Friday, June 6, 2014

Happy Graduation, Class of 2014!


Yellow Lady Slipper (not fully open) on Munger Trail,
taken June 1, 2014, in the rain.
I just wanted to wish you all a Happy Graduation! I wish you all the best in the future, and I hope you'll let me know how things go for you in college--you can always shoot me an email or look me up on Facebook. And whenever you're in town during the school year, do stop in and say hello. 

Thanks for a great first year of blogging, and a great first year of the 1:1 program: we all made it! You didn't die from technology overload, and I didn't trip over an extension cord! I think that, as guinea pigs go, we were pretty good ones--I hope you learned things that will help you next year. I know I learned a lot. (Madame Greenan and I will be talking about some of what we learned at the Lausanne Learning Institute Conference in mid-July in Memphis, TN.)
Yellow Lady Slipper (not fully open) on Munger Trail,
taken June 1, 2014, in the rain.

Some of you have asked me for reading suggestions--if you truly enjoyed any of the authors we read this year (for E12, Stephen King, Mark Haddon, A. C. Doyle, Sherman Alexie, Tim O'Brien, Alice Sebold, Henrik Ibsen, & William Shakespeare; for AP, Shelley, Brontë, Ibsen, O'Brien, the WWI poets), they've all written many, many works, and starting with another book by an author you already like is always a good way to go…If you want more specific suggestions, email me (Morgan F, I'm still thinking!).

One of two new 'chids in my collection, purchased last
weekend (in the rain) at the Duluth Garden Flower Society
sale: it's called "Tropical Magic."
I've heard many positive responses to your "Thank You" posts--faculty and staff really appreciate them--so if there's still someone you want to thank, it's never too late, and remember to send those folks the links to your posts.

In the coming weeks, I'll probably put up a post with links to my favorite "Random Acts of Shakespeare" videos, so keep an eye out for that. And you know I'll be showing those videos to next year's seniors! I think the class of 2014 was much more creative (especially with the sonnets, but even with the mini-scenes) than any previous class, so you all should be proud of that. You set the bar high for the class of 2015. 
Another new 'chid in my collection, also purchased last weekend (in the rain) 
at the DGFS sale--this is "Moon Stone."

As a whole, you're a very artistic class: there are lots of visual artists, musicians, and actors among you. I hope many of you will be able to stay involved in those creative pursuits--try to find time and energy for them, even amidst all the stresses and busy-ness of the years to come. You'll be glad you did. 
My very first 'chid, a Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid), blooming
for the third time this year.

Thanks for putting up with my orchid obsession--I hope it wasn't too annoying. Recently, I visited the [X] Bog, Bemidji Lake State Park, and the Lady Slipper Scenic Byway, where I took lots of photos, which I'll inflict on next year's seniors! My goal was to see the Stemless Lady Slipper, and I saw quite a few. 
Stemless Slipper, Lake Bemidji State Park, Bog Walk Trail

I hope you all have the chance to do things you love and to spend plenty of time with folks you care about before you start the next phase of your life. 


Good luck!