Remembering Today, I'm remembering my buddies from 2 years ago! Magda and her cousin, Michelle, spent a lot of time on the quilt during our 10-day stay in San Pedro, Guatemala. My husband, Don was working on his Spanish with Magda's father. I brought along the quilt to volunteer at Magda's school. Spending Time at Home There was a lot of time to hang out at the house, so I brought the quilt out to the open-air hallway. The girls taught me how to play Lotteria. The Beanie Babies got to play along . Even my teenie 2-inch "Little Bear" had his own little card for Lotteria. But pretty soon Magda got tired of that. Animal Song Then we sang a song with 3 words..."Kitty, Bunny and Puppy". We sang the silly song while the Beanie animals sat on the the quilt. When I removed an animal, we replaced the word with humming instead. The song got confusing and I made as many mistakes as the kids. (Think Simon Says) The girls loved it when I goofed. Other Stuff I had a lot of other stuff packed. I wasn't sure how I would communicate with the family, since I don't speak English. I brought yarn for playing "string games" and Beanie Babies for teaching animal songs. I even brought big and small squares and a glue sticks, for making paper quilts. My Load Packing wasn't easy. The quilt itself takes up a lot of space. But at least I was able to leave some of these goodies behind. A Little Help Over a number of days, Magda had time to go through most of my stuff. Finally, I put Magda to work, helping with my new quilt! Art and Words Magda, along with her cousin and her mom and sister, helped decorate cloth squares to add to my new quilt. Magda's mom, Lola made 2 squares. One was a design with the family names. Another was a drawing of San Pedro, with mountains, lake and animals! Celebration Dinner On our second to last night, a number of families gathered for a dinner celebration. There were quite a few kids, but not room to spread out the quilt. At least I was able to unload a collection of Mardi Gras beads I'd lugged from New Orleans! Music & Food! There was lots to eat that night and lots of laughter and music. A couple ukuleles and some "plastic cup instruments" made things extra festive Besides the leaving the beads, behind, we lightened our suitcase by donating the ukulele as well. I miss this gang and memory from 2015!
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Getting Back With Kiddos This week I had two visits with the quilt. On Wednesday, I brought the quilt and a few distracting toys to IEDA Relief in Houston. I was eager to help out with this organization that bring guidance to refugee communities in numerous countries. I was there to help entertain the children, while their moms attended a 2-hour ESL class. That seemed easy enough. Except the moms and children didn't speak my language. And many were too young to speak anyway. Some of the IEDA Staff I was very impressed with the welcoming staff that greeted me upon arrival and joked with me after my volunteer time. I'm first to admit, I'm more skilled with the older children... I mean those not in diapers! I managed to keep my adorable gang of kiddos under control till about the last 20 minutes. Suddenly my puppets and singing and silly tricks all got old. I had about 5 babies crying at once. It was tempting to confess, "Hey, I'm pretty sure you can find someone more qualified than myself..." But the enthusiasm of the staff and the determination of these moms from so many places, made me commit to returning! Friday at the Shelter On Friday I headed over to the Women's Shelter, where I've volunteered with the kids for about 15 years. I was so relaxed knowing what to expect. The weather was balmy, which meant we could move outside and the biggest surprise was that I only had 2 kids. 10 year old R. remembered me from my visit on MLK Day. "Can we play Twister on the quilt!" he begged. I had him examine the worn material to decide whether it could take the abuse. He on decided tag.I haven't played tag in a million years and there I was with 2 sprinting boys. I taught them Freeze Tag and hoped I could stay frozen for a long time. Dancing Man They loved the little man that dances on the board. They took turns tapping the board to make him tap dance on the wooden paddle. When both screws jiggled loose and became lost, they gave the man rides on the toy cars. Mother May I It was an odd thing having these 2 young boys, without a crowd. It was a treat letting them decide what we should do. They decided they wanted me to teach them how to play "Mother May I?". Poor R. constantly had to return to the start line, when he forgot his "Mother May I?" He fumed and pouted, stomped and sulked. D. forgot just as often, but laughed at himself and skipped back to the start. R. noticed how much praise D. got for being a good sport and suddenly he began laughing when he forgot. I love it when other kids teach by example! Cards There was just enough time to pull out markers and paper for the boys to make some Valentine's cards. Neither boy had to think for a moment about who needed a card. Inside their cards, they both wrote sweet words about what they loved about their moms. This was without any prompting from me. I asked if they were going to wait to give the cards on Valentine's Day. "Nope!" R. answered. D agreed. They were both going to give their cards that day. I was glad. What Did I Learn? I learned how different it is, to have time with just two kids. Obviously it was different than when I meet with a group. I already know how social one-on-one time is. However, having 2 was actually perfect. The play felt relaxed and I didn't have to play teacher or parent. I could guide a little, but I loved just listening. Kids learn so much from each other, as they work side by side.
Back in Business with a House Theme After 8 months, I returned this past week to Gather Around the Quilt, with my senior groups. Greeting Old and New Friends I was eager to get back to my Atria gang, but a few didn't recognize me with my short hair. It was sad to learn that some special folks had passed away during my break. Of course, the new residents didn't know me at all. But that was almost refreshing. They all seemed pleased to know we were not quilting. I laid the quilt and props on the table and we got busy with our theme. The tiny houses and photos and magazines encouraged memory sharing... of favorite front porches and gabled roofs and shutters and chimneys. I asked if anyone had ever been on a roof. E. laughed and told us how her brothers encouraged her to climb on the roof. "They held a sheet below and told me to jump!" Magazines and Music The magazines from the 1940's helped us see how house styles and decorating has changed over the years. While we flipped through pages, I asked if anyone knew a song with the word house or home. E. spoke and didn't skip a beat. "House of the Rising Sun!" She announced. We chuckled about the story behind the song. Then I went ahead and played a recording. "There is a house in New Orleans..." the eerie melody seemed to cast a spell. E. delighted me, as she swayed and sang along. We played just enough before switching to some more upbeat tunes. Gang at the Center I knew the gang at M.G. Community Center was expecting me. What a welcoming bunch, with hugs and gentle teasing about my hair-do! It felt good to settle in around the quilt with this eager group that needed no explanation about the Quilt. Play Props I had a lot of mini houses scattered on the quilt, but the "toys" got the most attention. The tiny red house, was my toy as a young girl. "Close one eye and look in the peep hole!" I encouraged. "Top Cat" cartoon images could be seen. The old "View Master" was from my husband's childhood. The disk with photos of the White House was from 1961. The 3-D images showed Jackie Kennedy's redecorated interior. "It doesn't look like this anymore!" Said R. as she flipped through the photos. "Our new president had Obama's carpet ripped out..." I laughed and assured everyone, that we wouldn't be getting political today. Houses Building We attempted a little house building with Lincoln Logs and a deck of cards. As fingers fiddled with slippery cards, I asked who could think of a song with the word house or home. A moment later, we were singing "Home on the Range" as we worked around the table. What is Home? We debated about the definition of home. Can a traveling cowboy call the range his home? Even though I was trying to steer away from politics, I cautiously played a recording of Woody Guthrie, singing "Ain't Got No Home". The harmonica and tempo was upbeat enough to get M. up dancing. But the words were about being poor and homeless during the depression. I decided not to share the trivia that I learned when brainstorming the day before. I learned about Guthrie's re-wording of the song in the 1950's. Guthrie's new lyrics revealed his anger towards Fred Trump... as in President Trump's father! (I'm always learning) http://www.npr.org/2016/01/22/464013683/aint-got-no-home-why-woody-guthrie-despised-donald-trumps-father Kids and Houses We talked about houses kids love, like doll houses, tree houses and playhouses. M. had a memory of hiding underneath the house. "It was always cool under there!" B. told about her brothers helping her climb on the roof... to smoke cigarettes! And we talked about how we loved drawing houses when we were children. We used our index fingers to draw in the air, the way we remembered drawing houses as a child."I always started with a square bottom and a triangle roof!" "I liked making a chimney and smoke coming out!" M. drew the circular smoke shape in the air. "And flowers in the yard... and a sun!" Photos and Questions I handed out sheets with photographs and brainstorming questions. For a moment all was quiet as the group studied their images. I had planned on taking turns, so each could ask their question to the group. But suddenly the group was discussing with each other, sharing and remembering with those seated nearby. My questions weren't needed. Whether the photos showed castles or huts, mansions or teepees, everyone seemed to be reminded of a place they saw, or a home they remembered. I wish I could have heard all the conversations that went on at once. Sharing and Comparing We only had a short time to share as a group, before the clock reminded that it was time for lunch. We sadly didn't get a chance to share about our idea of the perfect dream house. Stuff I packed up my stuff, which as usual, was more than we needed. I headed to the car with their voices an stories filling my head. Good To Be Back What Did I Learn? After 8 months away, I learned that I still love being a part of these groups. My little detour with cancer could have given me an excuse to stop planning these crazy themes and toting my loads. But I was glad to be back! It was great to see my Quilt Buddies, again!
Quilt Time with Kids at The Shelter I headed for the shelter today, knowing the kids would be off school for MLK Day. One mom was so eager to have a distraction for her kids, she grabbed the broom and swept the floor before I laid out the quilt. I gathered the small group on the quilt and right away the kids began telling me what they knew about Dr. King. One young boy seemed surprised to see the book, picturing Dr. King as a boy. The young boy on the quilt looked very much like young Martin, on his bike. Dream Quilt I used a story to get the kids thinking about the dreams that Dr. King hoped for. In the story, I told about a Dream Quilt, that was larger than a football field. It was pieced together like a puzzle, with fabrics of all kinds, cut in every shape imaginable. The kids shouted out shapes from hexagons to hearts. They named fabrics like silk and cotton and golden cloth! They called out all their favorite colors. People in the Story The story continued with the help of the kids, imagining all the people who came to the magical Dream Quilt. They described the unusual kinds of clothing and hats the people in the story might wear. One boy mentioned a Sikh turban, which shouldn't have surprised me. The group of children was about as diverse as the people in the story. They had been delivered to my quilt by their mothers... one who spoke Mandarin to her son...another who wore a sari and another who wore a hijab. These children had lots to teach me. A Song The kids helped steer the story, which ended with the people coming together on the quilt and learning to get along, despite their differences. The school age children got it. They helped make up words to a Dream Quilt song. The kids added their own dreams or wishes for what would make the world a better place. Corny? Not when you're 7 or 10. These children had some pretty magical descriptions of the perfect world where people work and play together. (Evidently dinosaurs would make the world even more perfect) I gave the kids their own Dream Quilt sheets to design. One little boy didn't want to make one, but he gave me a lot of good words to write in the shapes. Equality, Friendship, Peace. And the young ones, just enjoyed drawing the things they love. Who doesn't love a Pretty Pony? Feeling Different Living at the shelter has already given these children an understanding of what it means to "get along with others". We talked about how different we all are and how that's a good thing. We also talked about how sometimes we don't like to feel different. I popped the scarf off my head and revealed my short hair. "Sometimes I'm embarrassed because I look different, since I don't have much hair." The kids gasped and then grinned. "Your hair looks awesome!" Said one little boy"Yeah, it looks good!" Another boy added, "If you didn't have those earrings on your ears, you'd look just like a man!" He said it with such enthusiasm, all I could do was grin! What Did I Learn? It was nice to hear these kids talking about Martin Luther King. It's obvious the kids have had discussions at school or maybe with their relatives. It was encouraging to see these children, from different backgrounds, talking and sharing. "Getting along" is not always easy in a temporary shelter, but this was one of the brightest and most cooperative groups I've dealt with over the years. It's nice to know these children will be adults someday. We need them!
Bells & Books I've always made my December visits to the shelter, extra special. Years ago, I would lug food and gifts, crafts and music. But I eventually learned, I could leave the "parties" to the volunteer groups, with budgets and lots of extra hands. I learned to keep it calm and simple around holidays. This December, I returned to the shelter after many months. I was feeling pretty good, with chemo behind me and radiation almost done. But I still wanted to keep it easy. I arrived with a few books and bells and no plans. Stories I was grateful that my group was small and young enough that they were all equally giddy over pictures of snowmen and Santa Claus. Reading to the Dolls It was nice not playing a "teacher" role for a change. We just lounged on the quilt and looked though books. It felt homey and cozy. A few dragged dolls to the quilt, so we could read to them, too. Again I was grateful for this young bunch. Some were too young to remember a past Christmas. That's always a concern at the shelter, for kids who are comparing to years before. Jingle Bells It was the illustrations in Frosty the Snowman, that got the group wild. Our calm group of book readers was suddenly energized. Before long the quilt was alive with little bodies throwing imaginary snowballs... diving and rolling, dodging and throwing. I pulled out the bells and a recording of Jingle Bells. The kids who knew how to gallop, took off, "dashing through the snow" while the younger ones ran with bells. It was a little blizzard of chaos for a while. The kids couldn't get enough and I was exhausted! What I Learned: It is possible to ease back into my quilt groups, without over-planning and over-thinking. But it's going to take a while to get my stamina back for the galloping!
It's The End of June It's been 6 weeks since I met with any of my Quilt Groups. I miss these dear folks who make me laugh. So I had a little laugh therapy, after all. This photo below, is from my visit yesterday. The rest are photos from past years... thrown in for fun. A couple weeks ago, I called the directors at the centers where I do my Quilt Gatherings. I told them I was going to have to take a break, to deal with breast cancer. I was touched by the support and well wishes. I was reminded by all, to just get better and return as soon as I was ready. But I have no clue when that will be. I'm waiting on lab results to determine whether I do chemo before radiation. It could be a very long time and that's tough to think about, when you know that some of these folks are here on this earth for a limited time. I thought about Silverado, where I started doing Quilt Groups 6 years ago, when my mother was a resident. I was already missing my visits there, where I have the added benefit of being reminded of my mom... with hugs from the staff who remember her. I especially miss the sweet residents I gather with. But at least I don't have to worry about their concern. They don't think about me, unless I'm right there, sitting around the Quilt with them. So today I was feeling fairly good, almost 2 weeks after my lumpectomy. I felt like I needed to visit some of these special people, in case I am tied up with months of chemo. I headed over in the morning. I was greeted by a resident dog when I first stepped inside, and then I saw Betty. Her face lit up with recognition, so I plopped myself right down and shared her chair. She innocently asked, "How have you been?" It felt so good to answer with a smile, "I've been good! How about you?" That was all that was needed. There was music playing in the living room and a young man was engaging a small crowd with a Fox Trot lesson. I joined in a bit and " danced" with a few of my friends who are in wheel chairs. We held hands and swayed and laughed. Ramona leaned in close and asked, "Are we doing our group today?" I was utterly surprised. I'm usually recognized, but I have to remind my friends that I'm the "Quilt Lady". I told Ramona that I had no quilt today... I was just stopping by to visit. It was delightful watching the dance instructor, guide this special group. One resident told me she WAS NOT about to dance, but he got her dancing. Another resident was cracking jokes and singing along with great gusto, yet when he danced with Ramona he was graceful and gentle. Then the music slowed down and I joined the group in a "Cool Down". I sat on the floor between Carol and Mary and encouraged them to lift their arms and breath, like our leader... even though my right arm hurt and I was limited, like many of them. Carol, held my left hand and beamed down at me. "I just love to see you!" Then the man's calming voice began to walk the group through a relaxation exercise. I selfishly joined in! The music was soothing and this guy was talented with his cues and guidance. I followed along as he asked us to close our eyes and feel different parts of the body relax. I was getting a therapy I hadn't expected. Not only was I melting right into that floor feeling my stress lift, but I was also enjoying that tickle of humor... from when you're about to laugh. Dear Mary, wasn't following his instructions from her wheelchair, but she was holding my right hand. She gently patted the whole time, as if saying, "There, there, there..." And when I snuck a peek at her, she was grinning down at me... and we both laughed like misbehaving girls at church. After the program finished, I headed down the hall and knocked on Charlotte's door. It took her a minute to recall my face. "Well, I don't have my quilt today..." I helped remind her. She sighed with recognition. "Oh, yes! I do love our discussions. We always talk about the most wonderful things." Then she showed me the camel saddle she'd gotten in Egypt. Then I sighed over the artwork made by a Hopi Indian. She was so delighted when I showed interest in her treasures. "You appreciate things, don't you? When will we be meeting again?" Again, it felt good knowing I didn't need to be totally honest. "Oh pretty soon. I'm planning my next theme." Actually, I am. Charlotte I walked Charlotte down to the dining room for lunch. She chuckled about the large hall mirror, where we could check on our hairdos. I got her settled and said I'd be back soon for our next Quilt Group. I felt like I often did with my mom, when I twisted the truth. Mom raised us to believe white lies are lies. But I learned years back, that the rules are different with Alzheimer's. I gave a hug and Charlotte laughed with a motherly bit of advice, telling me not to be some kind of "vital statistic". It was a funny moment with an odd choice of words. But we both laughed and I left wondering if she was giving me a secret message.
What Did I Learn? I always learn from my Quilt Adventures. Today, I learned (without my quilt) to trust my instincts. I knew I needed a visit with my old gang, but I didn't know how much... until I headed happily to my car! A Favorite Theme of Mine With this theme, we seem to go down one route or another. Historic World's Fair history? State fairs and carnivals? My first group was all about carnivals. Merry-Go-Rounds I heard many sweet stories about riding on carousels. Dot reminded me that Papa wouldn't let her ride any other rides at the carnival... except the carousel. Oh she loved the carousel! Adding Color How I do love this group. They love music, games, talking at once... but we toned it all down with a little artwork. While some calliope music played in the background, we just talked and colored. Yes, colored. Two years ago I had to explain why that was okay, but the coloring craze has helped me. Ferris Wheels I was surprised how many really disliked ferris wheels. But everyone loved hearing about the "Big Wheel" from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. It could carry up to 2,160 passengers at once. Memories The wooden Ferris Wheel reminded Robert of riding as a kid and making the seat rock. Ms. S saw the photo of the "Big Wheel" when it was first in Chicago, before it was sold to St. Louis for $750.00. "I remember my grandparents talking about going to the Chicago World's Fair!" She beamed. 1893... so long ago! The St. Louis World's Fair No one in any of my groups knew of anyone who had gone to the World's Fair back in 1904. Looking at photos of the wonderful old buildings and the Grand Lagoon, made me want to go back just 25 years, to ask my grandmother what she remembered. I so wish I'd asked her more questions about being a young girl at the St. Louis Fair! 1964-65 New York World's Fair I had a few in my later groups who recalled visiting the fair in New York. Some remembered the exhibit, "It's A Small World" with the mechanical dolls from around the world. Most in my first group were not familiar with the World's Fair at all. A few didn't even live in this country in 1964. It was sweet to listen to the 29-cent record and hear the words that remind us all of that people around the world are really all the same. Many sang along, while others seemed to concentrate on every word. "There is just one moon and one golden sun and a smile means friendship to everyone. Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide, it's a small world after all..." Amusement Parks Some in my groups remembered trips with family to Disneyland. Martha remembered visiting a center on the ground of the future Disneyland. I was born after Disneyland's opening, but I laughed to share a postcard I bought when I was about 10, when visiting the site of the future Disney World. I think I remember the center being in the middle of swamp lands. But maybe my memory is wrong. Souvenirs What would you buy? We all wondered. I showed a picture of a large marble pedastal that my great grandparents bought at the St. Louis World's Fair. I couldn't bring the silk scarf that my husband has from his great aunt's visit to the Chicago World's Fair. Movies and Books We talked about some of the old musical films that featured carnivals scenes. "Meet Me in St. Louis" was the movie that most recognized. When I played a recording of Judy Garland singing the famous song, there very few who could keep from singing along. I asked them all to imagine the clothing of that time, with all the layers and stiff collars and lacy petticoats. None of us could imagine enjoying a summer fair in those clothes! Round & Round We talked about the rides that thrilled us when we were young, but today make us sick at the thought. In my last group, we were laughing at stories about the rides that make us dizzy, when Eva caught a glimpse of a little guy going by in the hall. Our Little Visitor Since I often have props that are really just old toys, we invited little Josiah to come in and see our toy, with twirling swings! I couldn't tell what was more fun, watching our little friend trying to spin the toy, or watching the faces of my group as they smiled and laughed and encouraged his play! What Did I Learn: I have always known, my senior friends are young at heart. They love the goofy toys and props I bring in. But what they love more than playing themselves, is watching a young one totally focused with a toy! What a treat! Thanks, Josiah!
Sixth Year Celebrating I've been doing Quilt Groups with Seniors for over 6 years. Every May, I make sure to do a Fiesta theme around Cinco de Mayo Sombrero Pics! Each year I bring in the giant sombrero for a little posing. My liveliest Quilt Group is always game for the camera. I used to print out photos that went into scrapbooks, that I kept for each group. That became impossible, so now I hand out photos that can be added to personal scrapbooks. Mexican Hat Dance & Maleguena While enjoying a recording of The Mexican Hat Dance, we made so much noise we heard voices from our friends on the other side of the partition. "Be Quiet!" We toned it down, with a less raucous recording of the love song, Maleguena. Many held there hands high each time the singer held a note for an impossibly long time. Many knew the song and softly sang along. The group that had complained earlier must have enjoyed the song, since they apologized for hollering at us. What can I say? We just like to have a little fun.
The peppers and avocados inspired some mouthwatering food discussion. Next time I should record some of the conversations about favorite recipes and tortilla making tips. Lotteria! This group was very studious as they concentrated on the Lotteria cards... at first. Then there was much cheering and hollering! Ramona chose the picture cards and announced in English and Spanish what image to look for on the cards. Colorful drawings and pinto beans are so much more fun than numbers and bingo markers! Dance I went to 5 different groups during the week and and each "fiesta" gathering had its own flavor. About half of folks in one group were temporary residents who had been evacuated from their flooded assisted living complex a couple weeks before. One dear woman I had never met, was so inspired by the music, she insisted on standing up to "dance". She pulled herself up from her wheelchair and shook her maraca and swayed a bit. I was at her side, just in case. I hope I didn't any break rules by letting her go for it. Instruments It was nice to have lots of hands on instruments to break the ice with some of the new folks, who haven't been initiated to our "We don't care how silly we look!" attitude. Comparing For some, we eased into the playful stuff, by comparing the sounds and discussing what was inside. The scientific talk lead us to the fun side of the instruments. Ole! For others, just shaking a maraca brought out laughter. Some began to sing songs I'd never heard of and others demonstrated some pretty entertaining styles of playing the maracas! May Weather! And one group had the added fun of celebrating outside! By May 5th, weather can be horribly humid in Houston. But we lucked out with blissfully pleasant air and moved one group right onto the patio! Shopping in Mexico In every group, I had at least one person with a non-tourist connection to Mexico. We heard from some who grew up in small Mexican villages, with no telephones or electricity. One resident told us she grew up in Texas, but went across the border regularly too stay with relatives. Most of the stories we heard about Mexico, were from those with memories of being a tourist. Most of the memories involved what they bought in markets and what they ate. We tried to compare the two worlds. Animals of Mexico Some wire scorpions and roadrunner souvenirs lead to a discussion of burros and oxen and other real animals of Mexico. Somehow one group ended up discussing bullfights. An enthusiastic woman from a memory care group giddily recalled watching a bullfight in Mexico, when the bull got loose into the stands and came right up beside her. I've heard many stories in my groups over the years and many are "mis-remembered" I'm sure. But this dear woman believed her outlandish story and the group didn't question her. I'm glad that my job is to help folks enjoy... not to question honesty!
What Did I Learn? There is no need to be accurate with storytelling in any of my Senior groups. I don't encourage Tall Tales, I just encourage the joy of sharing. Besides, you never know when an outlandish story could actually be true! Rodeo Time in Houston Every year I attempt an Old West or Cowboy theme around Houston Rodeo time. Horseshoes... Stirrups and Cowboys The stuff on the Quilt at the Senior Center got some attention, while we waited for others to gather. Cowboy Music Boots and Hats The stitching makes the boots decorative, but also sturdier. We talked about the history of cowboys. For some of my Latino friends it was fun to discuss the Mexican Habeneros and what they taught the North American cowboys about horsemanship and roping skills. There were plenty of stories of horseback riding from those who grew up on farms. But Dot had to remind us that No, her papa would not let her ride a horse! I never grow tired of hearing about Dot and her Papa, who protected her in every way.
What I Learned: I love this generation with their connection to the Old West. Whether they can relate from farm memories or watching old Westerns, they have an appreciation. I really wonder how many children play cowboy, today? Rain and Wind Theme... when Houston is flooding? I had planned a Rain and Wind theme for the third week of April, but fretted over whether I should go ahead with it. I hadn't planned on Houston roads and airports being shut down due to flooding... on the morning of my first group! My first gathering was cancelled since the community center closed down for 2 days. The other 3 facilities that I visited were residential, so they were more than happy to have someone show up in lousy weather. Umbrellas I kept the focus on the fun stuff of rain. Umbrellas bring out the kid in most of us, especially when we have a few tiny ones to fiddle with. We talked about Mary Poppins and children jumping off porches with umbrella-parachutes. I laughed about my brother making a twirling carousel with an upside down umbrella... with Matchbox cars, instead of horses. Poems and Music We read some poems about umbrellas, then listened to "Singing in the Rain" and imagined the scene with Gene Kelly dancing with his umbrella. Many had fond childhood memories of splashing through puddles and making mud pies. Our rain nostalgia reminded many of the old tune, "Rain, Rain, Go Away!" In each group, all it took was one person's singing reminder, to get the whole group singing. Rain or Wind? Everyone had a chance to pick a card from the WIND or RAIN brainstorming cards. The rain cards prompted discussions about spring sprinkles and fierce storms... floods and drought. Wind The wind questions got us off on wonderful tangents. We remembered flying kites and puffing on pinwheels. We pictured where we'd seen clothes blowing on the line and windmills turning. At least a couple had climbed a windmill. Some recalled hearing the sound of wind at night and the eerie sounds of branches scratching on the window. Sounds of Rain We passed around a rainstick to help us recall the sound of rain. We agreed that wasn't exactly the best example. We liked talking about it better. "We had a tin roof in Louisiana. Ahh, the rain on the roof made a wonderful sound!" "Did you ever sleep in a tent and her the rain sprinkling down on the canvas?" Recording Rain? I so wish I had brought a recording of rain so we could have closed our eyes and imagined being somewhere else. But the sound of rain might have put us to sleep anyway. More Music About Rain Luckily I did have more recorded music, which is always a good way to keep a group from nodding. I was surprised at how many recognized and sang along with "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head". And many jumped in to chant along with "The Rain in Spain Falls..." But the most surprising reactions were to the song, "Stormy Weather". That song isn't from my era, but it clearly sparked memories for many. I watched smiles and sighs and swaying bodies. My dear friend Martha closed her eyes and lifted her chin to absorb the music. She smiled and her lips moved with the words. I wanted so badly to ask her what the song reminded her of. But she didn't need my intrusion. She was happily being transported to another time.
What Did I Learn? I feel a little guilty to have enjoyed a rain theme when there were so many Houstonians affected by the flooding. There was at least one nursing home in the area that was evacuated. But these folks have all earned their right to enjoy their world. I learned how easy it is to ignore the news for a bit and focus on the good of rain. |
The QuiltFor 20+ years children have called it the Magic Quilt. They've danced and pretended all over these colorful squares. I've dragged it to schools, shelters and studios where children have climbed on top to hear Magic Quilt Stories and to act them out. Archives
April 2022
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