Writing With Kindergarteners

 

Some Things Go Together READ ALOUD

LINK 2:33 minutes

Another read aloud version can be found at this LINK. (9:10 minutes)

Way back when...when I worked in school-age childcare...I worked with all age groups, but I still had Kindergarten groups of my own. They would stay with me in the morning and then go to Kindergarten in the afternoon. I loved working with this age group. Really. They were that magic age where they still adore their teachers and are sweet, innocent...engaged, fun...open for anything. 

Those were the days when I read them "Stuart Little" chapter by chapter, each day before walking them over to the Kindergarten lines. I intentional read them the whole book before the movie came out and colored their experience with this classic. I remember seeing clips of the cat saying "Talk to the hand" and feeling so frustrated that they had cheapened the book that way.

Those were the days when we listened to the CD of Pete Seeger's "Abiyoyo", while the children acted out the parts. On the school sanctioned 'pajama day' - we'd play Pete's "Where Are My Pajamas?" - all while making questioning motions with our arms and scattering around the building pretending to look for our lost PJ's! It was such silly fun and they loved it. We would sing rousing versions of "There's A Hole In My Bucket", with the children splitting up into the male/female roles and singing those parts. They sang at each other with gusto! haha I have to say that the girls really got into their perceived disdain for their male counterparts. Their young faces showing every bit of "Why can't you just figure this out and do it?!!". Those were the days of early morning dance parties...YMCA, Macarena and more....the days of art and playground fun. After mastering the monkey bars with some of her peers, the young Jenny (author/artist in the book below) changed the lyrics to Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" to "We are family, I've got all my blisters with me" 😂 They would stand in a little circle and thrust those 5 year old blistered hands into the middle at the appropriate time!  They sure earned those blisters and that camaraderie!! 😂 Those were the days of lunch time conversations! Those were the days...

Such great memories of long ago. My Kindergarten 'babies' are about 32 years old now!

I had read my original version of 'Some Things Go Together' to the children. I much prefer the illustrations of that version, far more charming in my opinion. They bring the message of the words across in am more meaningful way to me. It is sadly out of print now, but you can find used copies. Here are just a couple of pics, so you can see what I mean. I've always love Karen Gundersheimer's work. It conveys so much love.

What happened next was magical. As you will read below, this group really got into the idea of "things going together" and began to offer their own ideas. This led to the process and the finished product below. It took days and days. 

Once they'd written the whole text, with my guidance, we began the illustration process. The children would come to a small table to sit with me...one at a time during their free play time. They began by illustrating a page that they'd written or offered the main idea for. As the project went on, I discovered some of the children really wanted to illustrate and some did not. This is where you see two names on a page, a collaboration of sorts, one writer & one illustrator. The children were instructed to sign their artwork neatly at the bottom, writing as small as they could, "like an artist" would. They worked so hard on these drawings, infusing them with so much thought and intention and pride. They seemed to really appreciate this one-on-one time with me and looked forward to their turns.

Once all of the illustrations were complete, I typed up the cover page, dedication page and closing pages and assembled the book by laminating and binding it. I later made myself this copy by copying it and placing the pages into the small binder with clear plastic sleeves.

You would think that would be the end of the project, but it was not. It was not, because I wondered what to do with the "product' next? How could we share the fabulous work the children had created? It belonged to all of them...to this group, but it could not live with all of them. I knew the childcare well enough to know if I had just put it on a bookshelf to be used by the entire center, and to be accessed by all, it would get destroyed in no time.

Anyway, after reading the book together at our group time for several days, I got the idea that the children could 'read' it to our director. They had memorized every word and read it in unison with rhythm and feeling. The director was so pleased! Next the children read it to the school principal! They were gaining so much confidence in what they could accomplish.

After that, the children were allowed to take turns taking it home to read and share with their families. It traveled in a special envelope with a letter to their parents (see below). Then they took turns sharing it with their Kindergarten classes (again, in a special envelope with a letter to their teachers). Once their book had been read and read to everyone I could think of, I spoke to the school librarians. I asked if they would accept a donation to the school library? They were thrilled to accept it. So, the last step was to take it to to the school library and the children read it to the two librarians there, before we donated it to be enjoyed by others. They "red tagged" it, which meant only teachers could check it out. They added a dollar amount, in case it should be damaged or?? A $50.00 replacement fee! I was shocked. Their last step was to place it on a small book holder on top of one of the bookshelves. Magic and pride.

"Drum with band"

"Peppers with mild"

"Dog with walk"

"Teeth with lip"

"Money with paid"

"Ghosts with BOO!" "And me with you"

"Ladders with height"

"Hat with man"

"Flowers with bee" "And you with me!"

"Turkey with wing"

"Eyebrows with faces"

"Berries with pick"

"Fox with tail"

"Cow with Moo!" "And me with you!"

These two books, along with a few others will be going off in the mail to my two young grandchildren. I look forward to passing on traditions and values important to me.

What special memories do you like to revisit?

 

May you smile at the thought of where you've been

May you smile at the memories of things shared

May you infuse the world with your loves and values 

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026

Lucky

 Another long post, lots of photos...

Today at the bridge...I noticed wispy, thin things against the sky. It is Winter he says. Well, yeah, true. But, through my eyes, through my experiences...usually something or another jumps out at me and then I see it over and over again. So, first it was wispy...then it moved on to include contrails and sun.

Don't know what to do in your journal? Take a look at these!

LINK 27:14 minutes

When my aunt on my EX's side of the family passed on (I wrote about it here ages ago), I spent time looking through her journals. Little pads of spiral bound paper. They were quite sparse in their words and emotions, but always included the weather, times or what they ate. Very much  'Life Field Notes' - bare bones writing. While watching the video, I wished I could look at them again. 

This Tree Being is already overflowing with buds! It seams like I was just photographing the falling yellow leaves. I'll look forward to watching it each time I go to the bridge.

Everything was poking up!

I've been updating the WORDLE Stories page each day when I write one. I really don't know if folks check there and read them or read them here when I add the stories to a regular post. So, for now I'll keep doing both. 

Here's the latest batch. Oh, and I fully know some of these are way better than others and some stink...but I just gather them all here as an archive. At least for now. I haven't tired of this game yet and there are still many days that I scratch my head and wonder how on earth I will make a story with the words as they'd arrived. Today was one of those days, but still a story popped out.

 WORDLE LIFE

Here is a space to gather all of my WORDLE stories.

You may notice that they are posted most recent story first and going back to June 22, 2024.

These are written after solving the daily WORDLE puzzle. They are usually written in mere moments, with no edits after the fact. They are quick and so fun to create! I hope you enjoy them too.

1/5/25

The TRASH company never did REPLY to our inquiry. Soon after we contacted them, we got a spam email about a local EYRIE, which made utterly no sense at all. This CYBER hacking is a real pain in the neck.

1/4/25

He DROPS his bag RIGHT by the door. This is my REALM in the household domain he thinks and I need to RELAX straight away.

1/3/25

He WORKS at the only wildlife center in town. He is in charge of the QUAIL habitat and the PATCH of pumpkins they grow in the fall. Everyone who knows him, says he is a real CHAMP when it comes to work ethic and likability. However he doesn't come CHEAP and he makes sure to request his raise every January.

12/31/24

They poured over the FILES together. No matter where they looked, they could not find the source that allowed the toxins to LEACH into the LEMUR enclosure. However, they were determined and did not give up.

12/30/24

They went to the OCEAN. They were READY to ERASE the hard parts of the year and they wanted to SHARE this time together. But, really, all they could do was STARE at the endless sea.

12/29/24

Sitting on the jetty, she was out of WORDS. She stared into the water to watch an OTTER at play. Soon this reminded her of her old life, the one in the hilly countryside where she kept a FLOCK of Merino sheep. Her life then was so different. It was lively with the shepherding community and the seasonal gatherings they all had together. Her goodbye party was the best one of all, when her neighbor played the PIANO and twenty of them danced the MAMBO amongst roaring laughter.

12/28/24

The PRICE was less than usual for the fancy seats at the horse RACES, so they took the plunge and bought four, so the whole family could go. The private room overlooking the track had a DECOR rich in color and texture. However the wait service was slow and inconsistently rude. I DECRY the total waste of money on this whole adventure, he said.

12/25/24

He was not fond of it when she pulled a PRANK on him. Even when he outright tells her, she never READS the room. What good is it if I SHARE my feelings, if you keep doing the same thing, he asks.

12/24/24

He threw the 10 large SPICE bags over THERE, behind the shed. It wasn't perfect but he was trying to ELUDE the police, so it would have to do. It would have worked better if the oversized golden EAGLE statue hadn't fallen off of the shed roof and completely knocked him out. I guess if there is another spice bag caper, he'll be a lot more gentle when he tosses the stolen bags into a hiding spot.

12/23/24

Horrible allergies made his SNOUT itch like crazy. But, the day was SUNNY, even if it was way too humid. He ventured out anyway, with a jug of water SLUNG over his shoulder. Even in this oppressive heat, he's got SPUNK, she thought. He SHUNS the norms and goes about his day, even though it feels like a SAUNA in the midday heat. 

12/22/24

He READS everything he can get his hands on regarding bodybuilding. He turned to online research when his right quad would CRAMP after every workout. It made it almost impossible to TRAIN, even with his massive BRAWN, as he liked to see himself.

12/21/24

It was a wild Solstice PARTY this year. A group of young people stood on the balcony ABOVE the crowded patio. Out in the cleared field, the fire pit rose up in a huge BLAZE of heat, light and celebration. While around that fire, the old man danced with a sharpened BLADE held tightly between his teeth.

12/20/24

It was RIGHT, she thought, HOMES that are smaller and more efficient.Then the utility companies can't SHANK us anymore, he added. Right, she agreed, I'd be happy not to CLASH with them any more. Hopefully we'll get the house built in a FLASH and be debt free, she claimed.

12/19/24

He kept the MUSIC on, but quietly in the background. His study was about the SPORE of the local mushrooms. He tried to concentrate, however the STRAY calico cat kept wrapping herself around his legs making that almost impossible.

12/18/24

He always seemed to STEAL the show, which is why he is known as the world's best TENOR. Even if the bank cancelled his DEBIT card, he'd just stand on the JETTY and belt out his favorite arias. With his skill, even that would be a HEFTY performance!

12/17/24

It could have been a better trip to the CABIN, if all of the naughty behaviors did not OCCUR in the car on the ride up the mountain. First one and then another family member would SCOLD their traveling mates for silly and unimportant things. By the time the family arrived, they all wore a deeply furrowed SCOWL on their faces.

12/16/24

She thought she was just so SMART and had no problem when she'd BLAST that to anyone who would listen. You're a BEAST, he complained. Why do you always have to BOAST constantly?

12/15/24

She couldn't SPEAK very well, but she could sing like nobody's business. Her stage name was KITTY, and he felt pretty darn LUCKY as he sat in the JUNKY bar listening to her. Spontaneously he jumped up and yelled, Play that FUNKY music white boy!!

12/14/24

The moon shone like a quarter of a pie in the sky. A real SLICE of LUNAR delight. Sitting on the screened porch, they saw the wolf TROLL behind an unidentified small mammal. It's on the PROWL early tonight, she whispered. I can see its DROOL from here he whispered back.

12/13/24

It seemed like a still-life, on life. The distinguished man sat in a corner chair in front of a very tall PLANT. The plant looked to be ready to CLIMB right through the ceiling. The man's BROWS were deeply furrowed and he had an expression of a BORED diplomat. That is until the BOXER entered the room from the narrow doorway on the right.

Another year that the river does not dry up. We still marvel at this, for this river was dry for many, many seasons, until recently. It is still so green down there too. And shimmery...super shimmery. Isn't that wonderful?!

We agreed that it was such a pleasant day. Great weather and lovely folks strolling at the bridge. It was busy, but it was nice. No super zooming bicycle riders, no sketchy looking people (usually men I hate to say)...just couples and friends and families. A nice Sunday at the bridge. How lucky are we?! There was a young man with some elder visitors (perhaps, they had accents from another country)...they were paused at the end of the bridge while he played red tail hawk cries on his smart phone. He was explaining to them that in movies & television, they use the cries of the hawk to stand in for eagle cries. I knew this bit of trivia and it was fun listening to him, excited to share something he'd learned. Sweet. I did not see a hawk today and wondered if they had.

Too many sun photos because they are all a little different and I never can choose.  The clouds, the contrails, the wires all illuminated by the brilliant sun. Who wouldn't want to inspect each one? The second one looks like a flower to me. The pics are so bright that my eyes have to adjust after looking at them. Maybe I should have put a 'get your sunglasses' warning! 🙃

More skinny plants marching up the edge of the hill. An awful photo (my camera is really getting shot!) looking across the valley. He was on top of one of those ridges yesterday while I was home with my mentee teacher friend - sharing ideas and years of materials. A good day for all. 

It's us again. I've come to like the shadow photos for all they don't show, but suggest. Last, another X marking the spot, in almost the exact same spot as the last one. Wild. xo

We did a little shopping...mostly looking, on the way home. We expressed our shock at the prices in the local department store: $70.00 for a set of sheets, $80.00 for a pair of Levi's! WTHeck?? We're going to end up naked from the waist down and sleeping cold at these rates!

Then we went into the new Dollar Tree. It was well stocked, clean (again, new), cheap, not too busy...and interesting. The display above was the icing on the cake for me. First one could use an Ovulation Predictor...then actually find out if they were pregnant...and then Ooops - the 'weed' drug tests! Who do you think was needing that?!! The new father...mother...or years later the teen they'd used that pregnancy test to welcome into the world!? 

I don't know why that cracked me up - the left-to-right order of the display - but it did. And how much would you trust the results of a test that cost somewhere more than a buck 25? I mean really?

How many wonderful things can you find in a day? 

May you study things

May you marvel at things

May you laugh at things

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

#goodenough

What We Know, What We Don't Know, What We See

 ~~~~~~

Without a camera...OH NO! Without a camera!!! ~ On my way to the bridge and then, I got to the bridge and realized my camera was home, on the ottoman. But, I'd seen all of these things already...things to capture, to share, to hold. Darn.

So, I grabbed a pen and paper...and wrote what I'd seen.

"eyes searching the skies,

                                      tree tops,

                                          tops of power poles and streetlights

             Colorful browns burst forth, showing beak, feather patterns, an eye ~ talons

                               Low against my windshield

Sun lands in my eyes, as the hawk takes off, moving upwards...it soars"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father and daughter. 

She a princess, in a sparkly deep blue gown

He gazing off, while on his phone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tumbleweeds tumbled up everywhere

up against fences and trashcan

whatever was in their path, stopping them

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I got out of my car, walked past the princess...she says, "It's a beautiful day to be out here". So, I stop to chat. I agreed, it Was a beautiful day - bright blue skies, warmish...lovely. I asked her what she'd seen. "A dog", she replies. I (as usual) ask if she'd seen a lizard? I tell her about how they skitter through the dry leaves and how she has to look for them. I tell her about the rattle snake of July. Dad's ears perk up and he puts his phone down, his arm hanging by his side. I ask about birds. They saw a big white bird with long skinny legs, it didn't 'look well' and did not fly or move off when they got a bit closer. We thought maybe it was an egret? Although I've yet to see one near the bridge. I told them that I was watching a turkey vulture as I drove in. I shared how they could learn to identify them by their wing pattern. They were interested. I remember to tell them how the wires become magic in the setting sun. I try to describe that to them. We talked for a few more minutes. He was nice. She was charming. An old soul in a deep blue gown.

~~~~~~

I moved off, towards the bridge. But, before I even clear the curve before the bridge, I notice something new...new fern like plant growth...new colors, new 'weeds'. I curse my own forgetfulness and miss my camera. Later, I come to the realization that I really depend on my camera to tell stories. I consider this. In talking to J. he tells me that it is my 'creative expression tool'. I'd have to agree at this point.

Anyway, a few more paces down the path, the bridge in sight...what? What is this?

A man lays on the ground on his side, mermaid style. In front of him, an African American man stands in a pose. There is an umbrella light thing on tripod legs...there are bags of 'equipment' by the wooden bridge railing. The young man is wearing ALL white...skin tight, like - Skin TIGHT, white jeans with creative ripping, white boots and a white blazer - open. The blazer has precisely placed rips, fringe and things that glitter in the Bridge Sun. He is shirtless under that blazer. His face, angular - bronze with a tight ponytail, fashioned into a twist of some sort. Not one hair is out of place, held down by product. He moves with a particular grace.

As I move past, I hear him telling the photographer that he has some 'black boots' but not whatever was being suggested.

I move onto the bridge. I try to have my moments and look at the river - out of their way. I'm glad I don't have my camera, as I wouldn't want to ruin their shot with my obsessive attraction to capturing bridge life.

Later, I've returned over the bridge and sit on the little bench talking on the phone to a friend. He returns from the parking lot in his new outfit to be photographed. He is now wearing those black boots, Lime Green, flowing, satin/silk pants and a bright magenta satin/silk cape. He still does not wear a shirt. His bronze, buff body peeking out from beneath the cape. His twisted hair shimmers in the sun.

As he moves past, I spontaneously say, "I like this one too!" He smiles and laughs. So do I.

What a wild moment, seeing this model in his extreme outfits, his fit body and beautiful hair. Not the usual day at the bridge!! 

Later, at home, J. says I should have asked his name, so I could check out his online stuff. I had not even thought of that. haha  But, I tried to find that model, that braid, which I did not really...but I found this very surreal Instagram video. It is cool, but does not look like any of my bridge experiences or photographs. Of course, yesterday's experience was pretty new to me!

~~~~~

Talking to J. I notice a shape moving in and out of the vines on the corridor wall vines. I get up and go to the sliding glass door...what IS it? Suddenly, out of the vines pops a lil Junko! We haven't been seeing as many as we used to, but here was one - in the vines, on the grass, on the gas meters! I grabbed my camera (here I go again with the camera!!) - to take a photo to show J. We really enjoy these little dark-headed song birds!

In cleaning out some papers, I find several with odd notes or quotes on them. Mostly things I'd heard on the radio and what not. Bits and pieces that caught my ear, my imagination...

"Story Corp HIV" is what I wrote down so I could go back to their story about their secret rose project. 

In a NPR interview with Billy Porter: "Religion is manmade but, spirituality is divine".

An interview with John Stamos...About Bob Saget "Bob never left anything on the table..."

"slow down a little bit, order the cake.” 

~~~~~

I'm sure there are other papers floating around here, those which include other bits of wisdom. It's funny how whatever headspace a person is in...they can hear something that may or may not speak to them, ring true for them, spark other related thoughts for them. I kinda chuckle to myself when I find all of these random slips of paper with partial thoughts, quotes or resources jotted down. It is a little visit into what may have been forgotten, if I'd not put pen to paper.

LINK

I was struck by the beauty in her home world, her home, garden, art, man...yet she holds so many hard feelings about herself in her heart. How can that be? How can that be for all of us? How we can get the compliments and hear the criticism? 

You can read the poem "She Let Go" by Safire Rose HERE.

~~~~~~~

The first night of Hanukkah, we face timed with my son/wife and little grandson. We sang the Dreidel song together. Last night, the second night of Hanukkah...we again lit our candles, said the blessings...we laughed and held so much in our hearts. 

Today, the doorbell rang and there arrived a Delicious gift box of See's Milk Chocolate Bordeaux Chocolates! Yum! If you've never tasted these goodies...I highly suggest them!

Thank you friends!!

*Not a great photo, but pretty much captures the haste in which the box was opened and the candies whisked into our mouths! 

May this season of light come home to you, however you celebrate

May sweetness arrive to your doorstep and your 'screen'

May you sometimes forget the camera, but remember the moments

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2023