we came upon so many treasures, some we were seeking, some we happened upon by accident.
Passing this farm, we noticed acres of potted plants waiting patiently under the sun, an irrigation system cleverly and carefully dripping just the right amount of nutrients into each container.
Each of these plants shares a similar beginning, but each will have a unique story to tell at the end of “the day”.
Many writers begin by germinating similar seeds. It’s how we nurture those seeds, what context we place them in that makes them different from all other seeds.
Oh, yes! This reminds me of one of my favorite exercises w/students (when I was teaching) – offering a photograph or art print as ‘seed’ for stories or poems – how intriguing to see all our different responses/’blossoms.’
I once sat in on a workshop led by Virginia Euwer Wolff in which she used picture postcards to inspire high school students to write. Such a stimulating technique. She spread the cards out on a table and the students could select the image that spoke to them. I can easily imagine a similar excitement in your classroom using this tool of “image as inspiration”.
I love both of these ideas. I am going to try that with fourth graders in the fall (and maybe with myself yet this summer). I loved how this farm was in such sharp contrast to one nearby that clearly had not been plowed or cared for so carefully.