Things Seem Like They're Working

Words.

What words would you use to describe our classroom?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Wisdom

Reflection

Cozy

Activating

Teamwork

Creativity

Readability

Intellectual

Seaming.

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Today after hosting a group of visitors, I asked my students to name a few of the words that they'd used to describe our classroom.  This is their list.  Five minutes.  A quick "Tell me what you're thinking" look at our classroom.  "Just so I can share it with our visitors," I say.

I was struck by the word "seaming."  

Make sure you spell it S-E-A-M-I-N-G, Mr. Allen, as in everything "seems" like it is "seamed."  It's all seamed, you know.  Put together.  It works.  

And so it does, this thing we called learning.  When, together, we take a few minutes to share the intimate reflection of who we are and who we've become.  Along the way, through talk, invitations, smiles, and hard work... we have, indeed, created something that "seems seamless."  

But like all seams, there are times it's worn, and so we restitch with stronger thread. There are times it "bursts" and we step back and say, "What can we change?"  There are times we've moved too fast and the stitches are tight and unyielding.  There are times that things aren't working and we rip things apart and start over.  There are times we have to think about which stitch will work best...

Straight Stitch - for those times where we know exactly where we're going.

Back Stitch - for those times when we have to try again.

Chain Stitch - for those things we link together.

Couching - for those pieces we need to hold in place to admire. 

Feather Stitch - for those times we need to embellish.

Seed Stitch - for those times we cluster things together.

Long and Short Stitch - for those times we can't agree.

French knots - for those times we need to get a bit fancy.

And so we work with nimble fingers and open minds to create learning that can be, in fact, seemingly... real!

Words.

What words would your students use to describe your classroom?

Grief Points

Yesterday I was sitting in church listening to our pastor talk about "grief points."  He posed the question... What are your grief points?  Death of a loved one.  Loss of a good friend.  A tragedy in your family.  He got us thinking a bit about how we've dealt with our personal grief points and moved forward... filled with faith, hope, and love.  I spent some time reflecting on the points in my life when I was grieving and I can filter each one through those three words.

     He reminded us of the grief points our nation has experienced, there have been many... most recently the events of September 11, 2001.  And how, although we can never forget the events of that horrific September morning, we've found strength to move forward as a nation.  Not forgetting, but moving forward.  Each of us dealing with the tragedy in our own way... filtering things through our own beliefs systems.

     He read us Paul's words, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.  Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13: 12-13

     Last night, as my wife and I watched television, we chatted about the amazing stories that emerged from across the nation in response to 9/11... and the events that unfolded across this great country.  Amazing stories... of faith... of hope... and of love!  

- - - - - - - - - 

Most of my fourth graders were born in 2001, so on Friday I spent a few simple minutes talking to them about the events of that day.  I reminded them it was important that they go home and talk to their parents. 

     I told them I was on my way to an all-day staff developer's meeting that morning and heard the news on the radio.  I remember driving to the foothills and watching the temperature gauge in my car rising, little by little.  When I arrived at the destination, obviously we canceled our meeting (many of my fellow colleagues tried to reach their loved ones across the country, including family members who worked in Manhattan).  So, I drove home to see my own children, but on the way out of the hills, my car's water pump went out... and I spent the rest of the morning waiting for a tow truck to pick me up in a Safeway parking lot.  It gave me plenty of time to craft an entry in my writer's notebook, a simple reflection of what I still didn't know was going on across our nation.

     I shared several entries from Messages to Ground Zero with my students on Friday.  It was compiled by Shelley Harwayne.  A brilliant collection of writings and drawings from children that she, as superintendent, collected and categorized.  If you haven't seen it, you should get a copy.  It's a brilliant tribute!  And, it's told through the voices of children.   Beautiful.

     I also shared three poems I saved that my third and fourth graders wrote when we returned to school in November (we were tracked off - year round school).  I'm so glad I saved them... enjoy their words!

Firefighters

I always thought of firefighters as people

who save other people from fires,

but now I think a lot more than that

when I hear the word

firefighters.

I think of brave men and woman risking

their lives for others.

I think of people who were

searching through rubble hoping

to find someone alive.

I think of going into that

burning building.

Most of all, I think of the day

when terrorists

took over our lives and hearts. 

September 11, 2001 is a day I’ll never forget.

 I don’t think anyone will forget that terrible day,

but what ever happens,

those fire fighters

will always be there to protect

our beautiful country.

 

Ashley I.

November 2001

The Terrorist

Planes crash.  Children scream.

I turn to see a burning building. 

I shiver--part angrily, part scared.

Questions pop up like popcorn,

but none I can answer.

I wake up to find that I’m safe

in my bed and my family is all right.

I try to fall asleep again, but I can’t stop thinking about the terrorist.

I shiver once more.

Rowan C.

November 2001

The Flag Still Stands Tall

The Moment Strikes. 

The horror comes.

Terrorist pictures run through my mind.

As I watch the t.v. blanklishly, I wonder,

What will happen next?

I look in the background to see

the flag still stands tall.

Ashley W.

November 2001

LIterature That Supports the Workshop Structure

I'm always searching for books to use to reintroduce my students to the workshop structure... books we can compare to our work as learners.  Next year as I revisit the rituals, routines, and roles of the workshop structure (reader's, writer's, mathematician's, etc.), I've found two new choices.  It's important for us to talk about the specifics of the structure of the workshop (crafting, composing, reflecting) and to define our roles within that structure as learners (I wrote about this in Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop).  Although the structure of the workshop is a familiar one, I think students need opportunities to explore the structure in new learning environments, contexts, and with varied expectations from teacher to teacher.  I've run across two nice choices:

     The first book is Workshop by Andrew Clements (recommended by my friend, Lori).  It's a simple book that describes the "tools" necessary to have at the ready in a workshop... the book is written in free-verse, wonderfully written.  The late David Wisniewski's artwork is beautiful cut-paper.  Throughout the text, a young apprentice assists in the creative of a carousel.  It introduces the reader to the "tools" necessary to create something worth building with pride and care.  I'm thinking it will be a nice companion text to use during our beginning of the year discussions of the "tools" we use as learners... comparing and contrasting a wonderful metaphor for learning.
     The second book is Wendel's Workshop by Chris Riddell.  In this book, Wendal is a mouse inventor... who experiments, starts over, experiments, starts over.  He invents a robot name Clunk to help tidy up his experiments, but eventually sends Clunk to the junk pile after he makes a few frustrating mistakes (Clunk is, well, Clunky and awkward).  Wendle then builds a bigger, more aggressive robot named Wendelbot, who goes a bit "wacko" and sends Wendel to the junk heap only to be reunited with Clunk.  Using the remains of his previous experiments--broken pieces and parts--he creates an army of robots to take over the workshop.  In the classroom, I will use this text to discuss the decision-making involved in experimentation and developing endurance as learners.  It's a quaint little book.  Simple story line, but with a message that can be easily compared to the workshop structure!
    It's important that we talk to learners about the workshop structure.  It's important that help learners their roles and responsibilities within the workshop structure.  It's important to challenge students to view their learning through the lens of literature and how their responsibilities fit within the workshop structure.  
     Is there a better way than through the use of literature?  More...

10/10/10 Blogger Challenge

if you are so inclined...

It's 10/10/10... we have to have some sort of challenge, eh?  Here's a list of ten possibilities:

• Read ten picture books off your shelf that you haven't read for a while.  Think about how you might use them in your classroom!
• Email ten friends and tell them about a book that you've read recently that reminded you of them.
• Write ten lines of poetry using ten words in each line.
• Read ten blog entries from ten blogs you don't have listed on your blog list (click on some of your followers to see what they read that you do not have on your list).
• Buy a $10 dollar gift certificate and mail it to a friend anonymously or hand it to a child in the bookstore.
• Go to the bookstore, read ten books you've never read.  Create a list of your ten favorites and send it to someone you think might appreciate some new titles.
• Write your next ten blog entries in one sitting.
• Choose ten books from your collection that you can give to ten friends with a personal note inside!
• Write ten letters to ten friends or former teachers and mail them... with a stamp! 
• Write a comment on ten blogs, using ten sentences each with ten words.

Any takers?  Try at least one of these this week (or within the next ten days) and see what happens.  Let me know what you try... 

Is that supposed to be in "quotes" or not?

 I don't know if you've ever checked out The Blog of Unnecessary Quotation Marks, but if you "love" to read "quirky" views of punctuation and the way "people" use it, it's a fun little blog to visit periodically.  It's the kind of blog that Jeff Anderson, Robin Pulver, and Lynne Truss might "frequent" for fodder.  The pictures always make me "laugh" and "wonder" about the way "ordinary" people use punctuation in "interesting" and "strange" ways... particularly the "use" of quotation marks.  Which, if you are a 4th grade teacher, you "know" young writers "try out" in the "strangest" of ways!

     The blog's author, Bethany Keeley, has put together a "collection" in her book Fresh Brown "Eggs" based on her blog and the "unnecessary" quotation marks she has discovered in text, in pictures, on signs... everywhere!  This book is a sarcastic look at the misuse of quotation marks at their best (or worst).  We've all seen them... and I have to admit, I use "them" a lot.  When I read my own writing, I tend to overuse both the "ellipse" and quotation marks... but, "what can I say" I had Mrs. A------- and Mr. S---- as my high school language arts teachers and, well, let's just say I didn't "learn much" during my "formidable" punctuation years.  Thank goodness I have folks like Katie Wood Ray, Ralph Fletcher, and Jeff Anderson as my "mentors" today... although, I'm still not sure I'd be considered "proficient" at punctuation in a "general" sense.

     This is one of those books that would make a "perfect" gift for the grammarian in your life!  It's humorous and made me laugh!  Check it out... and then start taking a closer look at marquees, menus, and the "multitude" of places that you can find punctuation, particularly quotations marks, used (air quote) inappropriately!

Three Little Words

I've been thinking about three words of late:  challenge, accountable, and bored.  I hear them thrown about periodically, don't you?  

     Often they are used with the context of learning:  He needs a challenge.  She needs to be held accountable.  He's so bored, he needs... yada, yada, yada... blah, blah, blah.  Whenever I hear one of these words, I think about the onus that surrounds them.

     When I hear challenge (to have a claim to, invite, arouse, stimulated a demand to explain or justify), accountable (capable to being explained, discoverable, reckonable), or bored (to weary by dullness, tedious repition, unwelcome attentions), usually each scenario is accompanied by an overwhelming sense of laissez-faire or passivity on the part of the learner.  The responsibility falls on an outside source (classroom teacher, specialist, para, etc.), rather than on the learner.  I remember once reading a piece by Ron Ritchhart in which he stated, "If you're bored, you must be boring..." I wish I had a copy.  That's a great line... it speaks to the intrinsic nature of learning.

     As I think about the coming school year, I'll be pondering these words, thinking of ways to encourage a more proactive sense of ownership for my students (remember time, ownership, response, and community).  As a learner, I find ways to challenge myself... I think of ways to explain my thinking to others so that I take on the accountability to reflect and share it... And, I only wish I had time to be bored! 

     Learners can challenge themselves and recognize their own need to be accountable, first to themselves and then to others.  And, my role as a teacher is to help empower students with the strategies and skills necessary to do so.  Together, we create the classroom systems and structures and rituals and routines that develop over time... through modeling and using the gradual release of responsibility (I discussed many of these in chapter three of Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop).

     My goal this year is to nudge learners to discover ways to challenge themselves, not by "doing more" or "doing harder," but by "doing more wisely."  My goal this year is to encourage students to hold themselves more accountable for their own learning, not by being punitive, but by finding ways to document their learning independently.  My goal this year is to help students take a proactive stance during times of "boredom," not by acknowledging that boredom exists, but by making sure they develop an intellectual sense of depth that might just supersede a sense of boredom.

     Lofty goals... but attainable.  For now, I'll do a little more pondering and perhaps rent a movie or two so I can enjoy the last week or so of my summer break.  I know, how about Three Little Words with Red Skelton, Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds, and Vera Ellen (click on the title to watch the trailer, it's one of my favorites)... 
     I still have some time to ponder.  And, "pondering ain't boring!"

The Flood...

Well, the fans and dehumidifyer are in place... the PuroClean folks "The paramedics of property damage" are doing their job...  the dry boxes and plastic containers are upstairs in the family room, living room, and anywhere they'd fit (waiting to be sorted, sifted, and condensed).  Who knew a water heater expansion tank could spring a leak and send a torrent of water across the basement?  Who knew that it could shoot a six-inch hole in the crawl space wall?  Who knew that I'd be spending my spring break cleaning and organizing?
     The damage?  We'll let the adjuster decide that on Monday. 
     The good news?  It could have been worse.  As I was leaving school on Friday (after my wife called in a panic), one of my students said, "Remember, Mr. Allen, stuff is just stuff!" and another said, "The good news is nobody got hurt!"  And, luckily, my wife saw the geyser, turned the water off, and jumped into action!
     It's such a little thing, compared to other things happening in the world right now.  But, nonetheless it's created a bit of unneeded havoc in our family.  Don't know where to start!
     In honor of our little flood, I thought I'd post a few of our family's favorite books about the great flood...

What is it about small towns?

I've blogged a few times about my brother-in-law, Curtis 
(http://all-en-a-days-work.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-cowboy-heroes.html).  He and my sister, Doris, have been in love for over 45 years.  Theirs was the first wedding I ever attended and one of my favorite childhood pictures is me standing by the cake in the basement of the Methodist church, waiting for a piece (I remember my mom making their wedding cake in her restaurant and I have a sneaking hunch she's standing close by at the reception reminding me not to touch it).  So many of my childhood memories include Doris and Curtis -  summer days on the ranch they managed, riding horses, gathering eggs, celebrating family holidays, branding cattle, watching rodeos, playing in the barns.  Isn't it amazing how your work ethic, your understanding of relationships, your beliefs are somehow grounded in those with whom you spent the most time - watching, observing, wondering?  I think about those days often.
     Eventually, Doris and Curtis moved to my hometown and bought a small plot of land on the border of town.  Now my hometown is more theirs than mine.  Their "Denver-square" sits proudly on the property's edge, 100 years and counting.  Doris and Curtis were the caretakers of my mom and dad in their later years and for that I'll always be grateful (they lived a mile away).  Curtis and Doris were the drivers, the shoppers, the lawn mowers, the nurses, the gentle ears that heard the complaints, the stories, the wonderings, the final contemplations of both mom and dad in their golden years.  Doris and Curtis were the self-appointed decision-makers, the caretakers, the huggers, the hand-holders.  They watched the tears flow down the wrinkled cheeks of the two people we loved the most as they told their life stories, both sad and happy.  They were there when both mom and dad drew their final breaths, with prayers and tears of their own.
     They've taken over the role of "patriarch and matriarch" of our family.  They now the host family gatherings and get-togethers when we venture back to our hometown.  
     Right now they are both being stretched, physically and mentally, as Curtis deals with another bout of cancer.  Trips back and forth to the nearest hospital, 36 miles away.  Treatments that zap energy and challenge faith.  Treatments that cost money and stretch the budget.  Treatments that require one to garner strength and face new unknowns.  Treatments that leave many unanswered questions.
     This Saturday, February 27th, the community is having a spaghetti dinner in the high school commons to benefit Curtis' care and treatment.  Once again, the folks in this small town in southeastern Colorado are coming together (thanks initially to a few church members) to help.  What is it about small towns?  Folks dealing with their own struggles, always seem to gather to help one of their own.  The fliers are handed out and folks are gathering up their hard-earned pennies, nickles, and dimes.  Saturday, they'll meet in the same room that's held these kinds of benefits before and drop their offerings into the basket... but this time it's for someone who holds a special place in my heart.  Barring a blizzard, I plan to be there too.  Sharing a plate of spaghetti... all for the benefit for a great brother-in-law, father, grandfather, and friend!

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I found this piece of writing in a file and thought it captures hometown life perfectly:

      

Small town life is something to be treasured. Some may see it as a nuisance, while others, a joy.
It has its quiet moments, it has it roaring moments.
The seasons resonate with care, wanting to be noticed for what they are, beauty.
People cross paths with smiles and well wishes, for recognition is not an issue.
During the days of summer, doors are left open, with only a screen to protect from the outer elements.
During the days of winter, quiet reigns. In the evening, the gentle fall of snow is all that resonates.
Town meeting places are the local institutions and shopping areas. Conversations often begin at the local post office or grocery store. Rarely is a face unrecognized. Smiles and handshakes are part of the ritual of grocery shopping or mail pick-up.
Children play freely, without the restrictions or worries of city life. The moon and stars are the only light for a child to play by, and oh how bright they are.
Summers are too short in a small town.
Winters are never long enough. Often, the firelight is the only light by which to converse by.
Kids grow up with an all too familiarity. A bond develops that reflects the small town values. And out of that, a camaraderie, an understanding of the shared values of where they're from.
The camaraderie never ends. They know home is the small town.
Even when those children have moved on and grown up, they are still drawn to memories of that small town.
The townspeople celebrate the seasons together, commemorating that which is summer, fall, spring, and winter.
During the winter celebration, carolers are enjoyed for they are acquaintances.
During the summer months, long walks are cherished and enjoyed.
The world is small in such a town. The distance between the school, the store, and other seeming necessities is condensed into a short distance, nothing that can't be negotiated with a walk.
For a child in a small town, life is simple.
The world for a child is the short distance between the school yard and home.
Bike rides home from school are quiet and traffic free for there is one main road that runs through town. This road is avoided. There are numerous side routes to take in order to achieve your goal.
Life in a small town is gentle, serene, cordial, and hospitable.
I'm glad to have a treasure such as those memories of my small town. 

from newsvine.com

The Boulder Bookstore

Yesterday, my family spent some time in the Boulder Book Store.  We were going to see our optometrist, Dr. Graham, a block away (http://www.envisionboulder.com)*, but we were about an hour early for our appointments (did we plan it that way?).  So we headed down the mall...

     Boulder's fabulous book store is a terrific place to spend some time, stopping next door for a great Americano or cup of tea, and then heading in to fill your shopping basket with new titles or must haves.  There's something about an independent bookseller that makes buying a book so much more fun, more intimate, than hitting the local "big box" bookstores (by the way, The Boulder Bookstore donated $200,000 of free books to local teachers in December).
     The Boulder Book Store's location, smack dab in the middle of the Pearl Street Mall, makes it a perfect location to kill some time.  And, the building is quite unique and has an interesting history (check out http://boulderbookstore.indiebound.com).  Whenever we're in downtown Boulder, we always walk in to check things out (sometimes to shop and sometimes just to peruse the shelves).  It's a great place to people watch too!  It's nice to find a book on the shelf that doesn't have to be special ordered, but is there because the seller cares about the quality of literature that sits on the store's shelves.
     My wife and children gave me a book bag for Christmas with the famous quote by Erasmus, "When I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes."  It's so true!
     I image Heaven might have three book stores, The Boulder Book Store, The Tattered Cover (http://www.tatteredcover.com) and The Bookies (Denver's favorite independent book store http://www.netnewsdesk.com/thebookies), sitting side-by-side waiting for all of us that love books to walk through their pearly doors!  Perhaps we'll all spend eternity sorting and sifting through titles (read Franki SIbberson's recent entry on A Year Of Reading (http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-i-learned-while-weeding-books-at.html).

     But for now, whenever I'm in Boulder (hmmm... could this be why I encouraged my two children to attend the University of Colorado), I'll spend time in a bit of Heaven on Earth at the Boulder Bookstore. 

     *a great independent optometry office with amazing eyewear

Thank You!

I have a third grade boy, we'll call him Brian, who says, "Thank you, Mr. Allen" every day before he leaves.  He's the kind of learner that makes it so easy to say, "You're welcome!"  He leaves the classroom each day with a smile on his face!
     I had two of his siblings and they both did the same thing... every day.  Could it be good parenting?  Of course.  But, hearing a sincere "thank you" reminds me of the gift I'm given each day... the gift of working with terrific learners.  And, the look in Brian's eyes tells me it's coming from his heart.  He means it.
     Recently, I was rereading bits and pieces of Life in a Crowded Place by Ralph Peterson—have you read it lately?  It’s a great “old” read.  He says, “Making a learning community—coming together, keeping together, and learning together—is not easy.  It is far easier to dominate and require obedience.  But if the prospect of encouraging the social nature of learning lets our students experience genuine learning and helps them to uncover ideas that make a sound in their hearts, isn’t that a compelling argument for trying?” 
     And hearing a "thank you" makes the end of each day realize that community is so important.

     And, I humbly want to say, "No... thank you!"

'Tis the Season... for Giving...

Franki and Mary Lee wrote about giving back on their blog this week.  You can read their post at: http://readingyear.blogspot.com 
     Franki and Mary Lee got me thinking about our own giving during the Christmas season.  Besides sponsoring a child for Compassion International throughout the year, we do something special in December.  Each year, my own children choose gifts from Alternative Gifts International http://www.alternativegifts.org to give to their godparents.  My wife and I give a gift to the adults in our lives from this organization.  Our church sponsors a gift market each year (http://www.ourfatherlutheran.net).  It's usually the youth and their families that sponsor a booth in our fellowship hall on "shopping day."  

     Alternative Gifts International is a non-profit organization that inspires support for humanitarian and environmental causes.  They offer donors the option to designate charitable gifts through carefully selected agencies in the name of their relatives, friends, and associates.  It's a great way to give a gift in someone's name.

     You can choose from a catalog of projects around the world (http://www.alternativegifts.org/projects).  For example, you can choose "Educating and Mobilizing Disabled Children" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or "Learning to Read & Sew for Success" in India, or "Gardening & Critter Care for Happy Families" in Bolivia.  The website has a catalog of choices; there's a rich assortment of projects, prices, and possibilities.

     With each gift, you can choose a special card to accompany your gift.  Here are a few examples:

One touch of the nature makes
the whole world kin.
--William Shakespeare 

How wonderful it is
that nobody has to wait
a single moment before
starting to improve the world.
--Anne Frank 

Today, we bring 'simple gifts'
to a troubled world,
Seeking hope for peace in a new day.

Goods news from heaven the angels bring,
Glad tidings to the earth they sing:
To us this day a child is given,
To crown us with the joy of heaven. 

     This is the season to remember those who may need our help and support... Thanks to Franki and Mary Lee for the reminder!

Conferring Conversations

 Mark Overmeyer and I have done a Voice Thread conversation comparing reading and writing conferences.

     Mark is the author of What Student Writing Teaches Us:  Formative Assessment in Writer's Workshop and When Writing Workshop Isn't Working.

     You can find the thread at:  http://voicethread.com/#q.b764898.i4057816 or on the Stenhouse blog at:  http://blog.stenhouse.com

     You can join in the conversation by asking specific questions and commenting on the Voice Thread.  Enjoy.

Giving Thanks

It's been a week or so since Thanksgiving, but I've been thinking...
     In my latest book, Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop, I wrote a lot about my father.  In fact, the idea of seeing conferring as the keystone, the strength of reader's workshop, was based on the fact that my father was a stonemason and bricklayer.  Dad died on November 21, 1988, three days before Thanksgiving... his funeral was on the 23rd, a Wednesday.  It was no small task, planning a funeral in two days, but we did it (Mom wanted the funeral before Thanksgiving)!  And, despite the sadness of dad's death, it was one of Thanksgivings that will go down as one of my family's favorites.  Dad would have loved it!
     Wednesday was one of those beautiful Novembers in southern Colorado.  Warm.  Sunny.  Blue skies.  Fluffy white clouds.   So many memories of that day still float through my mind... I remember looking across the lawn at the funeral home as we were getting into the limousine and seeing Ruthe Smith, our next door neighbor lady staring at the hearse, dumbfounded and sad, waiting to wave goodbye to her dearly departed friend (I jumped out and went over and gave her a huge hug and I still remember her whispering "I'll miss him..." in my ear).  I remember my niece, Trudy, singing You're Something Special to Me so beautifully, so clear... and I still can't listen to Just a Closer Walk With Thee without tearing up.  I remember watching my mom, Freda, sitting there not wanting to say goodbye to the love of her life (her ol' Crab Patch).  I remember my older brother, Dan, having to say goodbye to his pal (his first funeral); Dad and Dan were kindred spirits.

     And, I remember Thanksgiving that year.
     After the funeral, we decided we should perhaps plan Thanksgiving.  So all the brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, got busy cooking.  Everything was going well until we realized that no one had thought to thaw the turkey (can't imagine why). The turkey we were going to cook was the grand champion at the state fair (yep, that's what they are raised for) the previous year and weighed 42 pounds!  Yes, 42 pounds.  That's a HUGE turkey.  Its size created HUGE turkey roasting difficulties.
     Problem 1)  Frozen. Problem solved... (much to the chagrin of some of us), it was quickly thawed in a sterilized bathtub!  Where else would it fit?  Quick thaw methods aren't necessarily safe according to everything I've read.
     Problem 2)  Too big.  Who has an oven that fits a 42 pound turkey?  So, my brothers went to work.  They decided to "pit roast" the turkey.  Haven't heard of it?  Neither had I.  Here's the drill... you cook the turkey in an underground pit (which reminded me a bit of the cemetery).  First dig a pit deep and wide enough for the turkey and 6 to 8 inches of hot coals (burn enough wood to make a hot coal bed, 6 to 8 inches deep). Cover the hot coals with a sheet of tin. Place your wrapped turkey on the tin.  Then cover the hole with another sheet of tin. Bury the top sheet with dirt (to keep the heat in).  Supposedly, you can come back in 10 to 12 hours and you have perfectly roasted meat. An underground oven of sorts.  And supposedly if you do it at night, the next morning it's ready!  So that's what they did... it was a marvel of engineering.
     Problem 3)  Didn't work.  When we uncovered the "pit"... the fire had gone out and the partially cooked turkey had "rested" in the pit overnight.
     Problem 4)  What to do?   What else... you're on a farm, grab a saw!  Saw the partially cooked bird in half with a "sterilized" handsaw.  Postpone dinner for a few hours.  Cook half in your sister's oven, cook half in your mother's oven... Viola`... two 21 pound turkeys!
     Suddenly my brothers, who's engineering prowess had failed, were basking in the fact that the bird was indeed golden, delicious, and thoroughly cooked!
     When we sat down to dinner I whispered to my wife, "I'm not eating any turkey."
     She replied, "Me either!"  We both decided to be the designated drivers... when our family was stricken with food poisoning from quick-thawed, partially cooked, viciously sawed, and oven-roasted turkey.     
     BUT God was watching over us that Thanksgiving.  No one got sick.  The meal was delicious (less turkey on my plate).  The laughter was raucous.  The tears flowed.  The stories of dad's amazing life filled the air... 
     And we celebrated one of our favorite Thanksgivings.  Out of sadness, came joy!  Dad would have loved it... but I think, he too, would have passed on the turkey! 

 

     

Recuperation...

Where did the week go?  Loved NCTE, so much to blog! 

     The best part was spending time with my friends Randi Allison and Troy Rushmore.  We stayed in a Bed and Breakfast about 1.5 miles south of the Convention Center (lots of walking).  I preferred to call it a Bed and ____ (noun) ... (pretend it's a MadLib and fill in the blank).  Obviously they hired someone to create their website and brochure that had never stayed there.  Could be such beautiful place with just a few touch ups, including a breakfast upgrade (rotten fruit in a bowl and dried bagels, really?) and perhaps a housekeeper who does bathrooms!  Note the "electrical chord" situation in one of our rooms in this picture (courtesy of Randi).  Nonetheless, we did laugh a lot... 
     We also ate well!  

     Thursday night... we were joined by Debbie M. at Mezza Luna, a great Italian Restaurant near our B & B.  The crowd was small on a Thursday and the owner/chef was so interesting.  Delicious (the gnocchi was amazing).  We had a great conversation with him about apprenticeship.  He was trained in his native Italy and obviously had a passion for food and his craft.  We enjoyed our meal (although who knew Philadelphia had a "bring your own" rule in many of their restaurants).  This was a great little neighborhood restaurant. 

     Friday night... we were looking for a nice little steak place near South Street and ended up going to Bellini Grill after a recommendation from a native Philadelphian that happened to see us wandering lost and confused.  The food was terrific!  A great recommendation (Veal Saltimbocca...yum!).  The restaurant was small and we ended up sharing a table for six with a family from Canada that was in town for the Philadelphia Marathon.  It was one of those times when you're thrown into a somewhat uncomfortable situation that ends up being such a great experience.  We even got the table for two next to us involved in our conversation... it was a delightful evening!

     Saturday night... a nice walk from the Convention Center to Fork.  We joined a small group of Stenhouse friends (editors Bill, Philippa, and Holly) and authors (Jeff A. and Terry T.).  It was nice to toast Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop.  After quite a long wait (and opening many doors) we were seated for a delightful meal in a rather "hip" restaurant.  This was a fun night... lots of laughing (especially when Randi's fish arrived with its head and wasn't filleted) and conversation (Oven roasted house-smoked pork shop, delicious) about life and learning.

     But Philly was more than food!  I'll be blogging a bit more about the more important things I learned throughout the week!

Philadelphia, Here we come...

Off to Philadelphia today for the NCTE conference.  Two of my colleagues are joining me and we're excited to see what the weekend holds... great learning, great friends, great food!  Randi, Troy, and I are looking forward to the conference and seeing a bit of Philly.  Staying in a Bed and Breakfast that was built in 1860!  Older than Laura Ingalls.  I'll try to blog a bit while I'm there and when I return!  Book signing on Friday at 12:30...