My writing life has taken a dip, and I really needed a spark. So, this past weekend, Teach Write had a game night, and I participated. We played with Paint Chip Poetry cards and what fun we had! I have had this in my Amazon cart for quite a while, but for some reason, I have never bought it. After playing it with writerly friends, I think it has to become mine! We each chose 12 paint colors from a random color generator, and then used the prompt cards from the game. In my first poem I used the following colors:  forward fushia, gory movie, and spicy red. The prompt card was "heartbreak ..read more

Photo from Pixabay Change is coming. I can feel it.  Sitting on the porch as the late summer sun begins to slide down the back side of the day, a crispness wraps around me. The humidity of the morning rain has been chased away by the cool air. Just over the hill, the leaves on the trees bask in the yellow-tinted twilight. The locusts serenade me with their loud chorus, reminding me that change is coming. I can feel it. And I welcome it.  Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating a space to share our stories.  ..read more

 A little girl sits at her table with her "friends." The table is set with four little white plates with delicate pink flowers and a yellow butterfly, four cups and saucers, and a tea pot complete with a sugar bowl and cream pitcher. The little girl slowly pours the Hi-C or Koolaid from the pot, carefully holding the lid tightly so it doesn't fall and break. She places a Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookie on each plate, and the tea party begins. Fifty-five years or so ago, that little girl was me. I received this toy China tea set when I was around four or five years old, and it ..read more

Today I wrote to a Teach Write Academy prompt--"far away." Mom continues to slip farther away, much like this rowboat on the water. I chose to write a skinny poem ..read more

My mother has dementia. As more of her memory fades with each passing day, we come closer and closer to making tough decisions. Lately she has mentioned how she just wants to go home. She still lives at home, so we are assuming that she is remembering her childhood home, as driving through that area of town seems to bring her joy. It seems the childhood memories are the ones she keeps tucked away in a safe place. Music also seems to bring her joy. When she listens to Dean Martin or Elvis Presley, it's like I have my mother back. This is when I wish time could stand still.  ..read more

I have written many slices from my front and back porches, and my time there continues to fill me with stories.  Even stinky ones. A few days ago, I was sitting on the back porch watching the Facebook live video with Kate and Maggie. Earlier that day, I had been watching a little bunny romp around the backyard nibbling on clover.  As I was watching the video, I was zoned in when I noticed something move out of the corner of my eye. Thinking the bunny had returned, I continued watching the video, not paying much attention to it. All of a sudden, I noticed that what I thought was ..read more

     Welcome to this week's nature-inspired invitation to write and connect. Each week, I will post a round-up, and you just need to write your blog post and link up at the bottom of my post. I leave a little inspiration each week, but you are free to write about nature:  prose, poetry, images, or anything else you would like to share.  This week's inspiration doesn't come from a source, but a time of year. The summer solstice is on Wednesday, June 21st. What inspiration can your draw from this "longest day of the year ..read more

I wrote a slice, "What's That Smell," during the March Challenge about a plant I have had since 2008 from the funeral of either my dad or my father-in-law.  It wasn't doing too well, so I brought it home from school, placed it in a bucket of water, and I waited. And waited. After the root system became stronger and to try and save it, I cut all the leaves off and planted the roots deep in the dirt in a new pot. I placed it in the window in my office where the late afternoon sun comes in, and I waited. And waited some more. This was one of those situations where I knew I did what I could ..read more

      Welcome to this week's nature-inspired invitation to write and connect. Each week, I will post a round-up, and you just need to write your blog post and link up at the bottom of my post. I leave a little inspiration each week, but you are free to write about nature:  prose, poetry, images, or anything else you would like to share.  This week's inspiration comes from The Curious Nature Guide by Clare Walker Leslie where she encourages us to take a night walk. "Let your eyes and mind adjust to being out after dark. How do the smells, sounds, and colors ..read more

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating this space to share my stories. Sitting at my dining room table eating breakfast and reading the online edition of the newspaper, I hear screaming. I can tell it is one of the two young neighbor girls, but it isn't a "give me back my toy" scream. Or a "wee this is fun" scream. It is a scream of terror.  I jump up and open the door. I listen trying to understand what is going on. The screaming continues, but all of sudden I hear the mother say, "It's not going to hurt you."  I peer through the white pines that create a border ..read more