This year’s end-of-year violin recital marked more than the end of another year of violin lessons and recitals; it was also the last recital directed by the teacher that Hyla’s been studying with for the past four years. Colleen, has been commuting to our area from Western Massachusetts for the last two years to teach two days a week and has decided she’s had enough of that (who could blame her?).

So this year’s recital was a bit different from the past three: a bit more subdued, a bit more relaxed (Colleen called it an “Open House” rather than a recital), and just a bit bittersweet for us, knowing that this might be the last time this particular group of kids would be playing together. Continue reading “The end of some things”

On the last day of school each year at Open Fields School, the tradition is that families gather at 11 am for a picnic, followed by a quick award ceremony, followed by the briefest of graduation ceremonies (if there are 6th graders that year), followed by playing in the fields behind the school. And then school is out by 1 pm.

The favorite after-graduation game is called “Aquarian Gladiator” — a game that involves running across the field with paper cups full of ice cold water, trying to drench your friends, parents and teachers. This game is so special it’s rarely played on any other day of the school year, saved in reserve for the typically warm, sunny day that the last day of school deserves.

Unfortunately, this year, there were no 6th graders. And it was rainy. So, for the first time in the five years that Hyla’s attended OFS, the picnic was inside and there was no graduation ceremony and no Aquarian Gladiator. But we did get the award ceremony. Continue reading “Reaping her reward”