Poetry Friday - Anticipation

 

Thanks to Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link for hosting today.  

I'm beginning to read for Cybil's Poetry Judging - Round Two. It's a pleasure to read the finalists, each one a gem!

       I am always so taken by beginnings, perhaps because I was a teacher and every year's start filled me up with anticipation. So I began to mess around with this new year, 2022, beginning, wondering the five w's and h. Who will be prominent in my life, who will be new, what exciting things will happen, when might I travel and where, why might things get worse? I love the wonder of it, whether good or not.

Wishing you all a fabulous new year!

 A favorite book for every
new year! 

What The New Year Knows

 

Other years bid us goodbye.

Twenty-one won’t even try.

Sad to say, it’s hanging on

with pandemic Omicron.

Yikes!

Yet, my optimism stays

charging forth in winsome ways.

Twenty-two sees humans act

as kindnesses become a pact.

Hooray!

January’s winter show,

up and down, prep as you go.

February, hearts and flowers,

same as usual, sometimes showers.

Whew!

No matter how hours carry on,

Reliable remains my song.  

Month by month, I will abide.

Your new year’s ready for the ride!

Amen!

              Linda Baie ©

 

It's Monday - Happy New Year

     Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and 

  

Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow!

         Happy 2022 everyone! 

      

 I do have this post of books recently read and reviewed but may share less because of the heavy reading for the Cybils Round Two poetry finalists. If you haven't seen notice of all the finalists, go here! We in the poetry group have some lovely reading (and conversations) ahead! 

          I will work to publish my #MustReadin2022 this week. Leigh Anne Eck is gathering the posts here at A Day in the Life!

Reviewed this HERE

    for Poetry Friday

          Enter a world of magic with courageous Poppy Fulbright fighting her own fight during World War II. It's 1944 and Poppy's family's bookshop, Rhyme and Reason, welcomes customers from the future and the past. It, and other bookshops like it, use their magic to keep the light, always wary of what the dark could do to them and the world. You'll love the way the bookshop changes with its emotions. Poppy's love of this bookshop means she wants to be the one to inherit it from her father, yet the sentiment is that it will go to her older brother, Al. When a dear friend, especially Al's, is killed in the war, Al listens more and more to the dark and it becomes Poppy's battle to save Al and her beloved bookshop. It's a new world created by Mindy Thompson where the main characters are shown as both strong and vulnerable to emotional ties and other characters show up as great support, too. Poppy will need them all! I did not imagine so many twists and turns, especially at the end. It's a fantastic world to imagine living in!

       Marked for young readers, it feels like every age will enjoy this beautifully inviting book by Margarita Engle with gorgeous illustrations by Raúl Colón. The story focuses on the varied immigrants, including the sad history of those who took land from Native Americans already here and those who came enslaved without choice. Many challenges faced immigrants in the past and do today. They often feel unequal and set apart from the rest of society but at the same time miss their former homes while needing to learn a new language and new ways in a new culture.    

       However, Margarita also shares the love immigrants have for this new country. Surrounding the challenges and the good parts, the Statue of Liberty shines her light for all, the beacon of hope, being "part of the Statue of Liberty's promise." Conversation and questions can happen page by page. Included are the varied ways immigrants bring expertise to America, from doctors to artists, farmers to scientists. Reading the author's and illustrator's notes shows their own immigrant family history. It feels like another invitation to talk with students who can share theirs, too. I enjoyed every part!

       I adore bear books. This is a new favorite, with fantastic illustrations by Dena Seiferling (wait until you see the bear's expressions) and a story about how to be a good friend by Cary Fagan. Bear finds a ukelele in the forest and now proclaims he's a musician and wants to sing a song. Dear Mouse crosses his legs and puts his paws in his lap. "I'm all ears," he said. Bear gets ready but along comes Crow, discovers a tambourine, immediately takes the stage with his own song. Oh, the joy! But as Bear starts again, along comes Snake who finds a drum. That's how it goes and with Mouse trying hard to tell everyone it's Bear's turn, but no one listens. How it turns out okay has much to do with little Mouse, a true friend. Kindness matters! The ending gives a big smile! There are double-page spreads showing a lot of happiness!

         This is my most recent book, loved it so much that I ordered it. Next, when time, a must-read will be the adult version. Nicole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson

 write from joyful beginnings, then why "born on the water" to their surviving, then freedom. They do show heartbreak and horror, but also strength and determination, a will to remember from the before. Theirs is a response to a fictional young girl who is asked to write about her ancestors, is ashamed that she can only count back three generations. Her Grandmother replies with this story. It's one to celebrate, to share with many others. Nikkolas Smith shares that he uses different techniques according to the page's mood and his illustrations bring more emotion to each. Added information is in the author's and illustrator's notes. 

 

Poetry Friday - Swap Pleasures

  

What a special thing that Jone Rush MacCulloch is hosting Poetry Friday HERE today because she had my name for the Winter Poetry Swap. The swap was first started by Tabatha Yeatts but this year coordinated by Laura Shovan. Thanks, Tabatha and Laura! Today Jone shows her expertise with golden shovels and reminds about her poetry postcard exchange. Be sure to check out her post along with all the others this Friday!

       And a huge thanks to Jone for all the spectacular poems and gifts she sent to me. I am about to start a new year, like all of you. Jone set me up perfectly for 2022!

               

        A lovely note came on the back of this wonderful original collage where Jone shares a found poem. 

 "Lessons from Georgia O'Keefe"

Great artists

observe the world

Watching the light

looking

out the window

The full pale moon

Early morning

Lavender sky, purple hills

the feeling of space

Daily rituals-

rise with the fun

take an early walk

Don't sweat mistakes

something will come

Stay with it

Be yourself

Carve your own path

                      Jone Rush MacCulloch ©

 

     Then, more bounty: a new journal, a pack of fineliner pens, a framed poem/collage, and a bird ornament, with the beginning words of "I heard the bells on Christmas day. . ."

                              You will be able to enlarge if you click on the photo!

      

The Mystery

How did Jone know

that I love to see

numerous birds sitting

on my Christmas tree?

To her, I say thank you

for the serendipity.

Linda Baie ©

Happy Holidays, Everyone!  

Celebrating The New Year

    Celebrating with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Build.  and linking with others who share their celebrations, too. I am grateful to Ruth for helping us celebrate together!  

From Goodreads with a few changes: When Don Freeman, creator of Corduroay, died,  colleagues and his wife decided to use his never before published artwork and make a commemorative book using his wonderful illustrations. Paired with Linda Zuckerman's thoughtful rhyming text, The Day Is Waiting takes readers on a tour of our big, wide world and reminds us that no matter how far we roam, we always have home to come back to.

         I recently discovered this book, a new edition, and I've decided it will be a good way to celebrate the coming new year, and celebrate those past.  I am trying, have been trying to make a new life these past few years. Even before my husband died, I was living alone while he was in a treatment facility. I don't write often about his passing, but the beginnings of each year feel new and challenging every year to me, along with making choices. Most of the time in life, time is taken by education, sometimes marriage and children, jobs that fill the days, etc. But now I am retired and have choices to make, and I want to make them as wisely as I can. This book seems to open up a world of "new" to me, and like so many of others' one little words, it has landed in my lap at what feels like the right time!

 Here are my recent celebrations. these past weeks have been lovely and I am grateful.

Writing a haiku each day since Dec. 1st and reaching
out into the world to find goodness is a joy.

Memories of ornaments keep me grounded,
sometimes in the long ago. This is from a student
in my first class.

Slicing - FOOD?

       I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community today. It's always a pleasure to read what everyone writes about their lives.

Happy New Year

 Because the beginning of the new year feels like a serious time, one where thoughts turn to beginnings, hopes, wishes or resolutions, I'm going to share what you might view as a silly slice of my life. Maybe it's a confession, but I have no plans to repent. Because I'm now retired, have moved into the city with even more choices, and most of the time I cook and eat alone, I have become a grocery store junkie. I do less in the winter when I make soups and stews that last a while. If you wish, I could call myself a connoisseur, more flattering? I know some do not relish a visit to purchase groceries. I've heard them say they hate it. But I think it's fun.

             This is how it goes. One grocery store is very expensive, but I love to go there to look at some of their non-food items, and to purchase some few baked goods, like sumptuous brownies, and new kinds of bread. They create good tastes and once every few weeks I visit. 

           Another store is within walking distance of my home, my regular market! When I go there for a few things, I walk. They have great produce, so this is my favorite for fresh fruit and veggies. They also have a Starbucks. . .

            There are three other stores I visit infrequently, and one is a large store, larger than my nearby one. They have the best delicatessen, so when I have a yen for a new sandwich filling or a different kind of salad, time to visit! They also carry a huge variety of ice cream brands. Don't laugh, other stores do not carry what I really want. Another store is a health food supermarket. They have all organic products and are reasonably priced, so that's still another trip when the Saturday farmers' markets are gone. That final market is a small one that sells authentic Mexican food. There I can purchase fresh burritos or tamales, and even a few slices of tres leches cake. 

        I hope I gave you a laugh as we begin 2017, and maybe enticed you to visit a new grocery? Perhaps I even made you hungry? Have a good meal today wherever you are, and celebrate that new days open the world for all of us. Have a wonderful beginning to your year.

photo credit: barnimages.com Greens and vegetables in store via photopin (license)>

Slicing and Wondering

      I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community today. It's always good to read what everyone shares.  Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb. 

      Congratulations for the honor of being chosen as the best group blog in the Edublogs awards. You would continue to do wonderful work no matter what, but it's always nice to be acknowledged for it. Terrific end of year accolade!

           It's time to ponder the year behind us, and look forward to 2016, too. I might write a post about 2015, another year of changes for me, but this time I am looking forward, and I wonder, sometimes seriously, outward and inward . . . 

       (As I re-read my post, I also wondered from a teacher's view: Isn't this isn't the way one wants our students to think, self-reflect and then answer with a plan? Further work will be needed; further research done, but the student takes the first step.)

When I wrote, I found I needed to reply with a second wonder. You'll see why!

I wonder how everyone will work to make change so that we no longer rise in the morning and hear of yet another tragedy because of guns or bombs?
(Do I have an organization that I trust and support to help do this?)

I wonder if people will try very hard to be kind to each other because of OR in spite of differences?
(Do I have an idea of how to reply kindly even when disagreeing?)

I wonder if we can finally, finally help everyone obtain health coverage?
(There are such worries when medical bills pile up and up. Do I know who might be good to contact to show my concern?)

Saying Goodbye

           On Tuesdays, the Slices of Life are shared through the Two Writing Teachers blog.  Thanks to Ruth Ayres and Stacey Shubitz, we are able to connect to many lives throughout the year.  

            According to Rainer Maria Rilke, 

               And now welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.  

           It's been quite a year, this year of 2012. The challenges I met were fearsome, and I am proud I did meet them with grit and thoughtfulness, for my husband, my family and for myself.There were as many highs as lows.  I originally chose comfort as my One LIttle Word, yet couldn't manage to keep up with all the prompts given.  I did, however, remember that word, and it gave me something to hold to during all these past months.