T Tuesday: two weeks edition

Last updated : September 13, 2020

Today for T stands for Tuesday I’m checking in with a recap of the past two weeks.  It’s been quite an interesting ride filled with many emotions.

Starting with a big positive…I did a bit more canning since I discovered I had enough lids. Those lids are like gold this season…who knew?!?

I canned 5 pints of my usual spicy beans and 2 pints using dried ghost peppers from the neighbor. I also made 9 half-pints of jalapeno jam. Truth be told …its more of a sauce since I didn’t have pectin. I used unflavored gelatin to thicken the jam. But honestly that’s ok since we usually use this as more of a sauce anyway. I pour it over brie cheese as an appetizer served with crackers.

My late season garden is doing very well all things considered. The tomatoes have been pulled up. The second planting of beans are thriving. My second planting zucchini was destroyed by a massive midnight hail storm we had about 10 days ago.

The following morning we saw the destruction.

So many leaves stripped from the trees. Thankfully this was more of a nuisance than actual damage.

 

I started back to school last Tuesday. It’s so weird. So different. It feels like a dystopian novel but in real life. That being said there are things I love, as well as things that make me sad, and things that I think we could definitely learn from and adapt into regular school days when we finally return to that some day.

It makes me sad how the kids almost seem shell-shocked…they aren’t talking to each other. They are assigned to seats, have masks and little choice. This was more how I grew up but definitely not how kids these days are accustomed to living.  I don’t think this is an all bad thing. I feel that over time this will actually benefit them…they will have to learn to talk to others…people they otherwise would not have interacted with.

I love that the classes are quiet. Teachers not fighting for control and respect. The hallways are being used as actual passageways between class periods. There are not kids roaming the halls for no reason and purpose. Without lockers being used, the kids have everything with them so no need to go get the forgotten items in the locker which most often was an excuse to leave class. Longer passing times gives kids a chance to use the restroom…again not leaving class.

I feel that the change in the learning environment is a positive one and the kiddos are going to learn a ton without distraction. Hopefully the school system will learn a little something as well from this online/hybrid/in-person flip flop crazy pandemic learning environment.

All that said…it was a good week. A long week. An exhausting week…more mentally than physically. Although I had forgotten how different it is to stand and walk on the more forgiving surfaces around home than the hard school floors. “ugh..my aching back”

I stole this meme from the school secretary in our end of week email. It’s so, so true. I slept so hard but had super bizarre dreams all week. LOL

I am still creating when I can. Art is an outlet…my therapy. I’m enjoying working in my art journals. I still need to get a bit of sewing done. Little by little…I’m ticking things off my to-do and want to-do list.

What are you doing today?
15 Thoughts on T Tuesday: two weeks edition
    mae
    14 Sep 2020
    7:19pm

    You sound incredibly dedicated to the children you teach — they are very lucky to have you. I am afraid, though, that children this year are very unlucky in our current environment, as you described it.

    be well… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    Linda K
    14 Sep 2020
    7:21pm

    Nice that you are still reaping the rewards of your garden-well, except for that awful hail storm-wow!!
    Really great observations and thoughts regarding the whole new way- for teachers- and especially the students.Fingers crossed this will have more positive effects on them down the road. Keep well, and happy T Day!

    Erika N
    14 Sep 2020
    8:01pm

    Wow, that sounds like an exhausting week. I hope you all stay healthy and safe. And that your days get easier. And that is some hail storm. Sorry about your zucchini. I pulled out whatever was left of my veggie garden today. except for 2 tomato plants that looks fabulous everything else was bad with our drought. Anyhow, take care and stay safe and happy T day too. Hugs-Erika

    Kate Yetter
    14 Sep 2020
    8:19pm

    Wow, you have been busy. Your canned goods sound delicious, especially the jalapeno jelly. That is a crazy amount of hail. So disappointing that it destroyed some of your plants.
    I can imagine the first week of teaching is exhausting but that is good to hear that you have less chaos in the classroom.
    Happy Tea Day,
    Kate

    Valerie-Jael
    15 Sep 2020
    1:08am

    I can imagine that teaching just now is hard, I’m glad I’m out of it, I did 35 years, but no covid in that time. Stay safe, happy T Day, Valerie

    iris Flavia
    15 Sep 2020
    5:37am

    Oh my goodness, what are “ghost peppers”??? Help!!!
    Hmmm, yum, jalapeno jam sounds very yummy, do you have a recipe? (I still have onion-thyme-marmalade – but I bought that).

    Oh. Brrr. Those are huge ice-balls!

    Niece went back to school, too, (4th grade), she´ll tell me everything tomorrow when I visit, YAY!

    What am I doing today? I am/was told I´m old. LOL (Test on Glaucoma!).
    Happy T-day! (My FIL´d say: “Get old or die”, I get old then!)

    Jo - Let's Art Journal
    15 Sep 2020
    7:06am

    Wow, mixed emotions this week! That’s a lot of canning, well done – so yummy ?. Those hailstones are huge, not something you want to be out in that’s for sure and school must be so tiring, you are doing such an amazing job though! Wishing you a very happy T Day ?. Hugs, Jo x

    Nicole/DVAtist
    15 Sep 2020
    10:19am

    A very interesting post. Love all of your canned goods. So sorry about the hail. Wow. I can’t even imagine how classes are. You described it very well. Take care.

    Kathy
    15 Sep 2020
    12:00pm

    Congrats on the canning, I missed that this year-not set up here well yet ( I miss my 10 burner wolf gas stove) and such a bad gardening year here this summer so I didn’t seek out the markets.
    allot going on at school glad there are some good things coming out of all this-but happy your kids are in school and not sitting at home in front of a computer
    Happy T hugs Kathy

    Lisca Meijer
    15 Sep 2020
    12:13pm

    You survived your first week at school. It does sound very positive. With quiet class rooms the kids are more likely to learn than before.
    I am impressed with your canning. Especially the jalapeño jam.
    Hail! Look at the size of those hail stones! Ouch! Poor plants.
    Keep us informed about what is happening in school. As an older person I have no idea and I find it interesting.
    Happy T-Day,
    Hugs,
    Lisca

    Divers and Sundry
    15 Sep 2020
    12:39pm

    Oh, dear! That’s more hail than I’ve ever seen.I’m glad to hear some good may come in lessons for classroom and school management. I can’t even imagine, because it’s been so long since I had any experience in a classroom/school environment.

    Happy T Tuesday!

    Eileen
    15 Sep 2020
    5:10pm

    I use pepper jelly over cream cheese with crackers as an appetizer. Everyone loves it. I wish we could swap and try each other’s. Your home canned goods look so pretty all lined up like tin soldiers.

    Wow that was some hail storm. We get freak hail like that in the summer too. What a shame.

    Very interesting observations about the school environment and what changes the kids have to adapt to because of COVID. I agree with you that a lot of that discipline is a good thing for them to learn. I taught elementary school and special ed for 15 years.

    Happy T-Day. Stay safe and well. Hugs, Eileen

    CJ
    15 Sep 2020
    9:28pm

    People must be canning the same way everyone was baking bread and yeast was hard to find. ? the hail! Glad no damage. We had a hailstorm several years ago that punched a couple of holes through the front porch. Glad school is going well. The teacher meme is pretty funny. Take care and Happy T Day

    pearshapedchris
    16 Sep 2020
    5:38pm

    It looks as though you are having a very productive time! The hailstorm certainly did attack your plants, sorry that the zucchini were ruined! My Grand Daughter says that her school is a too strict…which I secretly thought to be a good thing. My son says it is hard work, especially as he is a designated first aider and has to put PPE on every time instead of being able to deal with children straight away! Belated Happy T Day, Chrisx

    Bleubeard and Elizabeth--
    17 Sep 2020
    12:34pm

    I apologize for taking so long to visit. It was definitely beyond my control. I’m trying to catch up, but it’s harder than I actually imagined it would be.

    You have been very busy with all that canning. Wish I’d known. I have loads of lids and rings that are still in unopened Ball boxes.

    The kids in Wichita are divided. Grades K-6 go to school several days a week, while 7-12 are distance learning. That way parents who MUST work are able to, while older kids can take care of themselves. I hope all works out well. Kids had to learn dress codes, and now masks are just part of their new dress code. I hope your back gets better soon, dear.

    Sorry to read about the hail. That was devastating. Enjoyed seeing your water sitting on the post, though. Thanks for sharing your last two weeks with us for T this Tuesday.

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