DONE!

It is 4pm on Day 4. I just finished the project section of all 25 report cards. What is left? Why I am glad you asked:

• 23 x Writing Report Cards
• 23 x Reading Report Cards
• 23 x Stewardship/Citizenship Report Cards

An Update

I received a complaint from one of my loyal readers that I didn't blog about last night.  My deepest apologies if you went to bed on the edge of your seat, not sure where I left things.  So here is the rundown about my accomplishments yesterday: 

• 2 report cards completed in their entirety (23 to go)
• 12 project report cards completed (13 more to go)
• Girls Coffee @ Metro Perc (a lovely time)
• Called Direct Loans (ha!)

My goals for today are to finish up the 13 project report cards AND finish the reading reports (all 23 remaining).  Booyah.  However, I am already having a bit of a hard time getting started ... and here is one reason why (see photo):

Another reason is that I am sucked into this "terrible" teen drama Pretty Little Liars.  There are few things in this world that capture my attention quite like a teen drama.  But I have good multitasking skills and sometimes having background noise helps me focus.  Yesterday I grooved along with my Spotify playlist, today we will see if I can be as productive.  Wish me luck!

Goals & Day 3

I am a goal-oriented person. I like something to work towards; and I like to set goals to give myself structure, something to work towards, and something I can feel I accomplished.  But, occasionally my goals are unrealistic and I am left without the feeling of accomplishment that I need at the end of a long day.  On the other hand, if I don't set a goal or create an agenda then I feel unsure what to do next.  Does that make sense? Or did I just unload a bit of crazy?

Today begins Day 3 of my report cards -- and I am honestly not really sure where to start.  I know I need to start (like 45 minutes ago), but when faced with a nearly-overwhelming agenda it is hard to know when to start.  Do I start with the easiest to ease myself into a long day? Or should I start with what I know will be the most challenging? Decisions Decisions.

Now that I have bored you to tears and let you in on a little bit of my crazy, here is my agenda/goals for today:

• Project Work Report Cards (reflect on student participation/effort/work with regards to Lewis and Clark unit, Oceans unit, and Inventions unit)
• Project Work Boilerplate Language
• Call Direct Loans (they are trying to stress me out by making my payments 5x higher)
• Girls Coffee (people over paperwork, remember?)
• Order Rx (helps me fight off the crazy)

Booyah. I'll keep you posted.