Category: Alicia Writes

Stolen Moments in the Sun

On By Alicia McCauleyIn Bike Adventures10 Comments

Is there a better way to spend a day off than riding a bike?  The answer is no, no there’s not.  When I ride on a holiday, I feel like I’m getting away with something.  I should be at work, but instead I’m out in the air, the sunshine glinting off my shifters and my legs propelling me along smooth, black asphalt strips of bliss.

On Monday, I showed a novice cyclist and her son a beautiful and mercifully flat trial that runs along the edge of Keswick Reservoir.  I love showing people trails they haven’t ridden before.  I especially love showing cycling newbies that they can ride farther than they ever have before.  I got to do both last Monday with friend and her son in tow on a trail a bike.

The day was simply gorgeous.  I pulled on tights and topped my jersey off with armwarmers and gloves, grateful to leave my jacket in the car.  The California sun sparkled off the water and I absorbed its rays and sucked in great breaths of fresh air.  For all my friends trapped in drifts of snow, here’s a little California sunshine from me to you.  Try to refrain from pressing your face up against the screen.

We rode along the old railroad track, now a smooth bike path.  We dipped into the cool darkness of the old train tunnel and yelped and hollered, letting our voices echo off the tunnel walls and bounce back to us.

The bike trail is cut from the side of mountains of rock and out of that rock scarlet flames of manzanita shoot forth.  Manzanita is such a resilient, hearty plant that I couldn’t help but stop for a moment and admire its beauty.

We rode to the backside of Shasta Dam, a sight that always takes my breath away, this mountain of concrete holding back the pulsing waters of Lake Shasta.

Image courtesy of usbr.gov

All told we rode 16 miles with the winter sun shining down on us.  As I pedaled toward the car I grinned, the cold winter air making my teeth hurt.  I couldn’t stop grinning because I knew with every fiber of my being how lucky I was to ride in winter in this stolen moment of beauty in the sun.

Thankful Thursday #55

On By Alicia McCauleyIn Thankful ThursdaysLeave a comment

This week I’m thankful for…

  • bike rides with friends
  • my warm house
  • the cozy feeling of being tucked under heavy piles of blankets
  • my little ones and their parents who are fully embracing our 100 Acts of Kindness challenge
  • the day when the rain let up just in time for both recesses
  • time to practice with my new camera
  • the fact that my camera didn’t break when I accidentally dropped it from my handlebars.  Really, it’s good to get that first scratch out of the way, right?
  • the sound of my hubby’s voice
  • lots of opportunities to laugh with my little ones
  • parent volunteers
  • my little one who stayed home sick and spent the day writing comic books to share with the class
  • the opportunity to take care of a friend in need
  • dinner with friends

Privates

On By Alicia McCauleyIn Teacher Tales1 Comment

This morning during independent reading one of my little ones motioned me to his desk.  I hurried over and he looked up at me with his baby blue sparklers.  This kid is darling, impish, but darling.  He’s always asking the best questions.  Plus his hobbies include playing football, reading and sewing.  How could I not love a kid like that?  There’s never a dull moment with this little one and I like that he keeps me on my toes with his inquisitive mind.

This morning he called me over and said “Mrs. McCauley, girl privates…”  He paused for a moment and I braced myself for impact.

Lord in Heaven, I hoped it would be a relatively innocuous question.  I took a deep breath, leaning down by his desk so that whatever came next could be quietly discussed.

He continued. “Girl privates have to stay in the helicopters during missions, but boy privates can get out of the helicopters.”  He held up a page of his book for me to see.  My face flooded with relief when I realized he was reading a book on the military.

I laughed and said “I’m so glad to hear you say that.”

“You are?”

“Extremely.”

“I don’t think you should be glad because it doesn’t seem fair that girl privates don’t get to do all the stuff boy privates do.”  He was indignant.

“Kiddo, you don’t know how right you are.”  I laughed and then walked away so I could compose myself.

You just can’t make this stuff up.

A Day for Watering

On By Alicia McCauleyIn The Junk Drawer4 Comments

Don’t take my bike away for saying this, but sometimes walking is better than cycling.  Wait, before you stab my bike tires and spit in my water bottles, hear me out.  Sometimes I need to look at things at an even slower pace.  Those of you who have ridden with me before are balking already because surely there can’t be anything slower than me slugging along on The Rocket.  Sometimes I just need to stroll and inhale the crisp air and squat down on the ground and look at stuff, really look at stuff.

That Laura & I walked along the river the other day, the winter wind whipping my camera strap as I happily snapped away, trying to make some sense of my new camera.  We walked into the arboretum, one of my favorite places on the trail because a new surprise waits around every corner.

Take the Monkey Puzzle Trees for one.  Just looking at their sparse, prickly branches makes me laugh.

And when I start to compose myself again, I think of the name ‘Monkey Puzzle Trees’ and I’m in stitches all over again.

Until the other day, I’d never taken the branch of the path that leads to a little bridge called Charlotte’s Crossing.  I was mooning over it already because I’m the teacher who cries every year when I read the end of Charlotte’s Web.  Then Charlotte herself greeted us and I thought I was going to straight swoon.

So by the time I saw Charlotte’s charming children climbing the sides of the bridge, I was downright giddy.  Not to mention that blue sky in the background.  I love sunny winter California days.

A few steps later I spotted this petite pile of stones.  Something about the balance required to stack stones always makes me stop and pause.

And then I turned a corner and saw these.

We meandered along the trail and ducked into the Children’s Sculpture Garden where “Mosaic Oasis”, a sculpture by Colleen Barry, sits as the crowning jewel in the garden.

I could stay at this sculpture for hours, running my fingers over each tile.  I mean just look at these ladybugs creeping along.  Don’t they make your fingers itch to do crayon rubbings?

Everywhere you look there’s a new treasure to behold, like this little heart marked with love.

Or Lady Liberty standing tall amongst other shining jewels.

And then there are the dragonflies.  Small dragonflies skitter and flit in and out of the mosaic, but this is the one that makes my heart leap into my throat.  It’s staggeringly beautiful.

In the center of the mosaic on the back side of the dragonfly is this gorgeous tree.

And because I adore, adore, adore the plaque accompanying the tree, here’s a closer look.

On a scale of 1-10 how weird would it be to tattoo that quote to my forehead for every parent to see?  11?  Oh well, I’m afraid of needles anyway.

And then, as if the Mosaic Oasis wasn’t full of enough wonder, there are the giant insect sculptures.  Isn’t this ladybug just absolutely begging for a smooch?

And then there’s the giant metal dragonfly statue.  Be.  Still.  My.  Heart.

I’ve died and gone to Heaven.  Look at the details in the face.  I’m absolutely smitten with this dragonfly.

The Children’s Sculpture Garden brims with magic.  Even a glimpse through the spindly branches of Harry Lauder’s walking stick revealed this quaint, blue house.

As the light began to fade, That Laura and I turned back toward the trailhead.  On the path we spotted this stencil of a woman watering her plant.

We hurried up the last hill back to the car and as we did, I couldn’t help but feel that this walk had watered a parched part of me, a part of me in desperate need of a day to slow down and drink it all in.

A Day for Watering

On By Alicia McCauleyIn The Junk Drawer4 Comments

Don’t take my bike away for saying this, but sometimes walking is better than cycling.  Wait, before you stab my bike tires and spit in my water bottles, hear me out.  Sometimes I need to look at things at an even slower pace.  Those of you who have ridden with me before are balking already because surely there can’t be anything slower than me slugging along on The Rocket.  Sometimes I just need to stroll and inhale the crisp air and squat down on the ground and look at stuff, really look at stuff.

That Laura & I walked along the river the other day, the winter wind whipping my camera strap as I happily snapped away, trying to make some sense of my new camera.  We walked into the arboretum, one of my favorite places on the trail because a new surprise waits around every corner.

Take the Monkey Puzzle Trees for one.  Just looking at their sparse, prickly branches makes me laugh.

And when I start to compose myself again, I think of the name ‘Monkey Puzzle Trees’ and I’m in stitches all over again.

Until the other day, I’d never taken the branch of the path that leads to a little bridge called Charlotte’s Crossing.  I was mooning over it already because I’m the teacher who cries every year when I read the end of Charlotte’s Web.  Then Charlotte herself greeted us and I thought I was going to straight swoon.

Charlotte

So by the time I saw Charlotte’s charming children climbing the sides of the bridge, I was downright giddy.  Not to mention that blue sky in the background.  I love sunny winter California days.

Charlotte’s Children

A few steps later I spotted this petite pile of stones.  Something about the balance required to stack stones always makes me stop and pause.

And then I turned a corner and saw these.

We meandered along the trail and ducked into the Children’s Sculpture Garden where “Mosaic Oasis”, a sculpture by Colleen Barry, sits as the crowning jewel in the garden.

“Mosaic Oasis” by Colleen Barry

I could stay at this sculpture for hours, running my fingers over each tile.  I mean just look at these ladybugs creeping along.  Don’t they make your fingers itch to do crayon rubbings?

Everywhere you look there’s a new treasure to behold, like this little heart marked with love.

Love

Or Lady Liberty standing tall amongst other shining jewels.

And then there are the dragonflies.  Small dragonflies skitter and flit in and out of the mosaic, but this is the one that makes my heart leap into my throat.  It’s staggeringly beautiful.

Dragonflies skitter.

In the center of the mosaic on the back side of the dragonfly is this gorgeous tree.

Tree

And because I adore, adore, adore the plaque accompanying the tree, here’s a closer look.

Prepare the child.

On a scale of 1-10 how weird would it be to tattoo that quote to my forehead for every parent to see?  11?  Oh well, I’m afraid of needles anyway.

And then, as if the Mosaic Oasis wasn’t full of enough wonder, there are the giant insect sculptures.  Isn’t this ladybug just absolutely begging for a smooch?

Pucker up!

And then there’s the giant metal dragonfly sculpture.  Be.  Still.  My.  Heart.

dragonfly taking flight

I’ve died and gone to Heaven.  Look at the details in the face.  I’m absolutely smitten with this dragonfly.

bug-eyed wonder

The Children’s Sculpture Garden brims with magic.  Even a glimpse through the spindly branches of Harry Lauder’s walking stick revealed this quaint, blue house.

blue house

As the light began to fade, That Laura and I turned back toward the trailhead.  On the path we spotted this stencil of a woman watering her plant.

watering woman

We hurried up the last hill back to the car and as we did, I couldn’t help but feel that this walk had watered a parched part of me, a part of me in desperate need of a day to slow down and drink it all in.