Category: writing

Currently,

Reading The Way of the Fearless Writer by Beth Kempton. I just started it, so I can’t give it a review. However, I do like thte “contemplative” nature of the process she is describing.

Eating homemade bread. I made some sourdough starter this week, but I’m baking plain yeast bread for the time being. I’m using my bread machine that has been sitting on the counter for years.

Listening to Dolly Parton’s new Rockstar album. Her covers of some classics are wonderful, especially when she teams up with some of the original artists, like Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr for “Let It Be,” Elton John for “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” and Lynard Skynard for “Freebird.”

Loving the cooler weather.

Creating Christmas ornaments for John and art for myself.

I decided that I needed to give myself some grace. I discovered Liz Lamoreaux’s Here: Five Things in June. I’ve followed Liz off and on for years, first as a scrapbooker and then art journaler (at least I tried to be an art journaler). Then “life” happened. So, the Five Things came as a new discovery. In June, I had “social media envy.” I tried to create beautiful pages for my lists in a bullet journal. That lasted three days, and I gave up because I didn’t think my pages looked as wonderful as the ones posted in the Facebook group. (Can you relate?)

I tried again in October and decided to write my lists simply. Sometimes I add a photo that pertains to the lists’ themes. I post photos of my handwritten lists occasionally. I try not to compare my pages to others. Each of us has our own ways of doing things and using the lists. Perfection is over-rated. I know that sometimes I set my expectations for myself too high and I cannot live up to that level. Therefore, I need to give myself grace.

I am thankful for that grace.

I started a project in October of photographing the cherry tree in the backyard from the porch steps. I documented the tree’s changes from the green of early fall through the bare branches of winter. This week, I walked out to the tree, and lo! and behold! it was loaded with bunches of cherries. I don’t think they are edible, though. I am so thankful I saw those cherries. I am anticipating the white blossoms later this winter.

It has turned cold! Well, it’s cold for this South Carolina girl. Anything under 65 degrees is cold to me! My sasanqua is blooming, but the cold mornings and frost last week have turned the flowers brown. Still, I am thankful for those beautiful pink flowers and the reminder of my grandmother. Camellias were Grandma’s flower. My other grandmother grew dahlias the size of dinner plates. I haven’t had that kind of luck with those flowers. I think I will try again this spring, though. I am thankful for my grandmothers (and grandfathers) and for the legacies they passed to their grandchildren.

This morning, I was lazy. I woke up several times between 3:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Three in the morning is not a good time to wake up. When I did wake up shortly after 9:00 a.m., I lingered in bed doing my puzzles–Wordle (in three attempts), a perfect run in Connections, and sixteen words in the NYTimes Spelling Bee. Then I read my email from Liz for the Five Things list: things that bring comfort. Today’s list included

• a cup of hot cinnamon spice tea
• a slice of warm homemade bread with butter
• the smell of bread baking
• chili simmering on the stove
• fuzzy socks
• John 14 (“Let not your heart be troubled. . . . “)
• the quilt my Granny pieced and my mother finished and quilted

These comforting things also feed my soul.

I started listening to The Fearless Writer podcast. In each episode, the speaker provides a ten-minute writing prompt at the end of the session. The first episode provided the prompt “Today.” I want to practice these prompts, so I’m doing a week’s worth of “Today” prompts. Throughout today’s writing, which extended into a more Julia Cameron-like “Morning Pages” entry instead of a ten-minute writing sprint, the theme of feeding my soul kept coming up. I thought about what I do to feed my soul. Here’s what emerged:

• Creating something–painting with my pastels, drawing, photographing something, knitting or crocheting, making a paper craft, writing a chapter in my novel
• Reading–a novel, a nonfiction book
• Bible study/devotions
• Music–listening and/or singing along. Perhaps one day I will clean off the piano bench and play again.
• Friendships

When I look at these things I do to nourish my soul, I wonder how I ever found time to teach well! But then again, putting my energy into teaching well did feed my soul, even the creative part because I was creating lessons and developing ideas for my students daily. Now that I am retired and no longer teaching, I can develop these other parts of myself.

The older I get, the more I see the need to fill the soul with things that are peronally meaningful. My journals are filled with things that I don’t imagine anyone else cares too much about. I wonder what my children will do with these notebooks and sketchbooks when I’m gone. I wonder if they will know what was in my soul when I created them.

I don’t usually ask for comments, but I would like to know what feeds and nourishes your soul.

It’s Thankful Thursday. Today, I am especially thankful for heat–heated seats in the car and heat in the house! It is just plain COLD! I know: it’s that time of year. I had to go to the doctor’s office for blood work before my “Medicare WellCare” appointment next week. Frost covered my car windshield.

This greeted my eyes when I set out this morning. I love those white, wispy clouds.

Yes, that is frost on the ground! It looks cold. When I came home with hot coffee in hand from a local coffee shop, the blue heron was on the pond. It flew before I could get the picture.

I am so thankful for these “God moments.”

Tomorrow is the beginning of the Advent season in the liturgical church year. I think it’s my favorite season of the church year. I’ve been reading some things about Advent in the last week. As we approach Christmas and the winter solstice, I’m thinking about how busy we make this season of the year. I read that in the pre-Christian eras, people would take the wagon wheels off their conveyances and bring them in the house to decorate with evergreens as a reminder that this is a season to slow down and stay put, as it were. The greens remind us that spring will come.

My favorite verse for this time of year is Isaiah. 9:2. “Those who walk in darkness have been a great light; on those living in the space of deepest darkness, a great light has dawned.” When I was growing up in the Mt. Hermon Lutheran Church, we always attended Christmas candlelight services. The liturgy was the same every year, and this verse was part of that liturgy. At some point in the service, the children would line up on the altar steps to sing “Away in a Manger” under the direction of Ms. Imogene Smith. This service is the epitome of the Advent season for me. Now, we do the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. Although it is meaningful, there was something about having the service before Christmas that made me anticipate the birth of Christ more.

One of my favorite Advent carols is “O Come, O Come, Emanuel.” I think the version by Mannheim Steamroller is one of the best. What a lovely invitation to the Advent season. Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel.

I will give away my age; I haven’t had a United States or South Carolina history class in over 40 years. In fact, I think the last history class I had was the world history class I took as a freshman at Newberry College in 1976. However, I had a history class on Saturday when my husband and I started our “tour” of South Carolina State Parks. Right now, there are 47 state parks. A few of them are overnight parks with villas, cabins, and camping sites. A lot of them are day-use-only parks offering hiking trails and sometimes fishing and other outdoor activities. We went to two day-use parks: Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site and the Battle of Musgrove State Historic Site. Both were very interesting places to visit. The parks are open from 9 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Entrance to Rose Hill is free; there is a $3.00 per adult parking fee for Musgrove Mill. Rose Hill offers a tour of the restored plantation house of William Gist, known as the “Secessionist Governor” since he was the governor of South Carolina when the state seceded from the Union in 1860. The tour of the house was impressive for the amount of history the park ranger gave us in 45 minutes to an hour. (Tours of the house are Friday through Monday, 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. On Thursday, there is one tour at 1:00 p.m., but there is also a program called Voices of the Ancestors, which chronicles the life of slaves in the South. I don’t know those times off the top of my head.)

The ranger talked about the role of the slaves in the lives of the plantation owners and described the hardships of slavery and the attitudes toward slaves held by the plantation owners of Rose Hill. She also talked about the role the Gist family played during Reconstruction as members of the Ku Klux Klan. It is difficult history to hear, especially if you have grown up with the romanticized version of plantation life depicted in books and movies such as Gone with the Wind. The lesson I had from my Rose Hill tour is not what I remember from my elementary, middle, and high school history classes. It is not revisionist history, either. Sometimes, we gloss over the hard parts of our past, but we cannot bury that past, either. How else are we to learn from it if we don’t know it?

The gardens at Rose Hill have also been restored, but what really impressed me were the gigantic magnolias in front of the house. These magnolias are said to be about 200 years old. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen such large ones. They are probably magnificent in the spring and early summer when they are in bloom.

The second park, the Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, is equally interesting. I knew there were some key Revolutionary War battle sites in South Carolina, Cowpens, Kings Mountain, Camden, and Fort Moultrie, for example. I did not know about Musgrove Mill or Blackstock until I began researching the state park system and planning our tour. Musgrove Mill was a key turning point for the Patriot militia in South Carolina. I do remember learning something about General Nathaniel Green in history classes, but not much. The exhibit about the role of women in the Revolutionary War impressed me, and I would like to learn more about the female spies and helpers during this period. According to legend, Mary Musgrove may have been such a spy for the Patriots even though her father Edward tried to remain neutral. The monument to Mary Musgrove was erected sometime in the early 20th century to commemorate her role in the Revolutionary War.

The British commandeered his property, including his mill (which ground corn and wheat). The Musgrove property lay on the banks of the Enoree River and offered a ford. This was an ideal position for the British forces to control communication and travel as well as to have a ready source of provisions to feed the troops. We walked the British camp trail by the river. Next time I visit this park (and there will be a next time), I’ll do the waterfall trail.

The original Musgrove plantation house and the mill are long gone. Floods washed out a bridge crossing the Enoree River. All that’s left are the pillars. It disappointed me that the park did not offer a printed map with explanations of things to watch for as you walk the trails. There were a few interpretative signs about, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity about the history. Perhaps the waterfall trail has more. (Next time I will print out the maps from the state park website and be better prepared!)

As I said, these two parks taught me some things about the history of my state that I did not know or did not learn when I was a student. I spoke with a park employee at Musgrove Mill, and he agreed that our history lessons are lacking in teaching local history. He is from Union, SC, just about 30 or 40 miles from where I live. It’s only when history teachers take it upon themselves to take students to historic sites such as these that the gaps are filled in.

History is a difficult thing. There is the saying that the victors write the histories. Perhaps it is so. I know that a visit to Rose Hill and the tour of the house will quickly dispel any notion of the “happy slave” and the romantic view of life on Southern plantations. Walking through the museum and visitors’ center at Musgrove Mill will provide an interesting perspective on the role of women during the Revolutionary War.

I will plan another round of visits to SC State Parks soon (with or without my husband). I plan to soak up as much history as I can as well. Hopefully, within the next two years, I will join the ranks of the Ultimate Outsiders, folks who have visited all 47 state parks in South Carolina.

It’s a Thankful Thursday. My pastor reminded me yesterday that Thanksgiving celebrations have been around for millennia. In Deuteronomy, Moses gives the Israelites a mandate to give thanks during the Festival of Weeks. It is a reminder that every day should be a day of thanks.

Today, I am thankful for

The beautiful light on the trees. I came home from the grocery store yesterday afternoon to see this:

My family. There will be an empty seat at the Summer family table again this year, the eighth Thanksgiving without Daddy. Yet, he will be there in spirit. Mama celebrated her 88th birthday in May and is in remarkable health. I am thankful to have her. I will miss my younger son and his family because he has to work his shift at the fire station.

My grandson. Sully is thriving and running his mama and daddy ragged! When he was born two years ago, he was very much premature. We expected a “Thanksgiving turkey” but ended up with a “Halloween Pumpkin” instead. He figured out how to open his daddy’s big-boy pliers.

For beautiful weather. The Summer-Price-Fulmer-Gorsage families had lunch today outside. It was cool, but I wore a shawl to keep warm. The sky is a wonderful shade of blue; clouds are the soft, wispy ones. It couldn’t have been a better day.

It’s all too easy to be thankful when things are going well or when “big things” happen. However, I am thankful for the small things as well, like the golden sunlight of late afternoons, the heat that comes on when it’s 37 degrees outside, good food and fellowship with extended family, a peaceful afternoon, good books, time to write and draw and create, the health and good lives of my children and grandchild. These things are simple pleasures, and I am thankful.

I waited a while before writing my monthly “Currently” list. I wanted to build up some things to put in it. November and December are busy months. This month alone, there have been family gatherings, church meetings and programs, in addition to regular services, “places to go and people to meet,” food to prepare (I know, I prepare food every day in one way or another, but I’m talking about those dishes one prepares–for fixes, as we Southerners say–for special occasions), etc. Next Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent, probably my favorite season of the liturgical church year. I love the hymns and Scripture readings that anticipate the birth of the Christ Child. It is a season of contemplation. I confess that I am not ready for Christmas, though. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet! (for heaven’s sake, let’s slow down and savor the autumn months without rushing the seasons!)

With that in mind, currently in November, I’m

Reading—

I’m still reading my beloved Regency historical novels, but focusing more on cozy mysteries than romances and Gothic novels. I just started a book recommended by photographer Kim Manley Ort, To Photograph Is to Learn How to Die. It’s a book I have to read in small chunks. It’s giving me another perspective on contemplative photography.

Listening—

I rediscovered Jean Ritchie, an Appalachian folk singer who may well have re-introduced the world to the old ballads folks have sung for centuries. She also re-introduced the dulcimer as a traditional instrument. I first heard Jean Ritchie on the NPR radio show The Thistle and Shamrock, which features Celtic music from across time and place.

Watching—

I’m watching the leaves change and fall. Since mid-October, I’ve been photographing the flowering cherry tree in the backyard, capturing the change from full green to its now nearly bare branches. On television, I’m still watching the Westerns on TV and Masterpiece Mystery on PBS.

Loving—

I’m loving being retired from full-time and part-time teaching! I have time to do things I want to do, like read all day and create art with pastels and gelatos and colored pencils. I love that I can come and go as I please, whenever I please, and that I’m not tied to someone else’s schedule (usually).

Feeling—

Oh, my, this is a loaded category! I am feeling hopeful after meeting my two newest great-nephews yesterday. There is something about holding a baby that opens up that feeling of hope that the world will go on, in spite of the negative things we see daily. Last week, I was a hot mess of torn feelings and dismay after a meeting that did not end well at church (or at least, I didn’t think it ended well). This week, I am more at peace. I still have to pray and talk more to trusted advisors, but I feel much better about things.

Playing—

I bought my first mountain dulcimer about fifteen years ago but lost it in a house fire. Last week, my husband gave me a new one for an early Christmas present. I’m a bit rusty, but I am playing again and learning and relearning some traditional music, “Rosewood Casket,” “Wildwood Flower,” and the like. (And that ties back to the Listening–I’m listening to some dulcimer players to get some ideas of new songs to learn.

Creating–Retirement has given me time to be more creative. I am writing my second novel even though I haven’t published my first one yet! I’m still revising and editing it. I am “painting” pictures with soft, chalk pastels and oil pastels and learning how to draw. I still knit and crochet. I’m making a counterpane (bedspread) with fingering weight yarn. This is the first time I’ve used this type of yarn, even though I have used number 10 crochet cotton to make tablecloths and doilies.

Life is good this month! The weather has been agreeable, not too cold. Most days, I can run outside in my shirt sleeves without a coat or a sweater. We haven’t had a lot of rain to keep me in, although the weatherman is calling for rain tomorrow.

Next week, we in the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving. According to tradition, the first Thanksgiving was in the fall of 1621, when the Pilgrims gave thanks for surviving the winter and for the help of Squanto, a Native American who escaped slavery in England. Squanto taught the newcomers how to cultivate corn and survive in the New World. Another day of thanksgiving occurred in 1623. The various colonies and settlements celebrated days of Thanksgiving at different times throughout the year. However, in the midst of the American Civil War, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln established the final Thursday of November as an official national day of Thanksgiving. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved the holiday up one week to boost retail sales, and in 1941, he signed the bill that made the fourth Thursday in November the official national day of Thanksgiving.

For many, Thanksgiving has become the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and a boost to the economy. We are already being bombarded by early Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. I just got a flyer from the Caribbean Cruise Line offering early Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Already, I am seeing homes with Christmas trees decorated and lit in anticipation of the Christmas season.

I have always worshiped in a liturgical church and followed the liturgical church year when it comes to Christmas. This year, the first Sunday in Advent, on December 3, marks the beginning of the holiday, or holy day, season. I don’t even think about Christmas until Santa rolls down Fifth Avenue at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I have been making an effort this month to keep a gratitude list in my journal. I don’t make a list daily, but I am taking time each week to think about what I am thankful for.

1. Warm tea on cool mornings. I love the hot cinnamon spice tea from Harney and Sons.
2. Good books. There are so many memes on Facebook about reading and addiction to books. (Hello, my name is Olivia, and I am a reader.)
3. Making art. I can’t claim to be an artist, really, but I can pretend to be one. I bought sets of soft and oil pastels, sketching/drawing pencils, a set of Faber-Castell Gelatos, and a sketchbook. I am thankful for the time I spend making a picture after watching various YouTube videos. That time helps me decompress and gives me a sense of calm–and accomplishment.
4. The Girls with Cameras community for learning opportunities and support.
5. My husband. He puts up with a lot, including my various Amazon and Walmart purchases. (I’ll have to cut back if I want to go on a cruise anytime in the near future!) He even likes my photography!

I’ve actually tried to retire twice. The last time I retired, I got a call a week before school was scheduled to start. The middle school ELA teacher was unable to return because of illness. The headmistress asked me to teach one class–sixth grade ELA. Before the week was out, I was teaching seventh grade and senior comp. This was supposed to be temporary. . . . I finally retired this year, and I am enjoying it. I get to plan my schedule and do things I’ve wanted to do for a while.

I was in third grade, and an artist came to visit our class. Of course, there was always that one student who was super-gifted, and she got all the praise. Then, there was me–the awkward one who wanted to be able to do more than draw loopy flowers and lollypop trees. The visitor basically told me that I would never be an artist.

Fast forward about 35 years, I decided I wanted to draw. I started with pencil sketching. Thanks to the art teacher in the school where I taught high school English, I began playing with art supplies–sketching pencils, blending stumps, soft and oil pastels, colored pencils. . . . I have not gotten to the paints yet. Several weeks ago, I bought a set of pastels and sketching pencils, and I began again. I’ve watched YouTube videos to get ideas. In addition to photography, now I’m creating “paintings” with gelatos, soft pastels, and oil pastels. I decided I would make a daily practice of creating a picture a day. My latest inspiration is the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Nothern Lights. I made two versions, one with the gelatos, and another with soft pastels.

Gelatos are crayons, really “waxy,” but they are blendable. They also stay put. Soft pastels are messy! They are very blendable, and that makes them ideal for my version of the Northern Lights. I was able to blend the colors and get a softer look with the chalk pastels than I could with the gelatos.

This is the version with gelatos that I made first.

I have to practice getting my mountains to look dimensional instead of so flat. It’s a work in progress.

Being creative is the way I thrive as a retiree. I’m drawing, making photographs, and writing. I don’t miss the daily grind of teaching–the administrivia, as we call it. I don’t miss the difficulties and the run-ins. I don’t miss the politics. I do miss the children, though. (I’m working on a plan to get back to working with children. More on that later!)

But this is how to retire: do the things one enjoys. And don’t let the critics tell you can’t.