Summer Solstice, My First Reading, and a Completed Poem

Tonight we celebrated the longest day of the year with a reading, a steak dinner, great dogs, sharing of writing, and a campfire. I did my first memoir reading with my friend Bev (below) before dinner. We each picked favorite pieces and read on benches before dinner in the pine trees.

The highlight of a delicious steak dinner tonight was watching the two " resident" dogs be so well-behaved as they sat by their masters during meal time..

Later we all gathered in the yurt and shared writing written during the day. My goal was to complete some poetry since that isn't a genre I feel as comfortable writing. I shared the poem below. We then moved to the campfire to round out our last evening with s'mores, conversation, and laughter.

The writing prompt we worked on in the workshop this morning was called "baggage". It centered around those things we hang on to and keep in our lives. After hearing other people's brainstorm lists I combined them into this poem:

Digging For Keys
Faded cottage cheese tubs stuffed with rusty nails,
hooks on the wall overflowing with coats;
a ripped poncho, a manure covered barn coat, a too-small ski parka.
Hanging close are the hats;
hunting orange, hand-me-down tan, John Deere green,
The stained lavender lamp shade lingers in the corner.

Resting on the steps, plastic plant pots, trays, and saucers to catch the drips;
a leaky watering can, one silver slipper, a dead lily discarded after Easter.
nozzles, washers, sprinklers for hoses;
five Mason jars, three canning rings, a crock pot without a lid.

The drawer holds keys to doors that never open, cords to gadgets long thrown away;
Fasteners with a purpose fading from memory and doodads once with a use,
two knights from a chess set, wooden Scrabble tile, one toothpick,
pastel birthday candles, an outdated candy thermometer
resting before the next celebration.

Things of life are saved, arranged, hung, and displayed.
They join soft levis molded to our shape;
colored Avon bottles Aunt Pearl wrote into her will;
birdfeeder presented as a wedding gift;
leaning mailbox with the chipped red flag.

Things remind us of everyday life;
nails to repair the fence, crock pot Sunday soup,
batch of applesauce put up last fall, a marathon Scrabble game.
Digging for keys that frosty, winter night
Doors and windows were locked up tight.

A Retreat Summer Reading List and Moved to Tears by Writing

After the activity yesterday many people exchanged book lists for summer reading. The list below is a collection from the group. These books are for varied age levels and interests. The four above are ones I gathered before the trip for summer reading.

The Book of Everything by Guus Kuijer

1001 Books You Should Read Before You Die edited by Peter Boxall

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Atonement by Ian McEwan

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean

Wicked and other titles by Gregory Maguire

Snow by Orhan Pamuk

So B. It by Sarah Weeks

Dinner With Dad: How I Found My Way Back to the Family Table by Cameron Stracher ( his proud cousin-in-law is part of our group)

Writing Brave and Free by Ted Kooser and Steve Cox

mysteries by Josephine Tey

mysteries by Martha Grimes

Are there other titles you could recommend to my growing list?

Last evening the wind came up and there were whitecaps on the lake. We felt it was unsafe to have our nightly campfire.

We moved inside to this yurt that has been transformed into a comfortable classroom. It worked well with the lights dimmed to listen to writing by our participants. Serious topics such as death of parents, children leaving home, and a drowning accident were crafted into prose that brought people to tears. The evening inspired the group to continue with new writing ideas today.

Writing: Reaching a Goal and Creating a Writing Space

As I look out on Payette Lake this evening I slowed down to reflect on a very productive writing day. I reached another writing goal. I have blogged each day since I started February 11th. This makes Blog #175. Doing this ritual each day has enriched my own writing experience. I practice the craft, get feedback, and stay in a routine of making time to do it.Today I set up my own writing space with the essentials. A view of the lake and pine trees, a favorite mug and trail mix, a laptop, and music playing in the background. I revised memoir pieces early in the day. I then went to a workshop on the topic of "What We Read and How That Reflects on What We Write". Lori had us list books that have made a difference in our lives in the last year, then share them with the group. Next we listed the types of writing we do. She helped us see that there are themes between what we choose to read that may help enhance our writing. Some of us read about certain types of characters. Others focus on a time period. Often I immerse myself in a certain genre. The workshop gave us much to reflect on during our lunch on the outdoor porch. We also left the workshop with a whole new list of books for backyard reading.

When I introduced myself last night with a piece of writing I chose a copy change using "Women Who Love Angels" by Judith Ortiz Cofer. With copy change the writer imitates another poem either with structure or word choice. I have also posted this on Thursday Poetry here.

Woman Who Loves Gardening

I have dirty nails
and rarely paint them, living out
my long growing season in the flower garden, trellises
giving view to clematis, climbing Peace
where aromatic flowers
grow in profusion.
I pull the weeds
in the early morning
gritting my teeth
wiping sweat from my brow
and listening
to footsteps of my husband
coming in range to help.
Sun makes my face red;
each sniff with my nose
leaves lily pollen behind.
When I rest it’s the beauty

that causes anxiety to shake loose
from a woman in need
of a quiet place to retreat.

-with thanks to Judith Ortiz Cofer

Here is the original poem:

Women Who Love Angels

by Judith Ortiz Cofer

They are thin

and rarely marry, living out

their long lives in spacious rooms, French doors

giving view to formal gardens

where aromatic flowers

grow in profusion.

They play their pianos

in the late afternoon

tilting their heads

at a gracious angle

as if listening

to notes pitched above

the human range.

Age makes them translucent;

each palpitation of their hearts

visible at temple or neck.

When they die, it's in their sleep,

Their spirits shaking gently loose

from a hostess too well bred

to protest.

Our group is ready to wind up another day of reading, writing, discussion, and retreating. This picture captures the moon last night after twilight.

The Second Leg of the Journey: Pullman to McCall

We started our day in beautiful, sunny weather on the road to McCall. The first stop I had to make was at the top of the "old" Lewiston Hill. As I told my passenger Bev this spot was significant to traveling with my family. When we were growing up this was the route we took to my grandma's in Orofino. We usually stopped right here because we were car sick. When they replaced the old Lewiston Hill with a newer, straight, shorter route they left the old grade.
You can see it in the picture as it weaves around the mountain. The picture also show the town of Lewiston and the Clearwater River from the top of the hill. There was another grade similar past Grangeville at White Bird. They have now modernized that grade with a straighter road and this huge bridge.We have a tradition on our way to the retreat of stopping at the Canyon House at the bottom of the hill by the small town of White Bird. Where else in the world can you get wonderful espresso,gifts, arts and crafts, tackle, licenses, a bedroom suite, and antiques all in one place? Today they also had free puppies.
Next we began to view the Salmon River as we got closer to Riggins, which is a town famous for rafting trips on the river.
We stopped for lunch here and it was 89 degrees. As we traveled to a higher altitude to arrive in McCall, the temperature dropped ten degrees. We greeted our fellow retreat members, shared a marvelous dinner of tomato pesto pasta with fresh salad and homemade rolls. We sat by the shore of the lake after dinner and did a piece of writing to introduce ourselves to each other. People were already bonding and finding writing interests by the time we were done.
We ended the day along the lake shore with a perfect sunset and a campfire. Participants could bring favorite writing by others or share their own. It was a lovely way to end our first day. I can't wait for the writing workshop tomorrow. Now I am off to cozy up in my sleeping bag and listen to the crickets and the frogs singing outside.

Road Trip: The First Leg of the Journey to the Retreat

The area south of Spokane along Highway 195 is known as The Palouse. Today I traveled the first leg of my journey to McCall to the retreat. The stretch of landscape from Spangle to Pullman was glorious today with the green fields contrasting with the white clouds and blue sky.
I pulled off here to catch the rolling hills with the ribbon of highway cutting through the middle.
Here is looks like I was a lone traveler driving through the Palouse. Actually the road was pretty busy with road construction, cops catching speeders ( glad I set my cruise control), and slow moving farming vehicles.
Each time I stop in Pullman I have to go to Brused Books. It has an incredible inventory of used books and I always find titles that I have been searching for. When books are piled on the floor and laying sideways on top of others on theshelf you know browsing is a necessity. It is well-organized and the workers are very knowledgeable which helps even more.

My friend lives on a hill with this view of Washington State University. She also looks down on this community garden. Many gardeners were tending their vegetables and flowers this evening.

Same Time Every Year: Reading/Writing Retreat in McCall

Retreat: to find refuge, rest, seclusion, privacy, solitude, quiet, introspection, space, withdrawal, connection, relaxation, contemplation... a safe, nurturing place... from Judy Reeves, The Writer's Retreat KitThis will be the third year my friend Bev and I have organized a Reading/Writing Retreat for the Northwest Inland Writing Project through the University of Idaho. It is held the same week each year at the field campus at McCall, Idaho on the beautiful shores of Payette Lake. It starts tomorrow and runs through Friday. It is an incredible opportunity for teachers and writers to gather for four days of unscheduled reading and writing time. Many choose to work on academic writing. Some take the opportunity to read and discuss books on writing. Others work on personal writing. Writing workshops are conducted each day. Our visiting author is Lori Wallin, an author and instructor at North Idaho College in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. Each day ends with a reading by one of the writers.

This gives you an idea of the rustic setting. Our writing room is to the left. The campus creates an atmosphere reminiscent of summer camp. The cooks ring a bell for meals and everyone eats in the dining room together ( other adult groups are also here at the same time). There is campfire every night where our group has the opportunity to talk, share writing, and enjoy each others' company.
This will be my home away from home this week. Last year I spent lots of time sitting with my laptop writing memoir pieces and gazing out the window at the lake. It was a very productive time. I am off to Pullman today and then the road trip to McCall begins tomorrow. I will be posting from the retreat all week.