We are about to eat yummy salmon that Bob grilled. Dan wears the shirt we got him:
Here's to another Memorial Day and enjoying summer on our deck! It was a very cool spring fluctuating between the 50s and 70s; but suddenly, Chicago-style, a very warm, humid summer fell from the sky to Chicago the second half of May this year. We never do see much of the in-between 70s temps:
My beautiful hanging Begonia flowers:
I love all the different shapes of flowers of the Begonia. When they fall off, I sometimes put them in bowls of water for decoration until they wilt:
Hydrangea flowers my mom bought me and that we planted. I just love this old-fashioned flower that the Victorians loved to plant in front of their houses:
Bob tilled a larger patch of dirt this year so I could plant a bigger garden on May 24. In the front row, 3 cucumber plants. Behind that, a zucchini plant (mmm). Third row, a strawberry plant and a cayenne pepper plant on the right. I tried growing serrano peppers last year for my salsa, but they take a long time to grow. Also tried cilantro last year, which I managed to kill, but I bought it kind of small and wilty, so maybe it's not my fault! A Mexican student from the factory class just gave me a huge beautiful bunch of the freshest cilantro I've ever seen from their garden.
The tomato plants...a must every year! The two on the left are "Early girl." The two in the back center and right are "Beefmaster." The two in the front center and right are an organic heirloom variety. Ok, now I'm a little disturbed. I always assumed my garden tomatoes were organic; I guess the non-organic plants I bought were grown with chemicals and possibly cross-bred?
This picture is sideways, but the small plants in the front are rosemary and basil. A "garden salsa" hot pepper plant is growing behind them:
Sienna girl turned eight on May 27 so we gave our furry babies their first Frosty Paws frozen dog treat of the season:
Doggies enjoying bones on deck. Mickey wants to come in with his bone:
Come on guys, lemme in!
I'm waiting...
Some of my students at the last day party of my West Chicago class. I was with some of these students since September and will miss teaching them. It was a blessing as always working with this warm, easy-going population. The loving and sweet Otilia leans on me. Angela Mains, the DuPage Education Director, stands in the background with her baby, talking to Pastor Shane of Faith Community Church:
First row: Maricela, Ana, Apolinar (Poli), and Clementina;
Second row: Elvia, Norma, Eva, and Otilia. Anabel and Reyna, who I lost to more hours at their jobs, are not pictured. Rodolfo, who was celebrating with his wife at the Level 2 class's table, is also not pictured:
We were about to eat delicious Mexican food catered by a Mexican restaurant/caterer:
Carolyn, the DuPage Education Coordinator, my super cool boss, split before the food was served so she's not pictured. Level 2 ESL Instructor Gloria (on the left), office payroll girl Rachel, and Phoebe, liaison between World Relief and the West Chicago churches where classes were held:
Education Assistant Katherine, ESL Instructor Aimee, and Mary, a classroom aide:
My other class in Warrenville. The students had a much higher level of English there, which allowed us to joke around in English and do a lot of laughing. Beatrice and Reyna in front. Ulises, Silvia, Melchor, and Alejandro in back. Beatrice's husband Salvador is not pictured...he had to work. With the nice weather, which meant more work for some of my students, I lost a few when Spring hit:
Ulises and his girlfriend were so sweet...They bought our little Ben the coolest package of little animal figurines and a beautiful wood frame, in which we can put a family picture someday!
Our classroom aides...my aide Jeanne is on the right:
The Level 2 teacher, Brandy, and her students celebrate:
I love all the different shapes of flowers of the Begonia. When they fall off, I sometimes put them in bowls of water for decoration until they wilt:
Hydrangea flowers my mom bought me and that we planted. I just love this old-fashioned flower that the Victorians loved to plant in front of their houses:
Bob tilled a larger patch of dirt this year so I could plant a bigger garden on May 24. In the front row, 3 cucumber plants. Behind that, a zucchini plant (mmm). Third row, a strawberry plant and a cayenne pepper plant on the right. I tried growing serrano peppers last year for my salsa, but they take a long time to grow. Also tried cilantro last year, which I managed to kill, but I bought it kind of small and wilty, so maybe it's not my fault! A Mexican student from the factory class just gave me a huge beautiful bunch of the freshest cilantro I've ever seen from their garden.
The tomato plants...a must every year! The two on the left are "Early girl." The two in the back center and right are "Beefmaster." The two in the front center and right are an organic heirloom variety. Ok, now I'm a little disturbed. I always assumed my garden tomatoes were organic; I guess the non-organic plants I bought were grown with chemicals and possibly cross-bred?
This picture is sideways, but the small plants in the front are rosemary and basil. A "garden salsa" hot pepper plant is growing behind them:Sienna girl turned eight on May 27 so we gave our furry babies their first Frosty Paws frozen dog treat of the season:
Doggies enjoying bones on deck. Mickey wants to come in with his bone: Come on guys, lemme in! I'm waiting...Some of my students at the last day party of my West Chicago class. I was with some of these students since September and will miss teaching them. It was a blessing as always working with this warm, easy-going population. The loving and sweet Otilia leans on me. Angela Mains, the DuPage Education Director, stands in the background with her baby, talking to Pastor Shane of Faith Community Church:
First row: Maricela, Ana, Apolinar (Poli), and Clementina;Second row: Elvia, Norma, Eva, and Otilia. Anabel and Reyna, who I lost to more hours at their jobs, are not pictured. Rodolfo, who was celebrating with his wife at the Level 2 class's table, is also not pictured:
We were about to eat delicious Mexican food catered by a Mexican restaurant/caterer:Carolyn, the DuPage Education Coordinator, my super cool boss, split before the food was served so she's not pictured. Level 2 ESL Instructor Gloria (on the left), office payroll girl Rachel, and Phoebe, liaison between World Relief and the West Chicago churches where classes were held:
Education Assistant Katherine, ESL Instructor Aimee, and Mary, a classroom aide: My other class in Warrenville. The students had a much higher level of English there, which allowed us to joke around in English and do a lot of laughing. Beatrice and Reyna in front. Ulises, Silvia, Melchor, and Alejandro in back. Beatrice's husband Salvador is not pictured...he had to work. With the nice weather, which meant more work for some of my students, I lost a few when Spring hit:
Ulises and his girlfriend were so sweet...They bought our little Ben the coolest package of little animal figurines and a beautiful wood frame, in which we can put a family picture someday!
Our classroom aides...my aide Jeanne is on the right: The Level 2 teacher, Brandy, and her students celebrate: Bob and I went to Oak Street Beach this past Saturday, ate at the rip-off restaurant there and drank bad sangria in plastic glasses, but that didn't matter because we had a lovely view of the lake, furbished with palm trees by the restaurant, and walked along the beach and nighttime Chicago skyline after dinner in the warm summer breeze. It was very nostalgic, as we walked there on our third date in 1995 and many dates thereafter. What a beautiful night and date with my wonderful hubbie! The last downtown walk we had last season before saying goodbye to summer was at Grant Park, walking through the gardens and watching the Grant Park fountain change colors. That is always nostalgic, as well, as we had our first date there during the Blues fest of 1995!
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