Where I am from

This initiated from BETH WOOLSEY'S BLOG.
I have taken this to my family, and so far, I, my two granddaughters and my sister have written their own version.




Where I’m From
Annie

I am from the ocean,
from Europeans and Gypsies who traveled to work in the forests and make a better home. I am from a mail-order-bride grandmother who hitched her wagon to a logger & raised children in moveable camps.

I am from the whimsy,
the ridiculous, the redolent, the indefatigable.

I am from the gardens,
the rainbows.
I am from stick-to-it-ive-ness and fervor, from mom and her mom and her mom's mom, a legacy of COMPETENT (!) women.

I am from the tirelessness of an immigrant spirit,
from "be kind" and "it IS Spiritual!".

I am from a Catholic elementary school & a public high school; I am from that oil & water education.

I am from endurance and tears: tears of laughter & joy & the mixture of both, as the learning to love, while loving & living -parentage shaped the two siblings & I, as we grew.

I’m from Oregon, by way of Scotland & Yugoslavia, Pavatica & Scottish Shortbread.

I am from the
father & grandfather innately mechanically inclined,
the twin aunts,
the two half sisters I met when we were grown women,

I am from Oregon and valleys, coastal tide pools, Tillamook Bay, the Pacific Crest Trail, the shadow of Hood.

I am from encouragement towards dreams,
I am from follow your bliss and the happiness will trail: (taught to my children and their children.)

I am from biking, hiking, camping, skipping, exploring, mountainous & gorge, deserts & valleys that have planted the Pacific Northwest's nature's scent & desire.

I am from sleep under the stars, jump in the puddles, bike down hills with arms a-flap, gaze in awe & still be struck by the four glorious seasons.

I am from roots here, and a wanderlust to see, see, SEE all the other cultures, gardens, architectures, epicurean delights & witness their love-of-home.

I am from dip my toes, dip them in this and that and never ever, never ever tire of the new.

I am from let me smell that newborn's head, that newborn's feet, that honeysuckle, that jasmine, that daphne, that kiss.

I am from let me never tire of the next experience.
I am from...?

------
This from Helen:
age 10
------

Where I’m From:
Helen

I am from the ocean and I am from Chanel 5 and I am from Rice Krispie Treats.

I am from  the home of laughter and tickles.

I am from the daphne, and the tree house.

I am from gingerbread houses on Thanksgiving, and from Christmas presents early in the morning.

I am from joy and chaos,  from Whitesides and Haynes.

I am from silliness, and music, from sign language for “more cookie” and  constantly being told, “put the book down!”

I am from love and grace, from dance and sleep.

I’m from Albany and Scotland, from Yugoslavia and Ireland.

I am from tacos and brownies.
From my Dad in Modesto, and Mom in Oregon City.

I am from Legacy Ballet, and the Albany Community Pool.

I am from technology and from the sprinkler. I am from all the arts,
and I am from my family.

------
This from Alice:
age 12
------


Where I’m From:
Alice

I am from book, from Junior Mints and peanut butter.

I am from the home of caring, heart, and family.

I am from the daffodils, and from the swing.

I am from the Birthday Queen, from the tech whiz and the Spanish aficionado.

I am from love and loyalty.

From have book, will travel, and I love you.

I am from believing in myself and feminists and fighters.

I’m from Albany, Oregon and falafel and spaghetti.

From the Whitesides and the Haynes.

I am from Harry Potter and Keeper of the Lost Cities and drama.

I am from friends, teachers, and family.
I am from all of you!!!

--------

Where I’m From:
Kathy

I am from pen, the chocolate and peanut butter.

I am from the village, close to the city, accessible.

I am from the earth, the roses and the alstroemeria. I am from family gatherings, from Tomac and Haynes.

I am from the Yugoslavian and Scottish immigrants.

I am from the nickname Happy, and from hope, and from honesty. The letter H rules.

I am from Catholicism, but I walk my own path.

I’m from cabbage, shortbread, and venison.

I’m from the creative beautician and the mechanic. If only Etsy had been around during their time.

I am from black and white photos with wavy edges, camping in home-made trailers, and home brew.




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The author writes about her son, shares a template, his version of WHERE I AM FROM and then hers:




Where I’m From Template:

I am from _______ (specific ordinary item), from _______ (product name) and _______.
I am from the _______ (home description… adjective, adjective, sensory detail).
I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item), the _______ (plant, flower, natural detail)
I am from _______ (family tradition) and _______ (family trait), from _______ (name of family member) and _______ (another family name) and _______ (family name).
I am from the _______ (description of family tendency) and _______ (another one).
From _______ (something you were told as a child) and _______ (another).
I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it). Further description.
I’m from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry), _______ (two food items representing your family).
From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person and detail), the _______ (another detail, and the _______ (another detail about another family member).
I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).

THIS IS THE AUTHOR'S SON'S SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT AND HIS RESPONSES:


Where I’m From
by Cai Woolsey


I am from computer.
From Twix candy bars and XBox.
I am from chaos.
I am from madness.
From helpful
And dirty.
I am from the willow that weeps
And the pear that is sweet.
I am from eating snow
And joyfulness from Beth and Greg.
I’m from loudness
And ruff housing.
From peace
And love.
I’m from kindness
And giving.
I’m from my Papa’s Marines
And from cheese and steak.
I’m from the hospital.
I am from my home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THIS IS THE AUTHOR'S  RESPONSES:


Still, I thought. Still, I’d like to try so I might see. You know? And I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I steal some lines from my son.
Where I’m From
by Me
I am from the wilderness.
The jungle.
The highlands.
The home.
I am from chaos.
From magic and mess.
From grace and grime.
From wonder in the wild of a life lived off course
from what was, once, a perfectly good plan.
I am from the water;
the ocean which is dark and light
and full of life and danger.
I am from hot toddies made by fierce and friendly women.
From ancient Irish enemies — Kerr and McDonough —
and their Scottish Murray foes,
turned friends, then lovers, then strangers, then friends again.
I am from dramatic sighs
and doing things a better way
and blowing up
and quieting down
and trying and succeeding
and trying and failing
and trying
to love each other well.
I’m from Stop Baiting Your Brother, Beth
and
Someday You’ll Be Best Friends,
and she was right; we are.
^^^I’m from telling my kids the same thing.^^^
From Brainwashing for a Better Tomorrow.
I am from Love made real who walks among us.
From Love which still turns the whole world upside down.
I’m from the Celts and the Gaels
and the Viking pirates who sailed the sea.
I am from the Wild, Wild West
and an Asian jungle,
and so I’m made of rice and whiskey
and freckles
and things that taste free.

Three things from Hot Tub

                                         


Today after work, I went in my hot tub and opened up the umbrella to sit on the top of the gutters. (It provides an extra covering for me because part of the hot tub is under the eaves.) I also love the tip tap of the rain on the umbrella.

It is quite a Zen place for me. There was no wind at all; the spinner wasn't spinning the chimes were not singing and the WhirlyGig was not whirling.
Right near the WhirlyGig is a pottery plaque that has the sun and the moon kissing.

As the tip tap of the rain was on the umbrella, a dove landed by the "moon and sun kissing". I have never seen a dove in the neighborhood; I don't know if I've ever really seen a dove.

It made things even more Zen and shortly the bird flew away, followed by a fast thrumming overhead.

Hanging over the hot tub is a hummingbird feeder, and I had recently filled it up again.  The bird buzzed over my head multiple times before landing and staying, I bet, five minutes slaking it's thirst before it sped away.

I could hear ambient traffic, but it was mostly silent, the sun was going down and I had a very pleasant "three things."



                          le deuxième colibri jacuzzi

Which is French for second version of hot tubs and hummingbirds.

In tonight's hot tub chapter, the snow drifted lightly and the wind spun everything and all the chimes were singing.

The funniest part, is that, as I sat on the side of the hot tub (& unlike last night, when the hummingbird feeder was directly over my head,) I watched one hummingbird have its dinner... it also
 "had its bathroom."

Luckily it crossed my mind, that it might be a multitasking bird, so I had sat to the side of it in the hot tub tonight.
                                                                                 😜
Later on, I saw two of them come to the feeder.

(You know, I gave up on my birdfeeders because I have ravenous and marauding squirrels. Knowing that the hummingbirds have found my feeder gives me joy.)



(The snow is beginning to be here, heavily, enjoy the snow fall. 

                                                                   and the hummingbird was very grateful.)