Category: writing

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Goodbye Periodicals, Hello Annuals

periodical cicada with red eyes and oranges wings in the green grass.
Periodical Cicada

After an extended heat wave, which seemed unusual for this early in June, I finally felt a cool breeze from the east on my morning walk. Is this heat wave really that unusual for us? I’m sure I could do a search and find out, but I’m really not that curious. It’s been hot and my air conditioning works, thank goodness.

During my walks I have to dodge hundreds of cicadas. It is indeed 2024, time for the 17 year cicadas to come out and play in the Chicagoland area. Their time is coming to an end, however, and it’s been fascinating. We have way more cicadas up our trees and in our yards than we did 17 years ago.

And now? I have spotted 3–not hundreds, just 3–annual cicadas. I think I heard them singing in the trees yesterday, too. Not specifically those three; all the others I didn’t spot! Their song is more familiar than the harsh, deafening sound of the periodical cicadas.

Some of you may have noticed that my writing has been more periodical than annual; I haven’t writing anything since 2020. My last blog post in 2021 wasn’t even words; it was all photos! My draft folder doesn’t even have anything more recent.

Teaching took over writing. I just finished my third year of teaching second grade and will continue teaching in August. Where I used to follow bloggers, I now follow teachers. I used to obsess over my website and my next blog post; now I obsess over behavior management and lesson plans.

Life changes.

But during my morning walk (which I am now able to do again because summer!) I started to think about writing. I thought…I don’t have to obsess about that next blog post. Perhaps I could just jot down some thoughts. It’s okay if it’s not great reading material. It’s okay if NO ONE reads my posts. Perhaps, for the summer, I will put down the chalk (that is, a dry erase marker) and pick up a pen (that is, type on a keyboard).

I rather like that idea.

Green and black annual cicada
Annual Cicada
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Sunday Night Supper

Last Sunday, Ed and I volunteered for the Sunday Night Supper, which is at a local church for people in need. This church is in a prosperous suburb of Chicago; and yet, there is definitely a need to provide food for people who are just scraping by and perhaps are even homeless.

Our group of volunteers provided the food and servers that night. I was assigned to a drink cart with two other woman; an assignment I thought would be an easy gig. We had six tables with 8 people at each table in our section, and we offered them apple juice, coffee, water and milk. Some of them wanted just apple juice, some wanted apple juice and milk, and some wanted everything. So we were kept very busy pouring drinks! Not only that, but most of them wanted refills throughout their meal of bratwurst, German potato salad and a hot apple compote. (Someone later told me that they loved the food we served, since many of the groups bring pasta since it is easy to make, and they get tired of it!)

It seemed that the same people come most Sundays; they are friends, and save room at the table for latecomers. The meal is over by 7:00, though, so you can’t be too late!

Back at the drink cart, if we ran out of apple juice, the person whose glass I was refilling would look concerned. No need to be, however. There was plenty of apple juice back in the kitchen. It seemed to me that our guests were stocking up on calories; the food and drinks we were providing may have been the most substantial and nutritious meal they would get that week. Altogether, about 96 people came to the Sunday Supper.

On the way out, however, they all received “goody bags” of fresh vegetable and some cookies, donated by a local grocery store.

Would I volunteer to pour drinks again on another Sunday?

That would be a yes!

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