Tag Archives: children

Do You Like Children?

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Not everyone does, you know. Some adults think that those little human “beans” should sprout somewhere else, anywhere but in their close proximity.

Yes, children are loud and can irritate and inflame every nerve to the point where anti-inflamatories don’t work.

Children are curious to a fault – “How come?” “Why do I haf-ta?” “What’s that?” Those questions sometimes makes us grown-ups feel stupid because we don’t always have the internet at hand for research.

But I know that children are magic.

They help us remember what our long-ago years were like.

They remind us of that feeling of satisfaction when the “ah-ha!” moments pop out of nowhere land.

They refill our imagination bucket with all kinds of sweet nuggets of creativity.

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Three years ago and four grandchildren later, ribbons of creativity, once hidden in my DNA, have sprouted again. Thanks to those growing “beans,” the product of their influence is now available here.

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Thank you for taking a look.

Back in Bad Ass Grandma’s hometown …

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girl smiling… her granddaughter smiles. “Mom, when will Bad Ass Grandma come back from her vacation?”

“What’s so funny?”

 

“Thinking about what she did. She lifted one leg over something I couldn’t see then ran round and round while bouncing up and down.”

“Why …”

“She sang,

‘Round and round up and down

on the carousel horses.

Up and down, round and round

as the music plays.

The lights on top they shine so bright

as we go round and round

use your hands to hold on tight

as we go up and down.’

Then she sang it over and over again.”

“Yes, your grandmother is quite extravagant with her imagination. Was she still wearing a pony tail?”

Granddaughter laughed and trotted back to her room, saying, “I hope she’ll be home soon. She promised me the moon.”

carousel granny

 

 

via Extravagant

More than Nostalgia

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The wonderful thing about writing down memories is keeping them. Because later, like me, you will find those written words.

I wrote this 26 years ago when my son was two years old:

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As grown-ups, we have learned much about life. But we learn much more by watching children experience and discover the world anew. I am about to be the grandmother of my fourth grandchild. I have much yet to learn.

Childhood and it’s atmospheric beauty!

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(my daughter’s first child — my second grandchild)

I am forever grateful.

 

 

 

 

via Atmospheric

The “Feeling” of Flavor

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Flavorful is not the chip in front of me.

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It is seeing the knowledge in my great-grandmother’s eyes as she looks down

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It is the power of her fingers holding up my whole arm

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It is knowing that, in touching her hand, I feel a lifetime of experiences

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It is the insightfulness I discover when she speaks to me

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It is the feel of a tongue that speaks words of wisdom

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Flavorful is the kiss from her lips that says, “I love you.”

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Compared to these things, the chip has no flavor at all.

 

Daily word prompt: Flavorful

 

What Grandma Says

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(I left out some pictures to tickle your imagination)

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Grandma says she visits Mollybird land.

But Grandma is silly.

She plays in the sand.

She hops in a chair,

I see her eyes glisten

She tells me to sit down

and carefully listen.

“There’s a place,” she says, “where

popsicles grow sideways,

where Lollipop trees

sprout only on Sundays.

Where cows milk the garden

The doggy yells, ‘Moo,’

And the carrot pops up

and says, ‘Howdy Do!’

 

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The dragon blows fire

to light up the coals

so miniture rhinos

can climb from their holes.

At lunchtime,

oh, we’re too busy to eat.

We paint with the squirrels

and then take our seats.

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We sit by the ocean

and blow seahorse bubbles

Our thoughts disappear

but our vision, it doubles!

If Tina the Tiger finds you,

don’t worry.

She’ll tickle you fast

then run off in a hurry!

Old Peter Parrot

doesn’t like peace and quiet

He prefers to squawk loudly

and dress like a pirate.

Then, when it’s time,

the Queen steps on her chair,

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and the bicycling frog

is the first to be there.

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Everyone cheers

and why would they not?

She makes them remember

the fun they forgot.

Now, if you don’t believe me,

of course it’s just fine.

But my unicorn’s here

and I must leave on time.

How I get home?

It’s the best thing, no doubt!

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Oh, don’t forget.

If you whistle real loud.

My silly hippo

will float down from the clouds.”

I take hold of the whistle.

I blow super hard.

A hippo? Really?

Will land in her yard?

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© Carolyn Dennis-Willingham, CDW Creations

Lollipop- daily word prompt

Forgivenss: NOW OPEN!!

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clipart by CD-W

Grandma parked her Ferrari

and rushed through the door

of the Moxie Courageous Everything Store.

“I need one sturdy jump rope,

two twenty-pound weights,

elbow and knee pads

and blue roller skates.”

 

“Will  that be all?” the salesman said.

 

Grandma looked at the ceiling

and then shook her head.

 

“I need a large sack of forgiveness,

‘No cost,’ I was told,

‘If you give it out freely,

it will lighten your load.'”

 

He pulled down the sack

from the highest of shelves

and smiled when he said,

“I might give some myself.”

 

She lifted her items

and knew who she’d call

for the bag wasn’t heavy,

not heavy at all.

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Daily word prompt: Moxie

 

 

 

 

 

As always, dear writers, the ones with the blocks, think further and deeper outside that damn box!

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I haven’t worked with photoshop in a long time. Starting over was NOT like riding a bicycle. But I did it, albeit in a slow, Carolyn fashion.  As most of you know, I am currently writing my fourth novel set in 1963. As my dad used to say, it’s a booger-bear. So, writing children’s books gives me a breath of fresh air. (Yes, I go to sleep rhyming, then pull out my hair.)

Here’s a sample of my latest. It is a reminder for children to keep their imaginations open and active as they listen to a Grandma tell her granddaughter about a magical place.

 

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As always, dear writers, the ones with the blocks,

think further and deeper outside that damn box.