Sunday Reruns - Whitewash Tale

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It's Sunday again, and you know what THAT means!?! It's time for Sunday reruns!!! Thanks so much to Chari over at Happy to Design for hosting this meme, "Sunday Favorites".

"Bird & Breakfast"
(First posted on 2/17/08)

Our bird feeders have attracted flocks of birds. We have nuthatches (two kinds) chickadees, downy woodpeckers, cardinals, juncos and goldfinch.

I've tried for days now to capture them with my camera, but they see me coming to the window and fly the coop. All I've been able to catch are these goldfinch and juncos in their winter coats.

So, since I don't have exciting pictures, let me liven up this post with a little poem my mom used to quote to us when we were kids.

"Birdie, birdie in the sky,

Drop some whitewash in my eye.

I won't scream and I won't cry,

I'm just glad that cows can't fly!!!"

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Have We Had Enough FUN Yet???

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Wabash, folks!!! Ouabache is pronounced Wabash.

Here's a little etymology of the word taken from Wikipedia:

Wabash: English spelling of French Ouabache, from Miami-Illinois waapaahšiiki, "it shines white".

I'm sure you all remember that in your basic French 101 you learned that "oui" is pronounced "we." Well, "oua" is therefore pronounced "wa" and since there is no accent on the final e, "bache" is pronounced "bash"

Wabash. As in the famous, albeit muddy, Indiana river.


Ouabache State Park is located less than five minutes from our former home in Bluffton, Indiana. It is STILL one of the nicest places to camp in north eastern Indiana. In fact - - - I'm getting the "yen" to go over there and camp right now.

Pudgie pies - - - YUM.

Folks in these here parts have long since forgotten, if they ever knew, that Ouabache is the French spelling of Wabash. So there are two prominant Hoosier pronunciations - - - both of them equally WRONG, like I said in yesterday's post.

The first, and most common, is "Oh - botch - ee." That is straight forward enough, we can all "see" that one coming.

But for many of the dear folks who are locals in and around Wells County, where Ouabache Park is located, the pronunciation is "Quah - botch - ee." Seems that at one point in that county's history, some poor misguided sign printer spelled it "Quabache." NONE of those signs remain to this day - - - but the mispronunciation lingers on, and on, and on.

Tune in to this etymology program again next week when we will discuss the pronunciation of "Lac Courte Oreilles!!!"

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Do You Know The Way - - -

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To pronounce the name of this park?

Let's play a little "pronounce that name" game, OK? Leave your suggested pronunciation in my comments.

No, I absolutely do NOT promise not to laugh if your entry is funny - - - that's all part of playing this game. But you won't hear me laugh anyway, so what difference will it make?

HOWEVER - - - if you are really UP on your Indiana history, and you KNOW FOR SURE how to pronounce it - - - send me an e-mail instead of putting it in the comments. (keepiedaniece (at) yahoo.com) Let's not ruin it for "the rest of us."

WARNING: If you live in Indiana and THINK you know how to pronounce the name of this park - - - be very careful - - - most Hoosiers pronounce it WRONG. In fact, there are two popular Hoosier pronunciations - - - both equally incorrect. MOST of the DNR employees at Ouabache State Park pronounce it wrong.

I'll give you one big huge gigantic hint: It is a FRENCH word.

I'll post the answer in a few days.

OK - - - guess away!!!

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No Rules Pasta Salad

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A few weeks ago, I showed in a post that my friend Janell brought me two bags of Badger pasta in the shape of little W's.

Some of you left comments asking me to show you the finished salad when I made it.

Well - - - here goes nothing - - -


Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) I don't know the pasta salad rules. So I did my own thing, which translates into I only put in ingredients I like.

1) Mayonnaise - - - REAL mayo. None of that sickly sweet Miracle Whip for me. You might as well gag me with a spoon as put sweet stuff on my nondessert food.

2) Vinegar - - - just a little to liven things up a bit.

3) Diced white chicken - - - well yes, of course it was cooked!

4) Dill pickle relish - - - remember what I said above about the sugar thing- - - don't try to sneak it on me in the form of pickle relish either!!!

5) Chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers

6) Sliced black olives

7) Sliced green olives stuffed with pimentos

8) Cubed co-jack cheese

9) Onion powder - - - raw onion gives me indigestion but I did want some onion flavor.

10) One tomato, cubed

Please don't ask me for measurements - - - I didn't measure.

I blended all these things together and then stirred them into the cooked, rinsed, drained, and cooled pasta. It looked rather like the bowl pictured above. No wait, it looked EXACTLY like that bowl because it WAS that bowl!!!


When I dished it up on a plate - - - it even looked good enough to eat.

And it WAS, which was a good thing since I ate the WHOLE SALAD, Fisherhubby not being a pasta salad fan.

No, not in one sitting, though I shan't, out of pure shame, tell you how many sittings.


Changes I will make next time: Add a little more vinegar, needed more "zip." I think I'll also put in more green olives and add a couple of diced hard boiled eggs. I might even add a packet of Italian salad dressing seasoning.

HOWEVER - - - "next time" won't be real soon as I will eat that entire bowl myself too, oink oink!!!!

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Finding My Outer Blonde

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When people call me a blonde, I look around to find to whom they are speaking.

I do NOT see myself as a blonde. I see myself as a gal with mousy brown hair and blonde highlights.

Vast difference.


Today I went to see my lovely stylist, Amy. I told her that I don't see myself as a blonde.

She said, "But Keetha, you ARE a blonde."

I said, "Nope, I'm a mousy brown with blonde highlights.


See what I mean???? See that obvious mousy brown being masked by the lovely blonde highlights?????

Amy looked at me like I was crazy, smiled, and said: "You're a blonde in denial!"

I came home and asked Fisherhubby, who is ever honest with me - - - sometimes painfully so, if I was a blonde.

He said, "Nope. You're brown with blonde highlights!"
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End of School Activities - Part Grand Finale - Graduation

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The time has come, the end of the school year.


The end of our school. The end of my teaching career. The Grand Finale - Graduation.


What a bitter sweet night. All of us were ready for the normal end of the school year and the beginning of our summer. These seniors were ready to graduate and move on with their lives.


But all of us feel saddened by the loss of our beloved school. This graduation was different. This graduation was final for us all.


Kristie, the Salutatorian, gave individual personalized thank yous to each teacher.

She thanked me for teaching them the three "B's" - - - Biology, Badgers, and Blogging.

We have a very special tradition at our graduation. Each senior has the privilege of stepping to the mic and speaking just before he/she receives his/her diploma.


Emily and Evan are twins. (Both holding their hats in the above picture) Emily was first born and she came first alphabetically all through their school career.

But Evan's real name is Edwin, which preceded Emily alphabetically. When he stepped to the mic, he looked over at Emily and reminded her that though she has gone first all their lives, he was graduating first.

She stepped up to the mic next, looked back at him and said, "Yes, but I'm still the pretty one."

It was a great moment. Just the touch of humor we all needed to see us through the evening.

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They Came Back To Say Thank You

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Former graduates of LCS were invited back for the final graduation. They came up and lined the platform. Four of them stepped to the microphone to thank the school and the teachers for their influence in shaping the lives of all the alumni.

This was a huge surprise for us, the faculty.

There wasn't a dry eye in the place - - - especially not mine.


This is a small portion of the alumni who came to support us. All of these were either my former students or friends of my youngest daughter and therefore in my home on a regular basis.


Even my oldest daughter, Keri, who is not an alum, came to support her mama.

Korie, my youngest daughter, one of my former students, and a graduate of LCS made sure she was standing right in front of me on the platform (I was on the platform to present the graduates to receive their diplomas) and turned around to give me a great big hug and personal thank you.

That was when my eye faucets went into full force "on" mode.


Afterwards we posed for this "just us girls" photo. I'm the young lady in the middle, in case you couldn't tell. ;-)


Korie, Julie, and Megan striking their infamous "Charlie's Angels" pose. They used to move through the hallways during passing period practicing their "secret agent" skills just like this.

I can tell you that we teachers were greatly moved by this very significant show of support and affection from our former students. We sent them out to the relative unknown with our blessings when each of them graduated, and they returned to do the same for us now.

To any of you, my dear students past, who happen upon this post, let me tell you from the bottom of my heart just how much you each mean to me. Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives.

Good-bye beloved Lakeview Christian School.

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Chefs Vs L.O.T.

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So, I was watching "Chefs Vs City" today when it suddenly turned into Chefs vs L.O.T - - - Live Octopus Tentacles.

As in EATING live octopus tentacles.

I kid you not. These puppies were writhing on the plate, and suctioning down to fingers, teeth, tongue and palate while being eaten.

I don't care WHAT they paid me - - - I absolutely could NOT take a bite of that.

I couldn't find a You Tube of the actual "Chefs vs City" episode, but if you are brave - - - VERY BRAVE - - - this video will give you the idea.

Octopi anyone???




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Not Today - - - Not on MY Watch

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Pet Peeve 101:

People who IGNORE "Lane Ends" or "Merge" signs.

You know the ones - - - the ones who believe THEY and THEIR agendas are of far more value than you and yours.

We have in our town, right on my way home, one such spot. The right lane ends and is merged into the left just after an intersection.

(Photo from safetysystemshawaii.com)

Before the intersection it is clearly marked.

(Photo from commons.wikimedia.org)

Even a nondriving kindergartener could plainly see what is SUPPOSED to happen at this spot.

Many folks, like myself, who traverse this way on a frequent or even daily basis can ALSO discern what these signs mean, and WE merge to the left before the intersection and stay politely in our lanes.

There are others, however, who think that their own wishes, desires, needs far outweigh those of the rest of us mere mortals and rush ahead in the right lane, forceing their way over into the left at the last possible second, causing the rest of us to brake, run the risk of a rear-end-pile-up, and create snarled, snagged, slowed traffic in the left lane.

Usually I am helplessly trapped somewhere over in the left lane, merged there like a good little safe-driver sardine, unable to do anything about those ne'er-do-well left lane passer-uppers.

Ah - - - but NOT today. Today it was MY watch.

(Photo from seniorsmovingsafely.com)

This is the only graphic I could find, and it shows the left lane merging right - - - but give it the old mirror image effect in your mind and all will be well.

Today I was car "B." Today I saw honkin'-big-black-truck "A" coming up on my right side thinking to pass me in the intersection and cut me off on the other side by side-swipe merging left directly in front of me.

Maybe he thought I looked like a harmless little grandma type.

Maybe he thought I was a slow poke driver.

Maybe he didn't think.



He could have gotten a CLUE from the color of my car that I "ain't" no slow-poke granny!

I accelerated.

So did he.

I accelerated more.

I'm so happy to tell you - - - he did NOT get in my lane ahead of me. I scored one tiny victory for all us "little guys" who hate this sort of thing.

The moral of the story is:

If you are a "little guy" like me, take heart, one of us WON today.

If you are one of those "honkin'-big-ne'er-do-well-lane-stealers," shame on you - - - mend your ways and merge when it says MERGE! And if you don't "get" this - - - I COULD tell you how I really feel.

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Sunday Reruns - Memoir

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It's Sunday again, and you know what THAT means!?! It's time for Sunday reruns!!! Thanks so much to Chari over at Happy to Design for hosting this meme, "Sunday Favorites".

My Six Word Memoir
(First posted 2/07/08)

"Gave everyone a laugh, including myself"

Don't think I'll explain that - - - let you ruminate on it a while for yourself.

Might be interesting to see if those who know me "live and in person" think the same thing as those who only know me in blog.

What would be your six-word memoir for yourself?

(Where'd I get this idea? Heard it on the "grape vine," [NPR] of course!)

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Eclectic This and Eclectic That

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I'm a proud GREAT Aunt again!!!

Meet Cohan Herrick
Son of my onliest nephew, Dustin
And his wife Kayla, who is one of my former students!

Doesn't he have the most perfect little round face?

If these cell phone pix tell me anything,
They tell me my grans are enjoying the hot weather
We've been having here in north central Indiana.

Mackinley toolin' down the river greenway.
Never fear, his mommy was right behind him.


Someone ELSE has also been enjoying the hot weather:

My dad.

Your eyes may not see anything unusual
In this photo
Until I tell you that he is 81
(I KNOW he doesn't LOOK 81, but he is)
And this is the FIRST time I've ever
Seen him in shorts!!!

(Except a time or two in his swim trunks
When I was a girl and our family
Went to the lake.)

My dad is a retired minister.
His "everyday clothes"
Are usually worn-out dress clothes.
He even mows his yard
In long pants and dress shoes.

I kid you not.

My personal photo journalist, Shelli
Took this shot of a decal
I have on my car window.
(Thus the inside-outness of it)

I put it here as fair warning
That my trips to Wisconsin
Are just around the corner
And I will be BLOGGING about them soon.

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End of School Activities - Part Quattro - Senior Skip Day

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A week before school was over, we had Senior Skip Day. We began the skip with breakfast at Cracker Barrel. After breakfast we divided into three groups for a digital scavenger hunt. We ended our day with a pool side cook-out.

These are the pictures of my group: Michael, Emily, and Kristie during the scavenger hunt.

If I can just find my inner Dr. Seuss, it will make this more fun - - -

We set out on a mission
To take photos in a batch.
First we jammed ourselves like sardines
Into Mrs. Broyles' hatch!

We stopped before a water tank
With a Marion Giant on its side.
We took a leap into the air
Before we continued on our ride.

We posed before a church,
There was no pastor there - - -
But upon the roof a steeple
Pointed straight into the air.

We posed before a fire truck
Still parked right in the station.
Joined by a true blue fireman,
The girls dubbed "hottest in the nation."

We arrived at the museum
And posed upon the stair,
We surrounded the "museum" sign
Just to prove that we were there.

Garfield is the product
Of a local "boy" of fame - - -
He was born right here in Marion,
And Jim Davis is his name.

We stopped at a gazebo
Beside the river shore,
Waved into the camera,
Then ran for pictures more!

We needed to find a bird house
As 'round town we did roam.
But when we found this one,
No birdie was at home!

We needed a foreign language
Written upon a sign.
Knowing it means "rodeo"
Makes the bonus mine.
(Ours - - - but that doesn't rhyme.)

Next we stopped on campus
To pose before this wall,
Joined by a total stranger
Who was a resident in this hall!

Finally before a corn field
And with just seconds to spare,
For all the other teams
Already were there!!

And though we didn't win
(Another team's points were more)
We had a fabulous time
Which evened up the score!!!

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The Fat Lady Sang and Sang and Sang

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She sang today.

You know the one I mean - - - the really fat one that sings to signal that it's over.

I finished packing up my personal things out of my classroom, loaded them in my Durango, and drove away.

Now I am just me - - - whoever that is without teaching.

Many of you have asked what I'll be doing. I don't know what I'll be doing - - - but I do know what I WON'T be doing.

I don't plan to find another teaching job. I do plan to wait until after we return from our vacation to Wisconsin in July before I give any serious thoughts to the next "thing".

In the meantime - - - - I shall be watching some of these:



Mr. Goldfinch and his entire family stay with us year around. Mr. Rose-breasted Grosbeak only passes through on his way to greener pastures. This year he stayed around for a few days - - - just long enough to make us think he was staying, and then he checked out.


Meet Mr. Bluebird. Mr. Bluebird has lived in our yard for several years - - - but THIS year he has taken on a whole new personality.

A few days ago, a raccoon or something opened up the bluebird house, cleaned out the nest and all the young, and knocked the house to the ground.

Mr. Bluebird, like any good daddy, became very distraught and began flying right up to our family room window, perching on the hummingbird feeder, and tapping on the glass.


Fisherhubby put the house back on the tree, sealing the door to keep the "pests" out.

Though we have seen Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird return to their house, Mr. now prefers to sit right up near our windows indulging in frequent flapping and pecking.

Strange birdie behavior!!!

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