Summer.

Summer is one of the busiest seasons on the island, with what feels like a million different things going on. This summer will be no different. School ends on Monday for the kids, Tuesday for us, and, on Wednesday I'll be starting up with the gardening crew. There will be the usual potluck bbqs, various concerts, the 4th of July madness, after work visits to the quarry, hikes with the dog, the Island Benefit Challenge (watch out for the sister team), summer Silver Threads Artisan Show, and more.

But come August, my life, and my living arrangements, will change immensely (and become slightly crafting-challenged).

VT!

I've take a job back home in VT, teaching science at a small independent ski school in the heart of the green mountains. This new job doesn't feel like it will be too overwhelming as my teaching responsibilities will be very similar to those here on the island, so I feel pretty prepared for the transition. At least the teaching part of the transition. The move overall, however, is bittersweet. I'm excited to make some changes in my life, though I'm definitely sad to be leaving the island. I do feel incredibly connected to the island, so I know that I am not leaving it for good. But, it will be really nice to be closer to family, and in an area of VT that I really love. And did I mention that it's a ski school? Mostly downhill, but a small group of nordies that I hope to be able to help out with.

summer reading assignment #1

That's not the only thing I'm taking on this summer. I'll also be starting a grad program, a masters' in Ecological Teaching and Learning. It begins with three weeks Down East, in a residential field studies program. It will be nice to explore an area of the state I haven't seen yet, and it will be great to start doing the student thing again. I've missed reading and learning material that I have a personal interest in. The program runs for 18 months, and includes three semesters online, plus a second field studies session next summer down in Boston. I've already started on the homework for the summer course with several front porch beer & book sessions. I expect there will be more in the next few weeks.


Needless to say, between the new job and grad school, I might be a bit busy over the next few years.

But wait, there's more.

Along with the new job, I'll also be a dorm parent. That alone is a major transition for me. I'll be living with a 20-something roommate, in charge of the day-to-day lives of a handful of the 16-18 year-olds who attend the school. I haven't had a roommate since I was living in CO, and lived in a house with 3+ others (and a variety of dogs at various times). I'm a little wary, but it will be nice to have company again. The pets are great, but I've missed having another person. Granted a majority of that company will be teenagers. It will be fine and will only be about a year or so. My family will all be about an hour or less away, so getting a away for a break will be easy (and is encouraged on days/nights off).

The dorm-parent apartment is cozy - maybe a little bigger than where I am now, so crafting space will be limited, and I sense I will have to get very creative with storage. And the stove is a dorm-style, honey-I-shrunk-the-kids size. At least a pie plate will fit the oven. . . I think.

from a previous summer:
pie-lets for PIE's 4th of July booth

So until I make the big move in August, I'm madly getting things prepped for the summer Silver Threads show (new items this round!). I have been, and will be, sewing like crazy up until I leave for grad school in early July; I'll be back just in time for Silver Threads at the end of the month.  And I'll be baking pie - at least a couple for the 4th of July PIE booth. I get recruited every year to help bake pies, and already have at least one picked out from the book.

I'm fairly certain things will soon get crazy and overwhelming and I will panic about packing and moving. And I'll probably need copious amounts of chocolate, and at least a beer or two, or three. But I'll worry about that tomorrow. Or the next day. For now I'll enjoy my last couple of months on the island, and read and sew and bake and visit with friends who I'll not get to see quite as often as I have over the past five years.