Today’s magazines are heavy on To-Do Lists and light on actual articles that use paragraph construction where one idea follows another and is connected to it. For fun, I’m offering both approaches to this issue of my newsletter.
Ten Things to Do in April
- Shed winter coats and hats.
- Put ice scraper away.
- Look for buds on trees.
- Clear debris from flower beds.
- Pull weeds.
- Check perennials.
- Order seeds.
- Clean garage.
- Uncover patio furniture.
- Wash car.
And here is how it would have been written before lists came into vogue.
This is the season when people come out of hibernation. They shed winter coats and hats, put the ice scraper in the trunk, and look for buds on trees. If they’re teenagers, they start wearing shorts!
Speaking of hibernation, that feels familiar as I’ve been working on a couple big projects all winter. Give me a little more time, and all will be revealed. In the meantime, I have added a short story called “Alumnae Tea” to the Potpourri section of my website. This story was anthologized in a book titled Write Michigan. I hope you enjoy it.
I’m also beginning to plan for the real arrival of Spring, which in Michigan has nothing to do with March 21. In fact, seasoned Michigander gardeners know that Memorial Day is when to plant if you want a guarantee Mr. Frost has left for good. But it isn’t too early to clear debris from flower beds, eject errant weeds, and check the status of perennials. It isn’t too early to decide on what annuals to buy either.
If you’re really ambitious, it’s a good time to clean the garage and uncover the patio furniture.
Or hand wash the car. If you’re less ambitious, it’s still a good time to sit in an easy chair and make summer vacation plans. Maybe a long weekend trip to some place you’ve never been. Or a family picnic at a local park, complete with a view of Lake Michigan. Because even though planting season isn’t really here, Lake Michigan is always ready to inspire.
As a list maker myself, I appreciate their value. But, as a writer I never confuse a good list with a really well-constructed article that has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
A wonderful slice of life!