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Writing Days

5/10/2016

8 Comments

 
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​For a few months now, Lynne Dorfman and I have been blocking out writing days on our calendars so we can work on a second edition of Mentor Texts. Yesterday was a writing day for us, but it would probably be better to call it a writing/bird watching day! Now that the weather is getting at least a little warmer we have moved to a favorite writing spot of ours – the enclosed back porch at my house. And amid all the picture books, notebooks, post its, and pens sprawled across the table can be found Peterson’s Field Guide to Birds of North America (an app on my ipad) and some good binoculars.
 
Lately, my feathered backyard friends have been buzzing with new activity like nest building, mealworm gorging, and seed sampling. I’ve welcomed back the finches, bluebirds, chickadees, cardinals, sparrows and wrens. I’ve also noticed quite a few new visitors, too, like the two rosy-breasted grosbeaks I spotted on Saturday. Yesterday, right in the middle of composing, Lynne burst out with a “Look at that bird!” And literally, right in the middle of typing a word I grabbed my binoculars and zoomed in. There he was, a newcomer, the most beautiful blue feathered bird I had ever seen, making himself at home on the birdfeeder perch and just feasting away. But what was it? A blue bunting? An indigo bunting? A blue grosbeak? After studying it awhile and consulting the guide, we think it might have been a blue grosbeak as they are more common to our area.
 
I couldn’t help but think about the many kids I’ve been with in classrooms throughout the years that get distracted by the trash truck outside, or an interesting cloud, or the sound of a nearby motorcycle.  I get it now - sometimes you just have to stop and take notice or life’s most interesting treasures just might pass you by.
 
I suggested to Lynne that perhaps we would get more work done if we moved inside. But we really don’t want to do that. It’s nature’s beauty that inspires us and teaches us how to look closely and notice – how to notice what’s right there all around us, how to notice what authors do, how to notice what’s in a book. Time well spent!
8 Comments
Carol Varsalona link
5/10/2016 05:47:29 am

Rose, I can definitely understand the draw of nature to lure you into a peek at what is beautiful. Distractions are sometimes good because they center our focus on the importance. Perhaps, you and Lynn would like to create a digital offering for Spring's Seeds with your bird watching skills.

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elsie
5/10/2016 07:38:29 am

Aren't birds fun to watch? I love picturing your working table and then it all comes to a halt when someone flies by. You certainly have a large variety of birds visiting. I'm not so good at identifying (cardinals, robins, blue jays are easy). How exciting to be working on a second edition of Mentor Texts!

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arjeha link
5/10/2016 07:42:09 am

But what a wonderful way to be distracted. We put a bird feeder outside the window by our table. We love watching the birds come to eat (and so do the cats). We cal it our "bird TV".

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Tara link
5/10/2016 09:31:45 am

I love writing outdoors - natural distractions seem to fuel my creativity, and make me more reflective.

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lynne dorfman link
5/10/2016 10:48:45 am

Rose, I laughed out loud reading this, and I hope you share with Sneed. No, we really don't want to move inside. Your sunroom helped us find the energy to write three books. Here's to our second edition!

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Clare link
5/10/2016 05:35:33 pm

Rose I love this!! Tammy and I love to write outside. We take turns at each house. We take breaks to garden, bird watch, walk the dogs and build a fire in the fire pit. So many memories working together outside... it is what keeps us going. I could completely hear Lynne and see you in this moment -- I too laughed out loud. So important to remember this for our students. Some times we need to go where our head goes!!
Clare

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Shelly
5/10/2016 06:15:21 pm

What a beautiful distraction! I love writing outside. Nature is so inspiring!!!

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uk.bestessays.com link
11/23/2018 09:31:08 pm

In writing, any form of distraction could make or break your day. We are all aware of the fact that in writing, you need to focus and inner strength in order for you to write a very good and impressive piece. If there are couples of distraction around you, there is a higher tendency that you might not be able to have a bad write up or the ideas that you have in your mind wouldn't be explained further. If you are a writer, there are two things you need to learn; find the peaceful environment or deal with a noisy one.

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