Thursday, January 8, 2015

Abbi (originally written in 1988)

My Dad and I had heard the howling from deep within the woods for quite some time.  We figured that it was just a coyote or perhaps a dog from one of the farms on the other side of the forest.   Neither of us thought much of it as we went about our business, until we got the call.

           For all of my eleven years my family had lived on a short dead-end street.  The street is surrounded on three sides by forest which is home to many animals. There are only a few houses on the road and not all of them were inhabited.  Just a couple of houses down from mine, a divorced woman and her two young children had just moved in.  She seemed like a very nice woman and had already become friends with my mother.  In fact, we were the only people she knew in the town.  The call was her, needing our help.

           “Betty, calm down!  I’m sure she’s alright.   How long has it been?”   I could hear my mother talking on the phone in the hallway.  “Three hours really isn’t that long.  It may not even be her that you hear.  Bring the children over here and Lisa and my husband will go with you to look for her.”
As my mother hung up the phone, my father and I were summoned.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Who am I you ask? 
to tell you, my task

I am me, 
can't you see?


I know you too, 
for you are YOU

Friday, January 2, 2015

A-Z Picture Book - written for environmental organization

A is for the Animals who need water to survive

B is for the Bacteria that keep our lakes alive

C is for Canoe and other fancy boats

D is Docks and other things that float

E stands for the Environment - we need to keep clean

F is for the Fish that, with clean water, can be seen

G is for the Grass that covers the lands

H is for the many people lending their Hands

I is for Identify and help Spotter the Otter

J is for the Junk that pollutes our water

K Keeps our lakes and rivers clear

L is for those Lakes that we hold so dear

M is for Milfoil and the other weeds we fear

N is for the Nesting birds that call the lake their home

O is for Ospreys that make the tree their throne

P is for the Peace and quiet that falls

Q is for the Quack that the mother duck calls

R is for the Run off that might infect our water

S is for Spotter the very helpful otter

T is for the Turtles that love to swim and snap

U is for Underground and the wells that feed your tap

V is for Vermin that go to the streams to drink

W is for the Water that comes out of your sink

X marks the spot to plant the next tree

Y is for you, because it is up to you and me

Zzzzzzzz   is for sleepy, which you should now be….