The Snow is Falling, The Snow is Falling!!!

Photo by "aquilasteve" on Flickr aquilasteve's photostream

I had a regular post planned, but my mind has been overwhelmed by "snowmageddon" outside.

I live 1/4 mile from Puget Sound, and we usually get a dust of snow that melts by mid-morning.

We have six inches of snow this morning, and I feel like I've gone back to my childhood. I grew up in Enumclaw, Washington which is a plateau made from an old lava flow from Mt. Rainier and is nestled up against the foothills that start the ascent to Mt. Rainier National Park. We had a good amount of snow every winter, except maybe one, in my memory of growing up. Snowmen, snowball fights, snow forts, and even snowslides on the neighbor's back deck steps were a wonderful part of life.

Here, my kids are happy to build a snowman every 2-4 years with all the snow in our yard, and hope to take a picture of him before he melts. We go to the mountains to ski and snowboard, sled and throw snowballs.

Today, it's here in our very own yard, and it's deep enough to really play in. True, my girls had friends over on Monday and played in the 1-2 inches that melted by 4 in the afternoon, but this . . .this is so much better, so much more snow.

Humorously, the weather reporters in the Northwest are calling it "Snowmageddon" . . .this is due to most Northwesterners inability to drive, think, or do anything when snow is on the ground. Unless one is an avid skier or snowboarder, or lives in the foothills or the mountains, snow sadly frightens most Northwesterners. If you don't believe me, check out this news article in one of the local papers, Snowmageddon

For us, it is a source of delight. Now, the question is . . .do we romp in the yard all day, or do we head to the mountains for deep powder skiing this afternoon and evening at the snow area with night hours?

I Have a Dream, and a Hope

"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; 'and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.'"
- excerpt from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have A Dream speech

Growing up in a small town, labeled with many labels and not allowed to forget that I came from a "salt and pepper" family, I have a great admiration for Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., his faith, and his work as a Civil Rights Leader and Reverend. Thanks to the efforts of Rev. King and all those involved in the Civil Rights Movement, all of my cousins were able to attend regular schools. Voting, state education, and employment opportunities opened up, and for some, hearts were opened as well.

However, we live in a sinful world, and racism still exists. Each of us is responsible to live, love, and dream a better dream, to make a better world.

I have a hope and a dream that someday labels won't matter to anyone, and that we will all love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. I have a hope that someday all the children of the world will have loving homes. I have a hope that Christ will bring us peace in our hearts, and in our world.

"There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:4-6

To read Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s full speech go to American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr.

And for the She Sparkles Memory Verse Challenge, Verse B is: "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved . . ." Acts 16:31

Snow School and 280daily

(pic from 2009 Whistler trip with our nephew)


So, you may be wondering how in the world I actually get any school work done with my kids when we go snow crazy on Fridays during the snow season.

We just get flexible.

If that sounds too loose, don’t worry I often feel that way too. I have a binder to track progress, and keep a list of goals to meet during the school year. Sometimes we start earlier, run later, do school work on Saturdays, do half days in the summer, or whatever it takes to get our curriculum work done, and keep learning alive.

On snow days we: read literature, history and science in the car; take a deck of cards with us on the hill (math review = card games); and bring science and language vocabulary notecards. Journaling happens in the car, or on any electronic device that has a text/note-taking/web option.

280daily is an online site that offers totally private journaling and journal tracking for individual writers. We decided to try it, and so far we like it. Today, we’ll be journaling from the Summit lodge.

For my daughters, this is a way that I can continue their journal work without bringing two separate journals along for the ride. For me, with that 280 character count, it’s a push for concise writing.

If you like to journal daily, or would like to start journaling, check it out 280daily

Foot Undie Picture - it's not as bad as it sounds

pic of a the Capezio brand foot undie, called Foot Undeez.

Poetry Moment

With revisions for The Crystal Sword moving along steadily thanks to the advice of a friend, I've had less time for writing poetry.

However, I would like to post some poetry each month, and I found and started revising this poem last night as my daughters danced. Originally I wrote it for all the company dancers from our old dance company who ranged from age five to sixteen.









For the Dancers I Know

We Dance

We dance in taps, sneakers, foot undies, point shoes.
We dance to pop, hip hop, and waltzes slow.
We want to get on with the beat, the show.


We may be only five, or sweet sixteen,
we dance with heart, with rhythm, feeling
music flow from toes to ceiling.

We stomp, tip tap, get down, and leap.
Across the room, we float, we jive, we scuff.
Don’t you dare call what we do just fluff!