The power of place in writing

When I wrote my memoir, I discovered the power of place on writing. I hadn't been on the farm I grew up on in years. Standing in the barnyard, soaking in the familiar sights and smells, caused a rush of memory as powerful as a tidal wave.

Each day after that when I sat down to write about my childhood, I had only to put myself back in that place mentally to see the land, smell the animals, hear the voices, feel the emotions. The result was fertile ground for the stories I would write.

Triggering memories happens differently for different people. Smells - like fresh baked bread. Music - Satisfaction and Brown Sugar - or a singer - Patsy Cline or Frank Sinatra. Photos - my grandmother holding a rooster by the leg. A particular type of flower. A raised voice. Or a very quiet one. Any of these might bring back a person or an event.

One memory leads to another. Once you start remembering, it's hard to stop. And you may be surprised where the memories take you.

I'm thinking about the power of place today because I'm headed to Italy this weekend for a month of writing and touring. I can't imagine the impact looking up each morning to see the sunrise over Tuscan hills will have on my writing but I'm excited to find out.

I'll be blogging about this adventure, so when I know, you'll know. Ciao!

Italian flag photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com
 

Tulips & Wooden Shoes - They go together

When I see tulips, I can't help but think of wooden shoes. So when these two red tulips opened today, I went in search of de klompen.  

'De klompen,' as the Dutch call wooden shoes, keep walking into my life. I wrote for the May/June Iowan about the Dutch in Orange City who give demonstrations in how to make these iconic foot gear during their tulip festival in May. During my research, I also learned that Pella holds the Guinness World Record for the most people dancing in wooden shoes. On May 8, 2010, 2,605 people gathered in the Pella city square and danced in wooden shoes for 6 minutes and 15 seconds.

I visited the Netherlands nearly 40 years ago. There, I watched a craftsman shape shoes from blocks of wood, and I did the touristy thing - I bought wooden shoes. A pair for myself and a pair for my son who was only a toddler at the time.

Wooden shoes are not the most logical gift when you have but one suitcase, but I just had to. Holland, tulips, and wooden shoes. They go together.

The souvenirs of many trips have long gone the way of Goodwill donation bins. But not my wooden shoes. Wooden shoes were 'green' before green was a fad. Wooden shoes were comfortable before Birkenstocks became my shoes of choice.

My son has long outgrown his wooden shoes, but mine still fit. I'm wearing them as I type and look at my red tulips and think about things that are meant to be together.

When it's just right

There's no hurrying good carrion. My husband threw a dead rabbit out into the field a couple of days ago. Today the vultures have been circling.  Every once in a while, a vulture will drop down next to the rabbit and take a look.  Almost always a second vulture lands a short distance away.

The first vulture looks, but doesn't touch, the rabbit carcass.  If the other vulture makes a move to close in, the first vulture may spread its wings in a protective gesture or fly toward the second vulture to chase it away. Then it goes back to the carcass to take another look. After a bit, both vultures fly away.

A hawk checked out the carcass, too, poked at it, but left it alone. Maybe the rabbit was too far gone to make a good hawk meal.

Knowing that vultures like their food good and ripe, I can only assume the rabbit isn't 'cured' to the appropriate level yet.

Now that the sun is out and the temperatures are warming up, it probably won't take long. 

Since I have a personal problem with patience, I have to admire these vultures who will wait until their dinner is just right before sitting down to eat.


NOTE: This photo shows vultures on top of a silo catching the morning sun. 

Attracting bluebirds

If you'd like to know more about the habits of bluebirds, build a bluebird nesting box or just look at pretty bluebird pictures, this book could be for you.

I was attracted to this book in particular because it provided detailed instructions for building nesting boxes. There are several variations - all of them easy. It's a project you could easily to do with your kids.

Happy birding!