Anticipation is building for the 2014 NCTE Convention. I’ve gotten the catalog and my badge. My bag is waiting to be packed. And I have laryngitis. Yes, you heard me. I am nursing it with hot tea and rest. I hope I will have a voice by Thursday when I accept the Donald Graves Award and on Friday when I present with my friends from the National Writing Project Professional Writing Retreat. If you are there, I’d love to meet you. The Two Writing Teachers Blog writers are having a Slicers dinner on Saturday night. I look forward to meeting many fellow bloggers there.
This weekend a group from our church went on a canoe trip on Lake Martin. Lake Martin is a beautiful wildlife preserve where cypress woods grow and birds nest. We even saw two bald eagles high in matching trees. It was an overcast cool day around 54 degrees, but welcomed with no mosquitoes or humidity.
We paddled around the lake to the edge of the bird sanctuary where white ibis were nesting. Thousands dotted the trees with snow white wings. When we got close enough to see them, they took off. I made a quick video of this (It’s a bit shaky; I was in a canoe.) In the background you can hear my husband explaining the Cajun French word for Ibis, “bec croche,” means crooked beak.
On the road to Lake Martin, we passed a burning cane field. The field of sugarcane is traditionally burned before harvesting to make it easier to transport. There is controversy over whether this is harmful to the environment. To me, it is the scent of fall, smokey and sweet. Take a moment to listen to the burning of the cane field.
Lovely escape to the bayou! Wish I was attending NCTE…congratulations and best of luck.
I’m so excited for your award, Margaret. Best wishes for the voice to return. And thank you for sharing the bayou with us-so beautiful. After reading The Boys of Blur, I’m fascinated by those burning cane fields! Thanks for that too. Happy Week!
Best of luck with your voice. I wish I could be there on Thursday to cheer you on, but my plane doesn’t get in until 4, so I will probably miss it. Congrats!
I hope we can meet at some point this week.
I’ll be praying for your voice to return! I’m sure you will be fine by then. And thanks for sharing those videos. It’s nice to be able to “visit” from so far away!
Congratulations Margaret!
Congrats on your award, Margaret. I will be there, cheering you on.
Love the videos as an addition to your Slice. It’s nice to be able to experience a moment of your trip with you.
Congrats!! You are amazing! My flight lands a 3:00 so I’ll probably miss your award. Hopefully I’ll get to meeting you at the TWT dinner.
I wish we could all wear something to identify us. Hey, SOL t-shirts? If you attend my workshop on Friday, be sure to introduce yourself.
You have laryngitis?!?!? OMG! Hoping your voice comes back. If not, I’m sure you’ll find a multi-media way to convey your speech. 🙂
Looking forward to meeting you in person on Thursday! Betsy, Dana, and I will be sitting with some other Slicers cheering you on! (I think Anna and Tara will still be on the train and Beth won’t be there.)
I should work on that multimedia idea. Got a miracle shot today, so hopefully by Thursday, I’ll be well. Can’t wait to see my TWT friends!
Congratulations! Hope your voice will be fine and strong in speaking as it is in writing! Loved the views from the bayou.
Sorry for the uncooperating throat that doesn’t quit. I guess you’ve tried licorice tea? More applause in advance for the award. Through your blog I’m learning more about NCTC & think it would be nourishing, to attend some day. Happy Trails to you.
We have those ibis here roosting now in FL. Maybe they are cousins!
Hope your voice is back for your presentation. Hot tea with some honey and lemon always works for me. I, too, am looking forward to the Slicers dinner.
whether or not your voice is back, I will be there with you in spirit cheering for you and honored to “know” you through our SOL community….keep sipping that tea….
I am so happy for you Margaret…this is such exciting news. Donald Graves is one of my heroes. I hope you will share your speech with us in your post when you return. You are amazing! xo