SOL 25/31: An Illustrated Haiku

A haiku with accompanying photos demonstrates how quickly spring's pageantry vanishes:

 

Blossoms herald spring

Daffodil beckons hello

Leaves whisper summer  

 

 

    

SOL 24/31: A 'Ta-Da!' List

I first heard about the 'Ta-Da!' List on the podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, Episode 134. Instead of a To-Do list, a 'Ta-Da!' list looks back at a day and celebrates the things you accomplished.

My 'Ta-Da!' List for Tuesday, 3-24-2026

 

Ate breakfast 

 
Finished prepping two boxes for mailing including gift items, cards & poetry, packing material, taping exterior of packages for secure mailing, & finding correct addresses

 
 Watched grandson from 10am-12:30pm

 
Read two picture books and several chapters in a Geronimo Stilton book

 
Started mixing chocolate chip cookies with grandson

 
Paused the mixing process for an emergency run to elementary school with another grandson's lunch 

 
Prepared grandson's lunch, baked a pan of cookies, and began cleaning kitchen (which grandson said was very messy) 

 
Had a visit with a friend who moved up her 2:30 visit due to other commitments

 
Ate lunch, Went to the post office, Tried to write a blog post

 
Had a scheduled FaceTime call/birthday chat with the Three Rees

 
Delivered cookies to neighbor, Squeezed in a walk

 
Reheated leftovers for dinner, Ate, & Loaded dishwasher

 
Dashed to daughter's to get youngest grandson to bed while she & husband lead Scout groups for oldest and middle sons

 
Home, Wrote this post

   

Want to know more about the 'Ta-Da!' list? Check out this post by Brianna Schubert.

 

This is my fifteenth year participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, writing every day during the month of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

 

SOL 23/31: Floors and Ceilings!

Here's the quick AI explanation:

"The "floors and ceilings" approach to habit formation is

a framework used to build consistency by setting a minimum baseline ("floor") to ensure action, and a maximum limit ("ceiling") to prevent burnout. This technique addresses the main failure point in forming new habits—relying on high motivation to perform large, unsustainable actions—by focusing on small, repeatable behaviors that create momentum regardless of daily circumstances."

Here's the goal I'm currently working on:

I want to deal with the paper in my life. I have more than one box of paper that I've collected from surfaces and stashed into boxes.

The floor or baseline goal is dealing with one piece of paper from my latest box of paper. The ceiling (or maximum limit to prevent burnout) for me is spending ten minutes dealing with paper. Can you tell that I can get overwhelmed quickly?

The key to success seems to be where I place the box! I recently put the box where I see it every night when I pull the decorative pillows off the bed. So even if I've failed to deal with paper during the day, there's the box reminding me: "Just one piece of paper." Last night, I dealt with one piece of paper and seven sticky notes.

About those sticky notes - I'm trying to limit their ability to proliferate by using a wire bound journal for notes to self. When I finish dealing with a page of them, I merely rip it out of the journal.

What tips do you have for dealing with the paper in your life?

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

SOL 22/31: Springtime

Day 22 deserves another Fibonacci poem. Kudos to fellow slicer, Natalie, who reintroduced me to this poetic form which follows the Fibonacci sequence for syllables in each line. The six lines have a syllable count of 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 respectively. Credit goes to Greg Pincus for creating this form. 

 

 White 

bud,

redbuds,

glad pansy.

Promise of rebirth

Witness of His resurrection. 

 

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

SOL 21/31: First Wheels

Natalie's post yesterday reminded me of the 6 line, 20 syllable Fib (Fibonacci) poem. It follows the Fibonacci sequence for syllables in each line. The six lines have a syllable count of 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 respectively. Credit goes to Greg Pincus for creating this form.

I tried to leave a comment for Natalie, but it didn't show up. So I'm leaving it here: "Naps are so refreshing, glad you enjoyed one yesterday." And thanks for the nudge to write a Fibonacci poem. 

 

First 

wheels 

glide to 

school playground.

Grandpa adventures,

a treasure chest of memories. 

 

 

My how time flies! These grand boys are now six, nine, and ten years old. The six and nine year olds have a brother who is four. The ten year old has two sisters, four and almost six. 

 

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

SOL 20/31 & Poetry Friday:

This week's Poetry Roundup is hosted by Tanita S. Davis.

Kim Johnson is featuring a living poet each day in March for Slice of Life and using existing lines from the poet's poems to create a Cento. The Cento, from the Latin word for “patchwork,” is a poetic form composed entirely of lines from poems by other poets. You can read more about Kim's process for using this in the classroom here. 

I decided to play with lines from a favorite children's anthology, Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems edited by Georgia Heard to create today's Cento.

 

 Poetry Fields 

My friends the words

What secrets are they holding?

Moon breathes,

listen for the right rhythm.

 Light the moon at night,

then dance a poem.

Dream! 

 

Lines taken from these poems in Falling Down the Page: 

1. "Words in My Pillow' by Naomi Shihab Nye

2. "Are We There Yet?" by Heidi Roemer

3. "Message from the Moon" by Lara Anderson

4. "Things to Do If You Are a Pencil "by Elaine Magliaro

5. "Things to Do if You Are the Sun" by Bobbi Katz

 6. "Things to Do If You Are a Pencil" by Elaine Magliaro

7. "Things to Do Today" by Liz Rosenberg

 

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life.

 

SOL 19/31: Gathering Glimmers

Yesterday fellow blogger Trish (Jump off; Find Wings) introduced me to a new word, unshazamable.

She referenced Rob Walker's post Unshazamable on his blog The Art of Noticing, with this explanation of the word:

“Unshazamable” refers to that rare occurrence—when the databases are unable to find/name that tune, when algorithms fail, when there is nothing to which it refers. It is its own creation, something beyond. Walker concludes his post with these words: “Tapping into something enjoyable that didn’t come from a database doesn’t have to take the form of consuming a particular cultural object like a rare song; it could be an experience, a moment of presence.” 

I've often referred to these moments as glimmers. According to AI: "Glimmers are small, everyday moments that spark feelings of safety, connection, and joy, acting as the opposite of triggers." Yesterday I had a glimmer or an unshazamable on my way to book club. 

I leave a bit early so I can help if daughter has any last minute chores to be done before book club. We live near a road where everyone drives the speed limit, 40 mph. I notice a gathering of deer on my right side, near the road, as if they are waiting for a break in the traffic. After a quick glance in my rear view mirror to ascertain that no one is behind me, I stop for the deer. Unfortunately, traffic on the other side of the road does not stop. I continue waiting and finally there is a break in the traffic. I count: one - two - three - four - five - six - deer as they cross the road. A remaining timid duo stands fearfully at the edge of the road. Traffic on the other side of the road picks up again as I wait for this mama and her little one. Finally, seven and eight are safely across the road just as I spy an oncoming car in my rear view mirror. I savor this "deer crossing" as I pick up speed and know that I have tomorrow's slice!

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life.