Helpful PAWS . . . Ancestors

“You ARE Miss Rumphius,” I said to friend Cindy as my husband and I helped divide and pot lilies from a backyard quilt with 6o0 varietes of our friends’ favorite flowering plant.  This past year, while recovering from an auto accident,  I have been inspired by the fictional Miss Rumphius, as well as real friends like Cindy. We were digging up and potting  for a sale to benefit Riding for the Handicapped of Western PA, one of our favorite charities.

She had never head of the children’s picture book about a woman who was inspired by her grandfather to do something to make the world more beautiful. My friend, like the “Lupine Lady,” became very ill and tending her patch of lilies and helping others through them as helped her recover.

Following an illness, Miss Rumphius recovers  as she walks, then skips and bicycles through her Maine coastal neighborhood planting lupine seeds. She becomes famous as the “Lupine Lady,” and passes on the challenge of her grandfather to make the world more beautiful.

But Cindy chuckled and said,  “Did you know that out West the lupine is a nuisance pant? Ingesting it makes livestock sick, and they could die,” How ironic, we thought, that an act  beautiful, could also be regarded so differently, depending upon your perspective. “But, I believe that as long as you are trying to be helpful, it is a good thing,” she said.

Instantly, in my friend’s lily garden I was transported in my mind back to the stories of my own grandfather who also challenged us to make the world more beautiful–and to look at someone elsee’s perspecitve. For some reason, I remembered his story about a Model T that had to be cranked by hand to start. One day he was late for work because he overslept. “I couldn’t get the blame thing to start this morning,” he told his boss. “Well, if it doesn’t start, there’s nothing you can do,” his boss had said. “That’s right!” a 20-year-old-ish Grandpa had replied. Then he would turn to us kitties (as I thought Grandma called us) and say, “Well, I told the truth., didn’t I? But what do you think?” He would chuckle at our debates.

The next day, in our backyard garden–on the anniversary of the first day I met a therapy dog seven years ago–I continued to reflect upon the Grandpa who talked about “making do” or “doing something” to help others. My idea? I wanted to “do something” with my dog! In this season when we ”paws” to thank the people who gave us roots, let us write about the moments when they gave us “wings.”  Ruff-spectfully, “Aunt” Jane Miller & Sadie

May: Helpful “Ancestors”

“You ARE Miss Rumphius,” I said to friend Cindy as my husband and I helped her divide and pot a backyard quilt with 6o0 varietes of day lilies. It was to benefit Riding for the Handicapped, one of the first horseback riding therapy programs in the United States that depends entirely on volunteer help.

In addition to her lilies, Cindy has irises and lupines. She had never head of the children’s picture book about a woman who was inspired by her grandfather to do something to make the world more beautiful. My friend, like the “Lupine Lady,” suffered a stroke two years ago, and tending her patch of lilies and helping others through them as helped her recover.

Not that the main character hadn’t already done that, from those childhood days when she helped her grandfather and then became a caretaker of stories as a librarian. Following an illness, Miss Rumphius recovers  she recovers as she walks, then skips and bicycles through her Maine coastal neighborhood planting lupine seeds. She becomes famous as the “Lupine Lady,” and passes on the challenge to make the world more beautiful.

Cindy had another perspective. “Did you know that out West the lupine is a nuisance pant? Ingesting it makes livestock sick, and they could die,” she said.  How ironic, we thought, that an act  beautiful, could also be regarded so differently.

Miss Rumphius always reminded of my own grandfather, who challenged us to make a difference—and I had the idea of doing something with my dog. (Yes, too much Timmy & Lassie back in the 1950’s!) In my friend’s lily garden I also remembered the story my grandfather told about his first car, a Model T that had to be cranked to start. One day he was late for work because he overslept. “I couldn’t get the blame thing to start this morning,” he told his boss. “Well, if they don’t start, there’s nothing you can do,” his boss had said. “That’s right!” a 20-year-old Grandpa had replied. Then he would turn to us kitties (as I thought Grandma called us) and say, “Well, I told the truth. I didn’t lie, but what do you think?” he would ask, then chuckle.

In my friend’s garden, I learned a lot about the importance of pruning—even plants need edited—and added nourishment to the soil, and made mistakes along the way by pruning too harshly. She didn’t reprimand, just chuckled and reminded that “Plants grow from their roots, but also from the sun.”

Take time to remember and write about–or write to if  lucky enough to have them to hold–the people who have given us both roots and wings to dream. Yours until . . . after the roses bloom! Ruff-spectfully, “Aunt” Jane Miller & Sadie

P.S. May 5 marks the day I met  therapy dog for the first time when it visited my father’s hospital room on 5-5-05. It is also the 112th “birthday” of Leo Lionni, famed children’s author and illustrator of the early 20th century.

March-April: Helpful Poetry & Teachers

Carry a poem in your pocket, head and heart.

Any day is special when you carry a poem.

When we think of Mister Rogers, we remember the important things he taught. I love word plays and keep this picture of “Fred ROVER” near my computer. But I wonder if it is respectful? After all, our names are special possessions. In ”Crowboy,” children taunt a boy who is silent, but can imitate any bird sound he hears. In the end, through the help of a caring teacher, the nickname becomes one said with great respect.

It also reminds me of being in fifth grade when there were divisions among us farm kids, along the lines of growing up on a “milk” or “hamburger” farm and being taunted with names. That’s when Mrs. Yeager, who grew up in extreme poverty in West Virginia, read to us The Dog of Flanders, an 1856 book about a Holland cart dog, with a very sad ending.” That year she helped us share our unique stories that brought us closer together. Years later my mind would flash to her on the night Fred Rogers accepted a lifetime achievement award, and asked for a minute of silence to remember a teacher. I could see Mrs. Yeager putting down the book as tears streamed down all of our eyes.

I’ve come to learn that a teacher is anyone who is like a neighbor that comes along beside us–even our pets.  My story about how a real–and rare–”Dog of Flanders” came into our lives during my father’s cancer odyssey is in Chicken Soup for the Soul What I Learned from the Dog. Writing the story taught me how important it is to write down our positive words that can uplift another.A pdf of the “RUFF” thank you letter printed in the American Bouvier Rescue League newsletter.

Today, as I pulled weeds–yes, with Sadie at my side–Dr. Eugene Reichenfeld came to mind. He is 100 years-old and still teaches violin. His method is to play alongside his students. At his 100th birthday concert, one of his former students shared a story about the professor’s impoverished childhood. On his way to listen to gypsies play violins by the railroad tracks, he noticed a small daisy between the cracks of a sidewalk. It looked like nothing sustained it, yet it thrived. He decided, as a child, to be like the wild flower.

Mister Rogers’ March 20th birthday is usually celebrated by wearing a sweater and visiting a neighbor–a person beside us. Not the sweater part this year. It was a beautiful 80-degree day in our Pittsburgh neighborhood, and after admiring the daffodils–and pulling out a few dandelions–we crossed the street to visit our dear neighbor Betty. Oh, yes, and we worked on a design for a “Huggable-Luggable,” a pillow to hold pj’s for a visit to Grandma with a pocket for a book.

Have a blessed time thinking–and writing–about a treasured teacher. Yours until after April 26–a day to celebrate National Poetry Month with a “poem in our pocket.”  RUFF-spectfully, “Aunt” Jane Miller & Sadie

Print “CHECK-IN” and “SEASONINGS” pages for “Diary of a Worm.” (See the “RUFF Spot” page for a growing collection.)Even a fictional family of worms can help us to laugh and have respect for the “lowest” of creatures! Not many libraries still own copies of “Crowboy,” a 1955 Caldecott award book. “I’d like to have a reason to purchase it again,” one librarian said. During National Poetry AND National Library Month, celebrate with “One Book, One Community” programming for This I Believe.

I believe: Stories can be healing–and build peaceful communities.

RUFF–BONE-US DAY

 Add listening seasonings with a game, recipe & “bare bones” book synopsis For a bonus day, here’s a “BONE-US” “Seasonings” page with a memory support version of “Button, Button, Who Has the Button,” a bunny pear salad recipe, and a “Bare Bones” book synopsis  to share with some bunny speical who might live far away.

 Sadie helped with the  bare bones’ book synopsis for Knuffle Bunny, and is helping to write  a set of 9 “Seasonings” for September. How does she help to write? Sadie lays her wet chin on my lap and nudges my hand when I get stuck for ideas. Then we take a walk together–during our walks I get  ideas!

Have a great Leap Year! “Aunt” Jane Miller & Sadie

Feb. 22: Helpful Animals

Check-In for Art & Kind Words Activities The beginnings–three “CHECK-IN” pages to do while talking about The RUFF Writer “Book Friends Forever.” Real animals help others in ”Beatrice’s Goat” and “Give a Goat,” and a stuffed animal, a knuffle, can be an important friend.

Dear Friends,

Today is the birthday of George Washington. We think of him more as the father of our country than as an author, yet many of the volumes that have been written about his life are based upon what he wrote himself in his journals. The RUFF Writers is a “twist” upon journal writing. It is about free-form writing that pays little attention to “PUGS”—not the strange looking canine with saucer-shaped eyes, but Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling. It’s about writing down what we TALK about while reading a book that can be enjoyed by all ages.  It’s getting  down on paper the little stories in our lives. The “nine-patch” of books at right have been great memory prompts for all ages.

How could we only come with only nine books? It’s just a taste!  I can’t walk into a library or bookstore without finding a new BFF! Yesterday I discovered the gem of “Mary and Her Little Lamb,” words and pictures by Will Moses. It’s the true story of the famous nursery rhyme. Mary Elizabeth Sawyer, born in 1806, raised a sickly lamb that loved her in return.  John Roulstone wrote the poem in 1810 after he visited her Boston school. When Mary was called to the board to recite, her lamb—hidden beneath her desk by a quilt—trotted to the board behind her!  Roulstone wrote the poem at home and returned to the school, on horseback, the next day to deliver it to Mary.

I remember my own lamb that I raised in the 1960’s. We had school busses then, so Snowball could never follow me to school! My mind also travels to  four summers ago  to our second visit with our adopted grandparents. The book, “Bad Dog, Marley!” had reminded many of our new friends of their own dogs the previous week. I was so excited, I wrote down their stories on paper bones we had  intended to leave for residents to share stories with grandchildren. At home, my younger daughter turned these marvelous stories into a scrapbook, but one memory  was minimal. A dear lady named Mary only recalled her dog was little, black— and it followed her to school. To make her story as long as the others, we turned it into a song.

When we shared this new book, Beth and I began to sing “Mary Had a Little Dog”—and everyone in the room joined in! (Even Sadie barked!) But everybody listened as we sang the last verse, “Why did the dog love Mary so?” Did you know that new stanzas were added to the original poem when it was discovered in 1830 by Sarah Josepha Hale? She wrote, “Why does the lamb love Mary so?” The eager children cry; “Why Mary loves the lamb, You know,” the teacher did reply.”

When I reflect upon Mary’s lamb—and also my own—I think about the importance of  nurturing. When we feed another being, whether it is actual food or the art of listening, we develop a bond. Sharing stories helps children we love to hold on to us as we pass on a cherished comfort–a “quilt”–of many positive words. (Okay, Sadie says its “PAWS-i-TIVE!)

Yours until a literary date in March. I’ll pass on Dr. Seusses’ birthday this year. I’ll write again, to celebrate  Mister Rogers’ birthday, on March 20. We’ll add two CHECK-IN pages each month through June.

Ruff-spectfully,

“Aunt” Jane Miller & Sadie, the “Arf-ur” of The RUFF Writers project

P.S. I will sign these posts as “Aunt” Jane. It’s a reminder to myself to focus on recording “PAWS-i-tive” stories and the importance of all caring relationships. One more story…last year  my Aunt Lou had an Easter dinner and recycled the sheets from her inspiration a day calendar. Our daughter has hers taped to her wall. Mine read, “Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to the wall.” Sure makes it sound impossible,” I said. Rick, my husband, added, “No, it’s not impossible—just difficult. . .” and came up with his own version,  “Raising teenagers is like herding cats. Chase ‘em, they run. Offer the right food and they come running.” Of course, the right food could be pizza, but I also think it can be the food for thought we give through listening. See you in March!

Open the “RUFF Spots” at left for the free extra writing  resources for preschool—middle school and signs to set up a “RUFF Spot” in a library or senior assisted living home. Each BFF page shares our ideas for reading, ‘riting and remembering experiences with a therapy dog. Contact us if you are interested in knowing more about The RUFF Writer project. It is “leashed” to the Western PA Writing Project at the University of Pittsburgh, a site for the National Writing Project. Thanks for sharing with us! “Aunt” Jane Miller & Sadie (Author & Arf-ur)

The RUFF Writers “Remembering Seasons”–Create a book as your family remembers, and “RUFF” write gems of family tales. Children practice reading and writing skills as they cut and paste the way grandparents remember! $16 JEM Publishing (See the “KIT” page. That stands for “Kindness in Talking.”)

PAWS: Writing in Progress

Dear Ruff Writers,

Thank you to the children, parents, grandparents, and librarians who have helped us so far! During 2012 I plan to make approximately 1 post a month–after all it is more important to spend time with each other, and my dog Sadie would say, especially if it is taking a walk.

During the months of February, March, April, and May, we will introduce the literacy activity pages that go along with each of the Book Friends Forever listed at right. In four years of visiting our “Room Full of Adopted Grandparents” my daughter, and I–and Sadie, too–have experienced the joy of sharing our ideas, stories, and other activities while patting a helpful therapy dog.

We hope you will enjoy sharing in your own reading and writing adventure. Soon we’ll add “Bone-US” pages to help you enjoy reading and writing together throughout all the seasons of your life.

Enjoy your visits with each other!

“RUFF-spectfully,”

“Aunt” Jane Miller & Sadie

 

 

We are now on Facebook

We are now on Facebook, check us out and “Like” our page to get up to date information.

The RUFF Writers on Facebook

Thank you to Meesha, for setting up our facebook where you can read some of my published stories.

A CHEESY CHRISTMAS RITUAL–When it comes to our family’s favorite holiday food tradition, it was a food we never tasted — and certainly never smelled — that we remember with glee. Like families who pass hardened fruitcakes back and forth, our family had a jar of limburger cheese.

DOG TALES THERAPY HELPS CHILDREN LEARN TO READ–Maggie Dobbins, 13, started the program as a Girl Scout service project at Sewickley Public Library, as a way to help kids improve their reading by practicing the skill in a fun, nonjudgmental environment.

I plan to keep my posts to either my own polished writting or internet connections to ideas I think you would be interested in regarding your own RUFF Writers projects. If you sign up as a friend, you will be notfied for each monthly post. AJ

The RUFF Writers’ “Howliday Songs” & Gifts to Pass On

 “The RUFF Writers Happy Howll-i-daze Song Book” includes Deck the Dog with Antlers Annoying, Santa CLAWS is Coming to Town, Charlie the Tea Cup Chihuahua, My Family’s Gettin’ Nuthin’ for Christmas (‘Cause I was Protecting the House), Fleas Love a Dog, Out on the Front Porch, and We Wish You a Furry Christmas.” Print the pdf of “The RUFF Writers’ Happy How-i-days Song Book” to create your own song book. Music and laughter are languages we all understand.

 Dear Friends,

Often we hunger for stories that can encourage us through life. That is the purpose of this project. The RUFF Writers project encourages intergenerational sharing of tales while children practice reading and writing. It also helps develop respect as we listen to each other. Starting in February 2012, you can visit the “RUFF Spot” page monthly for free literacy activities to do or talk about while reading Book Friends Forever–children’s books that serve as memory prompts to stories we all have. The activities are organized by age, pre-school – high school and location, such as home, school, library, or an assisted living home where therapy dogs often visit.

Most importantly, there are many who have a physical hunger. That’s why Beatrice’s Goat and Give a Goat are the first books to be featured in the “RUFF Spot.”  These are true stsories about lives that were transformed with gifts of livestock animals. Just as stories are gifts that are passed on, the offspring of the animal is passed on to help another family through Heifer International. A year ago, as we piloted a 15 minute “Cup o’ Tales,” in the Fire Escape Coffee Shop, of Ben Avon, PA, a young child said, “That’s what we did!” when my daughter and I introduced the book, “Give a Goat.” Her mom explained. A family member requested “no gifts,” and jokingly said, “Oh, if you insist, get me a goat!” The next day she saw a catalog where she could actually do that. The family enlarged a picture of a goat on a copier, cut it in three sections, and gave three family members the framed section of a goat. The picture and their gift to Heifer International (see the Contact page) represented a family that will receive a goat. Her uncle said it was one of the best presents he has ever received.

 As we polish and prepare Remembering Seasons (see the KIT page), a book that you can make to preserve your own memories of “pawsing” to read, talk, and write together, we realize that gifts of time and tales have been some of our greatest treasures. We hope that your lives will be blessed wtih laughter and “paws-i-tive” memories in the New Year. Thank you for your patience, as we embrace our mission of sharing the importance of “RUFF” draft writing, as these pages go from rough to polished during 2012.

RUFF-spectfully, “Aunt” Jane Miller & family

Prepare for Dec. 2012: Traditions & Gingerbread Baby

Gingerbread Baby brings delight to both grandparents and little ones. It brings back memories of the “real” Gingerbread Boy story, where he is tricked by the sly fox, and this lead to talking about other classics remembered from childhood as well as holiday traditions. A room full of grandparents also enjoys making a gingerbread village,  using royal icing, school milk cartons, graham crackers, and candies.

December is a time when many groups think of people who are in “shelters,” such as a nursing or assisted living home, and visit with programs. One of our visits has become an annual “HOWL-i-day Party.” It’s a time to get to know each other through a party game and we do a group caroling of our “Happy Howl-i-Day” dog parody songs. (This year I plan to start a collection of bells. A lot of friends rang the jingle bell around their neck that had been a gift from a group that came through earlier in the day.)

A game enjoyed by all came from an “American Girl” magazine. It could be adopted to any seasonal event. Write questions that ask for conversation and either/or answers on index cards and place in a holiday gift bag. Each person pulls out a question and answers it. Then rest of the group can also answer it, too, going around in a circle. A few of our favorite questions: What is your favorite holiday movie?; What would you rather have and why. . . A)have a real tree B)or a fake tree?; What is one of your favorite holiday songs? What would you rather have on the top of your tree . . . A)a star B) an angel; What was a funny gift you once received? ( We share our story about a jar of limburger cheese, and it usually reminds our friends of something funny, too.) Last year we  made an “Art Poem,” and drew pictures of some of the responses on poster-size sticky notes. One question that our adult audience always loves is “What is your favorite holiday cheer?” When our friends got into the “spirit” of calling our the names of mixed drinks, my daughter laughed, handed me the pen and said, “I’m too young to draw this. You do it!”

We do need to remember that the winter holidays bring out a sadness, or depression, for many elderly people. We had so much fun and laughed so hard at our “howliday” party, but our earlier visit that month was far different. (Sometimes you don’t know what to expect with a visit.) It inspired our family to think up original “Hol-i-DOG” songs during a car ride. Sing–or howl–along with  Deck the Dog with Antlers Annoying, Out on the Front Porch, Fleas Love a Dog, and My Family’s Getting’ Nuthin’ for Christmas (‘Cause I was Protectin’ the House).

Jan ’12: Helpful Neighbors in Storms & Two Goat Books

Give a Goat and Beatrice’s Goat are the two books that are the heart and soul of  The RUFF Writers Project. These books express the idea that we can all do something to help others–even animals–and that every time we read with a child there is the potential to create a new picture book. Reading and writing together begins with the stories in our minds and hearts we  can carry anywhere and remember when we need an uplifting moment.

Beatrice’s Goat is about a 10-year-old girl in Uganda who tends the goat her family receives from Heifer International (www.heifer.org), that helps end hunger and poverty through gifts of livestock. A gift of livestock from the next generation is passed on to another family. Since June 18, 1944 when three Guernsey heifers (young, female cows) named Faith, Hope, and Charity, left for Puerto Rico, millions of people have benefited from Dan West’s idea. Children need a cow, not a cup, is the idea he had while serving milk to refugees in a war-torn country in the 1930′s. Give a Goat is written by Dan’s daughter Jan West Schrock  heard about Maine teacher Maddy Rowell reading aloud Beatrice’s Goat. The book inspired her class to organize fundraisers so they could give a goat. It inspired the entire school to find ways to help all sorts of people and other important organizations.

 Beatrice’s Goat can inspire “arm chair” visits to some of the countries where people have been helped by Heifer International animals. Chickens, rabbits, bees, llamas, and water buffalos are some of the helpful livestock animals. Faith the Cow, the story about how Dan founded the “Heifer for Relief Project” by going to his farmer friends for help is a favorite book that drew applause from our room full of adopted grandparents. I remember the first time my daughter read it aloud three years ago. I chose the book that day  because I was feeling upset about  things that interfere with finding joy each day. I remember the reversal of my own feelings as I listened, and loved it when our friends responded by clapping their hands. Sadie jumped up and barked.