Riehl Life: Village Wisdom for the 21st Century » Riehlife

Why Susan Tweit reads Riehlife

riehlife — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:47:03 +0000

Looking back at my drafts from the past, I found these encouraging comments from Susan Tweit, noted author, blogger, and friend. We met through Women Writing the West and Story Circle Network.

Susan Tweit writes:

Riehlife nurtures connections. I think of Riehlife as a tapestry woven of the many voices you meet and hear and read. It's a way for people to meet the "other" without fear, to explore new ideas and new cultures, to expend their view, bit by bit.

It's a "journal" in the sense of thoughtful and thought-provoking magazine, not personal diary.

Happy 4th Birthday Riehlife!

riehlife — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:45:53 +0000

Riehlife turns four years old this month. A lot has happened since August 2006.

Here's the Riehlife report card from January 2008.

Riehlife Poem-of-the-Day:”Basho & the Crickets,” by Stephen Kuusisto

riehlife — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:00:02 +0000

"Basho & the Crickets" is Riehlife's poem of the day written by Stephen Kuusisto--Professor, Author, Speaker, Poet, Blogger, and Disability Advocate. With his guide dog Nira, he roams the world giving readings and workshops--when he's not teaching at the Iowa Writing Workshop.

Here's how the poem and Stephen came in my life, and then bobbed up again, just a year later...almost as if we'd planned this small reunion.

When I read the program for Meramec's Writing Festival: Taking Care, Medicine for the Mind, I saw that Stephen Kuusisto would give a workshop and reading--just 20 minutes away in Kirkwood.

What's so cool is that I first met Stephen in cyberspace. He gave my blog the ultimate compliment of writing a poem dedicated to me. This came out of the blue: "Basho & the Crickets."

A bit later I met him in person when I visited my friends Alan and Mary Brody in Iowa City. Mary, a world-class cook, made a feast for us. Along with Stephen Kuusisto the Brody's and I enjoyed a Poet's Dinner with Marvin Bell and his wife Dorothy. Riehlife featured Marvin Bell's inauguration poem "Yes We Can" .

I didn't realize until afterwards how highly regarded these two poets are. I knew the were good, but gosh! I'm glad I didn't not just how prominent they are, because I might have clutched. As it turned out, they were both fun and entertaining. Stephen does a dead-on Nixon impression that had me bent over laughing. Really big men, indeed, who can be just folks and at home in whatever corner of the world they find themselves.

I introduced myself to Stephen at his reading. Amazingly he remembered all sorts of things about my background and our Poets Dinner. We went to lunch at a pub. But, they didn't have "Toad in a Hole," or "Bangers & Mash," or "Bubble and Squeak." We made do rather nicely.

Good to revive those memories.

Riehlife Poem of the Day: “Sure There Are Things to Worry About,” by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

riehlife — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:18:21 +0000

Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer is a word woman of the finest caliber. On Ryezome, a delicate on-line tracery of her poem-a-day practice, you'll find accessible well-crafted poems that will make a difference in how you view your life.

Susan Tweit introduces her as a favorite poet of real life. Of those who think of themselves as real poets, I think the quality of their work varies, just like that of real writers.

One of my favorite poets is my friend Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. Rosemerry is a mom of two pre-schoolers, and operator with her husband of a 20,000-tree organic fruit orchard in a remote canyon in western Colorado. She still finds time to write poetry every night, and to travel and teach poetry workshops. Here's one of her middle-of-the-night poems:

Sure There Are Things to Worry About
by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

Late March and the river is indifferent still,
too lazy to be half empty or half full.
On the ends of the branches the peach blossoms
throb inside tight gray clusters, pushing pink

despite the prediction for cold next week.
So much to ripen, if given the chance.
The air hums electric with the pollen dance
And the orchard grass is dressed in white apricot bloom.

In the shuttered room next door to my desk
sleeps a girl in her crib, a boy in his bed,
neither worried one bit about frost.

He knows that tonight there were bats in the yard.
She knows her blanket is velvety warm.
I know I go on loving, no matter the weather.

Rosemerry's signature poem is one by Rumi:

On a day when the wind is perfect,
the sail just needs to open
and the love starts.
Today is such a day.

--Rumi
_____________________
More on Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

She's a poet and teacher, as well as a mom and organic-orchard owner. Her books have won awards--her latest, Holding Three Things at Once, was a finalist for the Colorado Book Awards.

Riehlife Poem-of-the-Day: Twitter Haiku by Susan J. Tweit

riehlife — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:03:55 +0000

Susan Tweit posts a Haiku a Day on Twitter and Facebook. If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then what would you say of a Haiku a day?

Make sure you see the Riehlife companion post Susan wrote on her haiku Twitter practice. Read more about Susan Tweit's rich background and accomplishments below.

She's currently working on two book proposals. One is on the theme of using-nature-to-fire-your-creativity. She's using her haiku practice as an exercise. Here she shares three of these gems.

Male house finch warbles
sweetly, fueled by lust and spring
"Oh, pick me! Pick me!"

Shovels scrape sidewalks
plows swish by as snow still falls
muffling spring in white

Rolling waves of wind
blew in a blizzard last night
snow falls like feathers

_____________________________

I met Susan through Women Writing the West, and went on to know her through Story Circle Network. She's an author, journalist, writing coach, workshop leader, and more than one can list.

Susan is a biologist who "evolved" into an award-winning writer. Susan says that she is "dedicated to reviving human's terraphilia, our innate affection for and connection to Earth and its community of lives."

Her most recent book, Walking Nature Home, A Life's Journey has been hailed as "a graceful and moving memoir" and "a brave, beautiful and necessary book."

Riehlife Poem-of-the-day: “The Sparrow,” by Rhonda Esakov

riehlife — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 12:23:50 +0000

Rhonda Esakov is a sister member of Story Circle Network. I met her when we both belonged to an SCN online support group. You can read her Story Circle Network reviews online.

She's kindly responded to my call for April poems. Here's her introduction to "The Sparrow," which she refers to as "my little novice poem." --JGR

_______________

"The Sparrow" tells the story of a little bird that flew into my window one day when something scared the flock cheeping outside my office. Then, as I went to the door to see what it was, my lab scooped it up in her mouth! Anyway, you'll see.

Other than Haiku, I don't do poetry. I have no training what-so-ever. My writing process? I call it 'fit in the cracks'. Whenever I have a moment between three jobs-- volunteer work, mother, wife, house-slave--I read, review and write. Usually I work at night after I put everyone and everything to bed.

This little poem was different because it struck me (like the bird striking the window) in the middle of the day, and simple as it is I had to put it down on paper.

Thanks for your wonderful poet soul and all you do to keep words alive!
__________________

The Sparrow
by Rhonda Esakov

Hungry, hungry
We search through the leaves
Something tasty
Must rest in the trees.
Alert, alert!

Somebody cries
Fly away home
before one of us dies.
WHAM, fall
I’m stunned - can’t bend
A glimpse of a window
and darkness descends.

Warm, wet
How can that be?
I hold very still.
What’s happened to me?

Hold, hold
Don’t move a bit
A light comes back on,
Could this be it?

Gasp, yelling
“Ruby dog, DROP!”
The trembling wet mass
lands with a plop.

Shush, shush
Poor little thing
I’ll set you free
to enjoy the spring.

Riehlife recieves the Superior Scribble Award

riehlife — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:15:30 +0000

Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett's blog supports women writing their memoirs. They just gave me a wonderful compliment by announcing that they have chosen Riehlife as one of their five top picks for the Superior Scribbler Award.

Here's how they described Riehlife:

Janet Riehl — an artist in the best and broadest sense of the word, creating art with objects, with words and with music. We give this award for Janet’s constant source of inspiration and creativity found in each of her blogs. She helps us not get stuck in a single creative rut. In true creative fashion, she transformed her memoir "Sightlines: A Poet’s Diary, " (told in story poems) into an audio version. "Sightlines: A Family Love Story in Poetry and Music" includes 4-CDs filled with singing, fiddles, mandolin, and guitar as well as Janet’s story poems, truly an expanded family love story.

One of the rules for Superior Scribbler Award recipients is that they pass the award on to five other noteworthy bloggers. That's not an easy task. But, here goes. Keep reading to find out the five blogs I'm choosing for my Superior Scribbler awards. Some of my picks, like Susan Tweit have already been tapped.

__________________________

Here are the rules for Passing on the Superior Scribbler Award:
1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Blogging friends.
2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom he/she has received the Award.
3. Each Superior Scribbler must display the Award on his/her blog, and link to this post, which explains the Award.
4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!
5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.
________________________

Congratulations Damaria Senne, Yvonne Perry, Ria Sharon, Eden Maxwell, and Isabella Mori. You are part of my community of blogging buddies that brings value to my life.

Damaria Senne is a writer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. STORYPOT is her online home. Here she cooks the complexities of modern African life with traditional spice. We met last summer in South Africa. You can see a sample of her work in the top post of Riehlife today.

Yvonne Perry, owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Services, dishes up writing guidance and support for writers in many forms. Yvonne lives in Nashville. We met through Hal Manogue in 2006 shortly after "Sightlines: A Poet's Diary" came out. Google "Yvonne Perry Janet Riehl" to find posts on both our blogs revealing our friendship, both online and off.

Ria Sharon's two blogs are a boon to mothers. Her blog-magazine "Mommy Manual" and Check My Tag cover every conceivable topic of parenting.

Eden Maxwell, intuitive creative, has written a marvelous book, "The Artist Empowered." His art is from the heart and soul. See his art and read more about his book on Eden's Art. You can also Google "Riehlife Eden Maxwell" to find previous guest posts here about the creative process.

Isabella Mori's blog "Change Therapy: Making Lives Better, Making Better Lives" is substantive and thoughtful view of applied psychotherapy and the arts. Google "Isabella Mori Janet Riehl" to find links to posts on both our blogs.

Keep on blogging and rolling excellent content our to your readers!

Riehlife Blog Posts: The Ones that Got Away…Readings, Art Museums, Plays, Movies, Products…and even (ahem!) Ideas

riehlife — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:27:07 +0000

Recently I cleared out my piles on the credenza in my study. I found lots of scraps of paper noting ideas to blog about. Here, then, are "the ones that got away." All of these blog-fish are pretty small, but some are beautifully striped.

Ideas
1) Pop as "great connector"
2) Soil & Soul (poem fragment)--Soil of my soul/Soil not my soul.
3) "I feel your blackness."--best compliment ever recieved. From colleague in storytelling ensemble.
4) My father prefers an empty refrigerator.
5)Poem fragment: At night the air grew chill/and she dreamed of flags
6) Journal Harvesting: Excerpt the thumbnail of entries, then hitch reports together into one book.
7) Where has all the laughter gone?...On not hearing laughter in public places.
Postal encounters of the first class kind (on amazing encounters with patrons in the post office)
9) Red Means Stop (on a car that sailed through Clifton Terrace red light).
10) Jaywalking on the Rise
11) "Not a problem"/"No problem" instead of "You're welcome" or "My pleasure."
12) How to cut and arrange daffodils.
13) TV characters in mysteries I relate to, such as: Perry Mason, Matlock, Jessica Fletcher
14) Weaning Off TV in Pursuit of "Babeness"
15) I Wanna Be a Babe.
16) Craft Rant: When CCAC (The California College of Arts and Crafts) dropped "crafts" from its name and changed to CCA (California College for the Arts. I refuse now to give them money...consider that they stole my degree from me (I majored in clay sculpture and graduated with high distinction)...and still write the abbreviation as CCA(C).

Left Bank Books Readings
1) Stacy Ann Chin's "The Other Side of Paradise
2) Stefan Merrill Block's "The Story of Forgetting"

Art Exhibits
1) St. Louis Art Museum--My favorite piece is Ghanaian artist El Anatsui's "Fading Cloth.

Movies
1) I Love You, Man--movie essentially about friendship and identity.
2) Duplicity--What is trust? What is real?

Performance: "Quilters," by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek at the Missouri History Museum.

Products:
1) Glamorous travel hat from Isabella's Journey (Ta-ta!) signature collection

2) San Diego Hat Company: Packable..."The ultimate traveling companion"

3) Honey Bar Natural with mixed sesame seeds. Mmmm-Mmmmm-good

4) Moleskiine notebooks...and a brochure telling the history of a legendary notebook...used by European artist and thinkiers for the past two centuries, fro Van Goph to Picasso, from Ernest Heminway to Bruce Chatwin. Brought back in 1998 by a small Milanese publisher.

5) Chocolove's Crystallized Ginger in 65 percent dark chocolate...with a love poem by John Clare inside the wrapper.

Riehlife off to Ghana on African Holiday…back in 2009

riehlife — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:20:20 +0000

Between December 6th to January 7, Riehlife goes on holiday as Janet travels to Ghana, a place she lived and worked for several years in the 1970s. This trip will be far more simple than her August trip to Southern Africa.

Because I'll only be staying in two locations, I'll be taking a few more things with me, including my laptop. I hope to pick up a mobile phone once I'm there for calls within Ghana. I have SKYPE on my computer, so if I can get wireless access, that would open up a new option as well to keep in touch with friends and family in America. We'll see.

I'm mostly there to visit old friends I worked with 30 years ago and make some new friends. I'll being staying first in Busua Beach at African Rainbow Resort. Go to their website to see where I'll be staying and some of the wonderful side trips from there. I'll mostly be writing and swimming and relaxing. I'll turn 60 on December 29th and feel better about this birthday and my life as a whole than I have in quite a while. That's really my best birthday present...this greater feeling of being well within my skin.

From there I'll move back to Accra, the Capitol city, where my old friends live. I'll be staying independently and connecting with them as their schedule allows.

For those of you whom GHANA is a new place, here are a few coordinates. It's in West Africa, near the equator, and on the Greewich meridian. It is bounded in the NW by Burkina Faso (Upper Volta), on the eat by Togo, on the south by the Atlantic ocean, and the West by La Cote D'Ivoire (known as the Ivory Coast).

Ghana's total area is 238,537 sq. km (92,100 sq. miles). Other large cities beside Accra are Tamale, Seckondi-Takoradi, and Kumasi. The terrain is composed of plains and scrubland, rain forest, a tropical climate...a population of 17.7 million as estimated in 1997.

There are 10 regions namely the Northern, Upper West, Upper East, Volta, Ashanti, Western, Brong-ahafo, and Greater Accrra.

Therefore, whether you are new to our community here or whether you are a long-time reader, I invite you to browse the archives. They are rich and full. And the top bar contains information about my poetry book "Sightlines: A Poet's Diary."

We'll see you, reliably back in this space in after January 10th. Until then, Darlings, it'll be catch as catch can.

Riehlife on African Holiday

riehlife — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:45:28 +0000

Between August 4th to August 26th, Riehlife travels to Southern Africa---South Africa and Botswana.

I've decided not to take too many gadgets, so I'll be leaving my laptop and cellphone at home. I'll be in erratic computer contact, so I cannot say if I'll be able to update Riehlife while I'm gone or not. Maybe a little, but erratically.

Therefore, whether you are new to our community here or whether you are a long-time reader, I invite you to browse the archives. They are rich and full. And the sidebar contains information about my poetry book "Sightlines: A Poet's Diary."

I will be traveling to:

Johannesburg...and the village of Phokeng in South Africa...with blogging buddy Damaria Senne (see Portable Village post below).

Gaborone, Botswana...where I'll meet up with long-time pal Alan Brody...and Gabane, Botswana, where I worked on village development, literacy, and Popular Theater projects...and Maun Botswana, where nature is in its glory...and Makalamabedi, a village where I did my cultural training in 1972 for Peace Corps...and then....

Finishing in Capetown, South Africa, where I have never been, a'tall.

This is a road trip. I am traveling more upscale than I'm used to, and this will take some getting used to. There will be lots of things to get used to, and not much time to do it in, as the pace of the trip is more rapid than any trip I've ever embarked upon.

So, wish me luck! Include us in your prayers, if you are so inclined.

And, we'll see you, reliably back in this space in September. Until then, Darlings, it'll be catch as catch can.