i’ve fallen off the walking bandwagon. actually i jumped off and landed with a heavy thud. been sitting where i landed since april. staring around and wondering how to get back up. i let the busy times of online class preparation carry me along further and further away from my life as a Walker. too much to do. no time. need the morning light for filming. too tired. can’t get out of bed. too busy planning lessons for school. and so on and so forth.
but oh i have dreamed of it! thought about it. remembered how good it feels to climb a hill and feel i’ve accomplished something big. for those of you who move easily through the world in your body this may be a foreign language you don’t understand. but if you have lead in your caboose instead of fire and weights on your shoes instead of wings, you may know of what i speak. concentrated effort must be put forth in order to get the arse moving.
but gentle readers here i am. blowing my own trombone. sending out a dispatch into the world to let you know i have risen. up out of my chair. i have flung open the doors of moss cottage and strode out into the world. down shady paths, beside meandering succulent paths where cactus are blooming and crepe myrtle trees are making their very own crinkly pom poms. past lotus blossoms, over bridges, through oak woodlands, down brown earthy trails where the scent of lilies billows out across the gully of ferns. and long glossy lily leaves wave their dark leaves as i walk by.
and yesterday i found what i presume is a beetle on the path. i picked him up and he had very sticky legs that didn’t want to unstick themselves from my hand. but i oh so carefully unstuck each leg and set him on this tree and a minute later he rose off the bark like a tiny helicopter and roared away through the trees! surely i would not have seen that from my perch on the couch or from a reclining position on my bed.
and now you have read to here and think ‘oh good, a nice medium length post. not too long, not too short.’ only to see that was just the first chapter.
here is chapter 2. let’s call it …
school began last tuesday! that’s my room sign above.
i spent a perfectly lovely week in my room piddling among the tables and gleaming floors and tall windows. polishing the desks, pulling out the supplies, setting up the classroom library. getting ready.
i have real closets this year! and tall windows that face west. i can have plants in the room!
the air conditioner isn’t very robust, but i got a giant wind machine to help minimize the hot flashes. and a pretty japanese fan. the kind you hold in your hand and wave briskly in your face. soon the hot days will be over for the year as we move into fall and the lack of cold air won’t be a concern.
these are pics from my week of setting up.
after last year’s stint in the cave – no windows and grimy grey walls, i am ecstatic to be in this room of creamy white walls and bright light.
i have 32 ten year-olds. most will be 11 by the end of the year. 3 are from kyrgyzstan, 1 from russia, and 1 recently arrived chinese. the other 28 were either born here in the u.s. or came as very young children. the boys from kyrgyzstan speak russian and kyrgyz. one was here last year also, but was lonely and struggled with english now he has 3 instant friends who speak his language. i am of course beyond thrilled to have them in my class and look forward to learning more about the land & people of both kyrgyzstan and russia. the russian boy is an utter delight. he comes to me 3-4 times per day to tell me excitedly, “ms. moss we did that in my old classroom!” he attended school in NYC last year.
i am reading THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN to start the year off. it was a huge hit last year, but this class is having a difficult time comprehending the nuances of the story. nevertheless i will keep going. there’s a small group that seem to be enjoying it.
our donor’s choose materials have been arriving by the box load and everyone is super excited to see what’s in each one.
on friday we decorated our sketchbooks. we’ll be using them for art as usual, but also science and social studies. it’s good to have a book for visual notes of all kinds.
that’s it for now. just taking time out from my sunday rituals to deliver news from moss cottage. it stands! i am here! that is all!
Taking some time just now to see what my blogger buddies have been up to and I must say I thoroughly loved this post and that your classroom for this year is a pure delight. I am so excited you have a real, honest to goodness classrom instead of a closet. Dang I would have loved you as a teacher in 5th grade instead of mostly nuns who cracked the whip and took pleasure in causing fear over exploration and joy. Sigh. You are such an inspiration Miss Moss with the mostest and I wish you a wonderful year with your kids from far and near! 🙂
My youngest just started 5th grade and it is a magical, transformative year. If only she could have you as a teacher! All of those students are going to flourish in your care. I look forward to your insights as a teacher as much I love your artwork. Thank you for sharing it all with the world!
Are there still some things you need for your class? Great to hear that you’re walking again!! I have to make myself go out even when the humidity is unbearable…..between that and all the rain lately….it’s hard…. (Ohio)
A giant wind machine! I am picturing something from a laboratory/science facility in a wind tunnel. People holding onto their chairs and blowing sideways! How dramatic my imagination is!
The students return to our university next week. I am looking forward to it less than I have ever before. Have a bad case of the blues, I guess.
Mary Ann, I’ve said it before and will again … your students are so LUCKY to have you as their teacher. The curiosity you bring to everything in life is sure to rub off on them.
1. Love the way you write
2. I would love to be in your class even though this is the 50th yr since I graduated from H.S.
3. You photography is beautiful
4. Your cottage is charming
5. Your art journals, my favorite.
Keep it up! You are blessed.
so nice eileen, so so nice. thank you
Happy new school year too! And happy eclipse day. Such a nice post. Thanks for sharing.
Ms Moss, I wish for myself I had even one school year a YOU as my teacher! Seeing your students, scissors in hands, creating their unique sketchbook makes me wish I could do a makeover of my own childhood—but with Ms Moss as my mentor. 💞
dearest joyce i’ll be seeing you soon if all goes as planned!
Wish I was young again and able to be a student in your class. Hooray, for all the great teachers out there!!! You have my undying respect and gratitude.
big thanks RMK 👋
Shining bright, as always, Mary Ann.
Keep that fan whirring and keep enjoying those lovely lucky little pupils of yours.
oh chrissy…always good to hear from you 😘
As you well know, I do not live in the physical world very comfortably. My bed and I are conjoined twins. Good for you for pushing yourself to start walking. I am going to pretend that I am going with you and sister to the Alps, so I can get my tush moving too. Xo
remember that evening in amsterdam when we got lost and seemed to be walking in circles forever and ever? we were so exhausted…oy!
Yes!!! It was very memorable!!!
LOVE the photos of the flowers – winter here in NZ and can’t wait for our blooming time. Good on you for walking – hope you find more joyful moments in it. Lucky children to have you for a teacher.
Good for you on the walking, and may you and your kids a a wonderful school year!
Oh Ms. Moss! I wish I’d had a teacher like you when I was a kid, but I didn’t and lived anyway. You are so inspiring even in my ‘elder’ years that I read your blog eagerly and join a class or two with relish. Thank you for making me feel brighter and like I can do ANYthing!
aw thanks susan ❤️
I always look forward to hearing about your classroom and what you are doing with your lucky, lucky students! I applaud you getting up and walking again, maybe you will inspire me to do the same! It is wonderful to see the world at close range!
Your Fitbit loves you. They love going for long delicious walks. I love what you have done with your classroom. A delightful place to be.
In love with that classroom! xoxox
Love the color on that beetle. I had to look it up for you. I have never seen one like that before, in real life. It is Cotinis mutabilis, also known as the figeater beetle (also green fruit beetle or fig beetle), is a member of the scarab beetle family. So says the buglady!
thank you so much kate for this. i am feeling that i must sketch him! i will add these details. so very very beautiful
look what i found on youtube!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWYd8Tgal8U
Sister! Photo # 1 is surreally spectacular. Like a landscape from a distant planet. With those pops of red from the amazing light. Clapping and bowing!! Oh…. good for you on the walking! We will need to be in our top walking and swimming shape in 10 months!
yes! the alps are calling and i am answering!
I know that bandwagon well … and not just the ‘walking’ bandwagon — the entire shabang wagon! Happy to hear you are up and running again. Classroom – A+. Love the oilcloth and all the light. Have a wonderful year with your very fortunate children. xo
waving to you up there in the far north donna!
Omg I hear u about the walking. It’s always lovely outside once u get up early enough to beat the 99 with 100% humidity here. Eeek. I go back to bed. Hahaha. Bless your little heart. Glad I don’t have to set up a classroom again. I know your kids will have a wonderful year with one of the zaniest people I know as teacher. Keep em laffing!! And drawing.
aw thanks margaret!
are your pupils learning french? if they do they might want an exchange with mine who are learning English?
Although I am dutch, I master English sufficiently well to teach these children the basics in a playful manner.
We are in Grenoble in the South of France. I teach all levels including 10/11 year olds.
alas they do not speak a word of french 🙁
Super-fun post! Love, love, love all the flower pix. Your classroom looks bright and wonderful. And I loved THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN! Wishing you a great year!
thank you!!! i loved IVAN too…so much. i will keep reading and hope even a bit of the story transmits
I am so very pleased for you, and your incredibly lucky students who have you as their teacher, that you have such a wonderful normal room with light and bright walls and windows and closets!! the more room to work your magic and to enable the children to bring forth the magic that YOU coax from them!! here is to a fabulous year for all of you!!
thanks elizabeth for your well wishes. 185 days to go!
Great post … great photos … great teacher … Ms. Mary Ann Moss!
Your photos are so wonderful and BIG! I love that. So happy for you and the kids that you have a nice bright classroom this year. I wish I’d had you for a teacher when I was 11 – lucky kids.