As I wind down my summer travels and wind up for the school year, I am taking this time to return to Maine in photos and poetry. I hope these images inspire you to breathe, relax, and rejuvenate.
Tag: encouragement
How I’d Like to be Remembered
As I grow older, I often think about how I want to be remembered: for the art I make, for the poems I write, for the work I’ve done for over four decades. Yes, all of that. But this past weekend I was reminded about what is most important to me.
Maine-ly Peaceful
July is our Maine escape. I can just be here in this incredibly beautiful place and take in all I see.
Small Joy: Things to Look Forward to
But the truth is I’m mentally and physically exhausted. Where writing usually energizes me, I found it to be a daunting task. So I let myself take a break, and now I find it’s hard to get back into the flow. What do I write about? What uplifting story can I tell? I do not know.
Recharging
My energy is swiftly dwindling, and I’m trying to hold on to the little bit of reserve that I’ve been hiding inside myself. I find I need that reserve to be able to wrap up the year, and to get ready for summer re-energizing. I saw this butterfly mural in the town where I work, and I asked my friend, Molly, to take a picture of me with wings. I thought this image would help to remind myself of the importance of self-care.
Forest Bathing: New Hampshire Woods
Mountains rose up all around us, and I instantly felt at peace. This is where my mind and body belong – up among the green and growing – deep in the green valley protected by the tall mountains all around. I feel safe here.
Sew Easy: Lessons in Perseverance
There are three rites of passage in the Wonder Studio: using the hot glue gun, working a hack saw, and learning to sew. The joyful expressions on students’ faces as they learn these skills are salve for my weary teacher’s soul.
Inviting Readers to Slow Their Pace in a Digital World
Sometimes, I come across a book that literally takes the top of my head off! The ideas are so innovative and complex that I am totally stunned and need to slow down my pace and deeply consider what the author is communicating. Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World by Maryanne Wolf is this kind of book.
Daughter, Mother – Spring, Summer
As Mother’s Day approaches, I. have been thinking a lot about my mom, Vivian, who died at the age of 91, almost ten years ago. She was a dress designer, seamstress, artist, and teacher. What I didn’t know until this week, was that she was a poet. Poetry was my father’s realm, so I guess she kept her poetry writing private.
Inside the Wonder Studio: Marvelous Mess
From this height, I also noticed what a great mess they were creating: balls of yarn rolled across the floor, bits of balsa wood scraps scattered over the rug, a trail of red paint crossed the room from table to garbage can.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 