Celebrating October
October 4, 2014 by margaretsmn
Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.
October bulletin board
Have you ever played Boo with your school or neighborhood? It’s become a thing at our school every year, but as an itinerate teacher, I sometimes get left out. Not this year. We have an awesome secretary who wants everyone to be included, so this year she is organized. On only the third day of October, I was Booed! I got a bucket of fun things: a Halloween plastic cup with a straw, a pair of Jack-O-Lantern socks, some snacks, candy for the kids, and decorations for my bulletin board. (Notice the plastic spiders in the web.) It made my Friday happy. This weekend I will stop at the store to make my own basket of goodies for some secret teacher. Games like these boost morale and make a school a fun community.
While I was digging in the cabinet for fall decorations, I found a poem I wrote a few years ago. It expresses well my feelings of celebration today, with cooler air, tall sugarcane, leaves falling, and sastumas soon to ripen. I do love this time of year.
October
On my morning walk,
sun reflects on the path.
Leaves crackle as I step.
Scent of a far off fire–
a sure sign of fall.
Sugarcane sways,
Satsumas ripen,
Cypress needles litter the lawn.
Rain showers blow in and blow out,
softening and cooling the air.I’m falling in love with October.
I open my doors to the chilly wind,
welcome the sound of scavenging squirrels,
and celebrate this new season.–Margaret Simon, all rights reserved
See this on Cowbird:
http://cowbird.com/embed/story/101048/
Reflections on the Teche 
BOOED sounds like a really fun idea! I must admit I have never heard of it…but you have me wondering….
I love the line “falling in love with October”, Margaret. Me too, every year! And it’s also my birthday month, so special to me indeed. Our leaves are crackling for sure, but the weather is so beautiful lately. Your ‘boo’ celebration sounds great-what a fun thing. Since I’ve been gone, I need to get into school & decorate! Halloween is a big holiday at our school, too!
Your poem is lovely. I have never heard of “Booo” before. I am glad that you were included this time.
Being included always feels good! You deserve to be included on the fun!! Your poem reminds me of the words of Anne Shirley, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” Have a great October!! 🙂
Love the “Boo” idea. Think I will have to get this started in my building….
I love the way you brought your Southern Fall into this poem, Margaret:
Sugarcane sways,
Satsumas ripen,
Cypress needles litter the lawn.
So different from my maple and oak Fall here in the North East.
I’ve never been Booed – sounds like a great secretary who included you. I find now that I am retired I miss those special times at school, especially Hallowe’en. Loved your poem – I love fall and October as well.
I am usually sad at Halloween because my children are all grown. I loved it when they were small.
We did the boo activity at my old school too. It is such a fun thing to do! I love the poem, especially falling in love with October. I am in love with October until June gets here – then I am in love with summer! Have a great week!
We do the Boo thing at our school. It’s fun! It gets people in the spirit of October. It’s just a wonderful month. 🙂