In These Hills: April 2011

Easter Changes

>> Friday, April 29, 2011 – Spring

Each year we have given the girls little wooden bunnies. We have so many now that we were able to have a parade down the table. I decided we had enough and skipped getting them this year only to have Helen wistfully remark that she hoped the Easter Bunny would bring a little wooden rabbit like usual. Oh Well.

I also decided that the girls were too old for the usual stuffed bunny. Our Easter basket tradition doesn't include gifts aside from the bunny, so I was a bit stumped at what to do. I ended up getting Haikubes and creating haikus next to their baskets.

We are certainly at a transition point with the Easter basket tradition. The only thing I did figure out is that the little wooden bunnies must continue.

Connecting to the Civil War

>> – History

I spend quite a bit of time with students helping them connect local people and stories to significant events in history. One project I do is to find Civil War soldiers in local cemeteries, then work with kids to research their soldiers' experiences in the war.

Last week I took the girls on a trip to Gettysburg. I had never been and am considering bringing a group of teachers there next summer. At first we had a bit of trouble negotiating around all the tourists, movies, and ghost walks.

But slowly the mystical chords of Gettysburg began to whisper to us.

We found ourselves thinking hard about why people fight and wondering when or if it is ever worth the carnage.

We explored the impact of war on civilians at the Shriver House and read a memoir written by this little girl as she told of living through a horrifying experience.

It was an amazing experience filled with opportunities to have history have real meaning, real lessons for us all.

Spring Concert

Last weekend Elizabeth was in the Green Mountain Youth Symphony spring concert. It was a gala affair with performances at two different opera houses.

Here she is during the warm-up (front right)
When she walked out onstage I didn't recognize her because someone had french-braided her hair.

She had the most fantastic weekend. Her photo was in the paper, she got to play some really difficult music that she had practiced for hours and hours, and she had a lot of fun downtime with the kids in the orchestra. People have told me over the years how wonderful being in a symphony can be. I get it now.

Her orchestra has been invited to be the North American representative to Eurorchestries, a European festival to be held in Quebec City this summer.

Here is Liz performing a medley from Harry Potter.

Spring is such a busy time for us. Coming up are concerts, a sixth-grade play (Robin Hood), crew regattas (every weekend), a knighting ceremony, and a May Fair.