Tag Archives: Primavera School

The Road to Diamond, Day 264: A Primavera Day in Mid-Summer

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Hiking and Nature, Personal Values, service, Slow Food Prescott, Social, Spiritual, Striving

August 19, 2025- There is no shortage of schools in Prescott that are in salubrious settings. One of these is Primavera School, located on the southwest side of town. It is, being in a forest community, geared towards a holistic education in an ecologically-oriented setting. The basics are well-taught, in small groups, and with room made for serendipitous moments. If a “book” lesson is underway, and one of the kindergartners, or third graders, happens to focus on a hummingbird feeding nearby, the class takes time to observe the animal and later discuss the scene-What was in the liquid that the hummingbird was drinking? Are there times of day that the birds prefer to feed? What other foods do hummingbirds take? There is realization that a book lesson is not sacrificed by a 30-minute observational activity.

“Primavera”, of course, is Spanish for “Spring”. Here were a group of us, at this school, in mid-Summer, helping to focus a new year for school gardens. The school’s name hints at an orientation towards every day being a new beginning, in some sense. With the daily awakening and enkindling of knowledge, children-any of us, actually- feel this new beginning. This afternoon, we did a poetic exercise, called “I Am From”, which looks at some of the many factors, past and present, which shape who each of us is.
Like anyone else, I could fill in the blanks in a number of ways, and shared one set of answers in the session. I will share a similar, and equally genuine, rendition of this poem below:

I am from

I am from corn on the cob

From 6 a.m. and cool, crisp air

I am from the cabin, cozy, warm, sweet-scented

I am from oak and bear,

tall and stout, strong and gentle

I am from family reunions and walks in the woods

from the beach and caves

From Kauai and wind-swept, craggy coastal bluffs

I am from Granite Mountain and holding my grandchild

and from “The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens”.

This poem is taken and slightly adapted from the website: http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html

It is used at Primavera, in teaching middle school students. Its efficacy with adults is equally apparent.

The Road to Diamond, Day 17: Affirmation

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 15, 2024- The adviser, whom I have known for twenty-four years, was unequivocal. “Follow your heart, listen to the messages you get from the spirits and don’t worry about pleasing the people here. Each community must find its energy, and not depend on any one person, or small group, to achieve its goals.”

This was in regard to any lingering concerns I had, regarding my plans for the near future. Only one of the team of advisers raised a mild objection to the idea of my not being around in summer. It may be inconvenient for that person and family, but the overwhelming consensus is that individuals and communities alike must face their challenges.

Said future will remain unsettled until at least February. That’s okay, as I know that everything will turn out for the best. There are still myriad things that could happen. I helped a bit with the community’s planning, while heeding the first adviser’s words and not backing off from my present plans.

Now, the heavy business of the first half of December is done, and short of a handful of regular volunteer shifts, my focus is on exercising and enjoying various Christmas season events. One of these is the Gingerbread House display, at Prescott Resort Hotel. I went up there this evening, spotting the full moon.

In the lobby, there were about forty entries, each of which must have taken five-ten hours to complete. Here are four, inspired by Prescott’s status as “Arizona’s Christmas City”.

This school is located in a forest environment, on the south end of town.

This one was inspired by Prescott’s annual Christmas Parade, which always takes place around noon, on the first Saturday in December. That is my time to help out at Farmers’ Market. Oh well.

The Museum of Indigenous People is a block from Home Base I. I will check out its holiday decor, this week.

Finally, here is an idea about what Santa does, after the holiday rush. It’s from the granddaughter of a Baha’i friend.

A busy weekend thus came to a “Vacay” end.