Christmas VIllage

My brother requested I post some pictures of my Christmas Village. Only thing is, it's too big for just one picture so I took this video to show off my village. The village started with seven houses the my mother's younger sister made. Aunt Patty poured, fired, and painted the houses herself. She then made most of the trees, bushes, and animals. The bear, baby bears and the foxes were made by my Aunt. Two of the smaller houses were sent to my mom in a floral arrangement that my mom's older sister sent her for Christmas two years in a row. They are from the Thomas Kincaid collection. The houses my aunt made were Charles Dickinson style. It became a holiday tradition for my mom and I to buy at least one item each year for the village.

I inherited the village when mom died. I added the lighthouse and the ship. I also got one of my brother-in-laws to help build the base. It is a full sheet of plywood that we cut in half and added hinges so I could close it for storage. I painted the board and added the gravel roads, cobblestone roads and we drilled holes and added the lights. The table that it sits on was made by my middle brother. The base is four feet wide by a little over six feet long. I have the base overhang on one side of the table so I can use the table edge for more room. Two years ago I added stars hanging from the ceiling but chose not to put those up this year. I am currently looking for small snowflakes to hang with the stars maybe next year. That is provided my youngest son is living close to me because he is tall and real good at hanging things from high places. (My definition of a high place is anything out of my reach and I am only 5' tall) The mountain is just a folded sheet.

As I write this it is snowing. It has been snowing since 10:00 this morning. We actually closed school 45 minutes early to get the students home safely. We were almost too late because the buses had a lot of trouble making it to school. When I left for work this morning my sidewalk and driveway were clear of snow. When I got home at 3:45 the snow covered my shoes. I have posted some pics. It was too dark to video the blizzard. But it really dumped on us this time. It is supposed to warm up a little tomorrow then drop below 0 again for the next week.

I hope I can get out to go shopping this weekend. I have planned my first progressive party for a week from tomorrow and I need to get supplies and food. Also I am getting a little stir crazy and need a break before winter really takes hold and I have to with stand cabin fever. Here is the video and pics enjoy.

Winter is Here with a vengance

It snowed again today. I drove my car to work because I had too much to carry back to school after grading and planning during the long weekend. I parked it and did not think about it again till I wanted to go home tonight and there was six inches of new snow plus the packed snow that was freezing underneath. I drive a Saturn 3 door coupe with very little ground clearance and you guessed it, when I tried to drive home I got stuck. It took two other people and a shovel to get me unstuck. It took me almost an hour to get home and I live 500 feet from work. When I got to my driveway I discovered that the plow had been by and I had over a foot of snow plowed against my driveway. So I went to the neighbor to ask them to get facilities to use the bobcat to dig out my driveway. My neighbor works for facilities, facilities does maintenance and other things for the people who live on the school campus, which I do.

While I waited for the bobcat, the neighbor's son who is in third grade dug out my driveway, the part that meets the road and I was able to get into the garage. Getting into my garage is very important to me because it is going to drop below zero for the next couple of days and my car does not have a block heater to prevent my car from freezing so the garage insulates it enough to prevent freezing. So I am now warm and cozy in my house, a half hour after I called the bobcat has just shown up and dug out my driveway and my car it tucked in for the winter.

Have I ever told you I hate the cold and snow? Well I do even more now that I have had to survive on winter and am starting on my second in North Dakota. Oh up date on the kittens I found in my garage. I have lost three and am down to two who are fat and happy and currently climbing my leg. Momma kitty is doing well too. I doubt I will keep any because the cat box and mess drive me crazy.

I don't think North Dakota knows about the winter solstice!!

Sorry for the picture quality but the wind was blowing and that is as still as I could keep the camera.

Its only November 24 and we have already had three blizzards and about 11 inches of snow on the ground. It is also very cold. Evenings have been getting about 8 degrees below zero and sometimes it doesn't get much warmer during the day.

Well today was the last day of the week because tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the start of a nice long four day weekend. School was suppose to get out 45 minutes early at 3:00 but due to wind and snow we let out at 1:30. So I had lots of time to plan and get all my copies made as well as get organized for next week. I have gotten pretty spoiled. We had been having a lot of four day weeks either due to planning or water pipes breaking. Now I look at the schedule and we have five day weeks until Christmas break. Yes I do have cheese to go with this whining.

But you try 18 loud kids that have trouble following directions and cannot figure out how to stand in line, work 12 hour days and see if you don't whine a little.

Happy Thanksgiving, and for the record I don't have to dream of a white Christmas and if you really want one, I have a spare room. Come on over, I'll keep the light on for you. It doesn't matter you wont find me without a map and a guide.

Nice Day

Yesterday (Thursday) we let school out early. We had a water main break so we had to let school out at 1:00. Funny how we had school during a blizzard but a water pipe breaks and we run for the hills. (Side bar: in Mandaree when the water pipes break, you run home and fill your bathtub before you loose water pressure so you can use the toilet. You should also fill a couple of pitchers so you have drinking water too. We also do this when we loose power because the water pumps are powered by electricity).

So since we had the afternoon off and instead of using the time wisely like for planning, a neighbor and I went to Williston. It is about one and a half hours northwest from Mandaree. It is an old town with lots of brick office buildings not very pretty as far as architecture goes. But it has a couple of real cute shops. Antique shops ran by antique people. Fun to look in and talk with. I found a cute teddy bear. It is a Theodore Roosevelt bear complete with mustache, too cute. I found an old glass Christmas ornament that is a ruby slipper reminding me of my mom. Her high heal shoes and the fact that her name was Dorothy.

Then we went to Salvation Army and I found a bread machine. I have been wanting one since they first came out but never got one. I have been looking around for a new one since Mother's Day. I have been making a lot of Indian fry bread. Not many do this well apparently. Ever since my native friends taught me and tasted my practice batches, they call on me to help make fry bread when there is a fund raiser or a funeral. Either they want the fry bread or me to make my sister's famous buttermilk rolls. I think a bread machine is going to come in handy since my fingers do not knead bread as well as they use to. Especially when I have to do five loaves at once. Ouch!! Anyway, I could not find a new bread machine and I spotted this one at Salvation Army for $6.99. Yes the decimal point is in the correct position. It had the manual with it and all the pieces. I figured that seven bucks was not much to risk so I bought it. I am presently testing it out. So far so good, it kneads well and all the buttons work.

I wanted to take a personal day on Monday so I could run errands. Things like get my North Dakota drivers license and plates and tags. Fun stuff like that. In North Dakota they do not know what the DMV is. Every time I say DMV they say "What?" Here it is called the License center. There is a division set aside just for driver's license. North Dakota License Center is closed on Thursdays by the way. Why Thursday? Beats me. Well, the substitute teacher (Mandaree has two) that I called and prefer was subbing at another school on Monday. The other sub is a teacher/councilor that no one wants but has a contract so he is a in house sub. He is kept very busy because teachers get sick or need a day. He is sick so I have no sub for Monday. The solution was for me to take off a half hour early today (because my students have computers and leave for the bus during this time so I don't need a sub) and beat feet to the DLC. Luckily there is an hour time difference between Dickinson and Mandaree. Dickinson is an hour south of Mandaree but it is in Mountain time and Mandaree is in Central time. Go figure. Why? Beats me. Like one of my friends who is the new 6th grade teacher this year says "That's North Dakota for ya"' SO I made it to the DLC and it only took me a half hour. Can you believe it? It only took a half hour for me to take the eye test and show them my birth certificate and marriage license. Yes even though I have been divorce since 1992 I had to prove my legal name is Fry instead of my maiden name. Once I proved who I was and paid $10.00 yes only ten dollars. I got my licence handed to me.

All of you who live in Oregon know how amazing this is. When you go to DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) you take a number and sit with 60 plus people to wait your turn. If you are lucky there are three people working the counter. (Not an exaggeration). Think of the movie Beetle Juice when they were waiting to see their case worker and you are close to the DMV waiting line. Please plan on being there at least two hours. Then after you prove who you are and where you live and that you deserve your license, you get a piece of paper which is a temporary license. Your real one comes to you in the mail after they check that you are not Alkyda or some other terrorist with forged documents that are always better than the real ones. Not only does it cost you a day of work but last time it cost me $84.00 to be renewed in 8 years.

Next up, I get my tags and North Dakota plates for my car. Not as cheap. I don't know how much the plates and tags will cost but since I am from Oregon and did not have to pay a certain licence tax it is going to cost me 4 percent of the blue book worth of my car. I also have to have my title with me in order to have it changed to a North Dakota title. That sounds like fun.

Oh, after the blizzard, when I got my shovel and dug out my front door, I found a momma cat and five kittens in my garage. I have adopted them and have found a farm for them when they are old enough to go. Momma and babies are doing well. I have made semi-friends with the mom but she is not ready for me to meet the kids yet. They are only about a week old, eyes are still closed. There are two orange stripped, two black and on gray. Mom is in the middle. She has a couple of extra toes and so do some of the kitties.

Update on Blizzard status

This is what I woke up to today. No it was not a snow day. It was a two hour late start but not a full out snow day. Crazy about keeping schools running thats us in North Dakota. The first picture is my garage door the other two are outside my front door.

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Possibly My First Blizzard

This afternoon I was handed a new phone tree (list of phone numbers of teachers and staff that work at our school). We usually do not receive the new tree until later in the year. It is used for calling around and telling everyone that there is a late start or school closure. Then I walked out of school this afternoon to find the wind whipping around small snowflakes. There is a rumor of a blizzard. This is so weird. Friday I was driving around with my windows down in above 70 degrees, sunny and warm weather. Now it's Tuesday and I may be watching my first real blizzard.

Where my house is we are in a small valley. A hole most people say. This hole protects me and my neighbors from most of the wind so I might not actually see a blizzard unless I go over the hill on the ridge. But I am not likely to do that.

The native man that is one of our custodians told me there was a weather advisory. It says if you do not need to go anywhere you should stay home. I said that I had things to do and he says ( and this was without skipping a beat) "Well you're from Oregon so go ahead and drive around all you want." I think he gave me bad advise. LOL

This is what the weather looks like from my front door.

OH The Times They are a Changing

I received an invitation to go out to dinner and a movie in Watford City which is about 30 minutes from my house. (The movie was The Switch). I was on my way and it dawned on me. There are at least five new oil drills within the sight of the road. These are only a month old at the most. Then I realized that there was a lot of traffic. Usually the locals call seven cars on the same road as you, traffic. But this was real traffic. Oh not as bad as rush hour in Portland but a lot of cars and trucks on the road going in both directions. Apparently the word is out that there is oil in North Dakota. All the restaurants are super busy. There is more traffic and people in every town I have been in lately. I can't believe how fast changes are taking place. I am out once a week and I see new wells being dug or pumps in or endless flames burning the natural gas off the wells so they don't explode. There are more job openings and help wanted signs then ever. Anyone in Oregon ready for a change could move to North Dakota and get a nice job. You may not have a place to live because the construction is slow but you will have a job. Just bring a trailer or RV and you will be set.

School is going well but I am super busy so this is going to be short and sweet. Hope all is well in the world. I wouldn't know I have not had time to breath let alone check to see what is going on anywhere that is not school.

October

Hurray!! It is October already. WOW this year is flying so far. I have been very busy trying to figure out a way I can teach and have the students be quiet. They sure love to talk but not to listen. While I have challenges this year, they are nothing compared to last year. I do not come home as tired and beat down as I did last year. I have a much sunnier outlook on life than last year too. The first year of any adventure is truly the hardest.

I don't know what it is about October and my injuring myself, but I did it again. Last year you may remember, I got my finger smashed in my garage door. It was on my birthday too. This year, I got hurt just before we took class pictures and yes you guessed it, I hurt my face. It happened this way.

The boys were all in the classroom ready to go get their pictures taken and the girls had to go to the bathroom one more time to primp. Yes this stuff starts in fifth grade. Everyone was looking wonderful too. Well the girls were making a lot of noise so I left the boys unattended to flush the girls out of the bathroom (no pun intended). Meanwhile back at the ranch (I mean classroom), the boys decided it would be funny to lock the classroom door. So the girls reported the door was locked by saying loudly "Miss Fry the door is locked!!" (insert high pitched, whiny voice here) So I tried the door it was locked, then I bent down and put my key (which I carry around my neck) into the lock. The lock is under the door knob and the door knob is not a knob. It is a lever handled that you pull down to open. As I did this the boys sensing danger, unlocked the door and opened to for me onto my face. The door knob thingy hit me in the nose, and upper lip and it cut my upper lip making me bleed.

Luckily, Lassie came to the rescue in the form of another teacher named Mr. Fry, no we are not related. I asked him to watch my class and I went and put a cold compress on the mouth. My teeth are fine and so is the inside of my lip but the outside is much the worst for wear. I had a very cooperative and apologetic class going into the gym to get their picture taken. The photographer said you couldn't see my owie in the photo which I hope is the truth. The girls suggested I cover it with make-up, however I do not think make-up would do the trick unless it was airbrushed Hollywood style. You be the judge, I have attached a picture. I hear it has swollen quite nicely. Yes for the 100th time it hurts.

Sorry but This has to be Short and Sweet

Man, this school year is kicking my butt. I have not had much time to do anything but teach, plan to teach, and grade papers. The fifth grade is great but I have a group of talkers. These kids can't walk down the hall without talking. We stop, everyone gets quiet, then as soon as we start walking it's like their leg muscles are connected to their jaw muscles because they cannot take a step without starting to talk.
Oh and the spit wads don't even get me started on them. I have done everything I can think of to get rid of the spit wads. Uggh the life of a teacher.

A friend sent me a cute little journal that is made for drawing and journaling. I needed to de-stress, so I did a couple of zentangles in my new pens and some gel pens. Thought I would share them. So here they are. I will write more when I have time.

First three day weekend of the school year

It is the first three day weekend of the school year. Saturday I went to Bismarck (The "big city") and did some shopping. I almost felt like I was back in Oregon because I found an Office Depot and a Big Lots and Dollar Tree store right next to each other. Also went to the Sam's Club which is like a CostCo for all us Oregonians. It is a three hour drive from my house. I passed the time by listening to my Oldest son lecture me about transmissions. Most of which was way above my head but by the way it sounds this time next year I will have one hell of a mechanic in the family. My youngest son is going for the auto body repair soon, so I just save myself a ton of money and I didn't have to switch to Geico.

Sunday I went to church with my new roommates. We go to the Watford City Assembly of God which is kind of a sister church to Four Square and as close as I can get to East Hill in North Dakota. Today after the worship part of the service a grandmother, aunt, mother, daughter and cousin got up and circled around the piano and sang a couple of hymns. While my family did not gather around the piano very often and when we did we usually sang other songs not hymns, this really made my miss my grandmother and mother and one of my aunts that are now sitting around God's piano singing with the angels. Then I come home and put in a sappy sad movie and now I am home sick, want my mommy and crying over a dumb movie. I think I need to go back to bed and start again.

My roommates will be moving out in a week or so. They don't want to wait till October for the three bedroom. I really don't want to move out of my cute house that my sister's unpacked and decorated from me. I am really happy with the plan. I think they are too. I was glad to be able to be a spring board for them to launch themselves from in North Dakota. Now they will fly off and soar with the eagles and not need my help any more. I am learning. I say yes to God no matter what He asks of me and I get blessed and the growth process does not take as long to accomplish.

I am enjoying teaching fifth grade. Totally different set of students in my class. Easier issues except they are a lot of talkers and I am trying to figure out how to stop thc constant talking so I can teach and they can learn. To those who know me well, Do not think the irony is lossed on me.

So that is my life in a nut shell.

Well, here are my two roommates and me on our first day of the 2010-2011 school year. I have been soo busy but soo happy this year. I am being blessed by God. I have a great class and its fifth grade. I got the most beautiful, colorful classroom in the school. I come home to two teachers that are fun to be around and are making me younger by the day. We eat together and chat about the day. I am having a great year so far.

For those of you who haven't heard, two friends of mine from College are first year teachers and living with me. One is from Oregon and the other from Montana. I am populating North Dakota one Warner student at a time.

Time is slipping by me. We have been in school for 8 days already. I did not realize I had not blogged for over a week. This has been my first weekend off in a couple of week because I have put together my room and helped put together on of my roommates rooms because she arrived the day before school started. I have been so busy I have not been able to watch TV or have down time. I have already paid for it because I got a cold a day before school started and I am finally over it.

I only got to one powwow and I forgot my camera. We went to the "big city" of Minot. It has an air force base near by. We went shopping at the mall which is a great treat out here. Minot is a two hour drive from my house. One of my roommates has a car so I am not doing a lot of driving. I will be moving into a double wide manufactured home which has three bedrooms, propane heat and stove, a garden tub and two bathrooms and ac. Only thing it does not have is a garage and it is directly across the street from the school. I will need to get a block heater which, attaches to my car and I plug into an electrical plug and it heats my car block to prevent my car from freezing in sub-zero weather.

Well, it is Sunday evening and I am finally able to rest and I am going to stare at the TV and not think for about an hour. I will post more later.

Okay so I have a few new things to share.

These are pictures of my new room. Note the beautiful crown painting. I have the fifth grade, which is the grade I wanted. Thank you God. I wanted this room because it is the only room that is has this beautiful paint job. The rest of the classes are white. I have it almost set up. I am just waiting for the old teacher to come get her stuff out and the room is mine. I am well organized and I am now working on planning and procedures. I am so much farther ahead and prepared than last year. I am also excited (not anxious) and looking forward to this year. God has changed my heart in that I am not so homesick and I am willing to live here at least another year. I am positive and happy which is tremendous considering a month ago I was devastated when I knew I was returning to North Dakota. God also showed me part of why He has me here. I find when you know the why, or even a little part of it, its sooooooo much easier to be obedient and surrendered. I truly feel God is rewarding me for my long hard year last year. He has answered my prayers just not where I wanted them to be. I wanted 5th grade and my roommate back. Well, as you know, I have fifth grade and I have a roommate only not my best friend.

A girl that went to Warner Pacific and graduated this year called me asking if there was a job here for her. I told her yes and how to get in touch with the Superintendent. She did and was hired for the sixth grade. She asked me if she could live with me because she wasn't sure about living on her own. Then she discovered how much it cost me to move out here and realized she could not afford to move all her stuff out here yet. I told her she could take the train with all she could pack and I had the rest. So she came out with her clothes and personal items. We went to Walmart and got an air mattress and food and she is settled in. I wasn't sure about having a roommate I did not know well at first but we get along well and I really like having someone around. I am not so lonely. Then came another change.

We needed a fourth grade teacher and no one had applied. My new roommate called Warner Pacific and told them about the opening and messaged a few other newly graduated teachers from Oregon. With all the budget cuts and lack of jobs in Oregon paired with the fact that Oregon colleges spit out a ton of teachers to fill those non-existent jobs. North Dakota has a deep pool to fish in for teachers. But still no takers. Then, I text a girl that lives in Montana who also went to Warner and graduated with me. I knew she did not have a teaching job and had subbed last year and was looking at subbing again this year. She said she was interested but did not know how she could possibly move here before school started (which is this Thursday 8/19). I told her just pack what can fit in her truck and drive out I had the rest. I was thinking wonderful my new roommate and Miss Montana could move in together and live just down the street from me and I would enjoy having them close but I would go back to being a hermit. Which I prefer. You know when you live alone you have a place of your own to be selfish. When you have a roommate or mates you have to work on sharing the space and everything else. It is much easier to be selfish. Then my sweet, young, smart, roommate had a wonderful idea. We could move to a three bedroom and split everything three ways. I asked her why she wanted me to move too. One reason is because I have a house full of stuff, the other is because she did not want me to be alone. Another change.

Of course, I am old so at first I said "I am not moving, but you two can live together" next day after thinking on it I said "The manufactured home has central air, a dishwasher, two bathrooms and a garden tub not to mention propane to heat and cook with so if we our electricity went out we would still have heat and be able to cook. However, I would have to pack my whole house just to move down the street, I would live directly across the street from the school, and most importantly no garage to protect my "Baby" (my car) in the winter." I am still sitting on those thoughts.

I think the reason God has me here is because I am paving the way for these girls. They are young, in their early twenties. I have a fully equipped house, and I am their security. So I should move with them. But God gave me this house and it is the nicest, newly remodeled house on the campus. I like where I am. I like my house. My sisters unpacked and decorated my house. I have not moved a thing except to move things out of my art studio/guest room for my roommate since they did the unpacking. (insert whinny voice where you see fit) I am not making any rash decisions. I will pray about it and let God change my mind and heart and then I will let you know when I am moving. Oh boy I don't like change. I am a rubber band and God has two hands to stretch. Here goes more stretching.

Fort Mandan and more meanderings

Flowers in North Dakota. Rare sight.

I know I said I would put some pictures on and blog at about Fort Mandan so here it is. First I want to say that I am really excited for this year of school. After much tears and disappointment I started praying to God to change my heart if He wanted me to stay. He was as good as His word. He change my heart and gave my the fifth grade. He has been very busy around here while I was off playing in Oregon. I am really walking in His favor all around. I have the classroom I wanted its bigger and has this beautiful border of native design all around the top of the walls. It is set up the way I wanted my old room last year to be set up. I am really getting excited to start the school year. Next week is a new thing at our school but other schools have done this for years. It is a new teacher seminar where new teachers are taught the curriculum and the policies of the school. They also teach the software for grades and attendance. I am self taught on all of this so I am going to get a better understanding of how things should work and hear of all the new changes. They are setting up a Positive Behavior System in the school which I am excited about. Most Oregon schools already of these procedures and they are school wide so all the teachers and staff use the same vocabulary and rules and the students know what is expected of them. This helps in behavior and discipline. This is going to be a great year.

One more change that God blessed me with is a roommate. One of the students I went to college with got a job here as well and she is moving in with me. She is a year younger than my youngest son and this is her first year teaching. I think God has me here this year to be a mentor for her and help her adjust to living in North Dakota. I am not one for roommates. The only people I have ever lived with apart from my family are my ex-husband and my best friend. Living with people is a challenge but as a friend of mine said "God had two hands and I am His rubber band, and that is all we will say on that subject." I am feeling awful stretchy. Now about Fort Mandan.

This is a replica of the fort. Louis and Clark made this fort in order to survive the winter in North Dakota. It was erected quickly and not made as a lasting trading post. After the expedition to the West Coast they returned to find the fort had mysteriously burnt down. The actual location of the fort was closer to the river and the river has moved and eroded the bank covering most of the area the fort stood.

Here are the sleeping quarters. The ever necessary blacksmith shop

I leave you with a real treat. A part of a thunderstorm in my neighborhood.

SIght Seeing and Learning the Culture

This last weekend my neighbor took me to two fun places. On Saturday we went to the Knife River Village. They had exhibits going on. There were demonstrations on pottery, black smiths, making things with flint, bow and arrow making, flute music and native dances. Also it is located where the original villages existed of the Hidatsa and Mandan Native American tribes which are the tribes that live on the Forth Berthold Reservation where I live.

This is a replica of an earth lodge. This is what the Mandan and Hidatsa lived in during the summer in their summer camp. The Tribes were slightly nomadic. Meaning that they moved in the winter where there were trees that could shelter them from the freezing wind. These lodges are made from mud (lots of clay in it) and timber. Trees grow nicely around the rivers. In fact you know in North Dakota where the rivers are because that is where the trees are mainly.

Above is the door way. It is a hall that is made of timber with a wooden roof. The door itself is made of buffalo hide that has deer hooves tied on the inside it so you can knock on the hide and it rattles like a door bell. Pictured below.

Inside it roomy and has a high ceiling. This is like a home that Sacajawea would have lived in. She is the woman who lead Louis and Clark to the Pacific and back. A couple of cool facts about her. She was married to a Frenchman, adopted by the Hidatsa, she was pregnant and had a baby boy who went with them on the expedition and her name is actually pronounce Sakawea (sa-cock-a=we-a). The native are as picky about how her name is pronounced as us Oregonians. For those reading this not from Oregon it is Or-i-gun not Or-e-gone thank you very much.

This is a wood pile with a wall behind it this is just inside and to the left of the door in the earth lodge. Living near the river wood was plentiful they used it to build their lodges and for heating and cooking. When out on the prairie hunting they would use the buffalo chipsTo the right of the door the room starts to open up and you can see that it is round with high ceilings. This is a picture of the post where the warriors kept their tack for the horse
This is the main area of the lodge. It has a large fire pit. On the left is a buffalo robe that depicts the family's story. It has tools laid out for use and in the background you can see a bench and one of the beds. Not all natives slept on the ground like in the movies.

Above is a closer look at the buffalo hide. Behind it is a wooden wall and behind that is the door. On the ground under the hide are their musical instruments and pipes used in ceremonies.

The above picture is their beds. They used buffalo rugs as blankets and had pillows. Their beds are made from wood like small cots. The ropes are to keep people out of the exhibit area. On the bottom left side of the picture you can just see a hole. The next picture shows the hole. The hole is where they stored dried food like corn, beans, wheat and sometimes meat. It was layered in a special way to for proper use of the space as well as storage then covered until needed. The women had gardens and grew corn and beans and sunflower seeds. Below is also a picture of their gardens. One problem the natives had with the whites trying to make them live the white way was that farming was women's work. They were not being chauvinists because the women owned the lodge and you inherited your clan from the mother's side. It was out of respect for the women. What would they women do if the men took over farming, was the question the men asked.












Below is a mini sweat lodge that is inside the lodge used for cleansing and bathing. The last picture is the ceiling. They made boats to travel the river called bull boat that were made from untanned bull buffalo hide and willow branches. The old boats were used to cover the ceiling opening when it rained. The boats were round and light and they would row from the front and put the wood or trade goods in the back. Apparently it took great skill to steer and keep from capsizing.



The second place we went to was Fort Mandan. I will tell about that later.

I Think I Know At Least in Part What God Has Planned for Me in North Dakota

Today I found out that a classmate from college is going to teach in Mandaree. I told her about the job, she applied and they hired her. Then we talked more. She is 22 a year younger than my youngest son. This will be her first year teaching and first year living on her own. Moving to North Dakota where she knows no one. Sound familiar? Well, we discussed what could be less scary for her and that would be if she could room with me at least temporarily. So I will have a new roommate at least temporarily.

I am actually excited about this. I usually do not want a roommate because I need solitude. I don't like showing my dark side to people. Few people including my family have truly seen me angry. I try very hard not to be around people at times when I am having my darker mood swings because I don't feel the want to hurt people or spew out my disgusting stuff on other people in a moment of yucky emotion. I am very empathetic and when I hurt people it hurts me. I also am very set in my ways and don't usually like to share space. But last year I had lots of time to be alone and I realized when I went to Oregon I have been very lonely.

Plus I know how scary and overwhelming this year is going to be for her. So I am happy to take her under my wing and share in her big adventure. I hope she fits in well and enjoys it here. I will enjoy having her here and I have high hopes for this year of school. I will find out the first part of August what grade I will be teaching and in my ideal world I will get the fifth grade and she will get the fourth grade and we will be across the hall from each other and we can help and vent and rejoice together.

I have to get busy though because she needs her own space so I need to clean out my art/sewing room and give it to her. Unless we get a dining room table I may set up my art/sewing room in the dining room or not. Anyway it goes I need to condense so she can have space. I am not giving up the garage that is where my baby (Celest the Saturn) sits when it cold outside or too snowy. Cant have my baby getting cold.

I am thinking about getting a small portable hot tub. Then we can sit in it when it is cold and we are worn out and had it to relax and rejuvenate. But how do I move it when I go? I don't think there is a good resale value on used hot tubs.

I did attach pics on a beautiful day in my neighborhood.

I'm Back

Sorry you have not heard from me for awhile. I went to Oregon and I have just returned for anouther year of teaching in North Dakota. Right now I am depressed and having trouble adjusting to being back. This is not what I had hoped for to tell the truth. But I am surrendered to God and He does know best and has a plan. I just wish He would include me in the why and what am I suppose to do a little more. Maybe I am not as receptive as I should be. Looking into that thought.

It was a very long drive home (North Dakota). One of the things I realized makes this so hard on me is that I am so alone here. I spent a month rooming with my old roommate and best friend. It felt so like home. I do like my own space and solitude but I sure have too much of it in North Dakota. I have friends but not like my best friend who I have known literally forever. We like to do almost all the same things and we do a lot together. Here I do a whole lot of things by myself. Not as much fun.

I am hoping for the abilty to drop to a lower grade to teach this year. I would love the fifth grade and the fifth grade teacher did not come back this year. I emailed a request to my principle to get the job but he is not coming back either. I just found out they have been interviewing for the fifth grade so I am going to talk with the superintendent on Monday in hopes that I can still get the job. Keep me in your prayers.

Another thing I think makes it hard for me here is that I realized an adventure which is suppose to be exciting, fun and scary (according to the movies) is mostly scary and challenging and last more that a few hours, weeks, or years. I am hoping for a more possitive adventure this year. I am trying to change my attitude so I don't just get through but learn to enjoy at least some of this year.

Native Life

A special "Sky lantern" they are lit, fill with hot air and it floats off. The pic on the left is them taking the colors.

I am exhausted. My Native friend who took my under her wing and shared her grandchildren with me, invited me to a memorial service for a friend who lost her son three years ago in Iraq. That means I get up early and go to my friends house and spend three hours frying bread for everyone that was planned to be there. Then we shower because you smell like grease and change and drive down to the grave site. Unlike in Oregon, North Dakotans bury their dead on their property. It was a beautiful, quiet place in the country.

They had guest speakers and members from each military service there. They had traditional food. I have had great experiences when it comes to traditional foods. First, when you go to a Native's house you are given food and something to drink. You cannot turn it down because it would be an insult. They believe that giving food and drink to their guests is to give them good health. SO I learned real early not to eat if I am going to a traditional Natives house. SO if they offer you native dishes you have to eat them. That said, I have eaten buffalo tongue, buffalo kidney, wonderful soups made with chunks of dried meat and squash, and today I had snipe soup. Snipe is cow stomach. YUCK, it does not look to bad and the taste is kinda okay. (Side bar to those who don't know I love sushi and sushimi. My favorite is raw tuna and raw halibut). But the texture and the chewiness is terrible.

Oh how they laugh at me. I try to be real polite with all these natives watching me and not make a face or gag as I eat what it placed before me. I have learned to make good fry bread though. If I keep going to traditional meals with Native Americans I am going to loose a lot of weight. At least the peppermint tea was good and the deserts were worth the snipe.

Now for the part that really ticks me off. There is a radical and I repeat radical Baptist church that is going around picketing the funerals and memorials of soldiers. I think they are protesting the war but I am not sure. They have been banned from the reservation so we have been saved the heartache. There is also a motorcycle club that escort families and block protesters from access of the funerals in North Dakota. The motor cycle club was there at our memorial, they had ridden up to ensure there was no problems since we were on the edge of the reservation.

As most of you know, my oldest son served as a Marine and I am extremely proud of his service. I am also a major patriot. My son and those who have served in the arm forces laid down all they had for the freedom that the people of this country enjoy and sometimes take for granted. There is a time and a place for everything and the time to protest the war is not at a fallen warriors funeral. Enough said I am now stepping off my soap box.

Time for Summer

I can not believe summer is finally here. At times, I thought I would never make it. But with God and a lot of prayers I made it. Now I have a ton of material to read for next year. I am applying for jobs in Oregon. I have till June 7 before I sign my contact here. I hope to be able to move back home this year, but it is all up to God. Waiting on him is very difficult. I have my ups and downs, lately mostly downs.

I have been trying to relax and unwind while I wait for news on whether I stay or go. I have included my Zen tangles. They are doodles that help to reduce stress. It is also a nice creative outlet for me.

If I don't move this summer, I plan on having a road trip to Kansas to visit cousins and then to drive to Oregon stopping at spots of interest on the way. Then back here to plan for next year. Hopefully being able to plan ahead will help next year go a little smoother.