And since this is the last day of 2015, here is my complete list!
JANUARY
Lays
Chocolate covered potato chips.
Pink
shoelaces.
The
Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.
The
sky – always different, always the same.
Flip-flops.
Ruby's
neverending enthusiasm for the headless rubber chicken.
My
fabric stash.
Fuzzy
socks on a cold morning.
Stained
glass windows.
Sunday
morning Jazzercise.
Small
notebooks for recording big ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Trees
in winter.
Baby
pictures.
Scarves.
Bento
box.
Chocolate
milk.
Being
the only one awake in the house on a dark, quiet morning.
Self-checkout
at Walmart.
Dancing
with Kyle Abraham; Otis Brown; Eric (at the Carver
Theatre).
Velcro
poetry.
Sunshine.
“The
quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for
delight.” -Julia Cameron
Doodling.
Free
books.
Being
the last one out of bed.
Little
boys in overalls exploring the world.
Proof
that spring will come. [pic of daffodil shoots]
Decorating
with cotton.
Tiny
books.
Going
to the movies with my husband on a random Friday afternoon.
Gel
pens.
FEBRUARY
Sunday
afternoon siesta.
Live
streaming when you can't be there.
When
someone compliments my outfit.
Daily
conversations with my father who is ill and lives 1500 miles away.
Sisters.
Mama's
roast beef.
Scrapbooking!
Bumper
stickers.
Morning
conversations with Eric on the drive to school.
Mrs.
Fattig. 3rd Grade.
Ghirardelli
Dark Chocolate brownie dough.
Books
hand-picked for me by my father.
Skype
visits.
Plaid.
Lighthouses.
Breakfast
for supper.
Stuffed
animals.
Cooking
with an iron skillet.
Umbrellas.
Movie
trailers.
#Oscars2015
pajama party.
Chapstick.
This
cookie from Whole Foods.
“
A
broken heart is an open heart.” -@jandynelson,
I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN
Yesterday's
no-Snow Day and today's snow-dusted delay.
Poetry
Friday.
MARCH
Robin
eggs. [the candy]
Waking
to the sound of rain and birdsong.
Old-fashioned
personal mail found in the mailbox.
Fifth
grade friends.
The
fact that Eric spent 7 hours today working on a song.
Buttons.
Boys
in pink shirts.
Hot
air balloon.
Fresh
grapefruit juice.
Hats.
Induction
of Kathryn Tucker Windham into Alabama Women's Hall of Fame
The
art of storytelling.
Seafood
supper.
Traveling
with JuliAnna Dykes.
Mozart.
Salt
mines.
Freedom.
(after visiting Dachau concentration camp)
Crazy
long distance phone calls when cell phone won't work and you're
missing loved ones so much.
Chocolate
fondue
Heidelberg,
Germany.
Brock
Colyar's suitcase still in one piece.
Not
having to pay to use the public restroom.
Vegetables.
My
own bed.
Taco
night.
In
Vienna, you can Dial-a-Poem.
Coca-Cola's
“Make a Move” short.
Spring
Break.
Patience.
People
who explain things by using metaphor.
APRIL
Walking
the neighborhood in the early morning dark.
Azaleas
in bloom.
Polka-dots.
Especially Eric in polka-dots.
Fried
oysters.
That
bird outside my window singing so happily in the dark.
When
I set a goal for 5 pages and end up with 7 instead.
Morning
drive with @bensollee.
Wisdom
at morning @jazzerciseinc : “If you can't hide it, decorate it.”
New
plants in old pots.
The
way Ruby barks at thunder.
Fortune
cookies.
Tree
art.
Tree
Change Dolls.
Elephants.
Breakfast
with Papa.
LISTEN,
SLOWLY by Thanhha Lai.
Art
by @brianandreas.
Mints
at Olive Garden.
Friends
who say just the right thing. Looking at you, @mattarnett!
Writing
in the parking lot.
Those
jar grip thingies.
Aprons.
Clouds.
Patio
dining.
Metal
dresses by Chris Beck at Magic City Art Connection.
That
scene when Forrest Gump just stops running.
Restaurant
in Atlanta overlooking Oakland Cemetery named Six Feet Under.
Books
on hold for me at the library.
Mermaids.
Hot
tea on a rainy morning.
MAY
“Hooray,
it's May!”
Airport
reunions.
Rivers.
Kentucky
Derby.
Paper
clips.
Murals.
Helpers.
“Scars
prove that you're still here.” - @ashparso STILL WATERS.
Baby
ducks.
Andrew
giving me a birthday cake shake from Zaxby's for Mother's Day.
Sunday
night suppers at Chuy's with Eric.
Banana
pancakes with cinnamon and sugar on top.
Andrew
doing his own laundry.
Maggie
our cat giving herself a bath.
Cookie
cake.
Papa's
binder where he lists all the books he's read.
People
who are passionate about what they do.
Boys
in tuxedos.
Don
Draper's new idea. #MadMen
Typing
“THE END” on the first draft of a novel.
She-crab
soup.
Spanish
moss.
Live
music on the pier.
Road-tripping
with Paul.
My
own bed.
Quilts
on a clothesline.
The
color aqua.
Thrift
stores.
Having
an imaginary friend.
Hay
rides.
JUNE
Air
conditioning.
All
my boys in one place.
Mimosa
trees.
The
word “precious.”
Hacksaws.
Red
walls.
Sourdough
bread.
Cell
phone camera.
Beta
readers.
My
writing chair.
Heardmont
Park.
Snowball
hydrangeas.
Fried
pork chops.
Cello.
Baby
tigers.
The
beach at night.
Screened
in porches.
Quilt
shows.
Monte
Cristo hotdogs.
Doctors
who say, “it's not going to kill you.”
A
friend reaching out.
Reaching
back.
Sliced
tomatoes.
KFC
Original.
Blue
bowls.
Harry
Potter.
Fresh
ground pepper.
Starfish.
Rearranging
the furniture.
JULY
Styrofoam.
Homemade
whipped cream.
Spraypaint.
Farmers'
market with Paul.
Microchip
dog ID.
Baking
a cake.
Summer
Poetry Swap.
Camp
Buttercup.
Bandaids.
Jacuzzi
tubs.
The
scent of basil.
Drive-thru
pharmacy.
Harry
Potter.
Twilight
movie marathon with Eric.
Friday
Night Lights.
Sisters.
French
braids.
Bobbie's
old office chair.
My
Authur Umlauf sculpture.
Writer-friend
phone therapy.
Night
storms.
So
quiet I can hear the clock ticking.
Audiobooks.
Planning
a vacation.
Revision
notes.
Poetry
Friday community.
Wild
ponies of Assateague.
Dancers.
Luxury
bed sheets.
Coming
home.
AUGUST
Naps.
Red
suitcase.
Exercise
ball.
Roman
shades.
The
Bird Girl.
Sweet
and sour sauce.
Early
morning walk on the trail.
Digital
scrapbooking.
Fabric
in the mail.
Book
signed by author.
Reuseable
grocery bags.
Sea
bands.
Tinted
moisturizer.
Catching
fish.
Walking
on the beach.
First
day of school.
Antibiotics.
Used
book stores.
Lunch
on the back porch.
Supper
on the back porch.
Double-yolk
egg.
Rick
Springfield singing Katy Perry's ROAR.
Dancing
in moonlight.
Empty
highway.
Finishing
a quilt.
Baby
wipes.
High
school football.
Fresh
cantaloupe.
Cello
teacher saying I'm becoming a “sturdy” player.
Octopuses.
SEPTEMBER
Sunflowers.
Wrapping
paper.
Upside
down yellow maple leaf on the walking trail.
Birds
on a wire.
Caterpillars
turning into monarch butterflies.
Walking.
Papa
writing stories.
Internet
shopping.
Kissing.
The
audio version of ECHO by Pam Munoz Ryan.
Sitting
in Sandra Bullock's chair at historic, delicious Bright Star
Restaurant.
Me,
Paul, Daniel & Amalee sitting around the kitchen table.
E-books.
Black
cat in my lap.
New
sculpture at BJCC.
How
empty the streets during an Alabama game.
The
Lebanese food festival.
Kantha
quilts.
Armadillo
necklace.
Fog.
Fire
hydrants.
The
wet world.
10th
Annual My Favorite Poem.
Clocks.
Made-up
words.
Drive-in
theaters.
Jumper
cables.
Little
red wagons.
Claw-foot
furniture.
Dice.
OCTOBER
This
#OutandAboutDress by @sewcaroline.
Love
notes.
Old
houses.
Frogs.
Boys
with long hair.
The
Martian.
Costume
jewelry.
Zentangle.
Lemon
thyme.
Tiki
mosquito torches.
Looking
through old scrapbooks.
Graphic
novels.
Zentangle
pumpkin.
Mercy.
Swinging.
NEVER
BROKEN by Jewel.
Dreams
that hold horses.
The
new Harry Potter play.
Halloween
decorations.
Archways.
Thank
you notes.
Rosemary.
Sugar
maples in fall.
Dry
creekbed.
Glue
gun.
Moonrise.
Getting
new book contract from Lerner and F&G's from WordSong in the mail
on the same day.
Sharing
a secret.
Saying
thank you.
Hearing
thank you.
Paula
Deen's bacon-wrapped chicken bites.
NOVEMBER
Rain.
Daylight
Savings time.
Starfish.
Nesting
dolls.
Eric
on drumset.
Cabin
in the woods.
Early
morning rain in the woods.
#wild
blogging friends.
Taking
a mental health day.
Trying
a new recipe.
Peanut
butter balls.
Colored
pencils.
Pistachios.
Sacred
harp music.
Sunshine
on a cool day.
Rain
boots.
Electricity.
Kid
art on display.
Fresh
paint.
Fiestaware.
Almond
butter.
Hot
chocolate.
Friday
night football.
Mashed
potatoes.
Leaf
quilt.
Self-timer
setting on camera.
Movies
that are also books.
Time
spent with my sister.
70
degrees in November.
How
you an reinvent yourself with a new haircut.
DECEMBER
Sticky
notes.
Being
19.
Cookie
cutters.
Online
shopping.
Bell
towers.
Rumi.
Phone
call from a friend.
Christmas
lights.
Rivers.
Fleece.
“If
you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.”
-Toni Morrison
Ribbon.
Kindness.
Gifts
in the mail.
Jingle
bells.
Elves.
Johnny's
in Homewood.
Grapefruit
juice.
Fuzzy
socks.
Turtles.
Baking.
My
miniature tea party tree.
Gochujang.
The
Force.
Ladders.
Sacagawea.
The sound of rain.
Swinging.
Blanket with sleeves.
Harney & Sons Paris tea.
I welcome you to join me, if you like! I've divided the prompts by month, and the plan is to respond to 3 (or so) a week. For some of these I may write poems, for others prose. The important thing is to mine my memory. Who knows where this exploration will lead?
