Wow! I'm not doing so well with this blogging thing, despite all my good intentions. But here we go again. I'm just back from a wonderful 11 day visit with my daughter and son-in-law in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and with my exceedingly brilliant 2 1/2 year-old grandson, Weston.
I know all grandmas think their grandkids are brilliant, but this child is not only speaking like an adult, he's also pondering life in a way most 2 year-olds don't do. I think he's going to be a writer!
Just one small example (which I will use somewhere in a story, I know.)Weston was sitting in his high chair, eating raspberries and staring thoughtfully into space. After a few moments of silence he said, "Mommy, do bunnies have fur so they won't get sunburned?"
I smiled, thinking ah! If only we were furred, I wouldn't need to lather on all that sunblock I was using in that lovely Santa Fe sunshine. But what if we were furred? All different sorts of colors and textures?
I found myself pondering all sorts of story ideas while with Weston--his way of perceiving life delights me. He loves to talk about and draw "plicky fish," his own invention as far as I know. We had lots of discussions about plicky fish, and I must say the world would be empty without them, now that I have seen them through Weston's eyes. According to his most recent picture, they have brilliant blue eyes, a generous mouth that extends the width of their body, and two delightully designed orange fins to keep their balance. Plicky fish have great adventures too.
I can hardly wait until Weston writes about them.
In the meantime, here I am back from Santa Fe, with my next Pockets deadline staring me in the face. As I sit down to begin, I pray to bring to my writing just a touch of Weston's joyful and creative insight.
And who knows? Maybe even a plicky fish or two.
