Welcome to the new series of Posts from Your Archives, where bloggers put their trust in me. In this series, I dive into a blogger’s archives and select four posts to share here to my audience.
If you would like to know how it works here is the original post: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-newseries-pot-luck-and-do-you-trust-me/
Today we start a series of four posts from the archives of poet Miriam Hurdle, who is a regular contributor to the blog. This time I am selecting the posts and the first one I would like to share with you. This week I thought we might find out a little more about Miriam and this post was in response to a prompt on Cee’s Share Your World – June 4, 2018
Share Your World by Miriam Hurdle.
Cee posts excellent questions in this week’s Share Your World – June 4, 2018.
A piece of clothing from your younger childhood you still remember?
I came to the US 40 years ago as a student. I checked in 2 suitcases to my flight. I had one carry on, and my purse. I wish I had brought more sentimental items, but I couldn’t. In fact, my carry on was too full that the security people asked me to take out something to leave behind. The problem was that I packed them very tight. After I took out something and repacked them, the bag was bigger than before. If you like camping and roll every piece of clothing tight to make your packing compact, you could visualize how I packed my bag.
During my three years of studies in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, I moved 9 times. In 1980, I drove from Seattle to Los Angles, California by myself. It was 1,1 75 miles with 18 hours of driving. I stopped overnight in San Francisco. Next day I still arrived Los Angles after dark. The freeway was very intimidating to a new person in town.
Even if I had brought a piece of childhood clothing, it couldn’t have survived with so many moving. Fortunately, my sister had scanned some of my childhood photos and I made copies of them. The first one was when I was six years old. I wore a Chinese style top and matching fabric pants. The second photo was when I was in third grade with the school uniform, a white shirt and a blue skirt with straps.
Regardless of your physical fitness, coordination or agility: If you could be an athlete what would you do?
Remember this is SYW, dreaming is always allowed.I would like to be a competitive swimmer. I learned swimming in the ocean when I was in Hong Kong. After I graduated from college and started working, it was hard to find time to go to the beach. I went swimming in an outdoor pool in a park. During one swimming, I slipped and almost drowned. Ever since then, I was afraid of water. I still swim, but only in shallow water.
The photo was taken when Mercy, Will and her friend participated in the Triathlon.
In a car would you rather drive or be a passenger?
I had driven long miles during my working life. I stayed in the same school district for 25 years even though we moved three times. The furthest distance was 30 miles with heavy traffic. The longest time it took to go to work was two and a half hours. The driving put a lot of stress on me, so we moved closer, but it was still a 21 miles drive.
After I retired, I don’t like to drive too much, especially at night. If I had a choice, I prefer to be a passenger.
What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
I appreciate that I could spend the time to do gardening, trim the grape vines, watching the Red Throat Hummingbirds, the House Finch birds, and the Mourning Doves.
©Miriam Hurdle 2018
About Miriam Hurdle
Miriam Hurdle is a multi-genre writer. She writes poetry, flash fiction, and short stories. Her poems are included in Letters to Gaia, Whispers and Echoes Issue 2, Whispers and Echoes Issue 3, and Outcast and More Words.
Music has rooted in her life. Being a soloist as a teenager led her to taking voice lessons and to have ongoing singing engagements. She continues to sing soprano in choral groups. Lyrics have a major influence in the natural flow of her melodic writing. She writes memoir in the form of poetry.
Along with her brother, she took photos when the films were black and white. Photography is still her enjoyable hobby. Drawing and painting were fun activities as a child. Her favorite was to draw a Japanese girl with big eyes, long hair, small lips and chin. She resumed drawing and watercolor painting several years ago. In her poetry collection, photos and paintings are included to illustrate the poems.
She earned a Doctorate of Education from the University of La Verne in California. After two years of rehabilitation counseling, fifteen years of public school teaching and ten years in school district administration, she retired and enjoys life with her husband in southern California.
About Songs of Heartstrings which has a recent review
Human being has the willpower to travel through an exhausting journey, win a tough battle, and heal a deep wound. Strength from hope keeps us going until the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight and striving until the storm is over.
This poetic memoir comprises themes ranging from the suffering through an undesirable relationship, surviving an aggressive cancer, to the happiness in true love, the joy of parenthood, and gratefulness toward the Maker. Hurdle reveals the honest self-talk and reflects a heart filled with optimism, faith and trust. She illustrates the poems with her beautiful photos and paintings.
One of the recent reviews for the collection
A fantastic collection of honest, heartfelt poetry that takes the readers on a journey through good times and bad. She writes about a health scare that could have easily ended her life. She weaves nature, family, love and faith through her writing. If you love REAL poetry – poetry that moves you, you will enjoy Miriam’s book!
Read the reviews and buy the collection: https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Heartstrings-Poems-Gratitude-Beatitude-ebook/dp/B07K1S47W9
And on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Heartstrings-Poems-Gratitude-Beatitude-ebook/dp/B07K1S47W9
Read reviews and follow Miriam on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17252131.Miriam_Hurdle
Connect to Miriam
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Miriam-Hurdle/e/B07K2MCSVW
Website and blog: https://theshowersofblessings.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miriam.hurdle.1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhurdle112
My thanks to Miriam for allowing me access to her archives… it is a pleasure to read her posts.
Thank you very much for dropping in today and I know that Miriam would love your feedback. Thanks Sally.
Thank you so much, Sally. You picked a fun post from my archives. Cee asked interesting questions and they drew some writing I wouldn’t normally do. Thank you for sharing this post, Sally! ❤
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So fun to learn more about this lovely person and talented writer/poet. I was especially moved by your story of traveling to the US and the stuffed suitcase. I’m glad you’re here, Miriam. Thanks for sharing, Sally.
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Thank you for reading and comment, Diana. I am probably an adventuresome one in the family. I seem to be the first of many life experience – first to fly to Philippines for a Messiah performance, first to travel to China from Hong Kong in my 20s, and first to come to the US, so on and so forth. Hugs to you, Diana. ❤
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How fun to be so adventurous! You get to carry those expansive experiences with you, and at the same time encourage others to give it a try. ❤
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Thank you, Diana. Yes, About 15 years ago, my sister and the family migrated to Vancouver, B.C. but went back to Hong Kong due to my brother-in-law’s health. Now they have duel citizenship. ❤
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This was a lovely share Sal and Miriam. Sounds like you’re a great packer Miriam, my specialty, lol. I loved the story about you came here as a foreigner and drove everywhere, you’re definitely a warrior woman. Loved the photos too. ❤ xx
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Thank you Debby for reading. I volunteered to be an interpreter for some missionaries, so I heard a lot about the US. Some calls the interpreters interrupters!! I can’t see why. Sometimes they keep talking forgetting that there’s a interpreter, so I had to pay attention and jumped in to interpret. 🙂
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Lol, that’s funny Miriam. 🙂
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And it was fun also with some speakers who were not used to stop and let the interpreter do the translation. I had to let the speaker finish one thought and not to interrupt in the middle of it, but not too long for me to forget what the speak said. I found that was an art and fun of interpretation. 🙂
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Yaaaaaa, no kidding! Great experience! 🙂
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It was great experience, Debby. 🙂
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Thanks Debby… certainly a warrior..♥
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❤
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Reblogged this on The Showers of Blessings and commented:
Please check out Sally Cronin’s Posts from Your Archive with my archive post and my kid photos. 🙂
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I think it was very courageous for Miriam to have moved to America on her own as described. I also do not really like driving and am happy to leave the driving to Terence when we travel. Fortunately, he does like to drive and has a good sense of direction which I do not.
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Robbie, I don’t have a good sense of direction. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t like to drive. My left leg doesn’t do well when driving long distance. When Lynton drive, sometimes I put my left leg on the dashboard for circulation. 🙂 🙂
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I agree Robbie.. daunting and as I read more about Miriam’s life the more inspiring I find her story. She has faced many challenges and still is a very kind and caring person.. xxx
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Thank you for your kind words, Sally. It’s the sisu then! ❤ ❤
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It is Miriam ♥
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Oh, I thank Charli for introducing that word. ❤
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What an awesome post, Sally. I love the closer look at Miriam and her background!
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Thank you, Jan, for stopping by and comment! I always like to get to know the authors also! ❤
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I’ll read and listen more about your music production, Jan! You’re so talented in music and your pen-and-ink! ❤
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Thank you Jan..hugsxx
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A lovely archive post from Miriam. It’s interesting to look back and reflect, sounds like Miriam has had some scares in her past and so much moving around. My goodness!
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Thank you, Maje. Good to see you stopping by. I didn’t know what to think or what to be cared of at the time, just kept pressing on. It surprised me when I look back. 🙂
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What a fun post! I enjoyed learning more about Miriam. She’s a wonderful person and a talented poet. Thank you for sharing this archived post, Sally! ❤
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I’m so glad to see you coming by to visit, Vashti. It was fun to write tip bits about my past. It brings back a lot of memories for sure.
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It was fun seeing your pictures and getting to know you better. I’m glad it was fun for you too. 😀 xo
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Thank you, Vashti. 🙂 xox
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Glad you enjoyed Vashti.. hugs ♥
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Hugs&Kisses! ❤
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Hi Sally and Miriam, This is certainly a great start. Miriam, you have had a fascinating life and I’m looking forward to learning more about you. I’m one of those people who have rolled clothes to make more fit in a bag for camping, so I know exactly what you’re talking about. When one thing comes out, the other things know that, and they want out too. Congratulations for all your writing achievements as well as your career in education. I don’t think I’d want to drive either after all of the miles you put in for work. Hugs.
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Thank you Donna..hugsx
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What a lovely post, Sally. Thanks for sharing it. I missed it on Miriam’s blog the first time around. It’s so lovely to see the same smile on her childhood photos as she still shares now.
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I agree thanks Norah..hugsx
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Wonderful!
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Thanks Jennie..hugsx
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You’re welcome, Sally. Hugs to you!
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