Slice of Life

August…

Sparkling sunsets.

Crisp mornings.

Overflowing baskets.

Farmer’s Market.

Tomato slices.

Peach pie,

peach cobbler,

just peaches!

Zucchini, cucs,

green beans,

Big salads.

Buttery cobs.

Lunch dates.

Ravenous reading!

Classroom set-up.

School supplies.

New shoes.

New books.

Old books.

Favorite books.

Book baskets.

Lake days.

Kayak paddling.

So much to love!

So much to savor!

August.

It starts slowly, but picks up momentum as August progresses. It's that exciting time for teachers. It's time to think about the coming school year. Summer slips away in August. The air has a different feel. Crisp, cool evenings and crisper, cooler mornings. The sunsets are beautiful, but occur much earlier than last month. But summer hasn't left us yet. There are sunny days to savor, a "TBR" summer stack to be read, lunch dates, projects. With a predicted high for tomorrow in the mid-eighties I can avoid the calendar and pretend that it is a lazy hazy July day! You will most likely find me lounging with a book in my lap, sipping peach tea, savoring summer! I'll go back to August on Thursday! Slice of Life Tuesday is at Two Writing Teachers amazing blog! I have thought about writing many times this summer, but have gotten side tracked until today.

Remembering and Reaching

Family, friends, flowers, the beach, the lake, some sewing, a little writing, lots of good books...not too much blogging. But I sure have been enjoying this summer and getting rejuvenated for a new school year. It's not that I am at a loss for ideas. I think about getting back in the saddle. I check in a few times a week at my favorite blogs and am in awe of those of you that balance much more on a daily basis.

So, today this first Poetry Friday, my thinking veered to my O.L.W. ~ One Little Word for 2011. There are many ways to reach, many things to reach for, but for me it often seems to come back to balance.

Reach

Tiptoe,

stomp
or dance perhaps.
Reach.
Sometimes baby steps,
sometimes leaps.
Reach.
Dive in deep
take a chance.
Reach.
Close your eyes
Make a wish
make a splash

or just be still.

Reach
You'll find the way
to reach
a balance.

Happy Poetry! Happy Friday! Happy Summer! Libby is hosting Poetry Friday today over at A Year of Literacy Coaching.

One More Excuse

Perusing the slices tonight, I am reminded of a writing distraction that I omitted last night – hockey. We are a hockey loving family all year, but the playoff season is extra special. Since April we have averaged three to four games a week. The couch is taking the shape of my behind. My school bag totes the same papers back and forth several days in a row and yes the pages of my notebook patiently wait for the words that I gather like scraps for a quilt.

Elizabeth writes about her beloved Bruins and so does the book making blogger, Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord. I love her Who Am I Book? that she created about a favorite hockey player. There are so many ways to adapt this idea in the classroom. Perhaps a famous American, a book character, a getting to know you book in September, and so on. Susan very generously shares directions and ideas for making books with children. We are going to make accordion memory books in school this week and have made several Hot Dog books in the past. So many connections happening here…I best dive back into my school bag.

Happy Tuesday! Happy Reading! Happy Writing! Cheers!

Reasons Why Haven't I Been Writing

During my writing drought I thought about my writing, jotted some reflections in my notebook, but mostly I experienced a prolonged case of writer's block. Throughout this time people and activities have kept me busy. Thankfully I stayed up to date with my favorite blogs. Ruth & Stacy at Two Writing Teachers have stirred things up as their posts often do. Their summer challenge may be the kick in the pants that I need. There will always be dirty laundry, grocery lists, and bills to pay, but in my quest for balance I am reminded that we make time for what matters. Therefore, I'll keep looking for the write words.

Thursday Night Tradition - SOLS #31

Why change now on the final day of March? Once a night owl always a night owl…it might be nice to be a morning person. Someday perhaps I will greet the day a bit earlier and try starting my day as a writer, but for now I am a late night rambler.

Thursdays are okay, but Thursday nights are what I truly look forward to. Sure the weekend is on deck and this week did seem to creep on at a snail’s pace. For the last few years my daughter and I have a standing date to watch “our shows.” I am not much of a show follower except for the two we keep up with on Thursdays. We hunker down with mugs of fresh coffee and a little something sweet and for two hours we are couch potatoes. It’s wonderfully relaxing. We watch. We chat. We watch some more. Traditions with children. For me it doesn’t get much better than this!

A Writer Emerges - SOLS Day 30

Few events in the classroom top the moment when a student finds his or her niche in writing. It might be a place of comfort, a favorite genre, a voice of confidence, or any number of triggers that give a student the nudge to see himself as a writer. Today the seeds were bursting for K. typically a “reluctant” writer who has been known to stare at a blank page for all of Writing Workshop. Even with an idea, K. had a pattern of brief descriptions followed by a claim that he had nothing else to write.

For the first couple weeks his SOLS fit the above pattern. Then little by little the stories started to creep out like a toe testing the cold pool water. Now I would say K. has reached a significant turning point with a distinct style emerging in his writing. He has the voice of a storyteller and is standing tall with pride.

We are turning to color for inspiration this week. Click here to read about 100 colors (paint chips) sparking 100 stories. Sometimes it’s the name of the color that gets the writing wheels turning. Today’s color, tropical lagoon, a beachy blue sent a story sailing for K. It was a snippet that packed a punch with sensory details, a line or two of dialogue and a Jamaican accent when K. read his piece aloud. You know “mon” it was an amazing moment listening and watching K. beam with pride as he shared his story today. K. learned that he really is a writer with something to say! And if you are wondering he did use “mon” in his story.