Sunday’s Seven~~10 March 2024

Solo goose the last few days…so Mama is likely on her nest just out of sight…

Wisteria appeared in its purple glory, cascading like clusters of grapes among telephone poles and adding a shot of color to still winter shrubs…

Dandelions have come, too, and while some of you likely hate them, Sofia christened them wish sticks and we are happy happy to see we have plenty of chances…

I was able to participate in two granddaughters’ school event this week, and I’m always glad to see happy children, beautiful classrooms, and a whole host of people…ones who come to witness and celebrate handprints and seedlings and book fairs…

Speaking of celebrations, a dear writing friend received good news and will have one of her poems published this summer. When that happens and with her permission, I will post it here. How truly good to see someone following the call to write and earning deserved recognition. Good news lifts us all. May we have more of it…

Blackwing pencils…one came to me from the friend mentioned above and reminded me how the little things really are not little at all…

Well, let’s see. One more thing—-how about some lines from the nature loving poet Mary Oliver to send us paying attention into the new week:

This, from her book Upstream:

“Teach the children…stand them in the stream…rejoice as they learn to love this green space they live in, its sticks and leaves and then the silent, beautiful blossoms. Attention is the beginning of devotion.”

Wisteria

✌️ 💐☀️

Sunday’s Seven 16 July 2023

Returner

Ah, my elusive egret has returned, and what an entrance. I’ll start with her story to top my list today:

I have been looking for this egret, and while I’ve seen some at area parks this spring and summer, no egrets at my place. Really unusual. I felt a surprising sadness about it, honestly. But this morning, as I was writing near a sunporch window, Ada barked and I looked up to see this beauty swooping in and rounding the corner of the house, almost clipping the siding on her way. It was a moment I would not have believed if I hadn’t experienced it…a true Mary Oliver moment, I really do think. 🤩 Majestic moment.

I immediately went outside, but by that time, she was a distant shadow among the trees. An hour later, though, she returned to the place I have been missing her from…and she posed for me for a good while. Little gifts, dear people. I marvel at nature and her offerings. May we never be indifferent to them. ❤️

Other things making the list this week:

an impromptu patio visit with a dear friend (thanks, Dee)

a gift of international stamps from a loved one (thoughtful giver)

a Burger King crown 👑…that’s its own story, but let’s add late night drive thrus to the list and one grownup thinking another might accept it…and did 😅

cast iron skillets and all the stories and sustenance they’ve helped provide…

the four slot toaster it took me far too long to buy…it really is the little things 😄

My adult children. They listen to me, help me in ways they cannot imagine, and they really are the invisible listing here each week. Always present outside/ inside/between the lines. ❤️❤️

The week has been a busy one, and I have noticed myself ranting a bit too much, irritated a bit too often. I tell you this as a form of disclosure. While this blog is about the good things, it’s not always easy. Sometimes we ( I ) have to look harder. But sometimes, a great egret will appear right in front of our eyes, and we will remember: look.

As Mary Oliver told us:

Instructions for living a life.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.

Bye for now. I hope something memorable and beautiful greets you this week.

Friday’s Five: 10/22/2021

This past week, I celebrated the National Day on Writing with a couple of classes of college writers. That decision gives me way more than five good things for this post, so here we go:

Young adults exploring the natural world —some sitting and noticing, some standing, some taking advantage of the playground swings in the nearby park we visited, some sketching. All deeply engaged in the moments.

In answer to my question of what was the best part of writing outside, one student’s answer, “Peace…it’s just so quiet.” Yes.

Other words: “We all walked out of those front doors together, all of us —with all our differences— and we became united…and we were free.” Wow.

We are writing sonnets now, and the work we do is influenced by that short time apart from the daily classroom. We draw from the solo classroom of attention. I hope they’ll return there as often as they can. I really think they will. 🌟

The simplicity of teaching and learning…some things really are like poet Mary Oliver told us:

“Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

Lent: Stanza from Mary Oliver — Tuesday 3/19/2019

“You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.”

Excerpt from Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese

(Settle in with these words, and let them settle over you. )