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.
