The Sewing Mom

I can’t believe it, this is my daughter’s  last full week of school, then a 3 day weekend, a 4 day week and a couple of days the following week and she’ll be done. Okay, that was a very long way to say that my daughter has less than 3 weeks remaining of 6th grade! I can tell she’s getting excited and is looking forward to moving up to 7th grade at the middle school.

I’ve really been amazed at everything the school district has been doing to not only prepare 6th graders for going up to junior high, but also to get them thinking about high school and even college. Their main message is that the classes they take in 7th grade are the building blocks for what they can take in 8th grade which then become the basis for what they take their freshman year in high school, and so on and so on. Do you know how hard it is to get 12 year olds to think that far ahead?! I have to admit though, I admire my daughter and how she is taking all of this in.

She filled out her “6 year plan” last week and turned it in to the school counselor. I wish someone had gone over all of this with me when I was 12. Instead, I felt clueless when I went through school as to what my future held. I never felt in control of my future, I think that my daughter feels in total control. I’m so happy for her!

Our family has always been one that checks out historical information about the places we live. When we lived in Illinois, we made several trips to various places in the state to learn about the history of how the state came to be as well as learning about important people of Illinois. Now that we have moved to Texas, I am anxious to start traveling this huge state. I have always been interested in the history of the American West. I am thrilled to have found a museum dedicated to educating and inspiring all who, like me, enjoy seeing historical art.

Located in the city of Orange, Texas is a wonderful museum for viewing artifacts from over two centuries of western and Indian cultures native to Texas. The Stark Museum of Art has a wonderful website, www.starkmuseum.org, which gives information about how the museum began. The Stark Foundation, founded in 1961, was the vision of H.J. Lutcher Stark and his wife Nelda C. Stark. The foundation was founded as a way to encourage, promote and assist in education, the arts, and health and human services. Many children and adults have been inspired by the educational experiences garnered from the Stark Museum of Art. Interactive programs and tours are encouraged and enjoyed by families and school groups each year.

The museum has an exceptional collection of the art of the American West. Western Art that portrays cowboy life and Indian imagery is one section of art included in the vast museum. The Decorative Arts section of the museum includes rare Stueben Crystal collections and beautiful porcelain birds native to the west. Rare Books and Manuscripts are also on display.

I hope many of you are interested in the history of our country and enjoy visiting museums as much as I do. The Stark Museum of Art is on my list of places our family will be visiting.