T is for TRUST

I thought I had written on this before, and I have. If you're interested, you can click here to see my previous post.

This time, however, I'm thinking a bit differently and considering what trust actually "is." I understand it to be both emotional and logical. Emotionally, I expose my personal vulnerabilities. Logically, I assess the probabilities of what I might gain or lose depending on the previous actions of the other person.

Therefore, trust means being able to predict what others will do in certain situations; trust means that I expect reciprocity, even if it's delayed; trust is allowing others to take advantage of my vulnerabilities but expecting that they won't.

Have you ever tossed a baby into the air? Most babies love this and never consider that you would let them fall. That is trust.

TRUST

Trust is a calm and confident blue.

It looks like an oasis in the midst of a slough.

It sounds like shouts of clear convictions.

It smells like the stimulating salt of the oceans.

It tastes like deep draughts of discernment.

It feels like faith in a confident comment.

Trust is the tender texture of temperament.

As the sun went down last night, I reflected upon the fact that
I trusted that the sun would come up in the morning.

As usual, thanks to Denise Nesbitt for creating ABC Wednesday and continuing to temptingly tease us with treatises, theories, and tests of creativity.

S is for SAFETY

Because I grew up in a dysfunctional and abusive family environment, I still often feel anxiety even if I logically understand that there is nothing to fear. So it got me wondering what it means to truly comprehend safety or security. As my poem acknowledges, a bird builds a nest for her babies high up in a tree so she can stay nearby and scare away any intruders. Near schools, crosswalk guards, in brightly coloured red and yellow vests, keep students safe as they cross the streets. Within the confines of home, one can sit down in the afternoon with a scented cup of tea and listen to music - or silence - and feel the warmth and coziness of being surrounded by loved ones. When a baby is born, it is immediately wrapped up tightly in a warm flannel blanket and put into the arms of its mother. Instinct on both sides should kick in with mother feeling responsible for her child's security, and child knowing it's safe in its mothers arms. Sometimes we prefer steak, but a homemade plain meal can give us a sense of security even more, knowing it was prepared by loving hands who worked hard to provide. Finally, home should be a haven whether it is small or large, ordinary or grand. I am grateful to live in a part of the world where poverty and war is something far away and I can give practical assistance through charities and relief organizations. However, now I know that I am now safe and secure from those situations that, as a child, scared me.

SAFETY

Safety is the brown of a bird's nest.
It looks like a red and yellow neon vest.
It sounds like a sigh in an afternoon's rest.
It smells like talcum on a baby newborn.
It tastes like meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn.
It feels like the third pig's house made of bricks.
Safety is a pin that will not prick.

Continued thanks to Denise Nesbitt for designing and promoting ABC Wednesday! If you would like to contribute or see other contributions, simply click here.

R is for RESPECT

November is always a time of remembrance and respect. We remember our Canadian Armed Forces for their participation in all wars since confederation (1867). Because of our ties with the British Empire, Canada joined forces in the Second Boer War, World War 1, and World War 2. Canada has also participated in multinational coalitions and fought in the Korean War, the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, and the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. As well, Canada has played an important role in peacekeeping operations worldwide and has sent more troops than any other country.

Along with remembering Canada's military forces for their sometimes heroic endeavours to keep our country and other countries democratic, we show our utmost respect to them on November 11 every year. We honour them for their specific actions and conduct and respect them for their dedication to freedom. Here is my poem about respect.

RESPECT

Respect is a blood-tinged soldier's cerise.
It looks like privates positioned at ease.
It sounds like everyone saying "Please."
It smells like the cool crisp scent of autumn leaves.
It tastes like the bread and wine we receive.
It feels like reverberating vibrations of sound.
Respect is honoring the moral high ground.

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt and her radiant and ravishing group of revolutionaries for keeping ABC Wednesday alive. We refuse to restrain ourselves as we revere the ridiculous to the reflective to the romantic revelations of our contRibutoRs. Click HERE to reward yourselves and rejoice in renowned reflections.

Q is for QUIET

When I was in Grade 7, my Mom attended the annual Parent/Teacher Conferences because my report card had indicated that I was "reticent" in class. I had never heard that word before and was, therefore, terrified that I was in some sort of trouble. I later learned it meant "quiet," but my mother could not believe the teacher had written the comment for the correct student. However, it appears I was indeed "reticent" in class - quite the opposite of what I was like at home. We all had a good laugh and I never again worried about what the teachers wrote on my report cards.

I am naturally a very optimistic person, full of good humour, and with an internal strength when confronted with life's indomitable difficulties. However, there have been times (as my regular readers are aware) when life has knocked me down flat on my face. It has been during those times when I have needed the quiet moments to build up the strength to go forward. I know there are other people who have endured worse than I have, especially Job. I'm actually looking forward to reading this Book again with one of the Grade 12 students that I tutor. He has no knowledge of the Bible, so this will be an interesting time of sharing God's ideas of why people suffer. Here is my take on "Quiet."

QUIET

Quiet is the archetypal blue of the sky.

It looks like an eagle soaring so high.

It sounds like the silence of the first soft snow.

It smells like early primrose in the meadow.

It tastes like the coolness of candy cane.

It feels like a peace that touches the pain.

Quiet is a sigh that that comes from the soul.

This is where I like to go when I need quiet times. It's the Boundary Bay Regional Park near my home. I like to wander the back trails where I can see wild birds, rabbits, and the occasional fellow walker. It's near the salt water of Boundary Bay and the air is fresh and salty. I do my best thinking here.

ABC Wednesday is in its fifth year and on its ninth round, thanks to the quintessential Mrs. Nesbitt and her qualified and quirky gang of assistants! To check out other contributions and/or to join in the fun, simply click here.

THE GREEN THING

My sister sent me this and I like it so much, I'm sharing it with you all.

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this 'green' thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the 'green' thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. But we didn't have the 'green' thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs because we didn't have an escalator or elevator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go a few blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the 'green' thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right - we didn't have the 'green' thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV or radio in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right, we didn't have the 'green' thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the 'green' thing back then.

Back then people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not a bank of sockets to power a dozen things. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza place.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the 'green' thing back then?

P is for PAIN

Before we get going, may I say I hope you all had a purrfectly perfect PUMPKIN Day!

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross says, "The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."

I must have been chosen to be one of the "beautiful people" then, because I have been through an awful lot of both physical and emotional pain. After my late husband's suicide, my counsellor asked me, "How do you cope?" I believe I was gifted with an innate coping device - along with my faith, of course. I have always pretended to be happy when in pain, and apparently that is a sign of how strong someone is. I keep on smiling - and smiling some more. Here is my take on pain.

PAIN

Pain is the colour of a saw made of steel.
It looks like a grotesque grimace from Cain.
It sounds like the howling wind and the rain.
It smells like burning flesh on the grill.
It tastes like smoke from the dentist's drill.
It feels like shards of glass that kill.
Pain is a bitter potion designed to heal.

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt and her plethora of personnages who plunder along each week to promote ABC Wednesday by visiting all the participants to see what they’ve posted. Everyone deserves a prize for the part they take in producing perfectly productive posts!

O is for OPPOSITION

"France's spirited challenge to the haka backfired on them last night as the All Blacks took heart to win the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 24 years. As the haka began, the French players stood in a "V" formation and joined hands. Then they began to move forward slowly - over halfway - until they were standing in a wavey line about 10 metres from the All Blacks.

Last night was not the first time the All Blacks' opposition did not passively watch the pre-match tradition. This came about after a fiery response to the haka by the Ireland rugby team at Lansdowne Road in Dublin in 1989. Captain and lock Willie Anderson led his team in a slow march forward until they were standing directly in front of the All Blacks. The tactic had no effect on the match, with the All Blacks running out 23-6 winners.

In Wales in November 2008, a tense standoff at the Millennium Stadium delayed the start of the match for about a minute as both teams eyeballed each other at the end of the All Blacks' stirring rendition of Kapa o Pango. The referee had to implore both captains to get on with the game as each team refused to budge." (from nzherald.co.nz)

Here is my take on the word "opposition" in poetic form.

OPPOSITION

Opposition's the colour of New Zealand All Blacks.

It looks like crazy crowds before they attack.

It sounds like hisses and boos from rioting punks.

It smells like a living, breathing funk.

It tastes like cod liver oil recently drunk.

It feels like antagonism in some aspect.

Opposition is conflict between instinct and intellect.

Enjoy this rendition of the "haka" showing opposition to the 'nth degree at the 2011 Finals against the French, who got right in the faces of the New Zealand All Blacks!

N is for NOSTALGIA

Nostalgia is usually meant to be a yearning for the past and the "good old days." My childhood was, shall we say, dysfunctional. Therefore, I don't really "yearn" for the past. However, there are some good memories and simple things I recall fondly. For example, when I was about 7 years old and allowed to walk to and from school by myself, I remember one day in May passing by a house with a gigantic lilac tree in full bloom. I stopped and took many deep sniffs of those gorgeous flowers and from that day on, I've always adored lilacs. As a family, we loved to go camping in the Okanagan or Kootenay regions of British Columbia and we girls would laze around reading comic books like "Little Lulu," and "Archie." Remember when you could get a big comic book digest for 25 cents? Whew...times have sure changed! Here's my take on nostalgia.

NOSTALGIA

Nostalgia is the gentle grey of a friendly phantom.
It looks like a black and white photo album.
It sounds like nursery rhymes and bubble gum.
It smells like lilacs on the walk home from school.
It tastes like tomato rice soup on a day that's cool.
It feels like Vicks vapour rub and the warmth from firewood.
Nostalgia is sweet memories of childhood.

Here we are camping at some BC lake one summer.
left to right younger sister Jackie, me, and older sister Robin.

As always, thanks go to Denise Nesbitt and her naughty but nice group of neighbours from around the world. Some wear necklaces and some wear neckties. They all navigate the ABC Wednesday website to visit all the contributors. To see everyone's incredibly creative posts, just click here!

M is for MIRTH

It's raining today and I can see the trees across the street are turning colour. Soon the leaves will fall, the skies will be grey daily, and the wind will whistle through the empty branches. As I pondered what emotion to write about this week, my mind took me back to the summer when, on hot days, my grandchildren loved to go to the local water park, the beach, or even my backyard to run through the sprinkler. This brought me to the word MIRTH, meaning gaiety or amusement accompanied by laughter. What better feeling on which to meditate on a dull, rainy day in order to pull oneself out of the doldrums! Here is mirth:

MIRTH

Mirth is the red, orange, and yellow of sunshine.
It looks like foamy waves along the shoreline.
It sounds like children giggling at the seaside.
It smells like the salty vinegar of fish 'n chips.
It tastes like ice-cream with chocolate dips.
It feels like rib-tickling wrestling in the sand.
Mirth is music and merriment in a wonderland.

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt for her creativity in bringing ABC Wednesday to life several years ago. She and her merry band of misfits (moi included!) visit contributors each and every week to encourage, compliment, and rejoice in their efforts to entertain us all with their personal creativity. To join in or simply to savour the contribution of others, click here!

L is for LONGING

Longing is an emotion characterized by a strong feeling of desire. It's also the title of an unreleased Dusty Springfield album from 1974. I guess I'm dating myself with this, but I always loved her songs, full of passion and yearning. Here is my take on "longing" with this week's poem.

Longing

Longing is deep sapphire blue.

It looks like tender tears of dew.

It sounds like echoes of yesterday.

It smells like a Chinese food for one day.

It tastes like apple pie in the sky.

It feels like a mercenary magnet to iron.

Longing is unrequited desire.

And here is a taste of Dusty Springfield's unique style of longing in a song from 1967:

K is for KOOKINESS

I love acting kooky sometimes. In fact, I have been characterised as crazy, eccentric, funny, quirky, wacky, weird, and wild. However, I "do" know when it's the right time to be so, as well as the right time to be - well, in a serious mode. It's so much more fun, though, to be kooky!

KOOKINESS

Kookiness is a crazy sort of plaid.

It looks like a Scot's kilt gone bad.

It sounds like a bagpipe gone mad.

It smells like Burns' Day haggis.

It tastes like a ticklish all-over kiss.

It feels like end-of-the-day bliss.

Kookiness is absurd silliness.

ThanKs always to the krazy, kittenish Denise Nesbitt for her kreativity in starting up this weeKly ABC Wednesday kookiness! She and her ko-horts (moi inKcluded) will be over to checK up on your kontributions this weeK. They Kan be found here.

J is for JEALOUSY

Jealousy has often been referred to as the "green-eyed monster." I wondered where this saying originated so turned to the internet to find out. According to "The Phrase Finder," it was possibly coined by Shakespeare in his 1604 play Othello. In it, Iago says:

O beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss

Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;

But, O, what damned minutes he tells he o'er

Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!"

Here's my take on jealousy:

JEALOUSY

Jealousy is a green that's hard to define.

It looks like terribly tangled vines.

It sounds like wallowing and whimpering whines.

It smells like a strange scent on his neckline.

It tastes like muddy paranoid pies.

It feels like razor blades when he tells his lies.

Jealousy is sin in others' eyes.

Jubilant and joyful thanks to Denise Nesbitt for starting ABC Wednesday, considering the fact that she's juggling so many things right now - renovating a kitchen is no mean feat! Thanks Denise! If you'd like to participate or peruse the contributions of others, just click HERE.

I is for INNOCENCE

Last week's poem about hatred was pretty powerful, so I decided to soften things up a bit for this week. What with the tenth anniversary of 9-11 and all the ceremonies and remembrances of that evil act, I would rather focus on something more gentle. Innocence can be defined as freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil. Who among us can honestly say they are like that. In my opinion, the only innocents are children, those too young to be tainted by the sins of the world. Search your hearts...are you truly an innocent?

INNOCENCE

Innocence is baby blue and petal pink.
It looks like a coat of soft silver mink.
It sounds like the baa of a lamb in the crèche.
It smells like perfume, powdery fresh.
It tastes like cherry Jell-O eaten with glee.
It feels like the sting of a skinny skinned knee.
Innocence is childlike purity.

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt for her ingenuity in starting up ABC Wednesday several years ago. It has grown to such immense proportions that she has a team of investigators who assist her. They (We) also take turns writing the introduction to the ABCW Website. If you would like to take part, just go here and sign up!

PS: My photo taken this summer at Diefenbaker Park.

H is for HATRED

Like a volcano, hatred leaves nothing but destruction in its path. In my humble opinion, this sometimes ferocious emotion is absolutely useless. There is such a thing as "righteous anger," but I think most times, hatred comes from fear of other people - their race, their religion, their culture, and their belief systems. The result can be violence, destruction, and even war. I must admit to having feelings of hatred towards others at some times in my life due to some wrong I feel they have done to me. However, I'm glad I'm mature enough to realize that I have to leave it alone, let go, and move forward. If I don't, I'm the one who will suffer, not the person who caused the feeling in me to start with. Here's my poem about hatred.

HATRED

Hatred is firey orange and malevolent black.

It looks like dynamite for destruction.

It sounds like a volcano in the process of eruption.

It smells like rubber tires on a hot highway.

It tastes like peppers mixed with butts in an ashtray.

It feels like razor blades and hand grenades exploding on a roadway.

Hatred is a soul on fire and wanting to attack.

I am so happy to be a part of this ABC Wednesday team and honestly am grateful for Denise Nesbitt creating and hosting it. I had thought of doing a poem on something more positive, like "honesty," "happiness," or "humour," but I decided to shake things up a bit. Think about it...have you ever been on the receiving end of hatred? Have you ever felt hatred towards someone else? How does it feel to you?

G is for Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. " Melody Beattie

"At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by the spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with great gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." Albert Schweitzer

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John F. Kennedy

I think of the word "gratitude" because I have to work hard every day to realize that no matter that my life has been a soap opera, I do have things for which I am thankful. I have survived an abusive childhood, losing a child, marriage to a man who tried to hide his mental illness until he finally killed himself leaving me with two children to raise on my own, several chronic and painful diseases and surgeries with excruciating rehabilitation, loneliness, and financial difficulties.

However, that said, I remain hard-wired as an eternal optimist, a romantic who never stops dreaming of being loved by someone special, and a lover of travel, continuing to dream of my next adventure with all the photographic opportunities to be gained. I'm grateful that God gifted me with faith, mercy, and the gift of exhortation. I'm grateful for the strength He's given me to endure all things and for the gift of my daughters and grandchildren. I'm also grateful that He gave me enough brains and common sense to be able to overcome the difficulties I've had to face. Most of all, I'm grateful for the gift of a sense of humour and a love of being a bit crazy and goofy. My poem today is about gratitude and I took the photo on Saturday night.

Gratitude

Gratitude is gracious green.

It looks like roses in a summer scene.

It sounds like laughter doubled by wonder.

It smells like rain after the thunder.

It tastes like the turkey for which I thank.

It feels like a powerful piggy bank.

Gratitude is showing heartfelt thanks.

Special thanks to Denise Nesbitt for continuing with ABC Wednesday and to all of her Genial Gang of Groovy Gallants who Give support by sharing the task of the weekly introduction and by visiting the rest of us.

F is for Friendship

On Sunday I reached a milestone. Not only was it the anniversary of the death of my husband, but I've now not been married longer than I was married. It was a strange feeling and for a little while I was a bit weepy. The past 19 years have been quite a journey raising my daughters, working full time, buying and selling homes, moving hundreds of miles away to teach school in a wilderness area, and finding out that most of my so-called "friends" turned away from me because of my situation.

However, other people came into my life to become new friends and now they are old friends, people I can trust and rely on to be there for me no matter what. I have 75 friends on my Facebook page and 74 people have signed up to "follow" my blog. So, I consider myself lucky to have that many people who think that I'm worthy of being their friend. Today I'm dedicating my poem to all my friends, near and far as well as to those I haven't met face to face yet.

FRIENDSHIP

Friendship is the yellow of marigolds.
It looks like radiant double rainbows.
It sounds like “girls just wanna have fun.”
It smells like a fresh baked cinnamon bun.
It tastes like pineapple dripping off our chins.
It feels like huge hugs after our team wins.
Friendship is a gilded thread uniting two souls.

(Photo taken at Bear Creek Park, Saturday, August 20)

Special thanks to Denise Nesbitt for creating ABC Wednesday and for asking me to be part of her "team" in keeping it going. I feel like everyone who participates each week is also a friend to whom I now give a virtual hug!

E is for EMPATHY

Empathy is the ability to identify yourself with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another, which for a large part comes from the knowledge you have of yourself. If you know your own feelings well, then you can relate to others and understand them. Along with empathy comes compassion and together they create a key cornerstone in genuine human relationships. Here is my poem on Empathy:

Empathy

Empathy is a gentle blue.

It looks like pain shared by two.

It sounds like a crackling fire that warms.

It smells like after spring rainstorms.

It tastes like a cup of lemon tea.

It feels like someone hugging me.

Empathy is the key to equality.

ABC Wednesday is the brainchild of Denise Nesbitt and her exuberant team of exhilarating assistants. Click here to join in the fun or to see other contributions.

Monday, August 08, 2011

D is for DESIRE

Welcome to another week of ABC Wednesday, designed and run by Denise Nesbitt, aided by her dedicated group of assistants, including moi. This week my poem is about Desire. Here we go:

DESIRE

Desire is the colour of heliotrope.
It looks like rosebuds waiting to open.
It sounds like a gentle gulp or gasp.
It smells like musk and the rose I clasp.
It tastes like strawberries and sparkling wine.
It feels like shivers down my spine.
Desire is faith in the divine. If you're not familiar with the colour "heliotrope," it is a sort of pinky-purple or a vivid lavendar. I chose this colour because I heard that it has magical properties, and with regard to desire, you can take that as you may. Oh, and those are my own roses.

Monday, August 01, 2011

C is for COURAGE

Continuing with my theme for this round, I wrote a poem using similes and metaphors on the subject of COURAGE. I'm dedicating it to all those who have shown courage in life - to soldiers on the battlefield, to individuals fighting a life-threatening disease, to those dealing with mental or physical disabilities, to those who step in harm's way for another human being, and to those who struggle to survive as a result of poverty or abuse. I like what John Wayne once said, "Courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway."

COURAGE

Courage is slate grey.
It looks like a murderous day.
It sounds like a screaming NO!
It smells like facing a filthy foe.
It tastes like tears after the shockwave.
It feels like a granite grave.
Courage is, after all, simply being brave.

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt and her courageous group of capable assistants who care enough to continue this congregation of friends from all over the world to share their concepts for the letter of the week. Consider joining in by clicking here to see what we do.

Monday, July 25, 2011

B is for BREEZY

Round 9, Fifth Year, Letter B this week! I love ABC Wednesdays as it keeps my creative juices flowing. Thanks to Denise Nesbitt and the ABCW team for keeping things going this long!

As I explained last week, my theme for this round is a form of poetry that combines a feeling or emotion with similes and metaphors. It's something I taught my 4th grade students years ago, something they picked up on very easily and with great creativity. Hope you enjoy this week's B word.

BREEZY

Breezy is bright yellow.

It looks like waves on the seas.

It sounds like lambs on the leas.

It smells like honey from bees.

It tastes like sweet herbal teas.

It feels like wind in the leaves.

Breezy is a huge hug and hello!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Boys and their toys

It was a lovely Friday today (for a change) so I met a friend for a mini picnic down at Garry Point in Steveston. It was a nice couple of hours watching all the boats going in and out and watching little boys play with sticks in the water. Here's a little slideshow of what I saw. Enjoy.

Monday, July 18, 2011

A is for AMAZEMENT

And away we go again - Round 9 of ABC Wednesday, courtesy and brainchild of Denise Nesbitt! Last round, I focused on "destinations," ones that I had actually visited (except for the letters X and Z).

I took my time thinking about what to do for this round, and last night I had a brainwave. I hope you enjoy what I'm going to do. Let me explain.

When I taught Grade 4, I had to teach Grammar. Now, most people will groan when they have to study parts of speech, sentence structure, and writing paragraphs and essays. I, however, LOVE grammar and wanted to make it fun fun fun for the kids. So after we learned about nouns being a person, place, or thing, I explained that nouns can also be words that express a feeling or an emotion. I also introduced them to the literary devices of similes and metaphors and then incorporated the entire thing into a fun exercise of writing a poem about a feeling or emotion.

We used the 5 senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to make up similes. The beginning of the poem needed to have a colour and the end had to be a metaphor. We practised in class before I gave the go-ahead to the class, and I was absolutely AMAZED at the creativity from each student. To incorporate other aspects of their learning experience (using the computer, learning to type plus Art), each child was allowed to choose a font and typed up their poem before gluing it to an appropriate piece of coloured construction paper. I then had them laminated before displaying them in the hallway outside the classroom.

One parent was so impressed with this exercise, she wrote her own poem of thanks to me as her child's teacher using this same format. I have that note to this day. I hope you enjoy my attempt at doing what I taught all my fourth graders:

AMAZEMENT

Amazement is white light.
It looks like fireworks lighting up the sky.
It sounds like a baby’s first cry.
It smells like fresh-baked apple pies.
It tastes like the fair’s French fries.
It feels like a hug from my favorite guy.
Amazement is the aurora borealis at night.

To view other contributions or to join in, just click here and you'll be taken to the homepageof ABC Wednesday.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Z is for ZULU

Here we are at the end of another round of ABC Wednesday (courtesy of Denise Nesbitt) and I think I did pretty well this time. I chose "Destinations" as my theme and I managed every week (except X) to post the name of a place where I have actually been. However, now at the letter Z, I have to detour a bit. I've never been to any place beginning with the last letter of the alphabet so I had to have a real hard think about what to do this week. I decided to do a post about the movie "Zulu," which happens to be one of my favourite old (from 1964) movies. Michael Caine landed one of the starring roles in this movie after having played only bit parts up to this point in his career.

The film depicts the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January, 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War. I'll never forget one night when I was in bed almost asleep when suddenly I heard a haunting and frightening chant: ZULU! ZULU! ZULU! It turned out my parents were watching the movie on TV and I heard the chanting of the Zulu warriors before they attacked the British.

It's almost unbelieveable that the few British soldiers were able to hold off the Zulu warriors for as long as they did, but it was because of their use of the redoubt system when the British formed into three ranks, shooting volley after volley into the stunned Zulus, who eventually withdrew after massive casualties.

Apparently, there were many historical inaccuracies in the film regarding characters, the regiment, weaponry, the Zulus, and the ending. However, in 2004, the magazine Total Film named "Zulu" the 37th greatest British films of all time and it was voted eighth in the British TV programme The One Hundred Greatest War Films. Take a look at this short section of the film and tell me you wouldn't have been scared sh**less had you been one of those soldiers!

Thursday, July 07, 2011

A New Bucket List

Three and a half years ago and as one of my life's goals, I wrote "One thing I thought would be awfully nice would be to meet and marry a wonderful man who would give me the freedom to live as I dream..." Well, I did meet someone whom I thought was wonderful but who turned out to be someone with whom I could not live the same sort of life of which I dream. I'm a planner, and I like to think about what I want in life and then set about to make it happen. So I got to thinking about exactly what I do want in life and remembered that movie "The Bucket List" starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. In the movie, these two characters realize just how short life is and decided to make a list of goals they wanted to reach before the end that would inevitably come.

I took a look at the goals I had 3 1/2 years ago, and saw that I can cross some out, revise others, continue to work on the ones I haven't yet achieved, and add new ones. Here's my new list:

*Tour the coast of Wales, visit friends who live there, and visit Llandudno where my paternal grandmother was born
* Finish the renovations in my house
* Ride in a helicopter
* Take a Mediterranean and/or Caribbean cruise
* Go back to England and meet all the wonderful ladies I've met blogging and on Facebook
* Spend a week in Paris absorbing the culture
* Take a photography course in Tuscany
* Go on an African safari
* Get a dog, preferably a boxer

Now how on earth am I going to be able to do all that? There are two problems: money and health. First, since I'm gaining a good reputation as a private tutor, I'll keep on with that until my brain no longer works. Second, I'll try to keep mobile as long as my back holds out and if I end up in a wheelchair, I'll get to go to the front of all the lines at the airports, train stations, and cruise ships. Hah! So there!

Things NOT on my bucket list because I have no ability, desire, or guts for:

* get a tattoo
* go sky diving
* go scuba diving
* run a marathon
* learn to pole dance
* take cooking classes
* go camping ever again

I noticed that one person put on their bucket list that they wanted to be in two places at one time! Now how could you do that? Well, I've done it! When I went up the Pyrenees from the French side, I had one foot in France and one foot in Spain! And I have the photograph to prove it.

I love to dream, yet I understand that some prefer to fly by the seat of their pants. However, I think the dreaming and the planning is like preparing for Christmas! I've decided that I deserve to be happy and to enjoy my life to its fullest and if anyone wants to join me (on their own dime, naturally) I'd love to share the moments.

What dreams/goals do you have? Or are you the spontaneous type?

Monday, July 04, 2011

Y is for YALE

Sorry I missed last week's letter X, but my computer was in the shop. Of course, I really didn't have a destination beginning with that letter (that I'd actually visited). Anyway, I'm back this week with YALE, no not the university town, but a historic place right here in British Columbia.

The town is located at the southern entrance to the spectacular Fraser Canyon and is one of BC's oldest communities, having been the steamship navigation capital during the Gold Rush. Before the Coquihalla Highway was completed in 1986, we always travelled this route to get to our cabin at Shuswap Lake. The famous explorer Simon Fraser camped here in 1808 after his horrendous trip down the river that now bears his name. Why was it a horrendous trip? The Fraser River is famous for its rapids. Hell's Gate is a narrowing of the river where the water roils in a tremedous maelstrom. It's a sight to see and a "hellish" experience for the more than 2 million spawning salmon who need to get through this part of the river every year. You can safely experience this area by hopping on the Hell's Gate Airtram in nearby Boston Bar OR you can experience it "hellishly" by riding the rapids yourself. Other things to see and do in YALE:

* step into the past when you visit the Church of St. John the Divine, the oldest church in BC, built in 1863 to serve those seeking their fortune during the Gold Rush.
* the Pioneer Cemetery has headstones dating back to 1862. * hike the Spirit Caves Trail with fabulous views of the Fraser River Canyon and the Cascade Mountains. The caves emit an eerie whistling sound when strong winds blow. The views are fabulous once you reach the summit of the Mount Lincoln Trail.
















* go on a guided walking tour of YALE, where you'll see the original Fort Yale, founded in 1847, on Front Street. Down on the waterfront, look for the old rings embedded in the rocks to moor the old sternwheelers at the riverboat landing that was here between 1858 and 1885.

For tourists, it's absolutely de rigeur to travel the Trans Canada Highway along the Fraser Canyon! The views are spectacular and you'll be travelling the same route as those men of old who went seeking their fortunes by panning for gold.

ABC Wednesday is the brainchild of Denise Nesbitt, from Yorkshire England! Some of her mighty assistants are Yankees, others might be Yodelers, some are Young while others may just be Youthful in spirit like Moi. Regardless, we all Yearn for a connection with others via this very popular meme. I enjoy it because it challenges me to come up with something original each week - I'm already thinking about what theme I'll use for the next Round. To join in the fun, click here. The more the merrier.

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