August update: our staycation

Thought I'd keep up the blogging skills less I forget how to come this September. The summer months allow me to be a bit less formal and blog sporadically about the summer. I am truly enjoying the time to read and reflect and be with family. I have decided to finally change the blog's reading information as I have been 'eating' up some truly inspiring and thoughtful business/opinion texts that have amazing implications on education and 21st century thinking.
While still thinking about reading I must acknowledge TP- the mom of one of my former students who recently shared with me how she was so grateful that her son was reading voraciously and sharing the series called Conspiracy 365 (by Gabrielle Lord) with his friends throughout the summer. She asked me in June if she could borrow the 12 books for the summer and I agreed a little reluctantly as I was worried about losing them to the class library BUT I realize now, Who Cares? if they don't come back (although I am sure they will) but seriously who cares especially if my students are reading during their summer? I sure don't anymore and I must say that it is the first time I have truly celebrated the fact that I had to make a list in June of missing books from my class library that I need to replace if they don't show up [not that I encourage 'pilfering' books]. I am secretly proud that the books are worthy of 'being borrowed'!
I get a little protective of books so I have been practicing sharing and enjoying the results of letting my 'death grip' go (although I do admit that there are a few that I just can't pop in the share pile at least until I have read them again- would you be surprised to know that I still have some fiction that I first read for my undergrad degree!!)
So to our summer...
After a volunteer day on the entry gate for our local annual Logger Sports on the Canada Day long weekend (which was a ton of fun), we headed on a road trip.
We have just returned from kayaking on the Thomson and visiting family in Kamloops via the Duffy Lake, Joffre Lakes and the Marble Canyon. We made a stop in Cache Creek at the Macabee Fossil Beds to see my brother who is the summer guide (and ultimate 'rockhound') on the way- links to the information to come. Weather was definitely summer temperatures and we all enjoyed the backyard pool. Our 'children' are all growing up and it was great fun to get all the cousins together again for animated evenng meals. It was like being at an all inclusive 'resort' on the Thompson River only it was owned and operated by family. Thanks you guys- we had a blast.



Duffy lake

 As always though it is also good to be home where the temperature for me is a little more 'refreshing'. I don't do well in the hot, dry heat of the B.C. interior but my brother loves it.

Interested in finding your own fossils?
Go to http://www.dll-fossils.com/ to find out more

Shaw TV in Kamloops recently did a spot on the unique experience which is able to be viewed on the website or here (if I can remember how to do this...) Yeah, I did it... I am getting better at this. More later.