Home for the holidays

Lucky me to be in Rochester and Buffalo for two whole weeks with all the family!

The Waikikis

The Dolloffs

Luke and Izzy

Luke and Izzy

Luke

Alana

New fallen snow

Is anything cuter than a Christmas pageant?

The teacher act, "I'm Getting Nothin' for Christmas."

"Hey, there's a hawk in your hair!"

Yes, those are the actual words Frank was uttering as I memorialized this event.

When an unfortunate bird got trapped in the upstairs porch of the teacher house, Frank wanted me to take pictures of him liberating it. (Is it because he's been hanging around Indians so long that he feels compelled to go hand to hand with birds of prey?) Frank's imperfect technique involved covering and blindfolding it with a bedspread. And yes, after I snapped this shot, the hawk's talons grabbed my head.

Cowgirl boots and a puppy

My friend Karen from Tacoma came out last weekend. We toured around Taos, soaked in Pagosa Springs, and drank excessively. She went home with these fabulous boots and will be back in a few weeks to collect, Sundance, the puppy who fell in love with her.

Letters to a substitute teacher

St. Francis School
Lumberton, NM 87528
Dec. 8, 2008

Dear Mr. Davis,

Thank you for teaching us on Friday. The class is sorry for messing around. Thanks for your games, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader and Hangman.

Sincerely,
EN
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St. Francis School
Lumberton, NM 87528
Dec. 8, 2008

Dear Mr. Davis,

Thank you for teaching us on Friday. What do you mean that wild animals are easier to train?

Sincerely,
DH
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St. Francis School
Lumberton, NM 87528
Dec. 8, 2008

Dear Mr. Davis,

Thank you for teaching us on Friday. I’m sorry for some people trying to trick you into going outside and running around in the classroom. We could be more polite and respectful. I apologize for the disrespect.

Sincerely,
LV
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St. Francis School
Lumberton, NM 87528
Dec. 8, 2008

Dear Mr. Davis,

We are sorry that we misbehaved. We are sorry for the way we acted when you were here and that we said we go outside at 10:30.

Sincerely,
DG
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St. Francis School
Lumberton, NM 87528
Dec. 8, 2008

Dear Mr. Davis,

We are all truly sorry for our behavior the day you taught us, like when all the girls started laughing. And once again we are sorry for our behavior.

Sincerely,
RV

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone

All I want for Christmas ...

are jigsaw puzzles.

The kids love them. We have a half dozen or so, but they are tattered and incomplete relics of the 1970s. I've learned that puzzles pacify playground combatants, inspire teamwork, and make a noisy crowd quiet. They have saved me often when, at the end of the day, I am a mute heap collapsed in the corner of the classroom.

Mailing address:
21 County Road 356
HC 71 Box 95
Dulce NM 87528

Crazy for the game