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Land-Locked

Land-Locked

March Slice of Life No. 8.Poetry Friday. Two weeks ago I tripped upon a sea poem by Celia Thaxter, “Seaward To ___”. I connected immediately with her words. {Perhaps because I love “all things sea.”} It was a natural next step for me to search...
The Grandma

The Grandma

March Slice of Life No. 7. An EM and EN Tale It is a motionless evening after a warm, uneventful August day. My daughter and I are sitting on her yard swing, chatting. Her youngest two are playing as a 5-year-old sister (EM) and a 7-year-old brother (EN) who are...
Travel Journal: TSA

Travel Journal: TSA

March Slice of Life No. 6. Travel Journal — You can’t make this stuff up! I am at Gate A22, waiting to board my last flight, PHX to PDX. Travelers are beginning the first steps of the boarding dance, pushing in toward the ropes that define the boarding lanes....
The Earth Moved

The Earth Moved

March Slice of Life No. 5. Tell a story in six words, that’s the task. The earth moved, but we stayed.–I wrote this in 2016 after a 7.8 earthquake struck my son’s city in Ecuador. {Notice the juxtaposition. See my tips below.} Portoviejo,...
Six Words

Six Words

March Slice of Life No. 4. Write a story in six words, that’s the task.Here are a few drafts. Thrilled, they screamed themselves into oblivion.Twisting and turning, they screamed fearlessly.Soaring, twisting, diving upchucked his lunch.It rose; it dove, then...
Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

March Slice of Life No. 3. Early Sunday Morning Early Sunday morning . . . Sounds like a distant train whistle floating over the hush of my world at rest. Smells like the darkness of coffee in my favorite mug, warming my hands Tastes like crisp bacon and a slice...
It’s a Draft

It’s a Draft

I was over on Molly’s blog the other day . . . She was sharing about her uneasiness in signing up for #SOLC19. Her words resonated with me and I commented — . . . I will be posting a lot of rough drafts. Perhaps I will “stamp” them “Rough...
Where’s the Snow?

Where’s the Snow?

March Slice of Life No. 1#PoetryFriday On the valley floor, we’ve had pitifully little snow this winter. So when it was forecast off and on the past two weeks, a certain anticipation filled the air. Finally, on Tuesday, it began to snow. On Thursday, as I...
You, Me, without Love

You, Me, without Love

I’ve said it beforeAnd it’s still true . . .I don’t know what I’d do without you. Happy Valentine’s Dayto the woman who isand always will bethe best thing thatever happened to me.–verse from my Valentine You know that moment when...
Grow Lovely, Growing Old

Grow Lovely, Growing Old

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, ‘A whole I planned, youth shows but half;’Trust God: See all, nor be afraid! Robert Browning On Monday . . . I read a blog...
Evidence on the Box

Evidence on the Box

Slice of Life. I.I placed a plate of thin apple slices and salty tortilla chips on the table and sat down across from him. Sliding to the edge of his seat he stretched his legs downward until his feet touch the floor. Perched with just the right balance so the chair...
Forever

Forever

I Corinthians 13 Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is a day to celebrate love. A day to speak of our love. A day to share tokens of our love. So, what exactly is love? Is there a universal definition? One that fits all our varied relationships? What words can...
Trellised

Trellised

Slice of Life. an untrellised cucumber Isn’t it amazing how being a teacher permeates everything we do and think? At least it does for me. Who but a teacher would think of the classroom when looking at a gardening post? And I’m not talking about a science...
Kites

Kites

Poetry Friday. Today is National Kite-Flying Day. That’s what I just read. Hmmm… I’ve always associated kites with March winds. I wonder? And… last night I watched “Kite Runner.” I wonder now, was it scheduled to coincide with this...
Crafting a Sentence

Crafting a Sentence

Slice of Life. I was just finishing lunch when a message from a fourth grade class via their teacher lit up the screen on my phone. Figure 1 Anyone who knows me, knows what I immediately did. Here is the snapshot of my notes that I texted back. Figure 2 In my opinion,...
High-Sailing Hawks

High-Sailing Hawks

Journal Entry. August 1. Yesterday–that would be the last day of July–my fourteen-year-old, over-six-foot-tall grandson and I were deadheading my very tall rose bush—a bush that grows higher than the eaves of our garage. Stretching out his long arms...

I Won a Book!

Slice of Life Who doesn’t like receiving a box in the snail mail? Two weeks ago I was so excited to received the following Twitter message!   You see, earlier in the month, while following IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS Blog Tour, I’d commented and...
Harbor Seals

Harbor Seals

A Photo Exchange:  More than Meets the Eye A Guest Post by Cathy Miller Last month Margaret at Reflections on the Teche invited her readers to participate in “More than Meets the Eye” photo exchange. I eagerly joined in, but somehow I missed that I needed a blog to...
Cathy’s Red Fox

Cathy’s Red Fox

Poetry Friday. A Photo Exchange:  More than Meets the Eye In April, Margaret Simon and Molly Hogan came up with a plan and invited poets to join in a photo/poetry exchange. Those who were interested submitted a form and then Margaret matched us with someone in a...
Mike Nine Field

Mike Nine Field

Slice of Life. Sun and clouds have battled all day, but as evening approaches, the sun has won. There is no rain. This is significant on a May evening in Portland. We gather early at Harrison Park, finding our places on the familiar bleachers. Dark clouds are blowing...
Scent of Salmon

Scent of Salmon

Poetry Friday. Chinook The scent of salmon lingers. Creek waters ripple over smooth stones. Cedar and moss fill the air. At dusk, near water’s edge, bears feast. While snow covers the ground, eggs wait in nesting pockets. Winter turns to spring and in gravelly...
Noticing

Noticing

Slice of Life. I couldn’t resist. No matter how much I had on my desk, I just couldn’t resist. The morning was so beautiful, I had to go outside. So I took a noticing walk around my back yard. Hushed beauty under the warmth of filtered sunlight. The light...
Mom

Mom

Poetry Friday : Mom Happy Mother’s Day! Last year for Mother’s Day, I wrote of my mother — a five-minute stream-of-consciousness piece that became the draft of a poem. This week, I revised those lines, and with them I honor the memory of my mother,...