Slice of Life Challenge #23: Day 29/31: Spring Hope

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #23: Day 29/31: 

Spring Hope

Last week Saturday we had a massive spring snowstorm. Although the forecast had been around 3 inches of total snow accumulation, we ended up with 13 1/2 inches of wet, slushy snow. The snow would have been beautiful had it not been at the end of March. The roads were terrible. I felt that all signs of spring were erased in less than twenty-four hours. It was so depressing. 

To my surprise, as I returned from a walk on Monday, I noticed that a significant amount of snow melted. New growth was emerging. It felt like spring was a possibility again. Here's a haiku I wrote in response.  

Saturday's snowstorm/

removed spring hope. Yesterday's/ 

new growth brightens mood. 

Saturday afternoon

Monday afternoon

Slice of Life #23: Day 20/31: Longing for Spring

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #23: Day 20/31: 

Longing for Spring

According to our local weatherman, spring is supposed to officially arrive today at 4:24 PM. However, spring seems unimaginable. Snow is on the forecast for the next several days this week. The trees are still bare. Snow and ice cover most of the ground. As I took my morning walk, I was still dressed in my winter gear. 

Bundled with coat, scarf/

on the first day of spring, my/

spirit yearns for growth.

Slice of Life #23: Day 15/31: Lap Cat

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #23: Day 15/31: 

Lap Cat

Herbert and Binx aren't always naughty. Both of them can be sweet and loving cats. For example, each evening, when I sit down to relax, Herbert climbs upon my lap. His presence is calming. He often feels so good that I don't want to get up from my spot! 

Blanket arranged,/

legs reclined, Herbert climbs on/

my lap. His purrs soothe. 

Slice of Life Challenge #23: Day 3/31: Herbert's Security

For the month of March, I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #23: Day 3/31:

Herbert's Security

"Your photography is a record of your living, for anyone who really wants to see." Paul Strand

At times, when I feel stuck in my writing, I head to my phone. Challenging myself to stay away from doom scrolling (as that is one of the most counterproductive things that I do to myself), I scan through my photos and use a writing technique called writing from a photo. Not surprisingly, my camera roll has a lot of cat photos - an easy writing inspiration.

Below is a recent photo of one of my cats, Herbert. Along with his brother Binx, he loves to burrow in boxes and bags. 

Based on this photo, I wrote a Haiku:

An open suitcase-/

Invitation to nestle./

Cat security.

Click here to see last year's slice about writing from a photo.

What gives you inspiration to write? 

Slice of Life #22: Day 21: I Spy Robins

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #22: Day 21/31:

I Spy Robins

Yesterday was the official first day of spring. As I took my early morning walk yesterday, it sure didn't feel like spring. There was still some snow remaining from Saturday. It was still icy in spots. I was still searching for flower shoots, but so far all I saw was dirt. Nothing seemed to indicate spring will come any time soon...until I had my first robin sighting. 

Icy sidewalks

Where I should see daffodil shoots

Can you see that robin? 

Wisconsin Spring Haiku

First day of spring, yet/

snow remains here. Icy spots./

Look! I spy robins!

What kids of spring signs have you seen? 

Slice of Life #22: Day 17: Spring Walk

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #22: Day 17:

Spring Weather

Yesterday afternoon was the first time in months that I took a walk outside without a coat on. The warm sun felt so welcoming and inviting. I soaked up as much warmth as I could with a long walk after school. 

Today's taste of spring:

sixty degree day fills park.

Joy follows. Welcome.

Slice of Life #22: Day 9: Cardboard Delight

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #22: Day 9: 

Cardboard Delight

Until we rescued a pair of kittens last fall, I had no idea how much cats could enjoy cardboard boxes...or rather obsessed with cardboard boxes! 

If I leave out an empty box, Binx and Herbert immediately claim it, no matter the size. At times, especially with a smaller box, it seems like they wrestle over who gets dibs on the box. 

I've watched my kittens play hide-n-seek with boxes. I've observed them hide in a box. I've even seen them sleep in a box.

Yesterday morning I set out an empty Amazon box on the kitchen floor. Within minutes, Binx and Herbert raced to get to it first. With great amusement, I watched them play in their new box.

Kittens delight at/

empty cardboard boxes./

Free entertainment. 

Slice of Life Challenge #22: Day 3: Cribbage Challenge

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #22: Day 3/31

 Cribbage Challenge

For as long as I can remember, my mom and dad have been avid Cribbage players. They often played with friends at gatherings. There was always a Cribbage board nearby. 

Sometime in my youth, my mom tried to teach me how to play. When I was a senior in high school, some friends tried to teach me Cribbage. It never stuck. 

Thinking back, the first time I learned how to play Cribbage I wasn't very patient. I didn't like all of the rules, especially when it came to determining points. (Fifteen - two, fifteen-four, a pair for six, a pair for eight. Don't get me started on how to count a run.) And then there was that math thing - the quick addition and the embarrassment of constantly counting on my fingers. No wonder I gave up so quickly.  

For me, the only thing that really stuck about Cribbage was that it had something to do with the number fifteen and that you moved the pegs. Not enough knowledge to play.

Recently, I realized that I missed out in learning how to play Cribbage. So many people I know love to play cribbage, including my parents. Last weekend, when my boyfriend Steve came to visit, I asked him to teach me how to play Cribbage. To my delight, he agreed.

I dug out the Cribbage board from the shelf that houses all of our family games. I blew off the thick coating of dust and opened up the Cribbage box. To my surprise (or maybe not, knowing my household), all of the pegs were missing. Steve and I improvised - we found some wooden toothpicks, colored them with magic markers, and used them instead.

The dusty Cribbage board all cleaned off

Our Cribbage "pegs"

Steve did a great job teaching me how to play Cribbage. He was patient with me, even with my slow counting and confusion with scoring. Most importantly, I had fun. 

This time, I think learning how to play Cribbage stuck. I cannot wait until we play again. 

In thinking about my recent Cribbage lesson, I wrote a haiku below: 

Cribbage pegs missing/

substitution of broken/

colored wood toothpicks. 

Do you play Cribbage? 

Slice of Life #22: Day 2: Writing from a Photo

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #22: Day 2: 

Writing from a Photo 

Each Tuesday morning I co-lead a student literary club at the high school I teach at. This is my first year co-advising Literary Club. It has been a gift to be a part of Literary Club. 

Each student shows up at 7:20 in the morning, ready for our weekly literary club meeting before the busy school day begins. Some have a thirty minute icy bike ride to get to school for Literary Club. Other students trudge through the snow or beg their parents or siblings to drop them off early. 

On Tuesday we wrote about an image on our phone. First, I asked a writer to select a random number between one and five. The writer selected a three. Next, writers took out their phones and found the last third photo from their camera roll. For writers who did not have a phone or did not like their third photo, I projected an image of the day from the Internet. Students were invited to write in whatever form they wanted. Some writers wrote poems, others wrote prose, while others wrote dialogue. When everyone found a photo, I set a timer for five minutes. 

I wrote with my students. Mary, my co-advisor, wrote as well. 

My third photo happened to be a photo from a recent early morning walk:

Based on this photo, I penned this Haiku: 

Pink hues emerge now/

Darkness slowly fades. Early/

morning beauty walk. 

Writers always have the option to share. Anytime a writer shares their work aloud, the group snaps. Writers often comment which lines stand out. They give each other suggestions. 

No matter what we write about, their words and deep insights often blow me away. These writers inspire ME to write more. They are my people.

I adore this small community of writers.  

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 31: Easter Preparations

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 31: 

Easter Preparations

Mother, son, daughter,/

decorate, dye hard-boiled eggs-/

Easter traditions.  

Of course there is always at least one egg casualty (see cracked egg above). 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 28: Rollerblade Driveway Delight

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 28: 

Rollerblade Driveway Delight

My daughter has been begging for rollerblades for the last few months. She has been rollerskating a few times before, but not rollerblading. It's also been a while since we went roller skating, and we haven't had many opportunities to skate. 

On Friday I had the good fortune to borrow several pairs of rollerblades from a friend - a fellow parent who knows that it's wise to try out something before you invest in purchasing it. 

I have a flat and wide driveway, perfect for rollerblading. With knee pads, helmets, and wrist guards, the three of us put on our gear. 

We all began a bit shakey, especially my daughter, who has had the least amount of experience on wheels. She fell several times and clutched onto my arm before she was able to achieve balance on her own. Soon, although a bit shaken, she was skating back and forth between the width of our driveway. 

“I’m awful at this, but it’s SO fun!” She exclaimed. 

“You are doing just fine. It takes practice.” I reassured her. 

We spent at least an hour roller blading before we headed inside.

"Can we do this again, Mom?" 

I nodded, thrilled that we could enjoy something outside together.  

Lace skates. Find balance./

Rollerblade driveway delight./

Outside spring pleasure.

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 23: Eye Candy

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 23: Eye Candy

The past weekend I went hiking at Cherney Maribol Caves County Park. Although this was not my first time visiting this park, I was in awe of its beauty, especially in the how the trees and crag intertwine.  

Tree roots travel down/

Niagra dolomite - cliff/

line beauty wonder.

What natural beauty have you noticed lately? 

Slice of Life Challenge #21: Day 16: Searching for Slices

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 16:

Searching for Slices

Have you ever had one of those days where you just don't know what to write? 

Today I must have thought of six different ideas. I started writing. I stopped. I started writing again. I stopped. I just couldn't articulate the small moment I wanted to convey. All my slices seemed so...dull. Honestly, I spent more time generating ideas than crafting this post. 

Some days are like that. 

One of my many attempts at a slice today

Start.Stop.Start.Stop.Start./

Generate slice ideas./

Can't find the right words.

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 15: Victor

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life Challenge #21 Day 15:

Victor

Why must you always/

take my spot? Scat! You screech, hiss,/

...yet your motor purrs. 

Slice of Life #21 Challenge Day 9: Longing for Daffodils

 For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #21 Challenge Day 9:

Longing for Daffodils

Last July I bought an old farmhouse and moved into an established neighborhood. With the arrival of each season, I discover new things about my house and yard. Lately, I have been anticipating spring and cannot wait to see if anything blooms. My daughter's favorite flowers are daffodils. To me, daffodils represent the end of winter and a time for rebirth. 

These daffodils grew outside the house I rented last year.
They were lovely.

.

For now, I have been walking around my yard, searching for signs of spring growth. So far, I have only seen mud and dirty patches of snow. 

In thinking about my yard and in anticipation of what it might look soon, I wrote this haiku:

Mild temperatures/

tease. Snow melts. I yearn for buds,/

hope for daffodils.      

In my daydreams I imagine that I will wake up one morning and find daffodils sprouting in my yard. However, if this doesn't happen, then I can plant my own.  

Slice of Life #21 Challenge Day 3: Sunrise Delight

I'm obsessed with sunrises. Although it was 16 degrees Fahrenheit and the harsh wind whipped my bare face, I was mesmorized by the vivid morning sky.  As soon as I returned from my morning walk, I wrote this haiku:

Icy wind stings skin/

Pink hues illuminate sky/

Morning walk delight. 

When I catch a sunrise, my mood brightens. No matter what I am facing for that day, I am in awe of nature's beauty, even if it is just for a few moments. 

What's something that instantly brightens your mood? 

Looking to connect with a positive, supportive online community? Consider sharing a slice of your life with Two Writing Teachers. All writers are welcome!

#sosmagic: The Power of Notebook Rereading

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us.#sosmagic

#sosmagic: The Power of Notebook Rereading 

I'm reaching the end of my current writing notebook. Before I shelve that notebook and begin the next, one of my rituals is to look back and reread some of the things that I was thinking or noticing as I filled that book. I am almost always surprised what I discover; I forget things so easily. Remembering by rereading my writing often serves as an unexpected gift. Rereading this notebook was no exception - I was reminded of a recent surgery and my recovery period.   

In late November, I had carpal tunnel release surgery on my right wrist (my writing hand). In the first few days following my surgery, my wrist was swollen and bandaged. Although I had limited mobility in my right wrist, it was difficult to do the most simple things, like shower, put on shoes, or even open a convenience container of food. Yet I wanted to keep writing, so for a few days I wrote using my left hand. 

Below is a haiku I wrote shortly after my surgery (left-handed):

Carpal tunnel fix/
Icing, elevating hand/
Repeat new routine. 

Immediately following my surgery, I found myself full of gratitude for my body parts that worked well and didn't cause me pain. I was thankful that I could write or type using my left hand. During this time, I thought often about people who need to adapt to a sudden disability/pain and how challenging this must be. 

Three months after my surgery, I have full mobility again in my right hand and wrist. However, until I reread some of my notebook writing, I had forgotten how difficult the first few days following my recovery were. I am glad that I have a record of this time - a sharp reminder of how precious and sacred our bodies are.

#sosmagic: Generous Gifts

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us.#sosmagic

#sosmagic: Generous Gifts

In the midst of a divorce last fall, I moved out. Suddenly, I found myself in a new neighborhood, in an empty rental house without a whole lot of furniture or household items. I felt lost in every way possible. 

I had begun a new journey. It was a journey that was was one of the most terrifying and painful things that I had ever experienced but necessary.

Friends, family, and colleagues helped make this transition more bearable and gifted me with all kinds of unexpected blessings. Beyond listening to me and providing a constant emotional support system, I received all kinds of gifts including a house full of furniture, hand -made quilts, house plants, baking pans, silverware, glassware, sheet sets, bicycles, a vaccuum cleaner, tools, and even a gently used lawn mower and snow blower. I was so humbled by all that people shared with me.

Now there is not a room in my house where I am not surrounded by the reminder that people went out of their way to help me when I needed it the most. Evidence of love and support is scattered throughout my house. 

The rocking chair, braided rug, floor lamp, and plant were all items given to me.

I will forever be deeply touched at all of these gestures of love.

Yesterday, as I was thinking about Ruth's invitation to consider the magic of words, I realized that many of my favorite words are connected with generosity. As I played around with lists of words in my notebook, I came up with the following Haiku, a bit of a tribute to some lovely words and for my appreciation for all who shared such amazing gifts with me:

Generosity -/ 

gifts shared. Meaningful gestures./

Community love.   

Slice of Life #20 Challenge Day 31/31: Walking Habits

Slice of Life #20 Challenge Day 31/31: 

Walking Habits

Since the Covid-19 epidemic began, I've been trying to adapt to all kinds of things: digital learning/teaching, social distancing, and making peace with all of the cancellations. At times it has been a bit jarring and overwhelming. 

However, there hasn't been a day that I have not gone for at least one walk, especially during my lunch hour. Although I often walked before or after school, I didn't walk during my lunch break. Now it's one of my favorite times of the day. I get a break from my computer. I get some time outdoors. I get to spend time either in solitude or chatting with my neighbor/friend, Dave. 

On today's lunchtime walk, I ran into one of my administrators running during her lunch break. In addition, I saw two families out for a walk. My neighbor, Rae, was out on her lunch break and walking with her friend. It makes me happy to see so many people outside.

Generally, I feel better after I walk. I feel less overwhelmed and often less cranky. I'm not sure why I didn't do it when I was physically at school.

Walking during my lunch break is something I want to continue after this pandemic is over. 

Lunch time stroll relieves/

anxiety, tension. Now/

welcome habit change. 

Looking to connect with a positive, supportive online community? 

Consider sharing a slice of yourlife with Two Writing Teachers. 

All writers are welcome!

Slice of Life #20 Challenge Day 29/31: Signs of Growth

Slice of Life #20 Challenge Day 29/31: 

Signs of Growth 

From darkness, despair,/
and mess of barren season:/
fresh growth emerges. 

Spring reminds me that somehow growth and beauty prevail after long, difficult seasons of dormancy. 

Looking to connect with a positive, supportive online community? 

Consider sharing a slice of yourlife with Two Writing Teachers. 

All writers are welcome!