Gillian Pieper

Welcome to the heart of Summer! The term “dog days of summer” came about because the hottest days of the year coincide with the rising of Sirius, or the Dog Star, at dawn. Sirius is part of the constellation “Canus Majoris”. With Sirius being the brightest star in the sky other than the sun, its […]

For IMPORTANT Final Notes on the Challenge, scroll to the end. For this week’s message of inspiration, read on: “Everything in the country, animate and inanimate, seems to whisper, be serene, be kind, be happy. We grow tolerant there unconsciously.” — Fanny Fern, 1853 Easier said than done in these bewildering times. In this final […]

In the late 1780’s, French courtier, Élisabeth Louise Vigée-Le Brun debuted a self portrait that scandalized the Paris elite. Her lips slightly parted with her teeth visible created gasps galore. Can you believe it? To that point, people smiling broadly in art or life were thought to be either wily, demented or schnockered. A toothy […]

American Dancer and award-winning choreographer Agnes DeMille said “to dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful.” It makes perfect sense. In the stress of today, we spend a lot of time all balled up. Shoulders to ears, fists clenched, jaw set, holding our breath, ready for the next blow. A […]

“Picnics are the very epitome of innocent pastoral delight.” — Alexander Lee Who picnicked first? Historian Alexander Lee, in HistoryToday.com, uncovers the wild origins of today’s traditional al fresco meal. The French word picnic possibly stems from the idea of pecking away at small portions like we do with finger food today, only this was […]

“The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.” – Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America, 1977 Confessions of a late blooming composter… I admit it. I’ve been bad about it for years. You too? Have you been saying that you’ll figure it out when the law makes you […]

Let’s Weather This Storm Together In these uncertain times, don’t forget that you have some amazing people and services at your fingertips. As an employee of a VEHI member school district (or supervisory union), you have free access to a whole host of benefits to help you stay well if you are quarantined, lonely OR […]

Our Monday 8/26/19 post went out with a typo in the first paragraph and a strange caption in the lead picture. So sorry to our readers and members for this and all errors on our part. In the immortal words of John Steinbeck (filed under famous typos moments): “The fool supply was controlled…” ― John Steinbeck, The Moon […]

As you all welcome back students this week, and the chaos begins, we’d like to offer you a chance to feel more calm and more satisfaction in your life… Put down the smartphone. Bam. Got you where it hurts, no? There is more technology in our smartphones than there was in Apollo 11, which went […]

“Something that is loved is never lost.” The extraordinary Nobel laureate, Toni Morrison, passed away this week. Shonda Rhimes (television writer/producer) made the sweet statement, “Genius has moved on.” Indeed. And even though we didn’t know her personally, we feel as though we’ve lost a friend. This week’s challenge is to rekindle a friendship. Why? […]