October Garden

On October 10, 2021October 10, 2021 By Anna EastlandIn Writing8 Comments

It is October. The garden sags under the weight of the year. Leaves wither and curl. Lupins droop and drag their seed pods on the ground. The Earth exposes her belly as the covering of plants dies away. Yet Winter has not yet wrapped her fingers around the life of this place.

Japanese Lanterns hang every few inches, decorating the decay. Along the fence, clusters of flowers bloom. In the lawn, sprinkled with patches of weeds, dandelions hold up their heads to greet the sunshine. Bees still bumble about the garden, resting on the centre of the blossoms before taking off, legs covered in the fairy dust they will use to romance other blooms into existence.

Just beyond the fence, cars whiz by. When the light turns, they idle in front of the house, their drivers unaware of the seasons turning in the garden, moving round and round, tunnelling through time like earthworms, causing everything near them to grow.

This was a little writing exercise I did for a wonderful creative writing course I’m taking with Jonathan Rogers called Writing with Anne of Green Gables . L.M. Montgomery is so talented at painting a visual scene with her words, but surprisingly, doesn’t rely that heavily on adjectives and adverbs. Rather, she uses really vibrant verbs and specific, concrete nouns. For our class we had to describe what we saw outside, but without using adjectives or adverbs. It’s a fun challenge!

And now, since this is my blog and not homework, here are some pictures of my garden! 🪴

Flu Season Sing-Along

On October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 By Anna EastlandIn Health, motherhood6 Comments

Flu season, here we come,

it’s time to sneeze and sniffle!

We wash our hands,

stand far apart

and yet it is that season,

cause bugs you know,

with their little brains,

know not rhyme nor reason.

Cough, snort and blow your noses,

rub your aching heads—

this nasty flu is making us

all leak like a rubber hoses.

So hop in bed,

ye one and all,

it’s time to be separated by a wall.

As if social distance wasn’t enough for you,

this stupid pandemic’s teamed up

with regular flus.

So here we come, long days alone,

thank goodness for the telephone!

Time to play nurse now,

soothe some heads,

tuck seven kids into their beds,

rub little feet with tiger balm,

dream about a beach with palms.

It’s no wonder tired bears get irate—

smartest thing is to hibernate.

So here’s wishing good health to you,

as for my house, it’s a zoo.

Flu season for one and all,

welcome, welcome, welcome, fall!

Catching My Fall

On November 15, 2019 By Anna EastlandIn PhotosLeave a comment

Golden Glory

On October 19, 2018 By Anna EastlandIn Photos, Poetry4 Comments

It’s easy to get caught up

in the tangled branches of self-doubt

but look up–

there is such golden glory!

Not one of your mistakes

can darken the brilliance of the sun.

Autumn bursts with gratitude

for the gift of life–

the spark given in the darkness

that could have been ever dark

now beams with the warmth of fire!

Crimson and Gold

On October 17, 2015 By Anna EastlandIn motherhood, Photos2 Comments

I continue to be enchanted by the beauty of fall..which this year has had a slow mellow warmth, like the flickering of a cosy fire, flames all crimson and gold.

My kids, who had been peacefully playing inside, were very happy to discover where Mummy had snuck off to for a few quiet moments of photography! Pretty fun that even though I’m with them all the time, after 3 minutes away, I get greeted like a rock star! 😉

October Morning Glory

On October 9, 2015 By Anna EastlandIn Photos1 Comment

On this chilly October morning, bright flowers burst with beauty and affirm that despite all the cold and decay, fall is glorious!

Sunning the Moon Belly

On October 5, 2015 By Anna EastlandIn Homeschool, Maternal Health, motherhood, Poetry1 Comment

after a morning of spelling
nursery rhymes
and writing practice
I take a moment’s break by myself
to sit on our garden bench in the sun

a tiny homeschool hiatus
to sit quietly enough to hear
the birds chirping and twittering
over the background hum
of city busses and summery lawnmowers
on this warm October morning

sun is supposed to be good
for this third trimester liver thing
that has crept up on me again
so I expose my round belly
to glow like strange moon
blue veins faintly showing
in the bright sun

a small alien planet
with the occasional surface ripple
as the life within stretches and grows
just x-filish enough
to make me grin

Fall Forest Scavenger Hunt

On November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 By Anna EastlandIn Homeschool, Photos4 Comments

A simple homeschool or weekend outing with the kids is a fall scavenger hunt. We found a list in a forest book of seasonal items to look for, put on out coats and boots, and took our camera for a walk. We found gorgeous mushrooms, multicoloured leaves, chestnuts, a strange moss nest, a squirrel too quick for our camera, and various bugs.

Of course, taking along a Pumpkin Spice Latté is also a great idea; after all, it’s very seasonal!

And if you can bring along a willing uncle, that helps, too!

They tend to prefer truck spotting over squirrels…

A play at the park is always a good prize at the end!

You can do a walk like this any time of the year, and chat about the seasons, nature, plant growth, animal migration, etc! Easy science lesson, plus exercise! Doing drawings or paintings if your nature pics is another way to extend things. We did a collage.