Remembering....

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA -April 17, 2007

One day after the tragedy at Virginia Tech- students had set up an impromptu memorial.

We gathered there to light the way with love

Five years later.

Virginia Tech Drill field, Blacksburg, VA, April 16, 2012

2011
2010

April 17,2007 -Nikki Giovanni speaks at the Virginia Tech Memorial Convocation

We Are Virgina Tech.

Lit from all Angles

Hahn Horticulture Garden,Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA- January 1, 2012

Well lit from all angles.

Early evening light can give a great glow to things. This photo is off my cell phone from our walk earlier this evening- these cell phones are pretty darn amazing. I will never be able to blow it up to 18x 30, but heck, it sure is fun to throw it into photoshop; give it a bit of digital love and post it here.

So, I keep thinking it is winter, and I over dressed.  Again. I ended up taking off my hat and mittens, and carrying my coat.  Once home, we had a nice New Years Eve dinner and were about ready to go to bed at about 10:30. It was then we realized our dog had wet the couch. In her defense, she had been run really hard on our walk, and then drank lots of water.  The upside of all this? First I used a bad word- just once and under my breath. Then I was able to attempt to implement use of my new word for the upcoming year.  Oh yes, I have a word, a word I have been pondering for about 3 days now- that is a lot of pondering for me.    Last year my word was balance.  I feel like balance evolved into this years word- pause.

Pause... gives me lots of opportunity to try to get to balance again. 

I thought about using joy - but decided to save that for 2030.

I thought about trust- and decided I was not that evolved yet. 

So right there, with two damp cushions and clueless dog-(she was so sleepy, she was not aware of what had happened.) I was able to pull out my new word - pause. A bit premature -but balance was all used up.  In hindsight, I am thrilled that I did not need to face the word joy at this moment.

Pause, breathe, tug. Tug, tug, tug- pause... breathe. I paused long enough to observe, as the white cushion finally exploded out of the deep brown cover, it reminded me of a milkweed.  After I got the covers into the wash and was tucked into bed, I collected the observation into words- a small stone.

It is the start of January Small Stones over at Writing Our Way Home.    Come join in the fray.

I am indebted to Fiona and Kaspa for offering another way to see- even the messy things in life. Thanks Fiona and Kaspa!

December 31, 2011... 11PM - Small Stones
inside out   by  Teri H Hoover

Stubborn cushion covers
clinging for dear life,
as I try to remove them.

Finally a layer of white batting,
a milkweed exploding
                                                                             in

   all
                                                       directions.   

  Blessings one and all- I am looking forward to a year full of pauses-Pepper, my black lab agrees totally.

a half mile from home

December 08, 2011- Small Stones
a half mile from home  by  Teri H Hoover
`

 I live in Blacksburg, Virginia. Almost everyday, my dog Pepper and I walk  the Huckleberry Trail- less than a half mile from Virginia Tech. For nearly a year now I have been writing while I walk.  I made it to the fourth line of my thought (by talking it into my phone-) when my writing was stopped by the Virginia Tech alert sirens. 
`

Two days of rain,

leaves this trail clean

Two days inside-

the whole of me leans into the joy of moving...

Forward-

toward unknown endings.

I approach the cornered fork.

where once I saw a fox-

straight-

from pointed nose to muffled tail

straight -

as a bullet from a gun.

I approach the cornered fork

Slamming into a sound of a mind numbing alert.

Someone lays dying-

The wailing of sirens beneath the words

“This is not a test... seek shelter now.”

Down the hill, a quarter mile from Virginia Tech.

A half a mile from home.

 

A postscript - this evening they released the name of the Virginia Tech Police officer who was shot and killed.
Slain Officer Identified

God bless the family of  Deriek W. Crouse.

`

Game Day

From my writing blog- A small stone Gathering 

September 2, 2011- Small Stones. 

game day by Teri H Hoover

Some thoughts on game day in my home town of Blacksburg Va- The home of Virginia Tech and the beloved Hokie Football team. I was never much into football. But I have always had a great respect for the Hokie community- which became even stronger after the terrible day of April 16, 2007 - we lost 32 people in a matter of moments... a 5 minute walk from my home.  I look on in awe as this community continues to find ways to to go beyond. These verses are simply a collection of impressions that I found on the first game day of 2011.

  

Hoots

hollers

Four more hours

until kick off

time 

` 

flocks 
of fans
marrooned and oranged

Virginia Tech fans
Hokies

 cars

draining

 into town

flags fluttering

hopeful and focused

seeking  premium

parking

now

the 
crowed roars
hot under
the September
sun

We shut  them down
We shut them out
the fans weary from their efforts 
empty the stadium early

Clouds 

huddling in the

humidity

rain

drops

Rain turns fans into unlikely athletes.

 

Dampness

Dispersing 

Draining and raining 

`

Wholeheartedly

Driveway, Blacksubrg, VA- April 4, 2011

Well no doubt about it 

I have been a bit reclusive 

and down in the dumps

Spring is a time of transition and I have been feeling out of synch- I just want to be bloomed already. I am feeling a bit ragged and unbloomed.  How is it I walked through the waiting of winter- but am impatient in spring?

Maybe it is I feel like spring can't make up its mind.

To be fair there have other factors-that  darn writing forum-Writing our Way Home has tempted me into my second month long writing endeavor and there has been a lot of  tilling of the soil, so to speak.  Or maybe it is because my husband is "somewhere other than here" (to quote Jimmy Buffet) and won't return until May.  And the 4 year anniversary of the awfulness that took place in my beloved Blacksburg; the tragedy at Virginia Tech.  I went to the vigil on Saturday night with a friend and was moved to tears - again.  Tears of  sadness yes- but tears of hope. And love for the resilience of the human heart.  It takes strength to grieve even after all this time.  It takes hope to walk away and live.

We stand with each other letting go and holding on.

`

And we choose to bring light -
 `

click for short You Tube video
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA- April 16, 2011

`

 and blessing.

`

So I am reminded to walk in faith, breathing in the balance.

Letting God make all things new again.

`

Today I was on my 2 mile circle and brought my behemoth camera with me. Five pounds of digital bliss.  Pepper the dog of dogs - trained into submission can walk unleashed for much of the walk; while I happily photograph to my hearts content.  My two gig card filled!! I am very exited to process these photos! But first I had just few more from last week- including the one at the top of this post.
`

`
The photo at the top of this post -did you see the lovely surprise ? 

I have hinted at it several times within this post.   

The hole in the clouds is the shape of a heart.

And I never saw it until today.

Wholeheartedly

`

Blessings- may all the holes in your heart only be a place for more love.

xo teri

From Virginia Tech Recovers April 16, 2007

A Little Help

Blacksburg Virginia -April 9, 2011

The Big Event

The Big Event at Virginia Tech is a student-run community service effort that has grown into the 2nd largest event of its kind in the nation. Every spring, thousands of students, faculty, and staff come together to complete hundreds of community service projects throughout Blacksburg, Christiansburg and the New River Valley.

Projects are completed regardless of need or socioeconomic status; instead, it is The Big Event’s goal to simply say, “Thank you." Seeded in Virginia Tech's motto of Ut Prosim (That I may serve) students and community members come together for a truly unparalleled experience.

The Big Event: “One Big Day. One Big Thanks.”

For 5 years my husband said, " We can't participate in this event... "It is for people who need help." It took me 5 years- but I finally said- "You know what- you may not need help but I do."

 So once again I am thoroughly amazed and blessed to have these students show up at my home and work for 2 hours to demolish 16 cubic yards of mulch. I love you guys. I love Virginia Tech. 

Cultivating Love

The Hahn Horticulture Garden is nearly six acres of teaching and display gardens located on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Established in 1984 by Horticulture faculty, the garden serves undergraduate students and the local community as a learning resource for plant material, landscaping concepts, and environmental awareness. Garden features include perennial borders, water gardens, shade gardens, 
meadow garden, and the Peggy Lee Hahn Garden Pavilion. 

(from the Hahn Horticulture web page)

Since 1984

Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va- Apr 30, 2010 

Hahn Horticultuel Garden at Virginia Tech

Yearly rite of spring-

The Plant SALE! 

April 16, 2007- We Remember

The Virginia Tech Memorials- the Drill filed, Virginia Tech- Blacksburg, VA- Apr 16, 2010

 

04-2007 Virginia Tech Recovers

04-2007 Virginia Tech Recovers

A photo collection by  Teri H Hoover.
On April 16, 2007 I began
 my photographic journey through.

April 16, 2010 --- Virginia Tech ,--- Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech Memorial , Virginia Tech Drill Field

Burruss Hall (center) and Norris Hall (right)

April 17,2007 -Nikki Giovanni speaks at the Virginia Tech Memorial Convocation

We Are Virgina Tech. 

Sunday Blessings

War MemorialChapel at Virginia Tech, Newman Community Catholic Community-Nov. 22, 2009

http://www.catholic.org.vt.edu/

When I Walk to Church

War Memorial Chapel, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA- Nov.15, 2009

Burruss Hall on the Drillfield  at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA- Nov. 15, 2009

This is what I see.

Our Prayers Are with You

Virginia Tech Hokie Bird on Main St.,Blacksburg VA-