Friday, February 21, 2014

Ever wonder what happens to your Christmas cards after the holiday? Many of the cards received at our house each year are from Flickr or a similar purveyor comprising snapshots and a greeting. A handful of friends insert photos within their computer-written annual Christmas letters or tuck them into more traditional cards.

For the last few years I've been cutting out these photos and pinning them on a cork board by my desk. It's a bit of a challenge to fit them all in, and I have a few "place holders" (hint: a couple of very old and out-of-date snaps) that I can remove to make room for more.

It's fun to look at these pictures regularly--friends and family decked out in seasonal clothing, posing for school pix, or gathered with clan. Can you find yourself here? If not . . . maybe next Christmas? 

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Underground Railroad Dialogue Poem

Allow me to introduce the author of this poem: my granddaughter, Katie. She is in the seventh grade and recently wrote this as an assignment (after studying the underground railroad).

When she sent it to me, the paragraphs were in two colors to make it easy to distinguish the two voices. I have changed the font styles instead to adapt to the quirks of BlogSpot. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did. I know you will be impressed.

Underground Railroad Dialogue Poem
By: Katie 
    
           We escaped at night when the sky was black as coal, traveling barefoot and hunted takes its toll. I dig deep and use all my might, the brick is a symbol bathed in white.

            I listen for the passengers to knock on the door, because there is not just one but there are many more. My lantern is lit with color, waiting for the children and their mothers.

            We finally stopped at a station for the night, it has been a rough journey for 20 miles in flight. I have other companions with me, wondering what will be.

               A group of slaves stopped for the night, shivering with fear and fright. I can’t imagine the pain, only wondering about others the same.

              Getting fed was a great feeling, now I worry about our long term healing. We go to bed wondering if we will make it, knowing that if we are given a chance we have to take it.

               I fed the slaves wanting them to be full, but I know the journey is an ongoing pull. I went to bed hoping that I don’t get caught, but I know in my heart that I’m always being sought.

               In the morning we head out, waiting for the moment when we can shout. I wish people goodbye and give a gentle wave, knowing that soon I will no longer be a slave.

               I wish the slaves goodbye and send them off, wanting them to no longer be bought. Lonely I wait for the next one, but I still wonder when this will all be done. 

Monday, February 3, 2014

Super Bowl Fever, Pt. III

Needless to say, Seattlites are aglow in the thrill of our newest title: City of Super Bowl Champs. Now, instead of saying "Go Hawks!," perhaps we should say "Went Hawks!" Who would have thought . . .

And who would have thought Skittles could take the place of Cheerios as the "Breakfast of Champions"?

We had a few Skittles left over from Sunday's game-oriented gathering (I had purchased a bag in a pre-game show of support for Marshawn Lynch, and Pagliacci Pizza included a little bag in our pizza delivery box, as well), so I sprinkled them on my hot cereal this morning. M-m-m! My "Twelfth Man" treat was a yummy reminder of a lopsided game that was fantastic for us fans of the Seahawks.


Sunday, February 2, 2014

Super Bowl Fever, Pt. II

Seattle has gone crazy. Those rational, educated, humanist, pridefully aloof Northwesterners, who can dither a decade about replacing a roadway that has been pronounced seismically unsafe, have become like over-excited children who've eaten too much candy. In just two weeks! (Oh, and did I mention I'm one of those people?)

Some of that candy is figurative. There are "12th Man" flags blowing on car antennas and hanging in store windows. A big number twelve flag flies from the Space Needle. Everywhere is Blue and Green EVERYTHING !  Cupcakes to donuts to noodles to sushi to deviled eggs.
Some of that candy is actual. Bags of Skittles, the favorite snack of running back Marshawn Lynch, are everywhere. Even the King County library has put out bowls of freebies in Halloween-sized packets for its patrons to enjoy. And, speaking of the library--both Seattle and King County libraries are hosting Super Bowl screenings in their auditoriums and multi-purpose rooms today. I'm hurrying with this post, because the game starts in a little over two hours, and--of course--we're having company over to watch and cheer and roar. (Tomorrow we may need grief counselors.)

Here's my centerpiece for dinner, and a display seen at my supermarket yesterday. GO HAWKS!