Tuesday, March 29, 2016

#SOL16-30/31 - Something I've Learned To Love

SOL16 - 30/31 
      I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Thirty of Thirty-One of the Slice of Life Challenge in March. WE ARE ALMOST DONE! Congratulations to everyone who have made it this far!
                     Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb.  


gathering all day,
clouds touch tall buildings -
rain taps at windows

Linda Baie ©All Rights Reviewed



First the rain. . . (The lilies are a little mashed from the big snow.)






Then the birds sang!



         When we had the blizzard last week, despite the problems, all celebrated the moisture. I remember growing up in Missouri, and playing in the rain when it was gentle, a welcome touch of cool on a hot summer day. I also remember that one spring it rained, no, poured, for numerous weekends in a row. We lived on a lake, and watched it rise higher and higher. We didn’t fear flooding, but others whose homes set lower did, and it was frightening. I also remember driving in a pouring rain and being petrified. I couldn't see where I was exactly, and I couldn't see to pull off safely either. 
         And then we moved to Colorado, what is called arid or semi-arid, and rain comes seldom, or not at all. We rely on the mountains’ winter snowfall to provide water for the spring and summer watering. We learn to plant drought-resistant plants, to xeriscape, using less water for the lawns, saving for gardens. No longer can we just push a plant’s roots into the ground as we did in Missouri and see it flourish, but must watch and nurture every seed or sprout.    
          I watch the news and wonder when others say it’s been raining for days; they hope for sun. And I read of countries and places where a well in a village community is a miracle. If you want to read of someone who has made such a difference, starting with the inspiration of A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park, find Holly Mueller’s blog, Reading, Teaching, Learning  about her class and community that have brought water to the Sudan for a long time. She hasn’t written lately, but posted on FB today that her class and community just hosted Salva Dut, the person about which the book is written. 
          Water is precious. Just ask the people in Flint, Michigan. Today, when I watched clouds move in and blot the sun, I remembered the forecast--rain! Sometimes clouds move in and no precipitation reaches the ground, termed virga. This time, it reached the ground, and for about thirty minutes, rain! And after, as you hear in the second video, the birds sang. It was dusk, and they possibly scrambled for quick evening meals while I scrambled to catch their song.
          
 I hope you have such slices of life every day to fill you up!

38 comments:

  1. Water so important. Today we fight over oil, black crude. I think in the near future the world may well fight over water. We must take better care of the earth and water to avoid that dire possibility.

    Here is to refreshing water.

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    1. Thanks, Ruth, I agree that we must take care.

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  2. This post touches on so many things! Seventh graders at my school read A Long Walk to Water in their social studies class, and spend a week drinking only water, collecting any money they would have spent on other drinks to send to communities facing water scarcity. There are also simulations they do--I don't teach that class, but I love watching and hearing about it.

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    1. Sounds wonderful, Wendy. What a great idea to save money to help with communities that need water, and maybe break a soda habit?

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  3. So crucial - water. And I think so important to tell stories about how our experiences with it are so different depending on where in the world we live. Thank you for writing this Linda.

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    1. You're welcome, Carrie. I was so glad to get the rain!

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  4. I loved learning about the new words I hadn't heard before. I really appreciate the blend of weather we get although rain is not one of my favorites. I was not able to hear the birds singing in the video but could imagine how they fluttered and feasted after the rain. Thanks for the interesting slice! Water is appreciated!

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    1. Thanks, Amy, happy you enjoyed "most". The video is quiet, so you need to turn the volume up on your computer I think. Sorry about that.

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  5. I had to learn about the definition of xeriscape this morning. So interesting. This is a thought provoking post. Water is certainly a blessing that I take for granted often. Thank you for the reminder.

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    1. You're welcome, Kendra. These are things I learned through the years, too.

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  6. You had the dog's attention with the bird song...
    It is amazing how different parts of the same earth can be. I am grateful for the water supply that we usually have. Our house in Friendship actually has way more water than we want! The well head is overflowing almost all the time.

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    1. Amazing about your well, and yes, you are lucky. I am hoping you'll get to move in soon, Donna.

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  7. It's raining here today, too, a gift to make things green and get them growing after winter's rest. I think of Nancy Bo Flood's book _Water Runs Through This Book_ http://nancyboflood.com/water-runs-through-this-book/ Do you know it?

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    1. Yes, it's another wonderful book. I almost posted a list, but then decided not to. Water Is Water by Miranda Paul and Water Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas are two more favorites. Glad you've getting some of this rain, too, Jane.

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  8. Where would life be without water? I worry about the water situation, especially in California. Their plants are beautiful, but at what cost? Love the sounds after a rain! It's a reawakening.

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    1. There are those just here in the US who need more water for sure, Elsie. Seems as if things really are changing.

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  9. Linda I was one of those people who sneered when it rained and missed seeing the sun because at times it was so rare. But since moving to the desert, the first thing I noticed was the weathermen and how enthusiastic they would get when there was a possibility of rain! I now appreciate when it rains, however it is quite rare here too! Beautifully written!

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    1. Thanks, Lynn, I understand, and that's why I wrote about how we change attitudes if we move to a new habitat. I know that you are termed high desert where you live, right?

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  10. Love the rain, love the poem, love the videos. When I moved to Lima, Peru, I didn't really know that it was in a micro-desert- it rains very rarely. It is something to miss, and to appreciate when it comes.

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    1. Love hearing about your living in Lima. I didn't know it was in a desert either. We always think of South American rain forests, but not other habitats. Thank you.

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  11. As a kid I would love to stand out in a gentle rain during the summer. Water is s something we take for granted here. We tend to forget that there are places in the world where it is scarce. Thanks for reminding us that water isn't always there at the turn of a tap.

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    1. You're welcome, Bob. I didn't get to go swimming often, so playing in the rain was the next best thing, in Missouri that is. And yes, we do forget & take that tap water for granted. I grew up with one grandmother with only a cold water tap for a long time, remember her heating big pots of water for a bath, etc.

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  12. Rained here for many hours last night and this morning, Linda. Such a delight in this semi-arid place. I miss the rain. Loved how your piece captured its importance.

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    1. You must have had the northern edge of our storm, Elisabeth. Glad you had such good rain!

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  13. In India, where I grew up, we so opposite ends of the spectrum at the very same time: drought and monsoon - killers both. Thank you for highlighting the work that Holly's school has been doing - so inspirational.

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    1. You're welcome, Tara. I am so inspired by Holly's work too. I've told my former colleague about that work. You're right about India, although I've never experienced it, a habitat without compromise!

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  14. Yes, water is very important. I spent a few days in Colorado this past summer and it rained almost daily while we were there. My aunt and Uncle kept commenting on how much rain they had so far that summer.

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    1. You're right. Last year was a year when we didn't have to water outside as much, so different from the expected. I am interested in the changing patterns too, our warmest Jan. & Feb. on record!

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  15. I've been watching Holly's experiences with awe and wonder. I love how you captured the sounds and sites on video. And that sweet haiku image. Water is precious. We seem to take it for granted especially here where it rains plenty.

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    1. I know about that taking it for granted. We did in Missouri before we moved, & griped about the rain! Yes, Holly's work is just wonderful.

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    2. Thank you for the shout out, Linda, and your comment, Margaret. Meeting Salva Dut in person was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had! You're right - water is precious. It's life.

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    3. I'm glad to hear from you, Holly. I just told a former colleague about you because she is very interested in social projects with her students. congratulations again on the fine work you and your students have done. Awesome to meet Salva Dut!

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    4. What an amazing experience to get to meet Salva Dut! We have our entire sixth grade read A Long Walk to Water and his story has inspired and fascinated me! What an important lifelong memory and lesson in making a difference!

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    5. That's great to know that all of your sixth grade reads this book, a marvelous shared book.

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  16. A neat reflection on the importance and beauty of water, Linda! I always love how you turn everyday moments into real insights! :-)

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer, somehow that little bit of rain inspired me this time. And I do think about water more than I used to, from others' lives and from books.

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  17. Such an interesting post. I didn't know that about Colorado. Water is so important for sure.

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    1. Thanks, Beverley, yes, perhaps even more dry in states surrounding.

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