I’ve been missing that sense of adventure this summer, and so I’ve found that I have been traveling in my mind through reading books. For the past several weeks, I’ve been in Paris by way of Hemingway.
Category: Art
How Does Your Zen Garden Grow?
As I look towards the end of August, cognizant that my new school year is on the horizon whether it is virtual or in-person, I am committed to keep cultivating my own garden. By this I mean I want to keep in the forefront of my mind, my health, my writing, my artistic expression, and my connection to friends and family. It has not always been easy for me to have clear boundaries between work and my personal life. For decades, I put my work before everything else. Oh sure, I talked about balance, but I really didn’t know how to achieve it. How do I juggle a great jumble of responsibilities? How do I prioritize? What do I need to do to be successful? I struggled and struggled with these questions.
Memory is Hunger
Memory is hunger. When I read this recently, I paused, I underlined it, I wrote notes beside it in pencil. I’ve been concentrating on Hemingway this summer, and this quote came from his memoir, A Moveable Feast, about his time in Paris in the 1920s with his first wife, Hadley. It is Hadley who says these words as they reminisce about shared experiences: “There are so many sorts of hunger. In the spring there are more. But that’s gone now. Memory is hunger.” In this post I describe the power of food to trigger memories and help create healthy recipes with fresh, simple ingredients.
Most Likely to Create
Humans are social animals and as such we seek community. We yearn for communication and understanding. We want to be seen and most definitely heard. There are all kinds of communities to which I have belonged. I have been part of a community of quilters, dancers, painters, teachers, cooks, readers, martial artists, and writers. As part of those communities, I was able to build strong bonds with others who shared similar interests and passions.
When All Else Fails – Finger Paint!
This happened to me last week, while I was reading Jordan Shapiro’s book, A New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World. He is such a fast thinker – going from one idea to the next, making connections at lightning speed – Greek philosophy, gaming, systems theory, divorce – they all go together in one wonderful coherent whole. How does he do that? He uses metaphors and makes images in readers’ minds so they remember concepts. He brilliantly persuades us that there is nothing to fear about our children’s obsession with technology.
Summer of Hummingbirds and Frogs
It is summer and I am vowing to play. Play with my colored pencils and play with my words. It is easy for me to play with words and share them. I've been doing that since I was four-years-old. It is warm and comfortable. It is more difficulty for me to play with drawing because I'm still at the beginner stage. Being a beginner takes boldness. Being a beginner one must cast away the trepidation and dive deep into play with abandon. Like the hummingbird it all starts with a flash of color, like the spring frogs - I've come out of hibernation and am ready to sing!
Summer Mindset: Unwind to Rewind
After this spring of remote learning, I’ve found that I need summer even more. I need that time to unwind to rewind.
Getting Wild in the Wonder Lab
I don’t think I have a very wild life, but I do have a wild mind. A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to be allowed to create a hands-on maker space in my school called the Wonder Lab. It is a place where elementary students come to work on independent projects and … Continue reading Getting Wild in the Wonder Lab
Invitations to Wonder…
Last week, Ruth Ayers invited her online writing group (SOS: Sharing Our Stories) to write about 7 small things. Instead, I chose to write about anger. Anger is not a small thing. Anger is a big thing, an explosive thing. It starts small and then grows. As I read some members' blog posts this week, … Continue reading Invitations to Wonder…
Something Beautiful
I've been thinking a lot about beauty lately. This spring and summer I was tasked with finding an assisted living facility for my mother-in-law. It has proved to be an arduous journey fraught with near-hysteria, even with expert advice from A Place for Mom, which I cannot recommend more highly! But I digress. I want … Continue reading Something Beautiful
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 