Cities on the west coast are changing. I visited a friend in Victoria yesterday. After walking through her garden and behind the outdoor studio, I admired a hen through the fence in the neighbour’s yard. But even before I got to the house, I stopped on the street to see how the pumpkin was doing.
Imagine my delight when “the son” answered the doorbell a few minutes later and agreed to get his picture taken with this large beast growing between the sidewalk and the street.
Just to help ensure you can tell how big this pumpkin is, Simon is eleven. The pumpkin gets so many visitors that my friend is thinking of putting out a guest book.
Congratulations Simon on your giant pumpkin. Thank you to your neighbours for not picking it.
Sprout Question: What part of your creative experience is larger than usual?
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Terrill – Oh how fun to meet 11-year old Simon in the pages of your blog this morning! And goodness sakes, what a pumpkin!
Sprout Question: What part of your creative experience is larger than usual?
That would be my clairs (clairvoyance, clairaudience, claircognizance, and clairsentience). We ALL have them, mine just seem to be “in gear” all the time.
how interesting…..
i wrote something similar and only saw your comment pop up now. yes, for me too, intuition and serendipity are always in sync and in gears. i wonder how much we cultivate and nurture that has a difference as compared to those who don’t and think it is a matter of happenstance?
this is wonderful to learn about you.
~a.
Good day Laurie! I like your sprout response about being “in gear” with your clairs. What a great image that is:)
Dear Terrill,
I have decided to make these sprout questions part of my early morning Monday ritual. I think these questions are posted on Monday, no? Well, sometimes I come here on Tuesdays, so maybe that is why I am confused.
Anyway, regardless, what I enjoyed is two things—well, many, but two that stick out for now.
1) I wrote my “Still Sundays” post as usual yesterday and I received some very interesting comments (some on there and some via DMs on Twitter and emails) and very positive feedback. I am glad to know it resonated with so many people even if they couldn’t quite articulate “why”. LOL Something I had not considered via my own writing is that perhaps, it is indeed, a glimpse for another to step out in another world through a virtual window. I mean, I just happen to write “like that”—but imagine how much more powerful it can be when I am aware and intentional, trying to achieve that as a result, especially in fiction.
I realized this when I read the following sentence by you: “After walking through her garden and behind the outdoor studio, I admired a hen through the fence in the neighbour’s yard.” A hen?! 🙂 You took me outside my rainy New York City to a fairyland of giant pumpkins!
2) As you also know that I write short short fiction story on Tuesdays. Well, I write those on Mondays or brainstorm all Monday and write on Monday night into the late/early morning of Tuesday. I realize it is a great idea to come here on Monday morning and add this sprout question to my creative writing for Tuesdays.
So to answer your sprout question: serendipity is what is larger than usual about my creative process. I can’t even try to articulate how things come together for me when I write—fiction and non-fiction. From a link, to running into someone on the street, to seeing this post (I am a bit nervous for tomorrow’s story as it is something I have never explored—very “magical” but not “mythical”—but this post only sprouted more seeds for what I wanted to grow.
Gratitude.
Annie
Annie I am so glad you are enjoying the sprout questions. I actually post Monday through Friday sprout question along with each submission. However, a Monday routine visit is most welcome and appreciated. I am looking forward to your story tomorrow:)
What a fun and exciting find and experience for you and Simon! Wow nice Pumpkin!
What part of your creative experience is larger than usual? I had just messaged a friend of mine who is the Director of the William Way Center GLBT about Photographing a big fundraise event the Blue Ball, he said yes to please do so. As well as a discussion on doing a photojournal piece on Transgender people that has been resonating for me and I have been unable to flesh it out. So I was surprised by both yeses !
Oh Jeff! That is exciting news on both counts! I have always been impressed with your photography of GLBT events. Please let us know how it goes. And though you may have been surprised by both yeses…. I am not. You are a great photographer.
Oh, how Fun! Impressive pumpkin! 😉
Larger than usual? As I just began Grad school, I am feeling the largeness a bit. *smile* It’s a great new creative yoga/dance for me though.
Antonia congratulations! What are you studying? I loved grad school… the focus, depth and excitement of learning what is new in an area.
Terrill,
How sweet of you to say so! I am blushing! It is all a bit out of my comfort zone but with encouragement like yours I will do my best! and call on spirit to guide me!
I am Love, Jeff
My pleasure because it is true… and what is a creative community if it is not encouraging and supporting as we venture out on the limb of our own comfort?
That’s an impressive pumpkin – no wonder there’s a sign on it asking people not to take it! That sweet boy looks so proud of it!!
I am sure he is Holly. He didn’t even hesitate when I asked if he would be willing to get his picture taken with it.
Pumpkins this size speak well for the “crop” of this great vegetable that adorns our scenic autumns with vitality and seasonal color. Yes, it’s great to see young Simon perched up on top, and I love that note! I hope to take the family soon on our annual hayride to a farm in a more rural area of New Jersey, where pumpkin fields usually yield some impressive specemins.
Ah, the sprout question. That’s easy. This year, the challenge in the classrooms is acute, what with the large increase in class sizes, mandated by extensive budget cuts by New Jersey’s anti-public education governor. This situation does certainly require an upsurge in the ‘creative possibilities’ which as of late has been to institute small groupings for various reading sessions.
Magnificent post here Terrill.
Oh Sam your creative approach to a tough situation is admirable. But I think you are right. There are creative possibilities hiding in this situation. Since your wife is also the principle, I am sure you are feeling the crunch from all angles. It will be interesting to hear what new methods come about for you out of necessity.
Glory Be, Terrill! What a fine pumpkin! They’ll need to watch for little mice in footmen’s jackets, scouting transportation for Cinderella.
Sandi your suggestion seems highly plausible:) Good call!
Hello Terrill,
Many thanks for the excitement of the interchange on your blog regarding the pumpkin. The Great pumpkin is a celebrity in the neighbourhood. People have been watching it grow all season. Many have gardening questions, what variety is it (Atlantic Giant) – how many years has it been growing (I love that question), did you get permission to plant…etc. The fine fruit is on a boulevard – on city property – in front of my house. I did not get permission to plant. This is my first year of guerilla gardening.
What is has done, to answer your question of what is larger than expected, is how I am getting to meet my neighbours. They are charming and diverse and curious. I sit in my office in the house and hear loud exclamations of “Wow! That’s huge?”, “we’re taking bets on when it gets stolen”… and as I write two cyclist zip by and say: “Holy shit? what? The giant pumpkin!” A child’s voice – “Woaw big pumpkin!” Some people stand quietly in homage to the great pumpkpin. It makes me smile every day.
Today I am putting your blog outside in the plastic bag with the guest book. There are already signature in the book which I put out this morning. If that pumpkin could talk!
Oh Monica… how great to slip by Creative Potager and find your comment on “the giant pumpkin story” and to have this post added to your guest book! Well, I am honoured. I hope that you and Simon drop back in and tell us the rest of the story. Yes, if only that pumpkin could talk:)
this space is proof how we are all connected
Exactly Annie… and here we are:)