ASSERT IMAGINATIVE VISION

One of my all time favorite quotes:

"Be daring, be different, be impractical. Be anything that will ASSERT IMAGINATIVE VISION against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary."

Sir Cecil Beaton, The Secret of How To Startle

Downtown Dallas

I have been riding the DART train more often this year. It's fun to chat with people and experience a communal way of getting around the city. There are some cool pieces of sculpture in Dallas that I walk by on my way to and from the DMA and the DART station I most often use is right in front of the boarded up ancient looking Dallas High School. I makes me sad that the building is sitting empty and is not being taken care of or used. What stories those walls could tell...

Photos from Longview, Texas

Creating the magical newspaper ladder.

Telling my version of a popular jump tail.

The amazing THUNDER TUBE!

I was in Longview, Texas August 14th & 15th for both a children's storytelling program and the "Stories For A Lifetime" workshop. The following are photos taken from the children's program.

The children helped me create the poster of the "Wild Thing". I've done this at many libraries this summer and all the wild things were very unique and so much fun to draw!

Phew! I'm tired...

No I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I just got super exhausted & when free time came my way, I rested as much as possible these last few weeks. Blogging required too much brain power. Uffdah, Yah! It still never ceases to amaze me when I find myself wilt after doing a storytelling program. They really can drain my energy. Thus, my agenda for this evening includes plenty of relaxation. Why? Need a recovery time - my fellow "fab 4" storytellers & I did our "Stories For A Lifetime" workshop in Carrollton, Texas for area librarians & storyellers today. Went well - this is a really fun & enjoyable collaboration to be sure.

Drop by my blog if you have the opportunity during the coming week. I plan on doing a good bit of blogging. Lots to share & have photos.

Great Blog Full Of Appalachian Life Stories

I have become an enamored fan of the following blog by storyteller Mathew Burns: http://www.appalachianlifestyles.blogspot.com/

Years ago, let me see...it was 1976, my family lived for 6 months in Quantico, Virginia where my stepfather attended the Marine Corps officer's training school. One weekend we drove to West Virginia to explore the Appalachians. Oh my, it was love at first sight for all of us! What a gorgeous place. We aimlessly drove along back roads admiring the scenic beauty all around us, the little homesteads tucked neatly into the Appalachian's nooks & crannies - everything was so beautiful to us.

Well, Matthew Burns was growing up there at that time. In his blog, he tells the story of his family who has lived in those mountains for many generations and shares lots of photos.

If I could figure out a way to live in that neck of the woods, I surely would. In the meantime, I can enjoy his blog.

New Favorite Children's Author!

Judy Schachner created a character called Skippy Jon Jones and has written several books about him. Visit http://www.skippyjonjones.com/ to learn more about the siamese kitten who thinks he's a chihuahua. FUNNY!!! Judy not only wrote the crazy, wonderful stories about Skippyjon Jones, but she also illustrated the books. My favorite story is Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble where he goes in search of the Finx and meets King Rootin-Tootin-Kitten-Kabootin who has been resting in peas. Hilarious!

If you have a child who loves good stories, or YOU are someone whose inner child still delights in tales full of creative wordplay and wild adventure check out these books by Judy Schachner.

p.s. I believe she is scheduled to appear at the Dallas Museum of Art in March 2009. Wahoo!

Holy Firecracker Batman, it's HOT in Texas!!!

It's that time of year when my Norwegian genes scream in agony from temperatures of over 100+ degrees. To put it bluntly, I just wasn't born to live in this kind of heat, so thank God for air conditioning and ceiling fans.

My mom lives in Wyoming and she has called me up several times this summer to complain about the heat there. What!?! Oh please spare me. A word of warning wise readers - when Ann Marie gets hot, she gets cranky. Now this year I like to think I'm doing a lot better about the grippin'.

Opps! I suppose I've slipped up a bit by complaining about the heat in my blog. Darn.

New Family Member

Meet Ophelia, Lily's new dwarf rabbit. This was one of her birthday presents from a brother & sister who are fellow writing club members. They live on farm North of McKinney, Texas with lots of donkeys, chickens, peacocks, horses, goats, dogs, cats and of course, rabbits.

Lily loves her little bunny, you can tell by the look on her face. Ophelia appears to be pretty happy too with her new family.