Mark Nixon's Much Loved is in the inspiration for this post, which features my most treasured stuffed animals.
Category: Writing
Kitchen Literacy: Luck of the Irish
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! For years, I would bake Irish soda bread and read leprechaun stories with my young students. There is nothing like the smell of fresh-baked bread while listening to fanciful tales.
Consider the Pomegranate
Then my mom introduced me to the pomegranate, which we called a Chinese apple back then. Pomegranates were actually native to Iran and Northern India. They were so exotic to me.
Nature’s Cure
When the world becomes too much, I invariably turn to nature. As I walk the trails, I am on the lookout for something to surprise me, something to capture my imagination. Nature is the best cure for writer’s block.
March Snow
I was hoping to escape spring snow this year. This year, I desperately need spring to come early. I am through with gray, cold, and drudge.
What Girls are Made of – Part 2
In each poem, I want to create a snapshot of childhood and how girls navigate in the world. I’m going to take time to think back on what was important to me back then.
What Little Girls are Made of
When I walk down the corridors, I am greeted by a variety of girls, ages three to eleven. They wear colorful leggings, light-up sneakers, unicorn headbands, wild curls and long twisted braids. They come in all shapes, shades, and sizes. And they are the hope we need in this world, especially right now.
Writing to Entertain
It's Wednesday, time for Kindergarten writing workshop. I have a hop in my step as I walk down the hall towards the Kindergarten classroom. I open the door, and the teacher rushes over to tell me that she desperately needs my help.
Fly Like a Bird
March is on the verge of bestowing full green upon the world. I can hear it in the birds that perch above my feeder, bright flashes of blue and red, wonderful displays of white-tipped browns and grays.
Sacred Trees
In my search of rest, I often find solace in trees. I find comfort in their sturdy trunks and the variations of their bark – molted gray-green, bumpy brown, spectacular white. Their branches reach high to the heaven and bend with the wind.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 