Otis Knoop, 13 On some days, I just like to walk Across the street and into the park Contemplating life. Around me, nature is content. Leaves swirl around my figure The large trees sway as I walk by The clouds darken, casting a blanket over the treetops My sanctuary. As the flora and fauna alike prepare for the oncoming rain Winged seeds come floating down, puppets under the wind The breeze picks up, as the wind howls like a brute The first raindrops kiss my cheeks as I stare up into the clouds and smile. My sanctuary. Thunder rumbles, lightning cracks, and the squirrels quiver, deep in their dens And then the rain comes, buckets that pour down until they are swallowed by the soil Providing sustenance for the sapling, but comfort for the old tired oak And I am in the center of it all. My sanctuary. I lay down in the wet grass as the storm passes, beads of sunshine dancing on my face The park is life The park is death Thunder, lighting, chaos, and then calm arises. A continuous cycle of problems and solutions, living and dying, joy, and sadness. I wash away the dirt clouding my mind and come back to it. My sanctuary. As I lay there, the cool, wet air enveloping me, I know that I have escaped. From the screens, the eyes, the faces, the boxes, the masks, the tests, the tears, and the pain. I get up, the mud clawing at my clothes, wishing me to stay like the host of a party. The party of ugliness and beauty that surrounds us all And as I stare, I see the sun parting the clouds like a curtain, and my thoughts turn homeward.
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Making Mayan Chocolate in Belize
In Belize, I was taught by a local teacher how to make Mayan chocolate. This chocolate got its name because Mayans were the first to make it centuries ago. It is special in the fact that it has honey and no sugar. The ancient Mayans added this chocolate with chili, cinnamon, five spice, or spicy pepper. Now let me share how to make the chocolate! First, I was given a cacao fruit. The cacao fruit is bumpy and yellow. The fruit is soft on the bumpy parts and hard on the other parts. It is the same size as my hand. Second, I used a knife to cut the cacao fruit in half. After I cut the cacao, I could see some white sticky triangles. I could eat the white part off or cut it off. When I finished, I could see dozens of cacao beans. They look brown and tasted bitter. The cacao beans are the size of jellybeans. Third, I grinded the cacao beans into one big chunk. The beans were grinded three times by a manual grinder. The grinder, as my teacher told me, was from the Mayans and made of stone. What was more special about the grinder was that it was made from a lava stone and was passed down from generation to generation. This lava stone cannot be bought or sold in Belize because it is illegal. Fourth, I poured the chunk of chocolate in a bowl of warm water. Then, I mixed the water three times with a wooden spoon. I made sure that there were no more chunks of chocolate left. Fifth, I put in honey and cinnamon as my favorite. I picked them to make the drink sweet. I did not have sugar to add, because I guess sugar was not used when the Mayans were alive. Then, I added chili, five spice, spicy pepper, and more cinnamon. As a result, the chocolate drink had more flavor. Finally, I was ready to drink the chocolate! Even this was my first time making Mayan chocolate, my chocolate came out successfully, with rich flavor and flowy taste! It was exciting to have such a new experience.
Weekly Creativity #158: Take a Photo Where the Subject Seems Out of Place or Breaks a Pattern
Take a photo where the subject seems out of place or breaks a pattern (for example, a daffodil in a field of daisies).
