Allured by Nature

As a former Wonderopolis Ambassador, I am awed by the wonder in nature each season. A few weeks ago, my youngest grandgirl was enjoying a sleepover at Grandma's house. We decided to stroll outside for a short nature walk. The air was chilly, and the sky was a grayish color, but that didn't matter. We were wonder buddies "on the lookout for the presence of wonder" (E. B. White). We headed for the pond, hoping to see the ducks waddling in the water or the baby turtles slowly moving. 

Lila, let's find something that makes us smile.

Sure, Grandma!

Off we went to the bench to sit and quietly watch waterlife. All of a sudden, we spotted a huge turtle lodged by the bench.  Lila wanted to approach the massive turtle. Usually, when she sees an animal, she steps back and hangs on to an adult. This time she smiled. She was interested in the green beads around the turtle's neck. 

I wonder where the turtle came from? I never noticed it before?

As soon as I said that,  Lila was ready to climb on the turtle. 

Are you surprised by the size of the turtle? Did you think a child would want to ride an animal like this? Would you expect a Grandma to place her little one on a turtle? 

Perhaps, only if the turtle were a statue and perfectly safe, like this one. Needless to say, the HOA Committee placed this turtle next to two benches near the pond for a wonder-filled experience.

Day 29 for #SOLSC26 Challenge

at Two Writing Teachers,

a meeting place for reflective writers

around the world

 

Tis the Season to Wonder!

Thanksgiving ushers in December. I move quickly from one family holiday to another, as do others. Am I ready for the wonder of Christmas? Yes and No! My mind is full of ideas but there is not enough time to complete everything I would like to do. The best plan is to slow down, breathe, and wish upon the Christmas star. In the midst of wishing, I feel the need to consider a thought from Spirituality Practice by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat.

"Wonder begins in the senses, comes alive in the imagination, and flourishes in adoration of the Divine." 

How do I awaken my senses, stop ruminating over unreconciled issues, and focus on what is before me? Pause again and turn to the prompt  that this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday's host, Bob Hamera, offers: Accept and Change. Part of the dynamic sequence of creating mantras involves a dash of wonder, imagination, positivity, and belief in Divine intervention. Bob reminded me of a simple prayer from my youth on accepting and changing..

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference…"  

I admit that I have been awed by nature this year. In appreciation of God's lovely creations, some ordinary in stature, others grand, I will continue my practice of finding quiet time to write and share the wonder.

⭐

awestruck

by the power

of wonderment

I sink into the quiet

of a bright December day-

nature's silence surrounds while

fir trees gently sway in morning light- 

I indulge in nature's peace and presence!

©CV, 2022, draft

Blessed is the Great Artist who fills our very being with wonder.

-Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

The donation of a Christmas tree to Rockefeller Center for its lighting ceremony is an annual tradition bringing joy to millions who visit or watch the broadcast on TV.

grand, glistening tree

gifted from nature's rich soil

holiday wonder

©CV, 2022 

Thank you also to Catherine Flynn for hosting Poetry Friday this week and offering a wonderful writing prompt from The Inklings. Please travel over to Catherine's blog post with me to enjoy the poetic goodness.

created by Linda Mitchell

Don't forget to visit the Spiritual Journey Thursday community's responses to Bob Hamera's prompt here.

Poetry-Gentle Wonderings

"Poetry is the gentle wonderings of a world calling me to unravel its beauty in words." 

 

While most people do not think of residual snow patches as being visually appealing, I find beauty in their patterns. A poem rose from within the digitized design.

When art guides my thoughts, a path emergences. 

Thanks goes out to Laura Shovan for guiding the way to ekphrastic poetry writing based on a daily work of art. The writing community she created has grown this year. There are always surprises when being stimulated by prompts. For instance, I spent this week thinking about the warm-up exercise from the following artwork. I discarded several drafts and finally tonight I am ready to post my wonderings. My one word, hope, seems to find a way to sneak into my thoughts each day. 

The combination of art, technology, and language are igniters of wonder for me. As a trio, they spark my imagination and let poetry evolve as gentle wonderings. 

Today is Poetry Friday and before the clock strikes midnight, I am ready to send these poems into the universe. My writing colleague, Donna Smith is the host of Poetry Friday at Mainely Maine. She is doing double duty this week because yesterday she was hosting Spiritual Journey first Thursday of which I participate monthly. 

I am excited that additional poetry postcards have been arriving and that I sent out mine. Since I had implant surgery today, I will thank the poets who sent me poetry from the ekphrastic poetry in another post. 

I hope you have a chance to capture the gentle wonderings of winter for my winter gallery, Winter Wonderland. 

Percolating Idea-Why I Write

Have you heard the phrase learning is messy?

How about changing that to writing is messy?

In three days, NCTE will celebrate the National Day On Writing. Based on a conversation with Laura Robb, I have been writing daily as part of my practice. What is writing? Is it a paper full of scribbled thoughts waiting to find a home? Is it my cluttered mind urging me to release my thoughts?

Despite the clutter that surrounds me, writing is my escape. It is where I dig deep, think on a different level, find a sweet spot to mine, and then excavate to uncover a golden idea. Are there bumps along the way, missteps? Of course! BUT for me, as a lifelong learner, writing is where I discover myself.

When did writing become a passion?
I started writing in a simple, marble notebook as a child. A chapter book emerged based on a favorite novel, The Bobbsey Twins. Little did I know in those childhood days that I was using mentor text as a model for my own writing. As I grew older, scattered thoughts were written in my diaries and scrapbooks. Continued writing led to high school literacy magazine submissions and the Mademoiselle Magazine contest winner. College life brought me closer to a dream: a Master's degree in creative writing. But as journeys go, life had another path. Even without that degree, writing has always been a part of my journey.

When I moved from an unconnected state to the connected world of social media, writing became my platform for change. Now, in my "unretirement years", writing surfaces in the form of blogging, poetry, and the creation of global galleries of artistic expressions.

Where do I write?
I have a sanctuary for writing, a guest room with a Victorian table desk but I seem to gravitate to my office where I am writing now. There are cluttered papers strewn across this desk, scraps of thoughts, start up ideas, and crumpled notes waiting for me to organize. A few piles have turned into little mounds begging for hands to thin them out. Despite the clutter, ideas surface and percolate. Sometimes, these ideas turn into the start of poem or a blog post. Sometimes, they start as wonderings but never brew. Other times, ideas just lay in piles. Creative messiness works for me now but I still want to find the bottom of my desk.

Why do I write?
Ideas need space to breathe, to circulate, and find a landing pad. I write to release them. Understanding that voice matters, I hope to spread the joy of positivity, professional and personal wonder, and the power of written word in a connected world. I write to meet this goal but sometimes, I spend hours trying to make a thought pop, or flow in the right direction. When that doesn't happen, tension builds and a pause button is needed to free my mind so I can go back to a writing state of mind.

My simple hack to release tension when writing does not gel:
I step away from writing when word weaving and flow are not happening. I recall one day deciding that it was time to step away from my writing world so I went to a restorative yoga class. Sitting in the stillness with all lights out allowed me time to pause, declutter my mind in a minimalist space, and be drawn into the moment. Being one with self was an awakening, a self-care step that reduced anxiety and decluttered my mind. With that fresh perspective, the trip back to the writing desk was filled with hope.

Step Back
Reflect When Writing Appears to be a Desert
Engage in Another Creative Activity
Feel Refreshed
Step Forward Into a Writerly Life

✐✎✐✎✐✎✐✎

Final Thoughts:
Last night, the house was quiet. I sat at my desk writing a draft of this post. My thoughts of childhood brought back memories when journal writing was the start of something, a pathway. I tucked those memories and scraps of ideas into a virtual pile to be sorted in the morning. With a feeling of hope, I fell asleep thinking that writing is a great antidote for the ills of life.

While each time I write I don't anticipate an "aha" moment, I do expect being in the zone, the place where passion meets creation. I recognize that writing is a messy process and the journey long. Knowing there is a sliver of an idea that might be the start of something promising, keeps the flame of writing burning strong for me.

Tonight, I return to my writing because word weaving is my passion and revision a step closer to making the following quote from the Greek philosopher, Epictetus a reality.

If you wish to be a writer, write.
✐✎✐✎✐✎✐✎

I am offering this post to three writing communities:

Two Writing Teachers for Slice of Life Tuesday
#TeachWrite for their monthly theme, Why I Write
National Day On Writing at the NCTE site

Summer Night-Let Wonder Glow!

Summer nights grow shorter now but still fill the sky with wonder. The recent indigo nights with starless skies remind me of years ago when my children were young and our club held an annual Rockville Links Aqua Show in late August. 

At dusk, festivities would begin. Young aqua performers, pumped with pride, faces full of glitter, blush, lipstick or face paint paraded under lights that glowed. As dusk turned to twilight, the awaited show began with music and merriment. Young swimmers who worked for weeks at their routines proudly appeared on cue. The cleverly choreographed, Esther Williams-style, water ballet numbers were followed by the boys' humorous antics of crazy dives, slide slipping, and water marches. Even my husband was part of the fun as he dressed each year as a Disney character. Ursula and the Genie were his best performances. Parents cheered on their children and the younger set clapped with glee. If I ever find the photos, they would be priceless to share.  

I recall the lure of those summer nights unveiling themselves as if it was yesterday. 

  
Darkness settles

  on summer's night.

  Starlight holds court,

  Illuminating nighttime 

  with its indigo dreams.

  Curious children sway,

  chasing flickering fireflies

  while cicadas croon.
  Swimmers, poised to 
  perform, prance out.

  Parents, wide-eyed, 

  take in the wonder of life

  under a canopy of light.
  ©CV, 2017

You can find another one of my poems about a summer night here and continue to wonder at Wonderopolis.

Slice of Life Tuesday is about to begin on Two Writing Teachers. Join me there.

Morning Wonder

“I Go Down To The Shore

I go down to the shore in the morning
and depending on the hour the waves
are rolling in or moving out,
and I say, oh, I am miserable,
what shall—
what should I do? And the sea says
in its lovely voice:
Excuse me, I have work to do.” 
― Mary Oliver, A Thousand Mornings

Morning Wonder #1

Morning Wonder #2

It's #International Dot Day-Let's Celebrate!

Morning Wonder #3

The fabulous author team of Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell capture the essence of #poetry love in their newest book, Just You Wait, a unique text in verse for middle school students. The book, a mini-poetry activity/journal/notebook allows students to become familiar with poetry as they learn alongside three delightful characters. Each of the 12 powerpacks introduce a power play activity, an outside poem, a response poem from one of the three characters of the book, a mentor text, and Power2You writing prompt. This book makes poetry engaging and accessible to all tween/teen readers. 

When Janet graciously offered to send me a copy of the book, she also sent me a second one for the regional meeting of literacy leaders on Long Island that I facilitated this morning. Since I am excited about the new book as a learning tool, it was easy to talk about its usage in the ELA classroom. All educators at the meeting received an information sheet provided by Janet and Sylvia and one lucky administrator won You Just Wait and another The Poetry Friday Anthology of Celebrations. 

Morning Wonder #4

I am always eager to try out a new photo app that is recommended so I went into my store of nature photography and found one that is quite appropriate. I am leaving for a family trip to Las Vegas where the temperatures will be soaring into the nineties so summer heat is still on my mind. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy morning wonders. 

Stay tuned for the unveiling of Summerscapes when I return from my mini-cation. I most likely will be off the grid this week while traveling. 

Now to join the Poetry Friday Round-up, I turn to my colleague, Michelle H. Barnes at Today's Little Ditty. Michelle has created a septercet for Jane Yolen's septercet challenge.

Find out more about Poetry Friday HERE.

Ignite the Wonder

With back to school life already in progress, many teachers are still wondering how to ignite students' passion to learn.

Last night, #WonderChat discussed the topic #IgnitetheWonder with Georgia Heard, Jen McDonough, and Kristie Ennis. Here are some thoughts from last night's moderators.

Because wondering is at the heart of inquiry that leads students on their journey of becoming wonderers and meaning makers, I pose this question:

What can be done to strengthen classrooms so students can continue to be curious, investigative learners?

Steps to Build Curiosity-driven Classrooms:

1. Take on the stance of a reflective teacher 
2. Collaborate in positive environments 
3. Question the hows of motivating learners 
4. Believe in the act of wondering as an essential component of inquiry
5. Recognize teachable moments 
6. Gently guide students to find their own paths of wonder that lead to further exploration and discovery

Mantra for Young Noticers and Wonderers

Image Poem

Continue to #IgnitetheWonder and guide students toward new discoveries daily. Happy Wondering!

It's Slice of Life Tuesday so join

Two Writing Teachers here

to read what slicers

are thinking.

Summer's Relaxing Call

The sweet smell of summer lingers in the air on warm breezy days. Whether it is the fragrance of the flowers from the bushes or the salt of the sea air, summer is fresh, aromatic, and alluring. It calls me to relax and be recharged by its layback approach to life. 

Visualize a summer day at the Long Island south shore beach. A long stretch of walkway greets beachgoers as they travel down past the rows of lockers and cabanas to the shoreline. Reeds border the blue mesh boardwalk and pieces of driftwood lay in zig-zag patterns. The plover race overhead against a cloudless sky dipping and dancing while screeching out calls to each other. The breeze stretches out across the ocean's waves. No traces of humidity mar the beauty of the summer day. In a rush to avoid the heated sand, toes slip and slide walking from boardwalk to beach. Exhausting as it is to transverse the sand, the promise of what is to come joyfully awaits. 

Thinking back on yesterday's first trip to the beach makes me appreciate the area in which I live. Nature presented an amazing gift yesterday: a summer day with a slight breeze in the sky, and glistening diamonds forming in the surf. 

In retrospect, I linger in the peacefulness of the beach and how summer calls me to take part in the beauty. 

Today's Slice of Life is being offered to Two Writing Teachers.

You can access the site to read more slices here.

Celebrate As a Wonder Lead Ambassador

Leaning into learning is a practice I engage in as a teacher learner to hone my craft and extend my learning. This past week, I was privileged to lean into learning at the Wonder Lead Ambassadors Retreat in Louisville, Kentucky. 

The creative teams of Wonderopolis and Brains on Fire facilitated the Retreat with a motivational program that lit inspirational sparks. Through a series of gamestorm activities and conversation, a sense of connectedness filled the conference room each day, allowing a team of new acquaintances to become a tribe. By the end of the retreat, bonds were formed and a call to action evolved. 

In a Ted Talk-like presio, Geno Church from Brains On Fire challenged us to:

Raise our telescopes up (as Galileo did centuries ago). 

Examine our values and beliefs.

Walk the path of the unknown.

Embrace our fears 

and scale old walls to move on. 

Fired up to engage in our mission, I left the retreat motivated to turnkey my new learning, continue to engage others in the act of wondering to learn, elevate my voice, and encourage others to do the same to be part of the digital change revolution. 

Please take a moment to watch some highlights of the retreat.

On the airplane ride home, I continued to wonder as the clouds rolled by. The following digital composition started as an original photo taken from airplane. When I returned home I digitalized the #imagepoem to give it a new perspective on the impact of noticing and wondering.

I celebrate the learning from the Wonderopolis three-day retreat in Louisville. I celebrate being a Wonder Lead Ambassador who continues a journey of noticing and wondering started as a child with a pencil, a notebook, and an immense curiosity of the world. In addition, I celebrate life and the wonders of it.

Please continue to read how others celebrate their week by visiting Ruth Ayres' blogging community, Celebrate This Week, that is built on the positives of weekly life. 

This post can also be seen on the Wonderopolis Wonder Ground, entitled Wonder To Learn. Be a wonderologist and bring the wonders of Wonderopolis and Camp Wonderopolis to learners.