Monday, February 21, 2005

Winterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It does not end. The plow chugged up and down my street all night as I slept with the curtains open catching site of the blinking light in my dreams. By morning we had several inches of snow and my good neighbors were here shoveling for me.

By two in the afternoon, it had all turned to sleet...heavy, heavy sleet pelting all around my house and gardens.

Currently, it is raining and quite foggy outside. One of my favorite quotes about winter never ending is found in the book, Winter, by Rick Bass. He writes, "Be loyal to winter, all the way through--all the way, and with sincerity--or you'll find youself high and dry, longing for a spring that's along way off, and winter will have abandoned you, and in her place you'll have cagin fever, the worst."

Friday, February 18, 2005

Friday afternoon Haiku...

What a nice way to end the week with a fourth grade class loving Haiku, clinging to Haiku, not wanting to go home from school (well, almost!) Haiku!! These were all written by the kids!!

wishy-washy pearls
what's in your recollection?
Liquefy or not

savouring winter
non-ending glacial snowflakes
forsaking sunshine

cold silver diamonds
fridget crystals of winter
frosted crescents fall

snowflakes drifting
white pearly crystals falling
dancing all over

February's warmth
always melts your snowman's heart
so what about mine??

steal a broken heart
February warming air
my tragic break-up

ice looking like stars
walking in the cloudy snow
snow melts in my arms

cotton candy snow
sticking on windows like lace
flying in the air

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Confession...

I own a Jeep. There, I have said it. Some of you don't know me personally, but now you know the truth. I own a gas, guzzling SUV vehicle. I also protest against drilling oil in Alaska, support the Brady Bill for gun control and will be in the Vagina Monologues.

But, before you close out....just let me explain. I have to own a Jeep, I mean it is part of my storytelling. I have a great license plate that says STORIES...I have bumper stickers that give the world a clue as to who I am.

My Jeep is my house on wheels...my Laura Ingalls Wilder wagon..the first flight of the Wright Brothers...

I write in my car (not a safe practice!!)...read in my car (also not a safe practice!) sometimes enjoy other activitie in my Jeep (I'll not even go there!!)...I cry and eat McDonald' burgers in my Jeep (did I say McDonald's, I meant soy burgers from the health food store, really I did!!

I carry microphones, work out clothes, walking shoes, scraper,tapes for the tape player, 8 pair of ice skates (well, you never will know when you run across a lovely patch of ice, meet 7 folks who also need skates)...a cowboy hat (!)...musical instruments..empty and full water bottles, candy wrappers (they were from a hitch hiker I picked up once, and that is the truth)...and a lovly prism that bobbles from my rear view window.

Today my Jeep will turn 100,000. I have had three Jeeps during the past few years...all run 250,000 mles..I think Jeep should be reading this and letting me do their commercials..I am a walking (I mean driving) testimony to their durability.

Besides, I think I look cool in my Jeep. When I work at schools, the kids are all impressed when they carry my stuff out to my Jeep, "is that yours?" they ask in amazement.

"Yes," I say with pride looking at my beginning-to-be-rusted, bumper stickered, covered with Indiana salt Jeep,
"Yes, that baby is all mine!"

Monday, February 07, 2005

Limericks

The fourth graders I am working with just caught on to Limericks. Here are a few of my favorites: (By the way, if you have one of your own or a favorite, send it my way!!)

There was an old man with a prize
Who loved to eat dirty black fries
He stayed out all night
He got in a fight
And now he has two blackened eyes!

There once was a clumsy your mare
Who loved a young lady named Clare
Asked her on a date
He ran a bit late
Then he bought them a dinner to share.

There once was a lady named Bell
Who was riding her bike and she fell
She scraped up her knee
And got stung by a bee
And then she forgot how to spell.

Thee was an old man not quite dead
Who stood up and cracked open his head
He had a small cat
Who sat on his mat
And often would call him Sir Red.

A flimsy old woman named Pam
Who couldn't eat nothing but spam
It started to snow
How could she know
And finaly ate strawberry jam!

Friday, February 04, 2005

The rehearsal week...

The first week of rehearsals is now over. It was what I thought it would be...meetings lots of new folks, sitting around the "acting circle"..learning which lines and parts we all will be saying...rehearsing...telling stories..and laughing.

It is a wonderful assortment of women...all ages...all styles..all backgrounds.

The days were long though. Last night was the hardest as I drov home late through newly formed frosted, fog. As I left the rehearsal, my cell phone was completely dead (I guess I forgot to charge it this week...) the fog was beginning to swirl around the top of the buildings in Fort Wayne, and I, admittedly, was tired.

As I pulled out of the parking lot at the theatre, I saw a horse drawn carriage up ahead. The streets were quiet except for the sound of the horse. The carriage was the color of pearl velvet...the driver decked out in top hat and ebony black coat...as I passed, I had to turn and look at the couple...they were snuggled up to the cold with a large blanket aound them. They didn't notice me passing or even looking...they were content on each other.

It was a lovely moment. Isn't it nice that romance still lives???

Spring break in St. Pete...

  Adam and his pups! The late-night flight is full. Everyone is heading out for spring break. Students and teachers, moms and dads, kids and...