Silver Hour #SOL19 Day 24/31

I am once again participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March.  This is the fourth year I have joined the community of writers over at Two Writing Teachers in taking up this challenge of writing for 31 consecutive days.  I know it will be hard work but the growth will be immeasurable. Follow along!

Silver Hour

A series of serendipitous events led to this haiku about my Saturday morning.  I had just commented on Christie’s post about her golden hour, stating that golden hour for me is that time when the sun has just set and the lake is all aglow, making everything a gorgeous golden hue.  Two minutes later I look outside my window to see the snow frosting from early this morning was glowing brightly due to the sun peeking out from behind the clouds.  The effect was surreal.  I had to capture the scene of my teal and purple paddle boat covered in snow as the clouds dissipated in the distance.  I shared the picture with my siblings and my sister quickly chimed in: “Wow! How poetic,  It’s silver hour!”  So now I had to write a poem about this newly proclaimed silver hour. Thank you Susie and Christie for inspiring this haiku.

Silver Hour

Frosting covered world

Glimmering magic throughout

Early morning glitz

 

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Sunglasses Don’t Float #SOL19 Day 23/31

I am once again participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March.  This is the fourth year I have joined the community of writers over at Two Writing Teachers in taking up this challenge of writing for 31 consecutive days.  I know it will be hard work but the growth will be immeasurable. Follow along!

Sunglasses Don’t Float

I wonder if I’ll uncover my sunglasses after all this time?

I was thinking back to last summer and the first day on my paddle board, while I was raking the leaves off of the exposed lake bottom.

It was a beautiful Friday in late spring and the weather had finally turned warm enough to try out the two paddle boards I had just bought. I was thrilled to finally get on so I quickly changed into my bathing suit and ran down to the waters edge. I thought about grabbing my sunglasses band, but quickly told myself I wouldn’t need it. Being the first swimming day of the year there were several of us hanging around enjoying the sunshine and eager to get on the boards and paddle around. I tooled around in a sitting position for a while to get used to the paddle and the temperature of the water.  I was starting to feel comfortable so I decided to try standing up.  Slowly I moved into position and wobbled slightly.  The crowd jeered and laughed. I steadied myself quickly and then splash, I fell into the water.  I lifted my head from the water only to be greeted with chuckles and screams: “Grab your glasses! Quick, they are right there!”  I turned around and saw them sinking into the water I had just stirred up, now murky from my fall, gone and out of sight.  Several missions with goggles ensued, but we were never successful in recovering those glasses.

A year later I stood there at the sandy bottom of the lake with rake in hand and still chuckling over that first fall. And still hoping Id uncover them. But no luck. Oh well, at least now I learned my lesson to always wear a band for your glasses because sunglasses don’t float.

A Change of Pace #SOL19 Day 22/31

I am once again participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March.  This is the fourth year I have joined the community of writers over at Two Writing Teachers in taking up this challenge of writing for 31 consecutive days.  I know it will be hard work but the growth will be immeasurable. Follow along!

A Change of Pace

My dryer broke and the repairman had to be called.

I can take a look at it on Thursday morning at 8:30.

Any openings on Saturday?

Sorry we don’t do Saturdays.

OK.  I’ll make Thursday work.

This is how I found myself home later than usual waiting for the dryer repairman to arrive.  While waiting I treated myself to an extra cup of coffee and watched the swan and other water fowl returning to the now open lake waters. I am not used to having time at home on a weekday morning so I tried to make the best of it.

I enjoy the quiet of the morning gazing out the window and observing the bird behaviors. The avian species seem to disappear in the winter.  With this week’s relatively warmer weather they have suddenly appeared swimming here and there, cackling and honking at all hours of the day.  With coffee in hand I can take the time to enjoy their movements, their eating patterns, and their flight paths.  This gift of time slows me down to breath and take in the beauty of the lake that I oftentimes miss in my hurried state each morning.

The repairman arrives telling me I have to replace the heating unit and call the electrician due to a faulty outlet.  An hour and $194 later he leaves reminding me to not use the dryer until the electrician comes to replace the plug.

I wonder if Dan the electrician makes house calls on Saturday? Or maybe I really prefer another weekday.

Family Harmony #SOL19 Day 21/31

I am once again participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March.  This is the fourth year I have joined the community of writers over at Two Writing Teachers in taking up this challenge of writing for 31 consecutive days.  I know it will be hard work but the growth will be immeasurable. Follow along!

Family Harmony

See you tonight at rehearsal!

Yeah!

I had invited my sister to join us in our church choir a few months ago and today she finally agreed.

I met my sister at the door, introduced her to my singing friends, and walked her to a seat right next to mine. Being a music teacher she had little trouble joining in and singing the new music with ease. It was nice having an expert next to me, someone who could read music and find that right harmony without effort. I could follow along and not miss as many notes as I usually do. We had a few minutes to catch up on family news in between songs, sharing pictures and quick snippets of stories. We parted ways in the parking lot after sharing a few chuckles about our rehearsal, and promising to be back next week.

As I was driving home I smiled thinking about how nice it was to have my sister singing along side of me. Harmonizing together brought back memories of family times. Seven children all together entertaining on stages in town, at family gatherings, and even at nursing homes. Our voices have brought joy to so many people over the years. Tonight however the joy was mine as I thought about how family voices meld together, so much so that they sound like one. Maybe it’s because they are one through past experiences, faith, and of course through love.

Lake Man #SOL19 Day 20/31

I am once again participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March.  This is the fourth year I have joined the community of writers over at Two Writing Teachers in taking up this challenge of writing for 31 consecutive days.  I know it will be hard work but the growth will be immeasurable. Follow along!

Lake Man

He is out there all year long enjoying the natural beauty that the lake has to offer.

In the summer he is seen swimming laps along the shore watching the bass and blue gill wave by.

In the fall, he is pedaling his bicycle powered boat across the surface checking out the flight of the eagle.

In the winter he is snowshoeing along the frozen tundra tracking the snow prints left by various critters.

Today he kayaks among the remains of icebergs… just as I stood up to pull up my tights.

Yes he sees so many interesting sights!

Time to get dressed in the closet again.

Lake Man skiing by one morning about one month ago. I didn’t dare take a picture this morning!

Publishing Gratitude #SOL19 Day 19/31

I am once again participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March.  This is the fourth year I have joined the community of writers over at Two Writing Teachers in taking up this challenge of writing for 31 consecutive days.  I know it will be hard work but the growth will be immeasurable. Follow along!

Publishing Gratitude

This weekend I posted a slice about my grandson and his declaration of his love for the grandfather he never met (My Papa Dave). The small moment was easy to write with words flowing right on to the page. It was difficult however to press the publish button as I judged I was putting myself out there. I was becoming a little more vulnerable with the slicing community and I worried about the reactions. I wasn’t writing this story looking for sympathy or attention, rather I wrote this deeply moving slice of life story because it needed to come out from its hiding place deep from within.

It was risky to press that publish button on Sunday morning knowing that I had put my heart and soul out there. The comments came almost instantly and just as fast as those comments appeared, my fears disappeared. This community supported me with affirming and kind words, and even virtual hugs. I was amazed and overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude as I thought about belonging to such a caring community.

Yesterday I read a post from Clare Landrigan with words that struck a chord with me. She wrote, “But when you give yourself to it (your writing), without worry of other’s opinions, it is such a gift.” While I hesitated to publish this slice, I realize now it was indeed a gift. Capturing this moment on paper allows for my story to live on forever in the hopes that someday my grandson will have a greater understanding of the words spoken that day. In writing this story I was gifted with the reminder that writing is cathartic, and has the power to heal the soul when released. I am free to enjoy and appreciate this story now that it is put down in paper. Finally posting this slice reminded me of the wonderfully supportive and caring writers that make up the Two Writing Teachers community. I have indeed been triply gifted with the writing and publishing of this story. I feel honored to be welcomed into this community and hope to meet you all someday to thank you with a real hug.

Quick Thinking #SOL19 Day 18/31

I am once again participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March.  This is the fourth year I have joined the community of writers over at Two Writing Teachers in taking up this challenge of writing for 31 consecutive days.  I know it will be hard work but the growth will be immeasurable. Follow along!

Quick Thinking

It was Friday afternoon and my friend Karen and I were waiting in the airport for a flight to Florida.  We were heading south for a family wedding and Karen had joined in at the last minute.  We had an extra bedroom at the home we rented and it was a great way to get away and enjoy some winter warmth and sunshine. Our group was called so we gathered our belongings to get in line. Karen was in front of me, paper ticket in hand. I was slightly concerned that she had bought the wrong flight with her last minute add on, but that worry was quickly dismissed with a beep and the words “enjoy your flight.” I handed my phone to the stewardess to check in and instead of a happy beep I heard “Hold on. I need to scan that ticket again” I look up at the screen to read: wrong date.

In a flash my mind swirled with thoughts:

I’ll miss the wedding!

Karen is already on the plane. I need to tell her!

How could I have the wrong date? I checked my ticket several times!

When is the next flight?

It’s going to snow tomorrow will I get out?

Will I have to pay for another ticket?

What is going on? I am always so careful to check twice before purchasing.

My mind was swirling with concerns when I heard a voice say

Is this machine acting up again? Let’s scan again.

No problem, you are good to go!

Enjoy your flight!

As I walked the long runway to meet my friend I thought about how quick I was to blame myself when indeed it was a computer malfunction.  As I met up with Karen I was chuckling at my foolishness and thinking that sometimes quick thinking doesn’t pay off! I said to her: “And to think that I thought you bought the wrong date!”  “Chris, What are you talking about?”  I could only reply, “Oh never mind, just a little computer error!”