Pinewood School Summer Send Off!

Last year, on Jaz’s last day of kindergarden, I decided to pick her up after school and take her out for ice cream in order to celebrate the end of the school year. Little did I know that I was about to walk into what is one of the coolest(yeah.) Pinewood traditions ~ the summer send off by the teachers! Basically, the buses drive around the circle several times honking and honking their horns, while the kids wave out the window to their teachers who are cheering, and the parents who are weeping, both about another year gone by. The teachers stand on a platform and take turns spraying their departing students with a garden hose waving goodbye and wishing them well. It was so emotional last year as I stood there taking it all in, wishing and wishing that I had a camera around my neck. With emotions so natural and unrehearsed- it IS the best part of my job- or the part that I like best anyway. Well, this year, I knew the scoop and arrived early with two cameras around my neck to attempt to document all the the joy AND all the sadness. I’m not sure I did it justice but at least I got to try! I even got sprayed (right into my 70-200) by Mrs. Hargen ~dangers of the front lines, I guess. I tell you, those teachers are serious about this tradition…just look at Mrs Little…I mean, don’t mess with her! Anyway…another school year gone by, another summer to begin. Jaz woke up on Saturday and wanted to go to school just so she could see Mrs. B. Next year…I’ll get to photograph both Ember and Jaz waving out the bus window!

“The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There ain’t nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to
The top of the hill
But since were on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride

Now the thing about time is that time
Isn’t really real
Its just your point of view
How does it feel for you
Einstein said he could never understand it all
Planets spinning through space
The smile upon your face
Welcome to the human race

Isn’t it a lovely ride
Sliding down
Gliding down
Try not to try too hard
Its just a lovely ride”

from James Taylor, The Secret O’ Life”