One little gem that I found in the little town we visited is featured here in my photo.

January 22–Small Stone Poem

Holly green

Berries red

Snow white on branches so sweet!

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January 20 2012

Snow is thick on the deck.
White layers of flakes are everywhere.

Barbecue smiles,
blissfully,
on winter staycation.                                                          

BARBECUE STAYCATION!

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A couple of weeks ago, I shared a photo in my post at 2012 POETRY! SNOW INSPIRES! The photo showed a light-reflected image on the deck behind our house. It looked to me like a piece of lined stationery. On FB, I posted a photo from another day that looked like an unlined piece of paper, just waiting for words.

Today, another unlined sheet of snow on the deck so I tried to write a poem–one word long, “Sno” .This is my small stone for today’s River of Stones January challenge:

January 19 Small stone poem SNO

Blank slate of snow

SNOW WORD ON STATIONERY

beckons me to write.

With paprika spice ink,

I shake out the word sno–

Sadly, “w” had no place to go!                                        

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He spoke for freedom. His words echoed from mountain-tops.

Today, people are still needing to hear that call to

“let freedom ring!”

SNOW FALLS FREELY!

This transaction is one that will go down in hockey history, like the Gretzky trade years ago. The mid-game send-off  in a taxi was an awkward treatment of a talented professional athlete.

Ironically, it occurs in the week of a certain NHL veteran’s 74th birthday–Frank Mahovlich!

The Big M coffee mug!

Yes, Frank Mahovlich, the Big M, is 74! The Hockey Fall of Famer, known for his smooth skate on the ice, powerful shots at the net, was traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a controversial multi-player package that dominated sportscasters’ comments for days.

Ultimately, Mahovlich thrived in Detroit and later played well in Montreal for the Habs. Hopefully, Cammalleri, also,  will fare well in his return to the west.

The hockey world will continue with its regular schedule, immediately, but the nature of this player trade will leave a negative impact. Is the status of a professional hockey player as insecure as the next period of hockey? Will players dress for the game, at least part of it, anyway?

Mid-game trade? Mistake.

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Adam Beach and a cast of talented, sometimes familiar, actors are starring in a new drama production filled with conflict and characters of all sorts–people and airplanes, set in the Northwest Territoriesof Canada.

Image via Wikipedia

Bobby Martin played by Adam Beach, a former resident of Yellowknife returns to his hometown with an MBA in his pocket and bit of baggage from the past. Knowledgeable and good-natured, entrepreneurial ambitions get caught up with friend connections and familial ties. No spoilers here!

Despite a bit of rough language, there were 3 main strengths of this new show that appealed to me:

• Setting–Northwest Territories–beautiful fly-overs, lakes in abundance in this first pre-winter episode;
• Characters–varied in nature and age–relatives, townspeople, visitors, high school classmates;
• Atmosphere–inter-twining of culture–use of English primarily but with some dubbed translation for Aboriginal Dene language at times in sister-brother conversation ; architecture of modern city buildings along with more wood-based structures.

If you missed the first episode, drop by CBC online to check it out. Look to the North for a new view!

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HANDMADE BOOKS!

A Happy New Year to all readers of this blog and thanks to those who had time to comment on various posts!

WordPress has sent me a great overview of the year’s activity on this blog in a very creative format. It gives a great perspective on a year’s worth of blogging here. Comments were much appreciated throughout the year. Merci!

Time it is for reflection & resolutions (if so inclined).

For me, I have decided that I will continue to poem as much as possible. Also, I will continue to make handmade books as they have become a favoured hobby of mine. Love the way I can upcycle previously used items into a brand new handmade book.

One version of bookmaking is the wish scroll. I shared this activity in a post at

10th Day of Christmas: New Year! New Wishes!

Will write more soon. Best all in 2012!

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This year’s poem, unlike the past year, did not have a specific theme. The end result is a cross-section of poetic thoughts entitled Lines Drawn from Greening Winds . Check out the link if you wish!

In this day of snow squalls and gusting winds, I have been working on 2012 plans, writing some poems and taking some pictures as the sun flickers in and out.

Thankful to be home, safe and warm on this winter’s day.

Snow shadow on our deck inspired a poem. Amazing how much the little things inspire!

2012 Snow Stationery!

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Through the years, many of us have learned the song, Twelve Days of Christmas, as children. We sang it in choirs or classrooms, heard it on the radio, even puzzled about it on our own. Just what did some of these words mean? Visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads might have made sense from another tune, but this one, with “lords a-leaping” just stretched my imagination to the limit!

Well, I am happy to say that Helaine Becker, Toronto author, and Werner Zimmermann, Guelph illustrator, have teamed together to give us a colourful, comprehensible Canadian version in a book entitled: A Porcupine in a Pine Tree–A Canadian 12 Days of Christmas. There is a soft cuddly corresponding porcupine available to accompany the book published by North Winds Press, issued by Scholastic, a company that has given young reader a plethora of titles to read at holiday times and throughout the year.

I scanned the book cover!

Helaine Becker has selected 12 familiar characters of Canadian culture, ranging from an endearing porcupine, sturdy caribou, sled dogs, even the Stanley Cup! My favourite has to be “Ten Leafs a-leaping”.

There is an air of mischief and delight in the cumulative list of gifts, so well drawn by illustrator Werner Zimmerman.

Colourful drawings of bear cubs, puffins, even Mounties and sled dogs demonstrate Zimmerman’s talents with the use of watercolour, pencil, ink.

Young children will delight in an annual read or singing of this soon-to-be Canadian classic. A signed copy of this book was gifted to me and it will be added to my list of Christmas favourites!

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ACCORDION BOOK

Do you have some favourite memories of this year? Book them in an accordion book!

Here is a list of possible memorable moments:

• wedding
• anniversary
• birth
• loss
• change of job or location

Take a moment to recall the year. Is there a special series of events you might like to remember? Make a list–check it twice if necessary.

Materials: one or several sheets of paper (one-sided print), pictures/photos from old calendars, magazines or catalogues, markers, coloured pencils, computer printouts

Then, select some papers to upcycle into a book. With a few folds, you can create some accordion books for capturing some of these moments. This photo shows an accordion book that I made last year. I cut out shapes and pictures from an old calendar.

Guidelines:

• Take a paper–recycle a one-sided print sheet to make a “green” book.
• Fold in half , then fold in half again.
• Open & take outer edge to middle, fold and press .
• Take the other outer edge, fold to middle and press.
• Open to see the “W” shape you have made. It will open and shut like an accordion!
• This can form one book, an accordion book.
• Once your book is made, record with words and pictures/sketches, some of the  main 2011 events.

If you have several memorable moments, make 2 or 3 accordion books to attach to each other.

This book can be as simple or detailed as you wish. Great all-ages project for little hands, older adults, even a time-filler for creative teens!

Have fun!  Remember to store your accordion book in a special place to look back at 2011.

Enjoy these remaining 2011 days!

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