Writing with the Neighbors

I spent a good chunk of last night addressing post cards. Vista Print came through again and let me print up 50 gorgeous, full-color postcards for free. I love Vista Print. The postcards are invites to writing seminars I'm offering this summer for kids and adults. I'm so excited. I've been planning since March. I'll be alternating between creative and expository writing so as to discover the largest number of writers in my neighborhood pool. I'm also offering seminars for the kids. I love teaching kids how to write. Kids are so creative and uninhibited. I did a little newspaper with the kids in my last neighborhood, but here I wanted to be more creative. Journalism is fun, but the whole idea is to teach them to write objectively. Fancy isn't encouraged in journalistic circles.
For a sneak peak at the schedule and curriculum look here. I admit it's ambitious, but I'm eager to begin building relationships with my neighbors, and I thought starting with the writers would be a natural fit for me. We are also over-loaded with kids, and I'm hoping that my children will expand their circle of friends through these seminars. I'll keep you posted. Invites are going out June 1st. If you live in my neighborhood keep your eyes peeled. If you don't, well, I'm sorry. Maybe I'll expand next summer.
Have a great day, and take some time to think about how you can expand your own circle of friends. It doesn't have to be a big ambitious project; you could just join someone else's great idea. Leaders need followers. Maybe you could get your family to set up a family blog. I've got to give blogspot major kudos. Not only have I begun to get really comfortable letting people read my work, I'm using it as a way to connect with others. This is an invaluable tool for those of us who love to work with words. Thanks Blogger for widening my world in a way that makes me feel safe and productive.

Love

silently screaming
the quaking stillness
marvels at such obtuse anglers.
the teaming see remains unfished.

Vegetarian Lasagna for Susan

I'm so glad you enjoyed the lasagna. I hope others will like it as well.

1 Box Barrilla No-Boil lasagna noodles
1 Jar good vegetarian spaghetti sauce
1 container Ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 box chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup or so of freshly grated Parmesan
2 Tablespoons or so of Olive Oil
3 large Portabello mushroom caps
1 can Artichoke hearts
3 cups Mozzerella cheese

1. Drizzle olive oil over the portabello mushroom caps and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If desired insert garlic slivers into the gills. Broil until browned and shriveled.
2. Combine ricotta, egg, spinach, basil and parmesan. Divide in thirds.
3. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and smear with spaghetti sauce.
4. Layer in 4 noodles.
5. Top with 1/3 ricotta mixture
6. Sprinkle 1 chopped Portabello and 1/3 of artichoke chunks over ricotta mixture.
7. Spread 1/3 jar of sauce over all.
8. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzerella.
9. Repeat until all ingredients are used. You may add more grated Parmesan to the top it adds a nice salty note.
10. Bake 350 degree oven, covered for 30-45 minutes. The lasagna should be bubblings and the cheese melted. Uncover and let it brown slightly for about five more minutes. Let stand five minutes to solidify. Serve and enjoy!

Between Dusting

The butterfly a lights
Its wings all golden hues
Fire on one's finger
The biting kiss of life.

Youandme

I was inspired to write this one after studying two trees that were interwoven with each other. I've dedicated it to my husband, but I think it also represents the macro-organism we call humanity. "wonder" is replaced with a personal reference no one outside of family would understand so I leave it as is for you.

The gently woven “let us” of infringement
The holiness of “b” ing prepositions
The silent splendor of overlapping “leaves”
The peaceful “rustle” of the Spirit’s wind
The tender “foot see” of the interlacing roots
The patient “wonder” of the interdividual
at rest.

Art vs. Living

After I finished up my post for yesterday I began to worry. I worried that my faithful readers (Hi, Mom) would mistake my little one day novel as a pattern for living. It's a grand thing to invest some extra time and effort into an event large or small, but a day like my perfect Summer Sunday is a piece of art. Art for all its many glories is stale life. Trying to make all of your life into a piece of art will result in a distinct lack of living. Summer Sundays are meant to be a mixed bag. You need some sour and grim added into the mix. If all your summer Sundays are as perfect, planned and pleasant as the one I describe, then you are missing out on your own life.
Don't be afraid of the dark days and the arguments and the rainy disappointments that can even enter into our perfectly planned days. Embrace the unexpectedly or predictably unpleasant because those sharp tastes enrich your overall enjoyment of living. If you didn't know how terrible life can be, you wouldn't know to throw your soul wide open to the sweet when it came. My friend just reminded me of Browning's old poem Rabbi Ben Ezra. He's right; it's important to remember that the God who makes perfect days sends the disasters too. The God who gives us youth also gives us old age, and we must remember that all of His gifts are good.
So, enjoy the Summer Sunday, but don't substitute or mistake it for life. Life is much more flavorful and rich.

Perfect Summer Sunday

I love event planning. I love planning period. This is my plan for at least one Sunday this summer. I find it like writing a living short story. Maybe you'd like to live one of my little stories. Here's the plan

Motto: Perfection starts the day before

Saturday: gather ingredients and prep food.

measure out the ingredients for Jody Smith's Banana Bread

1 and 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bananas
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

purchase, gather

sandwich croissants or rolls
mixed cheese cubes
Sparkling Cider
lemonade
Ingredients for Broccoli slaw
1 pkg of Broccoli slaw-
1 pkg of ramen noodles any flavor.
~1/3 cup of slivered almonds
~1/3 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 cup canola/vegetable/olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
ramen noodle package( the powder)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

marshmallows
chocolate bars
graham crackers

Prepare: Toll House Cookie Bars and Chunky Chicken Salad

Bake Toll House Bars according to directions on the back of the chocolate chip bag

Combine ingredients for Chunky Chicken Salad

6 cups cooked chicken in bite-size chunks
1 cup celery, fine dice
1 cup red bell pepper, fine dice
1 cup sweet pickle cubes or relish
1 cup chopped granny smith apple
1 cup lite mayo
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 Tablespoons tarragon

Cheat!:

purchase take it and bake it pizza (We love Sam's Club's pizza)


SUNDAY

1. Rise an hour earlier than everyone else.
2. Make up banana bread and put in the oven to bake.
3. Shower and get dressed.
4. Enjoy some quiet time with God.
5. Wake everyone with fresh banana bread and milk.
6. Get them dressed and out the door for church.
7. Come home and change into casual clothes.
8. Pack cooler with Chunky Chicken Salad, croissants, broccoli slaw ingredients, sparkling cider, lemonade, toll house cookie bars and cheese cubes.
9. Go to beach or park for kite flying, swimming.
10. Tidy up a bit.
11. Head to an open air concert.
12. Set up feast and enjoy the concert.
13. Linger in the fresh air and gab with friends after the concert.
14. Invite friends home for pizza and s'mores.
15. Gab and gnosh for the rest of the evening.