Blogging on the Beach

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On this 31st day of the Two Writing Teachers’ Slice of Life challenge I’ve been thinking about the lessons that daily writing for a public audience offers and why I continue to choose to write and publish on my blog every day in March.

1. There is something incredibly special about this particular community of writers. There is a kind of welcome that encourages participation even when I feel like an imposter as a writer. Those who comment manage to find a nugget of meaning and bring it to my attention, fueling that desire to continue and teaching me to comment thoughtfully as well.

2. Even when I write every day, writing doesn’t get easier. It feels hard to have something to say that others may want to read. It’s different than writing in a journal for your eyes only, public-facing adds a different kind of pressure.

3. But, when I do commit to everyday writing I wake each day with an expectation of writing. Every moment becomes potential fodder for my writing, from elephants and play to the fun of sending and receiving postcards to the lost art of knot tying. Living a writerly life means paying attention to the little things, breathing them in so I can exhale words on the page.

4. Writing everyday makes me a different kind of reader. I notice the way other writers use language, how they develop topics, what they say and don’t say… And I don’t confine myself to books. I’m reading song lyrics, advertising copy, overheard conversations, notes scrawled on the sides of buildings and bathroom stalls…

5. When I’m writing every day, there is no perfect place or setup for accomplishing my writing. I write on airplanes, in the few minutes before I need to set up for a Zoom meeting, when I should be writing report cards, and even on the beach. Luckily my blogging app makes it pretty easy to at least get a draft going no matter where I am.

6. And I’m convinced that daily writing makes me a better teacher of writing. I’m living writing as a process…and knowing that on the other side I am also producing a product. Just like my students know that at least some of their writing will be read by someone else, I, too, expect that someone will read what I write. Writing for myself is important, but writing for others is another aspect of writing to consider whether I am writing emails, reports, newsletters, poetry, or even social media posts. Understanding writing from the inside out helps me make writing instruction more playful and responsive and is an important reminder of the power of words across contexts.

With March done, it’s time for National Poetry Month. Will I continue to write and post throughout April? That’s the plan—with the help of Verselove. Thanks Two Writing Teachers community, I hope to see many of you as we continue into April.

In a Knot

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It feels like tying things is becoming a lost art. The majority of the first graders in my class don’t know how to tie their shoes, most opting for Velcro or slip-ons as alternatives to the dreaded shoe tying.

Bows on packages are often premade. You can just peel off the paper and stick them directly on the wrapping paper. Maybe I’m showing my age, but tying used to feel like a rite of passage rather than an avoidable annoyance.

We recently sent our grandsons knot tying kits — kind of in the same genre of the Swiss Army knives we got them for their birthdays (and I wrote about here). And I’m wondering if they will take up the challenge of learning to tie a variety of knots. I think the kit includes directions for 23 essential knots. (What knots are essential? And for who?)

Sitting in a beach chair, reading a novel, I heard the horn of a catamaran alerting people to move so they could land on the beach. And probably about 10 yards from me the boat landed on the sand and two young women ran down the stairs, hopped off, each grabbing a long and thick rope that they then looped through a metal ring and tied with confidence. I have no idea what kind of knot it is, but I’m guessing if you work on that catamaran, that knot is essential.

What other professions and hobbies depend on knots? How do we get our children and students interested in these lost arts? How many knots do you know how to tie?

Just Add Water

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I remember reading a post by Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone earlier this month where she shared an expression from when her kids were little—“if they’re crabby, put them in water.”

So what does that have to with my post today, you might ask. I was thinking about the healing power of water as I spent my morning immersed in 78 degree salty ocean water, swimming with colorful fish (and seeing honu in the distance).

When I add water to my day, even in these challenging times, life feels just a tiny bit lighter. Dipping my toes in the quite a bit colder waters near home, improves my mood and helps to unknot my shoulders. Snowflakes falling on my cheeks on a trip to the mountains in February helped me breathe more deeply and sleep more soundly. The sound of rain on the roof can feel like music (but again, all things in moderation—a rainy day schedule with first graders is not my ideal teaching day).

A friend of mine, whenever I mention a headache or not feeling well, reminds me to drink more water.

So I’m going with the theory—a dip in some something wonderfully watery, whether it be the bath or the ocean might just improve the day! It certainly got mine off to a great start today!

Off to the Market

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Do you frequent farmers markets? We have plenty in and around the community where I live…and I never go. The parking’s hard, they’re mostly on weekend mornings, somehow I just never get there.

But this morning, far from home, I visited a Saturday morning farmers market. It was wonderful. Filled with flowers of all colors and every luscious, savory smell you can imagine. Local honey, empanadas filled with crab or lobster, every possible juice, fruit and vegetables—an entire table full of tomatoes—and more.

I ended up with an açaí bowl overflowing with a rainbow of fruit and the perfect crunch of homemade granola. Such a treat!

Will I start going to our local farmers market because of my experience today…seems unlikely that I will change my ways. Then again, maybe if I need an excuse to treat myself to something fresh and yummy I’ll choose the farmers market next time!

Blueberry Harvest

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I like meandering through gardens much more than doing the actual work of gardening. I love watching the buds blossom, the bees buzz, smelling the distinct aromas of lavender and tomatoes (maybe not together), I even enjoy a tomato worm sighting (they’re great for a photographic moment!). My backyard is less a garden and more a menagerie of plants. An eclectic mix of succulents (there’s an aloe plant that has gone wild and has at least tripled in size over the years–it started as a gift in a small pot), potted lavender, a few cacti and sago palms, and who knows what else. Plants that overgrow the kitchen window often get banished to the backyard where they, more often than not, go feral. We do have a small raised garden bed with tomatoes and strawberries that have somehow survived two seasons with minimal attention (and too many insects who often enjoy the fruit before we get there) and we have a couple of blueberry plants.

The blueberry plants have been a challenge. We started with one expensive one, and it promptly tried to die. We adopted a cheaper brother for it and now both seem to be doing great. They each have a wine bottle waterer in their pots to keep them from dying of thirst and they are both jam-packed with blueberries right now! (Is it blueberry season? Is there a blueberry season in Southern California?)

So after taking some photos, I proceeded to harvest some blueberries. I collected quite a haul and after rinsing, my husband and I enjoyed a handful each. There is something so special about blueberries directly from the bush, lightly warmed in the sun.

Thankfully, my husband is a more dedicated gardener than I am. At least they get watered regularly. What treats is your garden offering in these first few days of spring?

Jetsetting

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Do you have a Swiss Army knife? For some reason, these knives keep popping into my life lately. As a Camp Fire Girl in my childhood, I had a version of a Swiss Army knife (no name brand for me back in the day), that included a fork and a spoon in addition to a knife. It was something to take on camping trips…eating utensils all in one place. But my camping career ending with my exit from the CFGs–I definitely prefer a hotel-based outdoor experience.

When my grandsons turned 10 a few weeks ago, it seemed like the perfect time to gift them their first pocket knives, and a Swiss Army knife was the knife of choice. Their grandpa achieved Eagle Scout status in his childhood and still has his first Swiss Army knife and many, many, many outdoor utensil gadgets. Their knives were accompanied by instructions for use and careful supervision by their dads. (You might imagine that their dads, my sons, also have Swiss Army knives gifted to them as children.)

I stopped carrying my small Swiss Army knife with its handy scissors and tweezers when I was doing a lot of traveling. It’s hard to remember where a small pocket knife is allowed and where this innocuous tool forbidden…and potentially confiscated, so I just left it at home all the time. I saw some teachers pull out their Swiss Army knives at a recent conference to use their scissors for some collaging and found writing (more about that experience here). I was wishing for my knife then!

Just a few days ago my husband was scrolling and came across the newest addition to the Swiss Army knife family called the Jetsetter. First, it is guaranteed TSA compliant–it isn’t actually a knife at all. But it looks like a Swiss Army knife and includes scissors (yay!), a screwdriver/bottle opener, tweezers, and a toothpick.

And today, just as my late afternoon Zoom meeting was about to start, I saw him glance at his Alexa and go to the front door. Seconds later he was handing me a tiny box. And in it, was my own Jetsetter! It’s already on my keychain. Can’t wait to have the opportunity to pull this tiny, shiny red tool out and put it through its paces!

The Gift of Bread

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There’s something special about bread. Maybe it’s the yeast–or sourdough starter–that requires careful handling, favorable temperatures, and loving care. And then there is the satisfying mouth feel: the bite, the chew, the need to take the time to ruminate a bit so that when it lands in your belly you’ve spent some time getting to know it. Did I mention the smell? A savory scent that reminds you that this is a food of substance, it will hold you over for a while.

COVID seems to have brought the art of bread baking back to our home kitchens. Not only did people have more time for the complexities of bread baking (and starter making), but when the world felt shaky and threatening, maybe we needed the comforts that only bread can provide. I tried to get my personal chef (AKA my husband) on the sourdough bandwagon. I followed sourdough bakers on social media (including a number of friends) and gifted him with a sourdough bread cookbook, but it hasn’t taken…yet. (I do see him moving in that direction though…maybe one day soon he’ll take the leap. I know he will be amazing once he commits!)

A gift of bread feels like love in a loaf. It represents time, effort, and thoughtfulness, especially when it comes from someone’s home and hands. Being gifted a loaf of homemade sourdough bread on Friday at the end of parent-conference week felt like winning the lottery. Delivered into my hands by the hands of my young student made it even more special…and I could immediately smell that special aroma that only the best sourdough has. A perfect way to end the week. (Thank you Vanessa)

Garden Dreams

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Time in the school garden with my students today turned into my wish for the future.

I watch it dive

into the waterless pool

swimming in the vibrance

of orange

of squash blossom

of too soon summer

In this place tended by children

where vegetables thrive

where small hands pull weeds and pet insects

where blossoms invite the pollinators in

I dream of a world

inhabited by honesty and gardens

inhabited by bees and babies

inhabited by kindness and care

And I worry that it will be destroyed

by war

be inattention and neglect

by the power hungry

before these children get a chance to make their mark

draft by @kd0602

Hoppers

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I went to an animated movie yesterday, with no children in tow. On purpose. And I enjoyed it.

I’d seen the trailer. Gotten good reviews from one son and grandson. Read a review from an environmental blogger about it. It was enough to push me to get up early on a Saturday and make my way to movie theater. With popcorn in hand (is it ever too early for popcorn?), we sat with 2 other movie goers and watched.

I was drawn to the movie because of its environmental plot. I love that the opening scene was a young student rescuing class pets from captivity, because she clearly and completely loved animals. And I love that the solution to the trouble she kept getting into at school was spending time in nature with her grandmother.

For some years now I’ve worked to make attention to the environment and cultivating students’ love and understanding of it “ordinary” in the classroom. I want students to make lifestyle choices with the environment in mind. Luckily I teach at a school with a wonderful garden (that includes 40 minutes of time with a garden teacher each week), a pretty strong recycling ethic, and a system for children to compost their food waste. My students also go to school across the street from the ocean, so access to the wonders of our planet is right in front of them.

Back to Hoppers. The story includes a short-sighted politician who uses some underhanded, certainly unethical, practices to convince the public to go along with his plans. And the local university has a teacher/scientist using “cutting edge” technology to better understand local wildlife.

If you’re interested in a positive environmental message in a cute movie, you’ll enjoy Hoppers. There’s a couple of scary parts if your children are very young…and honestly, you don’t need kids to enjoy the movie. I can feel a bit of influence from Wild Robot in this story–and love when animals and humans are able to communicate effectively.

If you get a chance to check it out, let me know what you think.