Baja St. Martin

I have owned a printer for the past two years, maybe longer, and only now have I discovered that I don’t need a black and color cartridge both in order to print a black copy! How ridiculous is that? I wouldn’t have even found that out if I’d not had a defective black cartridge recently and in the process of figuring out what was wrong, I came across the message in my user guide that said I could print black with just a black cartridge. Duh!
I received my first-of-the-year Stephensville News newsletter so I apparently did subscribe correctly. I learned that the 4th graders at the school will be participating in a Walking Classroom program thanks to a grant obtained by Mrs. Orgeron. Principal Staton says this is a program about physical fitness with lessons on nutrition, health literacy and includes lessons on actual physical activities which the kids can do to sort of break up the stress of academics.
The first, second and third grade teachers – Landry, Oxedine, and Peterson – have also obtained a small grant which will help their students plant some fruit trees and establish a small garden. I’m particularly excited about the garden part because I grow lots of vegetables every spring which I give to friends and this will give me an excuse to plant more and donate them to the school.
In addition, the newsletter announced that After Care began Aug. 18 and there will be an Open House on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m. The latter will begin in the gym and then give parents a chance to meet with their children’s teacher(s). That same day, Aug. 21, will be picture day and students are asked to wear their school uniforms. These are the pictures to be used on the school ID tags all the kids wear.
And the Stephensville enrollment is up a bit, which is great news. I suspect with all the above features plus lots more, the enrollment will continue to rise in the future. Kudos to Mr. Bryan Staton and all his teachers, and staff for their good efforts.
Again, if you want to receive the newsletter online just compose an email to listserv@stmartin.k12.la.us. In the subject line put JOINSEPARENTS. Leave the body empty and send the email.
I have friends – a couple – who are freelance photojournalists and are currently on Iceland where I now hear a volcano is about to erupt. Yva just sent me pictures of her husband, John, cooking an apple by inserting it in a fumarole on the side of some mountain with an impossible name. Yva is the same age as myself and celebrated her latest birthday on location, announcing that from now on she will be subtracting each coming year rather than adding. Sounds like a good idea! I’m sure they will keep safe but I’ll keep in touch with them as often as possible.
I guess you could call them itinerant because while they have a permanent home in upstate New York, Yva and John pretty much live in the back of their camper truck and travel all over the world. They’ve published a book on Mustangs out in Colorado, a book on Penguins from their trip to Antarctica, a book on clouds from Patagonia. Now Iceland.
One of the best winter recipes I enjoy is a wild mushroom soup which Yva taught me after she and John had lived for six months with the Inuit. I pick the mushrooms off dead willow trees in the spillway (only willows and only oyster mushrooms!) and the thick soup is terrific on cold days. Yva said she actually showed the Eskimos how to make this same soup.

Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be emailed at lcooke9417@bellsouth.net.