Something to make you smile...

As much as these two drive me a little bonkers sometimes, I cannot imagine life without them. I mean, look at the craziness and fun they bring to my life. Gotta love it!!

Also love the toothless grin on my girl (if you can see past the hair) :).

New Poem

Prairie-Shaped Hole

I have a prairie-shaped

hole in my heart

I could not tell you
its shape

or size

only that it spans

from horizon

to

horizon

And in between it's

blue

And so ends my exile

I originally meant to take a week off from writing, because April was such an intense month with NaPoWriMo. Then the week turned into two, and now its been over a month. I did not intend for that to happen. My intent was to write once a week, but... like they say about that road that leads to ---... good intentions mean nothing without action.

So, here I am back. Still with good intentions. So, let me catch you up:

I have done absolutely no writing since April 30, with the exception of late night poetic musings in my head.

I have been reading a bit. I am currently going through a wonderful book called Quotidian Mysteries: Laundry, Liturgy and "Women's Work" by Kathleen Norris. It was recommended to me by my friend (and ex-professor) who writes quite a bit about Biblical literature. Knowing that I am interested in Christian poetry, she thought this would be a good read. She was right. I will do a review a bit later.

I have been planning for my upcoming trip to the Write! Canada convention in Guelph, Ontario. I am going for "work" reasons -- getting some professional development -- but I am also going because D.S. Martin is teaching a series of classes about writing. I am very excited about this, but I am also very nervous. I am nervous because I am going to this convention alone, I don't know anyone there, and I am more than a little concerned that I will find out that I suck. I like to believe that I don't, but that little self-esteem eating monster inside often says otherwise.

Let's see...

I am also planning my trip to the homeland -- that is Saskatchewan -- for my grandmother's 90th birthday at the end of the month. It has been three years since I was out west and I ache for open skies and air that you can breathe without wondering what it is doing to your lungs.

I have been watching the brilliant and sadly unappreciated show "Eli Stone". What a great show! But I can understand why it only survived for two seasons. I am sure that for most of the viewing audience, it was a show that made them think too much -- and throw into that mix the fact that it made people think about God and spirituality and "doing the right thing" even when it is unpopular and you have a short lived show. Add to this great recipe more than a little quirkiness, and, well, let's just say I am sad that there aren't more shows on television like this one.

I think that is more than enough rambling for one time. Hopefully, I will be able to put a poem up here soon. I am going to try out "Poetic Asides" for a while for some prompts.

I hope the few who have read this have not forsaken me in my exile. I love hearing from you.