Kindness At Ridgeway Community School

Each year at Ridgeway Community School, we celebrate a theme that brings our school community together to learn, grow, and value one another a little deeper.  This year the theme is Kindness.  Two of our teachers, Jennifer Krings and Danielle Helms made bracelets for all the teachers and staff.  Then they created "Be Kind" bracelets for all the students.  The students received these at the first homeroom of the 2018 -2019 school year in September.

Homeroom is an afternoon every couple of months that we come together as families--all siblings in a family or individual students of mixed age levels.  Our Kindergarten through 5th graders all work together on a project or learn something about our theme.  During this afternoon, we began to create squares for a Kindness quilt.

Some ways the children showed kindness in action.

We have lots of opportunities to show kindness.  And sometimes we make mistakes and have to say, "I'm sorry," and work on a different way to show kindness.  We're all a work in progress--the children and the adults.  It's good to have lots of opportunities.

Norris and Tara

These two kitties have been our friends for a few years.  We adopted them from the Winona Humane Society.  They lived in the same bay, and are almost the same age.  Tara, the tiger cat had an owner who got ill and couldn't keep a cat any longer.  Norris was a member of a large litter and the only one who did not get adopted.  Maybe he was waiting for us.

Tara likes to watch bird T.V. out this east window.

Norris and I

They sleep by each other when they are chilly.

Summertime, hot weather and the kitties are still hanging close to me.  They were keeping me company as my broken elbow was healing during the summer of 2018.

Lots of sleeping going on to remind us to stay calm.  Everything's going to be alright.

Winter in my Prairie

There are prairie flowers growing in my yard during the spring, summer and autumn.  Now in the winter, everything is dormant.  We let the plants stand to allow any seeds to be food for birds or small critters.

We have sandy soil in Winona and the Little Bluestem likes that kind of soil. 

Here are some more grasses and Cream Wild Indigo leaves.  They grow in a bush form and flower   with yellow flowers in early spring.

 This is Wild Bergamot. It has light purple flowers when it blooms in later summer.

This is Stiff Goldenrod.  Most of it's seed would have blown away.

The tallest plant to the left is called Giant Yellow Hyssop with the dark brown long seed pods.  The more bushy plant to the right is Brown-Eyed Susan with the rounded brown seed head.  It's flowers are golden yellow in the late autumn.

A close up of an Amorpha Fruiticosa.

This Amorpha Fruiticosa is over six feet tall.

There are a few Common Milkweed plants that grow around our house.  They feed the monarch butterflies.

Two large catalpa trees give some nice shade in the summer.  We have lots of flowers that bloom through the growing season.

Sunny day with interesting clouds gave me the idea to photograph some of the plants in our yard.  I'm so grateful for sun and for the warmth.  The days are getting longer.

Winter Hikes

During the time between Christmas and New Year's Eve 2018, we had a bit of mild weather and not very much snow in Winona, Minnesota.  That is rather unusual.  We took a hike out to Prairie Island and saw an eagle and a pileated woodpecker. Click on the listen link and you'll hear the call it made as we walked in the woods.

Both birds were flying through the trees at different times during our walk, but a bit too far within the trees to get a good photograph.

These paths through the trees felt magical to walk.

We saw frozen water and some mucky open water.

We came upon some huts that were created with remnants of fires.

I love moving around in nature.

Minnesota Art Truck

Climb aboard the Minnesota Art Truck  owned and operated by Matt Swenson.  Click on the link to meet Matt Swenson and how he is bringing art to others with his "food for the soul," art truck.

 Here are some pictures of the outside of the art truck.

 Come in and take a look.  Take something home for your living room or for a friend.

Matt Swenson makes robots out of repurposed materials.  You'll find photographs, paintings, jewelry, cards and more in the art truck. Check out the artists featured in the art truck.  See the art onboard.

Here's how you can support artists:

1. Buy the art they make
2. Commission original art
3. Share their art with friends.

It's easy!