Sharing Our Stories: The Sunset Challenge

Posted on March 20, 2021 by rosecappelli

When Ruth challenged us to write about a sunset, my mind immediately drifted back in time to one of the most magnificent sunsets I’d ever seen. It was at the end of a kayaking trip with some friends (I previously wrote about it here). The challenge was to write about the sunset without using color words and to give a sense of the season without using seasonal words.

At the End of the Day

We pulled our kayaks to shore
aware of the heron standing guard.
A gentle breeze rippled the water,
crept inside our jackets,
cooled our sweaty arms.
The sky glowed,
blushed with a sailor’s delight.
We turned to the fire in the clouds,
the embers of a perfect day
bidding farewell.

Posted in Sharing Our Stories Magic | 7 Comments

Poetry Friday: Moonbeam

Posted on March 19, 2021 by rosecappelli
Olhar Digital

One morning a few weeks ago, I was scrolling through the New York Times headlines on my phone and came across an article titled “The Moon Has a Comet-Like Tail” by Robin George Andrews. With words like “beam” and “magical” in the short preview, it sounded so poetic. In addition to being a fascinating read, I thought it might provide material for a found poem.

Moonbeam

Meteorites bombard our volcanic pearl,
cause sodium atoms to fly…
high.
A mystifying moonbeam
in twilight skies
dusts earth with dandruff,
creates curiosity…
wonder…
magic…

Thanks to Linda who has the Poetry Round Up today at Teacher Dance.

Posted in Poetry Friday | 15 Comments

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Birdsong

Posted on March 12, 2021 by rosecappelli
Amazon.com: Birdsong (9781771644730): Flett, Julie, Flett, Julie: Books

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Birdsong

Title: Birdsong

Author: Julie Flett

Illustrator: Julie Flett

Publisher: Greystone Books

Audience: Ages 4-8

Themes: seasons, nature, intergenerational friendship

Opening lines: It’s a mucky spring morning as we pack up the last of our belongings and leave our little home in the city by the sea.

I’m going to miss my friends and cousins and aunties and uncles. I’m going to miss my bedroom window and the tree outside.

Synopsis: (from the jacket flap) When a young girl moves to her new home far away from the sea, she feels lonely and out of place. But soon she meets an elderly woman next door, who shares her love of nature and art. As the seasons change, can the girl navigate the failing health of her new friend?

Why I Like This Book: I was grabbed by the lyrical language from the first page. The simple illustrations are perfect, enhancing the text but never overpowering. The words and art combine to help us feel Katherena’s loneliness and her delight in finding a new friend. I especially like how the passage of the seasons marks Katherena’s growth in dealing with her emotions and the gradual decline of her friend, Agnes.

Resources: There is a downloadable Companion Guide for Teachers and Parents on Julie Flett’s website (www.julieflett.com) that has discussion questions and many art related activities.

For a list of wonderful picture books, please visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books.

Posted in Picture Book Friday | 4 Comments

SOS: Catching Up

Posted on March 11, 2021 by rosecappelli

Today I’m writing a response to the invitation on Sharing Our Stories: Capture a Slice of Life.

I have a friend who isn’t able to drive long distances due to some vision issues. At one time, she was more than just a friend, she was a member of my extended family. But divorce has a way of distancing friends, and although we continue to see each other at family celebrations (pre-Covid), I had not spent a lot of time with her in, well, a very long time. But when I learned that she did not have a ride to receive her second vaccine shot at a pharmacy 80 miles away, I volunteered to drive her.

The round trip ride took three hours, and we never ran out of things to talk about – children, grandchildren, the state of the world, books, music, retirement. I had not been to her house in, well, a very long time, but today I got to meet her new kittens, Will and Grace, and see the addition she added.

Maybe there are a few silver linings in this mess of a pandemic. It was a very good day, indeed.

Posted in Sharing Our Stories Magic | 5 Comments

Poetry Friday: Is It Spring Yet?

Posted on March 5, 2021 by rosecappelli

Happy Poetry Friday!

I woke to the sound of birds, happy it was Friday (although most days blend into each other), but disappointed because I didn’t think I had anything to share for Poetry Friday. I wrote a few short poems during the week, but nothing was grabbing me. Then I opened Margaret Simon’s post and inspiration hit! Margaret challenged us to try out a Book Scavenger Hunt – pick some words from a book and use them in a poem. Yes, it’s that easy, and don’t miss the incredible video of Amanda Gorman demonstrating this technique that Margaret included.

I’ve been reading lots of picture books for Reading For Research month, and yesterday I discovered the beautiful, lyrical Birdsong written and illustrated by Julie Flett. The book spans the seasons, so I picked one word from each season: mucky, berries, gathering, bulbs

Is It Spring Yet?

There are secrets
in the mucky mud of winter’s retreat,
buried beneath leftover leaves
and once-wiggly worms.
While chilly winds whirl,
bulbs wake,
gather energy,
push up
up
up…
to celebrate with birds,
to rejoice with buds and berries,
to announce –
It’s spring!

Kat Apel has the Poetry Friday Roundup today, and a new book to introduce.

Posted in Poetry Friday | 20 Comments