I had the oddest feeling when I woke up on Sunday morning. It was the last Sunday of summer and the last day of our family vacation in Maine. I thought to myself, “I had a perfect summer. Everything went well.” But my realization left me feeling bewildered, because it hadn’t felt at all like […]
vacation
While We Were Gone, the Zinnias Bloomed
Our neighbor up the street plants zinnias every spring. The kids and I are excited to watch every stage of the process– first the prepared soil, then the progression of tiny shoots, leaves, and blooms in every color. Zinnias are my favorite flower, and I love that they come in late summer, just when things […]
Review, Run, Reap, Rest
Just as there’s a rhythm to the day or week, there’s a rhythm to the school year. In my mind, the stages of the year are: Review (Re-establish norms and basics) Run (Push instruction/challenge with new material) Reap (Watch the seeds of “review/run” come to fruition) Rest (Vacation/summer) The final step that closes the circle […]
Day Off
I’m writing this post early today, because the kids are going to be at Nana’s house for most of the day and I’m getting a true Day Off. Parents of young kids (or parents who remember the time) know that a day off from work isn’t a true break. As much as I love my […]
2019 Reflection, Part 1
Reflection on the past year and planning for the year ahead are my favorite things to do this time of year. I decided to aid the process this year by answering a set of reflection questions (similar to when I wrote my creative autobiography, based on Twyla Tharp’s 33 questions). There are several of these […]
What A Writer Does Over Summer Vacation
I went on vacation this past week, and for the first time in years, I didn’t plan to write anything. That in itself is a personal triumph: I’ve finally understood that I need to stop working occasionally, and I need my own permission to do so. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of girl, and sometimes I require […]