Buffalo Bird Women Tended Squash with the tools (in this case, a bone hoe)her Grandmother & the Women before her used...
Her name was actually Maxi'diwiac of the Hidatsa people, but
we (as in the English Speaking, non Hidatsa people usually refer to her as
Buffalo Bird Woman.
I couldn’t help but remember literary Granny Sojourner Truth’s words
which continue to inspire people today.
Buffalo Bird Woman was also a woman who took pride in her heritage to the
point of refusing to go with the flow as others were: she intended, instead, to
keep the traditions – and her language – alive. She was a story teller
extraordinaire and for her stories to continue as they have today, they were
written, and translated, and shared with many.
Her book, Buffalo Bird Women’s Garden, continues
telling the traditions and will, hopefully, continue to be popular to girls and
women of today. I loved her almost “post
script” about squash:
Squash Dolls
There is one other thing I will tell before we forsake the subject of
squashes. Little girls of ten or eleven years of age used to make dolls of
squashes.
When the squashes were brought in from the field, the little girls would go
to the pile and pick out squashes that were proper for dolls. I have done so,
myself. We used to pick out the long ones that were parti-colored; squashes
whose tops were white or yellow and the bottoms of some other color. We put no
decorations on these squashes that we had for dolls. Each little girl carried
her squash about in her arms and sang for it as for a babe. Often she carried
it on her back, in her calf skin robe.
Her words are an important part of American Literary History we simply must keep alive. Honoring her words and
her person is integral to this mission of spreading love, knowledge and
curiosity about our Literary Grannies.
Women Leaders of the Suffrage Movement, Preparing for Walks on Washington, DC and Albany, NY
For some people this is the last week of February. For me it
is the countdown to Women’s History Month followed by the countdown to April’s
A to Z blog challenge. It is almost like I get two months of women’s history
because I focus on women writers during April.
This year’s Women’s History Month is themed like this:
“Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math.”
You might have figured out at first glance, I abhorred this
theme.
Then I settled down and thought, “Hey – women have passion
in all areas. Just because I don’t equate imagination with these “hard side”
arenas doesn’t mean… wait. These areas DO inspire and evoke imagination. They
also tend to be more highly dominated by men then the soft side of literature
and the humanities.
Naturalist Alice Eastwood
Suddenly, my mind shifted as I thought of my beloved women
naturalists across time. They were scientists, first and foremost. To use
visual arts terminology, nature and natural studies is their medium and their
palette. When I sketch in my nature journal I am combining both skill sets: the
scientist and the artist, the naturalist and the curious, the imaginative and
the completely alive side of me who has become more observant with age, not
less observant.
I know women are thought of less in the world of science,
mathematics and engineering. I am one who struggles with the math of my sixth
grade son from time-to-time and am reteaching myself statistics, elementary
algebra and geometry. We certainly didn’t cover all this material in the sixth
grade, but today’s students are on an accelerated course of study in these
areas.
It makes sense.
In March, then, my personal Women’s History Course of Study
will include some of my perennial favorites like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but I
will also dive deeply into the areas I don’t normally dive into so that I may
learn about a greater spectrum of women always in hopes of educating all people
about the contribution so many women have made which so often goes
unacknowledged.
What will you do to celebrate Women’s History Month?
Perhaps you have never thought about it before – there is
nothing wrong with that at all, you are in the majority.
Just consider the idea of learning something this month, of
talking about women’s
Raise our Voices, Words and Support of Women Everywhere
contributions including the traditional womanly
gifts. Each and all is valid. There are
no more important or less important.
There are, instead, simply glorious women walking
side-by-side throughout the past and into today. Men, too, are taking our
hands.
I am grateful you are among us.
= = =
Writing at Emily Dickinson's House (see the Yellow Home in the background?
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
Follow me on Twitter: @JulieJordanScot
License Via Creative Commons. Click photo to see more work by the same photographer. Some rights reserved by shaggy359
It has been a day.
It is only 11:30 am and it has been A DAY.
Actually, it has been a week.
It is only Wednesday and it has been a week!
Listen to this: my most productive time is between the
moments after I drop my kids at school and about one in the afternoon. After
that, I start preparing for the return of the children and the return of my
roles as busy Mommy, volunteer, meeting attendee, appointment taker and maker,
errand runner, and whatever else shows up.
My effectiveness (and cheerfulness!) at the end of the day
is usually rather dependent on how my morning time goes, doing my creative life
work.
I have done creative work this week for about two hours
total and one was on Monday night between seven and eight o’clock in the
evening. I know this because I attended my online writing group. Other than
that, no such luck for me.
The good news is I am here now. My coffee is done brewing
and I have turned off my phone. The welcome mat is rolled shut and for now, it
is me and words, words and me – and you.
The good news is I am here now.
What is your good news today?
= = =
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
- See more at: http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/julie_unplugged/2013/02/springonherway.html#sthash.QnCIvdb6.dpuf
= = =
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
- See more at: http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/julie_unplugged/#sthash.xjtfwDhO.dpuf
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
Follow me on Twitter: @JulieJordanScot
- See more at: http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/julie_unplugged/#sthash.xjtfwDhO.dpuf
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
Follow me on Twitter: @JulieJordanScot
- See more at: http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/julie_unplugged/#sthash.xjtfwDhO.dpuf
= = =
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
- See more at: http://juliejordanscott.typepad.com/julie_unplugged/2013/02/springonherway.html#sthash.QnCIvdb6.dpuf
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
Follow me on Twitter: @JulieJordanScot
Here in Bakersfield, California, I don’t base my Winter or
Spring going and coming on a ground hog, I base it on the bloom of one of my
favorite trees: the tulip magnolia. It was several years ago I fell in love
with the women naturalists of the nineteenth century. Reading about their lives
brought my into a love affair with nature all around me. Spillover to my
children was a no brainer.
When we feed ducks, we don’t feed ducks. We feed mallards,
wood ducks, muskovey ducks, coot and the occasional exotic duck that flies over
our park. They can scream “Get that Canadian Goose away from me,” and recognize
him from the other Geese who like to honk and hiss at humans when we don’t
immediately turn over all our tastiest bird seed.
We moved onto trees and plants next.
My dad took us all on a hike in Northern Arizona and soon we
knew many of the wildflowers in Flagstaff. I wrote them all down, dutifully and
with enthusiasm.
When we drive, I will announce with glee the trees we are
passing or wonder what tree we are passing if I don’t recognize it. Soon it
will be time for the plum trees and the peach trees and all the flowering trees
in the orchards near our home to start blossoming. Some of my friends don’t
like it when this happens because of their allergies.
I love it because there are so many chances for
exceptionally cool photos, sketches, writing in my nature journal and walks
with my children and any assorted others who are willing to listen to me
blather on and sigh deeply.
Spring is definitely coming.
I could say my son and I did a scientific investigation
before school today.
Instead I’ll say this: we had five extra minutes to drop him
off for school, so I drove a couple blocks away to see if one of our favorite
Tulip Magnolia was blossoming yet. I noticed the tree that lives in the yard of
the people two doors up from us has been covered with fuzzy but not yet opened
blossoms, at least two days ago when I last paid attention.
We got to the older home that is ironically on Magnolia
Street before eight a.m. “Look, Samuel, Look!” I said. “Do you see the pink
blossoms coming out way up there?”
This Tulip Magnolia tree is especially large and dense,
unlike the more common small or medium trees. It stretched over two stories of
house to pierce the sky. As I got out of my car there was a
woman with a very
unlikely looking and adorable mutt. I explained, “I am just here, admiring the
tree!” since I never know if the people who own the homes appreciate someone
else appreciating their tree.
They might think I am odd.
Well, I will give them that, but I will not give up my write
to appreciate, study and photograph the tree in their yard in order to learn
about nature and in order to teach my son about nature. And my daughters. And
anyone else who shares the briefest glimmer of an interest.
I do know my children remember this about me. They giggle
about it but they listen and take note. They can tell you which bird in our
neighborhood is which and get sort of close to the sounds they make. Most
importantly, they know one doesn’t have to go deep into a forest or marsh or
glen to find nature.
When you are ready to receive it, nature will find you
wherever you happen to be.
= = =
Julie
Jordan Scott is a Creative Life Coach, a Poet Performer, a Writer and a
Mommy Extraordinaire. Stay in touch with her via twitter or facebook or
you may always call or text her at 661.444.2735 to arrange a
complimentary coaching session.
Weekends, I know, are supposed to be times of rest so I
should have a lot more time to spend on my projects, right?
Wrong! I feel like a chicken without a head and when I
realized yesterday I was almost a day without a project, I finished up several
pendants. Naturally, it is mid-afternoon the day after but that is just how it
is….
Do you recognize the writer whose face peers from this
pendant?
This is Laura Ingalls Wilder:
Here is a lesser known author/naturalist who was a
powerhouse for other women in science circa the turn of the 20th
century and beyond. Her name: Alice Eastwood.
Julie Jordan Scott
has been a Life & Creativity Coach, Writer, Facilitator
and Teleclass Leader since 1999. She is also an award
winning Actor, Director, Artist and Mother
Extraordinaire. She was twice the StoryTelling Slam
champion in Bakersfield. She leads Writing Camp with JJS &
this Summer will be traveling throughout the US to bring this
unique, fun filled creative experience to the people wherever she
finds the passion & the interest.
Did you enjoyed this essay? Receive emails directly to your
inbox for Free from Julie Jordan Scott via the
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I met Josh, a meth abuser, while walking Walt and Beth, my
two adorable black and white dogs yesterday.
I act like this is an everyday thing. I suppose it could be,
but I was drawn to this “underbelly place” because there is one aspect of it I
especially love: the River that I have watched meander, race, stagnate through
it. The path was lined with more trash than normal and it had a weirder than
usual vibe, though it is always slightly strange there.
I had seen another odd sight lately, too, when driving in
this favorite odd visiting place of mine: the water of the river was gone.
Dried up. Absent.
I am familiar with dry river beds, but not here. This was my
go-to place for river water here within Bakersfield.
We were walking on the path back to our car when I saw a
bicycle rider.
He was twitchy, nervous and called out to us while we were
still far enough away that I couldn’t see him very well.
“It’s ok, it’s safe, I know what goes on here and I’m not
doing any of it look, see, here’s my stuff…” and he pulled out his as of then
not used drug paraphernalia.
“You’re fine,” I responded. “We’re just out walking.”
When we got closer he started talking about who knows what
but all I wanted to know if he knew how long the water had been gone from this
stretch of river.
He told me about the dam in Isabella and I know all of that.
I also know for the past few years, the dam did not impact
this particular flow. Last
year, for example, was the most full I had ever seen
this stretch of the river.
I nodded respectfully, even knowing his assertion was not
wholly accurate and moved along. I said something innocuous as I left, like
“Well, have a good day.”
I was a few steps past him and through his pressured speech
he told me, “Oh, I am Josh,” by the way.
I turned over my shoulder. “Hi, Josh. I’m Julie. This is
Walt” I shook Walt’s leash, “ and this is Beth.”
He gave that nervous on-edge smile I recognized from meth
addicted forebears I have seen.
Walt, Beth and I walked back to the car skirting around a
big, frightening looking pitbull and his owner and returned home which felt
untouched by the empty river and the sullen trash laced paths leading nowhere.
This is my eighth post (of 31!) for the October Ultimate Blog Challenge.
Watch here for challenge posts which will include Writing Prompts, Writing
Tips and General Life Tips and Essays.
Julie Jordan Scott
has been a Life & Creativity Coach, Writer, Facilitator
and Teleclass Leader since 1999. She is also an award
winning Actor, Director, Artist and Mother
Extraordinaire. She was twice the StoryTelling Slam
champion in Bakersfield. She leads Writing Camp with JJS &
this Summer will be traveling throughout the US to bring this
unique, fun filled creative experience to the people wherever she
finds the passion & the interest.
Did you enjoyed this essay? Receive emails directly to your
inbox for Free from Julie Jordan Scott via the
Daily Passion Activator. One inspirational essay and
poem (almost) every week day. Subscribe here now -
I have attempted to sit in my seat and write for an hour
now.
I have written roughly five hundred words which for me is
the usual for thirty minutes.
I have been wandering away consistently, though, taking on
what I call “short attention span keyboard” and I’m not exactly certain why.
The why doesn’t even matter of course, what matters is what
will I do about it with multiple writing projects hanging in the balance, how
can I sustain them and my overall happiness with the craft if I don’t stay put
and write?
I look up from my desk and see Anais Nin looking down at me.
I see photos of Alice Eastwood, a woman naturalist who was
so passionate about her work she astonishes me. Plus I need a hat like she is
wearing in the circa 1900 photo. Susan Glaspell is up there as is the work of
Charlotte Perkins Gilman and a postcard of a woman levitating above her lawn
which my friend sent me because she said it reminded her of me when I write on
my porch.
What should I do, wise women, when I am having trouble
sitting still to write?
Anais says, “Do something that honors the hunger of your
senses,” as she takes a puff on the end of her very long cigarette holder.
Alice says succinctly, “Climb a tree.”
Susan says even more succinctly , “Improvise.”
Charlotte Perkins Gilman says, “Don’t be too rough on
yourself. Do what you feel the urge, right now, to do the most.”
I plant my face in my palm.
Charlotte continues, “Obviously in this precise moment,
writing isn’t it. You are excused for the next hour. Make some good.”
And with that, I shut down my computer, grabbed my dogs’
leashes and headed out to one of my favorite outdoor haunts very close to my
house.
It was a tremendous choice.
The next time you feel completely stuck behind a brick wall
of words and think what you SHOULD do is chain yourself to your key board,
consult some of the writers you admire the most.
I did use my senses to see, to smell, to feel textures. I
took photos, I talked to people I met along the path. I enjoyed my dogs.
I didn’t climb a tree, but I honored and greeted several.
I definitely improvised.
I took a break.
I came back and I wrote.
Try it.
PS – If you are unfamiliar with the writers I mention here,
use your favorite search engine and seek information about them. Each is a
fantastic woman writer who could teach each of us a lot.
Julie Jordan Scott
has been a Life & Creativity Coach, Writer, Facilitator
and Teleclass Leader since 1999. She is also an award
winning Actor, Director, Artist and Mother
Extraordinaire. She was twice the StoryTelling Slam
champion in Bakersfield. She leads Writing Camp with JJS &
this Summer will be traveling throughout the US to bring this
unique, fun filled creative experience to the people wherever she
finds the passion & the interest.
Did you enjoyed this essay? Receive emails directly to your
inbox for Free from Julie Jordan Scott via the
Daily Passion Activator. One inspirational essay and
poem (almost) every week day. Subscribe here now -
“Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same for
long, not even pain, psychic pain. Sit it out. Let it all pass. Let it go. ”
May Sarton
I have a girl crush on May Sarton. Many of her words remind me so much of mine.
I can imagine myself sitting with her sipping coffee or wine and chatting but being too embarrassed about my… well, not nearly as wise as her….to say much of anything.
I imagine sitting with May: the fire is shouting her cracks and giggling with us, the smell of applesauce cooking fills the air and I even notice a cat wandering around purring and finally sitting in a windowsill to watch the birds fly past or nibble on seeds May had put in the bird feeder that morning.
On one of my New England trips I visited the far-out-of-the-way hamlet where she bought her house and is now buried, Nelson, New Hampshire. Many people within forty minutes of this town don’t even know it exists.
I loved it because as we drove, people waved on the sidewalk-free streets, smiling, assuming the only people who visit here are those who belong here.
I like to think I did and do belong there.
I imagine after a few moments of just being together and enjoying the scene around me, I would talk to May about my recent cancer surgery for melanoma and my ongoing recovery.
I am closing in on four weeks since my surgery to remove my melanoma (I call her Nora.)
. I never gave much thought as to what my scar would look like or how my face would feel or how long the pain would last. I just knew it was going to happen and I would recover.
I am still recovering. My wound is better in most places but there is – at the core of where the cancer was – a lack of healing. I have learned how to sport a fabulous scarf and also how to trim the sticky edges off large sized band-aids so the tape doesn’t get in my eyes or tug on the outer edges of the heart shaped stitches.
I still cry randomly.
Yesterday I was driving and I brushed something off my face and realized, once again, there was no fine feeling in my right cheek. I could feel a slightly pressure, but it was almost like my fingers were brushing something off someone else’s skin. Or actually, like fingers brushing something off a mannequin.
The skin just doesn’t feel real.
So I cried. And it is ok. I don’t cover up in front of my children, either. Emma has adopted the question I ask her, “Do you want to talk about it?”
When I shake my head no, she doesn’t push. When I start to speak thirty minutes later, she listens.
May asks me the ways I have learned to imitate the trees I cherish.
1. I have learned to grant myself permission to sit things out I would normally attend. Stay rooted
at home and the homes of people who love me.
2. I have learned to take time to rest. Lots of it. A season of it, even. Staying home, cocooning, doing more home based tasks is a good thing.
3. I have learned how to request help as an art form instead of something to be embarrassed about doing. You can’t reach the limbs you need to trim to stay healthy.
4. It is ok to be cranky. Really. Even if it looks like the cranky mood has no apparent cause, just let it out. It will feel better. Drop your leaves when you need to drop your leaves. So what's the big deal, someone else - with legs rather than roots - has to rake them up! Wait for them to teach themselves ways to love it.
5. People will come out of the woodworks to help if they know you need it. Raking, weeding, forging trails, watering you when you need it. On the other side, those who don’t know what to do or how to help love you, too, they just feel awkward. Be sure to make that completely fine, too.
I am still learning to sit like a tree as May advises me. I still need to buy a hat with flaps that cover my cheek so I will be comfortable going out during the day to some of my beloved nature spots.
This is my sixth post (of 31!) for the October Ultimate Blog Challenge.
Watch here for challenge posts which will include Writing Prompts, Writing
Tips and General Life Tips and Essays.
Julie Jordan Scott
has been a Life & Creativity Coach, Writer, Facilitator
and Teleclass Leader since 1999. She is also an award
winning Actor, Director, Artist and Mother
Extraordinaire. She was twice the StoryTelling Slam
champion in Bakersfield. She leads Writing Camp with JJS &
this Summer will be traveling throughout the US to bring this
unique, fun filled creative experience to the people wherever she
finds the passion & the interest.
Did you enjoyed this essay? Receive emails directly to your
inbox for Free from Julie Jordan Scott via the
Daily Passion Activator. One inspirational essay and
poem (almost) every week day. Subscribe here now -
"My biography of seeing" is different from any other memoir I
have written or will write.
I see so much differently now then I used to see. I am
awake. I notice.
Eyes aren’t able to translate what they don’t know. The more
intimate we become with what we know, the more clearly we see those we love and
cherish everywhere we go.
I did this with Crape Myrtles: I didn’t know to name them so
I didn’t notice them.
Tulip Magnolias: both of these are big, vibrant colorful
trees I used to drive right past.
Julie Jordan Scott has been a Life & Creativity
Coach, Writer, Facilitator and Teleclass Leader since
1999. She is also an award winning Actor, Director,
Artist and Mother Extraordinaire. She was twice the
StoryTelling Slam champion in Bakersfield.
Did
you enjoy this essay? Receive emails directly to your
inbox for Free from Julie Jordan Scott via the Daily Passion
Activator. One inspirational essay and poem (almost)
every week day. Subscribe here now -
You know that restless, you’re sitting at your desk or
trying to get your household chores done but every move feels like it is being
swished around with a bunch of molasses?
I had that earlier tonight and remembered a thought I had
this morning. I said then I wanted to watch the day become night. I wanted to
focus on that transition in addition to the sunrise which I know exceptionally
well.
I told my family, “I’ll be back in 15 minutes!” and I went
three blocks from my home to the Panorama Bluffs where there are benches and
paths and trees and views. My notebook was with me and I brought along some art
inspiration I’ve been toying with as well as my phone for its camera and whew.
In just fifteen minutes I was able to experience more
creativity than I knew was
possible.
I wrote a list of today’s wins, today’s “couldas” (missed
opportunities primarily due to procrastination) and tomorrow’s “I wills” – the beginnings
of my possibility list for tomorrow.
I watched joggers and walkers and chatted with a Mom and her
curly haired toddler with deep brown eyes who was riding on a fancy
car-stroller toy and desperately wanted to tell me… something he was pointing
to was very significant.
I wrote a theater inspired sunset haiku:
Light's memory fades
Nightfall moves down left, just... so
Ponytail points east
And I headed home after fifteen extravagantly stretched
minutes.
How did I accomplish such serenity in this tiny little
mini-retreat on the bluffs?
A pure intention guided me ever since I wrote it
this morning: I wanted to try writing sunset haikus as a counterpoint to my
regular sunrise haiku practice.
I put my mini-retreat into a timed container.
Yes, I literally timed myself.
I asked permission of myself first and then my
family. I was very specific, “Is it fine with you if I go up to the bluffs for
fifteen minutes? I want to write and take photos.” They are used to me both writing and taking
photos so it seemed 100% reasonable.
I took advantage of every single moment I was
there. Not a single second was wasted thinking negative thoughts or critiquing
anything. I was open and willing to squeeze the marrow out of the bones of
these fifteen minutes I invested.
When my timer went off, I packed up and headed
home. I honored my commitment to my family and myself. It was so gorgeous, I
wanted to stay longer but… I didn’t.
These fifteen minutes were transformative. I was able to
consciously survey my day in a short, non-judgmental and constructive way. I
was able to experience joy, beauty and hope.
Julie Jordan Scott has been a Life & Creativity
Coach, Writer, Facilitator and Teleclass Leader since
1999. She is also an award winning Actor, Director,
Artist and Mother Extraordinaire. She was twice the
StoryTelling Slam champion in Bakersfield.
Did
you enjoy this essay? Receive emails directly to your
inbox for Free from Julie Jordan Scott via the Daily Passion
Activator. One inspirational essay and poem (almost)
every week day. Subscribe here now -
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