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.

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.

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)

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.)

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

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

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)

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?

ten days

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

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)

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)

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)

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

ramona quimby, age 8

Synopsis from Goodreads: From 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

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)

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

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) 

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

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.

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

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

lazy day

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.

okay for now

Okay for Now

by Gary D. Schmidt

Synopsis from Goodreads: Midwesterner 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.  

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!)

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.)