January – Thirty years ago student teachers HAD to be a member of a professional organization as part of their graduation requirements. Although it is no longer mandatory, social studies teachers who join California Council for the Social Studies become the leaders in their field as they meet colleagues from across the state, and make friendships that last a lifetime. In January the CCSS Executive Board asked to serve as the First Vice-President, replacing a member who had moved to Colorado. In May CCSS members voted me in as President-Elect, and in June, 2013 I will serve as the President of this organization.
February – In 2011 I become officially involved with the Tulare County Historical Society (TCHS) as their recording secretary. This year TCHS decided to adopt a broken-down caboose, remains of the old Visalia Electric Railroad, as its project of the year. To kick it off the Society held an event at the museum so that people could take a look at the caboose, and see how much work it needed. It had definitely seen better days, but its good bones, charm and appeal made it the best project ever.
March – At the 2012 California Council for the Social Studies Conference I enjoyed some amenities as the new First Vice President. Although I shared the room with the Conference Chair, it WAS a HUGE suite. With size came responsibility. Several parties important meetings took place in this room.
April – I started blogging April 17th just as this busy month got into full swing. Our San Joaquin Valley Council for the Social Studies Banquet honored our County Superintendent, Mr. Vidak, my boss. Most teachers, and in our case social studies teachers, seldom receive recognition for the hard work they do, so this banquet is the highlight of our year. Instead of being serious and boring, this year everyone played the part of stand-up comedian.
May – National History Day California or State History Day. Set in historic Riverside, CA at the Mission Inn and Convention Center, this was a photographer’s dream. Now that I was officially a blogger, I appointed myself the official photographer of this huge event with nearly 1,000 students aged 4th-12th grades attending. Unfortunately I didn’t know how to focus my camera at this point, and with lasik vision – one eye distance and one eye close, nothing ever looked in focus, and often wasn’t. One of the participating students taught me how to focus my camera. Students from all over the state display their year-long theme-based projects: exhibits, documentaries, performances, papers or websites for 6-12th grades, and posters for 4-5th grades. They present to a team of 3 judges who have the difficult decision of determining which of these amazing projects will advance to the National Competition in Washington D.C.
June As the school and fiscal year ended, we came to the last year of a three-year cohort of teachers who participated in the Tulare County Teaching American History Grant. Each year we had a one week institute during which time teachers went on a short field trip, worked with primary source materials, received scholarly lectures each day, and translated all of this learning into a lesson plan. This was our last week together with this group of teachers. For their final project teachers presented their lesson plans to the new cohort of teachers. We toured the Railroad Museum, Old Town Sacramento, and the Bicycle Museum in Davis.
July History Ladies go to Shell Beach May was our last official meeting as County History Consultants, and three of the four friends moved on to different responsibilities. We decided that instead of loosing touch, we would travel somewhere in CA once a quarter. Our week-end at Shell Beach cemented the already strong friendship with crazy dancing in the kitchen of the rented house, cinnamon rolls, pictures of a walk in San Francisco where clothes are optional, feeding baby animals at Avila Barn, roasting marshmallows over the stove after the barbecue ran out of charcoal, and sun bathing on the beach.
August – Retirement Once I made the decision to retire, that’s all I could think about. My last day was funny because I fought with my poor secretary about why I dressed casually that day. She knew I was having a party, and I didn’t. Paula took me in hand, and took me get a new dress for the party I didn’t know I was having. Ivette was already dressed for the party, so we posed when I got back from my spree.
September -V and I decided to start taking advantage of retirement right away with a trip to the beach. Lots of walks with Kalev until one day it started raining, and it didn’t stop. We scurried back home.
October – We arranged a week-long trip to our timeshare in Hawaii to Ka’anapali Beach Club. It was almost like coming home. We preferred October to December which was cold and rainy last year. We had a great time rolling around in the surf, horseback riding, and eating.
November – The National Council for the Social Studies Conference took me to Seattle. We really did go to meetings, sessions, and had a chance to socialize. I finally went to the dance they have on Friday nights. I walked all the way back to the hotel to change into a dress. Walked back. Got to the dance. Where were all my friends? Felt really hot – had my dress on backwards. Went to the rest room to change. Got back to the dance. No friends. Cajoled poor Joel into letting me teach him the West Coast Swing. One dance. Left. My friends got to the dance just after I left. Leslie and I went to see Twilight Part 52 or something like that. Then I walked home after midnight. Got lost, helped a lost soul find HIS way in Seattle (that’s a switch), and finally made it back to the hotel safe and sound. Had a $65 dinner at the Space Needle for two rotations of the restaurant. Had a great time!!
December– Home At Last For the first time all year I hardly traveled during December. Oh whatever would I find to occupy my retired time? Hmmmm How about an online birthday party for Renee? Christmas with PT and the kids, started going to Kiwanis Club, read some great books, blogged, blogged, blogged, and ……
…..poof the month was gone!!! Woah!!!! What happened??? Did anyone else have that problem???
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
35 responses to “Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures”
Great trip through your year Marsha! retirement, Hawaii, and good times… good for you! THis should be a spectacular year for you… Happy New Year~~~ P.
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I’ll take that!!!! Happy New Year, Patricia 🙂
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Hello, darlin’! I wrote you a little thank you note for the award. It’s under the “Trophies and Stuff” tab at the top of my page. Check it out, and thanks!
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Aww we thanks, I will!! Happy New Year!!! Xoxo
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Happy Nude Year!
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🙂
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Looks like you had a fantastic year, Marsha!!!!!!!!!!
Bring on another great one for 2013!! 😀
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I did, and I trust you did, too. You were neck in neck for 3-5th position. It changed daily. But even if you weren’t, you are now my dear, dear friend. Lots of love for 2013!! 🙂
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What a busy year for you! You are right . . . we are practically neighbors.
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I do get up that way. While I was working, I traveled the state, but your neck of the woods, particularly. 🙂
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A marvelous trip through your year’s adventures, you, history gals, V, and Kalev, all cavorting about with dresses for parties, space needles, conferences, seaside gambols, dancing, laughter, beauty. Wonderful post, some of which I recognised as I traveled along through time, pouring over your past year- how groooovy. Thank you for this, History Year looked like it was especially gruntling there, cheers and a glorious grand spiffing New Year to you and all those you love,
ta la,
Autumn Jade
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You have a marvelous 2013 my lovable friend. A gruntling, spiffing, great and wonderful time. Lots of love to you and Sir and your brother, too. 🙂 Come visit me next year! 🙂
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Aye arg, I would be greatly honoured, chuffed, and deeply content in doing so.
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See you soon. Read my newest post!!! You’ll be surprised and pleased.
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Marsha, you’re a firecracker! Happy New Year!
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Bang!!! Happy New Year to you Amy!! Lots of love 🙂
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Happy New Year to you and your family Marsha. 🙂
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Thanks LuAnn! Thanks for becoming part of my life this year. My life is blessed because of it. Lots of love and the best for 2013 🙂 Marsha 🙂
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What a busy year you’ve had, Marsha. Happy New Year to you and yours, and I look forward to seeing what 2013 will bring from your blog. Hugs and love from me. xx
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Thanks Sylvia, Your blog has inspired me – well YOU have inspired me this year. You, and my other blogging friends have added SO much to my life this year. I wish you the best, and may paradise always remain in you glowing out and inspiring all of those around you, both in your geographic and your cyber world. Lots of love from me to you!!! 🙂 Marsha 🙂
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Mwah!!
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Wow, that is a complete journal of your activities in 2012.
Happy New Year to you and your entire family Marsha, may the new year will be a bright one 🙂
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Great pics. My son LOVED History Day! He participated every year and one year made it all the way to the National Competition in Washington. What fun that was. 🙂
Happy New Year to you and your family!!
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Wow! not many people have those bragging rights. It is an amazing program. I can’t even call it a contest because everybody that participates wins – even the parents!!! Everybody learns so much – even the judges and the coordinators like myself. The lady who took my place learned so much about researching from helping the kids “do” history day, that her interview knocked the socks off my bosses because she knew more about what was new in THEIR field than they did. She CALLED the people nationally who knew what was going on, and was able to quote them in her interview! History Day Rocks!!!
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My son really credits his career to his love of History Day. He just dove into the research and the ‘putting it all together’. And now… that is what he does for a living. Writing and publishing research (prof at a major university). And History Day started it all. 🙂 Awesome program.
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Wow, what a great advertisement for History Day. In all that excitement over History Day, I forgot to wish you happy new year! I have loved getting to know you this year, Kathy. I am going to copy your comment and send it to my friend who ran history day in California, and to Cathy Gorn, who runs it nationally. We all love to hear great reports like your son’s. Lots of love to you for 2013!!!
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures (tchistorygal.wordpress.com) […]
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Lovely photographs of a great year for you dear Marsha. I hope next year will be better. Ralph x 😀
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Thanks, Ralph, This was such a great year, it’s hard to imagine how it can get much better than this!!! But I would rather than it doesn’t get worse!!! 🙂
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Better is the way to go 🙂
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Ralph, hold on to your chair. Well, sit down first. This is earth shaking. ….. Are you sitting down? I AGREE WITH YOU!!! Better is better, and that’s what I wish for you in 2013. Lots of love, Marsha Lee 🙂
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*faint* Thanks Marsha. You won’t hear from me again tonight as I am spending the evening with a Spanish family. It’s 7 pm here. 🙂
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Can you stay awake until 12:00 a.m. and bring in the new year???? Have fun! Hope you get lots of kisses and hugs. As these are pretty … well flat! xoxoxox Best in 2013 when I talk to you again.
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I’m back, totally kissed and hugged out !! It’s 2013 here now !!
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I can tell, you didn’t even save one to send to me:(
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