today we took the dinos
out of their safety zone and into the snow
they went
in the playhouse
down the slide
in the hollow log
in the sandbox
climbed up
jumped down
made footprints and snow angels
roamed on dinosaur island
played tag
went to a party
loved the snow
they all had a such a good time and were worn out.
“my son’s always showing me pictures of dinosaurs and asking me what their names are.
i don’t know, so i make stuff up:
that, son is a thesaurus.”
-craig ferguson
my class has recently become enamored with a giant box of dinos
they play with them every day
create wildly imaginative scenarios
ask questions about real dinos
reassure me that the ones in our room are not real
one day when playing, a child asked
“would they wear masks if they were alive now?”
another jumped up to say
“never, ever, ever, ever, try to put a mask on a t-rex!!!!”
and an instant class book was born
what a brilliant title
others jumped in to offer reasons why you shouldn’t try to mask one
brainstorming was in full swing
some became illustrators
it is a fascinating and funny work in progress.
dinos may have left the earth forever, but books will never die.
—
“stories are the common ground that allow people to connect, despite all our defenses and all our differences.”
-kate forsyth
one of my favorite things is to hear a child tell a story.
—
image credit: nicolette sowder, wilderchild
a quick exit.
why so sudden?
had goldilocks been there and heard the bears coming home?
—
“the first bowl of chocolate pudding was too hot, but goldilocks ate it all anyway because, hey, it’s chocolate pudding, right?”
-Mo Willems (author)
what could be better
then box-sledding
on dirt and dried grass
while dreaming of snow?
—
“my first playpen was a cardboard box.”
-michael lee-chin
love wandering around the town
discovering artists’ work
left in unexpected places
a sudden inspiration
using what they found
—
“i don’t think there’s anything in this universe as powerful as the power of an artist to create.
by that logic, we are all artists, aren’t we?”
-malcolm fernandes
what did i find at the farmer’s market?
lots and lots of berries, zucchini, tomatoes, farmers, pies, flowers, herbs, honey, bread,
and one tiny dragon.
—
“one does not need the size of a dragon to have the soul of a dragon. “
– robin hobb
art from discarded loose parts – recycled phones and cords
—
“it’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.”
-jean-luc godard
·
—
image credit: *telephone sheep by jean luc cornec, artists without borders
grandie j heads out
mohawk helmet on
backpack filled
with pokemon cards, water, hope
off on his bike to meet friends
at their ‘secret fort’
in the neighborhood.
after he makes his grand exit
grandie b, left behind, shares –
“we all have the same secret fort, but no one knows it.”
—
“well i know the secret places. and the nests in hedge and tree;
at what doors are friendly faces, in what hearts are thoughts of me.”
-henry wadsworth longfellow
on the shores of lake michigan
at dusk
sunset coming
j keeps trying
imagining his kite
flying high in the wind
and then –
it does.
—
“imagination is the highest kite one can fly.”
lauren bacall
—
holland state park, lake michigan, july 2020
