Passing Weeks.......

  Greetings once again from Costa Rica!!  The last week or so has gone by well, and I find that the time has been flying!  Here we are, nearly at the end of our first month here, the first month of 2013!  It seems only yesterday that we flew in......

  This week, the church we go to - Berea - had a VBS which Charlie and Lucy participated in, and Annie and I helped out with.  It's summer right now in Costa Rica, and all the kids are out of school, so the VBS was in the morning, starting on Monday (21st) and ending on Friday (the 25th).  So it was another busy week for us, in which I have seemed to be constantly tired!  The VBS was really well planned and practiced - I got to play a part in some of the fun skits and songs that did.  The whole week was themed as travelling around the world (in 5 days:), so the kids all had passports, and each time we got into our 'airplane', and went to different countries, in each place learning what the people there called God, different names for Him.  Every day, we decorated the room to look like the country we would be visiting, and the kids had a great time.   We also dressed up as natives from each country, and had a fun time trying to keep the proper accent while at the same time talking in Spanish.  :)  Try having an Chinese accent while you talk in Spanish :)  It was really fun - we went to China, France, Egypt, Australia, and Peru.

entering Peru.......

songs and games.....

Charlie and some buddies.......

  Last Friday, our dad took us on a 'field-trip' downtown.  We visited the Central Mercado, and stopped by a theater and a museum, just to have a look.  And guess what!  I finally found 10 colones on the sidewalk!  :)  Also, we popped in a bookstore and I got the book, "Los Jeugos del Hambre"  (the Hunger Games) in Spanish!  It's a really fun lesson in Spanish, and it has already been improving my Spanish! :)  So far the reading has been going slow, much slower than usual, but I am really liking it!!

  Last week, Annie and I were thankfully able to secure a time to play the piano at the Spanish Institute!  I'm happy to say that the two or three week break did not much affect us, and we are back on track.  Volleyball is still going great - we've been practicing with our dad at the park, working on different basic things we need to improve.  I'm pretty good at setting now, and after a lot of working on how to serve the ball overhand, I got it over the net in a practice game today!  It went straight down the middle of the court; I was so glad cause my work had paid off. :)

We've also been playing with our neighbors at lot.........

....if only through the fence.  :)  One of our favorite pastimes is throwing a bouncy ball back and forth over the bars that separate our two houses, trying to avoid the electrical wire that stubbornly continues to reside there, while at the same time trying to keep it from going out the narrow range, over the bars into the street (which happens half of the time).  My mom calls it the zoo.....often we wish that the bars weren't there, and the Meek and Gentry tribes could roam and play as much as they wanted, whenever they wished..........

making brownies.....mmm!

fun time.......:)

  An interesting difference between Costa Rica and Kansas is the kinds of birds.  There is a small tree outside our house that has these fuzzy red flowers that look almost like mini pom-poms!  They seem to attract hummingbirds!  We can see them from our bedroom window, and once one of them came, flew around, then actually sat down on the telephone wire and was absolutely still!  It was amazing to see it just sit still - I'd never seen that before!  Do you know the sound a hummingbird makes?  Yesterday, we saw one and it was chirping - it was the coolest thing!  Never heard that before either.

Another cool bird experience - a school day, when I was sitting upstairs at my desk doing Math or something.  I heard this sound - it was like a loud popping or scratching, then a low whistle, and finally a very weird sound that I can't even describe!  It was repeated many times, and we all crowded around the window it was coming from, but we couldn't see anything because it was too high up.  A few days later we found out from our neighbors that there are possibly some parrots living up there!  So........is the mystery of this bird solved.......or not??

Our good friends the Sears flew in from the U.S. a week ago, and are busy looking for a house.  :)  But in between that, we've gotten a couple good times with them already.

As some of you may have heard, we have experienced a couple of small earthquakes in the last week or so!  I have only felt one myself, and it was the biggest one.  In the middle of the night, I woke up for some reason.  One thing you should know - the bunk bed Annie and I share squeaks and shakes at the slightest movement.  Right then it was moving around, back and forth, and making a loud noise.  I briefly thought to myself, "It's an earthquake."  Then I pretty much just went back to sleep.  Oh.....an earthquake...no big deal.....!!!!  :)  I must have been very tired, and only half awake.  It doesn't really seem real now........

Following, are some pictures from the last two weeks, that kind of illustrate what we've been up to on a daily basis.  :)  

At the feria again.......

a view from the upstairs window..........

Charlie and Lucy at the park :)

At a Costa Rican dance we saw at the Spanish Institute.

 Lucy with her friend at church :)

The track we go to almost everyday......... :)

Lucy with her teacher, Ms. Monica, at Sojourn.

Lunch at Monica's house with the Sears.........

With Monica :)

We grilled out with our neighbors one night!!  Yummy cheeesburger!!  - with advocado too!

~Caroline M.

First Week: Colones, Sore Feet, Old and New Friends, and More Memories Resurfacing! Also Ink and Paper. A lot of it.

Hi again!  The first week here in Costa Rica has gone by super quickly.  A blur of many different things.  Many times, when I walk past a store, or see a certain room at the Spanish School, my mind still gropes around, and for an instance there is a flashback from 10 years ago that I can't place.  We've seen some of our old amigos lately, and made some new ones.  :)  Our dad has us running two miles every day at the nearby track, except for weekends, so we are getting back into shape.  It doesn't come quickly though!!  That, added to the fact that we walk everywhere (I've only been in a vehicle once in the last week, and that was a bus!) has made for a week of very sore legs that protest at even small exertion.  I love the routine here.  Here's what a typical school day looks like for the Meek kids and their Principal.  :)

6:30 - Wake up, and make breakfast
7:45  - School begins
10:00 - Snack time - usually bread from the bakery :) Mmmm.
12:00 - Work out!!  2 miles at the Track
12:45 - Lunch Time

The rest of the afternoon is mainly resting, visiting, doing homework or shopping, if there is nothing else planned.  :)


I feel like it's been a major change in schedule, one that has been really good for me.  The weather has also been beautiful, no rain, and not too hot.  One of the things that I have been doing a lot in my free time is writing.  All kinds of stuff.  Most of it connected with the book I'm writing, whether actually writing it, or just spending time writing out pages and pages of ideas and brainstorms.  I had an dream the other night (borderline nightmare) and woke up at 6.  I spent 45 minutes writing the whole dream out - it was super complex and sounded like the perfect base for a short story.  It dealt with time, past, present, and future, and going between the three - it was so complicated that I look back at it now and wonder what I was writing.  The concept of changing the time, interfering between two different times, and being able to see both happening at the same time is hard to grasp - it made so much more sense in my dream though!!  But many things have been the subject of my writing here, and when it comes, it does so in large quantities, periods of fast scribbling to try to keep up with my line of thought.  I never can seem to write fast enough.  The novel I'm writing with my friend is going better than I dreamed - we're starting chapter 10, and all is going well.  There is that slight problem of the large vague spot fast approaching after the next few chapters, involving the main flesh of our story, but I'm sure we'll get that thought though soon enough.  It's just a matter of sitting down and conquering it.  :)
The last week has been a mix of peace, fun and activity.  Here are some of the highlights of the past few days:

Saturday, January 5:
Today we went to the Ferria - the market place that is held in a park every Saturday.  A path through the middle of two rows of temporary stalls that hold everything from tomatoes and pineapple to ginger root and cacti.  We had been given a long list of items to acquire by my mom, and Team Meek set out to track down some fresh produce.  Charlie and Lucy quickly deserted ship to play up at the playground with our neighbors, but Annie and I and our Coach started to fill up our cart with food.  Mangoes, potatoes, ginger, plantains, onions, pineapple, tomatoes, beans, and more.  Also limes.  We bought 20 of the little guys for under two dollars.  Later, when we got home and cut one open, we found they weren't exactly limes: the insides were as orange as any orange.  Zeidy later told us that they were like limes, but slightly sweeter.  We ended up using the whole batch to make a sort of limeade drink that was so good!   After a while of shopping, we rounded up the kids and headed back home.  After lying everything out on the table for mom's approval, we did the math and the whole day's pickings came out at just over 20 dollars!

Our friends Edwardo and Paola came over for dinner.  Their two children, Andres and Jacob are getting to be so old!  They are the cutest.  At ages 6 and 1 and a half, we had a fun time playing with them.  It was also great to catch up with them.  I am beginning to feel that my Spanish is reviving;  speech is starting to come easier, and I am slowly getting more comfortable with just talking even if I'm not sure if what I'm saying is correct.

 Our friends Andres and Jacob

Sunday, January 6:
  Sunday, we went to church today.  Visited the church we had belonged to when we were here almost 11 years ago - the church Berea.  The worship time was amazing, just being there was so good.  My mind again tried to recall and recognize the church without too much success.  I did remember some though.  Annie and I went up to a youth group for 13-15 or-something-year-olds.  I met some girls there - I can't wait to get to know some of them!  Monica and her family came over for lunch, and just hung out for the rest of the afternoon.  We had a Blitz tournament with us girls, while the men went out for a bit.  It was really fun to just hang out with them for a while.  :)

Monday, January 7:
  Another day at the track...and the first official day of school!  I am keeping up with my classes at Brighton, (Biology, World History, and Writing) as well as the usual home subjects (Math, Reading, and Geography).  Everything is going very well with that.  Later in the day we went to the Central Mercado with Zeidy and Monica.  We had to catch bus to get there to rendezvous with them.  First time this trip, and we got a double-decker!  Those are pretty rare around here, you hardly ever get one.  It was amazing, driving along, almost even with the roofs of the one-story buildings.  When we got off, we walked a while to meet them.  There were so many people there, all so unique too.  In Costa Rica, I have really loved how the people are so friendly.  At least two of three times while we were on our way, someone helped us, by giving us directions, or walking with us some of the way.  I really like that.  The Central is a large, crowded place where there are a ton of people selling different things.  Hammocks, tee-shirts, coffee, and fresh fruit, you name it!  We got a few things, then went to a different market.  After shopping for a while, we stopped by the ice cream store Pops, and got a treat! My favorite is the Brownie Dynamite - So. Good.  We sat down at the edge of the the big square of downtown.  There are a ton of pigeons here, so of course Charlie was occupied immediately after finishing his ice cream.  He seemed to find it extremely amusing to make a game out of chasing them....... as for the pigeons...I don't know.   I doubt they had such a fun time of it.

I also took this picture of a palm tree with the sun directly behind it.  So beautifully bright.

Wednesday, January 9:
   At the Sojourn Academy that is connected to the Spanish Institute, there are a couple of after school activities you can do, even if you don't attend the school.  Annie and I got signed up to do volleyball!  It is a group of boys and girls grades 7+.  I have never officially played volleyball, unless you count out in the backyard with a beach ball.......  It was really fun!  I have wanted to play a sport for a long time, and I think I am really going to enjoy this one.  Everyone there was really nice, and I met some girls too that seem really fun.  :)  Our team has 17 total...13 girls and 4 boys.  A great day!

..................................................

One more note:  Charlie found two more coins on the street in the last few days!!  Lucky!  He's going to get rich if he makes a habit of this!!

At Monica's house

              ~Caroline M.     


P.S.  All ye take good note of what happens when children are left to themselves un-monitored for thirty minutes with duck tape.  Just for future notice.

Greetings from Costa Rica - Fireworks, Palm Trees, and a Happy New Year!

January 1st, 2013  

around 1 a.m.

  I am writing this in Costa Rica, at the beginning of the New Year, while fireworks explode all around the apartment we are temporarily staying in.  (We'll later move to a permanent house that we'll stay in for the rest of the time.)  Music is playing loudly across the street, and people are dancing.  A few minutes ago, we watched the firework display that surrounded us from a balcony connected to our apartment with our Costa Rican friends, Edwin, Zeidy, and Monica.  It was hard to know where to look, with constant fireworks that went off in all directions, demanding your attention!  It was a perfect night to arrive, and it was almost like they were putting a welcome show for us! :)  Some neighbors across the narrow street were setting off some big ones, and a few went off so close to us that some of us screamed (mainly the kids:) and ducked down; we could actually feel some of it falling on us!  It was amazing to be so close to them.  Also, you could see near the horizon, and even nearer to us, little glowing lights that seemed to float up into the sky and disappear.  These were actually floating lanterns, like in the movie 'Tangled', and it was so cool to see them; they were beautiful!!  And there were a lot of them too, you could see them rising up from the horizon.  

  Thankfully, the trip here was possibly the smoothest one I can remember, as we seem to have a large record of mishaps associated with flying. :)  Our passports were all in order (thanks goodness!!) and we had no major delays!  As our flight took off from KC this morning, it was just starting to snow.  In Dallas, it had recently stopped raining.  Then, when we got out of the airport here, it kinda like Spring, slightly humid, warm with a beautiful breeze.  That's one of the things I love about Costa Rica: the weather.  I love Spring, and here it almost always feels like that!  And also the smell of the air, (when it's not polluted) is the best.  The fact that I'm here is still kind of sinking in - driving back from the airport, in some parts of the city, I could imagine for a moment that I was still in Kansas City, or something like that.  Except for the weather, all the signs and stuff in Spanish, and the palm trees that lined almost every street.  Hahaha. All the trees are different here....more on that later. 

   Annie and I rode with Edwin, Zeidy, and Monica while the rest of the family rode in the van that had came to pick us up.  It felt kind of like being dumped into a different world, suddenly surrounded by only Spanish. (Except for Monica some, who is 16, she knows a lot of English.  But we mainly spoke Spanish with her too.)  I just had to listen, and force my mind into all my Spanish that had been pushed back or forgotten.  I feel like in just a short time I have begun to feel more comfortable with Spanish, improving and remembering.  

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!!  Welcome 2013!  Costa Rica.  What a great way to start the New Year.

Here's a video of the fireworks we saw from the balcony........

Here is the view from the plane window......

and the sunset....

my two sleepy cabin mates.....

................................................................................

January 1st  

around 9:30 a.m.

  This morning I awoke to light from the window, then the amazing breeze and fresh air.  I look out my window and the first thing I see is a large palm tree right outside!  Also, a big rose bush with beautiful yellow roses. It's actually real!  I'm still in Costa Rica!  For a quick snack for breakfast I had some delicious mango juice, and one of my favorite CR chocolate bars called a "Yipy".  Yippee!!  I took these out to the walled-in patio that is our backyard, with my book, and read for a good while in the morning air.  There's a palm tree out here too :)  And a lot of flowers.  The backyard is really only about 15 ft. by 15 ft., but it is so nice.  

Later today........

 Today we visited the park, which is right down the street, only like 100 feet away. :)  Edwin drove us over to their house and we had breakfast and spent a lot of the day with them.  We also walked up to see the house we will be staying in for the rest of the time.  

Some notable events of the day......

 - Charlie found 50 colones on the street, which is worth about a dime.   

 - Annie, Monica, and I played an exhilarating game of volleyball laying down on our beds with a green balloon, in which Monica fell off the bed twice. :)  

January 2nd

  We got to move into our house today!  It's a pretty nice size, and once we got used to it, we love it!!  I love the feeling of the open windows that let the air run through the whole house. We went to the park for a bit, but the whole day was mostly spent settling in, and unpacking.  For dinner we went to a Brazilian pizza place called Paulista's. It was great!  On the way home we got some groceries and bread for the next day.  It was fun getting to walk everywhere!


January 3rd

  Papaya for breakfast.  Interesting, but not too bad. :)  Also eggs and some delicious bread from the bread shop.  They were like apple cinnamon rolls!  My mom went to ILE (the Spanish learning Institute) for her first orientation, which lasted for the whole day.  Her classes start on Monday.  Us kids plus our dad went on a walk through the city, to two different parks, which were beautiful!  One of the parks has a running track that goes around it, and we are planning to use that a lot.  :)  Around lunch time we came back home.  We have two neighbors, one on each side, that both go to the Institute.  One of the families has four children, two girls and two boys:  Tayler, almost 13, Tori, 8, Clayton, 11, and Cody, 7.  So we swapped Charlie for Tayler and Tori, and got to know them for the whole afternoon!  They are really fun, and we taught them how to play Dutch Blitz :)  It will be really fun to have neighbors with kids our age!

  These first few days have been wonderful, so peaceful.  I love the lifestyle, and can't wait to keep exploring and getting to know the neighborhood.  More posts soon!

~ Caroline Meek :)
  

Paraphrase: "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

On the eve of Christmas,

when all lay in waiting,

the house was in silence,

the world was sleeping.

When children were dreaming

of presents and candy,

I lay there just thinking,

trying to get sleepy.

But before I could conquer

the battle of sleep,

a loud crash was sounded,

and up I did leap!

To my wonder there came

a sleigh and it’s carriers,

driven by one who

just couldn’t be merrier.

On the roof he did park,

and soon he emerged,

from the chimney in ash,

on his back a sack perched.

His face was aglow

with a smile and his belly

shook when he laughed

like a bowlful of jelly.

Then quickly he turned

to the fireplace there,

and emptied his load

into all the kids’ stockings.

Then winking at me

he went back up the chimney,

and as he flew away

he shouted out cheerfully,

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Sea of Snow (updated)

The Sea of Snow          

            

Sparkling crystals,

A glassy show.

Icicles dripping,

Into a sea of snow.

An ocean of white,

A gale of wind,

A sea of crystals,

Outside and within.

A mini blizzard,

For miles around,

Flurries and snowflakes,

Covering the ground.

Icy blasts,

A storm of white.

Snow so cold,

In the cover of night.

Now it is calm,

The sea of snow,

A silent wonderland,

With a crystal glow.

With shimmering ice,

The trees are coated,

Joy to the world,

Sings a robin, red-throated.

The waves are still,

The sky is blue,

On snow so bright,

The sun shines true.

I am afraid,

I must confess,

I could go blind,

In this dazzling mess.

So from the window

I will go,

Leaving behind a sparkling,

Shimmering, icy,

Sea of snow.

          by Caroline Meek  

The Brain

Hello Friends, this is a review I did of four different articles. At the end you can find links to each article. Enjoy!


  “Personality is to a man what perfume is to a flower.”
~Charles M. Schwab

Caroline Meek

11/25/12

  Everyone has a different character and personality type, and, much like the way each flower has a different look and scent, no person is exactly alike.  What is the cause for such a diverse world?  A flower is suited to its environment; after all, you would not find a sunflower in the middle of the Gobi Desert, or a palm tree growing naturally  in the heart of downtown Kansas City.  People are also affected by their environment and surroundings.  Many things determine their makeup and disposition, such as their childhood, job situation, or social life.  But there are also biological factors in a human’s personal qualities.  

  The cerebrum is the center of thought and it plays a significant role in determining personality.  It occupies a large percent of the brain’s space, lying on top of the brainstem and surrounding other parts of the brain.  Also referred to as the cerebral cortex, the cerebrum is folded into many ridges and grooves, called gryi and sulci, which allows it to expand without having a greater volume.  Axons, long slender projections of nerve cells, make up the nervous system.  A bundle of them is called a nerve. These axons make up the white matter of the brain.  Gray matter, the cell bodies of neurons,  also affect the cerebrum.  Very complex, the cerebrum is considered the most developed part of the brain.    

  A large gap divides the cerebrum, creating the right and left hemispheres.  This split is from the front of the cerebrum to the back, and both halves are almost identical, but for a few variations.  Each hemisphere also specializes in different functions, although some characteristics are controlled equally by both sides.  
 
One area in which significant hemispheric domination is noted is language.  Both of the major areas that affect language skills, Broca's area and Wernicke's area, are in the left hemisphere. Also, when information is received from one side, it is sent to the opposite hemisphere, so both sides participate in the processing.  In the same way, commands sent out to the body are sent to one side from the opposite hemisphere.  For this reason, hand preference is also connected to hemisphere lateralization.  Keep in mind though, that many people’s hemispheric dominance is the same as their hand preference, this is not always the case.   Another difference is that in the right hemisphere, longer axons (white matter) can be found, whereas on the left side, more cell bodies (grey matter) are located.  

 Even though the left side side of the cerebrum is typically considered ‘logical’, and the right,‘creative’, both hemispheres tend to have some of these characteristics, contrary to the popular belief.  Some people are seen as ‘left-brained’, which generally implies that they prefer to think logically and are objective, often analyzing things.  Left-brained subjects also tend to be good at different aspects of language, such as grammar, critical thinking and reasoning.   People can also be perceived as ‘right-brained’, which typically includes a creative, thoughtful person who is more subjective in their decisions.  This side is also deemed good at music, intuition, and expressing emotion.  Although these generalizations are often made, bear in mind that many abilities are controlled by both hemispheres, such as math, which is strongest when both sides work together.

 Hemispheral domination can be seen strongly in people, it characterizes them, and knowing your dominance can be useful in understanding your strengths and weaknesses.  Also, even though a person may be considered left-brained, this does not necessarily mean that they are not capable of being creative, they are not doomed to only logic and language for the rest of their lives.  Being left or right brain dominant simply means that that side of the brain is more developed, a person can still exercise their less dominant side and strengthen it.  


  I am always amazed by the complexity of the human brain, and cannot even begin to comprehend the depth of every function.  I thought these articles contained a lot of information and addressed the topics I was seeking.  I hope you enjoyed learning about this special and absolutely necessary component of the brain - the cerebrum!  It is an irreplaceable factor in our personalities.   Indeed, the human brain is as unique as a flower.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebrum 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateralization_of_brain_function 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_hemisphere

Also, to see if you are right or left brained, see this website:
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~studskl/hd/hemispheric_dominance.html

Ripples: a Collection of Poems

Hello Everyone!!  My friend Olivia and I are soon going to be self-publishing a book together!!  This will be a collection of our best poems, many of which have never been posted before!!  To see a preview of the book, visit this link:  https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1112266
We will be self-publishing on Createspace, where we can design our own book!! We are planning to have it finished before 2013, in the next 2 months.  The book will be titled, "Ripples".
Thank you for all your support!!
Caroline Meek (and Olivia Rogers)

Stuck in an Elevator with an Elephant - by Caroline Meek

I'm stuck in an elevator with an elephant.
Don’t ask me why.
I’m sure he’s faring as bad as I.

The corner I’m in isn’t that comfy,
and this elephant’s nose
is really quite lumpy!

I’m not complaining, but this bell keeps ringing,
and the elevator music
sounds like a frog is singing.


This animal must weigh a million pounds,
I must report him
to the zoo’s lost and found.

My socks are wet from a janitor’s mess,
or perhaps a hippo’s drool,
I couldn’t care less!

I sorta got stuck ‘round his ample behind,
so if you plan to come up,
I hope you don’t mind!

Don’t ask me how I got in this jam,
it involves two giraffes,
and a yodeling lamb.

I’m losing my mind, I can’t last much longer,
remind me to visit that
misleading gopher!

The door finally opens at the very top story,
and in comes two cows,
and a very fat pony.

Love - by Caroline

Hopes can be dashed,
and conflicts will clash,
Joy can be slashed,
and triumphs may crash.
But in the hurt
there is purpose,
And through the pain
is a goal.  
Never lose sight,
keep you eyes fixed above.
On the magical, wonderful,
thing called- Love.

Poem - by Caroline Meek

A poem is Wise,
taking you to places
seen never before
by human eyes.
 
A whole new World,
where thoughts
are expressed simply
in a single word.

Deep meanings are revealed,
and the words hold truth,
that can be discovered,
but some things remain concealed.

It is an Art,
that reaches deep and far,
grabs hold and latches on,
to one's very heart.

A Mirror of the mind,
it shares with others
your feelings,
the thoughtful kind.
 
An Idea constantly
seeking an outlet
accept it, embrace it,
and let it spread freely.

Different Worlds - by Caroline

The variety of perfumes
in different words,
the contrasting color,
playing its part.

It redefines individuality,
setting new standards
but each bring new life,
the spice into quality.

Not one is excess,
they all fit the picture,
the puzzle's not complete,
with one missing petal.


Each has a place,
in their own different worlds,
How I wish I could be,
like a flower-
but I am.

Truth - by Caroline

Amidst the grass, of an open field,
Stands a cross, a steady Shield.
Adorned with love and faith and trust,
Never will this Stronghold rust.

Among the mountains strong and true,
There rests a stone, both old a new.
This miraculous Truth, so concrete,
Is a steady Path to guide my feet.

Through the clouds, a Light shines down,
Revealing hope for miles around.
A leap of faith is all it takes,
To enter the Kingdom that never shakes.

hang on to your dreams

dreams,
only last so long,
before they shatter,
taking with the remains,
so many
h
o
p
e
s
.
although uncertain,
don't fully release them,
for given time,
and much faith,
things can
c
h
a
n
g
e
.
the destruction
of dreams
can result,
in a beautiful
emergence,
a new essence
called,
r
e
a
l
i
t
y
.

The Writer- by Caroline Meek

A word,

A thought,

A flash of inspiration,

Fills my head with longing,

and then,

They won't stop coming

The plot,

The layers,

The effortless flowing,

And constant striving,

the dream, 

So close to grasping

A beam, 

A hope, 

A new light rising,

The finishing touch,

finally,

Triumph arriving.

A Tail of Tragedy: Part 2

Searching for my two beloved pets, my eye suddenly caught on something lying near the bottom of the steps leading upstairs.  It was Margaret.  The body lay there, and as I stared at it, a piercing wail suddenly filled the air and progressed to an-all out howl without hesitation, steadily growing louder.  I turned in time to catch a glimpse of a lump on the couch, which promptly rose and started up towards me, keeping up its haunting yowls.  Something inside me snapped, and I fixed the advancing Fluffy, my once loyal cat, with a withering glare.  A mixture of emotions boiled up in my throat and threatened to spill over.  I yelled.  "Fluffy!!  Bad kitty!!  You-you've killed m-my- goldfish!!!!!!!!  How could you??!!"  The cat meowed pitifully.   "Oh well.  So much for Margaret.  I can always buy another for 25 cents at the pet shop up the street.  But shame on you!!  Just in case you haven't learned your lesson, next time- I'm buying a Piranha!!"

The End

A Tail of Tragedy - Part One

"Well, my day started out out as I was leaving for work.  I bid farewell to Fluffy, my cat, and Margaret, who flicked her tail in return.  They watched together from the window as I got in my car and drove away. My day at work was virtually uneventful, and I left, ready for a evening with my two beloved pets.  As I pulled into the driveway,  the house seemed unnaturally still.  Silence was in the air, and the curtains were dormant.  As twilight settled in the horizon, I tried to shake off the uncanny feeling of foreboding.  I unbolted the lock on the door.  I turned the knob, then pushed open the heavy wood door.  I was greeted by a draft of chilly air followed by an erie silence.  "Fluffy," I call, "Margaret?"  Nothing.  I was met with absolute silence.

To be continued:)

A Short Story: The Price to Pay

The man panted to a stop, then looked back over his shoulder. He had foolishly taunted a beaver at work and was now being chased for his blunder. Suddenly, the beaver himself crashed through the thicket, running as if his life depended on it, barreling through bush and brush alike. The man shot a quick glance at him and began to run. But it was in vain, for the beaver had already spotted him. At the last minute, the man scrambled up into a tall oak and was temporarily safe. Thanking the tree for its shelter, the man began to look around. All he saw was the fuming beaver, pacing and growling as if he wished to tear him apart. In his hurry, he had neglected to think about a way to get down. Now, he wished he had. Thankfully, after a while, the beaver appeared to have calmed down and went away.

 The angry animal, though, was far from through with harassing the man; his mind was on the tree, which had helped the man make his escape.  He had a different plan on his mind.

The man, who was relieved to be alive, was about to climb down when he heard a incessant chopping sound that got louder and louder, ever increasing. He payed no attention until, four minutes later, the sound hadn't ceased.  Looking back on the moment later, he realized he had faintly noted the remote noise of a tree swaying, its leaves brushing against each other, but had not associated this with his present predicament.   But now, to his horror, he looked down on an awful sight.

The clever old animal had devised a plan that was bound to prevent the man from ever again having the audacity to venture in to the dark forest, and he meant to go though with it.  The fearsome animal had set about resolutely gnawing on the trunk of the rebellious tree that kept him from his revenge on the man who had so rudely interrupted his important work.

The man looked down on the undaunted animal with awful realization.  Only now did he fully begin to grasp the consequences of teasing nature.  If only he could get down from the tree, or convince the beaver to let him free.......

The beaver however, was in no such mood to discontinue his ferocious onslaught on the tree.  One thing was clear: he would not let this intruder disrupt the forest and get away with it.

His mind racing, the unfortunate individual competed with the beaver, desperately willing his mind to come upon a plan worth taking.  As he looked down on his enemy, his foot slipped into a hollow, and while he struggled to regain his footing, an idea came to him.

With the sun well overhead, both beaver and man were tiring.  The tree now had a fair-sized dent in them, and strewn around the chipped trunk were piles of splintered chunks, the result of the faithful beaver's effort.

The beaver looked up at his quarry, hoping to see him suffering in the brutal heat, but the man was nowhere in sight, and the branch upon which he had been resting had been well in the open, impossible to hide on.

The man, cramped and aching, glanced around in the dark, his sore neck bruised from the arduous work of bracing himself.  He was listening for the telltale signs of a certain beaver beginning to get anxious.

The beaver, sure enough, stopped his work for the first time in hours.  It was significant, this, that something would succeed in halting is tireless toil.  He cautiously circled the tree, wary of attack.  But there was no sign of the man, no trace of his scheming whereabouts.  The beaver was incredulous, could the man really have snuck off while his mind was bent on felling the tree?  It was possible, but not likely.  His senses highly alert, and his nose pasted to the ground, he reluctantly began to prowl the surrounding area.

Adjusting to the dark, the man could make out the figure of the beaver, wandering away from his faithful post.  He contemplated the easiest way to get out, and decided on the forthcoming action.

Shortly, a shaggy head was seen protruding from the tree, which turned to each side, cautiously, and then raised revealing the rest of the form.

 The man emerged from the hollow trunk, bruised, but alive, landed softly in the wood shavings, and sprinted off to his little cottage, where he was safe.

By and by, the beaver heard the noise of running feet, in the direction of the little house and knew he had been outsmarted.  Resignedly, he trudged back to his river home, and went back to his work.

Both man and beaver went to bed that night peacefully, each with new knowledge and a fresh understanding of certain consequences.

Spring

Spring

 by Caroline

The Spring breeze sweet,

It gladdens my heart, 

To see new life,

 So joyous in part

As birds sing out,

And blossoms unfold,

Revealing new beauties

Such treasures untold

The sky so calm,

A cloudless blue scene,

With prancing lambs,

And swans serene

A glimpse of this, 

A land without care,

The world once sweet,

Will fade to despair

Sin is darkness,

It also can spoil,

And so it did,

Beginning great toil

Enjoy Spring now,

Because fade it will,

Plunging the world,

Into dark and chill

Thank you O God,

For sending your son,

To right the wrong,

Long since begun

Hello again!!

Hi everybody!!  Sorry I haven't posted in so long!!!  We have been super busy with L.I.T., piano, home school, and other activities!!  Annie and I started choir 3 weeks ago, and we are going to be in a 'play' about the parable of the Sower and the Seeds.  It should be really cool, and we have been wanting to do something like this for a long time!!  We had try-outs 2 weeks ago, and last week the director announced the official speaking parts.   While I didn't get a speaking part, (I wanted to be 'Meg', an independent bold, farmhand) I am going to get to participate in some solos!!  (All the solos are only like 2 lines, but there are a lot of them in each song)  So that has been really great!!  I have also been working on a composition on the piano, which is turning out pretty good!!  I hope to post another essay soon!!  :)
Caroline :)

"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." -George Washington

Hey Friends,  below is a paper I wrote for my writing class, it is called 'Chreia.'  Chreia is similar to an argument, and in it, the author's goal is to convince the reader of his point.  I am in a writing class that has me practicing this style of writing at Brighton academy.  This paper is on a famous saying by George Washington.



"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."
                                             - George Washington

  It is wise to value George Washington for his ability, for he succeeded in leading his country, becoming a general in the Revolutionary War for his bravery.  He excelled at organization, and won many battles with his strategy and ability to listen to advice..  He eventually became the President and continued to serve his country both faithfully and modestly.  I could go on and on about his wise actions and great accomplishments, but time is short, so I will speak only of his wise words on preserving peace.

  "To anticipate war is one one of the most adequate strategies of keeping peace."  That is his thought, but in my own words, and I shall continue to praise it in the following.

    Consider a newborn nation.  It has a wise, knowledgeable general who insists on being ready and thoroughly trained for war at all times.  Its enemies look at it and believe it to be a perfect target, an seemingly disorganized nation.  Consequently, the enemy, over time, places its men in the newly-born military until the spies knew enough confidential information to send a coded message to their country, the enemy , telling them to attack.  But the new prepared nation intercepts the message, breaks the code with their up-to-date equipment , and sets up such strong defenses that the enemy is discouraged and retreats.

  But, if a newly-born nation lets down its guard in a happy time of joy and peace, presuming the war is far off, their experienced enemies will quickly take advantage of the lazy nation's ignorance.  The ill-prepared country will quickly fall, defeated by its numerous enemies.

  Just as a practiced hiker acknowledges that an accident may occur despite his years of experience and survives by being prepared, in the same way a military trains persistently even in a time of peace, and intimidates their enemies when war arises.

  Consider the day Pearl Harbor was bombed.  America was in a time of peace, with most of its navy simply resting unguarded in the peaceful Pearl Harbor.  When the stealthy Japanese came in with thier planes and bombed the ships, everyone was caught off guard and suffered over two thousand deaths and an additional two thousand wounded , because of how unready they were.

  "Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear. (Aesop, Fables)"  This is similar to what Washington said, for what he explained as being prepared for war, Aesop showed as giving up small luxuries to live in peace.  Both phrases are alike, just in different words.

Those who hear my words and agree with them must praise George Washington for his educated proverb on preserving peace.