Friday, December 30, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I added to the fish bowl on my desk


is...



resolution
1. a promise to yourself that you will make a serious effort to do something that you should do  2. the point in a story at which the main conflict is solved or ended.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

ah ha!

Because of one very curious cat named Calvin (see previous post), I've been unable to put plants and/or flowers inside our home.  I've been wanting to add a little green in the corners of a few rooms and this might be the solution!


After stumbling across this "indoor herb garden"at Pinterest, I was inspired.  I figure Calvin can't nibble on the plants if they't too high for him to reach.  I also love the idea of hanging a few plants from the ceiling.


Photo #1 via Pinterest.  Photo #2 via gardening-experts.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

mohammad ali







Mohammad Ali's COLORSCOPE

YELLOW (leo): optimistic, expansive
BROWN (capricorn): capable, prosperous
DARK BLUE (aquarius): wise, sincere

Click here to read more about COLORSCOPE.
Click here to visit Alix's Blog.
Click here to discover your own three colors!
(Mine are bright blue, lavender, and light blue)

Sunday, December 25, 2011

a great letter



things i love about this letter
the writer (a boy) used a magenta colored pencil
he isn't afraid to ask for what he wants
the fancy "D" in his Dear 
an empathetic voice
and self awareness

(Image via Cup of Jo.)

Saturday, December 24, 2011

three thousand miles


my first christmas
without snow tingling air
and white clouds of breath
as soon as you step outside
my first christmas
without stockings in the new room
and obeying granny's morning rule
no presents before eight thirty!
my first christmas
without eggs benedict on an english muffin
sitting in grandaddy's study
playing backgammon with lucky dice


Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart
Image via fitsugar.com

Friday, December 23, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I added to the fish bowl on my desk


is...



blessing
1. thing conducive to happiness 2. grace said at a meal

Sunday, December 18, 2011

busted


i didn't do my homework
i'm done, i'm toast, it's true
i didn't do my homework
just X me out, i'm through
i didn't do my homework
a report on hester prynne
i didn't do my homework
i have nothing to turn in
i didn't do my homework
well, that's not exactly right
i did do all my homework
and stayed up late last night
my homework was completed
but still, i'm digging my grave
the essay, it was perfect
although i never hit save


Click here to read more poems inspired by pictures!

(Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart)
(Image via We Heart This)

Friday, December 16, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I added to the fishbowl on my desk 


is...



baguette
1. a long, thin loaf of French bread

One of my very favorite sandwiches is a warm baguette filled with brie cheese, cranberry chutney, and arugula.  Do you have a favorite sandwich?

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

ten days


I just love peeling back the days of an Advent calendar.  Only ten left!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

happy boy


happy boy
wears a bright red collar
that matches 
his smiling face
delighted by
fresh fallen 
snow
piled high
for the holidays

(Image via Pintrest)
(Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart)

Saturday, December 10, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I picked from the fish bowl on my desk


is...



tidings
1. a piece of news, usually used in plural (good tidings)


Saturday, December 3, 2011

no time for a title




i slug a gulp
of instant coffee
stirred with a pen
racing, rushing
go go go
get out the door
and think
who uses
blue ballpoints
with bent caps
instead of a spoon
go go go 
get out the door
shoving the pen
inside my pocket
it rips 
a hole
as an idea
peeks around
my pressed suit
like a little boy
with grass stained knees 
stopping me
still
at the kitchen counter
filling this blank page


Click here for more poems inspired by pictures.

(Image via 123rf.com)
(Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart)

Friday, December 2, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I added to the fish bowl on my desk


is...



smarmy
1. behaving in a way that seems polite, kind, or pleasing but is not genuine or believable

Thursday, December 1, 2011

ramona quimby, age 8


Synopsis from GoodreadsFrom the first day of third grade, when Ramona Quimby meets her eventual nemesis Yard Ape, life moves on at its usual wild pace--usual for the boisterous Ramona, that is. Soon she is accidentally squashing a raw egg into her hair at the school cafeteria, being forced to play Uncle Rat with her annoying young neighbor, and, worst of all, throwing up in her classroom. The responsibilities of an 8-year-old are sometimes daunting, especially in a family that is trying to squeak by while the father goes back to school. But Ramona is full of too much vim and vigor to ever be down for long.
In her second Newbery Honor Book about Ramona (the first was Ramona and Her Father), Beverly Cleary presents another slice of the Quimby family life. Author of more than two dozen children's books, Cleary has a true knack for understanding the tangle of thoughts and emotions in a child's mind and heart. Empathic, witty, and astute, she has earned many other awards, including the Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. Alan Tiegreen's clever line drawings have charmed countless readers of Cleary's books over the years, and his style is now inextricably tied to hers.
What I think: I adored all of the Ramona books when I was a kid, but "Ramona Quimby, Age 8" stands out most in my memory.  Probably because of the very funny egg scene when Ramona cracks what she thinks is a hard boil egg on her head.  I remember laughing out loud the first time I read that part.  Ramona is a rebellious, strong-willed, all-around fantastic character.  It's impossible not to love her.  
(If you haven't listened to the Ramona books on tape, they're terrific.  Stockard Channing reads aloud and gets the voice just right.)
Image via Goodreads

Sunday, November 27, 2011

mama



a solid stone house
with sweet blue shutters
stands before a pasture
like a proud mama 
showing her baby
to the world
this little cottage
steps back
as lush green trees
the edging of yellow grass
a field full of lavender
shines in front of her
                                
(Image via Pintrest)
(Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart)

Saturday, November 26, 2011

word of the week


Our Word of the Week


that I picked from the fish bowl on my desk


is...



lullaby
(noun) 1. a song used to help a child fall asleep


Thursday, November 24, 2011

happy thanksgiving


a few favorite cartoons
that make me think of Thanksgiving






1. peanuts (image via colourlovers) 2. calvin and hobbes (image via breakingupthanksgiving) 3. the far side (image via marcvaldez

Friday, November 18, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I picked from the fish bowl on my desk


is...



cheerio
chiefly Brittish
-usually used as a farewell and sometimes as a greeting or a toast

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

london




I'm just returning from a quick trip to London. During the visit, I went to the Tate Modern Art Museum.  After perusing the works of Dali, Pollock, Miro, Giacometti, and Picaso, I headed to the museum gift shop.  I purchased quite a few postcards (see example below) and a great little book called "Nicholas and the Gang"by Goscinny and Sempe.  I just love museum gift shops.  You?




This postcard is from The Quilts of Gee's Bend collection.  It's titled "Housetop" by Rita Mae Pettway.

Friday, November 11, 2011

word of the week


Our Word of the Week


that I picked from the fish bowl on my desk


is...



curmudgeon 
1. miser  2. a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

a great letter



A great letter says so much.  In just a few short sentences, Mick Jagger lets us know the kind of person he is, how he feels about Andy Warhol's art, and the type of relationship he has with Mr. Al Steckler.

Do you write letters?  I think it's a wonderful way to work with words.

ps.  I blocked out a phrase in the middle of paragraph two in order to keep this blog kid friendly!

Image via Awesome People Hanging Out Together

Friday, November 4, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I picked from the fish bowl on my desk


is...


onomatopoeia
(noun) 1. the creation of words to imitate a natural sound

Click here to see examples of onomatopoeia.  Some of my favorites include: flutter, click, meow, and sizzle.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

okay for now


Okay for Now
by Gary D. Schmidt

Synopsis from GoodreadsMidwesterner Gary D. Schmidt won Newbery Honor awards for Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boys and The Wednesday Wars, two coming-of-age novels about unlikely friends finding a bond. Okay For Now, his latest novel, explores another seemingly improbable alliance, this one between new outsider in town Doug Swieteck and Lil Spicer, the savvy spitfire daughter of his deli owner boss. With her challenging assistance, Doug discovers new sides of himself. Along the way, he also readjusts his relationship with his abusive father, his school peers, and his older brother, a newly returned war victim of Vietnam.

What I think: Gary D. Schmidt is a very good writer.  His sentences are clean and crisp and full of emotion.  For example, I love that Doug says "terrific" as a single-worded sentence when everything around him is quite the opposite.  

Saturday, October 29, 2011

book poem of bukowski titles


you get so
alone
sifting through the madness
for the word, the line, the way
mockingbird wish me luck
betting on
the muse

(Click here to read more of my book poems!)

Friday, October 28, 2011

word of the week

Our Word of the Week


that I added to the fish bowl on my desk


is...



jolt
1. to cause (something or someone) to move in a quick and sudden way.
2. to move with a quick and sudden motion.  3. to surprise or shock (someone)

(I remember drinking Jolt soda when I was a kid.  Considering how much caffeine it had, definition #1 makes perfect sense.)