The re-make cooling on the patio:
Dec 19, 2014
Dec 2, 2014
appropriately themed holiday soup
We took a break from Mediterranean because we had a lot of garden pumpkins to use up, and it was, after all, Thanksgiving season. This, being a large cauldron of soup, gave us an opportunity to test out the old adage "some like it in the pot nine days old."
We still have many unused pumpkins. We started looking up recipes...pumpkin chips? pumpkin fries?
Nov 25, 2014
teachers' rules
My class went on a field trip to an old-fashioned schoolhouse. In the schoolroom were posted the rules common for teachers in the early twentieth century. These come from a 1915 teachers' magazine.
Among them:
1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.
2. You are not to keep company with men.
3. You must be home between the hours of 8 P.M. and 6 A.M. unless attending a school function.
4. You may not loiter downtown at any of the ice cream parlors.
5. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board.
6. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother.
7. You may not dress in bright colors.
8. You may not smoke cigarettes.
9. You may under no circumstances dye your hair.
10. Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle.
11. You must wear at least two petticoats.
12. To keep the schoolroom neat and clean you must sweep the floor at least once a day, scrub the floor at least once a week with hot soapy water, and clean the blackboard.
Oh, for the good old days.
Among them:
1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.
2. You are not to keep company with men.
3. You must be home between the hours of 8 P.M. and 6 A.M. unless attending a school function.
4. You may not loiter downtown at any of the ice cream parlors.
5. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board.
6. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother.
7. You may not dress in bright colors.
8. You may not smoke cigarettes.
9. You may under no circumstances dye your hair.
10. Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle.
11. You must wear at least two petticoats.
12. To keep the schoolroom neat and clean you must sweep the floor at least once a day, scrub the floor at least once a week with hot soapy water, and clean the blackboard.
Oh, for the good old days.
Nov 20, 2014
lemon-and-egg
Soup Week #3. Lemon and Egg Soup, technically speaking, called Avgolemono.
Once again, you might not think that lemon and eggs are the things to throw with in garlic and parsley. Once again...wrong! It was soup-er good. Ha. Ha. (I have fallen into an irrepressible habit of making bad puns, and laughing at them.)
Once again, you might not think that lemon and eggs are the things to throw with in garlic and parsley. Once again...wrong! It was soup-er good. Ha. Ha. (I have fallen into an irrepressible habit of making bad puns, and laughing at them.)
Nov 18, 2014
Nov 13, 2014
soup week #2
From the Mediterranean cookbook: "Garlic Soup With Poached Eggs." I was skeptical, but it wasn't my turn to pick. (Garlic soup in itself sounds...meh. But with poached eggs? Weird.)
It was amazing. Seriously. I think the pot had about three whole heads of garlic in it. (Did you know that garlic is soporific? We slept well that night.)
I would make this for company. Minus the poached eggs, maybe. That might be a bit much for some folk to swallow.
Nov 10, 2014
Nov 6, 2014
Oct 31, 2014
All Hallows' Eve
Cemeteries are serene, not scary. Every time I drive by this little lakeside one, I want to stop and picnic.
Oct 29, 2014
hummus...what?
Why yes, hummus soup.
We were gifted with a Mediterranean cookbook for our wedding. Cleverly, it occurred to us last week to use it. I was appointed to select and make the first recipe.
I chose...hummus soup. And of course with hummus soup, pita bread.
It felt weird to put chick peas and lemon juice and yogurt and cumin all into the same pot. I guess I didn't realize what all can go into hummus.
Would I make this for company? Well, I'm taking the leftovers to potluck tonight.
We were gifted with a Mediterranean cookbook for our wedding. Cleverly, it occurred to us last week to use it. I was appointed to select and make the first recipe.
I chose...hummus soup. And of course with hummus soup, pita bread.
It felt weird to put chick peas and lemon juice and yogurt and cumin all into the same pot. I guess I didn't realize what all can go into hummus.
Would I make this for company? Well, I'm taking the leftovers to potluck tonight.
Oct 25, 2014
Oct 22, 2014
candid
Today, one of my students was reading our science text aloud: "Dennis's work has taken him to mountains, rainforests, deserts, caves, beaches, and into the sea."
One of other students interrupts: "Taken him to intimacy? What's intimacy?"
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Upon seeing my school staff photos: "Mrs. Clare, you look uptight. I don't know what uptight means, but that's how you look."
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I was playing a choir CD for background music while they worked on a poster project. The track was "Take My Hand, Precious Lord." One of the girls says, "This sounds like that song from Shrek III where the king frog dies." All the other students cock their ears...."Yeah, it does!"
Well. Go figure.
One of other students interrupts: "Taken him to intimacy? What's intimacy?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon seeing my school staff photos: "Mrs. Clare, you look uptight. I don't know what uptight means, but that's how you look."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I was playing a choir CD for background music while they worked on a poster project. The track was "Take My Hand, Precious Lord." One of the girls says, "This sounds like that song from Shrek III where the king frog dies." All the other students cock their ears...."Yeah, it does!"
Well. Go figure.
Oct 21, 2014
mail-delivery snakes
So, every morning after prayer, my students share current news events. One student per day is responsible for finding and reporting important news events. Sometimes we have a lot to cover. "Mrs. Clare, guess how many pieces of news I found?" "Umm....eight??" (thinking I was guessing high). "Nope! Twenty!"
All twenty were written down in perfect penmanship on a tiny reporter notebook.
Among them:
"Dolores Gavin got a shock of surprise in the mail. When she opened a package from the mail she was surprised to find a baby snake. The snake was a Spotted Python. That type of snake is very common for a pet. Her granddaughter ordered the snake on her credit card without permission. They sent the snake back and got a full refund."
"An immigrant tried to sneak across the border in a washing machine. Agents from the Falfurrias Border Control Station found 1 person in a washing machine and 4 people in cardboard boxes. They were found in a U-haul truck. They found them at a checkpoint."
"President Obama's credit card declined at a cafe in NY. He thought it was identity thief. Turns out he didn't use it enough."
"A very popular sport in Ireland is hurling. The official rules were created in 1885. The stadium is called Croke Park. It is believed that hurling was in Ireland before Christianity. Hurling looks like a cross between baseball, soccer, American football, and lacrosse. Many people have not heard of hurling before."
She did cover all the big headlines about Isis and Ebola...but these were some of the more unique ones.
All twenty were written down in perfect penmanship on a tiny reporter notebook.
Among them:
"Dolores Gavin got a shock of surprise in the mail. When she opened a package from the mail she was surprised to find a baby snake. The snake was a Spotted Python. That type of snake is very common for a pet. Her granddaughter ordered the snake on her credit card without permission. They sent the snake back and got a full refund."
"An immigrant tried to sneak across the border in a washing machine. Agents from the Falfurrias Border Control Station found 1 person in a washing machine and 4 people in cardboard boxes. They were found in a U-haul truck. They found them at a checkpoint."
"President Obama's credit card declined at a cafe in NY. He thought it was identity thief. Turns out he didn't use it enough."
"A very popular sport in Ireland is hurling. The official rules were created in 1885. The stadium is called Croke Park. It is believed that hurling was in Ireland before Christianity. Hurling looks like a cross between baseball, soccer, American football, and lacrosse. Many people have not heard of hurling before."
She did cover all the big headlines about Isis and Ebola...but these were some of the more unique ones.
Oct 9, 2014
world's hardest math problem
My students always look forward to visits from Father Mitch (the priest for my school's parish), who frequents our classroom. They have taken to giving him math assignments. They always try to stump him, but thus far, he has bested them.
So...one of my students came up with the World's Hardest Math Problem...literally.
We were sure that he'd be stumped this time, or at least that he'd share the prize with us. Alas, we were bested yet again. Within five minutes he had come up with a solution:
His explanation: Whatever the right answer is, it must be true -- i.e., Truth. And of course we know that Jesus is the Truth, no arguing with that. So, the answer to the math problem must be (categorically, he clarified) -- Jesus.
Philosophically speaking, I can't say I disagree. He did, fortunately, caution my students not to try that on their math assignments.
So...one of my students came up with the World's Hardest Math Problem...literally.
We were sure that he'd be stumped this time, or at least that he'd share the prize with us. Alas, we were bested yet again. Within five minutes he had come up with a solution:
His explanation: Whatever the right answer is, it must be true -- i.e., Truth. And of course we know that Jesus is the Truth, no arguing with that. So, the answer to the math problem must be (categorically, he clarified) -- Jesus.
Philosophically speaking, I can't say I disagree. He did, fortunately, caution my students not to try that on their math assignments.
Sep 29, 2014
science music
My students and I were listening to The Planets by Gustav Holst while we were studying science vocab. (Get it? Science-themed music.) The first one is "Mars - The Bringer of War." The students confirmed, "Ya, that really does sound like war."
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmk5frp6-3Q
When the seven-minute piece ended, we went on to "Venus - The Bringer of Peace." They were disappointed that we didn't have time for "Saturn - The Bringer of Old Age." Ah well, another day.
Long live classical music!
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmk5frp6-3Q
When the seven-minute piece ended, we went on to "Venus - The Bringer of Peace." They were disappointed that we didn't have time for "Saturn - The Bringer of Old Age." Ah well, another day.
Long live classical music!
Sep 26, 2014
and another
I took this photo thinking it would be perfect for the blog. Then I realized I had posted pretty much the same kind of picture last week. Oh well.
Sep 25, 2014
happenings in Mrs. Clare's room
This is Fuzzy:
He is not very visible right now because he is in a cocoon. We are expectantly awaiting The New Fuzzy. Of course he will likely reappear overnight when everybody is gone. But how cool would it be if he came during math or science class?
Some samplings from my generous students: Canned peaches, homemade bread, a movie selection, and a handwritten story about our class mascot, Charles III.
He is not very visible right now because he is in a cocoon. We are expectantly awaiting The New Fuzzy. Of course he will likely reappear overnight when everybody is gone. But how cool would it be if he came during math or science class?
Some samplings from my generous students: Canned peaches, homemade bread, a movie selection, and a handwritten story about our class mascot, Charles III.
Sep 17, 2014
Sep 15, 2014
normal
On Fridays we have jeans day at school.
(It was the first time I had worn jeans to school.)
At lunch, one of my students told me, "Do you know what so-and-so said when he saw you? 'Hey, she looks like a NORMAL person in those.'"
(It was the first time I had worn jeans to school.)
At lunch, one of my students told me, "Do you know what so-and-so said when he saw you? 'Hey, she looks like a NORMAL person in those.'"
Sep 12, 2014
Aug 21, 2014
Aug 19, 2014
Jack-Jack
This is Jack-Jack, a student.
We also called him Alfredo Jack, because he could talk in a remarkably convincing Italian accent.
One day he came to me and said, "Teacher, do you want to see the red potato flower?" He showed me a red flower in the grass. It happened to be my favorite flower in Mongolia because it smells so fragrant. Little did I know that it was also edible. He and one of his comrades scrabbled in the dirt with their fingernails for about fifteen minutes. They came up with a small white thing that looked like a garlic clove.
I tasted it and it tasted indeed like a raw crunchy potato (that is, like nothing really).
Jack-Jack kindly spent his free time at camp digging up the fragrant flowers and offering his produce to his special English teachers.
We also called him Alfredo Jack, because he could talk in a remarkably convincing Italian accent.
One day he came to me and said, "Teacher, do you want to see the red potato flower?" He showed me a red flower in the grass. It happened to be my favorite flower in Mongolia because it smells so fragrant. Little did I know that it was also edible. He and one of his comrades scrabbled in the dirt with their fingernails for about fifteen minutes. They came up with a small white thing that looked like a garlic clove.
I tasted it and it tasted indeed like a raw crunchy potato (that is, like nothing really).
Jack-Jack kindly spent his free time at camp digging up the fragrant flowers and offering his produce to his special English teachers.
Aug 13, 2014
getting there all the way
After we got off the train, we were met by military trucks and soldiers ready to escort us to camp. (That's us of course, not the soldiers.)
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We and all our suitcases were put in the wooden beds. We closed the canvas flaps to limit the dust some. We still got pretty dusty, though. When I got to camp, I traced my ear with my finger, and it came away caked with dirt. So we felt very authentic.
The trucks churned up and down river banks, and over and through potholes and mudholes. They sounded uncertain sometimes, but they never broke down.
And of course the usual cows and horses getting in the way:
We and all our suitcases were put in the wooden beds. We closed the canvas flaps to limit the dust some. We still got pretty dusty, though. When I got to camp, I traced my ear with my finger, and it came away caked with dirt. So we felt very authentic.
The trucks churned up and down river banks, and over and through potholes and mudholes. They sounded uncertain sometimes, but they never broke down.
And of course the usual cows and horses getting in the way:
Aug 12, 2014
getting there
To get to camp from the capital city (Ulaanbaatar), we took the train from the train station. This may have been the Trans-Siberian railway. I am not sure. There was much discussion on whether or not it was, and I never received a final answer. At any rate, you will go to Russia or China if you stay on it long enough.
I had never ridden a train before. I did not know what to expect, but I think I had pictured something like seats. This is what I ended up on:
(On the second ride we had more passengers, so I shared one of these shelves with another person.) Below me was a bench seating four more people. Above me was space for all our luggage. Across from me and kitty-corner was the same stack of benches/shelving. So, each cubicle could hold eighteen passengers. Each car had several of these cubicles. It looks like this:
At the front of the car was a wood-burning stove. The door to the stove was open, and it felt extremely hot.
After three and a half hours on the train, we got off at a little town called something like "tunkh."
I had never ridden a train before. I did not know what to expect, but I think I had pictured something like seats. This is what I ended up on:
(On the second ride we had more passengers, so I shared one of these shelves with another person.) Below me was a bench seating four more people. Above me was space for all our luggage. Across from me and kitty-corner was the same stack of benches/shelving. So, each cubicle could hold eighteen passengers. Each car had several of these cubicles. It looks like this:
At the front of the car was a wood-burning stove. The door to the stove was open, and it felt extremely hot.
After three and a half hours on the train, we got off at a little town called something like "tunkh."
Aug 6, 2014
7 Californians
My team (the seven students from a small college in Los Angeles). I did indeed learn a lot about California. And movies. They learned a lot about Nebraska. And chickens.
With Kiki, celebrating Naadam.
With Isaac and his ukulele, waiting for the train.
So, those are "my" kids. Supposedly I was their leader, but I had a great deal to learn from them. (I think they knew that. They seemed astonished when I hadn't heard of the film E.T. Apparently it's some famous sci-fi movie or something.)
Really, though, I could not have requested such a unique assembly of personalities, and now I can't imagine the summer without each of them. God picked them for me (or me for them) and put us together. I miss them.
With Kiki, celebrating Naadam.
With Isaac and his ukulele, waiting for the train.
So, those are "my" kids. Supposedly I was their leader, but I had a great deal to learn from them. (I think they knew that. They seemed astonished when I hadn't heard of the film E.T. Apparently it's some famous sci-fi movie or something.)
Really, though, I could not have requested such a unique assembly of personalities, and now I can't imagine the summer without each of them. God picked them for me (or me for them) and put us together. I miss them.
Aug 4, 2014
what does the cow say?
I'm home!
I'll post photos over the next couple weeks as I sort through them.
See some of our non-English-speaking friends below. We usually saw them when we went to the sinks in the mornings.
Jul 13, 2014
somewhere under the rainbow
San bano!
(Hello.)
It's 8:50 on Sunday evening at home, but 9:50 Monday morning here. We didn't have internet where we stayed in the city over Naadam this weekend, hence the lack of blogging. I'm here at the train station, ready to head back to the countryside in half an hour.
Here's where we're headed back to:
My laptop battery is about to die, so that's all for now -- more photos and such to come when I return to the city on July 27.
(Hello.)
It's 8:50 on Sunday evening at home, but 9:50 Monday morning here. We didn't have internet where we stayed in the city over Naadam this weekend, hence the lack of blogging. I'm here at the train station, ready to head back to the countryside in half an hour.
Here's where we're headed back to:
My laptop battery is about to die, so that's all for now -- more photos and such to come when I return to the city on July 27.
Jun 26, 2014
Tomorrow we leave for the countryside!
We are going to a different camp than last year; this one will include military-style training for the campers. (We were told we could participate if we wanted.) Last year we rode three hours in buses; this year we ride 3 hours on a train. I hear this is the most comfortable way to travel in Mongolia. Also I hear that the train goes around 20-25 miles an hour.
The description of "Camp Amenities" includes "washing troughs" and "squatty potties," with a note that laundry is self-clean only. I was happy to hear that there is a river only a five-minute walk away if needed.
I have had a splendid week with my team members. Spending all day with seven college students from California is adventuresome and educational. I am learning Californian lingo. I also learned that avocados are really cheap in California, like six for a dollar if you go to the right place.
I must go to the market to stock up on these before camp:
- toilet paper
- baby wipes
- fresh produce - last year I got a hefty bag of prunes. This year I am not going to get prunes. I am going to get apples or oranges.
Very much looking forward to sharing photos and stories when I return to the city on July 10!
We are going to a different camp than last year; this one will include military-style training for the campers. (We were told we could participate if we wanted.) Last year we rode three hours in buses; this year we ride 3 hours on a train. I hear this is the most comfortable way to travel in Mongolia. Also I hear that the train goes around 20-25 miles an hour.
The description of "Camp Amenities" includes "washing troughs" and "squatty potties," with a note that laundry is self-clean only. I was happy to hear that there is a river only a five-minute walk away if needed.
I have had a splendid week with my team members. Spending all day with seven college students from California is adventuresome and educational. I am learning Californian lingo. I also learned that avocados are really cheap in California, like six for a dollar if you go to the right place.
I must go to the market to stock up on these before camp:
- toilet paper
- baby wipes
- fresh produce - last year I got a hefty bag of prunes. This year I am not going to get prunes. I am going to get apples or oranges.
Very much looking forward to sharing photos and stories when I return to the city on July 10!
Jun 25, 2014
Монгол улс
Yesterday we learned some Mongolian (which uses the Russian alphabet).
- The word for no is ugai. They can also say no using a throat noise I don't have letters for. It sounds like the noise we make with the back of our throat when we are imitating a animal snarling (fun to say).
- We asked to learn the word for please so we can use it when directing our students. The lady told us there isn't really a word for please - it depends on the tone of voice. (How many ways can a teacher say, "Students, open your books"?)
- cat = muur; horse = muur. Do not mix: Horses are good; cats are not good.
- aaruul - this is a cheese I have a hard time describing. It has a hard, dry sort of crumble and tastes to me rather like milk mixed with salad dressing.
- The word for chocolate sounds pretty much the same. The universal word. That is convenient.
- The word for no is ugai. They can also say no using a throat noise I don't have letters for. It sounds like the noise we make with the back of our throat when we are imitating a animal snarling (fun to say).
- We asked to learn the word for please so we can use it when directing our students. The lady told us there isn't really a word for please - it depends on the tone of voice. (How many ways can a teacher say, "Students, open your books"?)
- cat = muur; horse = muur. Do not mix: Horses are good; cats are not good.
- aaruul - this is a cheese I have a hard time describing. It has a hard, dry sort of crumble and tastes to me rather like milk mixed with salad dressing.
- The word for chocolate sounds pretty much the same. The universal word. That is convenient.
Jun 24, 2014
yogurt and milk
We just found out our daily schedule for while we will be at camp:
Last year at the other camp they had yogurt and milk time too: Pots of plain yogurt, fairly runny, that they poured into cups. And at night, pots filled with warm milk instead, for bedtime.
7:20-7:50 Morning Exercises
8:00-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-11:00 Teaching
11:00-11:30 Break/Snack
11:30-1:00 Teaching
1:00-2:00 Lunch
2:00-5:00 Team Time / Lesson Prep / Rec Time
5:00-5:30 Yogurt Time
5:30-7:00 Lesson Prep / Rec Time
7:00-8:00 Supper
8:00-9:00 Cultural Presentations
9:00-9:30 Milk Time
Last year at the other camp they had yogurt and milk time too: Pots of plain yogurt, fairly runny, that they poured into cups. And at night, pots filled with warm milk instead, for bedtime.
Jun 23, 2014
Jun 19, 2014
fourteen
Rockies to Los Angeles this morning.
In the Los Angeles airport right now -- 8 hours down, only 6 more to go. That's 14 hours in the airport, prep for the 14-hour flight to Beijing for our first layover.
Saw a union strike over minimum wage around lunchtime: Several dozen people armed with whistles and even drums, with equivalent police to match. I was busy texting on my phone typical-teenager style and barely got out of the way before they marched past.
Today's job: Shepherd eighteen college students through Air China ticketing and security to our 1:40 a.m. flight. Seventeen are here so far! I lost solidly at Egyptian Rat Race and a 90's-themed guessing game (a band called Smashing Pumpkins? never heard of it). I handed out mints and they laughed (I think they thought it was a teacher-thing to do). I have all their names down pat.
The best part is that one of the team members brought this:
No, really, the best part is that they are fun and friendly folk and I am really looking forward to the next six weeks with them. But the ukulele was a definite boost. I will be proficient by the end of summer.
In the Los Angeles airport right now -- 8 hours down, only 6 more to go. That's 14 hours in the airport, prep for the 14-hour flight to Beijing for our first layover.
Saw a union strike over minimum wage around lunchtime: Several dozen people armed with whistles and even drums, with equivalent police to match. I was busy texting on my phone typical-teenager style and barely got out of the way before they marched past.
Today's job: Shepherd eighteen college students through Air China ticketing and security to our 1:40 a.m. flight. Seventeen are here so far! I lost solidly at Egyptian Rat Race and a 90's-themed guessing game (a band called Smashing Pumpkins? never heard of it). I handed out mints and they laughed (I think they thought it was a teacher-thing to do). I have all their names down pat.
The best part is that one of the team members brought this:
No, really, the best part is that they are fun and friendly folk and I am really looking forward to the next six weeks with them. But the ukulele was a definite boost. I will be proficient by the end of summer.
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