The Apples in My Orchard

It sometimes amazes me how fast my mood can change. Although I have experienced quicker mood swings, I definitely feel different today than I did yesterday. I am always left trying to figure out what triggered it or why I might be more grouchy one day than another.

Yesterday, I got up, did a few minor chores like making the bed and cleaning up the kitchen, and went to a coffee shop to have a latte while I caught up on some emails. In particular, I emailed one of my professors at the University where I am a graduate student in Environmental Education and Interpretation. I am trying to recruit a willing faculty member to mentor me while I conduct some research on my past garden club students and lessons. I would like to find out if their participation in garden club influenced them with regards to their environmental stewardship activities as young adults. I have a population of close to 500 students as a possible data collection base. This is the second time I have reached out to professors to see if they would take on the mentorship of  my project this fall.

I, then, had a fairly normal day. I went grocery shopping. I weeded my front perennial bed. I did some laundry. I wrote a blog post.  And, I picked just enough fresh blueberries from our bushes to add to the ones I already had in the refrigerator to make a blueberry pie. Those activities take us to almost 9pm last night.  My seventeen-year-old and a friend came back to the house from tennis practice and made omelets while we chatted in the kitchen. My husband took our youngest son to the activities code meeting for fall sports at the high school.  I watched about an hour of T.V. (the most I usually watch these days) and went to bed.

I did not sleep well. But, I had not slept well the night before, either. Still, I had a fine day yesterday – one full of activity, purpose, and even fun! So, why am I grouchy today?

Part of it might be that I heard back from one of the professors I emailed. She wants to see my research proposal to consider taking me on this fall for independent student credits. Her request to see my research proposal signifies some progress. But, beyond that, the remainder of the email was not encouraging.  So, I am left trying to decide whether I should just take another course instead of trying to involve people who are reluctant to invest in me. It is both frustrating and disappointing. There are few courses to choose from and the one I had planned on taking – Foundations of Gifted and Talented Education – is not being offered. It leaves me with Advanced Educational Psychology  or Collaborative Organizational Leadership. Neither thrill me like the prospect of taking the G & T course did.

The other part of the change in my mood might be just the recognition that summer is half over and we are headed into a transitional phase again.  Typically, I do not do well with transitions. Summer sports have ended and are nearly over. Fall sports are gearing up. Paper work, digital or otherwise, needs completing. Uniforms need to be ordered.  Progress on online summer course work for my youngest has been steady but slowed this last week. He needs to take a mid-term exam by the end of the week or he will be seriously behind. We need to schedule a few more college visits for our son soon to be a senior.  He needs to start working on college applications since a few of them are already open.

Laundry greeted me on the kitchen table this morning, as it did not make to the respective closets last night. We are missing twenty-two socks! Twenty-two! Where are they all?

All if all, things are good. But, I am grouchy. Today, I will try to snap out of my grouchy mood. Perhaps I will go make some jewelry – a hobby of mine that is satisfying and somewhat profitable.  Maybe, I will go pick some more blueberries. Maybe, I’ll decide on a course, and just pursue the research on my own. Maybe, I will just sit and read a good book.

Right now, I am going to make a pot of coffee and have a slice of that blueberry pie I made last night that was still too hot to serve by 10:30 p.m.. Surely, my mood will improve after eating something so yummy!