Poemz

I recently had a few poems published.  You can find my poems, Bobbers and The Mallard in the 2021 Issue of Flights and my poem, Losing Aaron in The Edison Review, Volume 20.

peace and comfort

I recently found this thoughtful note in a book that helps kids understand death and was touched.

Don't worry.  I left the note in the book.

chalk art

Kids make the best art.  It's a fact!

We stumbled on this glorious chalk art at a local elementary school.  Margo did the appropriate thing and flopped down right in the middle of it.

really close

Robert recently gave me a super early birthday present and I have been racing around taking a zillion pictures.  It's the latest iPhone with macro capabilities, and I can get really close to things.  I learned very quickly that there are a few things I don't want to get too close to.  I got so close to a spider it scampered.  You never want to be close when that happens.

I've been incorporating more and more of my pictures into my artwork, mostly using small components, but my next art project goes a bit further.  That's all I can say at the moment, but being able to take really nice macro shots is giving me all kinds of inspiration and material for my art.

Here are a few of my first pictures.  Can you guess what each plant is?

Interpretations VI

Robert and I recently went to Columbia, MO, which is one of my favorite places to visit.  Nearly every year, The Columbia Arts League does an exhibit called Interpretations and here is their blurb about how it works: 

"Here’s how it works – 30 visual artworks and 30 short pieces of poetry or prose (150 words or less) are selected from a pool of submissions.  Artists and authors are then paired anonymously and at random.  Each selected visual artist will receive a piece of writing and each author, a visual image.  They then have the next few months to create a response inspired by the prompt they’ve been given.  The result is a fascinating glimpse into the creative process and a gallery chock full of penetrating conversations between works and across mediums which transcend the limits of both visual and written communication alone."

It is one of the coolest things to be a part of.  Though I love the exhibit, my favorite moment happens when I can sit down with the book (which isn't out yet) and look at how each piece of work is interpreted.  I also enjoy the process of interpreting another's work and having the time to let it slowly grow inside me. 

This year I was paired with a jeweler, Katelyn Smith and her piece immediately resonated with me.

This is the piece I interpreted:

This was the response to my original poem:

Whenever Robert and I visit Columbia, we always stop at our favorite places: Blue Stem for more art, Yellow Dog Bookshop for books, yes, but also literary journals, and the Peace Nook.  I always walk away from Columbia with a stack of goodies and a lot of inspiration.

This time around I found some Zum soap wrapped in wool - WHA?!?  It's such a lovely idea.  I also found a new literary journal, Popshot and a literary journal I love and have no idea why I don't subscribe to, Orion.  Perhaps it's one of those journals best picked up while exploring a favorite town.  I also scored some 1Canoe2 dish towels because I have no self control when it comes to dish towels.  It was such a fun day!

Favorite September Reads

I read a lot of books about elephants last month.  No reason why.  I just read whatever comes up next on my want-to-read list, and at one point there were six books about elephants sitting on my shelf.  There are a few subjects I can only read once every few months (mental illness and WWII come to mind).  I am delighted to say elephants are not on this list.  I merrily made my way through most of the six books and wasn't surprised when two of them made my favorites list.  I did have a little time to read a few other things though!  

Here is my September list.  Enjoy!

The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Juvenile Fiction)

Thanks to a kindhearted elderly man, Gio, who just won the lottery, Veda the elephant is rescued from a long and grueling circus life and given a sanctuary filled with friends and love. 

Veda's number one fan, Sila, is going through a tough time and needs a little sanctuary herself. Her mother has been out of the country for almost a year dealing with immigration issues that prevent her from coming home. 

But how do they meet? And how does Gio end up buying Veda? 

Thanks to Gio's broken-down truck and a clever business card, Gio reaches out to Sila's dad, who is an auto mechanic, for assistance. Sila comes along with her dad when he fixes the truck. A friendship is formed, and like any person who has just won the lottery and takes a liking to a sad kid, Gio buys Sila an elephant to cheer her up. 

It's a crazy story filled with complex characters, including Sila's new friend, Mateo, who helps her take care of Veda for the summer. Though there is a heavy conflict holding this story together, it's still a light read that radiates warmth, compassion, and joy. It's perfect for anyone who has not won the lottery but would still like to spend one action-packed, glorious summer taking care of an elephant with your best pals.

An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo (Teen Fiction)

Lizzie, the narrator, tells the story of Marlene, an elephant who lives in the Dresden Zoo during WWII. An attack on Dresden is imminent and Lizzie’s mother, a caretaker at the zoo, has been told all the animals will be shot when it happens. To protect Marlene, Lizzie and her family (mother and brother, Karli) open up their garden to the young elephant. 

Soon they are fleeing for their lives when Dresden is attacked. Their journey of running for their lives with Marlene is gripping, haunting and surprisingly bittersweet. Marlene isn't the only unusual thing about their journey. They also carry a secret that can get them killed if discovered. 

But having an elephant with them on their journey brings out the best in most people, and more than that, Marlene gives others the inspiration to keep going. For me, Morpurgo’s descriptions of Marlene are the best moments in the story. I enjoyed her soulful eyes, contented grumblings, and playfulness. Before their escape, there was a moment Marlene was in the shed for the night. Lizzie and her brother watched Marlene from their kitchen window. “All we could see of Marlene was the dark bulk of her inside the shed. And then, just occasionally, her trunk would reach out into the snowy night. ‘She is catching snowflakes, isn’t she?’ Karli said.”

Houndsley and Catina series (Early Readers)

Houndsley and Catina are such fun friends to read about. I've enjoyed their adventures together and particularly love when their friend, Bert shows up. They live quiet lives, enjoy each other's company, and like to cook and make music together. They are also snazzy dressers. The illustrator, Marie-Louise Gay creates a cozy environment that she carries throughout the series. You will see familiar things in each book and she dresses the characters in the same patterns as the endpapers in each story. There are lots more treasures like this to find in this sweet series about friendship. Cousin Wagster is my favorite book in this series. When Houndsley's cousin, Wagster visits, Houndsley thinks Catina likes his cousin more. Yikes! I think the topic of jealousy is handled well. I appreciate how Catina prompts Houndsley to talk to her and he shares his hurt feelings.

Magic Treehouse Fact Tracker: Dog Heroes (Juvenile Nonfiction)

This was my first Magic Tree House Fact Tracker, and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed the stories of the heroic dogs and learned a few things I didn't know. I learned how dogs laugh, which is through short pants. I'm not sure I've seen my dogs laugh before, but now I'm paying more attention! I also didn't know dogs can taste smells through a special organ called a Jacobson's organ or that there are dogs who help track orca whales by sniffing out their poop! I loved how this was broken up into super small sections. It's easy to breeze through pretty quickly, but it also works for the easily distracted reader who sometimes needs shorter sections. My only issue is I don't know which fact tracker to read next!

Seat Sirens by Amy Chu and illustrated by Janet K. Lee (Juvenile Graphic)

Trot and her grandpa both love the ocean and they spend most of their free time enjoying it – while grandpa fishes, Trot surfs with her cat, Cap’n Bill. But Trot’s grandpa has dementia, and after he goes missing one day, Trot’s mom tells them they need to stay at home while she’s at work. Trot and Cap’n Bill sneak out to go surfing while grandpa is sleeping and they have a wipeout. Rather than perishing in the ocean, however, they are rescued by sea sirens. Soon, Grandpa joins them undersea and they attend a grand feast. Cap’n Bill is also granted speaking powers and they do a little underwater surfing. This is a crazy story that’s so beautifully illustrated you will not be able to look away while reading it. I was captivated by page after page of Cap’n Bill swimming along with the sirens while they worshipped him. Though the story is a little on the light side and I wanted so much more, the illustrations and exciting undersea adventure are enough for me to share this with every person I meet.

Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin (Picture Book)

It is clear there has been a giant shift in Lily's life. She is not only moving in with her Gram, they are also moving to a new home. To help ease Lily into these huge changes in her life, her Gram encourages her to play a game while they drive to their new home. They look for ten beautiful things along the way - windmills, a red-winged blackbird, and "cloud banks [that] trade lightning back and forth" to name a few. Whatever loss Lily endured is handled with respect and consideration. Because it is mysterious and never explained, I think readers who experience similar losses and changes will have more room to belong in the beautiful message of this story.