Contest! Brought to you by the letter P

bird of paradise (Strelitzia)

School's almost out, the cocoons have hatched into moths and butterflies, the air conditioners hum and the grass sings with insects that will live very short, lovely lives.

Time for a little contest.

It's little because you only have to write two paragraphs. I'll give you a topic, and you can write for as long as you want (or 23 minutes, if you need a limit), but then take your work off into the outside world and hone two paragraphs for me, make them your best.

The winner gets:

• a) the honor of being the first ever Moms Who Write Summer Contest winner
• b) a fabulous car magnet featuring The Other Mother book jacket, so you'll always know which minivan is yours in the parking lot and
• c) an adorable little box of chocolates.

It isn't huge, but it's good. 4 runners-up get car magnets and can call themselves runners-up in any desired social event.

Take your new status to the Hamptons! Or the Shore! Or the Cape! Or the backyard sprinkler! Fire hydrant! If there's enough interest, I'll send out five fridge magnets as well, but mostly I'm hoping to get your best paragraphs. Don't be shy. Write, hone, post. The closing date is TBA.

Enough details. Now more details:

Yesterday my daughter and I were talking about the plum tree, about how for one week we get an explosion of fragrant flowers, then the next week a plethora of pink petal precipitation, and then, which is now, some perfect purple plums. Sure, they're ornamental, but we've used them as a sort of snack since we had a Persian babysitter who ate them by the bushel, and told us, "If I don't come to work tomorrow, they weren't good to eat." She came back. If you're out there now, Nooshin, we're thinking of you!

So summer means perfect purple plums around here. When I lived in San Diego it meant Santa Anas blustering the night-blooming jasmine and the hot dry wind making your throat ache for the east. June Gloom. In San Francisco the single bird of paradise plant bloomed in the tiny little space between our earthquake shack and the apartment building next door. One square foot of dirt enclosed by walls and a bird of paradise perched there.

This week's writing topic: What is June for you? Write your June, perfect plums or terrible rains. Then post your two paragraphs. Have at it. If you have been lurking, this is the time to post!

Comments

[Adrienne Campbell]

June

By A. Campbell

The glorious month of June historically whispered only one thing in my ear… Happy Birthday. The very first day of June began a countdown towards the celebration of my Gemini female spirit. But for many reasons, including the birth of my May child, June has mellowed somewhat, reminding me that the spotlight has shifted, and June has offered an opportunity to embrace the maturity required of a mother to step down and allow the sun to shine on my daughter. June now arrives and delivers me modesty and a grace that I have never before known, certainly not in June. June, the month of ME! I had previously been afforded June to myself, with six other family members having to share their precious birthday months of January, May and August with either siblings or parents. June was all mine.

When June arrived this year it was with much less fanfare. It crept up like a slow boiling kettle and I took it off the stove just before it whistled. Days before my birthday I crept off to the city on my own, went to my favourite jewellers and bought myself a beautiful silver ring with a gold leaf delicately embossed on its brushed surface. It reminds me of the leaves of autumn that have almost disappeared to make way for the crisp frosts of winter. On the eve of my birthday I tucked my precious daughter into bed under her warm feather doona and favourite pink blanket, the gold leaf glistened in the dark and I thanked June for reminding me I was once this small child who deserves to be loved and spoilt too. Happy Birthday to me. June is still mine.

[Adrienne Campbell]

Whoops... I didn't mean to post that. Sorry, wasn't sure where you wanted me to send it. I never thought as a multimedia producer I would feel like a 'newbie'. Do they still use that term? Thanks for the opportunity for this mother struggling to find even an inch of time to write... anything. Please let me know where to send for next time.

[Tina Mickelson]

To our family June has been a blessing and a curse over the years. We have Birthdays, Anniversarys and Fathers day that have a tendency to be plagued by misfortune. June and December are the months we hold our breasths for, loving all the good parts but waiting for the other shoe to drop as we wait with baited breath.

To start with our curse this year would be better so that you can end my little Spring and Summer Recap in a happy note. This year our June has been plagued by a serious fire that charred 23,000 acres and took over 70 residences in our hometown. Unfortunately one of those homes is our friends who just lost their home 4 years ago to hurricane Katrina. While we waited for word to see if their home had survived my parents and aunt and uncle were evacuated as they watched their neighborhoods litterally go up in smoke. While they wait for word if their home had survived and we morned for the loss our friends had endured word came that my husbands grandfather was gravely ill. Hospice had been called and the end is near. My heart is so heavy that I nearly forgot that our Anniversary had about passed us by. This year there was no cards or presents only holding eachother and feeling blessed that we had a wonderfully healthy family. Fathers day came for our escape and a few days at the lake is just what we needed to recoup. A few wonderful days in the woods with the lake and friends to refresh our optimism for life. Fathers Day yeilded no presents just lots of hugs and a fishing trip to hubbys favorite camping spot. Hubbys birthday was the end of the road for us. His grandfathers deterioration was evident, extreme and imminent. Waiting we decided to go out to dinner to Celebrate 32 in style. Although rittled with bad news a few hours to show our love and appreciation for my dear sweet hubby was a blessing for the rough month we have endured.

[Gwendolen Gross]

Adrienne--that's right! Post in the comments! and thank you for the very first entry into the contest!!
Keep 'em coming, and keep that writing going--I can tell you have lots to say.....
GG

[Lisa R.]

June is a horse race. It’s the Debry, the Preakness, and the Belmont all rolled into one. A thundering, earth shaking, blinders up, mad dash to the last day of school and the sweet victory of lazing in the open pastures and grazing on the blue grass of summer vacation.
So with ever growing list in hand, I sprint out to the highway to buy scented candles in delicious melon colors, to wrap in cellophane and tie with color coordinating curling ribbon, and give to teachers as a thank you for doing their job. I bake batch upon batch of thick, rich homemade brownies- no nuts- for three different end of year celebrations and then give up when I’m told of a fourth and buy them at the supermarket. I remember that I forgot about the Spanish teacher and run back out to the highway for another candle. My restless, school-weary children, high on an unfamiliar daily diet of baked goods, are ready to pack in the books. But there are still tests and last minute projects and I must cheer them on to stay the course. It’s only a few more weeks, I promise, and then I go back out to the highway for ten Styrofoam balls and a tri-fold poster board. The camp trunk, dragged down from my oven of an attic, sits open waiting for the shorts, t-shirts, socks and underwear that must first be labeled. Finally, after much cajoling, my son tries on his bathing suits from last year. None of them fit.
I round the corner. I dig in my heels. Ahead of me are the recitals, the playoff games, the team picnics, the early summer birthday parties, the graduation pool parties. I crack the whip. I successfully juggle the ballet costume, the team jersey, the gifts, the bouquet of flowers, the sunscreen and towels. I even remember the camera.
And then I cross the finish line- school’s out for summer. The pounding in my ears quiets but the adrenaline takes a while to subside. It’s over, my June. Suddenly, I’m in the mood for a Mint Julep.

[feener]

June for me is the backyard, kids running barefoot, possibly with no clothes on as well. It is a time when the chalk comes out and the driveway becomes a rainbow. Ice cream and ice pops become a food group. Life feels easier, there is a smell and something in the air that makes life lighter. I love the feeling of the sun on me. I love the feeling of no jacket needed, flip flops and my arms uncovered. The lilac in my backyard is at the end of it's bloom. The smell drifts into my tv room and it makes me happy, very happy.

June means longer days, not always a good thing for a stay at home mom with a 4 year old and a 2 year old. The rules are not as strict, bedtime is a bit looser. The girls are in their princess nightgowns with their freshly washed wet hair. The smell of soap clean and fresh, but their toenails still show the dirt from the day. I don't scrub as hard in the summer, I let the pool do some of the cleaning. Bathing suits, the girls love their suits, the pool, refreshing. I love June. I love the summer.

[Amy O. (picketfencemom)]

An early barefoot morning in late June finds me hanging damp laundry on the clothesline in the backyard. The air feels heavy, and the sky is gray. But by mid-morning the haze has burned away and the temperature begins to rise. The air is still full. It’s so humid and muggy that my hair sticks to the back of my neck and my skin feels sticky. I expect we’ll see a south Georgia thunderstorm before day is done. But the crops in this rural farming community are parched and thirsty, so the heavy drops of life-giving water will be welcome. We’ve had prayer meetings for rain, but our own garden will need the sprinkler—again—if it doesn’t come soon.

The children and I hurry to the garden to gather tomatoes, squash, corn and a mess of peas before the heat becomes too unbearable. Midday is the time to be in the air-conditioned house shelling, chopping, creaming, blanching, canning, and freezing—not outside in the oppressive heat. But when late afternoon thunder rumbles in the distance, I do hasten outside to retrieve the now dry laundry flapping in the increasing breeze. The last sweet smelling sheet has been folded and placed in the basket when the first fat drop of rain hits my face. The Lord has granted our petition. I take my time walking back to the house enjoying, at last, a blessed bit of cool relief on this southern summer day!

[Mary Keller-Castillo]

I find myself wearing shorts. Nice hot sunny days. The smell of barbecue in our backyard. We celebrate a birthday and start our summer. My clothes clinge to my body as I wipe the sweat of my forehead and play outside with my children. Bright colorful flowers in bloom everywhere.

My june evenings are muggy. I coolf off by eating frozen ice cream. It is so hot that it melts as soon as the icecream touches the spoon.

[Mary Keller-Castillo]

I find myself wearing shorts. Nice hot sunny days. The smell of barbecue in our backyard. We celebrate a birthday and start our summer. My clothes clinge to my body as I wipe the sweat of my forehead and play outside with my children. Bright colorful flowers in bloom everywhere.

My june evenings are muggy. I coolf off by eating frozen ice cream. It is so hot that it melts as soon as the icecream touches the spoon.