Monday, June 25, 2012

Come With Me

Come With Me

Writing Tip

Does the building in this grainy photo look familiar? It's a bit fuzzy because I copied it from Wickipedia. Back when I was in junior high school in Lawton, Oklahoma, this was the junior high school building.

Now why would the building where I attended junior high look familiar to you? Because, while it may have some unique qualities, it also has some universal qualities that all school buildings of the period had.

Recently I was back in Lawton for a few days so I have been thinking about growing up there. Thinking about place.
In our life story writing group, Millie is writing a wonderful story of place -- Yellowstone National Park where she worked as a young woman. Millie was shaped by her time in Yellowstone, just as I was shaped by my time in Lawton, and you were shaped by any number of the places where you have been.

Looking for what other bloggers have to say about writing about place in memoir or life story, I turned to www.womensmemoirs.com where I found the following article from June 9, 2012:
Journaling for Memoir: Writing About Place — Memoir Writing Blog. And, more recently, in her June 25, 2012 post, Matilda Butler writes about growing up in Oklahoma City and how she was shaped by place.

When you are writing your story, remember that it happened in a place. Tell the reader, "Come with me," and then take us along so we can experience your story with you.

Launching Pad

Here is an idea from the Journaling for Memoir post at www.womensmemoirs.com. Complete the following prompt ten times: "It was the kind of place where . . ." This prompt seems to me to be a quick way to get to the essence of place. I'm going to give it a try.

1. Lawton was the kind of place where square dances were held on the city parks' tennis courts on hot summer nights.
2. Lawton was the kind of place where everyone went to The Old South cafeteria for lunch after church on Sunday.
3. Lawton was the kind of place where the librairians at the Carnegie Public Library would let an unaccompanied child wander in the adult stacks and even check out books from there.

Chocolate Inkwell

Eclair Cake

There is good news and bad news about today's recipe.

This is a great recipe for summer from www.allrecipes.com because no baking is involved, No oven-heating required; however, it does have to be refrigerated for at least 4 hours before serving. In a comment she wrote at www.allrecipes.com, Cathy Gordon says,

"This is a very quick and simple no bake dessert cake. It uses graham crackers and a pudding mixture. It tastes just like an eclair, but there is enough for a crowd!! It is a great recipe for children who are learning to cook, there is no baking involved or any power kitchen tools. Just a bowl and a spoon!"

Ingredients

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 cups milk
1 (16 ounce) package graham cracker squares
1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

Directions

In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk.
Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.
Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan. The frosting will be easier to spread if the cake is covered and chilled for about 30 minutes before spreading.
Cover, and chill at least 4 hours before serving.

For more writing tips, launching pads, or your very own workbook to help you write your life story, go to, www.angelinyourinkwell.com.

1 comment:

Beverly Carlson said...: All three of your truisms fit me. I remember them well. Did you go to the square dances? I don't remember seeing you there. It was always great fun.; June 25, 2012 at 11:14 PM