August 11, 2005
Building Blocks toward a Story

One way to open up a narrative…

> Draw a map of the neighborhood

(either fictional or non-fictional)

> Write about an event that happened there

> Create a character who lives there

> Draw of make a paper doll of this character

> Make a second character

> Intro them to each other:

  What do they say?

  How do they say it?

  What are they doing?

  Make a conversation.

  See where it goes.

> Write up the scene as a little story.

> What has been accomplished by doing this?

  You have created a short narrative.

  You have learned to tell a short story.

  Include a quote, a question, state a problem, etc.

  It’s a moment in time, but it can be expended.

> It’s a start - carry on…..

Entry from July 6, 2005
Reading: “The Year of Pleasures” by Elizabeth Berg

Things to share and think about:

> “Don’t let your habits become handcuffs.”  (p. 62)

> “What makes for friendships, draws people together?

  - What do you have in common?

  - What are our differences?

  - What are our ideas of a good time?” (p. 97)

> “Key phrases from Erik Satie’s music scores:

  - Light as an egg

  - Here comes the lantern

  - Work it out yourself” (107)

> “It feels really good to take care of someone.  It really lifts you up.  When I go to work, I’m going to church.” (p. 115)

> “Buy a parakeet.” (p. 117)

> [The] “Japanese Tea Ceremony is a way of honoring oneself by putting another’s needs first, the joy that could be found in intimate service.” (p. 141)

> “I’m not talking about things that happen to you.  I’m talking about things you make happen.  I’m talking about purposefully doing one thing that brings you happiness every single day, in a very conscious way.” (p. 158)

> “…deep sorrow can make for a kind of unloosening.” (p. 159)

> “There is love in holding, and there is love in letting go.” (p. 215)

Journal entry - from June 21, 2005
The Dream of Sheep

Last night I dreamed of a sheep standing in a room, looking at me.  After a moment it opened its mouth and went “Baaaa,” as sheep do, when a ball of wool yarn rolled into its mouth and a string dangled down, as though for use in knitting.

As I watched, I saw that it was really a wooly knitting basket, where the knitting project is stored in the torso of the sheep, under a fuzzy door in its side, along with needles, yarn, patterns, etc.  What creative image!

You pull the yarn from the sheep’s mouth (which functions as a yarn holder), and you pull it out, as you knot.  

So many interesting ideas come from dreams.  I wish I had more of them like this one.

Journal entry - May 30, 2005
Morning Watch in the Garden

6:00 am - Early morning.  I am having morning coffee by the kitchen window.  I saw a pig-like animal, short legs, fat tubular sausage-like torso, long thin tail, no hair small thin face with a pointed nose.  It sprinted swiftly across the back garden and disappeared into the bushes at the side into the neighbor’s property and disappeared.  An armadillo!  It’s a bit far north for its range, but very exciting.  So I hunkered down by the window, hoping to see it again.

6:20 am - Baby bunny, 2 mourning doves, and some grackles.  The bunny was chomping on a short daylily in the upper garden, the small light orange variety called “Pudding.”

6:25 am - A grackle was trying to eat from the green feeder and was extremely frustrated!

6:30 am - A squirrel under the tree at the ground feeder.  Sits up, watches, climbs the Shepherd’s Crook, tries to eat from the flat feeder, but can’t get through the covering grates, except for a few sunflower seeds the birds kicked up.  Chickadees arrive for morning visit.

6:42 am - Two robins whip by in a cock fight.  One leaves and the winner takes a long drink in the lotus pond.

6:57 am - Lots of visitors: sparrows, grackles are back, doves strutting and fluffing out, walks proudly away.

7:00 am - Baby bunny finds the carrots.  And then a lull in the garden.  Total quiet.  The morning rush is over.  No more armadillo though.

Winter's Penumbra

From Journal Entry February 9, 2005
Winter’s Penumbra

Almost every winter afternoon when I come home from work, I like to make a cup of tea, sit down, and process the mail.  Out the window I watch the birds and squirrels.  Then I restock the feeders and put carrots in the dish on the terrace for the big brown bunny.  Mr. Bunny is eating about 2 sticks per day now, so he is becoming more confident.  We don’t see him often as yet, one time only at mid-morning, and I’ve seen him at various occasions 3-4 times.  One morning I saw several smaller ones grouped under the mulberry tree.  They stayed for a long time, just to sit and meditate.

   We should be seeing some young bunnies soon - and maybe the babies.  March is birthing time, of so the books on lagomorphs say.  They were a real joy to watch last spring, full of life, and such curiosity and so dainty on their feet, yet fast as lightening with a white of their tail as they fly by .

   I sense evening as it begins to close in around the still village. A gray shade draws over the line of trees and creeps in behind the house across the way.  Their roof melts in the dwindling light.  A lamp flares in the darkness.  A piece of crumpled paper skitters off.

   The clock ticks in the silence.

Journal Entry 03-20-2004
Back in Time: Signal Oak

Today was a touch of Spring in the air, sunny but with clouds scudding across the sky in a light breeze.  I was riding with a friend.  As I was not born in Kansas, she wanted to share with me a half-forgotten piece of local Kansas history.   It was a beautiful country drive at this time of year, but not a simple route.

Outside of Lawrence, KS, we took Route 10, heading east.  At the Lenexa exit, we turned off onto Route 1057, heading south.  Then we turned right (west) onto Route 460, heading towards Vinland.  On the west side of Vinland, We turned left (south) (Note: Route 460 also turns south at this point) to follow Route 1055.  Continue south on 1055 and then turn east onto Route 500 (a small dirt road, see sign “Rice Wood Land”).  Turn right (south) on to Route 1750 (another dirt road, see sign “Baker University).  All along the road was evidence of old farm fields and houses, a small bridge of railroad ties across a creek, and abandoned gardens, bright with irises in bloom (and in summer, daylilies).  Our destination was on this winding road at the top of a long hill.

The top is dominated by a huge oak tree, surrounded by descending levels of fallow fields and upland meadows, and the sounds of song birds.  Two signs are posted: one, the original sign is much weathered; the second is a modern replacement with clear text.

“On this quarter acre site, overlooking three valleys, Coal Creek, Wakarusa, and Kansas, stood the famous Signal Oak Tree.  It was a stately white oak at the time of the Civil War whose branches were used to hold signal lanterns.  This park, donated to the Sante Fe Trail Historical Society, was a gift from dedicated local historians.”

   Lighted, the lanterns were used to signal messages on the Underground Railroad and could be seen in all three valleys, many miles away to the north.  I imagined what dangers these signals might have communicated, and what lives might have been saved.  

Today the area is used by Baker University for a Nature Reserve, and by the University of Kansas as an Ecological and Biological Reserve.

Journal entry for February 25, 2004

Letter by Eleanor Roosevelt

Re: Marion Anderson concert Request

“February 26, 1939

My dear Mrs. Robert:

I am afraid that I have never been a very
useful member of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, so I know it will
make very little difference to you whether
I resign or whether I continue to be a
member of your organization.

However, I am in complete disagreement
with the attitude taken in refusing
Constitution Hall to a great artist.  You
have set an example which seems to me,
unfortunate, and I feel obliged to send in
to you my resignation.  You had an
opportunity to lead in an enlightened way
and it seems to me that your organization
has failed.

I realize that many people will not agree
with me, but feeling as I do this seems to
me the only proper procedure to follow.

Very sincerely yours,

Eleanor Roosevelt”