My reminder of love came to me this day from my daughter Alli, who is away at college. She responded to one of my e-mails with such a gush of love that I squeezed two cinquains out in response! Okay, it wasn't hard. Gather has enabled my inner-cinquainist and a daughter's love made me all gooshy.
Alli gifts me with inspiration. She gives me a love of the arctic, its people and stories. In her e-mail, Alli refers to "skitching," a sport invented by John Stetson while they were on expedition across Baffin Island. Alli always joked that she was going to be Stetson's skitching apprentice.
LETTER HOME:
Mumsy-Darling!
aah, pobrecitos! I hope you are both feeling better and I send my love. I will definitely need to check out your gather site; I go on it whenever I have free time. And speaking of stories I have a story for you! This weekend Drew, Cory, his girlfriend Sarah and I went out to Black River Falls--IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!! The rootbeer falls weren't frozen over yet and the water was still flowing hard and dark under the warped iron-colored ice. The woods were peaceful though...until the 30 mph winds picked up! It was blowing snow up the steep ridge onto the path; the footprints we left on the way out (a timespan of about 30-45 minutes) were completely gone. We then went out onto Lake Superior where the 50 mph gusts nearly took us all off our feet. It was SO much like Baffin. Unfortunately there wasn't any clear patches of ice and my mukluks are too sticky for skitching. :) Afterwards we stopped to get pasties in Ironwood, oh were they good...nothing compared to yours though! After our fun weekend adventure (reminiscent of the good ol' weekend bouts with you and Bug) Drew and I have come up with the intention to do something every day that we look forward to. For example, tonight we're going for a night hike in the ravine. It will be grand!! Any way, I need to work on my assignments in order to go tonight so I will talk later! Lots of love!!
Alli-bean
My Darling Alli-bean, you are living life and feeling its ripeness. What a rush! Here are my reflections back to you, Little Love.
BLOWING THROUGH LIFE
Skitching
Across glare ice
Blowing through life faster
Than a wind-flung soul can take wing
Living
HOMESICK FOR PASTIES
Pasties
Meaty turnips
Wrapped in crumbling crust
Hot dinner for weary miners
Homesick
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Comments: 19
Your article is a Feature in the Wednesday Writing Essentials.
I visit Cornwall every year (we have a small boat which we keep down there). I use a recipe from a Cornish friend - and love them. I have to confess, I don't make them very often nowadays, but when the family were at home, they were a staple to take to school - and I still bake a dozen or so for friends etc to take back to their own, adult homes!
girl-friend. Enjoyed your cinquains. I think you've found your milieu!