Reflections on the Teche

Sunshine is spreading all over the cyberspace. I was nominated for a Sunshine award by Catherine Flynn of Reading to the Core and Betsy Hubbard of Teaching Young Writers. This is how it works.

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger(s).

2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.

3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger created for you.

4. List 11 bloggers who inspire you.

5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they’ve been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.

So to start, here are eleven random facts about me:

1. I was inspired to become a teacher when I was 15 and volunteered for a program called OLE’ (Operation Life Enrichment). I learned that I loved the sparkle in kids’ eyes when you read with them.

2. I finished college in three years. I met my husband-to-be my freshman year. He was in his 2nd year of law school, so I zoomed through taking 21 hours a semester. No problem because all we did together was study.

3. I painted pet portraits for about ten years.

4. My favorite fruit is a satsuma. I had never eaten one until I moved to Louisiana. The same goes for crawfish.

5. I can hula hoop for ten minutes.

6. I have a new addiction to dark chocolate mint M&Ms.

7. I was named for my mother’s mother (Margaret) and my father’s mother (Gene). My grandmother Margaret died three months before I was born, so I’ve always thought of her as my guardian angel. I named my oldest daughter after me (and my maternal grandmother), but we call her Maggie.

8. I am a Berry Queen. What does that mean? Read here.

9. I was the first female acolyte in my Episcopal church.

10. My husband and I met at the same place my parents met: The Episcopal student center at LSU.

11. It was all my husband’s idea that we start taking Zydeco/Cajun dancing lessons. We’ve been dancing for 3 years, our empty nest activity.

I selected eleven questions from the ones posted by both Catherine and Betsy.

1. Is there a “classic” book that you are embarrassed to admit you haven’t read? Yes, (hides face) Harry Potter. My husband doesn’t understand how I can teach young readers and not read the Harry Potter series. I’m running out of excuses.

2. What are your reading now? I am reading two books, Neil Gaiman’s “The Ocean at the End of the Lane,” and “One for the Murphys” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

3. Who is your favorite children’s book author? Kate DiCamillo! Love, love, love “Tale of Despereaux” and “Edward Tulane.”

4. What’s the funniest thing a student ever said to you? “That birthmark (age spot) on your face looks like a comma. People must look at you and pause.”

5. Tell something about the grandparent who meant a lot to you. I’ll never forget that my grandmother Ne Ne made me clothes for my Barbies and a whole house and furniture out of cardboard covered in fabric. She was amazing!

6. Where do you write? in my kitchen, in my classroom, in my car, in board rooms, in coffee shops, etc.

7. Do you have a quote that inspires you? Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese poem: “You do not have to be good…you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”

From Betsy:

8. Where would you love to vacation? Greece; I’ve been there once, and the Aegean Sea is the most beautiful water in the world!

9. Do you collect anything? What? Yes, crosses (I have four clusters of crosses in my home.)

10. Did you ever learn to play an instrument? The piano. My mother has her masters in piano. She taught lessons to other people’s children. I took from Mrs. Jo. I loved her, but I hated to practice.

11. Who would you like to meet and what is one thing you would ask them? I would love to meet Mary Oliver. I wouldn’t ask her anything. I’d just want to take a walk with her.

My Sunshine Awards go to…

Laura Purdie Salas Writing the World for Kids
Pamela Hodges at i paint. i write.
Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts
Keri Collins Lewis at Keri Recommends
Caroline Starr Rose at Caroline by Line
Michelle H Barnes at Today’s Little Ditty
Diane Mayr at Random Noodling
Gigi McAllister at The Late Bloomer’s Blog

Clare Martin at Orphans of Dark and Rain

And your questions are:

1. What is your favorite movie of all time?
2. When did you first begin to believe you were a writer?
3. Who was your favorite author when your were growing up?
4. What is your most embarrassing moment as a teacher/presenter?
5. How many pets have you had? Can you name them all?
6. What do you love to do in your free time?
7. What is your secret fantasy?
8. What is your smell/taste memory of your grandmother’s house?
9. Do you collect anything? What?
10. What book have you read lately that influenced you and how?
11. Sweet or salty?