I can breathe again now.

My contract was renewed for next year. [heavy, deep sigh] People here always look at me like I'm crazy when they ask me why I'm so anxious this time of year and I tell them that. But you have to realize that the person who makes the decision whether or not to recommend to the board that I be re-hired is my principal... and I'll be frank, here, I have learned never, ever, ever, ever to trust any school administrator. Ever.

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Yesterday, while driving to take pictures at a track meet, I was able to enjoy the loveliest time of year in Texas -- wildflower season. Here are a few for your enjoyment:

 Castilleja rhexiifolia, or Splitleaf Indian Paintbrush

 Castilleja indivisa, or Texas Paintbrush

I thought this one was super-cool because it was literally hot-pink

instead of the usual flamey orange-red, like the next one:

 Castilleja indivisa, or Texas Paintbrush

The hot-pink one was right next to the Splitleaf one, so I thought maybe the Splitleaf might just be a spent version, but the more I look at them, the more I think not. The hot-pink one was exactly like the red variety, too, so I don't think it was a separate species. I think it was just an amazing fluke. I'd like to have a yard full of it, but Castilleja is a hemiparasitic genus, meaning they take part of their nutrients from the roots of nearby plants, and transplanting them doesn't really work because they don't survive the process.

 Lupinus texensis, or Texas bluebonnet, interspersed with

Castilleja indivisa, makes a spectacularly lovely sight on the roadsides,

as you can plainly see:

I didn't mind at all having to be on the road so much yesterday. My son had a doctor's appointment in the morning, and I had requested a substitute teacher for the whole day so I could then go to the track meet and take pictures, so I ended up putting a whole lotta miles on my MINI Cooper... but they were beautiful miles, and I love driving that car so much.
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I didn't end up getting much sleep last night because we had thunderstorms, and one of my little dogs is mortally terrified of thunder and lightning and rain. My two dogs sleep with me, but when one of them is restless, they contrive to murder sleep* for me. Alas, I soldier on.


*quote from Anne of the Island, chapter VIII, "Anne's First Proposal," by Lucy Maud Montgomery:

To sleep went Jane easily and speedily; but, though very unlike MacBeth in most respects, she had certainly contrived to murder sleep for Anne. That proposed-to damsel lay on a wakeful pillow until the wee sma's, but her meditations were far from being romantic. It was not, however, until the next morning that she had an opportunity to indulge in a good laugh over the whole affair. When Jane had gone home -- still with a hint of frost in voice and manner because Anne had declined so ungratefully and decidedly the honor of an alliance with the House of Andrews -- Anne retreated to the porch room, shut the door, and had her laugh out at last.

which was a reference by LMM to Shakespeare's MacBeth, Act II, Scene 2:

Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murder sleep”—the innocent sleep,

Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care,

The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,

Chief nourisher in life’s feast.

 

I love oblique references like these. :) I think it's the English major that still lives inside me somewhere.