Hello SUMMER!

Are you like me, wishing you could capture the sunny and shady colors of green against a blue, blue sky?  Add a breeze to make those greens flutter and you have the makings of sheer magic.  As I ride my bike around the neighborhood and down along the pond, I have been listening for the sounds of children playing.  I am not hearing those voices. Where are the kids?  Are they missing out on the touch of the earth and dirt on their skin?  What happened to lolling in the grass, staring up through the leaves, and romping outdoors.  How are kids getting in touch and touching our outdoor world?  This is their world, the one they hear so much about caring for.

Well, writers, get busy!  Engage them in the magic of "Getting Out There"!  Take them down to the pond, even if it is a drainage ditch.  Invite them into a forest to explore a hollow old tree stump or a meandering stream.  Take them to the beach and let them dive into your stories head first.

And readers, pick up a copy of The Geography of Childhood:  Why Children Need Wild Places by Gary Nabhan and Stephen Trimble.  This marvelous read will bring your youthful memories of outdoor places and spaces bubbling to the surface.  Once you dip into these essays you will not stay caged long.  Get outside and take a child with you!