Halloween

Like last year, Arianna went trick or treating with her pal, Peyton. In contrast to last year, she invited Peyton to join us for supper and then walk around our neighborhood.

Note that Arianna had to abandon her goddess costume. Temperature was just too cold to be walking around in a toga.

Ol' rampart mouth . . .

Sorting goodies before bed . . .

So, was this the last year?

Autumn brilliance

Bright day. Cool, but lovely.

A jaunt in the yard with camera.

Sheffield Chrysanthemum

Bird at the feeder

The new perennial bed awaiting plants

And this year's costume is . . . ?

A Greek goddess!

Arianna's Halloween costumes have always been an exercise in creativity and resourcefulness. Sharon relied on her experience as a costumer to create some fabulous costumes over the years, but increasingly over the last two . . . maybe three . . . years, Arianna has designed and helped piece together her costume. This year was almost entirely her creation. Pretty impressive . . . . Although with the weather being as cold as it's been, I wonder about its practicality.

Tonight she's in costume and headed over to school to work at Family Fun Night. FFN is the annual Halloween bash in the gym. This year, members of the National Junior Honor Society are running the games. Since Arianna's a member . . . .

CCD 2012

This year's kids . . . .

The best group I've yet to have the privilege to instruct in the Roman Catholic faith.

Bed # 3

For a number of years, I'd envision ways to diminish the lawn while mowing. Here I'd image a stand of trees and shrubs, there I'd imagine a perennial bed. I'd let the plan settle into my imagination. Then, typically in late October or early November, I'd set the lawn mower blade low and trace where the bed might go. In the late afternoon sun I'd step back and realistically assess whether the idea made sense. Winter comes. Winter goes. Another year of mowing the lawn and envisioning ways to diminish the lawn.

Last Winter's unseasonable weather combined with an early, dry Spring provided me ample time this year to realize my visions. This year I built three new beds and extended another. And, in the new beds, I approached it differently: lifting the sod and using it as the basis for a berm (or in the case of the front yard, two berms).

My goal was simply to build the beds. Today I finished.

Arianna caught me in the act . . . . 

 After cutting the sod, you slide the sod lifter underneath . . .

Then you lift it and walk it over to the pile . . .

The turf side needs be facing down. Often insert newspaper between the layers of sod. And spade the clump to break it apart.

Manual, repetitive labor . . .

Labor that the neighbors think I'm crazy to be so often engaged in (or so Sharon says).

Lifting sod . . .

Arianna steps back to capture the size and scope of the bed . . .

Pooped! But just wait'll Spring . . . the effort will have been worth it.

GVB Tournament

Yesterday evening and today, the St. Catherine of Siena GVB team competed in an inter-diocese volleyball tournament hosted by St. Hubert's (Hoffman Estates). The tournament was a great opportunity to play a number of games in rapid succession and compete against schools, whose approaches to coaching the games are varied.

St. Catherine started strong yesterday evening, beating the Our Lady of the Wayside Cougars (Arlington Hts.). Today's games were not as well played: the girls lost to St. Hubert's in their 11:00 am game and then lost again at 3:00 pm against Saint's Peter and Paul(Cary).

Although Arianna did not get a lot of floor time. She was effective Friday night, scoring a couple points and keeping the ball alive.

Warming up . . . .

 4th place trophy . . . .

Bulbs

GVB

Arianna and her friends, Bridget and Peyton, "played up" this year. --Meaning they are playing with the eight grade girls.

It's a challenge insofar as the eighth grade girls have played together for a couple years. They're a team. They know each other's strengths, can anticipate each other's moves. 

Although the seventh graders do not get as much time to play as they did last year, they have an opportunity to stretch this year. By playing with and competing against more seasoned girls, they'll gaining confidence and improving their skills.

 

Prepped for Winter

The wood heating pellets are here!

I was in a panic. When I called my supplier of heating wood pellets earlier in August, I learned that he'd gone out of business.

I spent weeks searching the web and making telephone calls in the hope of finding a new supplier. Finally, I called the Wisconsin manufacturer of a pellet I purchased last year. Like so many other manufacturers, he wouldn't drop ship a ton of pellets to a residence, but he was able to let me know the names of two Illinois businesses to whom he supplied pellets. Thankfully, Gray's Lake Feed, returned my phone call.

 

 

First School Dance

The Knights of Columbus sponsor dances for the junior high school kids at area Roman Catholic schools. Tonight St. Catherine hosted the event. Arianna attended.

Mrs. B. extended an invitation to all the seventh grade girls to a pizza party prior to the dance.

I was not able to arrive home from work in time to see Arianna off. But, from what I understand, she was very excited to be going.

The dance lasted until 10 PM. I picked her up and she was tuckered out. A full dance card? Well, from what little information we all got -- Mommy certainly got the inside story (in private) -- Arianna was asked to dance and she accepted at least once. But, I think all the activities combined, as well as being on a Friday night contributed to her being so tired.

At the B. house for pizza.
Ashleigh T., Peyton J., Arianna, and Brigit B.

Homework / School Projects

Seventh grade is no picnic. Arianna is burdened with a lot of work . . . science fair, homework, and numerous impromptu projects. Combined with volleyball and cheer leading and the prospect of joining American Heritage Girls, her days are more than full.

Although she is often overwhelmed, I am impressed by how even tempered she has been; I am proud of her working through her assignments and projects with almost no drama whatsoever.

Baby-Sitter

St. Catherine of Siena teachers had an institute day today. Today's day off was an opportunity for Arianna to earn a bit of money, "baby sitting" Jacob D., a third grader whose family we've been friendly with for a number of years.

Mrs. D., who picked up a part time job, offered Arianna the job when school started, but since her schedule never found her in need of a sitter, today was Arianna's first opportunity to watch Jacob.

As luck would have it we'd planned a trip to Kuipers Family Farm. So, Jacob lucked out. He didn't have to hang around the house with the Rudorf's.

Frosty

What's this?

A frosty morning this Columbus Day.

And the few remaining blooms do not like the change n the weather.

Field Trip

Arianna's class went to the Art Institute of Chicago today. I can't say whether her trip downtown was as fun as when we went together earlier this year. However, the pictures Arianna took may allow conclusions to be drawn . . .

Of course the class was given a tour of galleries. Their docent led them through galleries that contained many of the famous Impressionist paintings Chicago has in their collection.

Their teacher, Mrs. O. was excited to introduce the kids to the stained glass of Marc Chagall.

It is astonishing to realize that Arianna has some of the most renown paintings right in her backyard. It wasn't until I graduated from college that I ever saw paintings I'd read about in my Humanities classes.

And as for my ever having been inspired . . .