1 July Heat “1 July Heat” by Molly OvendenOriginal. Acrylic on Card. Unframed. Part of the “Scrapings” Collection.Approximate Dimensions:7.5 inches x 9.5 inches3 inches x 3 inches (each square “scraping”)Click Here to Purchase “1 July Heat”How did it get its title?When I look at this painting, I see the blazing hot sun of July that shoots to the top of the sky in the peak summer days.What do I love out this piece?I love the way the gold metallic in the top left shimmers bright and hot–even looking at it feels like I need to wear sunglasses! And I also love how, especially in the top scrape, the colors streak downward in a gentle wiggle that reminds me of the mirage of heat haze on those mid-summer hot days. It’s cool, too, how solid the edges of each scrape are: the negative space is unbroken so each scrape pops out toward the viewer.Click Here – Be the first…I’d love to invite you to my Gratitude, Art + Poetry Joy Email list, so that you can be the first to know when new art becomes available for collectors to own.
1 April Showers “1 April Showers” by Molly OvendenOriginal. Acrylic on Card. Unframed. Part of the “Scrapings” Collection.Approximate Dimensions:7.5 inches x 9.5 inches3 inches x 3 inches (each square “scraping”)Click Here to Purchase “1 April Showers”How did it get its title?When I look at this painting, I see the ugly remnants of Minnesota winters–all of the grit, salt, gravel, and collection of random stuff that’s abandoned in snowbanks till spring. I see the giant piles of snow remaining on the end of the driveway next to the spring flowers which have begun blooming and the green grass waking up from its frozen hibernation.What do I love out this piece?I love the variety of pink textures, the way the yellow pushes through the darker colors, and how the negative space creates a hush of color that feels clean, like the yet-untouched snow from one of the last “winter weather advisory” days of the season alongside the first spring rains that melt the remaining snow, exposing what happened in the winter. There’s so much color and movement in this piece–it feels like the excitement of finally not being cooped up in your house after months of sub-zero and unending snowfall.Click Here – Be the first…I’d love to invite you to my Gratitude, Art + Poetry Joy Email list, so that you can be the first to know when new art becomes available for collectors to own.
Am I Grateful? Caption: This is a photograph of Molly Ovenden’s left hand (the photographer and author of this article) holding five smooth stones in a variety of colors on the shore of Lake Superior with white foaming waves coming into the sandy beach.It’s November now and Thanksgiving is upon us. For many of us, it’s a joyful time with family and food–for others of us, it’s a painful time without the food or family we want or need. And, for even others still, Thanksgiving and November are simply the days we live through, take for granted or struggle in.*******Would you like to be part of a live, online video course to help with your gratitude journaling practice?Wednesday, November 8 at 7-8:30pm Central TimeAre you in Duluth? Register here.Are you in Cloquet? Register here.Are you in Proctor or Hermantown? Register here.Are you somewhere else? Choose any of the above links to register.Expressing gratitude through the written word can be powerful for our hearts and beneficial for our mental health. Whether you’re a beginner or familiar with journaling, there is space for you here. Through interactive guided prompts and group discussion, you’ll have the opportunity to practice the profound habit of gratitude in your own notebook. After this workshop you’ll have several practical tools to keep the momentum of being thankful all year round. Let’s make November the month we deepen our gratitude practice through journaling. *******If you find offering gratitude something that comes easily for you, that’s fantastic and I’m truly grateful for YOU! 🙂 What follows may give you a new variety of ideas for your gratitude practice. If you, however, excel as noticing what you don’t have, where you haven’t been, who’s not in your life, or you just take everything as it comes without acknowledging it, then I hope what follows might inspire a thankful moment of pause in your daily life.Whether you journal to keep a record on paper (or digitally) or not, doesn’t matter as much as taking the time to reflect. One minute, one hour, one day…however much time is realistic for you, take that time.Here are a few ideas to keep the fire burning or to ignite it for your gratitude practice:Caption: This is a black and white photograph of someone who is right-handed, with a check-patterned shirt and a bracelet, writing with a pen in a lined journal with a ribbon.ONETake a moment to consider your day and the people in it. Complete these two phrases honestly. Once you’ve responded, take action or get back to your day-to-day.1. The person I’m most grateful for today is (BLANK) because (BLANK)…2. The moment I’m most grateful for today is (BLANK)…TWOGet present to all your senses and allow your heart and mind to swell with gratitude. Here are some examples from my recent practice:Sight – I am thankful for Duluth’s autumn colors.Sound – I am grateful to hear my niece and nephew’s laughter.Smell – I am grateful for the crisp, fresh, frosty morning scent of mulching leaves.Taste – I’m thankful for the sweet tang of apple cider.Touch – I’m grateful for the cozy warmth of extra quilts and crocheted afghans.Caption: This is a photograph of Molly Ovenden, author of this article, smiling at the camera, wearing a navy cardigan and fluffy, grey scarf.THREECreative reflections, especially when we make as a significant part of our time, can be beneficial to measure progress and to help remember why we love making it. If creating for work or for pleasure or for favors on behalf of others is something you have a habit of doing, perhaps add to your habit expressing gratitude while you make or create. Or, try expressing gratitude for all that you have made.Maybe you create paintings or partnerships. Maybe you make meals or meaningful experiences. Maybe you knit cardigans or you lead adventure tours. Whatever you make or create, big and small, consider the positive impact and the gratitude you have for each.You could ask these questions:1. This week I made (BLANK) for (BLANK) and I feel grateful because…2. I tried a new (BLANK) recently, and I love that I took time for that because…3. I’m thankful I made a connection with (BLANK) because…4. I’m proud of myself for (BLANK) and I want to pause to be thankful because…FOURThere are so many ways to be thankful, whether it’s around the dinner table, holding your favorite mug of tea, coffee, apple cider, or in your gratitude journal.Journaling can be a gift of a method to keep track of the good that’s happened in your life and it can also be a reminder to take a moment to reflect and celebrate all that’s around you.I’ve made a 30-day freebie for you to enjoy a gratitude practice all month long. Simply enter your email address here and you’ll receive 30 daily prompts to guide your Gratitude Journaling practice.Truly, I’m grateful for YOU, my dear reader, for taking time to read through these ideas and consider how gratitude could be a practice in your life.Happy Thanksgiving (in October to my Canadian readers and in November to my American readers) and happy year-round giving thanks to all of us!
3 Methods of Journaling Practice to Improve Your Daily Life Journaling as a daily practice may sound too intense or too time consuming for your own life–that’s okay! You can still benefit from little bits of journaling throughout the day with a one-line reflection or every few days. You can even try seasonally or at crucial and transitional times of life.Sometimes we feel stuck in life’s circumstances, but we don’t know why. Other times, life is simply overwhelming with endless distractions and endless opportunities, resulting in decision-fatigue. Still other various points in life offer us the opportunity to let go of a certain heaviness or give us a leg up to heal and grow in our own lives. Journaling regularly can improve the quality of your life, your mental health, and help you to make a positive impact on the world as you become who you’re made to be.Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional. This article and tips within it are meant to encourage you along the way, but are not a substitute for professional help. If you are struggling with your mental health, please reach out to your general practitioner, therapist, counselor, or spiritual director for the professional attention you need.I am a typewriter poet, writer, coach, speaker, and visual artist. I know about being in the trenches of creativity and being paralyzed by views of current circumstances (and dreading the days because life isn’t what you’d hoped it would be). I also know about wanting to improve and taking the initiative to move forward and make positive changes, but feeling at a loss for how to prioritize.In this article I want to offer three simple methods for you to use as a journaling practice to improve your daily life.This is an original acrylic painting I painted because of how much I enjoy engaged with the seasons, and I especially love autumn. Find out more about my art here.1. Use your 5 senses: Stay present.If your mind is full of future worries, anxiety, uncertainty, it can be challenging to stay in present reality. If your soul is heavy from past hurts, shame, or failure, making any change to improve your conditions can be challenging, or even impossible. These non-present states of being can be a strain on your mental health and prevent you from moving forward and slow you down from becoming who you’re truly made to be.When we engage our five senses, we lovingly force ourselves to pay attention to here and now. It can be emotionally and spiritually grounding to acknowledge what is real and accurate as we experience life in present time: no slower or faster than here and now.Try this: Using one line per sense, write a brief present account of your experience right here and right now. This doesn’t need to take any longer than five minutes and can be quicker than that.Example:I can hear the morning rush hour traffic heading to work.I can feel the chilly air on my fingers.I can smell my hot cup of coffee after it’s brewed.I can taste my mint toothpaste.I can see the messy desk in front of me.Whatever you notice in your five senses is information. There’s no need to make meaning over what you notice, but simply notice and take notes. This is journaling that you can do at any point during the day and with any frequency that you fancy. Becoming present in this sensory manner alleviates past and future anxieties by being focused on here and now. This offers clarity for emotions and for decision making.Photo Credit: Used with permission from Pexels || Karolina Grabowska2. Engage with poetry: Express emotions safely.If your mind is full and processing at race pace, it may feel like there’s no time to pause for emotions. Emotions at any heightened state (whether it’s elation or devastation) can feel scary, overwhelming, or too much.When I was a kid, I learned that in order to stay safe and not bring any pain to others, that I should keep my emotions as even as possible. If I was too excited and celebrating, someone who was not celebrating the same achievement my feel disappointed or like I was arrogant celebrating “in their face.” If I was too sad or angry, someone else might become sadder or more angry than they wanted to be, so I should regulate my expression of emotions to not have a negative impact on anyone.Having grown and healed a lot, having worked with professionals who have helped me identity, experience, and express emotions, and then, express them healthily, I’ve learned that the feelings we have can often be indicators of what our emotions are in our real circumstances. Our emotions can trigger various thoughts and then, prompt certain actions, as a result. As I’ve grown as a writer, I’ve noticed how poetry is a fantastic and effective container for and carrier of emotion. Lots of poetry is a manageable length, meaning that you can take a moment to read a poem and be curious to notice how you feel, what emotions surface, and how you want to respond as a result of interacting with the poem.Try this:Read one of the following poems and journal for a few lines, answering a selection of these questions:a) “What memories were stirred as I read this poem?”b) “What fears or shame came up?”c) “What do I love/hate about interacting with this poem?”d) “What would I add to/change in this poem to personalize it for myself?”e) “If I were to complete the phrase, ‘I feel…’ after reading this poem, what would I say?”Simply allow yourself curiosity in this space with poetry. When we notice what comes up, it’s like taking a deep breath or having a sigh of relief. Sometimes we don’t know that we’re hanging onto something, but poetry can help to loose the grip and unlock insight.Example Poem 1:“I Feel Happy”By Molly OvendenI love to run in yellow-flowered fieldsWhen leaves of tall treesTickle blue skies.I love to smile at yellow petalsWhen the outdoor ceiling shinesBrilliant blue between branches.I love to imagine a day whenMy yellow flower friendsGo on walksAnd tell jokesAnd giggle with joy.I love to imagine a day whenMy arms stretch as high asThe trees to feel the fluff of Clouds between my fingers.I love these happy days whenMy heart wraps aroundThe blue sky full of trees andThe yellow flowers full of sunshineBecause…I want to hug them!Example Poem 2:“When the Ice…”By: Molly OvendenIce cracks a gunshot echoingShattered silence speaksThe roaring waters beneathShards of ice float piled highPushed relentless by the LakeObscuring the view untilWaves dance, swaying to meltTo music of ice chimesWaters ebb and flow along the shoreKeeping time to the rhythm of springSuch beauty once dappled in winter freezeOf Lake glassWith winter tears to grieve its deathSay farewell with April’s breathWhose soul, watered to explodeWith greens and purples andAll colors bright,Shares light of suns risingMornings earlier, perhaps its farewellTo the long winter’s nightAll the rage of the inland seaAll the rage of all that sinks so deepAll the rage of what’s withheldCrashes free, drawn from leagues beyondThe ice breaks, the dawn awakesThe ground quakes with a surge of new lifePoems For My People: Community, Volume 1 is a collection of poetry I wrote that captures a broad spectrum of human emotion, featuring 100 poems written for 100 individuals–mostly spontaneous and in live settings with my typewriter. Find out more here.3. Morning Pages: Daily Reflection and Brain DumpThe concept of “Morning Pages,” or three handwritten pages of stream-of-consiousness writing, done first thing in the morning was popularized by Julia Cameron, particularly in her book, The Artist’s Way and elaborated on with more detailed descriptions in her newer book, The Listening Path.Morning pages are everything and they are nothing at all. They are everything that you can possibly think of in the morning when you’ve just woken up and they aren’t necessarily about anything in particular.Example: I’m annoyed that my back hurts because my mattress and I wish I wasn’t allergic to dogs and we have to take the laundry out of the dryer before our landlords need to use the laundry room and I can’t remember what else I need to do before my trip next week and my muscles on my rib keep twitching and it’s weird and what does weird mean? And I wish I had straightforward answers to…etc.Morning pages can clear the cobwebs of your waking up mind and offer permission for the day and clarity for prioritization. But, they also can be a map for the direction to go with a project or where to unearth a solution.Morning pages can often demonstrate what you care about deeply. When we journal first thing in the morning (or even, last thing at night), we are tired enough to not edit or censor ourselves from otherwise telling the truth of what we think and feel. We can dump out all of the stuff of life that feels bigger when we leave it to constantly remind us that it’s there. When we put our thoughts or worries on the page, they are allowed to be the size that they really are.Morning pages allow small things to stop being obnoxious in our brains, bouncing around for attention. And this tired form of journaling gives voice to the big things that our conscious mind tells to be quiet and shuts down when it’s awake and trying to keep us safe.It may feel intimidating to start journaling Morning pages, but you can always use a variety of prompts, like questions to answer or to finish a sentence.Try one of these prompts:Today, I feel…I wish I knew what to do about…What would happen if I finally said yes to my dreams?It’s really scary that…What if good things happened instead?If I’m honest with myself, the thing I’ve been avoiding is…I remember…My favorite…I love…The worst/best thing I remember happening to me…Reading your journals as another practice can be beneficial to notice patterns, to express gratitude, to celebrate progress and overcoming. When we slow down long enough to pay attention and notice, our mental health and our growth overall in daily life improves. Why? We’re no longer stuck in our heads catastrophising or being lonely and unrealistic. Putting words and thoughts and emotions on the page help us to identify what actions we might take toward health and growth–that, without writing it down, we might not have noticed.May you be inspired today in your journaling practice whether you’re starting for the first time, trying again, or a seasoned journaler. Happy discoveries and happy healthy growth to you on the page!…Would you like a few prompts to get you started in your journaling practice? Sign up here for creative journaling prompts to nudge you toward growth and health in your everyday creative life.Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional. This article and tips within it are meant to encourage you along the way, but are not a substitute for professional help. If you are struggling with your mental health, please reach out to your general practitioner, therapist, counselor, or spiritual director for the professional attention you need.
Poetry As Transitional Object Where I live in Northern Minnesota, the end of summer looms in meandering heat and cool turns. It can be easy to feel discouraged that our short summer–which we wait for throughout the whole of the many, many months of winter–is running out of steam. It’s goodbye to leisurely beach picnic days and hello to back-to-school schedules and new routines.Even for adults who don’t go back to school, simply seeing the fall colors change can be a difficult transition. Sometimes it’s even a time of mourning the loss of our favorite season in the Northland. As the air gets chillier and the days get shorter, I want to offer a kind of help through poetry.What is a transitional object?In therapy and psychology fields, there is a term that we could give to a poem: a transitional object. Often this is most thought of in the form of a teddy bear or blanket that offers comfort for an infant transitioning into toddlerhood. But, adults can have transitional objects, too. Maybe you choose a rock from your time on the North Shore this summer–you set it on your desk or carry it in your pocket. You have a bit of summer slow and warmth with you as the weather cools and changes. There is a familiarity with that object, a happy memory of peace and pause.Could poetry be a transitional object for you?Poetry might be an alternative transitional object for you. Because poetry is an effective container for emotions, and because many of us find transitions and change challenging, a poem could be something to add to our routines during a transitional phase. A poem of celebration and awestruck wonderment of nature, like one by Mary Oliver could bridge the gap in between seasons. A poem of gratitude or empowerment for a dear friend, like one by Pierre Alex Jeanty, could give you the strength you need as you move into a new season. Or maybe you’re in a time of grief from the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, the loss of health through a cancer diagnosis, or the loss of community because you’ve moved: a poem of grief, like one by Sussi Louise Smith, could carry you through the seasons.As a Typewriter Poet, I offer poems as containers for emotion.Sometimes the intensity of a seasonal change (in the impact of temperature or hours of daylight) can feel too heavy. Sometimes the excitement of a new season due to a welcomed new beginning even feels full. Often when I’m out writing poetry in public on my typewriter, I meet people who are full of excitement and delight about a new relationship, a new baby, a new cabin, a new experience and their poem carries this high and joyful emotion. They frame it because of what the words hold. A personalized poem is just that: personal. Whether a poem is written for you or it’s one that resonates with you in this season, it can be your container for joys or sorrow or simply slowing. And a poem is often a small container–nothing too overwhelming, but a page–maybe two, in a book. It takes a couple of minutes of pause to sit in the moment–just a couple of minutes to allow stillness while living in transition. A poem isn’t a big commitment like a novel or self-help book you have to listen to while you’re cleaning or commuting, but a poem can be digested and savored in a short space of time, with regular visits to a resonant phrase or line. You can carry this poem in this season as the poem carries you through this emotional transition, too.Where to find poetry?You can visit your local library or independent bookstore for recommendations, or you can visit my website, mollyovenden.com/poetry for a regularly updating list of poetry collections I’ve enjoyed.I hope you’ve been inspired to consider how poetry can be a gift for you and your loved ones during times of emotional transition.
5 Creative Questions to Ask to Overcome Summer Doldrums of Boredom As I write this, it’s the first week of July in 2023. It was a cool, breezy morning and I spent time writing outside, nearly mosquito-free, and it was delightful! Since it’s the beginning of the month, I always like to reflect. I look back on each month about what went well and how I might like to adjust focus or priorities for the next month. I reflect on my priorities and goals overall in life and also in my creative work.I also like to reflect regularly each week and ask myself the same five questions. I wanted to share these with you as we’re in the middle of summer. I’ve heard a few friends who have lamented that summer is almost over. Eeks! Especially my friends who have school-age children, the summer can bring an extra level of creativity needed. It can be a time of summer doldrums and boredom…so, let’s overcome those doldrums and bring some new creativity in your summer for yourself or any young ones you have in your life.Let’s get into the questions and share some interesting insight for how you can overcome summer doldrums and re-invigorate creativity to enjoyable be present in this season.1. Who is in your life?Where I live in northern Minnesota, summer is such a special season. We finally have warmth and sunshine. It’s such a welcome break from the below freezing cold and snow that we jokingly (in all seriousness) say lasts 10 months of the year! Now that we don’t have to wear socks with our sandals, we can participate in a lot of different activities. With different activities come different people.Assessing who the people are in your life can be helpful to keep creativity alive in your life. If you find yourself alone in your office or your home and the weather is gorgeous, you may want to join a sports league, go to a coffee shop with another mom or work-from-home friend and work outside to catch the sunshine. From walking groups, running and mountain biking clubs, to paddle boarding, kayaking, and many other water sports (examples: fishing, pontooning, rafting, wild swimming, etc.), there are so many opportunities to get outside and meet new people.Maybe you’re happy with the people who are in your life, but you need to change up your activities and how you spend your time. Often reflecting on the “whos” in your life helps you to assess all of the “whats.” Seeing who is in your life allows you to decide if you need to expand or narrow your relational circle.2. What are you listening to?There are so many different sounds in the summertime. Because we can get outside so much more easily in this neck of the woods, it can be a treat to do normal things outside. A memory I have from childhood is bird watching. We did this year round, but when I could be outside to spot the birds in the nearby trees, and better yet–hear the birdsong, it was magical.Listening to and identifying birdsongs could be a joyous summer tradition to develop in your family with friends, no matter your age. Like gathering with people to partake in seasonal activities outside during summer, listening can be communal, too. Where my husband and I live, there is a lot of live music year round at local public attractions and breweries. But, when it’s warmer, the music reverberates joyously outside in tents, in parks, by the lake. Asking yourself what you and your family or friends are listening to can be a gift to point toward an enlivening solution.Whether you take up bird “listening” (ie: bird watching) or attending concerts in the park, these special and “out of the norm” activities can add creative inspiration to your life.3. What are you reading?Reading is a year round activity in the Ovenden household for me, at least! But during summer, I like to read certain types of books and more books in general. For students and children, to continue reading may feel like a chore, but if they are given the chance to pick fun or silly reading, their relationship with books can improve. Or, at the very least, it continues the creativity and learning they’d been doing the last several months in school. Maybe a child wants to spend time reading a graphic novel or comic books. That’s brilliant that they are enjoying reading. Give them the gift of literary enjoyment so they can take it with their whole lives. It can be a great idea for kids to have several types of reading on the go. They can explore lighter literature alongside chapter books or series, depending on their age and ability. As a Language Arts teacher at heart, I’m always going to promote reading for enjoyment as well as for learning.During the summer, I like to ask myself what I am reading because I tend to give myself permission to choose lighter fiction. There are some incredible books written by amazingly prolific authors who do a really good job writing lighthearted cozy mysteries or chick lit love stories. One practice I have in the summer is to have several books in a stack whose titles include keywords like summer, lake, beach, sun, etc. (I like to do this in other seasons, too!)Thousands of books come into the world every year. If it feels overwhelming to pick what to read, ask your local independent bookstore staff for recommendations on what to buy or you can ask a librarian–libraries often have summer reading programs and contests, as well as curated summer collections to help you feel inspired by reading something new or different this season. Maybe you’ll even try a new collection of poetry here!4. What are you eating?This is always a great question for me as I’ve been paying attention more to my body and how it responds to certain foods. In the summer when the weather is great, my body feels better, too. So, when I eat something that doesn’t make my body feel amazing, it’s a lot more noticeable for me.In Northern Minnesota, there is not a very long growing season from many fruits and vegetables, so it’s usually challenging to get the freshest fruits and vegetables year round. Choosing strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, tomatoes, lettuce, scapes, etc. can be really exciting when the flavors are so much stronger in season.If you’re used to eating out of a box or from a wrapper, asking yourself this question can jolt your culinary spark to include foods without wrappers. You may likely have a local farmers market once or twice a week nearby. If you’re not sure where you might go, you can always ask your local grocery store where their most seasonal and local produce is in the store. Then you can choose seasonally.5. What are you creating?There is so much to create over the summer. New habits or routines with food or friends. Travel plans or memories of meals outdoors. I remember as a child roadtripping to several state parks and taking the activity classes happening in the event centers. One summer my mom and I learned how to make dream catchers out of willow branches. We got hooked on creative these beautiful mobile-esque sleeping accompaniments to catch bad dreams to be consumed by spiders or melted by dew drops.Maybe you are creating a garden full of flowers you can pick for fresh bouquets in your home. Creating barbecue spreads for the neighborhood families to eat together can be a fun challenge, too. Maybe you create new habits around reading or eating or exercise. Whatever you are creating, I want to encourage you to press in to it because we can have movement and momentum through creativity.Sometimes undertaking art projects can feel overwhelming and messy when you’re stuck inside, but splatter painting, sun printing, gelatin printmaking, or another messy collage or art project can be great to do outside, too. Many local programs in schools or art organizations have special summer programming for adults and children to explore new areas of creativity in art.When we build a rhythmic life of assessing levels of creativity, we can know that developing a solid summer rhythm of newness can mean that we go into the quieter, darker months of autumn and winter with a depth of energy and new life that can feed our souls as days grow shorter.Which question feels most inspiring to you?No matter how you answer these five questions, I hope that you’ll be able to assess your life on a regular basis. I hope that my creative practice of asking myself these, almost weekly, questions helps you make the most of this season and spurs you on to enjoy the fullness of summer even when some folks young and old around you might get “bored.” If you’re struggling with decision making or feel like you’re at a crossroads in your creative life, I’d love to talk to you. I offer one-time and packages of individual coaching sessions. If you need a sounding board to help you hear the call of creativity in your life, I’d be delighted to offer constructive guidance and professional encouragement. Check out what it looks like to work with me here and here.
3 Reasons a Campfire Keeps a Child’s Learning Fresh There’s something mesmerizing about a campfire. You can stare at the flames for hours as they move over the logs, crackling, and preparing themselves for the best space for roasting marshmallows. When it’s safe to have a campfire this summer, it can be a memorable time with family, friends, and children over the summer. Campfires and nature inspire curiosity and connection, both of which are gifts for our own lifelong learning and for any students or children in our lives, too. There are many reasons why campfires contribute toward fresh and continual learning. Three of those of are: one, campfires allow us to get outside with a purpose; two, campfires are great places for culinary experimentation, and three, campfires inspire storytelling and sharing.Get outside (with a purpose)Sometimes we tell children simply to go outside and expect them to explore or not get into any trouble, but if they’re used to being inside all the rest of the year, it can be overwhelming. Interacting with nature can be a naturally freeing activity. Having a bonfire together with friends or family provides a bridge between being active and having a purpose.A) While you are outside, you can practice identifying trees based on the type of wood or bark (or by the leaves of nearby trees) you’ll use to build the fire.B) Keeping curiosity alive through tree identification can also happen by collecting textures of trees or leaves, or by following inspiration in the area around where the campfire later will be burning. You can simply use a crayon and cheap copier paper to capture wax relief textures. The paper can later be used as a fire starter or saved for inspiration.C) Developing a healthy respect of fire, learning about the environment and the impact fire has on the earth is an opportunity for learning, too, this summer. Researching news stories or scientific research at the library or online can engage lifelong learning this summer, all inspired simply by a campfire. You can even learn how to build the most efficient fire.2. Culinary experimentation (s’mores and more!)A) It can be fun to go shopping for bonfire snacks. Maybe a child picks out a new snack or treat that they are unfamiliar with (and adults can do this, too!). Researching how to prepare the snack or its cultural origins can be educational and entertaining. Who knows? Maybe wasabi peas will become a firm favorite among family and friends, but only while you’re sitting around the fire.B) S’mores are delicious! Gooey marshmallow, chocolate, and graham cracker. Why mess with a good thing? Because it can be really fun to experiment with different flavor combinations! Maybe you try a chocolate candy bar that has caramel or nuts in it and melt that with your marshmallow. Perhaps your favorite cookie would be a winning combination to replace the graham crackers. It could be a fun tradition of curiosity pairing flavors around the campfire.3. Storytelling (and sharing)A) As an author an avid reader, I’m always going to recommend getting to the library and being amongst books. What if you start a tradition among family and friends to read poetry or a book of myths, fables, legends? Being in the library among real, physical books, whether they are graphic novels, chapter books, memoirs, or audio books…these stories real and imagined provoke curiosity. So, spend time in the library and check out books that intrigue you. When someone is interested, they’re more likely to learn and stay curious in life. And then read a story aloud to each other.B) Tell stories, too! There is a magical truth-telling quality to time reclining near the fire. The warmth, the flickering, can open up a desire for relational connection. Developing a family culture in which you ask questions about life and experiences and childhood memories is a powerful platform upon which to build healthy family memories together.C) And when someone asks you questions, allowing yourself to be honest about what’s important to you can be a gift to your loved ones resting by the fire with you. Discussing meaningful topics in a safe space invites lifelong learning when curiosity is rewarded with openness.There are so many more ways that a campfire can promote lifelong learning with a child or student and their family. Fires in a safe enclosed environment paired with some type of learning or relational engagement help keep the summers interesting. When adults make this creative pursuit a habit, it’s easy to have a natural curiosity rub off onto a child or student in their midst.
4 Ways to Appreciate Poetry For many people, poetry is something beyond ethereal, something that feels out of reach for some to engage with. Even for a confident writer, poetry can be challenging to approach, let alone to appreciate.In school, often we are taught to break up poems into pieces, dissecting them like frogs or fetal pigs and we’re left with a nauseous feeling in the pits of our stomachs. What is poetry and why do I want to appreciate it?Poetry is, in simple terms, a word container for expressing emotions. It is a method to gather thoughts or experiences and articulate them in a way that can be interpreted from various unique angles. It is a manner in which to express intangible concepts like Beauty, Love, Truth in words, making them a bit more tangible. Poetry is a form of writing which allows the writer to create word art within a rigid and disciplined framework, but also allows the writer to create words by breaking all of the rules and letting go of suffocating structure.There are several different types of poetry–if you use a search engine online, you’ll find many articles with varying viewpoints on how many forms of poetry exist. You’ll also encounter words like enjambment, onomatopoeia, alliteration, anaphora, consonance, assonance–these are all literary devices, or tools, that help you to communicate meaning through writing.Overall, poetry is complexly simple and it’s basic to write and experience, while simultaneously being layered, confusing, and complicated. But, if you’re willing to invest a little time to experience poetry, I think you’ll be more willing to appreciate it as a type of writing–even if you don’t fall madly in love with it.There are four ways to get started appreciating poetry:1. Reading it.2. Listening to it.3. Writing it.4. Giving it as a gift.Reading it.There are so many different types of poetry! Reading widely can open your eyes to finding the type of poetry or a specific poet whose work you particularly enjoy. Whether you read William Shakespeare’s sonnets from the 16th century London or Ogden Nash’s light (and often humorous) verse from the 1900s in New York, interacting with a range of poetry will help you appreciate the diversity of expression through this form of writing.You may grow to love Maya Angelou’s southern passion from the late 20th century into the 21st, or you may fall in love with Morgan Harper Nichols’ contemporary poetry paired with her own artwork.Perhaps reading Chitra Divakaruni’s poetry from India from around the 1990s, like her poem, “Woman with Kite” or Mutabaruka’s poetry from Jamaica in the same era, like his poem called, “dis poem” will teach you to appreciate poetry in its vibrant diversity.Check out a book of poetry from the library or ask at your local independent bookstore for their poetry recommendations.Or, you could choose a poetry collection I’ve written, like Poems for My People: Community, Volume 1, available here.Listening to it.Many poems are written to be displayed in such a way that visual meaning comes across when a poem is simply read from the page. More often than not, however, poetry is written to be experienced and performed. I know some writers who have gone on the quest to create the most aesthetically pleasing poem to read aloud. The way the mouth can articulate a poem through its rhythm, repetitions of sounds, where breathing and pauses occur–all of this is lost when a poem is merely read from the page.But, when it’s performed, it can come alive! You can read poems aloud by yourself or you can have someone read them to you. If you don’t have a poetry companion to read to you in person, you might like to try listening to poetry podcasts like “A Mouthful of Air” with Mark McGuinness. You can also find some poetry to listen to on sites like PoetryFoundation.org.Writing it.Once you’ve been inspired to appreciate poetry by reading it and listening to it, now you can try writing it. You might believe at first that you’re no good at writing poetry. Maybe you aren’t, and that’s okay. But, what if you were good at writing poetry and you had a real gift of collecting words in this literary container?This article on the Grammarly blog shares several simple steps to help you get started writing poetry.You could also take a class to help you get started writing poetry. I teach one such class called, “Playing with Poetry.” New class and workshop dates are posted inside the shop here. If you already enjoy writing poetry, but are looking to develop your poetry skills or want support to publish your collection of poetry, I’d love to chat with you about your poetry project. Take a look at the coaching packages I offer here.The basics of starting to write poetry, however are:1. Read a variety of poems written in various forms, time periods, by a variety of poets.2. Make observations about the poems. What do you like or dislike? Do you know why?3. Choose a topic to write about. It can be silly or serious, but start with just one.4. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and brainstorm a list of things you could say about this topic. 5. Select bits from the list that sit comfortably together or simply use bits that you enjoy.6. Write the selected words or phrases from the list into an assembled mixture of lines and literary devices.7. Revise your poem to ensure it includes specific details, vivid imagery, emotion, and is in the accurate structure (if you’re following a precise form with rules). Otherwise, you can practice using free verse. This can be a great form to choose when you’re starting out.8. Read your poem and experience it on the page visually. Make any adjustments you feel necessary.9. Read your poem aloud. You may want to record yourself reading it confidently and listen to the recording. It may feel awkward at first to listen to your own voice, but push through the discomfort and all yourself to experience your poem. Again, make any adjustments you feel necessary.10. Write another poem! Note: Sharing your poetry with others is always optional. Often we can use poetry as a tool to express emotion that we don’t feel comfortable revealing to others. This is a great use of poetry — as a gift to ourselves.Giving it as a gift!Once you’ve experienced a number of poems, you likely have found some writers you enjoy. You may have also discovered you enjoy writing poetry.A magical way to develop a deep appreciation for poetry is to give someone else the gift of poetry. You can do this in several ways.As you’ve been practicing writing poetry, you can write someone a poem and give it to them. If you do this, know that it is a vulnerable act to give poetry from your heart, so be careful about who the recipient is. Your appreciate deepens when you experience the poem from another person’s perspective.You may find a special edition or collection of poetry of your new favorite writer to purchase for your loved one or friend as a gift. When you get the chance to explain what you love about this writer or this collection, your appreciation for poetry deepens.Commission a poem for yourself or a loved one. You may have the rare privilege of coming across a writer who is busking in public and writing typewriter poetry (I am one of those people! Read more about that here.) Requesting a poem to be written on your behalf or to gift as an anniversary or “just because” kind of gift is in and of itself a demonstration of your growing appreciation. Your request communicates honor of the craft of poetry and creativity. Playing a role in the birth of a poem is a special and unique opportunity. Schedule a commission a poem from me here.Note: The entire Poems for My People Collection features poems written for individual people. Either the person requesting the poem needed something poetic for themselves to process grief or joy, or they want to communicate an intangible and emotional experience.Celebrate National Poetry Month this April and grow in your appreciation for poetry!
Why Read What Women Write? Why Read What Women Write?I have a simple answer to this question: because they have written something! It takes a lot of work and courage to produce anything in writing–even a short blog post–even when someone is a talented writer. There are lifetimes of wisdom, insight, encouragement, creative delight on bookshelves all over the world that women have painstakingly and joyfully pulled from brain to page and gotten them into the hands of readers like you who will devour their words.As it is Women’s History Month in the USA, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be a writer and to be a woman. There are literally countless written works by women writers available to us in the library, bookstores, online archives, and probably our own bookshelves at home. Where should we start, and why? What first comes to mind for me is something I read as a teenager in English class. Published in 1892, the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman brought to light issues of mental illness and misunderstanding of female psychology–among other things. This was controversial and revealing about the quality of life and quality of mental health which Gilman observed and wanted to share. “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a gift from history left to us to get an inside look at how things might have been experienced in the past, as the story is thought to be partly autobiographical. This fascinating piece is now in the public domain and you can read it here.When we read work written by women writers throughout history it widens our perspective beyond our normal, everyday life, and increases our awareness of how other people experience the world. In the same way that reading fiction allows us the opportunity to practice empathy by connecting with the main characters, reading words written by people who are different from us is essential.As a young girl, I loved writing. When I read, I felt inspired to write and be creative in other areas of my life. I remember one assignment in grade school I had that I loved: research an author you enjoy. I chose a local Minnesota author who lived in St. Paul at the time, Judy Delton. During her career as an author, Delton wrote 40 chapter books for young readers in the Pee Wee Scout series (find out more about them here) and many picture books. She was a family friend and I got the privilege of meeting her–a real author! She even wrote me a letter to encourage me in my own writing. One of the characters in the Pee Wee Scouts is named Molly, and although I’m fairly certain she wasn’t named after me, there was still a connection. And it was inspiring to read because I knew the author. When I was growing up, we had another family friend, romance author named Betina Krahn, who continues to be a delightfully, madly prolific author of stories that her readers devour. In many ways, I can look back and see breadcrumbs of the women who came before me and I feel a weighty sense of gratitude for how they’ve made a way with their writing work so that I could step into being the writer I am today.Writers are normal people–we really are! And when we can as readers make a connection with the authors of work we can appreciate the conversation through literature that follows. Why read what women write?While we can in 2023 look back in history as the women who wrote and inspired us with their courage to overcome societal norms that held them back. George Eliot, for instance, who wrote a book called Middlemarch in the mid-nineteenth century is a pen name for the woman author, Mary Ann Evans. You can read more about Evans/Eliot and other women of classic literature here in the Literary Ladies Guide. She published under a man’s name in order to be accepted as a writer. Some may say that it was oppressive and unfair that she didn’t or couldn’t use her given name, but I think it’s an empowered decision. Evans/Eliot didn’t allow society to hold her back from expressing through words. She overcome society by using a pen name and worked diligently to get her words out into the world. I admire this perseverance greatly.Why read what women write? Why not? I find it interesting that there is an argument for investing time to read Women’s Literature when “Men’s Literature” isn’t really a category that needs persuasion to read from. I don’t have any issues with reading books written by men. However, if we are reading only one type of book or books written by one type of person, our thinking and human interaction can be narrowed. Instead, how might we all benefit from reading widely? I coach and teach my creative writing clients that in order to BECOME the Writer we’re made to be, read voraciously! If you aren’t sure where to start, or you feel stuck in a rut, go to a local bookstore or your local library and ask them for recommendations. Particularly librarians are excellent at curating themed lists and offering recommendations to get readers out of our comfort zones.And don’t just read books written by women. Read books, full stop! Read voraciously to learn, for enjoyment, to stay curious. Reading isn’t about agreeing with everything you encounter, but about opening up to listen to what others are saying. And when we read work from those who have gone before us, reading historical work can be an honoring act. In the same way that wandering through a cemetery with moss-covered gravestones and whispering the names out loud can be an honoring act of remembrance, so too can reading work from authors who have written centuries and decades before us.There are many recommendations I can offer, but instead of trying to name everyone and undoubtedly missing an infinite number of great books to remember, I wanted to share very simply, 5 books that happen to be on my bookshelf today that are written by Minnesotan women.If you’re not sure where to start, perhaps you could begin with one of these:Storm Front by Susan May Warren (part of the Montana Rescue series)Olympus by K. A. Williams (book 2 of the Firebird Chronicles)Thy Father’s Will by Kirsten Jacobsen Stasney (a historical novel based on true events)The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich (juvenile fiction, book 1 of the Birchbark series)Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers (a standalone coming of age YA novel)Read widely.Use your voice.Write for joy.Happy reading this Women’s History Month!
3 Gentle Habits for Reflection Watch or Listen to “3 Gentle Habits of Reflection”Hi there! As we approach the year end, I want to share some gentle reflective habits to help you finish strong, confident, and just as you are now. You may find journaling works well for you, so feel free to take notes to reflect on or journal on more later as this season passes. 🙂 3 Gentle Habits of Reflection: 1. What are you proud of? 2. What surprised you? 3. What are you taking with you to the next season? And…new things are coming to BECOME the Writer 2023! So, watch this space, everyone! For more information about my coaching and membership services, please visit: http://mollyovenden.com/coaching/