Red Boots by Susan E. Kane for her grandchildren

I’m puttin’ on my red boots, red boots, red boots on—

Puttin' on my red boots and goin' to town.

Gonna' buy myself a puppy, eyes big and brown..

Buy yourself a puppy with your red boots on?

Red boots, red boots, red boots on---

Puttin' on my red boots and goin' to town

Gonna' buy myself a cookie, crunchy and round.

Buy yourself a cookie with your red boots on?

Red boots, red boots, red boots on---

Puttin' on my red boots and goin' to town
Gonna' buy myself a bunny, soft as down.

Buy yourself a bunny with your red boots on?

Red boots, red boots, red boots on—

THEN

Mama said, “No, you can’t go to town

With your red boots on. 

No puppy, no cookie, no bunny, no town. 

Yer stayin’ home with your red boots, red boots, red boots.

You are stayin’ home with those red boots off."

For my grandchildren by Susan E. Kane © Copyright

Wednesday Words: Phlegm

what can I say

Ben stared through the bars as he groaned at this unjust incarceration.  What had he done?  Just the usual stuff, but this time?  I got caught big time.

He coughed up a ball of green-yellow phlegm, spitting it on the floor beyond the bars.  Heh, heh, heh… Ben had been charged with disturbing the peace, marking graffiti on public walls, and destruction of property.

That last one gave him joy.  With just a plastic knife, Ben had sliced up a piece of furniture, tossing foam and stuffing everywhere.  Good times.

Ben then realized that his diaper was beyond damp, it was dripping.  “MAMA!” he cried, with big tears.  Sometimes the not-yet-potty-trained times were a blessing.

For all familiar with Samuel:  Yes, Ben could be his successor.  He won't be, though.

Many thanks to Delores who creates a list or two of six words each.  The bold & underlined words are from her selection.  Click on the summery creek above to access her site, which presents participants on the right sidebar.  Some good reading to be had at that site!

Over and Done

Source: manmohan.com

All is over and done,

Rooms seem stark,

Black against White.

Shadows wander,

Chess moves,

Source: Krysztof Szkulatoski @ 12frames.eu

White against Black.

Petals losing fragrance,

Converting, dropping.

Odor of endings.

Source: jazza

Sad, So Sad

Source: Vorfay

It was inevitable.  I knew, the computer knew it.  When the dreaded “error” sign popped up repeatedly, when the blog site turned white and frozen, it was clear that something had happened.

Fry’s struggled for five days with each minute part of this computer.  Ryan, bless his heart, finally cleaned out the “serious virus contamination”, the computer came home.  I was sad—no, beyond sad.  Devastated. 

So many files lost in the process, many of them future posts.  The files were brilliant.

The computer is back on my desk, its cursor blinking in remorse.  I forgive it, of course.

Thus, I have to start all over in some drives, etc.  Fortunately my blog sites are still intact.  But the other stuff?  My use of colorful metaphors has increased.

Wednesday Words: words that end with -en

Source: 001099

“Listen!” cried the butterfly, “Listen!”

“Garden has been  christened!

On roses drops glisten,

Each flower and leaf moistened.

With sun overhead, flower demise hasten.”

“We don’t need no stinking penicillin!  It doesn't belong here!"

Thanks to Delores   who supplies participants with a set of six words.  This week Delores has supplied two sets of six.  More to play with and move around!  Please check out her site by clicking on the mellow stream above.  I hope you can give this fun word challenge a chance yourself!!

Stone Words

Source: Stone Words

What?! Again!?  Another kid’s story?!

Yes, my love for books, good writing, engaging plots, and children’s books appears once again.

Also, my gr-daughters are growing to the age when these books would be appropriate and interesting.

This book is Stone Words, written by Pam Conrad and published in1990 .  Like the last book highlighted (Jennifer Murdley’s Toad), the plot is again in the supernatural world where the protagonist must wrestle with clues to find the answer.

Summary:

Due to her mother's instability, Zoe moves into her grandparents’ house, where she meets another Zoe (Louise).  While Zoe is alive in the modern times, Zoe Louise is more than one hundred years older, from another century.

They now dwell in the same house, and are part of each other’s lives.  A friendship develops.  They are separated by time…and a staircase.

As Zoe grows, Zoe Louise does not.  Instead, she changes, drastically.  Something horrible is about to happen, and Zoe must travel back to the past, to prevent an imminent event.  If she is successful, Zoe will alter the past and the present.  What will happen to Zoe Louise?

Source: Amazon.com

Just the book to read aloud and grab a fourth grade class, isn’t it?  Well, it grabbed me, but I would not allow myself to read ahead to see the ending. 

Again, good writing is good writing whether for a ten year old or those decades older.

Note:  Pam Conrad (1947 - 1996) wrote and had published eleven children's books, many for YA.  She also received many prestigious awards.   She died of breast cancer, taking her talent and imagination with her. Information about Ms. Conrad can be found here and at this very excellent site.

Where do you really want to live?

So many questions about this one...

This has been a topic before on my blog.  Obviously the question has never ever left my mind. Please note the rope ladder hanging from the door at the bottom.

Source: Landmark

Among these many options, boy, I really like...:Oh-boy-oh-boy!-this is it!  You really must visit this site.

Source

And another: Who hasn't always wanted a treehouse?  I mean, I have always wanted one, so....  You must also look at the amazing houses nestled in the trees.

But nothing, nothing I have seen can complete with the houses found at this site.  IF money was not an obstacle, IF I were agile and young enough, If…If…and if…THEN  I would want to have some of the options shown in this site!!

Go ahead!  Which house would you choose?

Wednesday Words: Carol, Brad, and Skippy

Source: Villascostarica.com

This was a stupid idea.  Carol knew it then and now, especially in a horrible, frost-fear-filled moment.

Her normally brilliant husband Brad insisted that Carol try the zip line, that it was totally safe.  After all, his best friend Skippy worked for the hotel activities director and was an experienced zipper.

One…two…and go!  Skip gave a firm push and off she went.

It had been a mistake.  Carol’s life flashed before her eyes as the line broke and she fell.

Carol wondered if there were telegram services from the luxury hotel as the ground loomed closer.  I told you so! her parents would say when they read it.  They had never really liked Brad.

Extra note:
The bold underlined words are from Delores at Under the Porch Light, who somehow grabs words from the air and challenges participants to see what can be written with them.  Thank you, Delores, for opportunities to have fun with your interesting words!

Please click of the stream photo on the right sidebar to access other participants in this weekly Wednesday Words.

Good Writing is Good Writing, no matter the age

Bruce Colville, 1993

My love for good children’s books goes way, way back to when I was studying to be a teacher.  The assignment was to create a display that would fascinate a classroom of children and inspire them to read the book shown.

I chose Winnie the Pooh, since I really did not know of many children’s books.  My display was pretty anemic, as was my re-telling of the story.

After that, the world of children’s books also became my world.  A well-written children’s book opens the door for the student to love reading--then to love writing-- and to keep on reading.  Without that initial inspiration, students may not reach for the Moby Dick on the high school library shelf.

One of my favorite read-aloud chapter books was Jennifer Murdley’s Toad.  It was nominated for a California Award for the Third Grade’s favorite book.  A short review goes as follows:

Source

An awkward and homely girl, Jennifer Murdley lives daily with ridicule from other students.  She wishes she could be like them.  On the way home from school, Jennifer notices an unknown street and a store, Elves Magic Shop.  She purchases a big toad from the very odd proprietor.  The secretive toad starts talking to Jennifer after she leaves the shop.  Through the story, Jennifer learns about his very strange life and the witch out to get him.... Lots of adventures follow.

This book was written by Bruce Coville and was published in 1992 by Harcourt.

It is worth a read, even if you are beyond third grade or graduate school or an old curmudgeon .  Good writing is good writing, no matter the audience.

Source

Just a note: I have ordered this book from the local Barnes and Noble and will share it with my granddaughters.  Why didn't I use Amazon?  I support local business and stores.  B & N is a long time friend with a then-novel relaxing approach for customers.  I like that.

Wishes for the East and for the West

Source: TACLUDA...Adrian van Leen

As the Northwestern wind blows across the east, adding and taking away, the West wishes ice and snow could be packed all up, send it to California, and take away some of the freezing misery.

What can be said?  Eastern Freeze will pass (sometime). Western drought means the drying heat will turn to fire.

The Mamas and the Papas---such memories!  The Beach Boys presented the idyllic California life and many bands carried on with this theme.  It must be noted that was then...

The photographer, Adrian van Leen, credited above is very talented.  Please check out his site, and learn more about him.

TACLUDA

Ode to my brother

Source:Abyla

Ode to an Impetuous Youth

He was an impetuous youth in the wrong year born.

 

Where others saw books and boards from a desk,

He saw

An open plain from his saddle on a horse.

Feet made for boots,

Hands made for ropes.

In a different time, another place, my brother

Would have been a cowboy.

The bold underlined words are prompts from Delores who gifted us with enigmatic phrases that fit well with my thoughts and mood.  
Thank you, Delores.
Please check the peaceful unfrozen stream 
in the upper right sidebar for a list of other participants.
I encourage you to join in.  
Please.  
Share your own mood and thoughts. 

Wednesday Words: Ode to Frozen Wastelands

Source: ckgd2

Pearls of Ice,

Riding on arrows of wind,

Slicing through the fragile

Fabric of tolerance, endurance.

Stirring the not-so-creamy snow:

Clearing the driveway

Or

Calling for a cab ?

Harsh decisions, harsh reality,

Harsh winter.

For my sister, Mary

Source: Wikipedia, CS Lewis, and my sister

Again, many thanks to Delores   for the bold underlined words.  Looking at the photos of her poor hubby carving through snow in his driveway and hearing my sister Mary's message on my answer machine:  my inspiration for the ode above.

Please click on the unfrozen stream on the right sidebar to access other participants in her Wednesday Words experience.  

A Swiffer Relationship

Relationships, as presented in eHarmony© and other dating sites, seem to happen in just a few meetings.  Smiles and laughter over dinner are the featured representations of happiness. 

Source

The Cialis © commercials delve into the physical side of relationships, which always end with each person sitting in their own claw-foot tub, overlooking some inspiring view.

Let us realize that long relationships are not like that, not at all.  Real relationships take time to develop into friendships then attraction.  The courtship routines as shown on popular shows begin in a loud club and results in bed.  Zip—zang---see you tomorrow.

There are some television commercials that make me smile.

Here is one:

Long lasting love

I do not know what or where others are in their life long path.  But we identify with this old couple, a few decades down the road.

What about you? What do you see as you look around your community?  How does 'happiness' develop in a relationship (friendship, whatever...)?  What do you want for your own life?