Sunday Thoughts

 A beautiful spring day and a beautiful sleeping baby.

At a little country church filled with lots of family history and lots of love.

This is a picture of my first son's first day at church back in April of 1980. 

 The church was founded by his ancestor, Rev. William Ballard Parsons. 

FIRSTS

by Janet F. Smart

Our minds are filled with memories.

Sometimes we don't recall the firsts . . .

but someone else does.

The camera captures the moments

for the minds that were too young

to know what was.

 

 Posted by Janet F. Smart on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

Kite Flying

            Did you fly a kite when you were a kid? I bet you did. This March has been the perfect time to fly a kite. We've had nice weather and plenty of wind. My kid's column in Two-Lane Livin' this month is about flying kites. I thought I would share it with you.

Fly a kite this spring and fill the March skies with a rainbow of colors

March is the perfect month to launch a dancing kite. But, if winds are too strong or too light, it is difficult to fly them. If your kite sinks tail first, there might not be enough wind. If it comes down nose first, there might be too much wind. A good way to measure the wind is by rustling leaves and waving flags. If you feel the wind on your face, there is probably enough wind to fly your kite.

Kites come in many sizes and shapes. Three common types are flat kites, box kites and soft kites. The most common is the Diamond kite.

Box kites fly better when winds get a little stronger (8-25 mph). But diamond kites fly well in light to medium winds (6-15mph).

Tails on kites help them remain stable. Small kites and flat kites may not last long in the air without tails. But if you want your kite to roll and pitch, then try one without a tail. Use lightweight material or brightly colored ribbons so you can make a longer tail. You can also use a long string with lightweight ribbons tied every 10 inches or so. Tails look pretty fluttering and twirling in the sky above you.

 

Never fly in lightening or rain. Find a nice open field without any power lines overhead. A happy kite is a kite with a lot of room. But, like Charlie Brown, you must beware of kite-eating trees.

 To launch, stand with your back to the wind and hold your kite up as high as you can. Make sure the nose is pointing up and let go. Do not throw it into the air; just gently release it into the wind. If the breeze is strong enough, the kite will start to rise. Slowly let out on your line and the kite will fly back. Before it reaches the ground, tighten your grip on the line and it will start to rise again. Repeat this process until the kite gets up into steady winds.

If your line becomes slack, bring it in a little. If the kite begins to pull too hard or act unstable, let some line out. To increase altitude, gently pump the line. Each time you pull in, the kite will rise a few feet. Do not be tempted to let out too much line. If your kite gets too high, it is harder for people to see and enjoy it. And, it takes longer to wind in when you are finished.

It takes practice, but soon you will be flying your kite like a pro.

UP IN THE SKY

The wind blows past

My kite and I

And lifts it quick

Up in the sky.

With its long tail

It flutters by

And sails about

Up in the sky

With skill and grace

My kite climbs high

And twirls around

Up in the sky.

What kind of kite do you remember flying when you were a child. I flew the simple diamond kites.
Here is a neat PBS site to go to with instructions on how to make a simple kite.

Posted by Janet Smart at Writing in the Blackberry Patch.
©Janet F. Smart

Writing Wednesday

 
Since I talked to you last Wednesday, I have received a rejection from Magination Press for my chapter book titled, Ollie Belle Brewster and notification by email that my poem,  Summer's Melody, will be in the summer edition of Holler.

I looked through the 2011 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market and picked out more publishers to send my manuscripts to. It is a hair pulling experience, to me the worse part of writing, this thing of trying to get our works published, but if we give up, it will never happen.


Cross your fingers and wish me luck and I will wish you luck!

Summer's Melody was the poem that took second place on the  Writer's Wall at the West Virginia Writer's Convention in June. I couldn't find a hard copy of it and it took me forever to find it on my computer. At least, I hope this is the latest version of it. I guess I will find out when I get my copy of Holler in August. I REALLY NEED TO GET ORGANIZED!

I wrote this poem in early summer, when the weather was really weird. She just couldn't make up her mind what to do.

Summer’s Melody

Like dew upon a sleeping flower

Summer crept upon us.

She floated in like a seed in the wind

Blissful as a hilltop meadow.

Like fog upon a sunken valley

Summer crawled upon us

She frolicked in like a newborn fawn

Refreshing as a babbling brook.

Like storms upon a mountain ridge

Summer rampaged upon us

She swirled in like a tornado blast

Excited as a raging river.

Like dust upon a country road

Summer drifted upon us

She settled in like a muggy day

Content as a weeping willow.

Happy Writing!

Family Reunion

Our McMillion Family Reunion is Saturday!

I've got my pile of vintage tablecloths ready. 

Thirty should be enough, don't you think?

I put these over the picnic tables.

Below is a poem I wrote.

It is a fictional account of a fun family reunion!

The Family Reunion

The road goes up, down and all around, on the way to our family reunion.

Back through the hills to my Uncle Bills, we are going to our family reunion.

We will drive the dirt road, with our carload, up to the end of the holler.

And this time of year, every year, we get to see all of our cousins.

We start to unpack and I grab a quick snack as Sis runs for the babies.

Mom fans her face while Grandpa says grace over the food and the fixin’s.

We see tall Uncle Matt who wears a big hat and is married to short Aunt Bertha.

And this time of year, every year, we get to see all of our cousins.

I scare Uncle Jack who pats my back and I hug my sweet Aunt Gracie.

We eat more than our share, without any care, on the tables under the shelter.

We see Uncle Dan and Grandma Fran who forgets more than she remembers.

And this time of year, every year, we get to see all of our cousins.

Oh what a sight as the cats start to fight and knock over the Kool Aid and coffee.

Dad strums his guitar and I show off my scar when we swim down at the river.

We see big Uncle Jim and Great Aunt Em who brings her black cat named Tilly.

And this time of year, every year, we get to see all of our cousins.

I jump over some logs, catch some bull frogs and fall in a patch of ivy.

We pitch horseshoes, take a snooze, and see who can spit the farthest.

We see Aunt Connie sip tea while old Uncle Lee tells us his many war stories.

And this time of year, every year, we get to see all of our cousins.

“Gee, it’s been fun, but we’ve got to run,” says Mom to Uncle Dilbert.

We say our good-byes, wipe the tears from our eyes and load the old station wagon.

We will miss them all, each one and all, even the dog that bit me.

But this time next year, every year, we will go back to see all of our cousins.

The road goes down, up and all around, on the way back from our family reunion.

A Crafty Bunny and a Pesky Rabbit Poem

I decided to make some bunny pins today.

Use your imagination and gather together a bunch of supplies.

 

ribbon, pom poms, wooden bow-tie shapes, googly eyes, black and white paint, 

pipe cleaners, pin backs, glue, scissors

Those little wooden bowties can be used for a lot of different activities. I also make snowmen pins out of them.  Glue a pin back onto the back of them. (Either hot glue or white glue) If you glue the pin back on them first, you can hold onto it while you paint the bunny white. You can paint the back of the bunny if you want, but you only need to paint the sides and front.

Get pipe cleaners and shape into bunny ears and glue to the backs. Hot glue is best for this, since it dries almost instantly.

I cut wire stems off of flowers to use for the whiskers. you could also use embroidery floss or whatever else you have on hand. Crafting is very flexible, and what you use for materials is limited only to your imagination. I used to craft a lot and have hoards of craft supplies! I got most of them at yard sales.

 

On one of the bunnies I used google eyes. On the others I painted on the eyes. I think I like the painted eyes better. It is very easy to do. Use the tip end of your paint brush (not the brush end), dip it into black paint and quickly touch where you want the eyes to be. After it dries, use a toothpick to dip into white paint and make  a  dot in the middle of the larger  black dot. If you want, you can make  eyelashes by using the toothpick dipped into the black  paint.

Use ribbon of your choice, tie a bow and glue it onto the front of the bunnies neck. White glue is best for this,  since it disappears after it dries and you can't see it like you can the hot glue. Remember (like you tell your kids) less is best when using glue. Glue small pom poms on for the tails. I happened to have some sparkly white pom poms and used them.

I think they turned out pretty good. I put my favorite onto my blouse.

THE PESKY RABBIT

by Janet F. Smart

I look upon the rabbit

And, oh I hate to see

Him hopping toward my garden

To start his eating spree.

I watch him twitch and wiggle

I watch him chew and munch.

I watch that pesky rabbit

As he eats his lunch.

He loves the tasty carrots

And leafy lettuce, too.

But, dear me, I think he loves

Most everything I grew.

Trees

Trees

I think that I shall never see
a poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer

Old in years

along a country lane

tall and proud

spacious and wide

rugged and worn

April is National Poetry Month.
I hope you enjoyed the poem and my trees.

Do you have a favorite poem?