Southwest Christian Writers Picnic

About twenty members of SCWA (Southwest Christian Writers Association) gathered at the home of Lin and Jerry Harris last weekend. The beautiful weather presented opportunities for hiking, patio visits, and simply enjoying the the marvelous mountain scenery surrounding the Harris's home near Chimney Rock, CO.

I thoroughly renewing acquaintance with Lin -our group's president and gracious host - as well as her husband Jerry. Food was plentiful, as was fun and friendly conversation. After a year's absence from the company of fellow scribes (yours truly taught first-graders this past school year), I was delighted to once again join in stimulating conversations about the writer's journey.

Thanks to Lin and all the rest of the gang for a lovely afternoon in the mountains of my native state. I look forward to sharing more time with the wonderful folks in SCWA!

I'll Be Your Junie B.

Sometime during the summer of 2011, I began contemplating the possibility of juggling two careers.  I somehow thought I could wade about in the literary waters of publication while introducing bright young minds to their own world of literacy at the same time . I prayed about it and checked into vacancies with my former employer.

To make a long story short, I spent much of this past year immersed in a classroom of six-year-olds -- cute-as-a-kitten, bouncy-as-Tigger, ornery-as-Junie B. first graders. What an exhilariting experience!

I thoroughly enjoyed those months with 18 precious, bright-eyed youngsters. And yet, the desire to write gave me little rest. I did my best to satiate it: I wrote poetry and stories to share with the kids. They loved it, and wrote their own. Fun times. But it wasn't enough. The stories that bounced around in my head required time ... time that would cheat my students. And all the while, that unslaked yearning to put pen to paper remained...much like an ignored puppy playing with my shoestrings, darting back and forth between my feet, a doleful plea in its eyes that read, "I'll be your Junie B."

And so, when spring came, I sat down at my laptop and typed out a letter of resignation. Wednesday, May 30, 2012 concluded the "year of my return to education" after six years of retirement, as well as my 29th year of teaching young children. I'll never forget the experience . It was wonderful. But it also taught me to value the opportunity to write . I'm back!