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SOLC Day 19: A Garden Amble

March 2023 SOLC–Day 19
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

“It’s so nice out!” I said, stepping outside, “I think there are even some green things in the garden.” I peered down to look closer. There was definitely some green here and there, though it was still tough to identify. “Maybe we should do a garden walk?”

“I was just thinking that!” Lydia replied. 

Lyddie, our youngest, was here for an afternoon visit, taking a detour on her way up to visit some friends. During the 2 ½ years after Covid derailed her plans after college graduation, she lived at home with us. When the weather was nice, we got into the habit of walking together around the yard, looking at the different gardens to notice new growth, changes, new blossoms, etc. It’s something I’ve missed. 

So yesterday, when spring was in the air, though snow was clearly visible, we wandered around, looking at likely spots where the snow had melted and green was returning. Some spots seemed more like an impression of green than distinct growth, but then we noticed iris and lily leaves poked through crystallized snow. The lady’s mantle was sending up tender green origamied leaves. I even noticed dark green stalks on some store-bought hyacinth bulbs that I’d planted as an afterthought last fall.

We exclaimed and admired. I picked up branches here and there, putting them in a pile for a more focused future endeavor. I paused to pull up a few random tufts of grass, enjoying the feel of cold dirt on my fingers. After a bit we ambled around to the front yard. 

“This is where the deer like to come first in the spring,” I commented. “I bet something will be up.”

“Look!” Lydia pointed.

Sure enough there was a cluster of crocuses, tightly budded but sparking purple amidst the brown and grey garden debris. 

Behind them was a rogue bud–oddly shaped, but probably a daffodil. (I’d definitely be keeping an eye on that one.)

“Everywhere you look, you see something new!” we marveled.

We continued walking and talking, gently moving leaves and poking about in each garden. I felt my spirits lift with each discovery, even the slugs.

Finally, we ended up sitting on the deck, enjoying the last few minutes of her visit. It had been a lovely garden amble, and a lovely day overall.

There’s nothing like soaking up the warmth of the afternoon sun in early spring for stimulating a little regeneration.

Spring is coming…

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SOLC Day 18: Poetry Writing with AI

March 2023 SOLC–Day 18
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

My To Do list is approaching epic proportions this weekend. Lots of it is creative (submit photos, order prints, order frames, submit to my writing group, comment on Poetry Friday posts, write a slice, etc), some are social (hanging out with my daughter, getting together with a friend), but lots are not so fun (organize tax information, pay bills, get ready for conferences, plan for the school week). All of them are time-consuming and that’s not even mentioning that I want to get outside for a long walk because it’s supposed to be gorgeous! And there are the weekly errands to deal with. And I’d like to take some pictures. And I need to clean. You get the idea.

(Thank you, amygdala. (I learned at PD yesterday that I’m supposed to thank my amygdala when I start to feel anxiety, but then not let it take the driver seat.))

So early this morning I opened my e-mail to find the first prompt of the Ethical ELA Open Write . This once-a-month series of five prompts is always engaging, but today it felt a bit like a straw falling hard on my back–even though it’s totally not a “must do” but a “want to do.” I took a glance at the prompt…oh, it was something with AI. I had a knee-jerk recoil. Then I remembered that I just wrote about how I use Siri to help me record thoughts, etc. when I can’t write (here). So, I decided not to be a rigid noodle (something else I learned at PD yesterday) and took up the challenge. I looked at the list of linked sites and opted for a British-based one. It seemed to add a veneer of class and civility to the whole proceedings.

Having made my choice, I clicked on Poem Generator. It gave me some options to complete:

Then I clicked on “Write me a poem”, and here’s what happened.

“The Bristling And Wordy Notebook

A Poem by Anon

Whose notebook is that? I think I know.
Its owner is quite angry though.
She was cross like a dark potato.
I watch her pace. I cry hello.

She gives her notebook a shake,
And screams I’ve made a bad mistake.
The only other sound’s the break,
Of distant waves and birds awake.

The notebook is bristling, wordy and deep,
But she has promises to keep,
Tormented with nightmares she never sleeps.
Revenge is a promise a girl should keep.

She rises from her cursed bed,
With thoughts of violence in her head,
A flash of rage and she sees red.
Without a pause I turned and fled.With thanks to the poet, Robert Frost, for the underlying structure.

Please note: This poem was created with our quick poem generator, so results are fairly basic. Our other generators use robots who take your input then trawl the dictionary for rhymes, synonymns and alliteration, creating a more unique experience.”

Oh, my, I think I’m just going to let that speak for itself.

Thank you, amygdala.

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PF: A Few Short Poems for a Long Month

In the mad days of March, it helps to slow down once in a while and write some short poems.

snow falls
I watch
drifting

©Molly Hogan

When I don’t find inspiration outside my window, I enjoy starting my days with Alex Price’s daily #CinquainPrompt.

prompt: paddle

above
water’s surface
the mallard floats serene
no sign of the mad paddling
beneath

©Molly Hogan

prompt: sense

Spring pauses
offstage, out of sight.
You can sense her presence,
even through new-fallen snow.
Soon…soon…

©Molly Hogan

This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Laura Purdie Salas at her blog. She’s sharing an invitation to join her in April with a creative poetry project. Be sure to stop by and enjoy poems of all lengths and forms!

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SOLC Day 17: Spontaneous Beach Visit

March 2023 SOLC–Day 17
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

It felt like spring when I stepped out of school today. As I drove away, I checked the thermometer. 46˚F! Wow! No wonder it felt like spring. Sunny weather. Mid 40s. You can’t ask for much better in mid-Maine in March. And tomorrow was a professional day, so I didn’t have to plan anything. Ahhhhh….

A little later as I pulled out of the library after picking up the newest book in my series (another reason to feel good!), the light was just gorgeous, rich and almost golden. My thoughts turned to the beach. I glanced at the clock. 4:48.

“Hey Siri, what time is sunset in Maine today?”

Sunset today will be at 6:47 in Portland, Maine.

Hmmmm….it was possible…and maybe there actually is an upside to Daylight Savings Time…

Shortly before 5 pm, I was home. I dropped my bags inside, and waved to Kurt who was on the phone.

“It’s so beautiful outside. Do you want to go to the beach?” I asked him, casually once he finished his call. (To be honest, I wasn’t really expecting him to say yes and wasn’t a hundred percent sure I wanted to go. I hadn’t sliced yet and had math assessments to score… Also, it was pretty last minute and the beach is a 45 minute drive.)

After a small hesitation, he answered, “I’d be up for that.”

Oh. Well, okay then.

Ten minutes later we were in the car, and less than an hour later, we were heading out onto the beach.

We paused on the way in, inhaling the salt air and taking in the scene, marveling over how much the beach has changed over the past year. Then we wandered along. Sometimes chatting. Sometimes not. Pausing every so often to linger over something–drfitwood, the light on the waves, the shifting color amidst the clouds, patterns in the sand.

Slowly I could feel some of the accumulated tensions of the day, the week, slough off.

“Oh, I’m so glad we came,” we said to each other more than once.

Sand. Surf. Sunset. And all with my sweetheart.

It was worth every minute.

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SOLC Day 16: Overlooked

March 2023 SOLC–Day 16
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

I’m not sure how long it took me to notice, but at some point late yesterday afternoon, I looked over at the tulips.

Oh, no!

The lavender flowers which had been so steadfastly beautifying their little corner of the world, were wilted, pooling on the table, still attached to their drooping stems. 

I raced over and gently pulled them out of the vase, knowing what I’d find. Feeling guilty already. Sure enough, the vase was bone dry.

How long had they been struggling?

In the hubbub of my week, I’d given their bright presence a few appreciative glances, but I hadn’t remembered to check and/or freshen the water. They hung limply against my hands, a silent reproach.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” I whispered.

I took them over to the sink. Even though they looked awful, I had to try. Maybe there was still some hope. Maybe…

I carefully cut off the bases of the stems, refilled the vase with water and gently tucked the tulips inside. I placed them back on the table, a dismal little bouquet. I couldn’t even bring myself to take a picture of them. They were so far gone that doing so would have felt awfully close to Victorian mourning practices.

A few hours later, I glanced over. They had perked up just a bit! No longer were the petals resting on the table! They might actually recover from my neglect and make it for a little bit longer.

This morning I noticed them first thing. The stems will clearly never return to their upright status, but the blossoms had rejuvenated…at least a bit. There was still some life in these beauties!

Tonight they’re still looking pretty good, and are perhaps even a touch more upright. I’m not sure how much longer they’ll last, but I’m so glad I made the effort. And I’ll definitely be checking the water every day!

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SOLC Day 15: Hey, Siri, Take a Note!

March 2023 SOLC–Day 15
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

I talk a lot in the car when I’m driving to work, but even though no one else is in the car, I’m not talking to myself. Well, not really. You see, I’m talking to Siri.

Some mornings my brain is still in writing mode on the way to school, and I often hear (as in on the radio not as in auditory hallucinations–just clarifying since I was talking about talking to myself!) or think about things I want to remember. So, I rely on Siri to take notes for me, to capture phrases I want to remember, odd reflections, bits of poems, words that intrigue me, etc. She is not infallible by any means, but she generally gets down enough so that I can capture my idea. Often I come back to these ideas later and work them into something more.

It always starts like this: “Hey, Siri, Take a Note!”
What do you want it to say?

Here are a few recent examples that Siri recorded for me in Notes:

“The birds perch atop winter trees…Hey, you &*%, you just ran a stop sign! Oh…sorry Siri, I wasn’t talking to you.”
Oops. (Is there anyone else reading this who apologizes to Siri and/or thanks her when she’s helpful? Or is that just me?)

“Look up juggernaut.”
I was just thinking about how cool that word sounds and wanted to check my understanding of the meaning, which felt incomplete. Big? Overwhelming? Rolling over things? So I looked it up, and I was pretty close!

“A whale is like swimming trees.”

I heard a snippet of a program on the radio. This phrase caught my ear. I completely forgot about it until I went back to review my notes. Then, I couldn’t resist doing a little research. It turns out that whales capture huge amounts of CO2 during their lives and that restoring whale populations could be a viable approach to helping combat climate change. I had no idea.

“Italian you don’t eat at the table Rick Steeves NPR”

Okay, this one is a bit more cryptic. I had been listening to a Rick Steeves program on NPR. He was talking about an Italian phrase meaning essentially that time stops in the purity of enjoying a moment, often one that is centered around gathering for and enjoying a meal. Those words were the ones I quickly asked Siri to note to try to remember that I wanted to look up the phrase later. Just a few minutes ago, I entered “you don’t eat at the table Italian” and much to my amazement, the first response was:  ‘A tavola non s’invecchia’: ‘At the table, one does not grow old. ‘ What a wonderful saying! (It also sounds like a great strike line for a golden shovel poem. )

“Sometimes in my effort to find beauty in the midst of grumpiness, I give myself whiplash.”

This was just me thinking about how out of sorts I’ve been lately and how actively I’ve been trying to appreciate the beauty that’s around me. I feel a bit Jekyll-and-Hyde-ish at times. These words came to mind and made me laugh. So I had Siri take a note.

Time and again when I go back to these notes, I find odd inspirations or phrases that I’ve totally forgotten about. Periodically I transcribe them into my notebook. Often they’ve served as starting places for blog posts or for poems. Here are a couple more without background:

“I put on a dress this morning and wore a memory.”

“Moon as fortune teller, her gauzy veils predicting coming storms.”

“Perhaps a wall is not a place for setting boundaries, but instead a place for celebrating a connection.”

What surprises me most when I go back to my notes is how often I’ve forgotten what I had Siri take a note of. Though I would never have expected it, it seems like Siri and her note-taking have become an important part of my writing life. Sort of like a portable digital writing notebook.

It’s nice to know I’m never really alone…

“Hey, Siri, take a note!”

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SOLC Day 14: Thinking about a Cookie

March 2023 SOLC–Day 14
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

Sometimes mid-way through the challenge, I find myself diving into my old drafts, hoping to find some unfinished ideas that might serve as a spark for a new slice. Perhaps something that might resonate now more than it did then. Today I found a prompt.

The prompt was simple: “Tell us about a cookie.”

A cookie? Hmmmm…What would I want to say about a cookie?

And then memory flooded in. A sort of touchstone memory. Not a video, but a snapshot. Me, walking into the kitchen from school. Mom, pulling freshly baked chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. I linger in the memory and almost capture that elusive long-ago scent of warm cookies, our home, my childhood. The unquestioned feeling of security. The before.

The snapshot stutters into a quick video clip. I remember I was singing something, and she started singing along. I cut her a look and she stopped. The memory of that look cuts me now. But I was 13 or maybe 14 and how was I to know that soon there was going to be an after? After that. When everything took such a crazy, dizzying turn.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m still spinning.

You never know where thinking about a cookie can lead you.

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SOLC Day 13: When You Go to the Marsh

March 2023 SOLC–Day 13
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

When you go to the marsh before sunrise, you’ll arrive to shadows. You’ll hear the geese calling, low and throaty, but you won’t be able to see them. You’ll see the silhouettes of ducks, but you won’t be able to identify them. Not yet.

As you wander down the old railway path, out into the marsh, you’ll feel the bite of a still-winter breeze on your cheeks, and shrug a little deeper into your coat. The pungent scent of earth and water will permeate the air.

As the sun rises, you’ll watch the colors shift from rose toward gold. You’ll try to count the geese that stretch off into the distance, as far as the eye can see. You’ll watch seagulls hover in amber light, see the golden eye ducks dip and dive, and find your eyes tracing the hummocked lines of marsh grasses, frozen in movement, sparkling with jeweled evidence of the once-higher tide. At the far end of the trail, you’ll hear the first red-winged blackbird of spring. Conk-la-ree!

Serenity will pulse through your veins like the marsh water flows through its carved channels.

If you go to the marsh before sunrise, you’ll want to go back again.

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SOLC Day 12: Overreaction? I don’t think so!

March 2023 SOLC–Day 12
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

“No way,” I said to my husband.

“Yes,” he replied.

“But I haven’t heard about it!” I insisted. “Surely I would have heard something.”

“It’s this weekend,” he said.

“NOOooooo!” I wailed.

Do you ever have one of those dreams where you’ve misplaced your child? And you’re frantically trying to find them? And it doesn’t make sense because you know you would never have left them alone or left them at the playground or in the car or wherever, but apparently you did and you’re madly scrambling to find them and your phone won’t work or maybe it will, but your fingers are clumsy and you keep on hitting the wrong thing and then it won’t disconnect so you can try again and you push and push and push and most of the time it’s a rotary phone which really makes no sense but every time you try to dial or push something goes wrong and you have to try to start over and time is passing and you’re getting more and more frantic and what are you going to do? What are you going to do!?!?

That’s how I felt yesterday when my husband told me it was Daylight Savings this weekend. I knew I was overreacting, but the thought of Daylight Savings this year, the thought of losing an hour, felt like it was pushing me over the precipice.

I want that hour.

I need that hour.

I DON’T HAVE AN HOUR TO LOSE!!!”

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SOLC Day 11: Choices

March 2023 SOLC–Day 11
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

This morning I got out of bed, grabbed my glasses and phone and headed out of my room to go downstairs. As I stepped into the hallway, the moon light stopped me in my tracks. It flowed through the window and painted itself upon the old wooden floors. I stopped to take a photo, fascinated by the light and shadow interplay with the only hint of color in the illuminated pine boards.

I continued on my way downstairs, feeling a little lift, fed the cats, turned on the coffee pot, and sat down to write.

Wait a minute! My pen stopped in its tracks. It was supposed to be cloudy this morning. If it were cloudy, I wouldn’t be able to see the moon! (Yes, it did take me a bit to connect these dots.)

I looked outside again. There was the moon, brightly shining behind the trees.

I walked into the living room and looked to the East. A shimmer of red glowed on the horizon. A few clouds lay low in the sky.

Next, I looked at my weather app. “Bowdoinham, cloudy”.

Not so much! I thought.

So, now the question loomed. I knew I was in dire need of a dose of Nature, but I had thought today wouldn’t be a great day due to the forecasted clouds. Now, it looked like opportunity might be knocking. I glanced at the clock. 5:35 am. The sun was due to rise about 6 am. I couldn’t make it to the marsh, or the beach…but I could go down to the river.

And so I did.

When I first arrived, things were pretty low key. I sat in my car for a moment debating if I really wanted to get out and take pictures. It was colder than I’d thought it might be, and my energy has been hovering in the low range.

Maybe I should just go back home.

Finally, figuring I was already there, I convinced myself to get out of the car.

I crunched across the snowy grass and snapped a picture or two. At first, it looked like this:

Next, I wandered up to the bridge for a better vantage point. Just a few minutes later, it looked like this:

What a difference a few minutes can make! I turned to look up the river and wondered at yet another difference.

Looking west, upstream, there was just a subtle wash of pink in the clouds. The river was cluttered with ice.The mood was somber, cold-looking and somewhat severe.

I turned and looked back and forth between the two views–somewhat mind-boggling and definitely fascinating!

The colors faded, the day lightened, and I wandered a bit more, watching the morning unfold.

Later, as I drove home, I couldn’t help but think about what I would have missed if I hadn’t left the house, if I hadn’t gotten out of the car, and if I’d only looked one way.

Our days are filled with so many choices. Here’s hoping I make a few more positive ones along the way today.