43rd first day of school!

The start of a new school year.
I started teaching in the fall of 1994 so this will be my 26th first day of school as a teacher. Then there are the 4 years of first days as a college student. That's 30 first days. Then 13 years of kindergarten- senior year that's 43 first days of school.
That's a lot of school lunches. I need some inspiration!

Vested Gentress Dress

Looking for Lilly. and Vintage Fashion Guild
Vested Gentress was a company based out of Valley Forge, PA.  They opened in the early 1961 and closed in the 80s. Their factory was located in Trappe, Pennsylvania, about twelve miles from Valley Forge. The company was known for whimsical screenprinted fabrics. These fabrics were made into dresses, slacks, and skirts. The company closed in the late 1980s.
Dating hint: In the earlier labels, the lady does not have the crop in her hand. In addition to their regular clothing line, they had a golf and tennis line. They, like Lilly Pulitzer, were known for their prints. Only, the patterns that Vested Gentress used, could make Lilly's seem, well, pretty tame.   Just like Lilly, Vested Gentress was known for their hand printing.  The patterns were playful and, at times, sort of in-your-face funny.  Many patterns used cartoon character-looking animals.  The dog that was also used as the company logo for many years comes to mind and can be seen below.  He's seen here as a puppy but, is usually seen in patterns all grown up and is often with this frog.

Dante and the Bible

Dante's Inferno Canto I
"Halfway through his life, Dante the Pilgrim wakes to find himself lost in a dark wood. Terrified of being alone in so dismal a valley, he wanders until he comes to a hill bathed in sunlight, and his fear begins to leave him."

YouVersion verse of the day Therefore you are great, O Lord God, For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
YouVersion verse of the day Thursday March 21 The First Day of Spring
The Lord is my Shepherd

Bible study Genesis 20- Trust in the Lord. Do not overstep Him.

library thoughts

Librarians are always looking 2 weeks in the future... thanks date due stamp. Thanks.

You would think the Kindle would scare booksellers but I guess then the library would too

2018 Favorite Reads

2018 favorite reads
Penny Reid- Winston Brothers series
Coyle Coffee Shop Mystery series
Carlisle Bibliophile Mystery series
Newsome Dog Park Mystery series
Jurassic Park
The Meg
Hawthorne- Young adult romances
Colfer's Airman
Rowling's Lily and the Octopus
Louise Penny's Still Life

Chronological Bible Notes

I've been reading my Bible continuously from childhood and through several times with different plans. Lately, I've just not been as intentional. I use the Youversion verse of the day and read around it or see an article and read the verses mentioned something like that but it isn't in-depth enough. Reading the Bible chronologically reminds me of the stories I learned in Sunday School and church and I need to revisit to see how they speak to me today. So far this year's reading has brought us

the creation, Adam and Eve, Eden, sin, Cain and Abel, Methuselah, Nephilites, Noah, the flood, 40 days and 40 nights, Mt Ararat, the rainbow, the tower of Babel, Abram and Sarai, Lot, Ishmael, Sodom and Gomorrah, Isaac,  the sacrifice of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Essau, the birthright, Jacob's stairway to heaven, Jacob and Leah and Rachel, Dinah, Joseph, 20 pieces of silver, Potiphar, Er and Onan, Joseph's dreams, 7 years, Joseph's brothers, silver cup, Pharaoh, Goshen, Job

And I have a few favorite verses:

Gen 2:3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work...

Gen 15:6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous.
Gen 24:42 Please give me success on this mission.
Gen 31:49 May the Lord keep watch between us to make sure we keep this covenant when we are out of sight.
Gen 32:9 I will treat you kindly.
Gen 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph so he succeeded in everything he did as he served...

24th/41st start

First Day of School
# 24 as a teacher
# 41 as a student

Staying calm is harder than it sounds.
I think asking me to be positive! is too much to ask when things are clearly not positive. But I can not be negative or constantly complain and that's something.