A Poem for Mother’s Day
it is quiet now after the train goes past
shaking the house rocking the baby back to sleep
it is quiet now except the steady buzz
of the air cleaners and the occasional truck
on the freeway
it is quiet now he is not snoring the
baby is not crying the cat is not
yearning to join us inside
the cat has been locked out of our
room allowed only to brave through the cat door into limbo
he brings us too many treasures
half dead half alive voles rats
gophers at night birds during the day
he brought down a seagull once
left it on the deck outside the bedroom
the little birds i try to salvage
pry the teeth off the hummingbird
place it shocked but alive in a box with a towel on
the stove check for rustlings i
am tempted to keep it what’s more
exotic than la chuparosa bird of
love in my bedroom? but i always
open the box let the hummingbirds fly off
even the one with only one leg
he was
loose in the high ceilinged bedroom
i opened all the windows
scavenged for red clothes, red hats, sweatshirts
hummingbirds are attracted to red pink magenta
suspect they’ll find nectar there
but this one he keeps banging his head
on the ceiling balding the feathers drift down
with a broom i finally guide him out
this year the little mockingbird tempts me
his feathers haven’t grown in quite yet
he has fledged left the nest
the electrician wants to know this and that
and careful i say there’s a baby bird there by your foot
don’t step on him
i have had luck with birds before
taking my shirt off placing it on the bird
in the dark the bird is calm and can be
moved but i resist revealing my breasts bare and engorged
with milk i know the bird will be
stepped on and i do pick him up in my hands
i already have one baby in the house
he is 8 months old and sleeping
i cannot keep this baby this bird and
the world has so many mockingbirds
already but
was this one born of the parents
i watched mating between the roses?
was this one from the nest in
the jasmine by the hot tub?
the electrician is asking me questions and i
am consumed by the bird knowing that
to put him down even with the
parent screeching nearby is to invite death
he is soft in my hands the bird
so fragile i hold him gentle and he jumps
lands by the electrician’s foot
i can’t leave him there and resume talking
the milk says i must return to my own child
the bird goes on the ground under the
sycamore
later with my baby in my arms i find his stubby feathers
i want to tell the mama i tried but how would she ever understand
i hold my little redhead close
stay with me my son
don’t ever leave my breast
poem copyright by Gwendolyn Alley aka Art Predator from the 3:15 Experiment August 2004 as published in between sleeps entheos press 2006
for more poetry, check out the page above or take a ride on the poetry train
This Summer, Plan on Destination Science!
BUSTING MYTHS WITH COOL SCIENCE!
ROBOTS VS ALIENS!
G FORCE ROCKETS & MOON BLASTERS!
FIZZ! BANG! POP! FLASH!
Last summer, I was teaching summer school in the mornings which left me scrambling for places to put my kid which I was in class, reading papers, and preparing. You might even remember this post about looking for good camps for my son.
This summer I’m in the classroom 6 hours a day–which means an average of 6 hours of prep a day! I’m not complaining because I will make a pile of money, but a good shovel full of it will get spent on keeping my kid happy and entertained while his dad and I are at work.
What to do with the kids in the summer is a challenge for families everywhere.
Fortunately for us, last summer our son spent a week at “Destination Science,” a camp full of fun experimentations and projects. At first, he was afraid. The other kids from his school either didn’t sign up, or signed up for a different session. So he didn’t know anyone in the room and, at 5, he was the youngest one there. Several mornings I had to sit out in the car outside his class until it was time for me to go to MY class. But he still wanted to do it. And he had a blast making robots and racing them. Each day he would bring home some crazy project or another and at the end of the week, he had lots of different science experiments to show us and a HUGE sense of accomplishment.
All year he’s been talking about going to Destination Science again this summer, and while it’s not as cheap as Las Posas at $125 from 6:30am-6:30pm, the program was much more interesting and engaging. Most days last summer it was a challenge to drag him to Las Posas; many tears were shed. But he LOVED LOVED LOVED Destination Science and looked forward with excitement to each day’s events.
So now we’re just trying to figure out how many weeks we can afford to send him (we’re thinking three) and work best in our schedule and which programs he would like because they all sound great to him! (Hot Tip: become a Destination Science facebook fan and get $20 off!)
With weeks like these, how could you decide?
BUSTING MYTHS WITH COOL SCIENCE!
ROBOTS VS ALIENS!
G FORCE ROCKETS & MOON BLASTERS!
FIZZ! BANG! POP! FLASH!
Happy May Day! How will you celebrate?
In addition to today’s Lettre Sauvage’s May Day Open Studios in Santa Paula from 6-10pm (and deadline for their poetry contest!), there’s a number of Beltaine celebrations going on Saturday May 1, both public and private.
PUBLIC DAYTIME, OJAI:
The email invitation from Frugal Goddess Adrienne reads, “The Maypole is the very heart of this holy day. A symbolic merger of soft feminine ribbons playfully winding around an erect & receptive phallus.” A tree has been prepped and ready for ritual at noon with a phallic procession.
“The Goddesses will open & prepare the earth by digging a hole,” according to the email. “Continuing with the Maypole ribbon tying ceremony…Once the Maypole penetrates the heartbeat of the earth- the Goddess dancing will begin!”
Want to see some real faeries this Beltaine? Then hie thee to Bell Arts Factory where in the Vita Arts Center you will find faeries in their native habitat and more at a closing reception from 6-8pm for Borbala Arvai’s magical exhibit of faeries. Not local? You can buy her work online in her Etsy shop.
Sunday May 2 noon-6pm: Spring Faire and Pre-Mother’s Day Sale
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311 N. Montgomery St. Ojai
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Boogie Nights FFArtRide & Disco Ball May 7
The San BuenaVentura ArtRiders
Bicycle & Social Club presents
Boogie Nights ArtRide
&
Disco Bicycle BallFirst Friday
May 7, 2010
*Afros*
*Bell Bottoms*
*Charley’s Angels*
Get Your Groove On
& Ride With Us!
530p Meet Cali St. & Ventura Beach
6pm Ride to Art Galleries & Studios
8pm Disco Ball at the WAV Project:
Join us for the afterparty at Thompson & Ventura Avenue!
Beer donated by Anacapa Brewery! Bring mug & money!
Socialize & check out art from 8-9pm; dancing & music 9-10pm; open mic 10-midnight.
We ride every First Friday! Ride at your own risk!
Find latest info here on Art Predator and http://bikergogal.wordpress.com
Email us: artriders@earthlink.net
Introducing: Danika Dinsmore’s “Brigitta of the White Forest”–order now for discount!
Brigitta of the White Forest, the wonderful new novel about two faery sisters by the Accidental Novelist Danika Dinsmore is available NOW at a discounted rate of $10. But you must act quickly because the discounted rate goes “poof” like faery magic at midnight May 1 and the price goes up to $12.95. The book will be released and mailed out at the end of May.
I’m super excited because Danika is a long-time friend: she got me doing the 3:15 Experiment in 2001 and in 2006 we co-edited a book of 3:15 Experiment poetry. I’ve been reading Brigitta and giving Danika feedback on it since Fall of 2007 when I read it with two tween girls I was tutoring at the time. We used that early draft of the novel to talk about plot, character, fantasy, and a whole lot more. The girls loved Brigitta and her little sister Himmy; they were captivated by the plot and drawn into it. They didn’t want the book to end!
Danika kept working on Brigitta and as it got closer to publication, I read it again aloud to my 6 year old son and husband. They too were thoroughly engaged by the adventure. I also gave Danika more feedback to make sure the tale all made sense as well as feedback on where she could do more to things up set-up, develop the characters more, and make the sentences flow better. (Let me know if I can help you on a writing project!)
I did all this to help Danika, true, but really it’s because
I love Brigitta of the White Forest! and I want you to love it too!
This is a first printing limited run “First Fan Edition” so there won’t be many of them. Danika will sign and stamp each one and there will also be a code inside to access news and discounts about the White Forest. This edition will ONLY be available from the publisher’s website: http://www.entheospress.com/index.php?page=brigitta while the next edition will be widely distributed. By purchasing directly from the publisher, 100% of the funds go back to the press and supports small publishers and independent books. All editions feature the gorgeous cover artwork of the faery sisters by Julie Fain (http://www.juliefainart.com/).
Lori Calabrese, National Children’s Book Examiner interviewed Danika; she calls Brigitta “a radiant first novel.” This review provides a wonderful summary: http://10storiesup.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-review-brigitta-of-white-forest.html Learn more about the series on its website: http://thewhiteforest.com
I can’t recommend this book enough to families with children from 5-15, especially to girls between 8 and 13! So please order your copy of Brigitta of the White Forest no later than midnight May 1 to get the discounted price and special edition.
Wine Wednesday: Rhonely Hearts & Washington Wines
I’ve been tasting and writing about Washington wines a lot lately here on this blog as well as on Wine Predator because I’m preparing for the Wine Bloggers Conference in June and trying to land a spot on the WBC-or- Bust bus. For example,
Salmon & Washington Merlot? Really? Yes!
and
Santa Barbara Back Country Camping With Hogue Washington Wine
and
Chateau Ste Michelle 2008 Chardonnay & Roast Chicken–Yum!
But today I’m here to ask:
Do you have a Rhonely Heart? Do you love Rhone style wines and blends like me? Especially the reds, my heart pounds for Rhone blend reds like my first crush, an AUS 2001 RBJ theologicum blend of grenache and mataro that turned me on. I’ve never looked back.
I ran across one of these postcards in Los Olivos tasting a few weeks ago but it was my 6 year old son who saw this year’s Hospice du Rhone postcard at the Ventura Wine Company.
The postcard catches everyone’s eye with its play on The Lonely Hearts Club Band. My son the Beatles fan liked the postcard so much he wanted to buy it!
I explained the card was for Hospice du Rhone, a wine event April 29-May 1 at the Paso Robles Event Center in Central California. He still wanted to go and stick his nose down into my glass of wine to try to smell what I smell. I told him he’d have to wait until he’s 21 and he has his own money for an $800 ticket–and to treat me!
I’m not sure what he thinks will be going on at Hospice du Rhone, but from the postcard it does look fun. There’s even a bowling event so he especially wants me to go to Thursday night’s Rhône ‘n Bowl event sponsored by the Mutineer Magazine.
Even though they stopped selling general tickets on-0line Tuesday (I know, now she tells us!), you can still come out and meet the Rhone Rock Stars and go to tastings with over 130 Rhone wine producers from around the world. For those with a Rhonely Heart, you would certainly get your fill of fellow Rhonely friends, deluxe food paired with Rhone wines, more Rhone wine than you can fathom in one weekend of tastings. For those with a full pass, there are seminars too on a variety of topics including a Saturday morning session on Washington terroir with Charles Smith, Food & Wine Magazines 2009 American Wine Awards Winemaker of the Year. Robert Parker says of Walla Walla winemaker Smith, “When it comes to his wines, the otherwise wild and irrepressible Charles Smith is as serious as a heart attack. Charles Smith knows where to find the great grapes. In a region where blending is still the rule of thumb, he is the ultimate terroirist.”
Wow, wouldn’t attending that seminar on Washington terroir be a great way to prepare for the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla? And to be ready for my place on the WBC-Or-Bust bus should I be selected?
But of course $800 to attend Hospice du Rhone just IS NOT in my budget–even if I can drive there and camp out in the van. Afterall, I am attending the WBC on scholarship and there are others on the waiting list hoping more donations come in to fund their trip to the conference.
I imagine I can get into the main tasting on Friday afternoon as a member of the media, but what I really want to do is attend the seminars and write about them. Hmmn, I wonder if they’d like someone to live blog the seminars?
Here’s an overview of the Hospice du Rhone schedule which shows you why I’m drooling Read more…
I love art studios. And one of my favorites is Lettre Sauvage where I made my business cards and stationary in October 2008. So you know I’m going to show up at the Lettre Sauvage Open Studio Party this Saturday May 1, 2010 from 6-9pm at 1310 Forest Dr, Santa Paula. Music, wine, film, food, and friends with lots of kids running around and a creek to walk along at sunset sounds like my kinda way to celebrate May day!
I know I’ll be inspired there to get my next business cards made and do other art projects. I love looking at all the beautiful broadsides, chapbooks, and invitations they make like. I may even pick up a copy of the winning poetry from their last contest or a copy of their poetry journal, Forest Drive.
By the way, this year’s poetry contest deadline has been extended to the night of the party so bring your entry or get it in the mail ASAP!
Here’s more info on The Second Lettre Sauvage Poetry Contest, judged by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Stephen Dunn. Read more…
Paul Squire’s is one of my most favorite poets on the planet.
Paul’s new poem “mostly blue and some yellow” is stunningly beautiful. He posted it the other day on his blog; if you haven’t been there recently, I encourage you to take a visit. Click on the image to make it clearer for reading.
Paul’s poem “mostly blue and some yellow” is the perfect poem with which to celebrate National Poetry Month. Put it in your pocket and carry it around awhile. Let it grow with you.
Hearing Paul read his poetry is also a treat. He’s put up a few podcasts and toyed with video. Here’s a recent youtube to close out this post:
I love the informality and the sweeping; it asks you to listen carefully but you can just get caught up in the flow and the musicality of it all.
For other original poetry by other poets, catch the Poetry Train.
Happy National Poetry Month, Paul and all! I hope you catch some poems of your own!
Well I’m not going to get into the whys and hows of what came to pass so that the city decided to cancel the ArtWalk ArtRide last Sunday April 18 mainly because I wrote that blog post and it disappeared into cyberspace and I’m gonna take that as a sign to not waste more time on the matter.
Except that they did so requesting that I post the following on my blogs and facebook (and I wish to comply) and that they would post the following at the Artists Union near where we meet:
CITY CANCELLATION NOTICE OF BIKE TOUR
Due to logistical reasons the ArtWalk Art Bike Tour has been officially canceled by the City of Ventura. The Green Art Fashion Show at the Bell Arts Factory is still on and will be held at 4 pm. Please come and bring
your costume. Patrons are still encouraged to bike to the ArtWalk… on their own for environmental reasons but due to logistical and safety concerns for riders a city sponsored group ride will not occur at this time. Riders will assume their own risk.
Unfortunately, somehow people read this as the Fashion Show was cancelled. And several people told me they showed up all dressed up and ready to ride with their kids only to be disappointed that there was no ride.
Well I’m here to tell you there was a Steampunk ArtRide. And a Steampunk Fashion Show.
And I was on it, along with my sister Laurie who towed my son Reed, another family, Daniel Boggs, Matt Harvey, and others. Granted, there weren’t as many people as on the First Friday. But we had about 15 all told during the course of the ride around the bike path and up Oilve where we stopped to watch hot glass being blown as well as a briefer stop at a new metal working studio where we found Steampunk photos on display.
Our third stop was at a clay studio, 1317 Ventura Avenue where frequent ArtRider Rachel Morris was performing. we stopped to listen for awhile before rolling down the Avenue to the WAV where a few people stopped to listen in to Vonder Gray perform and others scurried around checking out the open house and studios. Finally we cruised up and down Main Street before we turned back up Ventura Avenue to Bell Arts where the room was already packed with people waiting for the Steampunk Fashion Show.
The first order of entertainment was me welcoming everyone and introducing our “Time Traveler” from 1910, my great grandmother Anna Paqu
ette (really my mother, Suzanne Lawrence). Then Tracy Hudak spoke a bit about Bell Arts and then the kids pulled out all the stops to put on a fabulous fashion show! We adults also walked the catwalk, then we gave Rosel Weedn an award for all her creative costuming expertise.
The event concluded with formal photos being taken in a photo booth. What a day!
Next month, please join us for a Boogie Nights FFArtRide May 7. Bring your bike to the promenade where California Street meets the sea; we ride by 6pm.
How NOT to Celebrate Earth Day Today
1) Drive your kid and his science fair project to school, along with all the other parents most of whom live within easy walking or biking distance. Idle the car as long as necessary.
2) Drive across town to have coffee at your favorite place. Don’t bring your own bag for beans or cup for coffee. Get pastries in a paper bag.
3) Drive home.
4) Drive your spouse to physical therapy.
5) Buy gas on your drive home. Go to Valero because it’s cheapest.
6) Drive to the kid’s school to drop off forgotten parts of science project.
7) Drive spouse to office. Have his co-workers drive him home, picking up the kid on the way.
8) Drive to the Delicious Wine Tasting featuring French wines. Make no attempt to carpool.
9) Drive home in rush hour traffic.
10) Drive to see Exene Cervenka at Buffalo Records.
11) Drive to the kid’s school to see the science projects and take your kid’s home.
12) Drive home knowing you did your part toward warming the planet up and melting the glaciers.
Okay, well, this is a slight exaggeration of my day. I didn’t go to Valero or idle my car. I am carpooling with Tim Cabrera to the Delicious Wine event. I remembered my own bag and cup for coffee. We’re trying.
Some days are just like this, and I am grateful to have a car. Normally, many of these trips would have been by bicycle.
But my husband can’t drive right now much less ride his bike so we had to drive and I had to drive him around.
It’s just unfortunate that all this happened on Earth Day, a day when I like to live my most conscious best on the planet.
Back in 2008, we joined a VCCool carbon ring support group to reduce our carbon consumption by 5,000 pounds in 30 days. By examining our records and our choices, we learned a lot about our carbon footprint and made steps to change out uses. I am very proud to say that we have changed as testified by our most recent electricity bill:
art predator 