Writing Assignment from Jon Paul

Jon Paul wrote this as an assignment for his literature class. I thought you would all enjoy reading it too..

The shoe
Brown and warm
shoes like these are what I wear when I
go hiking.
I like to hike
I went and hiked a few month ago.
It was fun.
It was bright and sunny but still chilly.
The chill weather brings new life into me
I feel refreshed
I walk alone and I absorb my thoughts
The thoughts are mine
I haven't had time to think for awhile
No time to myself
Too much work
I try to keep up but I can't
The world seems to pass me by
I feel small and helpless
I'm not ready for the world.
There is a picture on my wall
It's of me and my dad.
I'm young, sleeping on my father's chest
I don't remember those times
But there is still comfort in the thoughts
My dad with his arms around me in
the picture.
He is what I strive to be.
So calm and collected
I will leave the house soon
He will be the only male in the house again
I leave because I want to be like him
My father's arms around me
Strong, loving, warm
He was gone for a long time
I saw him only once in a year
When he came home I ran to meet him
I grabbed him hard
I don't want to let him go
But I'm pulled away
My mother wants a turn
They hold each other for a long time
The people in the airport walk past
Probably feeling the emotion that my family
is sharing.
Seeing my dad is a solider they wait
When we have hugged enough they thank him
His service means a lot to them.
I can see that my dad is proud of what
he does.
He is proud of me
When I mess up he does not yell
Once I brought home a low grade.
He asked my problem
We talked and came to a conclusion
He wanted to know what he could do
How he could help
Not yelling, not degrading he suggested a solution
When I have children I hope to be as good
of a father as he was.
Not was, as he is
Even when I leave I can still count
on him
Why is he like this?
How was he raised?
He tells stories
Stories about what happened when he was
a child.
His father was in the Navy.
Once, when Grandad was away, Gram make a video.
It was candid shots about the house
the life of the kids
Random cameras
carrots
Once on those videos my uncle stuck
carrots in his nose.
My aunt shrieked.
I don't know my aunt
I've met her only once at
my uncle's wedding.
The wedding
At the reception they played the chicken
dance.
I didn't know what I was doing
I was seven I think
Now I'm known for my random dancing.

(Jon Landon_Feb 2009)

a new baby in the family

Congratulations to my little sister Shena and her husband Shawn on the birth of their daughter Reina on Feb 20th. She weighed 6 lbs. 5 oz. is 19 3/4 inches long, has blond hair, blue eyes and looks like Shawn.

Welcome to the family Reina. We are so glad you are here and can't wait to meet you.

Garden Club Field Trip

The garden club I belong to went on a field trip today to Calloway Gardens. We heard a very interesting lecture on native Georgia butterflies and then we went to see the butterfly house. These are tropical butterflies. The temperature inside was 84 degrees and about 70% humidity.

We stopped briefly to see the small chapel on the grounds before we left for home. We did not tour the gardens today because of time limits and because the outside temperature was only 26 degrees!!

See the posts below for links to see the photos I took of the butterflies and chapel.

Butterfly House at Calloway Gardens

Click on the picture to go see the album of all of the butterflies.

Photobucket Album

Chapel at Calloway Gardens

Click on the photo to go see the album of all of the chapel photos.

Photobucket Album