The other day, I was thinking about color poems.  Isn’t that something that EVERYBODY ponders about in her brain’s downtime?  No?  I don’t understand why not . . .   Not sure what a color poem is?  I’ll explain it in a moment.  First, I want to share an example of a poem about the color purple.  The poem is vivid and rich.  I really like it.  I wish that I knew who the author was so that I could give her/him credit.  But I don’t.  Rats!

  
Purple
a bruise on your leg,
bunches of grapes in a bowl,
a sweater that goes great with black,
the sound of power,
fruit juice poured into a glass
a school bell ringing, ringing
Grandma’s rhubarb pie.
cold medicine served up on a tablespoon
squishy cough drops,
velvet covered cushions
pointy tip Pentel markers,
the sky before lightning starts
Purple can take you for a sweet ride.

(Source: http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/color.htm)

If Joe Shmoe off the street walked up to you and said ‘Write a poem’ you’d probably laugh in his face.  I know I would.  I am not a poet.  (I bet many of you grandmothers out there feel the same as I.)  However, I dare say that by following this outline, you could write a most respectable poem.

Here’s the outline:

Line 1: state the name of the color
Line 2: write a statement of what the specified color is
Line 3: write another statement of what the specified color is
Line 4: write yet one more statement of what the specified color is
Line 5: write a statement of how the specified color tastes
Line 6: write a statement of how the specified color smells
Line 7: write a statement of how the specified color sounds
Line 8: write a statement of how the specified color feels
Line 9: write a statement of how the specified color looks
Line 10: write a complete sentence about the color

I’ve seen some color poems where the last line repeats the name of the color.  So, if the poem above did that, the very last line would simply say ‘purple.’

If you study the purple poem, you will notice it doesn’t exactly follow this outline.  Which is fine.  If you feel so compelled to add to it or take away, no problem.  The outline is merely a tool with which you can craft your poetry.

Let’s take this idea a giant step forward.  Want to do something WAY different with your grandchildren?  Something that your typical granny-who-gives-grandchildren-milk-and-cookies has never done before (and probably never will)?  Why not hold a First Annual Writer’s Retreat for your grandchildren?  It could last an hour, an afternoon, or three whole days.  Whatever fits you and your grandchildren best.

Here are some suggestions to consider for your retreat:

• have a gaggle of pens — gel pens, glitter pens, plan ol’ black ink Bic pens, etc.
• have a variety of paper choices – lined, not lined, colored, scrapbook-ish paper
• give them a blank journal in which to write their final draft of their poems and stories
• create a personal journal by covering a 3-ring binder or the covers of a regular notebook or stenographer notebook with fabric or decorative contact paper
• write limericks
• create a book with your grandchild’s work and your work, illustrate it with photos or clip art, and print a copy for both of you at Snapfish
• create comic book stories
• write about a day in the life of your grandchild’s pet
• pick a character from a movie or book and write a new story about that character
• write a story based on an inanimate object (i.e. a tube of mascara, a football, a leaf)
• write a story about turning into a pumpkin, a bowl of green Jell-O, a snowboard, a pencil, or whatever you choose
• select a picture that you have taken (our found on Flickr.com) and write a story based on the things in the picture

You and your grandchild might want to participate in the National Novel Writing Month.  But better hurry!  It starts November 1 and goes through November 30.  (I think I’m going to put writing a novel in one month on my bucket list . . .)

For those grandmas not interested in writing, have a retreat on a topic of your interest:  an artist’s retreat, a cooking school, a handyman retreat, music retreat, horticulturist/gardening workshop.  Pick a topic that you like then gather your grandchildren around you for creative times.  You’ll be glad you did.

Robert Sabuda is a children’s book illustrator.  And creator of pop-up books.  His website offers simple pop-ups you can make. This would be an easy, great, and inexpensive activity to do with your grandchildren.

He has several Halloween pop-ups: a witch, bat, and this endearing Frankenstein.  He also has pop-up directions for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valetine’s Day.

Folding the pop-up turkey would keep grandchildren busy while grandma is wrestling the turkey in the kitchen.  Older grandchildren can supervise younger grandchildren in the making of these pop-ups if the turkey in the kitchen starts winning the battle against grandma . . .).

	Cornbread.  I love cornbread.  Saturday, I fixed a batch of cornbread and it tasted rather ghoulish.  I told my husband I was cooking like a new bride — then I dumped it in the trash. While my cooking was ghastly, I hope you have better culinary luck with the Creepy Cuisine from Family Fun.  There’s stuff like Swamp Juice, Putrid Punch, Hairy Daddy Longlegs Cupcakes, Edible Eyeballs, and Vampire Fangs.  Food like this is sure to be a hit with your grandchildren (especially your grandsons).
	Whip up some of these easy Halloween popcorn balls.  (The ‘sauce’ reminds me of Rice Krispie Treats.)  They are so cute I could just eat them!
	You might want to take a break from all of your Halloween eatin’ to make a few Halloween crafts like this candy corn luminary, or the tin can black cat, or the crashing witch door hanging, or the witches hats, or the bat pins, or the . .  . Hey! If you can’t find something fun to make with your grandchildren on this site, there’s something wrong with you!
	Head on over to Family Fun for more Halloween crafts and decorations. I liked their CandleEyebra, the Boa Bats, and the Ghost Disguised as a Pumpkin.  (Your grandchildren will love his crazed eyes!  I sure did.)

Time is running out. Halloween will soon be here. I hope some of these ideas will help you have a spook-tacular time celebrating Halloween with your grandchildren!

Isn’t it just amazing how creative people are?  Robert Mahar from the Mahar Drygood site is one such creative guy!  He’s the creator of the Sock Skeleton.  (Kinda reminds me of the monkey made out of a brown work sock.)

You can purchase a skeleton kit for $9.95 that even comes with a cardboard coffin.  Everything is all ready for you to stitch up this little fella.  For those of you writhing in crafty creativeness, you can try your own hand at making this skeleton sans kit.  Here are the direction.  (If I were to make one without the kit — and that would be a mighty big IF — I would definitely have to buy a new pair of white socks because I don’t have any. White ones that is. Mmmm. . . . I wonder what it would be like to make a black skeleton with white stitching?  Might be kinda fun to give it a go.)

If your grandchildren are young, you can make this and then give it to them for a playmate.  (And maybe make the monkey, too, as the skeleton’s best friend.)  If your grandchildren are older,  you can spend time together making a skeleton.  Maybe even whip out a whole flock of them to passel out to brothers, sisters, cousins, aunties, and other unsuspecting family members.

Have fun making this skeleton.  It will leave you in stitches.