Author: durkinhome

Always a fun challenge! Here’s my entry this year. FARMER GRAY’S BUCKET Daybreak sings— feed cow, giving milk, treat horses pulling plows, water beans, filling bowls, thank neighbors, baking pies. Farmer Gray’s bucket sits empty by the door. Soft moos join neighs. Beans burble on the stove. Guitar drifts in from windows down the road.… Continue reading 50 Precious Words

Surprise! A thrill and an honor to have been selected as a 2023 mentee for three months with…Maria Marianayagam! She is an accomplished author with two picture books coming out soon–I Am a Force and Curry Means More.I literally need someone to pull me down from the clouds so I can get to work with… Continue reading PB Rising Stars!

In Montessori we “follow the child” in pretty much all situations. What about in celebrating the fall holiday of Halloween? I’m guessing if a group of early childhood teachers took polls in their classrooms, there may be interesting results. Would they differ from the beliefs of adults surrounding the trappings of this holiday? Never one… Continue reading What to do With Halloween

It’s time for Spring Fling 2021 hosted by Ciara O’Neal and Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez. I’m so excited to take part for the first time. The brief: Choose a gif for inspiration and write a spring themed story aimed at children under the age of 12. The word count must be 150 or below. Thanks to… Continue reading Spring Fling Contest 2021

Did you have your jiaozi last night?   Here’s a how-to from Cooking in the Children’s House Jiaozi (Chinese New Year Dumplings) 1 pack (30) dumpling wrapper 1 lb. ground pork (optional)1 Chinese cabbage, chopped4 carrots, peeled and chopped6 fresh shiitake mushrooms4 water chestnuts (optional)1 clove garlic or 1 slice ginger, finely chopped2 T. vegetable… Continue reading  Happy Year of the OX!

I am writing a non fiction book for children about, wait for it…tea. Sound a bit insipid? After a few hours this morning I took a little break and my mind wandered back to the stark reality of the present. April 15, 2020. Question to self: “Is what your doing helping?” I let it sink… Continue reading Perspective

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and… Continue reading The Peace of Wild Things