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October 2012 Scuba

   It is alleady October. My last post has bee about 60 technical dives ago. I have completed my certification in advanced nitrox and deco. I have been diving a lot. I also have been certified in cavern. And got a certification in Advance wreck with John Chatterton.
   Nothing will replace years of experience of diving. Signing Out for now
  

About My Wife (resume for Art Council))

November 8, 2011

art & culture council - lemont

Judith Apke attended Ray-Vogue College, in Chicago and received degree in Interior Design in 1980. While attending art school, studied in England about English art and architecture. Also attended a pilgrimage to Natchez, MI and New Orleans studying the interior design depicted in these areas.

After graduating, worked in antique furniture sales and commercial design for various business' within the design field.

By 1985, desired to stay at home and raise my family, started my own decorating and painting business.

While at home with my young family, became involved in many volunteer positions serving the community.  For 7 years, served the Cub Scouts of W.S., as a leader and later as the troop treasurer.  For 5 years, served as the District membership chairperson for the PTA. Within these  groups, gained knowledge in creating fundraisers to bookkeeping for civic groups.

After moving to Lemont in 1999, my decorating practice was in demand. I attended seminars to increase artistic skills in faux finishing and trompe lóeil.  Besides for decorating and painting residential homes, I completed design projects for small businesses, the village hall in W.S. and a major decorating project for the old W.S. school. 

The final phase of the W.S. School was creating a millennium mural in a long hallway. The Day and Night Mural included silhouettes of willow trees and children from the school entering the hall. The nocturnal skyline was completed with all the students and staff adding their own star into the sky.  This mural was featured on NBC news as part of their feature for the new millennium , 2000. 

After many years of continual devotion to my decorating business, I volunteered to maintain the garden beds at our library. Because of limited funds for the gardenscape, I simply worked with redesigning what was there. The following year, my husband and I designed and welded an arbor, at the garden entrance, giving the gardens a welcoming structure for the newly planted wisteria. I have also implemented the holiday displays at the library and the outdoor planters that flock the front doors.

A few year ago, my home was in the 'holiday housewalk', a fundraiser for the Junior Woman's League. While a member, I tried to gain interest in the idea of starting a Community Victory Garden. Without success within this group, I went on to ask the Garden Clubs, the Open Space Committee and the Lemont Township.

I also served as a community member for the Lemont Library's Long Range Planning Committee. We  attended regular meetings, implementing  a Community Forum to understand the wants and needs in the future of our library. After a year of gathering information in this process, we finalized a mission statement.

In the summer of 2010, I went before the Library Board to request implementing my own garden that could serve as a 'Green Initiative' for the library as well as the Lemont community. The outdoor space would also serve as a learning and 'discovery garden', a new program for children to embrace gardening, nature and the environment. The project was finally approved in the Fall and I started layer composting the site, organically. Through the winter, I finalized a garden design and completed grant forms to sustain the garden. In the spring, we started indoor seeding and moved outdoors as the weather finally changed.  The group of children that became involved in the project stayed dedicated to our environmental and organic ethics. We also donated our supplements to the Bethany Church Pantry.

With the Library Garden Project underway, the officers of the PTO. at Oakwood Elementary, asked me to assist them with a Children's Garden in the school's courtyard.  With volunteers and funding from the PTO, we layer composted the site last Fall, to get rid of the weeds organically.  In the winter 2010, I designed a simple plan, that would be easy to maintain  and utilized to attract butterflies. This garden would also serve as an outdoor learning space. The garden is a work in progress and we would like to have it dedicated as a 'natural habitat' in the Spring.

Although my passion in the past few years has been out in the Garden, I remain an artist at heart.  I believe gardens can also serve as artistic and cultural displays within a community. All forms of artistic expression will add to a community's diversity.

Thank you for your consideration,

Judy Apke

Thanks Giving 2011

My Daughters were over all weekend my son's who live at home were here. It has been a long time since the family lived together. Although only a couple days everyone this year is doing well and thank God are healthy. Colette birthday is coming up December 2nd. Amy may be living with us soon. Vince is now part of my business. Ted is applying for new classes, and is paying close attention to our new puppy Iggy.
   Iggy a Boarder Collie has given joy to the family . especially my wife Judy, who named him Iggy Pup.

Happy Holidays

Mothers Day

   I was looking at pictures since my mothers recent death on March 5th 2011. I spied a picture of the old refrigerator with the protruding handle. I remember being about five years old and being ear high to the handle on that old fridge. I was running past it and my ear caught the handle on the fridge.
   Being in pain and feeling like my ear was torn off I cried for my mothers assistance. She had me get totally dressed and said my ear was falling off and get ready to go to the hospital. I was traumatized. It was a JOKE on her part. She thought it was funny.
   This is the same mother whom wondered why she was not shown great affection.

Cancun Jan 11 Terracotta Soldiers

   Near the Island of Mujeras, MX There is  underwater Terracotta soldiers, I will write about soon. PICS coming!!!!

Third Grade Arithmetic that BACKFIRED FORWARD

          Third Grade Arithmetic that BACKFIRED FORWARD

   When you first start grade three you are just coming out of second grade. It seems like your still thought of as a first grader, and if you flunk  you're a big first grader. By the time third grade is ending you want to be older, so if someone older ask what grade you are in you say "going into fourth".

   Third grade math is addition, subtraction and multiplication and division (long-hand). Homework in long hand division is time consuming. The end of third grade is late May, at least at St Richards and long hand division would interrupt going to Archer Park and playing baseball.

   If I did not do my homework  I couldn't go out and play. Ma was making sure I did my homework. Guess to many missed asignments.Her not knowing my assignment except for chronologically in the math book, I devised a way to get out of doing long hand division. It was to pick the wrong assignment. I could pick homework from ahead in the math book deemed easier

   Walla!!! I found addition of fractions in the back. It looks simple enough! I added top and bottom and I was done with ten question in five minutes. I would show my ma and be out playing baseball as soon as she approved it.

  Ma checked my math home work and I found out it was all wrong. Verne sat me down and taught me fractions until exhausted. It took three days. Two of the days were weekends. By Mondays I could do fractions in my sleep. I could even divide fractions. I turned in  the assignment and proved I really did the work to my teacher Mrs. Lewis (Golly Green Giant) and it was counted for my assignment.

   I can still feel how my head hurt learning fractions. I always emulated to my father and this was the first time my mother really spent time with me, (other than womb) that I remember. Being slick and trying to pass one off on Verne didn't work.

   The same reason I needed my home work checked was the same reason toward the second half of fourth grade I was not called on when I raised my hand when the teacher Ms. Farrell asked if anyone knew how to do fractions. I was considered a very good student, plus Ms. Farrell and I were not on the best terms. Plus she was nuts!!! NUTSS!!!

   With all the best and brightest students getting a crack at the fractions on the chalk board and failing, me holding my arm up with my other arm I  was finally given a shot. I worked the chalk board as if I were a tenured teacher. I did addition then multiplication and division of fractions, and to Ms. Farrell's astonishment I got them all correct. I found out that we did not need to know fractions until fifth grade.

   The end of third grade seemed a lifetime away, for I was on my way into fifth. It made me happy to know my mother. It made me proud I was first in my class in fractions, at least until middle of sixth grade. Although considered a slow learner I could learn and learn well.

   in sixth grade I  won the science fair and that included competing against eighth graders. I attribute this to realizeing it takes me more time to prepare and learn for me than most, but when I learn something I know it inside and out.     THANKS MA !!!