TELLEBRATION 2014!
I would like to commend our Storytellers that participated in our first Tellebration! Every seat was full as well as the floor. It was a very entertaining afternoon! Thank you to:
 Judi, in telling of the exploits of "Barney Bimple and the Magic Dandelion Puffs".
Penny and her not-so-lazy story of "Lazy Jack".
Scott for your "udderly" hilarious rendition of
"Gladdys the Cow".
Karen captivating us with
"Alicia and the Little Monster".
 Laurie, tickling our funny bones with
"Coyote and the Grass People" and "The Paper Bag Princess".
Ruthmary, for her hair-raising tale of "Stephanie's Ponytail" and for keeping the interest of all with
"My Name is Joe" and "Our Washing Machine".
Make plans now to attend the next Tellebration. Who knows, you might even be a participant!
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TAPESTRY
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Twas the night before the festivities,
And in the dimly-lit room,
The task was completed,
Silence fell at the weaving loom.
For the Weaver had done
All that she could.
She observed what she had accomplished
And called it good.
The following morn, the tapestry was displayed.
Passersby studied it and comments were made.
"At the beginning, it looks strangely familiar,
But throughout, I observe additions are inlaid."
Said the Weaver, "'Tis true, in the beginning I stayed
True to the instructions, every stitch meticulously laid.
But, as the tapestry began to unfold,
I perceived a new story that until now had been untold.
Make no mistake,
I pay homage to the originator's due,
Still, as time went on,
I realized that to myself I must also be true."
"Alas", cried another,
"There is no bottom hem.
You did not give
Your tapestry an end!"
To which the Weaver deftly replied,
"You observe rightly so friend, you have a good eye!
For what you see is a story of my making,
As I received it, so I pass on to whomever would choose it for the taking.
To add to the tapestry, to trim, to hone,
So that he or she may weave into it
A story of their own,
For you see, this is not my story alone.
We each have a story that is ours alone to bear,
Yet, when added to the tapestry, we have chosen to share,
With those that have come before and so with those to come,
This tapestry is never-ending and it will always have a home."
Such is the lot of the tales that Storytellers bring,
As visions of stories are woven throughout our being.
We weave through our stories a bit of our own little flare,
Every thread of our story is woven with care.
We practice our craft,
We embellish, we hone,
Till step by step,
We make it our own.
We weave into the story
What is uniquely us,
And then present it for observation
By others, and thus,
Through persistence and patience
The fruits of our labors are presented, 'tis true,
Yet, always being mindful,
Of giving credit where due.
So my wish for you this holiday season,
And hopefully not beyond reason,
Is to be very joyful, your worries, nary,
Weave a part of yourself into the stories you carry.
May your stories be bright,
May they ever be merry,
May your listeners ingest them
Like a bowlful of cherries!
Through the hustle and bustle
That this holiday brings,
You may find yourself being pulled
By many a string.
Take cheer in the fact
That it won't last for long.
I wish you endurance and persistence,
Stay fit, stay strong.
May your stories have your sparkle,
Your own touch of light.
Season's Greetings to All,
And to All a Good Night!
Seasonably Yours, Pam
Through the art of oral storytelling, Spellbinders®, an award-winning non-profit organization, enhances literacy, builds inter-generational community and develops character.
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Anne Saunders shared a personal story with us from her "Larry Stories". These longtime friends have had the best adventures and escapades over the years! This story could be titled "Seen any Flamingos Lately?" In 1986, Anne traveled to Tanzania/Kenya to visit Larry and see the sights and culture of that marvelous land. There they were in the magnificent Rift Valley, driving off for a pleasant day to admire the beautiful Flamingos of Lake Nakuru. Upon arrival they discovered that, due to severe drought, the lake had receded tremendously. To get a closer view of the birds, Intrepid Larry decided to drive out onto the dry looking lake bed ...the vehicle's tires began to spin, Anne in her skirt, got out to push, only to sink knee deep in the mucky mud, imagining many movie scenes where the brave explorers are lost in quicksand. On they struggled, until a group of British tourists came along and gave the mud-caked duo a ride into town. They found and hired (for 600 Schillings) a group of 14 men to go back to the lake and actually wade out into the mud and lift the car, carrying it back to the dry land! Anne and Larry were happy to get back to the lodge and get cleaned up and humorously accepted the teasing question from Larry's friends "Seen any Flamingos Lately?" These are the wonderful stories "that you can't make up". Thank you Anne for turning your experiences into a delightful story and sharing it with us.
