Gardening and Horticulture Stamp

I saw this stamp in my husband’s collection and I really liked it. During the spring and summer, I do a lot of gardening so this was a perfect stamp to reflect one of my hobbies.

The three-cent green Gardening and Horticulture stamp (US #1100) was issued on March 15, 1958, in Ithaca, New York. It was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on a rotary press. The stamp was issued in conjunction with the one-hundredth celebration of Liberty Hyde Bailey’s birth.

Liberty Hyde Bailey is known as the Father of Modern Horticulture in America. He was born in Michigan in 1858. He studied botany during his college years at Michigan Agricultural College (MAC) which is now known as Michigan State University. He graduated in 1882 and went to Harvard University to work as an assistant to Asa Gray. Asa Gray was a famous botanist known around the world.

In 1884, Bailey went back to Michigan Agricultural College and started the first horticulture department in the United States. He established the first horticultural laboratory in the United States in 1888.

He served as a professor of botany and horticulture at Cornell University from 1888 to 1903. When he was at Cornell University, he started an extension program to teach people in rural areas about agriculture. This motivated New York State to open the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell that was run by Bailey. Bailey created the Bailey Hortorium which houses one of the largest collections of preserved plant material.

The Bailey Museum and Gardens are located in South Haven Michigan. The homestead is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home was built from 1853 -1856 and is one of the oldest standing homes in South Haven Michigan. The museum’s grounds feature gardens with interpretive signage, community garden plots, an old smokehouse, a blacksmith shop and carriage barn, and a nature trail.

Class activities:

1. Who is Asa Gray and why was he famous?
2. Identify an artifact from early horticulture. Describe its function.
3. Find a plant and share more about the plant.

References:

https://www.mysticstamp.com/Products/United-States/1100/USA/?gclid=CjwKCAjw47eFBhA9EiwAy8kzNA8YHpKXBJI-qjkoEtzaNkOKYSBE-em8o_9rO2oiBovohg-RDCeroRoC8_UQAvD_BwE

https://rise.natsci.msu.edu/about/who-was-liberty-hyde-bailey/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Liberty-Hyde-Bailey

https://www.libertyhydebailey.org/

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 5/28/21

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels: E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

How to Use Home Assistant Devices as Assistive Technology - “These devices can help with spelling and sounding out words, solving basic math problems, and staying on schedule. Hear from AT consultant Jamie Martin on the whys and hows of using these tools. Then find out why he thinks home assistant devices are the future of AT.” (L:T;SA:A)

To Accomplish Great Things You Need to “Let the Paint Dry.” - “As theaters closed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the creatives who populated their stages were plunged into a state of seemingly endless uncertainty. Aided by a delightful and metaphorically resonant piece of performance art, multidisciplinary artist Daniel J. Watts shares a personal perspective on reframing this moment of global stasis as an opportunity to reset and reflect on the potential of what comes after.” (L:T;SA:A)

Fling the Teacher - create your own review game (L:T;SA:A)

Educandy - “With Educandy, you can create interactive learning games in minutes. All you need is to enter the vocabulary or questions and answers and Educandy turns your content into cool interactive activities.”(L:T;SA:A)

Tailor- Ed - “Tailor-ED is now free for all teachers!You will now be able to create limitless lesson plans, exit tickets, gain access to our 5000+ resources and have all the premium content Tailor-ED offers- with no extra charge! Enjoy!” (L:T;SA:A)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Asian Americans TV Series

Check out the Asian Americans TV series that is free to watch online on PBS.

From a press release in 2019:

“Beverly Hills, CA; July 29, 2019 – Today at the Television Critics Association Press Tour, PBS and WETA announced ASIAN AMERICANS, a new five-part documentary series currently in production and expected to broadcast in May 2020 on PBS. The series examines what the 2010 U.S. Census identifies as the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States. Told through individual lives and personal histories, ASIAN AMERICANS explores the impact of this group on the country’s past, present, and future.”

About the show:

“Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that will chronicle the contributions, and challenges of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing ethnic group in America. Personal histories and new academic research will cast a fresh lens on U.S. history and the role Asian Americans have played in it.”:

This would be great for students to watch and gain a better understanding of the Asian American history and culture.

If you watch it, let me know what you think!

One Good Thing

This past Sunday, I was the Sunday School leader and had to lead the group in exploring how God can use the smallest gift dedicated to God’s service to make a big impact in the world. I think the questions in the lesson would be a great discussion to have with students.

The lesson starts with an article, Heart Lady Uses Art to Spread a Little Love Around. It talks about the artist Deirdre Freeman who makes vibrant paper hearts with messages of love and encouragement on trees and telephone poles. Some of these have stayed up for months. Another artist, Kristina Libby creates large floral heart wreaths and places them around the city. These give people a way to grieve, pray, and heal.

The Associated Press shared over 200 stories of people who have given of themselves. The series was called One G

In 200 stories over this pandemic-ridden year, The Associated Press has celebrated selfless people who have given of themselves in trying times. The series call “One Good Thing” was great to read.

Here are some examples.

“The 79-year-old widow battling Stage 4 cancer had planted hundreds of tulips along a road in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Tammi Truax, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, poet laureate who writes weekly pandemic verses for her community newsletter.

Emiliano Moscoso, a restaurateur delivering meals to poor families in the Colombian capital of Bogota, among them Venezuelan refugees, Moscoso said he closed out 2020 with a little over 40,000 meals delivered.

Bonnie Matthews’ 6-year-old son Chip got a birthday gift of $2 from mail carrier Tawanna Purter after the two struck up an unlikely pandemic friendship.

Former Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was overjoyed by the response to April’s story on the daily notes of inspiration, encouragement and wisdom he was sending to some 5,000 subscribers.

There was the Texas principal whose school runs a free store providing food and goods to the community”

Now the lesson asked some questions that I thought I’d answer here.

1. What is the impact of small gestures done by others in your life? (I try to pass it on when a stranger does a kindness to me.)

2. How are we changed as individuals when we use our talents for the benefit of others, expecting nothing in return?

3. When, if ever, have you seen God use a person whose gifts were not particularly remarkable to accomplish amazing things? What does that suggest about how God work? (Years ago, I had to place some students with intellectual disabilities in an internship. I worried that they wouldn’t have a lot to offer and that the employer might call me to remove them from this placement. Within two weeks, I heard reports about how much joy these two students gave to the residents in this nursing home. It humbled me to realize that everyone has a gift to share.)

4. Robert Brault said, “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” What are some “little things” that you didn’t necessarily appreciate at the time, that you now realize were really important in your life? ( I look back at the many sacrifices my parents made for me that I didn’t appreciate at the time. Now when I look back and realize that we didn’t have a lot of money and no health insurance so my parents sacrificed a lot of things they wanted so that their children would have what they wanted.)

How would you answer these questions? Please share.

Respecting Other People’s Decisions

I recently posted this on Facebook and I thought I would post it here because it really explains what I feel. I believe that as an intelligent person, I can make my own decision about my health without being pressured by others. I will do what is right for myself and my family. Whatever health decision I make will not be motivated by politics or peer pressure.

(I don't usually copy and paste but I liked and agreed with this message.)

For my friends who have recently gotten their shot or who know they will get one soon, I’m happy for you. I can see how relieved you are and I’m so glad that this option is available!

For my friends who are in the hellz no group, I want to throw some love and respect your way, too.

The wonderful thing about informed consent is that two people with the same information, can make two completely different choices and neither of them is right or wrong

There are benefits and risks to every medical procedure. Doing the “right thing” means you’ve weighed the risks and benefits for yourself, and are making an informed decision! The only wrong decision IMO is made purely out of fear, social pressure, or emotional reactivity.

What’s right for one person, maybe wrong for the other. Both, on an intuitive and biological level. We’re all doing the best we can with the information and we have been given, so can this just be a gentle reminder *for all* to please respect each other and be mindful of the message we put out there making others “wrong”?

Reminder - this information is also part of one's personal health information act and you have the right to not answer when asked whether you choose to get vaccinated or not

So whether you choose;
CV shot
No shot
Tequila shot
You’re okay in my books and I respect YOUR DECISION

When I’m asked if I had the vaccine or not, my answer is this:

I have stopped answering that question because it is a personal decision and no matter what my answer is, it will create controversy from one side or the other. I do not want to have any more contention in my life than I already have. Asking this question ranks right up there with asking me my political affiliation or my religious beliefs.

So, let’s talk about the weather…


Photo by Florian Schmetz on Unsplash