Denise Hill of Bay City, Michigan is our host today for the final day of the March Open Write at http://www.ethicalela.com. You can read her full prompt here. Today’s challenge is to twist up an idiom or aspect of figurative language to make it opposite or different in some way, then run with it. Since I brought my new chicks home yesterday from the friend who hatched them and kept them for a few weeks, I chose the idiom Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch. My chicks hatched on my mother’s birthday, February 19, and I first wrote about them here on March 10.
Chicks on hatch day
Welcome, Spring Chickens!
Nine Easter Eggers
I didn’t hatch my chickens
Before they counted
Eleven candled
Only three-quarter dozen
Made it out alive
Chicks the day I met them
Chicks this morning, 3/22, a week and a half shy of fully feathered
I write from a place of childhood haunting – a movie scene that has branded my heart and left me wondering about the thin veil between strangers and friends.
The Speed of Love
When I was little
There was this movie
A man and his chimp
Were best buds
The man gave the chimp
Treats to coax good behavior
Trust was built
At the speed of treats
Love at the speed of
Time together
And so it was
Until the scene
In the biohazard lab
Where the deadly spores
Diffused into the air
Where that door
Got stuck
And the double whammy -
the bomb was ticking
Tick tick tick tick tick
No one could
Break the code
or the glass
The man on one side
His best little buddy
stuck on the other
The fate of mankind
Hanging in the breeze
The camera panned
To the furrowed brow
To the moment of knowing
the heartsick feeling
in the man's heart
But he had to do
What he had to do
The man dangled the treat
at the window
Pointed to the problem
directed his best little buddy
to deactivate the bomb
The chimp pushed the button
Saving mankind
No more spores spewing
No more bomb ticking
Returned to the window
for his treat
for his good behavior
for saving mankind
But the chimp’s fate was sealed
He’d breathed the spores
Opening the door would only kill more
The camera panned to the
Man’s hand holding the treat
Against the glass
The chimp’s fingers feverishly
Trying to grasp it
Trying to grasp the treat
Trying to grasp the truth
The question mark on his brow
The tears in the man’s eyes
The grief in his heart
thud thud thud thud thud
And that was where the movie ended
But it has never ended
It still plays on
In a quiet chamber
Of my heart
Our host today at http://www.ethicalela.com for the March Open Write, Day 3, is Stefani Boutelier, Associate Professor of Education at Aquinas College in Michigan. She’s using technology tools this week and inviting us to apply some of these ideas in our teaching. Today, she invites us to participate in Flip Poetry. You can read her full prompt here.
I’ll return to the Open Write later to explore more with today’s flip, but to begin this morning with a heart full of gratitude for warmth on this 26-degree morning, I’m writing a springtime palindrome poem in 3-21-23 fashion for today (as the first day of spring) and tomorrow (as a palindrome date). I can use syllables, words, or apply a function of math to each line to write this. I saw gorgeous azaleas at the campground over the weekend and add them to my pile of good things I celebrate today! I’ll experiment with Stef’s flip at lunchtime!
Azaleas in bloom at FD Roosevelt State Park on Pine Mountain in Georgia 3-19-2023
Springtime 32123 Palindrome Poem
Pink azaleas bloom Buds burst Open Promising Warmer days Ahead….welcome springtime!
For five days each month and every day in April, I write with ethicalela.com in addition to writing with Slice of Life every Tuesday and every day in March. In fact, two years ago I kept on blogging every morning, and the last day of February 2023, I celebrated two full years of daily blogging. I’m also looking for more groups and would LOVE to have a calendar of writing groups so that I am better able to carve the time for more writing. If you have a calendar you’ve created, I’d love for someone to share it.
Today, we are writing Pile of Good Things poems after the mentor text shared by Stefani Boutelier, written by Amy Kay. You can read Stef’s prompt here. She’s an Associate Professor of Education at Aquinas College in Michigan, and she’s certified in all the tech tools of the trade, it seems. I first met Stef when I interviewed her for the Oklahoma State University Oral History Project as many of us shared poetry we’d written during the days of Covid. That project, led by Dr. Sarah Donovan, is available in OSU’s library, and the videos are deeply moving. From that project, our book Bridging the Distance was published, featuring the poems we shared in those interviews.
Our group in Ahaheim – Stef is on the far left in the black sweater; I am on the right in the sage green shirt. From the Slice of Life group, Barb Edler is on the back row, left, black shirt; Margaret Simon is on the back row, third from right, Glenda Funk is on the back row, red shirt, and Denise Krebs is on the front row, gray shirt without cream colored sweater.
I didn’t meet Stef in person until November 2022, when we convened in Anaheim for the NCTE Convention and were part of a presentation group together. Everyone pitched in – Glenda wrote our proposal and rallied us to success in getting there, Margaret set up a dinner, Stef organized a time of writing with our group, and everyone worked on some part of making the time together magical, including teaming up to create prompts for the times we host during the coming year – Barb and Glenda did that! I still remember us trying to get the famous green couch moved out of the exhibit hall into a public place so that we could gather around it. While we weren’t able to use the green couch, we sat on the benches and the floor sharing sacred time together. Melanie Meehan from Slice of Life joined many of us. I remember Bryan Ripley Crandall strolling by and joining us for this time that I still consider one of the highlights of the trip – it was warm, intimate, and deeply moving. There were plenty of tears that morning as we were both sad to leave our friends and ready to get back home to our families with long flights or drives in between.
Stef leads our group in a time of Open Writing as Leilya Pitre looks on
I’m celebrating all the writers in my life today, and the friendships that writing communities create. Whether I’ve met you or not, you may know me better than most of the friends who are part of my daily life. Thank you!
Today at the Open Write, Stef leads us through the process of creating a Pile of Good Things poem and uploading it to Canva to create a colorful graphic form of the poems, ready for sharing. Come write with us at www.ethicalela.com. Here is mine, written from Campsite 108 at F. D. Roosevelt State Park in Georgia:
Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers at Slice of Life
Hylas and the Nymphs (1896) by John William Waterhouse
Today I’m participating in both the Slice of Life Story Challenge and the March Open Write through http://www.ethicalela.com. Our host at the Open Write today is Dr. Stefani Boutelier, whose prompt guides us in using AI to write a poem. One of the things I fear most is the outsourcing of human creativity and intelligence, but Stefani’s fresh and open approach encourages us to learn alongside it and use it in our lives. You can read her full prompt here. I opened Chat GPT and gave the directions: write a poem about nymphs and goblins on a saltmarsh with green glass beads stolen from the moon. I was thinking about my favorite poem I shared yesterday – Overheard on a Saltmarsh by Harold Monro.
Here is the untitled poem “I” wrote today:
On a saltmarsh, where the mist does rise, Nymphs dance and play under cloudy skies, With green glass beads stolen from the moon, They adorn themselves in a radiant boon.
Their laughter echoes through the night, As they flit and flutter in their flight, Their wings like gossamer, delicate and light, Beneath the moon’s gentle, silver light.
But lurking there are goblins sly, With glowing eyes and teeth awry, They cackle and jeer at the nymphs’ delight, And their mischief causes them much fright.
The nymphs know well to avoid their grasp, For goblins are cunning and quick to clasp, But sometimes, in their game of chase, The goblins catch one in their embrace.
Then it’s up to the others to free their friend, And the chase begins anew, without end, Until the goblins tire and flee, Leaving the nymphs to dance and be free.
So on that saltmarsh, where the moon does shine, Nymphs and goblins play a game divine, With green glass beads, a treasure stolen, A tale that shall forever be spoken.
-written by my AI nymph and goblin friends posing as me, Kim Johnson
Throughout my childhood, I was obsessed with one particular book. I spent hours on end reading it – – even took the flashlight into my closet so I could read it in there too and not be bothered while I was mesmerized. I not only fell in love with the words in the book, but also with the pictures – they were enchanting. I studied every detail of the pages in Childcraft Volume 1 – Poems and Rhymes – with the pink band on the gold-numbered spine.
One poem in particular was my favorite among favorites.
Overheard on a Saltmarsh by Harold Monro (14 March 1879 – 16 March 1932).
I lived near salt marshes in those days, on a coastal island in Georgia. I’d never seen any nymphs and goblins in the marshes, but I wondered – – could they really be there? How had I missed them?
Overheard on a Saltmarsh by Harold Monro
I fixated on the goblin and the nymph in the illustration. That’s a water nymph – – they often have plants growing from their heads, I learned. She’s not afraid of that ghastly looking goblin, either. She is confident in herself there in the moonlight, wearing her green gown and green glass beads.
That’s what I’d wanted to be when I grew up – a beautiful nymph with a shapely figure, wearing a flowy gown and green beads, telling my goblins NO.
And so to celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, I will not sport a shamrock. I won’t wear a green flowy gown or drink a green beer or flash a Kiss Me, I’m Irish t-shirt or paint my face green. Or get a tattoo.
Instead, I have framed my favorite childhood poem and will nymphatically wear these green jasper beads.
Hush, I stole them out of the moon.
A framed childhood favorite poem, with green beads
Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers!
Please join us at http://www.ethicalela.com Saturday through Wednesday for the March Open Write. We’ll be writing poetry for the next 5 days. Come write with us!
Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for the Slice of Life Story Challenge
Yesterday was grooming day for our three boys.
You know those kids you see coming to class and think, “well…..here we go…..they couldn’t be absent just this once?”
Two of these dogs are those kids.
I went to pick them up and got pulled into the dreaded parent-teacher conference with the principal of the facility; one of my incorrigible boys can no longer stay in the same run with the others because he picked a fight that ended up in a kennel brawl. Another one lost all of his facial Schnauzer features – his signature brows and beard – because he had run through the brambles at home and the hair was too tangled to be saved. One came home looking like the Lorax and another like a junkyard dog. The lone angel, of course, looks like a fine specimen of his breed and minds his own business. He’s the best dog we’ve got, I tell my husband, as he covers the ears of the other two.
I can’t take ’em nowhere.
Fitz, Boo Radley, and Ollie (the angel)
Can't Take 'Em Nowhere
see these boys right here?
two kennel troublemakers~
can’t take ‘em nowhere!
'cept one's an angel~
"the baby" can do no wrong
minds his own business
they went for groomings-
what a complete disaster!
can’t take ‘em nowhere!
see this one right here?
he ran through the beggar lice,
lost his schnauzer face
had to shave him down
now he looks ridiculous
he don’t care one lick
see this one right here?
he started a kennel brawl
can’t take 'em nowhere
flashed a sharp-fanged tooth
issued aggressive death threats
- - - solitary cell- - -
see this one right here?
he don’t never cause trouble
this perfect sweet soul
can’t take ‘em nowhere
‘cept home to the Funny Farm
with the rest of us
see these boys right here?
two kennel troublemakers~
can’t take ‘em nowhere!
Fitz – – caused a kennel brawl and came home looking like The LoraxBoo Radley – had to be shaved down and came home looking like a junkyard dog and don’t care one lickOllie – the little angel who never causes trouble
Yet despite all their shenanigans, they’re our much-loved bad boys.
Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for giving writers space and voice
I was a strange child.
Still am.
When I worked on a 50 States project in 5th grade, I wrote to every state capital’s Chamber of Commerce requesting brochures I could include in my presentation binder. I learned far less about the states from that project than I did about the power of written communication, and writing the letters was not an assigned part of the project – it was something I enjoyed doing because it enriched the experience – – much like bath salts enrich the bathtime experience. Today, I’ll share my favorite variety of the bath salts I have used.
I also learned that written communication could get me free samples of products – and more mail with my name on it. Back in the day, magazines would list where you could write for free samples, and I had every free beauty product they offered, whether I needed it or not. Mom always got me stamps when she knew I was writing for a worthy cause – plus, it kept me out of other trouble. I had lipgloss, eyeshadow, and even a jar of Gerber’s Dutch Apple Dessert when their campaign persuaded buyers that it wasn’t just for babies, but that people of all ages could enjoy it as a snack. I also got coupons for cool products like Lemon Up Shampoo and Conditioner – and I got in trouble for using the entire bottle of each in one bath on my angel wings “because it smelled so good.” I’ve learned through epsom salt reviews that there are far less expensive ways of taking a great-smelling bath!
Lemon-Up Shampoo from the 1970s
Pink Himalayan Mineral Soak Restore & Replenish – this variety is a mineral soak that contains pink Himalayan salt along with bergamot and sweet orange essential oils to help rejuvenate the body. It has a grapefruit-y smell, and the salt crystals seem less coarse and smaller than the other varieties I have used. It smells amazing, but again – this one is one that does a better job of awakening than relaxing, so I would not recommend it before bedtime.
Vapor Bath with Menthol, Camphor, and Spearmint Essential Oil – this one is for a special purpose, and it isn’t for sleep when you can already breathe freely. But when you can’t breathe, this one will work to help open sinuses and airways. It’s so powerful that you have to sit in the bath with your eyes closed, because it will flat out make your eyes water like you’re slicing an onion. I would definitely recommend wearing swim goggles when soaking in the vapor bath.
Today’s favorite between these final two varieties is Pink Himalayan Mineral Soak, simply because the vapor bath is more for medicinal purposes.
This brings the overall competition to my three daily favorites – Pink Himalayan Mineral Soak, Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil, and Calm Your Mind.
My third favorite bath salt is Pink Himalayan Mineral Soak.
My second favorite is Calm Your Mind……
…and my favorite aromatherapy soak is Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil Soaking Solution.
I did not review any of the foaming bath counterparts that go along with these products, and I did not review all of the varieties. There are still other varieties that need bloggers’ reviews. Here is the Dr. Teal’s website with all of the products and varieties (I am not selling their products, just providing the link for the ones I did not review).
And here I am, the cleanest I’ve been in years – – probably the cleanest I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve learned that epsom salts have multiple health benefits, but more importantly, I’ve learned that it takes a deliberate mindset to shift the balance between baths and showers. While I still prefer showers because of my busy lifestyle, I will continue to carve time for soaking as a way of regulating the pace of life.
My Epsom Salt variety review continues and includes several more of Dr. Teal’s Soaking Solutions in today’s blog post.
One of my librarian friends recently purchased a gorgeous wooden bath tray that stretches from one side of the tub to the other. She can rest her book or her Kindle on the shelf and even set her glass of wine on it as she stretches out to read and soak.
I’d been considering making a similar purchase as a way to inspire myself to relax in the tub with epsom salts more often, but when I showed up for toddler time at the library, my friend suggested that I might have to lead the dancing to Tootie Ta that day. Turns out, she’d dropped her heavy wooden bathtub tray on the top of her foot and was concerned she’d broken some bones and couldn’t dance.
I’d broken my own ankle last September, and it suddenly flared up at the thought of dancing. I couldn’t lead Tootie Ta, either ( I missed out, big time). I also concluded I didn’t need the risks of a wooden bath tray. I manage to find my own injuries without help.
I continue to look for ways to relax in a bath, since I’m more of a shower gal, so I’m using epsom salts as a measure of good self-care and experimenting with the variety I like best as I re-condition myself to pause and enjoy more moments and give my muscles the TLC they deserve.
In yesterday’s post, I compared Black Elderberry and Calm Your Mind, and I liked Calm Your Mind best for its citrusy-berry fragrance that left me and the bathroom smelling great! Today, I’m adding more varieties to the mix.
Melatonin Sleep Soak – a relaxing fragrance, and the benefits of this kind of aromatherapy are for real. I did feel far more relaxed as I soaked and smelled the calming bouquet of this mixture. I felt the tide turning a bit on my bathtub outlook when I stepped out of the soak, dried off, put on a soft, clean nightgown and headed bedward to drift off into a peaceful night’s sleep – maybe I could grow to enjoy a bath from time to time, I thought, diehard shower girl that I am.
Relax & Relief with Spearmint and Eucalyptus – in addition to the relaxing component, its fragrance wasn’t overwhelming but was fresh and clean and stayed with me through lunchtime the next day. I kept catching wafts of the scent and thinking that somehow, the soaks stayed with me longer than my soap from the typical morning shower.
Calm & Serenity – this one has rose essential oil and is made with milk protein to help soften and nourish skin. The rose scent is not overpowering but is pleasant and more subtle than some of the other fragrances of the bath salts. For bedtime, this fragrance welcomes relaxation and peaceful sleep. As a child, I used to have a white cotton nightgown with little pink roses embroidered on it, and this reminded me of that nightgown that was my very favorite in the summertime heat.
Glow and Radiance – one of my favorite fragrances in the entire world is fresh orange. It reminds me of winter and summer sunshine all at once. This variety has Vitamin C and Citrus Essential oils and is designed to uplift the mood. As much as I love this bath salt variety, I would recommend this to morning bathtime soakers, which won’t be an option for me until retirement at the earliest. It does tend to awaken, and not to relax.
Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil with Essential Oil Blend – this one is made from Hemp Seed Oil for intense moisture and white thyme and bergamot “to quiet the mind.” Let me tell you – – the aromatherapy benefit from this blend of scents alone was over the moon stress relieving. It’s completely legal, and while it may carry a Kerouacian connotation, I can assure you that I endorse it only for soaking – – not for smoking! It doesn’t contain any ingredients that would compromise the body or mind or call one’s character into question. What it does do is loosen the worries and stresses; it washes them down the drain, leaving only pleasant scents and a relaxed mind, ready to sleep.
Clarify & Smooth with Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera, & Essential Oils – this one contains aloe vera and Vitamin E to nourish skin. It has a fresh, light scent – – much lighter than many of the other varieties. Since smell is the sense most closely associated with memory, I understand why I like the scent so much. If you’ve ever been five or six years old and opened a new doll with shoes and clothes sewn onto the card in the container and smelled the new plastic, really just inhaled it and inhaled it to smell all the new freshness and excitement of a new toy in the back seat all the way home from the store, this may take you back to that time once you have stepped out of the tub and dried off. That’s the scent that lingers. It brings back great memories of the plastic that wrapped the toys of my childhood.
Today’s favorite in these reviews is the Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil variety. Maybe it’s because I feel a twinge of preacher’s kid rulebreaking reputation when I soak in it, but it truly did relax me in a way that none of the others did.
Tune in tomorrow for my final 2 reviews and overall favorite epsom salt aromatherapy variety of all the ones I have reviewed, and please share your own epsom salt preferences as well. I’m learning new things about the benefits of epsom salts and welcome all the knowledge and expertise that you care to share!
Special thanks to Two Writing Teachers for giving writers space and voice
Common Threads 