Chalk-A-Bration 4

My slice of life today is a chalketry celebration of July and poetry. 

Join Stacey and Ruth to share your slice of life at Two Writing Teachers.

Chalketry

Cinquain

Haiku

Acrostic

Lyric

Kyrielle

What a dry summer. I have felt for our plants and trees especially. Watching them droop and seem to sigh each day just wanting a little drink yet having to go without. My poem is about a recent rain and what I imagine could be communication between me and the trees.

Drought

Hearing,

trees cheering,

as drops trickle 

and spill.

Soaking,

the drearing,

lifeless limbs

prevail.

Share your chalk poetry (chalketry) here this week or on August 31st, the last chalk-a-bration of the year!

Squirrels and Loons!

At the end of the week I will be getting together with some family to visit a cabin on the lake. I treasure this time of the summer when we go visit the loons that live on this small lake in Northern Michigan. There is pure comfort and enchantment in hearing a loon call or wail as the sun rests for the day. I found this book intriguing and informative as it tells the tale of two hatchling's journey into adulthood. The illustrations are beautiful and feature other lake dwelling creatures. Its poetic text is equally lovely. Here is a small taste:

On black-and-white checkered backs
they snuggle down to dry.
Sailing the lake on their loon boats
they watch the water world go by.

Loon by Susan Vande Griek
Pictures by Karen Reczuch

Another favorite read this past weekend was Mario Makes a Move by Jill McElmurry. A very cute story of a squirrel who has some "amazing moves." When I saw this book and flipped through the pages I loved the illustrations. They show a lot of movement lines and sequenced movement of the characters. The vocabulary is also something to celebrate with words like artistic, astonishing and elegant. I see this being a great addition to my mentor text pile.  

Chalk-A-Bration is tomorrow when we can get our chalketry on (that is chalk and poetry smooshed into one word)! Join in tomorrow or the next day and grab the chalk-a-bration button on the right side of the screen.

But Who Am I?

The Kinderchat challenge for today...

a photo get to know 140 characters or less per pic!

This is a piece of driftwood that I saved from a recent trip to the beach. See the little granules of sand?

 Today the kids and I set up the house for our painted ladies and I learned the plural word for chrysalis is chrysalises or chrysalides. Aren't you glad I found out?

 This is what my notebook looks like. A blurry view of the poem about driftwood I am loving and hating (first stanza peek).

 I went to the library today.

 I love chalk. I love poetry...the two go together again on July 31st. Chalk-A-Bration...you should do it too!

And so it goes...

 

Share in the poetry pleasure of Friday at Life is Better With Books.

July is practically a memory, but a lovely one.
I have taken a bit of a blogging break. I will admit, I haven't been busy this whole time hugging my children and digging my toes in the sand...though I have done a lot of that. I spent some time watching TV, napping, eating berries, letting my brain dry out a bit. Well, the well needs watering and I am ready to get back into this! A peek into the notebook seems in order as I did put a few ramblings in there. Here is a little taste of poetry and work in progress that illustrates my July. 

 

sun rest

in the wet

multi-colored 

spectacle

the day

washed away

 This is an attempt at a poem story, the memories of a piece of driftwood. Here is the first stanza:

Shedding tears of morning dew
the mother births her seeds.
Her waving leaves send them off
alone into the breeze.

 I recently found out I really like snails. I wrote a poem about one today.

Patience
un-avoidable,
your home
a spiral dome.

You slide a path of
                   memory
in search of something
                               old.

What's it to you?

 Slice with Ruth Ayres and Stacey Shubitz at Two Writing Teachers and read from a diverse group of slicers!

I have been home, all day. Cleaning a little, putting away a few things, playing with the kids, normal stuff. My life recently has not been this normal flow. We have been on the go! Finally we settled back into our home and all I kept telling myself is..."get on your computer, get your slice done already." Here it is, almost 7:00 p.m. I have had all day and I can't think of anything.

Yet, I know I have thought of many lines and just not felt it:

"What's it like to be behind a mirror?"
"I wonder what it would be like to be a well dweller?"
"Tree people" I can't wait to see that movie Epic due out in 2013. It's like they were in my brain.
"Fruit flies. Who invited them while we were camping and visiting family?"
"New fish." Our fish were fine but they needed new friends. "I wonder what living in a new tank is like?"
I saw a sugar glider at the pet store today. "I had no idea sugar gliders were so ornery, hmmm, I want one!"
"I want a pond."
"I need a little of my own skin time, no one on me...literally." Kids are hanging, bored, pulling, ayaiaiai!
"Bunnies are so cute." My kids saw a "bunny cat" today. It was actually just the neighbors cat, but in the right light, it looked like a bonafied bunny.
"I want a bunny."
"I love frog hunting with my kids." (Fun times at my parents house).
"Frogs are so sticky and it is remarkable that little guys will curl up on you if you let them to feel your heat."
"I love frogs. I want one."

 BACK TO REALITY...NEED TO WRITE SOMETHING

So, I read. I read some poetry from a great book, The Tree That Time Built, selected poems by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston. I read a little Word After Word After Word by Patricia MacLachlan. I even read Babymouse: Queen of the World and I still sat here. Perplexed. Bewildered. Hmm....

Then I checked my stats. What are people reading on my blog. I decided to join in and re-read my blog a bit. Then I went back to the start of the school year and read to see where my head was at. Have you re-read your blog? It is eye opening. What's it to you? You should find out.
Then I read my whole "reprogramming" series. So funny to look back at yourself...hmm...kind of like being behind the mirror. I wonder what that would be like?

Lake Michigan

Ah, the month of July. It is upon me and we are exploring the world around us as much as we can. We have been away and I mean AWAY! We went to West Virginia for a family reunion/camping vacation. However, it was not the best time to visit the devastated state. Even without power however, she was a beautiful place. But a little recovery from the experience was in order, so we went to our favorite spot to camp in Michigan…Ludington State Park. This is one of the most wonderful and relaxing places I know. My little family and I visit each year (for three years now) and as soon as I see Lake Michigan I am immediately calmed…it’s like being set free.

I did not realize how much I would miss blogging and not miss blogging all at the same time. I found a little spot of internet access today, parked and posted. This poem, as I wrote it, as I felt it and as I peacefully walked the dune to take the photo below reminded me how much I love my state of Michigan. It is unlike any other place I know and how lucky I am to live here.

For anyone who lives in Michigan, I also thought of the Pure Michigan ads that run on our TV’s and radios chuckling a little. If only I could get Tim Allen to do an audio of my poem!

Stunning and showing off the star she is…the sun.

Lake Michigan

A blinding glare

paints squints and smiles.

The sunlit waves

and sand for miles.

Estates of Dukes and Yorks abound.

Then washed away,

the sun goes down.

Orange and pink

strokes of bliss.

Soothing sprays

of happiness.

Beauty stares into my eyes.

My toes sink in,

my paradise.

I am hoping to chalk this poem somewhere on some pavement while I am here (yes, I brought chalk, of course)! If I do, I will share a photo. 

Remember, the next Chalk-A-Bration is July 31st, I hope you can make it.