Too Busy Reading & Writing To Be Reading & Writing

Seems the theme of recent years has been that I have less and less opportunity to write. For the last while, I have had trouble sparing a few moments to read as well.

Lately, though, it has been all for the right reasons.

I have been directing my local school district's Young Authors Program and also helping out on the team working to resuscitate the statewide program. Working on young students' writing has further reduced opportunities to focus on my own. Not many nobler reasons, though.

Also, I have been working to revive my school library's Spring Book Festival after two years of it existing in only virtual form. The library is leading the school in a celebration of books and reading with a week filled with activities like book swapping, dress up days, and library prizes. We will also be having a community night featuring Books For Dessert: an edible book raffle, a cake walk (with reading rather than music), a book drive, and all sorts of Build-a-Book crafts.

The Library Club will also be unveiling the Little Free Library they're building.

It has proven to be a whole lot of work bringing the Book Festival back to life.

Indeed, I have been too tired at night even to reach for the volumes waiting on my nightstand. But again, what better reason than helping an entire community to celebrate books and reading?

Auroraless

Last night's Wyoming skies shimmered with the Aurora Borealis.

And last night I...I slept through it.

Thankfully, all the day long, folks have been sharing images all over social media. While they are all spectacular, the photographs only help show the astonishing wonder of what I missed, alas.

Perchance when they shine again... 

 

 

Keep the Box

I was raised with:

 

Patty cake, Patty cake, Baker's man,

Bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Criss it and cross it and mark it with a B 

Put it in the oven for Baby and me.

There are plenty of variations.

When the Twins were little, I came up with one of our own:

 

Kick the feet, kick the feet, with no socks

Buy a big appliance and keep the box.

You peak in, and I'll peak out, and we'll have fun.

Imagination knows no bounds til we are done.

 

Well, our dishwasher went out a while back, and we finally broke down and bought a new one.

Even at ten years old, the Twins are still reciting that rhyme and still having fun turning a big, ol' box into a fort, a castle, a space station, a place to play and explore the power of imagination.

 

 

I hope they never lose excitement for all the possibilities to be found in a big box...

...and that they remember to share their weird little rhyme with their own children.

 

 

 

 

Visit to the Library

Local author, Casey Rislov, visited my school library this past week. 

Students loved it.

 

Here's a link to the post from the school library's blog:

https://cresthilllibrary.edublogs.org/2022/01/28/january-2022/

 

The first visit from an author I have facilitated, it proved to be an experience I'd definitely like to provide more often for pupils and patrons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wondrous Winter

  

As Autumn winds to an end, and the longest night of the year betides, 

so the Heavens herald yet another season,

even as the planets align, and ever the stars guard and guide.

Jupiter - Saturn - Venus

Wishing a wondrous Winter to all!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Quite a harrowing year for our pumpkins.

But they shone through absolutely beautifully...

as Jack-o'-lanterns

AND

as holiday pies!

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to everybody!

Hallowe'en On Its Way

 

 

As the Scarecrow watches

And the Moon and planets blaze

Darkness keeps Falling

Hallowe'en is on its way!