"The Cave"
We organized to go into a cave. My Dad said it had gotten three stars; I thought that was very rare for a cave.
(We are Michelin Guide fans
and the kids have learned the 'star' system well)
We moved down the cobblestone steps into the cave. As we moved along I began to notice the change to nature from man. I was studying the rough mineral walls when 'splat!', a drop of water from the ceiling fell on my head. I looked up and gasped. The ceiling was totally uneven and there were stalactites hanging everywhere.
Then I noticed the air. The air was much stuffier and much more warm. It made my throat sticky as it sailed down my throat.
The cave also had columns in it. They are formed by a stalactite and a stalagmite coming together and forming a column.
The tour guide said, 'We are now going to the biggest room in the cave.' We moved on.
When we reached the cavern my jaw dropped. There was a natural spring with water coming up forming a pool. The tour guide said it was over 300 feet deep.
Our tour guide said we would be going up a 90 step staircase that they call 'The Road to Heaven'. After we made it to the top I looked up. There were columns everywhere.
*Note from Mom:
All images from the web- No photos allowed inside the cave.
J wrote at the bottom of his journal entry, "Special thanks for Mrs. Patton"
Mrs. Patton is J's 4th Grade teacher and a talented writing teacher full of expressions that really mean something to the kids. Last year, I remember J saying, 'You don't want it to plop like cottage cheese you want it to flow like buttermilk'. She's strong on technique and form and helpful tips---
"Mahaaahhhmmmm, Mrs. Patton says you bore the reader when you list too many things."
But, as a mother I am most grateful for the priceless gift of confidence that Mrs. Patton tenders to each student about their writing.
I wasn't sure I had that phrase right about 'tendering a gift' so upon a search it turns out there's a poem by the same phrase. I didn't like the poem but I did love a quote from the poet.
It reminded me of how Mrs. Patton herself, like great literature, quickens, sharpens, and mellows the bursting thoughts of 8 and 9 year olds. The result? Kids of wonder much like our cave of wonders.
Mrs. Patton, we salute you.
xo
We organized to go into a cave. My Dad said it had gotten three stars; I thought that was very rare for a cave.
(We are Michelin Guide fans
and the kids have learned the 'star' system well)We moved down the cobblestone steps into the cave. As we moved along I began to notice the change to nature from man. I was studying the rough mineral walls when 'splat!', a drop of water from the ceiling fell on my head. I looked up and gasped. The ceiling was totally uneven and there were stalactites hanging everywhere.
Then I noticed the air. The air was much stuffier and much more warm. It made my throat sticky as it sailed down my throat.
The cave also had columns in it. They are formed by a stalactite and a stalagmite coming together and forming a column.
The tour guide said, 'We are now going to the biggest room in the cave.' We moved on.
When we reached the cavern my jaw dropped. There was a natural spring with water coming up forming a pool. The tour guide said it was over 300 feet deep.
I learned all the names of the chambers. Some of the names are amusing like the Garbanzo Room- that's the funniest. I closed my eyes and listened to the Drip, drip, drip, drip imagining how long it would take to carve the smooth garbanzos. It's amazing what little drops of water can do. There were endless mineral carved kernels.
Also, there is a chamber called The Emerald Lake, I studied its green shadow.
In my body, it was a whole new universe.
*Note from Mom:
All images from the web- No photos allowed inside the cave.
J wrote at the bottom of his journal entry, "Special thanks for Mrs. Patton"
Mrs. Patton is J's 4th Grade teacher and a talented writing teacher full of expressions that really mean something to the kids. Last year, I remember J saying, 'You don't want it to plop like cottage cheese you want it to flow like buttermilk'. She's strong on technique and form and helpful tips---
"Mahaaahhhmmmm, Mrs. Patton says you bore the reader when you list too many things."
But, as a mother I am most grateful for the priceless gift of confidence that Mrs. Patton tenders to each student about their writing.
I wasn't sure I had that phrase right about 'tendering a gift' so upon a search it turns out there's a poem by the same phrase. I didn't like the poem but I did love a quote from the poet.
"Great literature should do some good to the reader: must quicken his perception though dull, and sharpen his discrimination though blunt, and mellow the rawness of his personal opinions."
A.E. Housman
It reminded me of how Mrs. Patton herself, like great literature, quickens, sharpens, and mellows the bursting thoughts of 8 and 9 year olds. The result? Kids of wonder much like our cave of wonders.
Mrs. Patton, we salute you.
xo
No comments:
Post a Comment