Turtles

I live in an area of Shelburne with a lot of ponds and streams and every June on the weekend of my birthday we get a visit from the turtle population of Beaver Creek.

They love to lay their eggs in the warm soft soil of my mother's flower gardens. It’s fun to watch, and I look forward to it every year. It’s constant and dependable, like New Years Eve, and the outcome of Groundhog Day.

These aren’t your run of the mill turtles, these are full on, ugly as can be, snapping turtles. The turtles range from the size of a frisbee to the size of a trash can lid. They look like the beginnings of Jurassic Park, and they have claws that would make Edward Scissorhands jealous. They’re also vicious and can bite off your entire hand if you aren’t careful.

And they’re my favorite animal.

This year we saw four turtles laying eggs, but many more probably came that we didn’t see. In the past we have seen sixteen in one weekend. Now that’s a record that’s hard to beat.

In the fall their eggs will hatch and we will watch the baby snapping turtles make the mad dash for the stream to safety.
But not all of them will make it.
Some of the turtles will be picked off by hawks, and eaten. This is possible because their shells will still be soft and easy to break through. It is a sad fact of life, but every hawk has to eat too. And others won’t make it because they were run over, or couldn’t find food or shelter in time.
Watching the turtles every year has taught me a few things about life.

First of all, don’t lay your eggs where a car will easily back over them. Use common sense and think before you act, or you might lose everything you’ve been working for.

Second, when you’re in the wild, it really is the survival of the fittest. The turtles that are fast enough will make it to the stream, find shelter and something to eat, and make it to the age where their shell is hardened. I think this is what makes these snappers so mean. They had to work hard to get to where they are, and they won’t let you, or anyone else screw it up for them. This is the kind of mentality you need to keep if you really want to something you’ve been working for.

Third, life is a circle. Every Hawk has to eat, and so does every turtle, the circle comes back around every year when new eggs are laid and new eggs are hatched. Life is like energy, it can’t be created or destroyed. If one turtle gives its life so another animal can live, it’s just keeping the circle going. Life will always go on.

Fourth, take chances. If you don’t take that first chance, the mad dash to the pond, then you will die without ever living. If I never take risks I’ll never get anywhere in life. I’m just like one of the baby turtles, but prettier.

And Last, just because a couple of your eggs didn’t make it, doesn’t mean you were a complete failure. One of those baby turtles might be the future king of the pond. To apply this to my life, I can’t let the little failures trip me up. I need to keep my head high and focus on the things that did work out. Because it really is only one egg.

On a Journey

On A Journey by Hermann Hesse
Don't be downcast, soon the night will come,
When we can see the cool moon laughing in secret
Over the faint countryside,
And we rest, hand in hand.
Don't be downcast, the time will soon come
When we can have rest. Our small crosses will stand
On the bright edge of the road together,
And rain fall, and snow fall,
And the winds come and go.

The poem “On a Journey” by Hermann Hesse is not as much about the journey itself, as it is about the end of the journey. We have all felt  the feeling when a journey is coming to a close, and you just can’t wait for it to end, eager to get to your destination, or when we are in pain and we need to just hold on to the hope that is ending soon.

One thing that Hesse  does to give this poem a unique feel is by making the moon “laughing in secret” the personification (of the moon especially) makes it dark and mysterious.

“When we can see the cool moon laughing in secret”

This strategy sets up the reader’s emotions, and sprinkles on a certain flavor that is interesting and dark. Opening your mind up to the possibilities of the rest of the poem.  

Something very important about this poem is how the speaker is clearly addressing someone, encouraging a loved one to hang in there, the journey will soon end. When he says “hand in hand” it shows that he is very close to whoever he is speaking to, and is possibly romantically involved. It paints a very sweet and comforting picture in your mind, once their journey ends, they will be together.

This journey they are on is clearly tough. When he says “When we can have rest. Our small crosses will stand...” to me it is implying that they will both both die. The use of the word “rest” is alluding to “Rest In Peace” and “Our small crosses will stand” means crosses that mark their graves. This struck a chord for me if he is comforting a loved one by possibly saying that they will both die, then they must be suffering quite a bit. I can only imagine what they must be going through.  

All of these things give the poem has a very sad tone, and a feeling of a peaceful end to a rough journey.  The journey has worn them down, and now the travelers will find peace. Sadly that peace will be found in death.  All journey’s come to end, just not always so tragically.

Two Butterflies Went out at Noon

 Emily Dickinson uses  metaphors and themes to paint a perfect picture of two butterflies in her poem “Two Butterflies went out at Noon”.  

Picture a butterfly flying around a farm. It never flies in a perfectly straight line. When two butterflies are together they bob and duck around each other. This is the picture that Emily Dickinson was describing when she said

“Two butterflies went out at noon,

and waltzed above a farm-”

She got you to picture that in your head using only one sentence, when it took me three. This is the power of a perfectly worded metaphor. It is much more powerful because it also gives movement to the picture, now it might be a memory of a butterfly you are thinking of, rather than just a static picture.  The use of metaphors is what makes this poem special.

Emily used another metaphor to describe how the (still waltzing) butterflies flew up into the sky.

“Then stepped straight through the firmament”
The firmament is the vault of heaven (or sky). Butterflies don’t have feet, and if they did, they still couldn’t step into the sky. Saying it this way though, gives the poem a dream-like feeling. The fluidity of this line stood out to me. The word choice was perfect for this poem, first using “stepped” works with the waltzing metaphor, and the word firmament implies that they are stepping into heaven, making the waltzing butterflies seem like angels, floating up to the sky.

Through the whole poem she uses the theme of dreaminess. They start in the beginning dancing together and then later they leave together.

“And then—together bore away
Upon a shining Sea—  
Though never yet, in any Port—  
Their coming mentioned—be—”

Implying that our sweet little butterfly friends might be in love, perhaps eloping, leaving to the sea. It’s everyone’s dream to fall in love, run away and go live on the sea.  The thing that makes it interesting and even more dream like is that she says “though never yet, in anyport their coming mentioned be” as if this never happened, just like a dream.

In the final stanza, she ends the piece in a way open to interpretation.

“If spoken by the distant Bird—
 If met in Ether Sea
          By Frigate, or by Merchantman—
           No notice—was—to me—”

This strategy leaves you thinking about the poem through your day. I found myself daydreaming a little about where the delicate butterflies went, and what happened to them. No one knows, or even notices what happens next.
The whimsical spirit of this poem is beautiful and happy, but the unknown fate of the butterflies is melancholy and mysterious. In the beginning of the poem they were just butterflies, and now they are just a dream.

Ode to Cheese

Ode To Cheese,
Which Makes Us Smile,
When Camera's go Clack.
Ode To Cheese,
Which make us taste,
The greatest of flavors, the wackiest of whack.
Ode To Cheese,
Blue, Gorgonzola,
American and Cheddar.
Ode To Cheese,
Beja and Feta,
In all types of weather.
Ode To Cheese,
For those on a diet,
or trying to get fatter.
Ode To Cheese,
with crackers and wine,
with grapes can flatter.
Ode To Cheese,
when you're sad and happy,
Cheese just fits.
Ode To Cheese,
Mountains and Mountains,
or bits and bits.
Unknown

In the “Ode to Cheese” by an unknown poet, a few different sides of a wonderful thing are shown. Who doesn’t love cheese? The poet uses sound to describe action, opposites, and repetition for emphasis.
My favorite line of this poem is the part that says “When cameras go clack” I think it is a creative way to talk about the fact that we say “cheeeeeeeseee” when a photo is about to be taken of us. Sounds used as actions are a fabulous way to show not tell. Show not tell breaks the barrier of lame sentences like “when photos are taken”. Ew? The part that says “With crackers and wine, with grapes can flatter.” Shows rather than tells “Cheese tastes good with wine and grapes.” It’s like comparing a minivan to a mustang. One’s practical and boring, and the other is beautiful and lots of fun.   
The use of opposites is a common theme in a lot of writing, and can be very powerful and give character to a poem. “Mountains and Mountains, or bits and bits.” is a very cool section of the poem. The difference in size between a mountain and a bit shows that cheese can be eaten many different ways, but it is always wonderful. From the tiny samples you taste in shelburne farms, to the piles and piles of different cheeses at a huge wedding.
Repetition in poems gives strong song like emphasis on a thing. In this poem the refrain was “Ode to Cheese”. Not all poems have a refrain, but it gives a nice touch to something. The way it is used in this poem, the repetition glorifies cheese, (which deserves a lot of glory if you ask me). Without the repetition, this is just a list of great things about cheese, I hear something similar from my sister almost every day.
In conclusion, cheese is great and this poem does a very good job at giving a few reasons why. The elements used prove that point very well. The use of sound, and creative description gives the poem flavor while the opposites and repetition emphasize the pionts.

Ode to the turtle

Oh you mighty turtle you,
crawling in the grass,
what would summer bee without you?
Without your courageous hike up the hill,
just to lay your eggs,
what would inspire me,
to take risks,
without you?
What would we look forward too,
without the tittles,
hatching in the fall,
how would they get there,
without you?
Slow and steady wins the race,
this means nothing,
without you.

Oranges

A journey is like an orange,
you can’t experience it the way it really is,
until you take the first step,
and slice it open.

When commencing a journey,
you need to be prepared.
bring a light load,
But always anticipate the worst,
sometimes your orange,
isn’t as ripe as it looks.

When a journey closes,
It is like a good adventure book.
You were so intrigued,
to discover how it ends,
but now,
you miss it.
Oranges can’t Last forever.

Dear Tess

Dear Tess,
Your only in 6th grade, trust me you’re a lot younger than you think you are. You also dress way too much like your friends. You’ll be surprised how good you look in birkenstocks, and how well you’ll get along with the people who dont judge you when dance in public.  I have a few pieces of advice. Pay attention.
My first piece of advice:
Be nice, to everyone. It’ll surprise you how many cool people you will meet when you’re nice to everyone. Even if you think they’re weird. Remember Mikaela? You were friends with her in first through fourth grade before she moved to St. Albans. You two were realy good friends, even though all your other friends though she was a weird farm girl. Shes one of the coolest people you know. If you open up your mind again you will meet a lot more people like Mikaela.

People are a lot more interesting if you let them be. Have an open mind about everyone you meet. You can learn a lot from strangers. One day your going to meet a guy, I’m not gonna say his name, and you will learn nothing from him. You’ll know it’s him when he shows you his tattoo. Stay away from that guy. The only thing you will learn from him is how to break a mechanical monster. (It’s a long story). Other than that guy, you will learn a lot from strangers, just stay away from the sketchy ones.

Now for my second piece of wisdom:
Stop worrying so much about what people think, and then you will realize, that life can be a lot more exciting.

Stop messing with your hair. You will realise this on your own in 7th grade, but it will save you a lot of time if you know now what I do. If you don’t brush your hair every five minutes, it looks fine, it actually looks better if you just let it do its thing. Just because everyone else has straight perfect hair doesn’t mean you need it too.

And you really shouldn’t care what boys think, because no one knows what boys are thinking, so why bother? Plus they’re stupid, a lot stupider than you. So just be a freak, and don’t care as much as everyone else does.

The Last thing you should know:

Never stop doing something you love, but don’t keep doing something you hate.

Once band ends in 8th grade, keep playing, even though your friends think its weird. Band is the most fun you will have in all of middle school. All those days you’ll spend messing around in the band room and your “Band Party Lessons” with Lucas and Caroline are going to be some of your fondest memories of middle school. Cut Mr. Myres some slack. He does a lot of work. Not only does he practice conducting every night, hes also in the army, and takes care of his mom. When band comes to a close, keep playing the clarinet. I wish I could still play, it was my only talent and I’m having trouble finding a new one.
Will you just quit field hockey already? The only reason your doing it is because you don’t want to be the only person who doesn’t play a school sport. You hate it, you can’t run, and you will be much happier if you have your afternoons free.
Just remember, be nice, don’t worry about what people think, and do what you love.

P.S.  Messy Hair is totally going to be in style, and you can totally pull it off.

A Wilnerness of Scars

“A Wilderness of Scars” by John Elder

Not scars on human skin, but scars on the skin of mother nature. This piece uses perfect diction, beautiful imagery, and strong evidence to show the reader the natural history of the Bristol Cliffs Wilderness Area.

Word choice is one of the most important factors in trying to get a point across. A lot more can be said with a more powerful word. If you use the word “impenetrability” it is a lot more powerful than just using the word “darkness”.

The impenetrability of the cave was horrifying.

The darkness of the cave was horrifying.

Not only is there a more sophisticated meaning to the sentence, you also will sound smarter. Elder knew this, he’s just as smart as I am. In the first paragraph he proves the smorgasbord that is his vocabulary to be multifarious.
“Stiff leaves spangling in the lightest breeze.”
If he had used the infantile word “sparkle” instead of “spangle” this particular sentence would not have subjugated my interest. The spangling of the leaves alludes to the Star Spangled Banner, to which we pledge our allegiance. The symbol of the same country that decimated the forests, and leaving scars in the exact place this was written. By using the word spangling Elder has given an even deeper meaning to the already beautiful sentence.
Our most powerful sense is our vision. We rely on our sight to guide us more so than with any of the other senses. For this reason, it is imperative that when telling a story you must use imagery to paint the picture for the reader. Elder does this very well.
“Each evening, at this time of year, as light fades overhead, the foliage seems to glow even more brightly.” 

The imagery used describes perfectly the phenomenon caused at sunset in the fall when the golden glow of the sun is just right to cause the golden glow of the leaves to intensify.  This imagery shows a very special aspect of a very special season here.
Any time you are attempting to prove something, it needs to backed up by facts. Elder’s piece is filled to the brim with them. Every single thing he talks about he has some hard evidence to show that what he is saying is historically true.
“Between the Revolution and the Civil War Vermont had been the fastest growing state...... at the forefront of the industrial revolution...... whole communities of hill farmers headed for the midwest.”
I shortened the quote, but in the real version, it gives an accurate account of how the hills went from being profitable farmland that was being clearcut, to ghost towns where Mother Nature started to take over again. The historical accuracy amplified the meaning for me. If he had simply said, The hills have been clearcut and regrown many times blah blah blah. It wouldn’t have the same impact as legitimate, interesting facts. Its like eye candy for your brain.
In conclusion, the diction, imagery and historical evidence is what makes this piece powerful. The meaning is amplified and deepened, giving the reader a clear view of The Bristol Cliffs Wilderness Area.

The Sunflower

Sunflower, smiley vision
hosting hundreds of tiny florets-
smells like a rainbow,
tastes of light and sunshine,
like a lemon drop.
raised on a farm,
with its brothers and sisters.
At a family reunion,
dancing around an irish flag,
the sunflower peers in,
and wants to join the fun.
Too bad you can’t join,
you must sit,
and wait,
for the bees and the rain.
Flower of the Sun, don’t cry,
don’t call for the rain,
It will come,
And so will the bees,
to pollinate your florets.
Oh my dear Helianthus Annuus, it won't be long,
until the sun is back,
To smile with you.
  

Creative Hike Writing

Every hike is different, they all have their different obstacles and different rewards.  

Even when you walk the same trail, on the same rocks, with the same people. Sometimes the obstacles are physical, sometimes they are mental. And although you always receive the physical reward of staying healthy, but the mental rewards can always change.

Our two first hikes were different than the other hikes I had been on. Usually when I am hiking it is just me and my dog, and maybe a boyfriend or two. Excluding a few class field trips to Mt. Philo I hadn’t really been hiking with a big group, and those few field trips don’t really cont. The wild isn’t used to entertaining large groups of people like a whole class. Our 9 person group is a good fit though.

On the first hike, the real challenge was getting there, but we conquered that pretty quick.  I did have some trouble with the write ups that first day though. My mind hadn’t warmed up to the idea yet. I sat awkwardly with my pen and paper writing about things that seemed pointless at the time. We didn’t really see the purpose at first. Now, after only a few free writes, I’m starting to think of some really intellectual things. Things that helped us appreciate the world a little more.  Not that we wouldn’t appreciate it otherwise, we just might not realize the potential of our thoughts. The weirdest part; the best things I think of, are when I wasn’t thinking at all. It’s like a whole new method of writing for me. This particular challenge had its own way of turning into a reward.

The challenges of the second hike, were definitely finding it again, but also the heat. The heat was just proof that mother nature is always more powerful than we are. The sticky sweat and endless amounts of bugs were very uncomfortable Luckily we had the river, and the chance to spend some time in the bird museum.

There are a lot of things to say about this rewarding trip to the bird museum.

First, its really cool. I didn’t realize it was possible to carve all that on your own. I didn’t even realize how many different kinds of ducks we have here. It was cool putting faces to all the different songs of the birds I hear in my own back yard. Birds really are very interesting.
So I guess you could say that the mental reward of the second hike was knowledge, because I also learned many things about the history of Audubon and his tracks around North America.

Birdsongs or not, this adventure was definitely a dive into nature.

Even though every hike is different, the lessons and messages are the same. Every time you go outside, nature is trying to tell you that the world is a beautiful, and delicate place. We need to preserve the world for posterity, so that our kids will be able to learn the same lessons that we did.

Real Swamp-wives of Shelburne Trailer

**Coming this fall on Animal Planet**

Wilderness Explorer Bob: “Look at the Mighty turtle, crawling through the grass. “ *Turtle slowly claws its way up to the camera* “The turtle’s native habitat is right here in Shelburne Vermont where it has been known to terrorise cats and destroy vegetable gardens.” *Shows clip of turtle eating lettuce* “Stay away from this monster, it can chop off your hand whenever it wants, one wrong step and your turtle msh with a side of lake-weed.” *Turtle hisses as Turtle Snatcher/Wilderness Explorer Bob pokes him with a stick*

“Croickey! This ones a beut!”

Narrator: Here on The Real Swamp-Wives of Shelburne we only catch the nasty-est of the nasty. *Show group of turtles in a circle* American Snappers are domestic time bombs, they’re just waiting for the right moment to strike so they can take over. *Show dramatic close up of turtle hissing* Their hard outer shells are nothing compared to their instinct to attack. We follow all the drama, *clip of turtles swimming by each other* all the nesting, *clip of turtle digging nest very slowly*  and loosely translate what the turtles are saying. *clip of turtle saying “like omg!”

The turtle you just saw is Nessy she’s the sassy one, and the Alpha Turtle in this swamp, which by the way is the most fabulous, the most glamorous, the most exclusive swamp in the USA. *Show clip of nasty stinky swamp* Beyonce tried to get in last month, but she was turned away. *Show clip of Beyonce punching a wall* Nessy’s tittles (baby turtles) are all almost as fabulous as she is.

Nessy: “Don’t pretend you aren’t jealous,” *Show clip of Nessy and all her tittles with bedazzled shells*

Clarisse is the sweetie pie, and the youngest shes never bitten a single human, or even pet. Were just waiting for he to become a firecracker. But for now shes just boring. *Show nice turtle being pet by humans*

Clarisse: “I just think we should all get along”

Gertrude is the oldest, don’t mess with her. *Show slowest turtle ever*

Gertrude: “Get off my side of the river bank  you crazy kids!”

Olga is the troublemaker, not only has she amputated four and a half hands, she also amputated her mate’s left foot. *Show clip of Olga biting a male turtle* Good thing these rocky ladies don’t mate for life. *show her moving on and walking away with new mate*

Olga: “I’ve been bad ever since I was a tittle.”

And our favorite,

Tiffany. The spoiled brat. *show montage of Tiffany hissing and throwing tantrums* She always gets her way, if she doesn’t she develops super turtle strength and races after anything that moves to snap it. *Show turtle chasing cheetah*
Tiffany: “Everyone loves me! If you don’t I WILL SNAP YOU!”

Reflection

1.  My best piece was definitely my personal narrative about the snapping turtles. I was very in the zone when I wrote it, it was one my first pieces so I had a lot of energy, also I was writing about something I feel really passionate about. I REALLY like turtles for some reason, and snappers are my favorite, I even named my sailboat "Snappy".  So for these reasons my piece turned out really well in my opinion.

2. My worst piece is probably my nature show narrative. I think it's funny, but it wasn't as well thought out as some of the others. I was kind of writing it in a hurry, and I was kinda tired that day too.

3. My strengths as a writer are; creativity, analysis of evidence, and organization. I come up with good ideas and connections about things, and usually keep them in an organized manor.

4. My weaknesses are; purpose, grammer, and procrastination. I come up with good ideas, but sometimes I have a hard time sticking to one thesis, I also don't like to proof read and usually put things off until the last minute.

5. I feel like I got a lot out of this class, first of all I learned the very handy "rest step".  I also learned the importance of a good free write. I didn't understand before but now I know that they really do clear your head.

6. The only thing i would change about this class is the communication. Sometimes things were unclear when it came to directions to mountains or carpooling. It would have been nice if there was some kind of bus/van we could all take together to the hiking trails.

7. My favorite reading was the very first essay about how metaphors are all around us. Once i read that i found myself using those  very metaphors in my own speech, it was very eye opening.

8. My favorite hike was the hike at the AP gap. It was the perfect level of difficulty for me, and it was cool seeing one of my favorite ski hills in the summertime. I even liked the rain, it kept us all refreshed and made the woods smell like fresh soil.

9. Hiking and writing are very similar, because of the climb. When you are writing, the begining can be hard because you don't really have a rythum for it yet, then you reach the peak or the climax, and you realize the travel up wasn't as hard as you thought, and the on the way down it's easier because the worst is over and you can just finish off nice and  easy.

10. Birds can be a lot of things. So can a writer. They can be energetic and happy and singing and tell stories about a nice summer day like a sparrow. Or they can be mean, scary, dark and misunderstood like a crow.  I like to think of myself as a Blue Heron. Rare and beautiful, a water lover but also a flyer. The sky is my limit, but for now I'm just chilling in a pond.

Sailboat

Marching across the bay,
pushed by the wind,
dancing along,
on a warm summer’s day.

The breeze is blowing,
Singing its song.
Of a time when this lake
was a battlefield.

First between the natives.
For reasons now forgotten.
Then in the war for freedom,
But now all is peaceful.

My little sailboat
is fairing fine.
On the same waters
where battles were won,
and lost,
all those years ago.


Now the only turf wars,
are between the fish,
and the turtles
Marching across the bay,
pushed by the wind,
dancing along,
on a warm summer’s day.