Spiritual Journey Thursday & Poetry Friday: Still Waters

Karen at Karen's Got a Blog invited us to write to the prompt Still Waters 

this month. Check out her post that transports us for a sensory filled paddle through Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area. 

 

This prompt made me think of OSU where I attended university and experienced a time of spiritual growth as a young adult. My "OSU" is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. We had Theta pond in front of our dormitory that was the site of many shenanigans during our college years.

 

When we lived in Washington State, Slater Park on Lake Washington was a favorite pocket park where I loved to pause, be still, and observe the sky and water through the changing seasons. 

 

Our move to North Carolina put us just 1/2 mile from a lake with a pedestrian bridge that crosses the lake, so I walk to the water most days. I love capturing the lake in it's many different moods, mostly in the morning, but I do walk in the afternoons once our summer temps and humidity have calmed down.    

   

 

 

 

Sunrise on July 4, 2024 (captured by my daughter)

A foggy morning!

 

 Karen closed her post with these words from Psalm 23: 

 "He leadeth me beside the still waters."

 

In Hebrew, “still waters” is “Mai Menochot,” 

which literally translates to “restful waters.”  

These words relate to the next verse which states:

"He restoreth my soul."   

I want to share a few lines from "Be Still (a psalm)"by Melody Newey Johnson.

Come to the temple of silence, 
away from sounds of weary want, 
from the grinding, tearing of time.

Come away from shouting daylight, 
find me in the stillness of afternoon, 
your ordinary afternoon.

You can find the entire poem here.

 

May you be blessed and restored by still waters and find support for the storms which inevitably come. 

Spiritual Journey Thursday: Summering

"Since retirement, summer no longer has the delicious allure of a respite from the hectic days of teaching. My move to NC has put me in the thick of summer humidity and mosquitoes after 26 Seattle summers. (Can you tell that I'm finding it hard to embrace summer in my new state?) This theme is an invitation to each of you to help me find "summer love". Do you have particular spiritual rhythms for summering? Is there a book out there like Katherine Mays Wintering for summer?"

 

I've spent a lot of time musing about summer ever since I sent out this prompt for June. I borrowed this sentence from a summer book catalog: 

 

"Long summer days call for

 slowing down, 

recharging, and 

reconnecting with what matters most."

  

 This list is my attempt to create a feasible summer rhythm.

Welcome mornings with breakfast, a walk outside, and quiet reflection.
Plan ahead to avoid the heat of the day whenever possible.
Embrace fresh produce by visiting farmers' markets.

Let summer be a season for slowing down.

Finish my Storyworth book. 

 Watch more movies.

Read more books.

Nap as needed.

 I look forward to reading your summering posts.

Leave your link below.  

 

When I wrote this post on Wednesday night, I left off two important parts of my summer rhythm. I'm taking a trip in August to immerse myself in Seattle's summer and reconnect with friends. 

And just yesterday, I learned about an online book group that is reading (I'll be rereading) Gracing by Hannah Packard Crowther. I look forward to revisiting this book that I love.

 

Back cover of the book:

 

A lovely invitation: 

"...living in heaven while standing on earth." 

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Slice of Life: Haiku for a Grand Morning!

Perfect pirate pose

Purple potion conjurer

Pal of picture books

 

 

(This last pic wasn't taken today. It's from last week when Ollie found the missing library book. But we did read three books twice followed by a third reading of a fourth book this morning.)

Poetry Friday on Saturday: Poetry Unbound

Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems To Open Your World by Padraig O Tuama finally arrived in the digital format from Libby. I'm in love and all I did was read the Introduction and the first poem. This is not a book that I'm content to read digitally and return to the library. The poems deserve to be highlighted, reread, dogeared, and savored. 

I'm in Winston-Salem with my daughter celebrating an upcoming significant birthday. We have plans to visit two indie bookstores today, so I'm hoping one of them has Poetry Unbound. For now, I'll share my favorite quote from the Introduction: 

"A poem can be like a flame: helping us find our way, keeping us warm." 

This quote reminds me of a favorite poem, "Fire" by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater that I found in Booklinks and shared in a 2017 NPM blog post. I love the opportunity to gather with poetry friends to "warm our hands with poems" each week, even if I sometimes arrive on Saturday.

Join us at the poetry playground with this week's host, Karen Edmiston. 

Thanks, Karen, for hosting!

Slice of Life: Rewards of a Slow Stroll!

Sometimes a slow stroll lets you discover more, like this creature featured from a recent walk!

 

Tiny little wonder

So cleverly camouflaged 

 Leap to the left, please!  

Slice of Life: Learning a New Trick!

You're never too old to learn a new trick. That's why librarians deserve to be your best friends! They know the tricks and they will share them with you.

When I visit my local branch, I always visit the display just inside the front door first. This month was a focus on Asian Pacific Islander Heritage month. I love that our library features adult books, middle grade titles, and even picture books as part of this focus. 

Then I pop over to the new kid books' display table. I love to find books for my grandsons and I still love to read middle grade books. Recently the table was gone! Sometimes they need the table for activities in their meeting room. When that happens, they move this display to the top of a shelf near the periodicals which is definitely not centrally located. Maybe they need someone to donate a table!

I always stop by another display table with a thematic focus. The last time I was in, it was mysteries. Then I head to the new book shelves for grownups which include fiction and non-fiction books (and large print). That's my next-to-last stop before I pop over to library holds and then I check out my books.

I recently attended a Southern book club meeting at our library (not because I need another book club in my life, but) because they were reading a book that I borrowed years ago and the meeting provided the nudge I needed to finally read my brother's copy of A Reading Life by Pat Conroy. 

After the meeting, I enjoyed chatting with the librarian about middle grade book titles and that's when I discovered that our library has a section for Y (youth) shelved near the young adult books. What a great idea! Readers of a certain age aren't stuck in the children's section searching for titles they might love. They have their own section! This discovery added another stop to my library visits. 

I can't leave without sharing three books I found on recent library visits thanks to wonderfully arranged displays in the library. 

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman comes highly recommended from Melissa, a former teaching colleague, who frequently shares middle grade titles with me (I do the same for her).

My Book and Me is a wonderful tribute to the joy of a favorite book. Check it out from the library, but you'll definitely want to purchase a copy for your own collection..

Ten-Word Tiny Tales of Love by Joseph Coelho and 21 Artist Friends made me wish I could share it with students and discover their stories from the ten-word tiny tales and illustrations. It would be a perfect book to share with students in a creative writing class or with any child who loves to write stories.

Let's give a "Hip, Hip, Hooray" for the libraries and librarians in our lives!

Poetry Friday: Where I'm From

Welcome to the poetry playground. I love the glee and exuberance of the children in this photo. I look forward to reading your posts.

Last month, I challenged our memoir writing group to write a poem for April. I shared George Ella Lyon's "Where I'm From" as a mentor poem. I've had students write these and dabbled in the format, but this is the first time that I've completed one of my own. 

I was talking with someone from another writing group that I challenged to write family stories in 2025. She was surprised to hear me say that writing is hard for me. I actually committed to finishing this poem for Poetry Friday so I would have a set deadline for finishing.  It's still a draft, but I'm offering it here as my current effort. 

 

                  Where I’m From 

I am from the green glider in the front yard,

from Uncle Wiggily’s board game and Chatty Cathy.

I am from a simple gray three-bedroom home

with Daddy’s long-dreamed of family room addition.

 

I am from marigolds, princess feathers, red roses,

from the pink crepe myrtle and showy mimosa trees.

I am from a garden that occupied ¾ of the backyard

with rows of potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, and weeds.

 

I am from hanging laundry on the clothesline,

from sweeping the floors and weeding the garden.

I am from walks to the library with best friend, Dortha,

with a stop at Rexall Drug for strawberry ice cream cones.

 

I am from Hawthorne and William Gay Elementary Schools,

from the junior high Mustangs and high school’s black and gold

I am from Mrs. Truttman’s creation of  “The Sugar Plum Tree,”

from Mrs. Lewallen’s adopted ship and memorized poems.

 

I am from Mrs. Frew’s split class with the addition of Charlie,

from learning some Braille and setting up math problems.

I am from Mrs. LeFlore’s newspaper from the Middle Ages,

from 6^th grade graduation and “We’ll Remember Always.”

 

I am from Mrs. Long’s health classes (Have Another Cancer Stick!),

from Mrs. Massaro’s French classes and evening program,

I am from Mrs. Thrasher’s prep for Southeastern’s competitions,

from BFF Jan’s pledge to write a tear jerker in my senior yearbook (she did).

 

I am from grandmothers, Ella Martin and Martha Ada Young,

from Duff rancher and Scifres preacher grandfathers.

I am from morning Sunday School and evening Sacrament meetings,

from home study seminary and Gold and Green Balls.

 

I am from Primary on Thursdays and Mutual on Wednesdays,

from salt dough villages and scattered Israel on a bath towel.

I am from Billie Thompson’s Beehive class in the kitchen,

from recreational singing and square-dancing lessons.

 

I am from Scifres family reunions at Platt National Park,

from sleeping on pallets when visiting cousins,

I am from listening as grownups play Moon in the kitchen,

from loving the laughter and stories they told.

 

I am from a Dad who could fix anything and read my history books,

from a seamstress Mom who made Velma’s and my wedding dresses.

I am from Dad’s, “When you’re out of bananas, you’re out of groceries,”

to Mom’s Labor Day proclamations, “We are turning over a new leaf!”

 

I am from biscuits & gravy and chicken & dumplings,

from Aunt Edna’s fudge and Aunt Ruby Dee’s chocolate pies.

I am from Aunt Nan’s chilled glasses for root beer floats,

from blackberry cobbler and Great Grandma’s chocolate roll.

 

I am from summers in Tulsa with Velma’s growing family,

from sister Kay’s love of books passed on to me,

I am from brother Karl, the best friend any girl could have,

from siblings scattered across four states, but forever good friends.

 

I am from Ellis and Lillian, parents who taught by example,

from front yard waves with love & tears at the end of a visit.

I am from parents who loved fiercely, but left us too soon,

from their love that surrounds, supports and sustains me.

 

 - Ramona Behnke, draft

 

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