March 2020 SOLC–Day 1
This month I’m participating in the Slice of Life Challenge (SOLC) to write about a small moment every day in March. 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
On Saturday afternoon, I lounged in the family room, lost in my mystery novel, enjoying a low-energy afternoon after an active, productive morning. At some point, I must have nodded off. When I woke, I still felt deliciously drowsy. I stretched and slowly opened my eyes.
I didn’t think I’d slept long, but the light that filled the room was definitely odd. I yawned, shrugged off the throw blanket and walked over to the window to look outside. The sun was shining, but it was…snowing?
What?
Suddenly wide awake, I plunged my feet into the nearest shoes, snatched up my camera and raced outside. The sun gleamed brightly through a bank of low clouds, but even as I watched, the snow flakes were falling faster and faster. It was stunning. Each flake glistened in the sky like glitter! I took a few pictures, well aware that I probably wouldn’t be able to capture the glorious light, the wonder of the moment.
After a few minutes, I raced back inside to grab my camera bag and a different lens. My husband looked up from his lazy afternoon couch position.
“It’s amazing out there!” I cried, then dashed out again.
I wandered about the yard, taking a picture now and then, slipping on the icy snow and grinning from ear to ear, transfixed by the sight. Snow flakes continued to fall, the sun shone, and the sky got bluer and bluer. It was a mad, magical moment.
I had wondered if my first small moment would be hard to find. If I’d regret signing up for the challenge this year. Instead, the moment drifted softly into my day. Precious and fleeting. Feeling a bit like a miracle.
As February draws to a close, I’ve slowed down on my participation in Laura Shovan’s challenge, and sadly, I am now several prompts behind at this point. Still, participating has been a fabulous experience. I’ve learned so much from seeing other’s poems and interpretations of each prompt. There are some mighty creative people out there!
Writing’s a funny thing. Sometimes you think you know what you’re going to write, but then something else happens in the process. Here’s a case in point–this month I’ve been writing to prompts in a group, and yesterday, Linda Baie shared a photo of this painting by Susan Sadler.
This month I’ve been participating in Laura Shovan’s 8th Annual February Daily Poem challenge. This year ‘s theme is “Water”, and each day someone posts a related prompt. We share our fledgling poetic responses on a Facebook page, with the emphasis on idea generation and drafting, not polishing.
It’s a quiet morning at the river. High overhead, a flock of birds flies by. The caw of crows drifts in from far off in the distance, and from a bit closer, I hear the faint rise and fall of a bird song I can’t identify.
Linda Baie is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup this week at her blog,
I’m participating in Laura Shovan’s daily poetry challenge this month. Each day someone posts a prompt around the theme “Water.” Yesterday’s prompt was for a How-to poem that included a reference to water. I considered a few ideas and one by one, rejected them. Then my mind, in that random way it has, flew back to one of my favorite memories–the first time my husband and I bathed our son, Connor.
I’m fascinated by great blue herons and have spent hours watching them. Typically they leave Maine for warmer climates by November or so. This year, a local heron appears to be intending to winter over. While I delight when I see it, I’m also quite concerned about its chances of survival.
When I pulled into the parking lot at school early last Wednesday, I looked up to see the slimmest crescent of moon in the midst of corrugated clouds. 
