Everybody loves Hump Day – Wednesday! Otherwise known as half the week is gone, we’re over the hump, and we’re so close to the weekend we can taste it.
If you enjoy Haiku, join in by sharing a Happy Hump Day Haiku.
Dried-up markers make excellent painting tools when dipped in clay saucers of water?
Water color makers make pretty cool paintings on the clay tiles of a patio.
Chalk is another fun tool. Water, chalk, clay tiles. That’s it.
Dirt. Always fun. Anyplace. Dig out the gardening tools and construction toys.
Wood benches also make the perfect canvas for dried-up markers and water and chalk and water.
River rocks, those flat, smooth sorts that are so awesome to hold and touch, make wonderful stacking blocks. Add them to clay saucers to experiment with how they change colors. And paint them with chalk and markers.
Add some off-roading or construction vehicles for a different type of exploration.
Turn the tiles over. Bumpy road! (My tiles have ridges on the back.)
Cut fallen branches into logs for building. Birch trees are a personal favorite. My kiddos love peeling the paper off (extra fine motor practice) and I can use it for crafts. Or they can.
All of the above? Leave as is and let the rain or sprinkler wash away the traces. Or spritz the clay tiles and benches with water and TA-DA, clean, fresh canvases for more fun!
So go ahead, enjoy those dried-up markers, clay tiles, rocks, branches, and benches. I love watching my grands explore, create, make a mess, and explore. Me? Not a care in the world since it all washes off.
How many of you read for pleasure? (“Me, me!” she shouts while waving her hand crazily in the air.)
A paper book? An e-reader story? A tale that lets you escape to a new land, new people, new problems? (Yes, please!)
Oh, the books we can read! Too many books, not enough time, right?
Consider this poem I wrote for a course:
This pleasure,
While reading,
Gives me a poetic mind.
Gobbled, devoured,
Digested words and tale.
Spit out to be
Read again.
Again.
And again.
Dissected, applied to life,
Reassembled with
New understanding.
Reading for pleasure;
A necessity as is
Air, water, food.
I pick up again
The feast of words
To consume the story
Each book tells.
Tell me, tell me please!
What book are you reading right now? What’s your favorite book? What chores have you neglected to read just. one. more. page? (…dishes, laundry, vacuuming, dusting)
I’d love to hear the tale of the words that let you escape.
I realize this is a hot, politically heavy topic. But I want to skip the controversy and go straight to a response.
Humans. Babies, toddlers, children, teens, adults. Moms, dads, children, grandpas, grammas, aunts, uncles, friends. In other words, people.
An article I wrote about making space for relationships (with refugees and other community members) is in the March issue of MissionsMosaic. You can also read the article online here.
(Search for the article title, “Make It Personal: Build Relationships with Refugees.”)
I’ve been researching the refugee crisis for various writing contracts. And while I am in no way an expert, even I can see that refugees need our help. We can’t all travel to refugee camps and help on site. But we can keep our eyes open and alert to seeing refugees (internationals) in our communities.
What to do then? Gently, kindly extend a hand of friendship. No bulls in a China shop approach. But with a humble heart, coming from a sincere desire to help – reach out. Offer assistance. Open the door. Smile. Let your children play together. Help at the grocery store or post office. Take time to explain something confusing. At the least, make eye contact and say hello. Every little effort is worth the awkwardness and uncertainty we might experience. Think of it as making new friends. There. That helps, doesn’t it?
Collecting those ideas is just like gathering eggs. You have to watch where you’re walking, keep your eyes peeled, and collect those golden orbs of inspiration and place them in a sturdy basket to incubate for hatching up a great story.
Miranda and Baptiste Paul share not only inspiration tips, but stories from their lives. Patience and looking back are key points to mining the perfect ideas for picture books. Thanks, Miranda and Baptiste! Great interview of each other!
Mindlessly multi-tasking is my choice-du-jour for allowing my creative side to enjoy some free play time (and hopefully toss out a few story idea sparks).
One of our hobbies (hubby and I) is taking motorcycle trips. I ride behind him, so my hands are empty and we don’t have a way to talk to each other, so I have all that talk-to-myself time. I’m working on one story right now that came directly from daydreaming and wondering on the back of the Honda Shadow.
I’ve also learned that wherever I go I need paper and pen. This goes for motorcycle trips as well. Other motorists often see me hunched over behind his back, jotting down ideas on my paper, fighting for control as the wind gleefully tries to steal my notes. Alas, it’s January, foggy, cold, and in Washington state, not a good time for motorcycle rides. Otherwise I’d say, “Pony up, honey, we need to take a ride!”
Guess I’ll do the dishes. Or sweep. Or bake something. And let those ideas flow.
Love, Laughter, and Life 