Michelle Ward/GreenPepperPress Blog
-
-
-
-
-
Chilly weather = gloves for the morning carpool. Messy closet = sorting hats, scarves, and mittens to meet the needs of the season. Found: one glove. Uncovered: a mountain of memories.
I will print this page (maybe on transparency) and attach in my journal. Then I will write what has been shook loose as a result of seeing this glove again. I don't know where the other one went. It doesn't matter. I don't know where I got these. It doesn't matter. I do remember that I had to have them, back in high school, because I had the skis. OLIN MARK IV COMP. Orange. Wearing these gloves was a badge – a symbol that I had the coolest skis. I will never forget getting those skis. I wanted them SO bad. The skis I had were great, but the Olin's rocked. They had squared-off front tips, and the back curled up a little – like they'd be awesome if I decided to take freestyle ballet lessons. They would be perfect with my rockin' white Hanson boots. And my rad bindings with the new-fangled "brakes" (no safety straps!)
We were on a family trip in Aspen. We saw the skis in a shop. I swooned. One night, after hanging in the lodge with my brother and cousins, I headed back up to the room and quietly got ready for bed so I wouldn't wake my sister and parents. I pulled back the covers, slid in to bed, and SCREECHED. There in my bed were the Olins. One of my favorite memories that my Dad *got* me.
This glove has been around for years – one of those things you can't get rid of. It's traveled with me from Minnesota, to Boston, to Chicago, to Traverse City, and to Jersey. I'm sure I've seen the gloves in the mitten basket every winter. Occasionally I would wear them to shovel snow. Now that one has gone rogue, I decided I better take a photo of the faithful friend. It's part of my history, as are the stories attached to it. If this one goes missing, I'll have the evidence in my journal.
What do you see everyday that should be documented in your journal? Get out the camera and walk around your house. Write your stories. It feels good.
-
Chilly weather = gloves for the morning carpool. Messy closet = sorting hats, scarves, and mittens to meet the needs of the season. Found: one glove. Uncovered: a mountain of memories.
I will print this page (maybe on transparency) and attach in my journal. Then I will write what has been shook loose as a result of seeing this glove again. I don't know where the other one went. It doesn't matter. I don't know where I got these. It doesn't matter. I do remember that I had to have them, back in high school, because I had the skis. OLIN MARK IV COMP. Orange. Wearing these gloves was a badge – a symbol that I had the coolest skis. I will never forget getting those skis. I wanted them SO bad. The skis I had were great, but the Olin's rocked. They had squared-off front tips, and the back curled up a little – like they'd be awesome if I decided to take freestyle ballet lessons. They would be perfect with my rockin' white Hanson boots. And my rad bindings with the new-fangled "brakes" (no safety straps!)
We were on a family trip in Aspen. We saw the skis in a shop. I swooned. One night, after hanging in the lodge with my brother and cousins, I headed back up to the room and quietly got ready for bed so I wouldn't wake my sister and parents. I pulled back the covers, slid in to bed, and SCREECHED. There in my bed were the Olins. One of my favorite memories that my Dad *got* me.
This glove has been around for years – one of those things you can't get rid of. It's traveled with me from Minnesota, to Boston, to Chicago, to Traverse City, and to Jersey. I'm sure I've seen the gloves in the mitten basket every winter. Occasionally I would wear them to shovel snow. Now that one has gone rogue, I decided I better take a photo of the faithful friend. It's part of my history, as are the stories attached to it. If this one goes missing, I'll have the evidence in my journal.
What do you see everyday that should be documented in your journal? Get out the camera and walk around your house. Write your stories. It feels good.
-
Sunday was All Soul's Day. I have had a hard time going to church recently as I can't keep my composure. The hymns bring me to tears. I went on Sunday – to recognize the soul I lost this year. I was looking for some words of wisdom as I assumed the surmon would address loss and/or heaven. Instead, we had a guest speaker and he did not deliver. I was disappointed. Then we sang On Eagles Wings and I lost it. Had to leave. I came home and worked in my sister journal, playing music that made me cry again, but brought me comfort at the same time. Music has that power doesn't it? It can make us sad, but in a good way. Therapy. I watched THIS video at least a dozen times by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. When you desire to be moved in spirit it doesn't have to be in church. You can find it when you need it – music helps me. Art helps me too. I go into a quiet place of mind and just work.
A friend shared this phrase below, thanks Susie.
-
Sunday was All Soul's Day. I have had a hard time going to church recently as I can't keep my composure. The hymns bring me to tears. I went on Sunday – to recognize the soul I lost this year. I was looking for some words of wisdom as I assumed the surmon would address loss and/or heaven. Instead, we had a guest speaker and he did not deliver. I was disappointed. Then we sang On Eagles Wings and I lost it. Had to leave. I came home and worked in my sister journal, playing music that made me cry again, but brought me comfort at the same time. Music has that power doesn't it? It can make us sad, but in a good way. Therapy. I watched THIS video at least a dozen times by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. When you desire to be moved in spirit it doesn't have to be in church. You can find it when you need it – music helps me. Art helps me too. I go into a quiet place of mind and just work.
A friend shared this phrase below, thanks Susie.
-
School is out for the week for Staff Development and Teachers Convention which ususally means getting to sleep in all week – but not today! I had a really cool opportunity - I presented an In-Service to a group of teachers from our school system. Sam's art teacher Melinda recommended me to the Director of Visual Arts, and for the day I was an advocate for visual journaling! We started with some artful writing exercises, then got messy with paint. They completed at least a dozen pages and bound them into a journal. There were about 30 in the morning session, and at least a dozen in the afternoon. I applaud all of the teachers for playing along with enthusiasm as I witnessed some really cool results. A *high five* goes out to the non-art teachers who were good sports in the session. I feel so lucky to have our kids in a school system that appreciates the arts – at all grade levels – and with many elective course available in the high school. Yay for art!!
Check it out: Artist in Residence!
I forgot to take a picture during the morning session, but here are the talented folks who stayed through the afternoon. I'm not sure what their "take-away" is, as in what they will use or apply in their own classrooms, but it was rewarding to see them having fun making pages. I think it's really cool that the art teachers got to have a day of play instead of sitting in a lecture about procedure or whatever. Thanks for facilitating this Melinda, thanks to Joan for hiring me, and thanks to Doty for generously sharing your room and supplies. So fun to see familiar faces, and to meet more of the staff!
-
School is out for the week for Staff Development and Teachers Convention which ususally means getting to sleep in all week – but not today! I had a really cool opportunity - I presented an In-Service to a group of teachers from our school system. Sam's art teacher Melinda recommended me to the Director of Visual Arts, and for the day I was an advocate for visual journaling! We started with some artful writing exercises, then got messy with paint. They completed at least a dozen pages and bound them into a journal. There were about 30 in the morning session, and at least a dozen in the afternoon. I applaud all of the teachers for playing along with enthusiasm as I witnessed some really cool results. A *high five* goes out to the non-art teachers who were good sports in the session. I feel so lucky to have our kids in a school system that appreciates the arts – at all grade levels – and with many elective course available in the high school. Yay for art!!
Check it out: Artist in Residence!
I forgot to take a picture during the morning session, but here are the talented folks who stayed through the afternoon. I'm not sure what their "take-away" is, as in what they will use or apply in their own classrooms, but it was rewarding to see them having fun making pages. I think it's really cool that the art teachers got to have a day of play instead of sitting in a lecture about procedure or whatever. Thanks for facilitating this Melinda, thanks to Joan for hiring me, and thanks to Doty for generously sharing your room and supplies. So fun to see familiar faces, and to meet more of the staff!