Everything is Equal in The Snow

"Everything is equal in the snow: all trees, all lawns, all streets, all rooftops, all cars.

Everything is white, white, white, as far as you can see.

Covered by snow, the well-kept and neglected lawns look the same.

The snow hides the shiny newness of a just-bought car as effectively

as it does the rust and dents of a ten-year-old one.

Everything looks clean and fresh and unmarred by time or use.

Snow, like the silent death it counterfeits, is a great leveler. "
-Adrienne Ivey

A Cactus by Any Other Name Still Smells as Sweet

Remember... I was the person that couldn't get a Christmas Cactus to bloom at any time of the year. Then last fall we got our first one to bloom around Thanksgiving. Now JEJ brought this one in from the greenhouse. The blossoms resemble a tropical plant. We could call this the Winter Cactus, Birthday Cactus, or Soon to be My Mom's Birthday Cactus.
JEJ said the only thing he has done differently this year is to give these blooming plants more fertilizer. I guess the combination of cool temperatures, light, and plant food as produced these revived Christmas cactus'.
There is only about five of these lovely blossoms on the plant so far. Wait until it is in full bloom. Stay tuned. If you want read some past posts about Christmas cactus go here and here.

Weekend Snapshots: Fog

Views of fog across the lake....

and inside while the dryer was running.

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.

When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. ~Ansel Adams

To find other weekend snapshots go here.

Sibling Assignment #50: The Media Experiences That Inspired Me In 2007

Raymond Pert gave the sibling assignment this week:
"Look back over the year 2007 and reflect upon photographs, blogs, books, songs, cds, dvds, movies, poems, etc. and compile a best ten sources of inspiration/ learning/ joy of 2007. With comments ." You can find RP's here and Silver Valley Girl's is here.

I thought about this assignment all week, but today drew up the list of media experiences that inspired me the most in 2007.

1. The Writing Retreat I attend every June. This retreat has been a ritual in my life now for three years. I know when I go I will have quiet time to write, people to conference with about my writing, and a writer to guide me through new pieces of writing. It is always right after school is out and it is a gentle way to ease out of the school routine into more of a writing life.
2. Ted Kooser. At the retreat last year I was introduced to Kooser's book The Poetry Home Repair Manual. I also began reading more of his poetry and he helped me to see that everyday things can be put to words to make meaningful poetry. You can learn more about him here.
3.My digital camera. At the end of 2006 I got my first digital camera. A month later I began my blog. I have been amazed how between the two I have a chronological history of the last year in pictures and words. My camera captured the simple and complex images of life around me all year.
4. Sunday Scribblings. Once I started my blog I was introduced to Sunday Scribblings and a whole new writing community of bloggers. It has inspired me each week by keeping me focused on a topic and by allowing me to enjoy the words from others' writing. I encourage you to visit the site here.
5. Tony Bennett's Duets . I love Tony Bennett. I particularly love this cd because the songs he chose remind me of my childhood. I also love the people he chose to partner with. It is hard to pick favorites because I love the whole cd, but after watching a special on PBS recently about the recording of this album I love " The Good Life" with Billy Joel, "Because of You" with k.d. lang and "Smile" with Barbra Streisand the most.
6. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. This book illustrated a model for a book about cooking and how to include recipes, and create a blog. This book inspired me to write more about cooking. It also introduced to another format in the blog world. Julie cooked her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking by preparing a recipe a day, blogging about it, then writing a book about all 365 days and recipes at the end of the year.
7.Because Writing Matters , National Writing Project. I helped pilot an online book group in August discussing this book. It is a book that includes best practices and research on how to improve student writing in our schools. It is very informative and inspirational, it has helped me with my teaching, plus I loved the online book discussion format.
8.Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Lewis Stevenson. When I was posting a poem a day in April and creating sibling assignments from childhood I kept returning to this book. In March Mom gave me the old copy she read to me as a child and I continue to enjoy the poems, memories, and the magnificant black and white drawings.
9. The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. Introducing students to the horrors of the Holocaust is difficult. Even though I have taught this book numerous times, this year my students were more interested in this book and it led to more questions, discussion, and understanding of that difficult time in history.
10. Into White by Carly Simon I don't often turn on Oprah when I come home from school. For some reason one day last spring I turned on the TV just when Carly Simon and her two children were beginning to sing " You Can Close Your Eyes" from her new cd. Hearing the blend of their voices to the words their father/her former husband had composed gave me goosebumps. The album took songs I learned at camp, elementary music, remembered from favorite movies, and also had heard her sing before. It is perfection in sound and choice of songs. I have many favorite renditions of "Over the Rainbow", but I think Carly's from this cd is now my favorite.
Enjoy Carly and her children Ben and Sally singing on Oprah.

Photo Hunt: Skinny

Two students before class are getting the skinny on the WSU /USC game played last night. WSU is still undefeated and ranks #4 in the nation. This inland empire girl is ecstatic about our inland empire team. Go Cougs! To check out other photo hunters go here.

A Joy in Winter : Arrival of Seed Catalogues

I am a person that loves winter. As I have said before I love this season as a resting, thinking, and planning time. I love thinking of our garden soil taking in the nutrients of the leaves we placed on top in the fall. I love thinking of the melting snow watering our trees. As JEJ was heading out to shovel one more time this week he looked on the positive side. " At least this will help our water situation in the summer." If winter brings snow, that only helps our gardens flourish in spring, summer, and fall.

I love that time in January when the seed catalogues arrive. Even though we know it will be three months before planting begins catalogues and stack of gardening books help with the early planning. We can have conversations about how we are going to change the garden to conserve water. We can draw out a plot of what a new cutting garden might look like. We can decide if the big trees that loom in the driveway may need to come down.

I love gardening because it is about planning changes, but also about sustaining what has worked. It is about enjoying zucchini in the winter and waiting eagerly for spinach in the spring. As I look out at the piles of snow enriching my gardens I thumb through these catalogues with eagerness. Let the planning begin.