March SOLC–Day 5
A huge thank you to Anna, Beth, Betsy, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for all that they do to create a supportive community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
twowritingteachers.org
My daughter’s finished collage
Outside, the cold intensifies in the dark. It’s 6 degrees Fahrenheit. Dangerously cold.
Inside, the wood stove pulses out soft waves of heat. Drawn to its warmth, we gather around it, sprawling companionably, playing cards, collaging, and making music.
Outside, an aggressive wind pushes and pulls. Bang! The loose screen door slams against the house and a window rattles in its frame. The trees creak and moan as they bend and scrape against each other.
Inside, we chat idly, snapping cards down on the floor, snipping paper, strumming chords. Every so often the furnace clicks on and the radiators click and tick reassuringly. The washing machine hums softly in the background.
In a sudden flash of awareness, I recognize how precious this moment is. I pause and try to memorize the details–to capture this small moment in time so that I can fully appreciate it now and treasure it later. This rare moment when two of our three children are at home and the four of us sit inside together, gathered in one room. This quiet time of warmth and companionship to hold close when outside the world is bitter cold and inhospitable. An oasis of peace in the midst of turmoil.
Nix the comfort zone 
What card games do you play as a family? Our favorite family card game is Mormon Bridge.
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Lydia and I are the card players in the family and we tend to play Nerts. I don’t know Mormon Bridge but will definitely check it out. Perhaps we’ll have a new favorite!
Addendum: Dan, I had to laugh–When I just googled Mormon Bridge, your blog post about it was one of the first links listed!
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Love your daughter’s collage, and that you captured this special moment. In the rush of our lives, those times don’t happen often. Our winter seems to have left us, so I loved reading your “outside” descriptions.
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Thanks, Linda. I feel like winter, at least metaphorically, has a powerful grip outside right now. 😦 All the more reason to recognize and treasure these moments of family warmth.
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I love the structure of this–inside; outside. Your words about warmth and family resonate with me. In Southeastern PA we’ve had 70 degree days followed by frigid cold. Forsythia, crocuses, and frost all in the same week.
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Nothing’s blooming here yet. I always worry when those early flowers are out and the cold weather returns!
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You’ve crafted an oasis in warmth and in time.
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I love how you captured the moment. I could “see” it through your writing!
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Molly, I love the juxtaposed feeling I get when I read your slice. I feel a presence of cold harshness mixed in amongst the warmth. In my eyes, the warmth wins. And, I agree with Diane. I love the inside/outside structure of your slice. Brilliantly written!
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Thanks, Amy! I so appreciate your thoughtful and kind comments!
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[…] The weather I woke up to this morning inspired me to write a poem. I decided to try this “outside, inside” structure for this poem. I had this structure used by another Slicer on their blog and bookmarked as a mentor text. (Click here to see that post) […]
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