Something to Buzz About

I've been puzzling over where the idiot-friendly bar for posting blog entries went.  I have a bunch of photos I've been wanting to post.  Now that I've found it again, (what an idiot I am!) I'll get to it.

It was a beautiful day here for us.  First sunny day in two weeks or so.  It's been raining so much.
Our bees were happy today. They just felt a little hot, as you can see here:

Bees are some of the most amazing creatures in nature.  I've been learning how to take care of them since I was a young girl, and there's still so much to learn.  I've always been convinced that almost all (if not all) lessons in life can be learned in nature.  As a teacher, this is something I always try to imbibe in my classes to help kids develop a good sense of awareness and appreciation for the environment.  

Spending time in nature is so much more calming and fun than being bombarded by the radio, tv, cell phones, the invisible Wifi (not that I'm against WIFI) and just being overwhelmed by everything.  Nature is nurturing after all.  On a side note, Richard Louv wrote an excellent book on how being in nature affects kids- or on the other hand- how raising kids out of nature spells disaster. I highly recommend his book, "Last Child in the Woods" to any parent or teacher. It's helped me understand many things about the children today and how to help them learn better.

 Wishing you well,
Nature's Blogger

Ps. I'm glad nobody died in the New Zealand quake. My WBH-Sam and the rest of his family are fine. Condolences to the people who lost their loved ones/friends in that sky-diving plane that crashed yesterday.

Learning

Every parent and teacher has to inspire their own kids or someone else's kids. Oftentimes- as teachers, we become "parents" before we are actual parents.  At times, it is a very heart warming experience, and at other times, it is heart breaking. 

One of my mentors has been a teacher for over twenty years now.  He's one of the nicest people I know.  He loves his job- stressful and nerve wracking as it is a lot of the time, he sticks around.  Recently he's been brought to court by angry parents whose children died in school or near the school.  Why? Because they were drunk and drove their motorcycles.  Or because some of the older students took advantage of the innocent younger students and molested them or abused them in one way or another.  In a school with well over 6,000 students, it's hard to control what goes on.  I'm not blaming anyone in particular- but I think that parents should also look at themselves and see what they can do to help their kids get through school safely.  (Of course the authorities have been notified and the students involved are getting the treatment they deserve now) But it is heart breaking to see how some kids come in already so hard- and their parents totally blind to the imperfections of their children.  Sometimes it's necessary to keep our eyes wide open and see the problems our children have so we can actually help them.  Facing a blind eye to their problems doesn't help at all.

We all have a lot to learn, no matter what part or status we are in, in life.  The important thing is to never stop learning.

Two note so random notes: I just got back from a swim in the ocean.  It's already 7 pm- my friends called me out for a quick swim. It was beautiful under the moon tonight!  The lightning was just starting to come in close so we called it a night and ran in.
 
A note on the ill-fated bus I wrote about the other day- a couple people I know personally died in it.  Condolences to their families. We remember you in our prayers and give our thanks to you.  Wishing you well always, your friend.  

Danger at Every Step

My dad always used to tell me, "There's danger in every step of life.  Don't be afraid, but tread carefully."  While he was driving down today (it's a two hour drive from the mountains) he drove past the bus accident that happened this morning. So far 40 of 47 people on it died.  My prayers out for all those who died and who lost a loved one.  Apparently one of them was an overseas worker who was on her way down with a child she had just adopted- and they both died.

I just rode a bus down on the same road yesterday.  I usually ride that bus line on my way up to Baguio.  Might have even been the usual bus I ride on the way up.  Whenever I travel I am vainly aware of the fact that well hey, this might be it. Whenever I go and do certain things- whether it's swimming or driving, I tend to go, "Hey this might be it.  Death comes when you least expect it.  How will I fair?"

There's danger in every step of life.  None of us know when our time will be. And that's one reason why it's always good to be ready.  There's a saying that goes something to the effect of: "Death never finds a wise man by surprise." It's so true.  It's important to not only be aware of the temporariness of life, but also that we can still truly live without fear of death or what is to come after. 

Once again, I offer my prayers and condolences to those who lost their lives and to those who lost loved ones today.  May you find peace, and may those people responsible be held accountable for what happened.