Week 17

Nursing Fluffy back to health has taken up a lot of time this week.  He is getting so bored and he really wants to be let out, but his wounds really need to heal completely.  Even the vet said he was in a very bad state when he examined him, and we were worried he may have used up his proverbial 9 lives.  We were wrong, luckily, and now it is just a waiting game until we can let him out again.  

The weather has been very bad, lots of rain and again, my plants have had to be moved around a bit to avoid getting completely washed out....

We have booked a train trip next week and we are very excited!

It will go from Chieti, and then into the National Park to Cocullo for the Serpent Festival Parade, an age-old Abruzzo custom.  You can read more about this strange festival on Life in Abruzzo.
I am not sure I like the idea of snakes all over the place, but I am hoping to take some interesting photos and then I can add them here.  

I have learned a new word: ophidiophiliacs (snake-lovers)!

The grass has been growing lush and below is the freshly mown lawn with resident feline ambling across......

The figs are developing nicely...

The rosemary bushes dotted around the garden are also getitng bigger...

I throw lots of it into everything I cook!

Some of my containers below, I have to check them every night for snails, which I remove and throw back into nature... the slugs are added into the blue pot and then emptied out later.....

Some of my seedlings and young cuttings are getting ravaged by snails as seen below...... The many sticks are to deter the cats from using the area as a litter tray!  They seem to be able to squeeze themselves into such tiny spaces!

Below some more tubs, with Mini Me loitering in a suspicious fashion ......  You can see some cherry tomato plants right at the front.

We currently have ant invasions on a large scale, so I am dealing with this problem, again at night, when they are most active......

It is all go here, nature wise, and I am enjoying this chance to settle back into the gentle and peaceful way of living here in Abruzzo..... 

Below you can see Freddy and chick hovering in front of the door whilst it is pouring with rain outside. 

 
I have not attended nor presented at the 7th Virtual Round Table e-conference this year, but I hope to catch up with some of the talks as soon as I have a spare moment :-)

Weeks 15 & 16

The past few weeks have flown by and I didn't post for Week 15, so this will be two in one!  Very busy at work and at home with little time to do much else, then my trip back to Abruzzo and settling down after almost 4 weeks away. 

Images of Oxford taken by night after the pub evening with the teachers on Thursday:

I enjoyed doing the Film session  and it was a hit, I think!

I created a new Bombay TV movie with subtitles to show during the session.

Personalize funny videos at Bombay TV by Graphéine - Design et graphisme

I also did a Who Dunnit awareness test scene from Youtube with the teachers:


 

A comic created for the Images session:

The feedback at the end of the two-week Teachers' Refresher Course was lovely and a beautiful bouquet of flowers was presented to me and the main tutor, Jane.  In addition, Graziela from Italy wrote a fantastic poem which was read out to the whole group by Vita.  

If any of the group is reading this, thank you sooo much for being such a fabulous and enthusiastic group. I had lots of fun with you all :-))

On my final Sunday I went to a car boot sale with my sister and niece...

I was able to sell a few unwanted items from the attic, and the other bits and pieces were donated to charity shops.  I had managed to do a huge clear out during my stay in the UK, and this took up most of my free time.

On my return home to Abruzzo I had this lovely message waiting for me from K on the notice board:  It was really lovely to be back hometo see everyone again, including the furkids.  Poor Fluffy is looking a bit worse for wear, and we will need to get him to the vet's  after the holiday.

Easter greetings from Freddy...

Roll on week 17!!

Week Fourteen

Another busy week has literally flown past engaging myself in teaching f2f.  The classes are both delightful and very hardworking, and are a joy to teach.  It has made me reflect on the following questions:

What drives me to continue teaching after nearly thirty-five solid years??  What makes me still want to learn new things and create new worksheets, even though I have enough materials to last a lifetime??  Why do I still get so much pleasure from my chosen profession?

The answer I guess lies in the fact that teaching is a varied job, each day is different, each class is unique.  It is impossible to get bored with something that is constantly moving, always dynamic, always challenging!

 My new padlet with the teachers:

Created with Padlet

I have received some images from home this week.  I can't wait to see my Cold Frame!!  It's looking quite good and the seeds are growing!!  I am so excited about their progress.... I am not asking K to prick them out as it would be too time-consuming for him, so am hoping they won't have got too straggly in a week's time....

 

Below Gladioli bulbs in an old pink washing up bowl.  I should have added more compost up to the top, so hope they won't grow too stunted.  The cut and come again lettuce is growing very well and the cherry tomatoes are looking fine, too.

 Nothing seems to be growing in the egg containers.  I wonder why?

 Runner beans are getting quite big ...

 ..sweetpeas doing well.

Taking photos on my journey home after school, I have noticed the beautiful cherry blossoms everywhere!

 

A lovely visit to Gosford Hill Secondary School with my group of secondary school EFL teachers. 

I was most impressed with the high standards and excellent discipline of the pupils.  Below some beautiful examples of students' creative work in the Art Department.

 A visit to Brookes University, to meet up for a coffee with my sister. She showed me around the new building and the interior.  It is an amazing piece of architecture and is up for a national award, apparently.

On my way home I spotted this traditional phone box, and my heart truly sank to see it has been converted into a cash point!!  I am a traditionalist, and this made me feel a bit sad in a way....

This year I really feel I have missed out on all the fun and excitement of IATEFL Harrogate Online, and I haven't even become a Registered Blogger, due to lack of time.  However, I hope to catch up with a few webinars and talks as soon as I get back to Abruzzo!!

Next week is my last one teaching my f2f classes, and I hope to have a very enjoyable time.  Roll on Week 15 :-))