Merely Day By Day

This morning I decided I would find a picture of my kids with Santa when they were little and make it my Facebook profile page.  I was sure there was an ornament hanging on the Christmas tree with their picture, but for the life of me I couldn't locate it.  Searching from top to bottom and side to side, the picture was nowhere to be found amongst the twinkling lights and pine needle branches.  I decided I'd have to go into my old photos to locate a picture.  That's no easy task, of course.  Where should I begin?  Do I start in the shoeboxes full of pictures I collected over the years as I hurriedly developed film and then threw the photos into a box I was sure I'd scrapbook someday?  Which box is most likely to have a picture from Christmas past? Sorting and using past pictures of my kids is always a challenge.  Their lives in photos are trapped between shoeboxes, old computers, and phones.  They grew up during the transition to digital p...

This evening I grabbed my wheelbarrow and headed to the flowerbeds.  To say I had been putting off weeding my flowerbeds would likely be a bit of an understatement.  The mosquitoes had made it nearly impossible to spend too long outside without layers of clothing.  The thistles, grasses, and other unwelcome offenders had started to take over everywhere I looked.  I had to stop avoiding the inevitable.  With that in mind, I put on some long pants, grabbed my gloves, and headed to get the wheelbarrow. Where to start?  That was the question.  Should I start in the front where most people actually see our beds or go to the back so my view from the patio was pleasing?  The task ahead seemed overwhelming.  I really just wanted to go inside, grab a class of lemon water, and sit on my couch.   That's when I remembered advice from one of the secretaries I had the pleasure of working with years ago:  "Just start with a wheelbarrow. ...

Slowly walking toward the garden I began to assess its progress.  I hadn't been to the garden since returning from vacation.  The weeds standing tall between the plants were a sure sign I needed to fight the mosquitoes and get busy.  Everything looked like it needed a bit of care.  I wandered around to see how the plants were doing.  While the peppers and tomatoes seemed to need a bit of work, it appeared all of this rain had been perfect for cucumbers and zucchini as they were already ready to be picked.  Their vines were reaching far away from their original resting spot. Walking over to the cucumber plants, I paused to take a look.  The plants were intertwined and quite healthy.  It wasn't long until I discovered three cucumbers more than ready to be picked.  Pulling the cucumbers I brought them into the house.  I looked at them for a minute to decide what I should do with them.  That's when I remembered my grandma used to ke...

This is the best pelican picture I've managed. If you could see how close they come to where I am sitting, you'd know I have more work to do to capture the perfect picture. While on vacation I've become a bit obsessed with pelicans.  Every evening they fly by our balcony in groups.  I don't really see them coming until they are there in lined formation.  They float by one after another as they follow their regular path down the coast.  Each day I've tried to capture a picture of them as they fly close to our balcony, but I'm never fast enough.  The rest of my family thinks I have gone crazy.  The people on the beach completely ignore them as they fly in formation in search of food.  I can't ignore them as I find them absolutely fascinating.  I've done a bit of research and was surprised to find they were quite endangered from the 1950s through the 1970s.  They appear to be thriving now.  I was also surprised to learn they live to ...

Image via Julie Johnson For most of my life, my writing has been for myself.  It was somehow therapeutic to scratch words with a pen onto a piece of paper.  My writing life has certainly ebbed and flowed --- mostly ebbed  --- across the years, but writing for myself was always enough.  I didn't have to worry about criticism.  Didn't have to worry about saying things in the wrong way.  Didn't have to worry about working and reworking my thoughts.  I just put words on a page, closed the book, and walked away. A long series of events over the last ten years has slowly pushed me toward more public writing.  One factor in changing my course has been community.  Writing communities have pushed me to put more thought into my writing, to work toward creating stronger messages, to try writing in new ways, to be a bit braver when it comes to sharing the words on a page.  Today, for example, this post is part of the collaborative work of the ...

I'm tired of being cold --- and, yes, I wrote this in June! This morning I am sitting on my couch curled up in the corner seat wrapped in a fleece jacket.  Yes, it's June in Ohio, but I'm cold.  I started on the patio because it was warmer outside than inside, but it started to rain so I had to come back into the house. I'm considering disconnecting the air conditioning.  Do you think my family would notice? When you live in Ohio, you are cold from November until late March.  You learn to live with it.  You build fires in the fireplace, drink hot coffee, and make lots of soup.  During these months, I tire of putting on coats, boots, scarves and mittens.  I tire of sweaters and leggings under my dress pants.  I tire of cold winds and icy conditions.  Cold just becomes a way of life.  My car doesn't like the cold either.  It has a warning light when the temperature gets to 37 degrees fahrenheit.  This always makes me laug...

I've never considered myself a baker.  It's just not my thing.  Baking takes time --- and patience.  I'm not really someone who has either of these things --- at least not in the kitchen.  I'd much rather cook than bake.  In office potlucks I hope to be assigned sides instead of dessert.  At family gatherings, I cross my fingers someone will ask for cheese potatoes or broccoli casserole.  I'd rather cook the entire meal than be asked to bring dessert. My sister-in-law is a baker.  She makes glorious cakes that nearly reach the sky.  She makes cookies that are never too brown and always the right height.  I have baker friends who inspire me with their tales of cheesecakes, pies, and biscotti.  Despite all of the experts in my life, I've limited my baking to chocolate chip cookies and cake mix boxes. Recently things have changed.  Maybe it's the fact that I have more time on my hands.  Maybe I've just decided I don't c...

Game day I can still hear Grandma pacing in the kitchen as she washes the plates clean after the last innings of dinner. The Big Red Machine on the radio, Marty and Joe banter sharing the play by play. She listens talking back to the radio. The box blares static between statements, but she still catches every word. My sweet mild mannered grandma who feeds the birds, makes us pancakes, takes us on picnics, and smiles when we slide home from the creek covered in mud, My loving grandma isn't so mild mannered when Johnny Bench isn't moving fast enough, when Pete Rose isn't hitting, when Griffey misses a fly ball. She isn't going to be happy until she hears them say, "and this one belongs to the Reds." © Cathy L. Mere, 2015 This week the Reds honored the 1990 World Championship team and the notorious Nasty Boys with a celebration.  The rain delay probably gave the celebration more coverage than it would have received. As ...

Today was our first day of our after school poetry writing class.  We have nearly sixty students staying to read and write poetry with us.  We started by dividing into smaller groups and writing poems about the playground.  The students loved playing with words, searching for meaning, and finding rhythms.   Tonight, I thought I'd write a little poem about the playground.  I'm always amazed by the students that work for days, sometimes weeks, to learn to cross the rings.  Day after day they return to try again until they finally make it across the silver rings.   Shared Poetry Writing Image by Carolyn Carr Bravely each day, she eyes the rings, taking a leap, working to cross. Determined she swings, each silver ring seeming farther than the last. Courageously she returns day after day, swinging harder, gripping tightly. Persisting she tries and tries again, learning tricks, building strength. Undaunted sh...

via Quote Valley The students, first through fifth grade, were gathered on the carpet as we talked about what they had learned from the Slice of Life Writing Challenge when A spoke up, "I just noticed the sign hanging on the bulletin board," she said. Turning around, I searched to see what she had noticed.  "Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened," I read to the group.  The room got a little quiet.  Looking at her, I smiled.  She had invested so much heart into this challenge.  One of our fourth grade participants, she shared so many stories across our challenge. We all paused for a moment to consider the statement.  We had all learned so much during the month long challenge.  I think the students learned a lot about themselves as writers.  Many managed to write most everyday, even across spring break.  Students had taken time to share their writing and to comment. The students have learned to do so many things...

via WikiMedia Commons Normally I start my day with coffee.  There's something about the smell of coffee filling the house that helps get the day off to the right start.  This morning, the first day back from spring break, I walked out to the kitchen and started my pot of coffee.  When I went to make my cup of coffee, it just didn't sound good.  I tried to drink it, but barely made a dent in the cup. What has happened to my morning drink?  Has it been replaced by - wait for it - orange juice?  Yep, I seem to be back in love with orange juice.  I'm really not sure what is going on exactly.  All I can tell you is that last week I picked up a bit of a virus.  After spending an entire night sick, I was able to calm my stomach with some Sprite and my grandma's old stomach remedy.  I'm not sure how it went exactly, but I have made it something like this:  a teaspoon of Sprite on crushed ice repeated again at 15 minutes.  If that...

It's the last day of spring break, but I am feeling refreshed.  I just spent the last four days at Mom's.  While I was there I managed some good food, a fair amount of sleep, a reasonable number of card games, a bit of exercise (those hills are killer), and plenty of laughter.  While I was with her, I had to smile; it doesn't matter how old you are your mom can always make you feel ten again.   Today is her birthday.  Happiness is found in a birthday wish --- and a little advice.  So... No matter how old you are, your mom will still expect you to eat everything on your plate, consider seconds, and leave plenty of room for dessert. No matter how old you are, your mom will always worry when you are sick, suggest you wear a coat even if you don't think it's cold outside. No matter how old you are, your mom will cheer you on, hang your work on her refrigerator like its a masterpiece. No matter how old you are, your mom ...

Today we went on a bit of an adventure.  When I had last visited my mom I had managed to find a bench with a great view to the water while on a walk one lazy afternoon.  Of course, I wasn't really sure where that bench might be, but with a few bits of logic we began to narrow the possibilities and took off to find it. We knew it had to be close.  I wasn't likely to have walked too far in this hilly place.  I always joke that I'm from the flatlands.  I'm not used to mountains.  My mom, however, assures me they are just tiny foothills.  We went down the road I figured was most likely to be the one I would have chosen to wander.   It wasn't too far from the road to my mom's house and was pretty easy to access. When we came upon a steeper than normal hill, my daughter quipped she doubted I would have gone down that hill knowing I would have to come back up it.  She had a point, but I could see water.  I knew I'd break this rule to be n...

If spring won't come to you, go find spring.  Happiness is found in signs of spring.  Are There Words? Could there be words that haven't been written as spring waltzes into the world with brush strokes of color? Could there be new words to describe the beauty of the flowers in bloom? Could there be a way to capture the sounds of an earth, silent only days ago now bursting with life? Is it possible to find a unique way to show the whisper of water, until recently standing still? Are there words to illustrate the deepness of green, the brightness of blooms, the blue of the sky? Is there a way to ever truly capture the joy as the earth awakens from a long winter slumber? © Cathy L. Mere, 2015 For the month of March I will be participating in the  March Slice of Life Challenge  hosted at  Two Writing Teachers .  It will be a busy month of writing, commenting, and learning with this community.  This year I've d...

It had to happen at some point in the Slice of Life Challenge:  six word stories.  Here are a few that tell about my day.  Lots of happiness to be found today.  (OK, maybe not the euchre defeat.)   Happiness is Found in Six Word Slices Waking up to sunshine and green. Walking on hills is more work. An afternoon walk ends in surprise. No dessert tastes like delicious cheesecake. Defeat in euchre isn't the end.   Wisconsin Badgers move onto elite eight. For the month of March I will be participating in the  March Slice of Life Challenge  hosted at  Two Writing Teachers .  It will be a busy month of writing, commenting, and learning with this community.  This year I've decided to try to  focus my writing around happiness .  Stop by  today's link up  to join the conversation or find some great reading. 

Some days you work a little harder to find happiness.  Some days are a little cloudier, and we have to really look for sunshine.  Somehow a virus won the battle earlier this week, putting me behind on all of my lists.  Today I have places to be, but the things I had hoped to have accomplished need to be put aside until there is time to do them.  I know they'll wait, but wish I could've stayed on course. The change in plan, makes me have to look a little harder and search a little deeper.   Despite the lack of accompishment, I tried to look forward.  I had an appointment for a much needed haircut.  Happiness wasn't found in having someone else fight with my curls to straighten my hair.  It wasn't found in finally being able to eat something.  It wasn't found in the sight of dogwoods finally in bloom or in mountains and rolling clouds playing together in the evening sky. Tonight happiness was found in being able to set the list aside and focusi...

today i didn't get to the list i had prepared full of to dos instead it seemed sleep was necessary happiness was found in a day of rest © Cathy L. Mere, 2015 For the month of March I will be participating in the  March Slice of Life Challenge  hosted at  Two Writing Teachers .  It will be a busy month of writing, commenting, and learning with this community.  This year I've decided to try to  focus my writing around happiness .  Stop by  today's link up  to join the conversation or find some great reading. 

It was the first official day of spring break....so it was snowing. It seemed the perfect day to tackle my closet.  It was time to clear out some of the items I had been hanging onto for far too long.  I began pulling things out, sorting items into piles, and trying to begin to weed out what needed to go.  It wasn't long until I managed to get the clothing and the shoes under control, and then moved onto the bags.  Somehow I have quite a collection of old wallets and all those small cosmetic bags that are given away for free.  I'm really not sure why I hang onto them.  I could hold my year's supply of cosmetics in my hand. For me the best way to keep my closet under control is to only allow a particular amount of space for things I need.  Pants have so much room in the closet.  Shoes have a spot.  Sweaters must fit on the shelf.  I have a cloth box I use to store the wallets and bags I plan to keep.  They need to all fit insid...

I know.  I know.  It's hard to believe I'm a fantasy sports fan.  Let me tell you, it's probably even harder for those who have known me forever to believe, but it's true.  Today was our fantasy baseball draft.  It was an important day as I have a championship to defend.  The Five Tool Playas are ready for action! In honor of the event, I decided to try writing a poem using Visual Poetry .   Kevin Hodgson shared the app in our Digital Maker Playground .  I've been wanting to give it a try. Today, happiness was found in the start of baseball season! For the month of March I will be participating in the  March Slice of Life Challenge  hosted at  Two Writing Teachers .  It will be a busy month of writing, commenting, and learning with this community.  This year I've decided to try to  focus my writing around happiness .  Stop by  today's link up  to join the conversation or find some great ...

It's spring break.  You'd think that would be enough to make a person happy, but honestly it is just the start of it all.  Today I met with Julie Johnson and a group of friends to get ready for the Columbus Area Writing Project's summer work.  We will be working to write about digital literacy and the way it has changed what we do as learners and teachers.  There were so many things to love about this: I was back in Ramseyer Hall where I took many of my education classes years ago.   Listening to a professor talk about the work we would be doing.  There's something about the way they talk in the academic world that I always find so interesting.   The possibility of the road ahead. There's something about trusting a process enough to know a direction is all we need to begin. Working alongside people you know will push your thinking.  Discussions that make me think and revise what I know. For the month of March I will be participating...