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Category: grandchildren

New River

Published on October 24, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

To celebrate my oldest son’s birthday, we had a family getaway to New River Gorge National Park – a weekend of hiking and autumn leaf viewing. This West Virginia park is only about a five hour drive from our home in Maryland, and made for a wonderful location for a few fun days.

Our Friday was misty and chilly, yet quite beautiful for hiking. Let me share just a few of photos –

Much to our surprise – and good fortune – we had an even more special Saturday. We had no idea when we booked our travels that October 21st was the annual Bridge Day.  The New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, West Virginia is the longest single-span arch bridge in the western hemisphere, measuring some 3030 feet with the arch alone measuring 1700 feet. The bridge was completed in 1977; since 1980, there has been an annual festival in its honor.

On this single day, the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic. There is an enormous festival on the bridge, with vendors hawking food and crafts up and down the entire expanse. In the middle of the bridge, gutsy folks base jump off the bridge – which, seriously, has to be one of the most terrifying sports I have ever witnessed. It was wild to watch. Can you find the base jumper /parachute in the photo below? Who would dare to jump from such a height?

We spent a beautiful fall morning walking the bridge and enjoying the sights. Plus, of course, eating – yummy funnel cakes, barbecue, cotton candy, and pizza. Festivals demand that one partake, yes?

Later in the afternoon, we hiked Long Point trail, which allowed us to have a breathtaking view of the bridge from the side. We also enjoyed the surrounding fall foliage and we watched more of the daring base jumpers perform, from a much farther distance.

This is my oldest son (the birthday boy) and his daughter/my granddaughter, watching the base jumpers.

It was a fabulous weekend!

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What’s My Subject

Published on October 3, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

Years back, when I was part of a ‘new minister search committee’ for my church, someone opined – 

“All ministers have basically five great sermons - 
everything they preach falls into those five themes.”

This thinking stuck with me, leaving me wondering – is that true for my writing, as well? Do I just go round and round, talking over and over about the same thing? 

I have enjoyed Two Writing Teachers’ Slice of Life for many years, where I hone in on some experience from the previous week. As an early childhood teacher, there have been many slices about young children, and now that I am retired, my focus is often my grandchildren. I frequently write about my family, especially time spent with my husband and our travels. I enjoy writing about nature.

I strive to write about something unexpected that has happened, perhaps something as simple as an interaction with a stranger. Overall, I think these personal narratives do fall into five basic themes – 

capturing a moment in the present
how things change over time
looking at things from a different perspective
how to be in community with others
how grief works

and I suppose there is sometimes a 6th, which is a big messy conglomeration of all of the above.

What is the catalyst for this rumination of mine? 
My oldest grandchild is turning 5 this month. 
How in the world have five years gone by?

Now, I am looking through the past five years of my writing and trying to create a memory book – the poems and essays that I have written about this dear child. I’m not sure if this memory book is for her or me, lol. 

I am just amazed at the passage of time. 

What are your top five topics or themes of writing?

I’ll close with a short poem of this week’s surprise – an unexpected day with our soon-to-be- five-year-old granddaughter, because she was sick.

unwell

tiny feet are wedged against my hip
pinning me to this corner of the couch
she sleeps in a folded z 
holding my hand tightly

the inconsistent rap of her breath
an intermittent low moan 
dark shadowed eyes and sweaty locks of hair
poor sweet miserable one

how many hours of my life have been
intertwined with a sick child
watching the chest move up down
wondering if their symptoms are 
worsening

time 
stands

absolutely

s t i l l

until they are up and running again


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Summer Painting

Published on August 29, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

Just like that, the summer ends. My oldest granddaughter, Frog, has begun her prek-4 school year and we are back to our Monday/Tuesday babysitting for only one child – her younger sister. Bird turns three years old this fall, which is too late to start her preschool year in DC public schools.

We are missing ‘big sister’ on these babysitting days, though it is also really special to have one-on-one time with the little one.

Let me share an update on our summer art project; my granddaughters turned some old kitchen cabinet doors into paint canvases, making layers of fun. These doors went through a real  metamorphosis!

Here’s how the “BEFORE” for the cabinet doors!

Each girl had their own door to paint, and they worked with acrylic. I made sure to dress them to be messed, and we worked outside as much as possible. We had a bit of yucky weather that kept us inside once or twice, but I was able to set up their art in our basement, using lots of dropcloths – plus, keeping soapy water and wash rags at the ready.  

We began with ‘tape painting.’ The girls applied painters tape to the door, covering the doors in all sorts of different ways with painters tape and then painting. They used a variety of brushes and rollers. When the paint dried, they peeled off the tape – creating wild designs. Then it was time for more tape and a new paint color. Repeat, as needed! 

Our grand finale technique was “splatter painting.” Here, I added shower caps to their protective attire, hoping to keep the acrylic paint from their hair. The girls dipped brushes into new colors of paint and then let this fly through the air to the canvas.

Frog laughed and squealed throughout – which is exactly the reaction I expected. She had so much fun with this splatter paint technique, I found a bonus door for her to paint:

Did you notice that I only have pictures of Frog with the splatter paint? Bird was wide-eyed with horror at this painting technique. I don’t know what worried her –  was it the shower cap? The wild, large motion? The fact that she is potty-training and this was just TOO messy? She was thrilled to play with the bucket of soapy water, but she refused to splatter paint. She sat back in the sandbox and directed her older sister to add paint to her door!! Oh, this made me smile. Isn’t this what all the great mural artists do? Hire assistants to help, to follow their expectations and guidelines?

All this fun painting led to some nature painting, as well. The girls painted on a backyard tree, just for the whimsy of it. Bright paint ended up unexpectedly on the grass and weeds nearby. Without a doubt, the backyard was the perfect location for this fun. And, oh yes, there were various stages of undress during some of the painting…whoops! lol

The doors look wonderful, I think. If we get a school holiday and weather permits, we’ll squeeze in some creative drawing with acrylic markers, letting the girls add additional details to the doors.  Here are the final creations:

Summer murals – Frog’s on left, Bird’s on the right

We had a fun summer! I hope you did, too. 

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Aura of August

Published on August 15, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

August.

Melting, wilting in a hot muggy daze. The evening approaches with wild, tempestuous storms, bringing precious but momentary relief to the air…and flickering lights. 

That old roof leak cannot be ignored anymore…let’s call for repairs.

August.

June and July were filled with travels; now the summer ends with quiet and slow. 

Here’s a month to “collect ourselves” – get a few chores done around the house, socialize with friends, cook at home (and enjoy lots of fresh vegetables and fruits), slip out in the early morning for a long walk . . . or linger in bed with a good book. 

I’m reading Daniel Nayeri’s Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) – absolutely delightful writing.

August.

Two days a week, we babysit the granddaughters, which means lots of fun play: playgrounds, Dad’s and Uncles’ old Legos, arts and crafts, puzzles, dolls, playdough, books, and more.

We discovered that one missing puzzle piece leads to finding and playing with many other things.

August.

Hon, when did you buy apples? Did you buy them before or after the granddaughters visited? 

After. Why do you ask?

Well, there are these tiny little bites in the apples, in the fruit basket on the counter. I wanted to believe it was our toddler. Ugh. It is, as I fear – a nighttime visitor. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. 

Time to set a mousetrap.

August.

Black-eyed Susans and crepe myrtles are in bloom everywhere. The milkweed is hearty and strong this year. Lots of bunnies and deer to be seen on my walks. 

There are always surprises to find in nature.

August.

All the teachers in my life are heading back for professional development, with students coming back to school very soon thereafter.

Three years into retirement, it still feels strange not to be stressed in August.

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Acadia Travels

Published on July 18, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

I’ve just returned from a wonderful family vacation in Acadia, Maine. I missed the ‘Slice of Life’ last week for the first time in months, due to spotty wifi and unending fun. How to describe the many sweet moments and gorgeous scenery? Let me share a few photos and tales.

We explored from sandy beaches to rocky cliffs. Throughout the park, there were wild blueberries on the rocky edges of paths. Most were still a bit green for picking, but we snacked on a ripe few. There were historic cairns as guides along the trails. We had lots of animal sightings – frogs, turtles, deer, crabs, sea urchins, and more. On our first walk, just as my son and I were passing by a marshy area, a barred owl took flight not ten feet from us – magnificent! 

Deep in the woods, I stopped from time to time to listen to the delightful chatter of new-to-me birds (thank you, Merlin app, for helping me identify these precious sounds!) – red-eyed vireo, dark-eyed junco, black-capped chickadee, golden-crown kinglet, and a variety of warblers with adorable names – black-throated green warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, magnolia warbler. I heard these birds so frequently, I began to recognize their calls. 

Early morning at Cadillac Mountain, our views were obscured by mist and fog. It was exquisite, all the same – and made for somewhat cooler hiking. We hiked along Dorr Mountain trail and enjoyed more visibility as the morning progressed.

Look closely, and you can see my granddaughter Frog standing on an outcropping. I remain awed by her prowess on the challenging rock scrambles of this and other hikes – she is only four and half years old, and moves with courage, flexibility, and desire. She was amazing! I, on the other hand, have returned home with new fitness goals for myself, in hopes of being stronger for next summer’s family hiking trip. I became so fatigued on this hike, I could only climb up higher on rocks by using my two hands to lift my leg up. Oh my! 

Tony loved the hikes where you reach the summit and partake in these extraordinary panoramas. I was thrilled by these, too, but the Acadia tidal pools nourished my soul. We had planned our visits with low tide, allowing us to see the beautiful diversity of these fragile regions. The beaches filled with rounded rocks in brown, orange, red, yellow – these were absolutely exquisite. 

I am filled with many special memories from this beautiful national park. Let me close with a poem I wrote yesterday, for Ethical ELA’s OpenWrite…a ‘venn diagram’ poem about the different parts of Acadia that Tony & I loved, and the overlap between the two.

Acadia

he treasured the vistas
panoramic views from mountaintops
sweaty exertion of climbing
weaving paths negotiating roots scrambling rocks  
our hiking chatter grunts laughter
tide pools mesmerized me
close intimate looking and tiny finds
slow steady careful stepping
so many lives both strong and fragile 
waves rippling rocks
invigorating
all our senses, tingling
immersed in precious wonder
being in nature
together
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Two Plus Two

Published on June 20, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
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of teacher-writers!

Big sister’s preschool is done for the year and we’ll be babysitting both granddaughters two days a week, all summer.  I have a fun backyard art project up my sleeve for these youngsters (2 ½ and 4 ½ years of age).

It begins with two old kitchen cabinet doors –

Remember these?

They were saved from those dazzling and naive days just a year or two ago, when we dreamed that the only thing the kitchen needed was a simple facelift. We began painting all the cabinets bright white. Ha! This was BEFORE the reality check of the ceiling buckling and the subsequent big remodel. (Note: “bowed” is not always a gift.)

Anyhow, we salvaged the doors and moved them to our garage, before the demolition. This summer, two of the doors will make a perfect canvas for art exploration. This creativity will be done outside, with these doors propped up against the fence. The girls will create and explore throughout the summer, making murals from these solid boards. We will use a variety of art techniques, watching the murals will change and grow over time. 

Here is Day One’s bucket of fun:

Day One is simply tape and paint. The girls will apply painter’s tape to the doors in any which way they like, and then roll on their favorite paint colors all over the door. I hope the girls enjoy this first morning of painting, on bright white canvases! 

When the paint dries, we’ll peel the tape off – and think about what to add next. More paint? Glue and some other materials? I’m not sure yet. We’ll decide as we go, layering the creativity. I’m excited to see where this leads. I promise to share photos along the way.

Two young ones + two old doors = summer fun at Nana and Poppa’s.

Happy summer!

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Lesson Learned

Published on June 13, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
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of teacher-writers!

A word to the wise: do NOT babysit a two year old while simultaneously supporting a four year old on a class field trip. 

What seemed like a good idea from the comfort of our home was simply a figment of our imagination, a mind game, the proverbial ‘rich learning experience.’ The field trip to the National Zoo was on the day that local air quality plummeted due to Canadian wildfires – I offer this as an excuse for our hazy decision-making skills. 

Early on in the adventure, waiting for the school bus with preschoolers and teachers to arrive, the littlest nature lover found a couple acorns on the ground and held them in one hand and yummy goldfish snacks in the other. Moments later we learned Lesson One: never ever ever take your eyes off the two year old. It is extremely challenging to ‘support’ preschoolers at the lion exhibit while simultaneously discovering that the acorns have been chewed and swallowed. Grab a paper towel – quick, spit it out – finger swipe inside cheeks – here, gulp water – swish and spit – hey, squirrels eat raw acorns all the time.

On with the field trip!

Moments later, barely recovered, we studied snakes with big sister and classmates in the reptile house, and repeated Lesson One: never ever ever take your eyes off the two year old. She was no longer at our side. Stroller was empty. It is true: time really does stand still when a child goes missing. Seconds of absence feel like hours. I ran a few steps back, retracing our steps, and THERE SHE WAS!! Little miss had slipped away without our knowing for one last reverential look at the Komodo dragon. 

This field trip aged me. 

There was only one lesson: 

Lesson One: never ever ever take your eyes off the two year old. 

It took two hard tries, but the lesson was learned and never to be forgotten. This field trip was not a situation where we were watching both big sister and little sister. From that point on, we kept our focus on the two year old, and let the teachers and ‘bonafide’ chaperones work with the preschoolers. We tagged along at the back of the pack, wished the class farewell when they returned to their bus, and we made our way back to our car.

The madness of the morning had one final and ridiculous crescendo moment in the parking lot, when two old fools could not figure out how to fold up the jogging stroller – a tool that our son thought would make things so much easier for us, out and about at the zoo. Where is the videotape of our ridiculous gyrations? Rest assured, “Squirrel” was locked into her car seat and plied with real, edible snacks while this wrestling match ensued. The whole debacle finally concluded with a somewhat humiliating text exchange with said son, and clarification of what gizmo is pressed and pulled in order to fold up the stroller beast. 

A long nap was had by each of us upon our return home.

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The Read Aloud

Published on May 23, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

I was the guest reader in my granddaughter’s preschool class this past week. I’ve been meaning to join them for a read-aloud this entire school year.

(This is MY school. Yes, I’m claiming it. Mine. Where I taught preschoolers for ten years before my retirement in June 2020.)

The excitement was palpable as soon as I walked in – but not because of me. The children invited me to see their caterpillar cage – three eastern black swallowtail butterflies had emerged from their chrysalises that very morning! This spring, the preschoolers have been exploring all things nature, especially, how things grow and change. There were rich learning experiences throughout the room. In addition to butterflies, there was a gardening area where the preschoolers have been growing herbs from seeds and a worm composting bin. There are pens and paper for observational drawings and lots of magnifying glasses. It was a busy and engaging room.

My granddaughter introduced me as “Nana,” which really made me smile. I have been Ms. Ingram for so long in this school – but, not to her, not to her.

I shared one of my favorite nonfiction books about worms, Wiggling Worms at Work (by Wendy Pfeffer, illustrated by Steve Jenkins) and kicked off the read-aloud by asking, what did they know about worms? Opening answer from a little friend waving their hand wildly: “I know I don’t like worms.” Hahaha. I love preschoolers! So ensued a lively book talk – with me peppering them with questions, and the children sharing their stories and wonders. I remember there was a rowdy ‘learning moment’ about using the word ‘castings’ rather than ‘poop.’ The read-aloud time passed in a flash – the next thing I knew, the book was read and our time together was over.

Learning is so unfettered when you are three and four years of age – you devour the world. What a gift to be back in the presence of these young minds, immersed in their energy, questions, and joy. 

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Talking Points

Published on May 16, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

When we are out and about, here’s what I notice –

the bearded irises are still pretty even when lounging on the lawn,
the begonia blossoms into tiny angels, and 
I'm so happy the peonies bloomed after the rains came through.


She offers me an entirely different take on the world. What does she notice?

She discovers it on cars. 
It is also popular on the lawn’s edge.
She’s been appalled to find it lurking on the front steps. 
Sometimes she stops in the middle of the street to bear witness. 
As if this wasn’t enough, in recent days, it has begun appearing on the windows at the back of our house. 

Have you guessed her obsession? 

Animal droppings. 
Especially - bird poop. Aviary guano. Foul of fowl. 

This spring has dovetailed (ooh, there’s a pun!) with toilet-training and she is riveted. Yes, this is the number one topic of my darling grandchild. (I nicknamed her ‘Bird’ - so, I suppose I should have predicted this grimy interest.) 

She has laser focus for every sighting. On our neighborhood walks, she gasps with alarm, needing to pause and inspect. She demands that every soiled area be cleaned up, immediately - and has been less than impressed when I refuse to do so, steering her away from the find. 

The rule ‘out of sight, out of mind’ does not apply. Each of these moments is treasured in her mind, and shared as the primary gossip of the day. 

What did you do, today, hon? 
There was bird poop on the window!

Who knew the world could be full of such mystery and wonder? 


I offer a simple poem, to remember this developmental stage of hers.

window washing

the gutters 
at back of house
are a favorite stop
for winged loiterers

heralding
foul of fowls
up, in, around

all to her delight
each discovery
so exciting

Nana! Gotta clean!

and so
spray and towel in hand
windows flipped open
I scour scrub rub  
sparkle shine
polishing away streaks

and she 
is right at my side
inspecting

SOLSC #30 – Angel House

Published on March 30, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

I moved the dollhouse upstairs to the corner of the landing, next to a bright sunny window, and set it on an old coffee table. Now it is at a good height for the children to play, and they can feel somewhat autonomous up here in this nook, while remaining within earshot of us as we work in the kitchen. I unearthed some furniture pieces from the attic crawlspace and set these up for Frog and Bird before a recent visit.

I couldn’t find any dolls, I’m sure these migrated to my preschool classroom over the years. I grabbed a couple Duplo figures, a forgotten Star Wars figure, and an angel from our Christmas ornaments that had lost its ‘hook,’ and set these up as ‘family.’ That little angel made an impression on the girls – they now refer to this play area as “angel house,” as in “I’m going to go upstairs and play at angel house,” which I find adorable.

At the craft store, I found some little wood figures and spent a sweet morning painting ‘people’ for the girls’ play. Now, everyone’s in the mix, one big doll community – the Star Wars guy, the Duplo, the angel, and the wood figures.

I am absolutely enchanted by the little stories they act out here at the dollhouse. They are thoroughly engaged by the varied pieces, setting up these sweet scenes and mini-dramas. I have not yet been successful at catching all their words, but have overheard words about working and dinner and Mama, Dada. I need to be a better spy, and capture their stories.

The dollhouse feels new and special to Frog and Bird, though it has been around forever. Between the pandemic and our home remodeling, it basically collected dust in a corner of the basement. Now, there is new life!

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