Missing Home

A Letter from Home
Mary Oliver

She sends me news of blue jays, frost,
Of stars and now the harvest moon
That rides above the stricken hills.
Lightly, she speaks of cold, of pain,
And lists what is already lost.
Here where my life seems hard and slow,
I read of glowing melons piled
Beside the door, and baskets filled
With fennel, rosemary and dill,
While all she could not gather in
Or hid in leaves, grow black and falls.
Here where my life seems hard and strange,
I read her wild excitement when
Stars climb, frost comes, and blue jays sing.
The broken year will make no change
Upon her wise and whirling heart; -
She knows how people always plan
To live their lives, and never do.
She will not tell me if she cries.

I touch the crosses by her name;
I fold the pages as I rise,
And tip the envelope, from which
Drift scraps of borage, woodbine, rue

Reading the poem above makes me think so much of how far I am away from my home and my mother. When I graduated from high school, I couldn't get away from my hometown any faster. I could barely stand my mom in those day and I was so ready to particpate in all the cliches of "leaving the nest", "spreading my wings", and "finding myself". It's not until nearly 10 years later, 800 miles from where I grew up, that I realize how much I can't wait to return to everything that is secure, real, and beautiful- to my family.

"I'm a Writer!"

Why the drunken picture at the Bellagio you might ask? (And no, I probably shouldn't have climbed up in the flower bed to pose!) Well, it was just moments after this that I oddly introduced myself to a group pf people as a "writer" when they asked my profession. Why? I'm not exactly sure, but it felt logical and somewhat alluring at the time. In all actuality, I am no writer, but a high school English teacher. Writing has always been a passion of mine. In fact, my secret goal is to one day write a novel. Well, I guess it's not really that secret anymore since I just posted my aspiration on a blog.... but it feels safe to admit to a group of anonymous readers.

I am pretty new to this blogging thing, but I'll do my best. Here's a bit of info about me. I am originally from Wisconsin.. land of beer, polka, cheese, snow, and, of course, the Packers. I have been living in Oklahoma for two years now, waiting for my fiance to complete his graduate degree in Anthropology. Ok, so I know how pathetic that must sound. But I haven't actually been just "waiting" for him. I have been teaching and working towards completing my master's in secondary education. I'll be done in a month and a half! I hated Oklahoma at first, but it has grown on me and I will be sad to leave and move back to Madison this fall. I have three cats, am an avid reader, and I enjoy working out, naps, cooking, eating, and spending time with friends just talking and goofing off. I have a passion for teaching and liberal politics, and I have a soft spot of animals and sweets.

But enough about me. Back to the writing thing. I would really like to start a book one of these days. I am thinking about trying to write a young adult work. I have tons of ideas and little sketches of characters I'd like to include... now what I'm missing is a plot. Any suggestions on how to get started?