A Day Off

Thursday is our official day off (OK, we have a couple of other days too!!)...but it is the day we try to plan nothing!

We began the day by having breakfast with author, Audrey Penn and her friend, Pierre! The talk ranged from book editing to a body's electrical system. Several hours later, we found ourselves on the front pizer sizzling in the summer sun and wondering how to spend that lovely afternoon. Philip appeared to be coming down with a cold so he chose napping in the hammock on the back porch. I, feeling quite well and energetic, took to the beach for several miles of sand walking. I soon left the life guard beach and had miles of sand and water all to myself.

By dusk we were both revived and cooked out late in the back yard. A friend stopped over, shared dinner with us, a bottle of wine and lovely conversation.

It was a wonderful day off.

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

First Day of Summer

If the calendar didn't boast the first day of summer, I would have known it anyway. We awoke to deep, heavy muggy skies and temperature. But...still we resist the air conditioning. We have had cool northern breezes all summer and the windows wide open during the night time.

The night time skies are filled with soft scented cedar and the occasional rustle of tree boughs.
I think that might be come to an end this evening as the hum of cool air will make sleeping a possibility.

Tonight Philip tells stories at the Opry and I take tickets.
Afterwards we are heading to the beach for a late night (11:00) walk to celebrate the Solstice.

When my children were home with me, we always had wonderful celebrations on the farm with fairy princesses (and princes)...stories...rose petals...and candles afloat on the pond.

Wherever you are light a candle...a sparkler...sing a song...dance by the light of the moon..or walk hand in hand on the beach.

Happy Solstice

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

A Promise Is a Promise is a Promise....

Solstice resolutionss (Yes, I know it starts tomorrow, not today, but be prepared is my first resolution!

1. Be prepared.

2. Take yoga class (twice a week!)

3. Swim or walk every day

4. Write a thousand words a day

5. Write my blog every day

There is more, but that is all I intend to make public!! I'll let you know my Solstice plans later...although it looks like Philip and I will be making a late night trek to the beach to watch the stars and planets on my favorite day of the year.

The Solstice begins at 8:29 tomorrow morning...take a moment to make your own resolutions or just bask in the glory of life.

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

Four boys and a trimmer...

My old trimmer is broken. I tried to fix it...I tried to find a part to replace the broken part...but parts are impossible to find. So, a new trimmer came home with me tonight...after school, even on time. (Well, I did have to coach a skit for a 4-H club skit......)

I was so excited to have my new trimmer. I changed into my work clothes...got my tool box ready, but just could not put it together. (There was only one small screw!) My new neighbor boys (of which there are 4) sent the middle child over. (He is 13) and he knew just how to fix it! A miracle, I said, truly a child wonder.

I mowed and trimmed...took down the protest sign put up by all of my neighbors. OK, just kidding there, but I could see all the binoculars in the other houses on West Street watching me work. Who says a girl can't run her own house????


Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

Fifth grade boys and interpretative dance????

This is my first year in teaching theatre as a requirment. Oh, it has been a great year...fraught with delight and,other thoughts of you've got to be kidding floating in my head!

So, to end this school year and huge Sonnet-a-thon has been planned by my fourth graders. You know, community leaders coming in to the school to read sonnets (even our state representative), reception, and a very ceremonious literary day. I love days like that. This one is, like all others, student directed (by the fourth graders) with a little help from their teacher/director!! Of course, the reception is out of my hands...we may have cookies, but no napkins...punch and no cups or vice versa!!! Teaching them hand shaking is another gift lots of children are void of.....a whole class on hand shaking???

I thought how fun (&^%$$#) to involve the fifth grade students in interpretive dance to Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. By now, (you knew this was coming) I am about to re-evaluate all of my teaching and directing methods. I vetoed socks after yesterday's rehearsal as the boys (notice I said the boys) slid across the gym floor and bounced off the gym floors...allst the while the lovely young ladies are flitting and dancing and freezing on cue. "Stomping," I say is not dancing. "I do not want to hear body parts slapping the floor."

All right, there is still a week to go. How many sick days do I have left?????

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

Pearl Drops of Spring

Tonight sitting out on the old stoop of my lovely old house I was surrounded by a canopy of pale pink petals from my crabapple trees.

We had severe rain all day and tonight by dusk, the clouds parted and streams of sunlight lit up the tangled masses of damp grass. As the wind picked up the petals fell cascaded on my hair, on my shoulders...on my soul.

Aaron and Jonah stopped over on their nightly stroll for some "bubbles" as Jonah says. We pulled out the container and as I blew the bubbles mixed with the pearl drops of spring.

Ahh...joy and wonder.

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

Smell of chalk dust and fresh grass...

It is late afternoon in my classroom. My room is in disarray with costumes and props and scripts as varied as Little Red Riding Hood and Hamlet all tossed into the cacophony of the echoes of a day's work.

The night custodian is locking up other classrooms, tidying up hallsway and bathrooms. With my windows wide open on this April afternoon, I can smell the newly cut grass and it blends in with my chalk dust. I should go home, but I just sit here thinking.

Sometimes I wonder how it ends? Will my students attend the Philharmonic when they are grown...get library cards...study Degas's dancers...read to their own children with passion?

All a teacher can do is try...my Dad once said to me if I reach one child it will all be worth it....

Tonight I speak at a banquet to other teachers...telling them how wonderful they are...how important they are.

Yes, I believe it, we are important.