Celebrating National Poetry Month #7 : Rivers That Merge to the Ocean

Traveling the Rivers of Washington

In Washington state
rivers flow out of the mountains,
connect to guide travelers,
merge with the ocean,
and roll on to the Columbia.

Coastal Indians paddled the Nisqually, Nooksack, Quinault;
Northern bands camped on the Kettle, Colville, Sanpoil, Okanogan;
Explorers relied on the Spokane, Yakima, and Palouse;
Missionaries journeyed close to the Touchet, Tucannon, and Walla Walla;

Locals love the sound of Methow, Pend Oreille, Puyallup;
Wynoochee, Chehalis, Skykomish, and Elwha;
But when it comes to spelling them-
My favorites are Green, Snake, Lewis, and Rock.

inlandempiregirl,2007

Afternoon in the Greenhouse With Some Surprise Visitors

When I did some repotting of primroses in the greenhouse yesterday I had some visitors! Sweet William and Lily love to explore around the plants and rest in the sunshine. It must seem like a private jungle to them! William is always looking out for his buddy Kit.Out from behind a geranium comes Kit!The next time I grabbed the camera the cats were hiding in the foliage.
Just when I was ready to put the camera away..... Kit appeared again! After all those fun distractions I finally got my primroses ready to put outside.

Celebrating National Poetry Month: #6: Mining Hope

Mining Hope

I am

from the mining town of Kellogg.

Most days I inhaled smelter smoke.

Other days I unknowingly played in lead.

I am the daughter of a Bunker Hill worker

that had to leave work clothes at the Zinc Plant,

and arose each morning with a hacking cough,

but walked the picket line during the long strike.

I am the granddaughter of a woman

unable to breathe in the town she called home.

I am the sister of a man

With crackling,damaged lungs.

I am the daughter of a mother

that survived breast cancer,

but earlier taught handwriting, reading,

and math under the shadow of the smelter smokestack.

I now return

to the Superfund town of Kellogg.

Trees flourish in brilliant green,

water runs clear as the

river winds through town,

air fills with morning freshness.

New soil, new yards, new air,

flowers bloom in hope.

inlandempiregirl , April 2009

A Recap of Spring Break

late afternoon sunshine by Kettle Falls, Washington

As spring break comes to a close today I may catch one last nap, read a few more chapter of an "escape" novel, and sit outside and take in some Vitamin D. I do feel a sense of accomplishment as I organize myself to reenter teacher mode tomorrow.
I made a big dent in the spring cleaning project. I finished my taxes (Whew!), read three novels so I can report my pages in our reading contest at school, and picked out some roses, ordered some hard-to-find seeds, got a much needed hair makeover, and backed up a bunch of stuff on my computer.

I also had both a wonderful lunch and dinner out with my husband, put out spring decor only to have it covered again in three inches of snow, and deleted a ton of messages saved in my email account.

JEROME A. POLLOS/Press

I saw a very entertaining production of James and the Giant Peach at the Lake City Playhouse in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Thursday evening.My niece The Princess played the role of Miss Spider and was wickedly wonderful. She is a theater major at North Idaho College. Add in a family dinner at Thai Bamboo and pie afterwards at Silver Valley Girl's house to round out a perfect evening. The visit to Kellogg also included delicious home cooked meals by my mom, an afternoon with Silver Valley Girl digging around for treasures at second hand stores, and catching up on sleep! Just as I left my mom's house I got to visit on the phone with my friend Mountain Muddah. Take time to enjoy her Middle Aged Meanderings at her blog here.As we arrived closer to home yesterday I was relieved to see the lingering snow gone and spring weather had greened things up again. As I viewed Lake Roosevelt through the bridge I was also relieved to see the snow had melted on the mountains further north. Maybe spring has really arrived!

Celebrating National Poetry Month: #5: Near the Window

If you are just joined me this month I am celebrating National Poetry month by posted an orginal poem I have written each day.

Near the Window

The lamp near the window glowed long into the night,
the wonder of words kept me turning the pages.
Curling up with Nancy Drew, Bess, and George
creating a life of intrigue and mysteries to be solved.
Finding poetry at the public library and saving words
as I hunted and pecked on the manual keys.

The stereo filled the hall room with beautiful sounds.
I wore out certain songs as I listened again and again.
I joined the Broadway cast of My Fair Lady and Oklahoma too,
and The Ray Conniff singers backed
me up on Somewhere My Love.
How many times could I repeat Three Dog Night
singing One
While belting out the lyrics with a makeshift microphone?

Near the window I could breathe in spring,
In winter the panes frosted, then melted in a thaw.
If opened in summer a breeze gave a small reprieve,
Burning leaves crept in at the closing of fall.

The neighbor kids gathered for Kick the Can
or Spoons, but
I cocooned myself in my bedroom upstairs.
Finding comfort near the window with my pile of books.

Broadway filled the room, images from poems remained.
I still carry the words and can recite the lyrical lines,
and l hear those melodies when I
sit near the window in my childhood room.


by inlandempiregirl, november 2007

Celebrating National Poetry Month: #4: Familiar Phrases

Familiar Phrases

"For crying out loud" has a familiar ring.
As pans banged on the stove
Mother's wonderings arose above the whir of the washer.
Did you lick those beaters and put them back in the dough?
Did you sterilize that needle before removing that sliver?
Did you wipe your boots before walking on these floors?
Did you spray the huckleberry stains on your new shirt?

"Better safe than sorry" is the warning
that clacks around in my head.
Don't get close to the cliff…you might fall off,
Go gargle with salt water... you may lose your voice,
Spin slowly so you don't end up sick,
Cradle your sister's head when you pick her up.

Around the corner by the orchard my car
left the snowy road
spinning around to again face north.
Her voice was a whisper I heard in my ear,
" Don't ever drive when the roads are slick."

by inlandempiregirl