Six Word Memoir for 2014

Here's my Six Word Memoir for 2014:

Bittersweet mystery fiddles with poet's heart.

This year held some wonderful and difficult moments -- as all years do. I was able to spend quality time with poets I adore and children I love, and I experienced some wonderful times with family... yet I've had to watch my father struggle mightily with the return of his cancer.

Amid some hard, fulfilling work writing and rewriting, I delivered to the world my 3rd book of poems for adults THE SKY BETWEEN US and my 1st book of poems for kids DEAR WANDERING WILDEBEEST and my first paperback DON'T FEED THE BOY... yet I've faced some crushing rejections this year. ('Tis the writer's life. Sigh.)

You may remember that I chose the world MYSTERY as my 2014 One Little Word. I have spent a lot of time dwelling in mystery, asking questions, allowing myself to be in transition instead of hurrying toward the quickest resolution. I've learned a lot about myself this year. (Check back Friday for my 2015 One Little Word!)

I started taking fiddle lessons this year, and it has brought all kinds of joy to my life. I made some important decisions about how to spend my time in ways that honor my true-est self, and I'm excited to see how those decisions play out in the year to come.

Something I'm proud of: I participated in #bloglikecrazy, during which I blogged every day during the month of November. This produced some unexpected writing, and some of my most honest writing. I am hoping to continue that kind of writing in 2015 --- though, no, I will not be blogging every day!

One of the highlights of my year was going to NCTE. I love this community of book lovers and poetry lovers. Also a highlight: New York City with my family. We've wanted to do that trip for SO LONG! I'm so grateful. I'm also grateful for the opportunity to share in the lives of our boys as they continue to grow and develop and become themselves.

What a year! What a life! Thank you for being a part of it. xo

Movie Monday: WILD, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING & the latest HOBBIT

The holidays are such a great time for movies! We were lucky enough to see three of them in the past week -- and I present them to you in order of preference.

WILD starring Reese Witherspoon, after the memoir by Cheryl Strayed. I've blogged already about how much I loved the book -- so I had high hopes tempered by past experiences of movie adaptations not living up to the books that inspired them.

The material here is raw and real and seemed like it might have been a bit of a puzzle to piece together. All that backstory -- and yet it is beautifully done. You get enough of Cheryl Strayed's internal thoughts and scenes of her past. You appreciate her journey and how it changed her. I thought it was beautifully done. (But, no, I have no interest in hiking 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. Just day trips for me, thank you very much.)

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, about Stephen Hawking's life. No doubt, Stephen Hawking's life is rich and inspiring. I loved that the focus here was the woman behind the man, the love story -- and how it fell apart. (Longtime readers may remember a poem I wrote about Einstein's daughter -- it seems that brilliant scientists have a knack for being more committed to their science than to their families... this seemed the case for Hawking as well, and I couldn't help but feel like he was likely more troublesome/less likeable in real life than how he's portrayed in the movie. This SLATE article sets the record straight.) The movie was beautifully made, but it just didn't feel quite honest in the way that WILD did.

Finally, finally the final HOBBIT movie! Can I just say there is something wrong when it takes a person longer to see the movie(s) based on a book than to read the actual book?!

I loved reading THE HOBBIT, and I still love the old animated version of the story. And I had high hopes that this third movie would be more enjoyable than the previous two... alas. I fell asleep in this one, too! Too much darkness, too much conversation, too much dragging things out. I can't imagine watching any of these three again, and I'm sort of mad that they didn't just make one killer movie that contained the whole of Bilbo Baggins' journey. Sigh.

What movies have you seen lately? We still have UNBROKEN and INTO THE WOODS on our short list... hope to get to them this week!

Merry, Merry!

Our Christmas gift to ourselves was a family trip to New York City! It was magical and merry and everything we wanted it to be.

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!

at Cornelia Cafe in Greenwich Village
before our show EVERY BRILLIANT THING (which was brilliant!)

me and my boys at the Central Park reservoir (It was cold! But we were still smiling.)

at the New York Public Library (oh, Patience and Fortitude!).
And how 'bout that pink scarf around Eric's neck?!

me and the sweet fella who introduced me to NYC 24 years ago. Love!

POISONED APPLES for Christmas?

Hello, and Happy Poetry Friday! Please visit Buffy's Blog for Roundup. I can't believe this is our last Poetry Friday before Christmas! Even though it's not exactly festive, I've decided to share with you selections from POISONED APPLES: POEMS FOR YOU, MY PRETTY by Christine Heppermann. This book has appeared on a number of Best Of 2014 lists... and it's poetry! Love when that happens. The book explores the fairy tale tropes in modern day life. Happily Ever After, this is NOT. Oh, darkness....

 I give you the opening poem (with a killer last line!) and my favorite of the collection (because it is such a clever metaphor).

The Woods
by Christine Heppermann

The action's always there.
Where are the fairy tales about gym class
or the doctor's office or the back of the bus
where bad things also happen?
Pigs can buy cheap building materials
just as easily in the suburbs.
Wolves stage invasions. Girls spit out
cereal, break chairs, and curl beneath
covers like pill bugs or selfish grannies
avoiding the mess.
No need for a bunch of trees.
You can lose your way anywhere.


Photoshopped Poem
by Christine Heppermann

Some say the Before poem
had character.
This poem is much more attractive.
With the Healing Brush Tool
I took out most of the lines.
I left in a few
so it wouldn't look unnatural.

A Quilt for my Father & Then Some

As many of you know, my father is currently battling his second bout with cancer. He also serves as Executive Director of Bismarck Cancer Center in North Dakota. Which means he has accumulated a number of cancer survivor/BCC t-shirts that mean a lot to him.

SO... I said, send 'em to me! And my father did. Here's the box I got in the mail:

Here are the t-shirts unpacked, on the cutting board:

...and here are the t-shirts minus sleeves and collars and backs:

...and here is the finished quilt top! 

(sorry, pic is fuzzy and doesn't do it justice!)

fyi: I chose to back it in lime green fleece 

and to bind it in a black-ish star print. Pics to come!

MEANWHILE, here is the monster that is our son Andrew's quilty graduation gift! It's king-sized and contains so many of the things he's been passionate about...from Pokemon to swim team to McDs to funny sayings (thank you, Mental Floss!). I chose black minky for the back (he LOVES soft textures) and a rainbow-ish print for the binding. Can't wait to see how it comes together!

...and FINALLY, an Auburn throw for my uber-Auburn-fan husband. This one contains sweatshirt tops from way back in the 80s to now! (Binding will be in the orange dotted fabric seen below, and the back will be an Auburn fleece print. Cozy!)

As soon as January comes, I'm going to start piecing the Christmas quilt I've been planning for oh, about 5 years now. Maybe that way it will actually be ready come Christmas 2015. :)

Any quilty or crafty projects going on in your life?

ON THE WING by David Elliott

Hello and happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Mr. Hankins a.k.a. Paul at These 4 Corners (Living Loving Laughing Learning --- how much do I love that?!) for Roundup.

What a week this has been! So many things going on this month -- youngest sons multitude of Christmas concerts, preparations for our trip to NYC, Christmas-y outings with friends and shopping and last-minute gifts and writing, always always writing.

Today I am taking a break from all that for just a minute to share with you a lovely book ON THE WING by David Elliott, illus. by Becca Stadlander. It's contains short vivid poems about birds! So, bird lovers will love it, and people who aren't bird lovers will BECOME bird lovers. :) I don't think poets will ever NOT be inspired by birds, and rightly so! I'd like to share three of these poems with you today:

The Hummingbird
by David Elliott

     Backward!
Forward!

     Here
then
     there!

Always
        in a
tizzy!

Got
     mo
time
     to
sit
     or
sing!

     Too
busy!
     Busy!
Busy!

(This one is on a two-page spread, and the stanzas flit across, just like hummingbirds. Beautiful!)

The Oriole and the Woodpecker
by David Elliott

Music lovers fast await
the first duet
of summer.
Oriole is vocalist.
Woodpecker is drummer.

(Isn't that perfect?! Of course I love the whole "duet" metaphor what with all the music in my life these days.)

The Macaw
by David Elliott

Who
spilled
the
paint?

(If that doesn't make you smile, you are in dire need of a day off... and more poetry. :)

I'm sitting here wondering which is my favorite bird... ever since SUMMER OF THE SWANS, I have loved swans. I fell in love with the African tanager a few years ago... and every time the cardinals nest outside my kitchen window, they are totally my favorites. :) What about you? Any birds that hold particular appeal for you??

DORK DIARIES author Rachel Renee Russell On Writing Across Cultures

The latest issue of Writer's Digest magazine features an article by Tiffany Luckey on DORK DIARIES author Rachel Renee Russell. It's a great article.

When asked how she feels about authors writing about cultures other than their own, Ms. Russell said this:

"Authors of any race and gender should write - number one - what their heart and brain are leading them to write, and - number two - what they're passionate about."

"Authors of any race should be able to write other races. We see [white] authors writing people of color [all the time], so, to be fair, people of color should be able to write other races [as well]."

(Ms. Russell is African American, and her DORK DIARIES protagonist Nicki Maxwell is white.)

She also gave this bit of general advice:

"Write what you are comfortable with, write what you're interested in and what makes you happy."

YES.

Movie Monday: iNTERSTELLAR

After several of my nearest and dearest suggested to me that I would really enjoy INTERSTELLAR, I finally got myself to the theater! Youngest son went with me, even though he'd already seen the movie once.

It was exactly what I expected and nothing like I expected. Tense (expected), pondering big questions (expected), ultimately about love and relationships (unexpected).

I have long been fascinated by space and space travel. (Remember the movie SPACE CAMP?) Planets and meteor showers pop in my writing, as have the Mars rovers and the shuttle launches. I figure we humans will continue to explore the cosmos out of curiosity alone (nevermind other grander reasons like saving humanity). The movie touches on all these things. What is brave? What is love? How can we unravel the mysteries of time and dimensions? Our understanding of ourselves and the universe is tiny compared to the vastness that exists. Are there other beings, a "they?"

The movie brought me back to one of my favorite books of all time: THE SPARROW by Mary Doria Russell. This is one of the few books I have read numerous times as an adult. Lots of big questions in it, as well -- and ultimately, about love and relationships, too.

I don't really have any desire to explore any other planets, except in books and in movies. I'm pretty happy right here on Earth. (I am not a rollercoaster kind of gal -- would not a good astronaut make!) But boy oh boy am I fascinated by what's out there, and how much I admire those who are passionate enough to look mystery in the face, risk everything, and explore the possibilities.

Go see the movie! It'll make you think and feel and wonder.

MANGER (Lee Bennett Hopkins) & "Manger"

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Anastasia at Booktalking #kidlit for Roundup.

Now that it's December, I want to share the loveliness that is MANGER, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins with illus. by Helen Cann. It includes poems from several of our Poetry Friday friends, and is really a gorgeous take on the Nativity story.

When I was a little girl, there was no story I loved better than the Nativity. I was one of those girls who never ever played with Barbie dolls but loved my baby dolls well past the age when most girls outgrow them. Anything that had to do with babies, I was there. And add animals?! OF COURSE I loved it.

MANGER is a gorgeous book -- each poem spoke to me. And that doesn't often happen in an anthology! All the expected animals are included, and there are a few surprises, like a llama poem by Alma Flor Ada. A llama! Other surprises I've chosen to share with you today are "Fish" by Lee Bennett Hopkins and "Spider's Gift" by Michelle Krueger.

Fish
by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Despite
the world's
sudden glee

we cannot leave
our home -- the sea

but
we will
swish and flap
each fin

for
we, too,

welcome Jesus
in.



Spider's Gift
by Michele Krueger

All evening long
I'll spin my threads
to place upon the child's head.

I will not rest until it's done,
my humble gift to greet the Son.

I'll weave for Him
a cobweb crown,

and on eight legs

bow deeply down.

............

And now, an original poem inspired by the book! I wondered what the manger would say....

What I Learned from #bloglikecrazy

I can't believe it's the last day of #bloglikecrazy.

I can't believe tomorrow is December 1.

I can't believe we are closing in on the end of 2014.

What a year! What a life! What wonderful things to come!

So, here's what I learned:

I can write about anything.

I can blog every day, but it's a bit much for me. I got a little saggy in the middle of the month and totally wanted to quit.

But I didn't, and I'm glad. I really enjoyed responding to the prompts, which were often out of my comfort zone.

I learned (again) how good it is to get out of my comfort zone. Good for my writing, good for my life, good for me as a human being on this journey.

Changes are coming for me in 2015. I'm thinking now about what that means for my blog. Thank you for hanging in there with me. And thank you, Javacia Bowser for the challenge!

4 Simple Goals for December #bloglikecrazy

Quilt by Mozell Benson

I can't believe it, but my #bloglikecrazy month is coming to a close! Tomorrow will be the last day. Whew!

Todays' prompt from Javacia Bowser is "Set 4 simple goals for the remainder of 2014 and write about them."

1. Write every day... 1 poem & add some words to my middle grade novel wip.
2. Practice my fiddle every day to be ready for the mini concert I'm giving for the family on Christmas Eve. :)
3. Go to Jazzercise 3-4 times a week.
4. Live in the moment as much as possible... especially on our family trip to NYC!

I Like Old Clothes by Mary Ann Hoberman #bloglikecrazy

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Carol at Carol's Corner for Roundup. I am still buzzing from meeting so many Poetry Friday friends at NCTE! Awesome.

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "write about an outfit you wear that makes you feel fierce."

Man, I love that word "fierce!" As for an outfit that makes me feel fierce... anything with boots. It's the boots that do it for me. :)

And since my favorite place to buy clothes is at the thrift store, I thought it would be fun today to share I LIKE OLD CLOTHES by Mary Ann Hoberman, illus. by Patrice Barton. Originally published in 1976, the book is newly adorably illustrated. It's a celebration of "clothes with a history/ clothes with a mystery." of the past lives of clothes, and the new lives we give them. I love it!

Here's a video of Mary Ann reading the poem.

Here's the Kirkus Review.

Hope everyone had a lovely Turkey Day! Anyone else not quite ready to move into Christmas gear?? Nope, not there yet... hope you have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Poem #bloglikecrazy

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is of course, "What are you thankful for?"

So many things! The beautiful world, the people in it, poetry, you. And as this poem has popped up in my life a couple of times this week, I wanted to share it here. Happy Thanksgiving! (says the girl who just put a turkey in the oven :)

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown

About My New Adopted Brother & Sister #bloglikecrazy

image from here

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is “write a post about your family.” There are so many things I could write! But I've decided to share some about Charles and MadiLynn, the two newest additions to our family.

My mother and her husband are foster parents and recently adopted Charles (8) and MadiLynn (6).

When my mother talked with me about their decision to adopt, she said, “So how do you feel about getting a new brother and sister?” I imagine the mix of displacement and intrigue I felt was similar to many an older child's feelings about getting a new sibling. I was initially resistant to thinking of them as a brother and sister... I mean, I already have brothers and sisters – the ones I grew up with. It took me a while to figure out what my role with these kids would be, and it took a while for me to fully open my heart to them.

I didn't understand my mother's choice – as I 'm sure she hasn't understood many of mine. Her decision to adopt more/other children made the little-girl in me feel I wasn't enough, when really it had nothing whatsoever to do with me. And these children, like all children, need love. Even more love than most, I think, given their particular circumstances and the general feelings of abandonment/confusion all foster/adopted children feel. And wasn't I in a great position to offer them love?

So, gradually, I've come around. It still makes me sad sometimes that I am not able to enjoy my mom in the ways I had hoped to as my own children have needed me less and less-- she's in the throes of busy parenting, and I remember how hectic that can be! (How's that for a role reversal?) 

The point is this: Charles and MadiLynn are precious people. I can be their big sister who functions more like an aunt. They are one of the most unexpected things that has happened in my life, and I honor and trust the forces that brought them here. My goal is simply to love them, to be a safe haven for them, a constant in their lives. We have something very important in common – a loving mother.

"Hoke, You're My Best Friend." #bloglikecrazy

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is “write about your best friend or a group of friends.” 

I've been blessed with some wonderful friendships over the years. I've also experienced the crash-n-burn friendship, the not-what-I-thought-it-was friendship, the slipping-away-we've-outgrown-each-other friendship. I've made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot and loved deeply. But no friendship has impacted my life more obviously than the friendship I share with my husband.

Paul and I met on a blind date. We were set up by my best friend in college Cindy and her friend/Paul's sister Donna. They just knew Paul and I were meant for each other. It didn't take us very long to believe they were right!

A pic of us at my parents' house, just after we got engaged. 1990

Nearly 24 years ago when we went on that first date I remember how after we'd enjoyed our meal, Paul pulled from his pocket a newspaper clipping of the movie schedule. (Back in the day when we used the newspaper for such things!) He asked me what I wanted to see, and I, without hesitation, pointed to DRIVING MISS DAISY. So that's what we saw. Of course it's a story about the unlikely friendship between Miss Daisy and her driver Hoke. It's one of only two films we watch again every single year. (The other is IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.)

Paul is not my driver (okay, sometimes he is!), but he is definitely my best friend. I'm so grateful.

Bobbie's Best Cornbread & Grandma Dykes' Hoecake Recipes #bloglikecrazy

original cornbread recipe from one of my
favorite cooks: my mother-in-law
Bobbie Latham. You can see my
adapted version of this recipe below!

I am still buzzing from #ncte14 but am committed to following through on my November blogging challenge! More on NCTE later.

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is to write about a favorite meal or dish.

A couple of things come to mind:

1. lobster dish from Dish of Salt restaurant in NYC. This restaurant is no longer open, but for several years in a row on our trip to The City, we would dine there. The restaurant served Cantonese dishes, and there was always live music – usually a pianist playing Broadway show tunes. Amazing ambiance. I was completely enchanted – and that was before we got to the food!

The dish we loved best of all was called Crown Lobster. One time when we asked our server what was in it, he said the sauce had a mayonnaise base. Basically it was bite sized pieces of lobster tossed in this incredible sauce over rice. DELICIOUS. Maybe more so now, because the restaurant is gone and never again will we enjoy that particular meal! Maybe this recipe is close? I will have to try it!

Speaking of lobster, a few years back on a trip to Maine, we made it our mission to enjoy lobster prepared in as many ways as possible. We ended up having some fourteen lobster dishes! But we drew the line at lobster ICE CREAM. I kind of regret it now, but at the time I wrinkled my nose and order the fresh berry tart instead. I mean, ice cream? Really?

The ONLY brand of corn meal to use
for hoecakes!

As for home-cooked dishes, two women come to mind: my Grandma Dykes and my mother-in-law Bobbie. I miss them both so much!! Interestingly neither knew how to cook when they got married, but they soon learned! Each loved to prepare cornbread to go with a vegetable dinner, usually made with homegrown veggies.

Grandma Dykes's cornbread was actually a hoe-cake made of water-milled fine-ground white corn meal. Add salt and water to make a batter. Pour into a puddle of heated oil into an iron skillet on the stovetop. Fried bread. Crispy on the edges/outside, gooey in the middle. So, so good! The kids get pretty excited when I make it.

Bobbie's cornbread is made in the oven. Heat some butter in an iron skillet at 450 degrees. When it begins to brown, pour in the batter. Batter is made of buttermilk corn meal mix (I use Aunt Jemima's), buttermilk, egg, blurb of oil. Brown in oven approximately 20 minutes, then flip and cook another few minutes. Buttery and moist and delicious! I use it every year at Thanksgiving to make dressing.

Just a few days now... excited to get in my kitchen!

My Favorite Place #bloglikecrazy

In our bathroom, we have a piece of art that says, "If I could live forever, and you would live with me, I'd choose a house for all seasons in a mountain greenery."

When I'm feeling stressed, this is the place I go. It's not an actual place, but it IS real in all the ways that matter most. And it's the first thing that popped in my head for today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser. :)

If I Wasn't Afraid #bloglikecrazy

If I wasn't afraid...
I would ride more horses.

When I was young, I was crazy for horses. I knew everything there was to know about them. When it came to riding and jumping and grooming and training -- I was fearless.

These days I know too much. I've been bitten, stepped on, kicked, I've fallen, been thrown, and broken a bone.

I'm so thankful for those fearless days. SO glad I had that experience. But these days I am content to just watch instead of ride. It's not worth getting hurt!

Thank you, Javacia Bowser for the #bloglikecrazy prompt!

Guilty Pleasures #bloglikecrazy

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! I am at NCTE this weekend and don't have a poetic offering to share... but please visit Becky at Tapestry of Words.

Meanwhile, I am heading into the homestretch of blogging everyday during November! Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is " Write about your guilty pleasures and why you don't actually feel that guilty for loving them."

First things that comes to my mind:

The Bachelor. I watch at least some of it every season. And yes, I know it's cast with a certain result in mind, and it's predictable and sometimes ridiculous ... but I still like to watch it. :)

Dove chocolates. Dark is my favorite. I have one nearly every day as a mid-morning snack. (I eat 'em for the inspiring messages. :)

Birthday Cake Shake from Zaxby's. If you haven't had one of these, you have something delicious to look forward to! LOVE THEM.

And, no I don't really feel guilty about these things. More like I should feel guilty ?? It's actually important to me these days to take time to treat myself -- in the past I've had a bad habit of putting myself last! I'm getting better. :)

FITNESS THAT'S FUN #bloglikecrazy

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "Write a post about fitness - how you stay fit or how you plan to get in shape."

So, fitness.

I don't do so well with workout routines that are for the purpose of working out. :) I like exercise that happens in my daily life: walks around the neighborhood or at the park; playing with the dogs; mopping; sweeping; raking leaves; parking at the edge of the parking lot and walking. Stuff like that.

BUT. I realize these don't necessarily achieve the fitness goals for a person my age. So I do other stuff, too. Ever heard of the 7 Minute Workout? It's an app for your phone. (My sister introduced me to it.) One of the things I love about it is that it doesn't require any other equipment -- just you and your body.

I also love yoga and stretching. But I get bored easily. I need something that's different all the time. Which is why last month I returned to Jazzercise. I love it! I've been going 3-4 times a week, and oh, man, do I feel stronger! Plus, it is SO MUCH FUN. Even for someone like me who doesn't particularly like public exercise and who has no dance or athletic history. I love the music, I love *trying* the dance moves, and sometimes even pulling them off.

What do YOU like to do for fitness?

30 Things I Love Right Now #bloglikecrazy

Scarves.
Leggings.
Boots. (Yay for winter clothes!)
Grapefruit juice.
Little House on the Prairie (re-reading for the first time as an adult!)
Planning a trip to NYC.
Conversations with my 17 year old niece.
Jazzercise.
Playing Christmas music on my fiddle.
Redeeming my Jr. Frosty coupons.
Naps, when I can get 'em.
The quilt of leaves over my front lawn.
Dove Dark chocolates.
Working on T-shirt quilt for Middle Son (will be a high school graduation gift!).
Daily conversations with my father. (Speaking of gifts...)
Parenthood on Netflix. (We are on season 2!)

BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarity.
Preparing for NCTE.
Watching the cats sleep.
Antarctica.
Thinking about 2015.
Searching for bowls in the thrift/antique stores.
Planning Christmas gifts.
Eric's concert season.
Soundcloud.
Revlon Colorstay Ultimate lipstick.
My standing computer work station.
My work-in-progress. (Right now, this moment. Could change in the next 5  minutes!)
The way the puppy (now 6 months old) keeps finding all the long lost kids' toys in the backyard.
Glass art.

Thanks to Javacia Bowser for the  #bloglikecrazy prompt!

Things I Don't Blog About #bloglikecrazy

This blog doesn't do negative.

That's it.

That's my only rule.

(Anyone who wants to use this badge is welcome to it!)

Thank you, Javacia Bowser for the #bloglikecrazy prompt!

LITTLE HOUSE Books, Revisted #bloglikecrazy

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "What I Learned About Myself From _______ (This can be a book, a film, an album, or even a person.)"

This fall I took an online course on Laura Ingalls Wilder: Laura Ingalls Wilder: Exploring Her Work and Writing Life.* Part of the course requirement was to read the first four books, of which I have finished LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS and FARMER BOY.

I adored these books as a young girl. ADORED THEM. This was my first time to read them as an adult.

A couple of thing stood out:

LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS is quiet. It's episodic. There's no real character arc. And there are lots and lots of Pa stories! I didn't remember this. I also didn't remember Pa calling Laura "Half-pint" in the books -- I thought that came from the TV show. I loved reading it in the text!

FARMER BOY is full of action. We know what Almanzo wants -- a colt of his very own. There are all sorts of animals and life lessons interwoven -- there's farm life and school life and the fair!

What I Learned About Myself: 43 year old me craves character depth and development. I need action and adventure. And I love boy main characters. (Maybe FARMER BOY has something to do with why the majority of books I write feature boy main characters? Even LEAVING GEE'S BEND had a boy main character the first time I wrote it!)

Now I am diving into LITTLE TOWN ON THE PRAIRIE... and most looking forward to ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK, which, I learned during the course, that editor Ursula Nordstrom (If you haven't yet read DEAR GENIUS, go! Read!) found to be the perfect middle-grade book.

The course itself was fascinating.

I learned that Laura and her daughter Rose exemplify what I have often claimed: the mother-daughter relationship is THE most complicated of all relationships. Theirs was even more complicated by adding in the writer/editor layer.

I learned we've come a long way with how we write and think about race relations. Laura Ingalls Wilder's writing represents the time of her life. It's important for young readers today to be aware of that as they enjoy these stories.

I learned I admire Laura Ingalls Wilder all the more for the way she followed Emily Dickinson's advice "Tell all the truth but tell it slant." No, she wasn't writing an autobiography -- she was using her life experiences to tell a story. It's true in the ways it needed to be true, and she wisely left out/combined events/people that would have distracted/weakened the story.

*For those who are interested: you can join the second part of this course, starting on April 6^th, 2015. The course will cover the last five Little House books, as well as Rose Wilder Lane’sLet the Hurricane Roar. To receive more information, please follow this link and fill out the following form: http://outreach.missouristate.edu/MOOCinfo.htm

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To The Haters #bloglikecrazy

Pic from Soulful Mamahood

Today #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "Learn to love your haters by taking a negative comment and flipping it into an empowering post."

A few years ago I taught at a summer writing camp for teens. When I read the evaluation forms written by the kids, I found lots of wonderful feedback -- and one comment that poked and rubbed and irritated: "Speaker tries to hard."

Tries to hard. Really?

The comment stung because yes, I try VERY hard. I want to please my audience. I put a lot of effort into my presentations. I'm over-the-top well-prepared. And hello, I am passionate about what I do. Enthusiasm, in my opinion, could be THE MOST IMPORTANT quality of a good presentation and dare I say, a happy life. Enthusiasm will take you FAR.

So yes, I try hard. And if that annoys you, young lady, I do NOT apologize. I encourage you to go out and find something YOU are passionate about. Something that inspires you to go above and beyond. I want to see YOU bubbling over. I want some other less-enthusiastic teen to roll his or her eyes at you, and for you, years later, to think about it, and realize the people who are annoyed by enthusiasm are only annoyed because THEY WISH THEY HAD IT.

A Time I Changed My Mind #bloglikecrazy

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "write about a time you changed your mind."

Once upon a time I was struggling in my writing life -- my ability not in line with my desire -- and I applied for and was accepted into the Amherst Writers & Artists program. I completely love Pat Schneider's book WRITING ALONE & WITH OTHERS, and I thought, this is it, this is what I want to do: teach others to share their stories through poetry. I was ready to write my check, board the flight, leave my young family to earn my certification.

Then I went to a Alabama State Poetry Society meeting where I shared with a poet I admire and who does similar work. She was completely supportive as we talked about the excitement -- and hardship-- of completing the program. She said, "you don't need a certificate to do that." Also, "remember, the writing, your writing is the most important part."

And I thought, hmmm. She right! And while I am sure the program would have helped make me a better writer, I realized I was pursuing the certification as a way to distract myself from the greater task, which was (and is) to write all the things in my heart.

Yes, I hope to inspire others. But mostly this writing thing is for ME. I have to be careful: when it gets hard or challenging and things aren't going my way, it's not the time to take another path. I need to hold steady on the path I'm on.

BEST CHILDREN'S POETRY BOOKS 2014 #bloglikecrazy

Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Keri at Keri Recommends for Roundup!

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "write about the best book you've read this year."

I find Best Of lists innately flawed and frustrating. Must we pit books against books? I love books for different reasons and find it so hard to separate out my emotional, completely subjective and intensely personal responses to evaluate a book. My enjoyment is rooted in the emotion, however perfectly or imperfectly crafted! Which is why I blog about the books I enjoy as I encounter them, and in no particular order.

This year I've blogged about the following 2014 poetry books for children:

DEAR WANDERING WILDEBEEST AND OTHER POEMS FROM THE WATER HOLE by Irene Latham, illustrations by Anna Wadham  (obviously!)

HI, KOO! by Jon J. Muth

LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS by Lin Oliver

POEM-MOBILES by J. Patrick Lewis & Douglas Florian

A POND FULL OF INK by Annie M.G. Schmidt

CAMINAR by Skila Brown

THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY for SCIENCE compiled by Sylvia Vardell & Janet Wong

BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson

FIREFLY JULY edited by Paul Janeczko


In the queue for blog posts coming soon:

MANGER, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins (and containing poems by many of my most favorite poets!)

WINTER BEES & OTHER POEMS OF THE COLD by Joyce Sidman

POISONED APPLES: Poems for You, My Pretty by Christine Heppermann

(How 'bout them apples? Ha. Couldn't resist!)

and today, a few words about SANTA CLAUSES: Short Poems for the North Pole by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Chuck Groenink. (Link takes you to a great interview with the author at Today's Little Ditty... and a challenge that could win you a copy of the book!) What a wonderful way to bring poetry to the masses! I love thinking of Santa Claus as a secret poet. I mean, I tell kids all the time that poets are seldom only poets, but doctors & poets, plumbers & poets, teachers & poets, accountants & poets, moms & poets, you name it! You can be a poet and be anything else in addition to being a poet!

My favorite part of SANTA CLAUSES: Mrs. Claus. Clearly she is Santa's muse. Let me show you what I mean:

December 3
Mrs. Clause making
an angel, becoming a
little girl again.

December 11
Kisses from Mrs.
Claus under the mistletoe
tickle like snowflakes.

December 18th
Mrs. Claus and I
wrapped neatly in our bed quilts --
matching packages.

--- Bob Raczka

Music & Me #bloglikecrazy

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "Write about your favorite CD of the year thus far."

Truth is, I don't buy many CDs; I have Spotify. :) And I often chauffeur my 14 year old son who uses the opportunity to plays for me music of his choosing, including some of his own original pieces.

Most of the time in the car I am listening to a book on tape. Sometimes, recently, I've been listening various fiddle music -- mostly Mark O'Connor, whose work is completely amazing. At Jazzercise, the songs are not selected by me and are from a wide variety of genres - which suits me fine. All this to say, there's a lot of music in my life, but not a lot of CD time!

My husband did, however, recently get Bob Seger's latest RIDE OUT when he got us tickets to see him in concert (January 2015. Yay!). And I love it! The whole CD. I'm torn between sharing "Adam and Eve" or "You Take Me In." The latter wins, because I am ever the sucker for a love song.

November Poem #bloglikecrazy

Today's prompt from Javacia Bowser is to use your favorite Instagram images as a prompt for writing. Instead, I am pairing a recent Instagram pic (taken in my backyard) with a poem I wrote years ago. It actually appears in my book of  poems WHAT CAME BEFORE, which was released in 2007, so wow, been a while!

To freshen it up for today, I am experimenting with creating images on picmonkey. It's fun! And frustrating. I'm learning. Happy November!

November

Even the sky

is naked

now, brisk air

having finally

chased off

the clouds.

Trees sway

in the backyard,

wind pushes

my collar up

as yellow-brown

tornadoes

tear across

the lawn

in a dance

that can only

be done

when all else

has been stripped

away ---

like just before

our lips touch,

or just after.

- Irene Latham

DON'T FEED THE BOY Summer Giveaway Update! #bloglikecrazy

Today's #bloglikecrazy prompt from Javacia Bowser is "post a Q&A with a woman you admire." Love it! And I have done it lots of times. Today I want to revisit a interview I posted with Laura Shovan about her work as editor at Little Patuxent Review. I believe their submissions period for the "food" issue just closed, but keep an eye out -- they always have interesting themes! 

And now, even though the leaves are finally turning yellow, I want to turn your attention back to summer.

 Remember back in June when I hosted a giveaway of a classroom set (25!) to celebrate the paperback release of DON'T FEED THE BOY? Many of you sent in pics of you at a zoo and/or joined me for Zoo Days during June or July. FUN. Michelle Heidenrich Barnes was the lucky winner, and she donated the books to P. K. Yonge Developmental Research School in Gainesville, Florida. Go Blue Wave!

Here are some pics of Mrs. Haynes 5th Grade Advisory Group including Parris, Taylor, Ayonna, A'shawna, Daniela & Mrs. Haynes:

Thank you SO MUCH for reading! 

And thanks to Michelle and to student photographer Savannah for taking the shots. Nothing pleases a writer's heart more than seeing readers enjoying a book. And if it's one that writer has written? AWESOME.

Finally: Happy Veteran's Day! Thanks to those service men and women AND their families for their gift to all of us.