For the Love of Words

This week, the chicken wings, myself, and my practicum student from the college have been studying figurative language.  More specifically, my favorite kind of figurative language...IDIOMS.  I tell you what, they are the spark of writing and the spice of life.  

The chicken wings are coming up with idioms left and right and doing research on them at night and using them when they speak and writing them and all of this makes my heart very happy.  Because just like I try my darnedest to get those chicken wings to become real readers who read for personal connections, I also am a bleeding heart for having them become real writers who write for a purpose...that purpose being their reader.  All year long, I run around the room waving my hands and clutching my chest yelling, "Your writing needs to make your reader FEEL something!"  Otherwise, there is no point in writing.  The purpose is out the window as no one will read the words.  We are at the point in the year now, when the chicken wings talk about their writing with each other, I actually hear them say things like "I don't feel anything right now.  You need to use stronger words."  And at those times, I actually pause and have a moment.  My thesis was all about my philosophy towards my own writing and teaching writing.  Passion is necessary when you have to write upwards of two hundred pages!  

Anyways, idioms this week.     

Here are some of our favorite new ones we have discovered...

Chickens come home to roost. 

Means that your words and actions will come back to you full circle.  

A leopard can't change its spots.

Means you shouldn't change who you are. 

There's no need to make a storm in a tea cup.     

Don't make a federal case out of that. 

Both means that you are making a big deal out of something you don't need to.  

Trip the light fantastic.

Means that you are doing well...more specifically, we found it means you are being a good dancer.  

Don't throw a bird. {very similar to -Don't have a cow!} 

Means to settle yourself down. 

Now, I'm going to talk about a funny moment for a second.  Yesterday I was sitting on a desk popping out idioms to the chicken wings and explaining that some idioms become cliche' and we were all laughing and having a good ol' time.  Then one chicken wing yelled out, "You make up idioms all the time!!  Like when you say -it's time to come back to Earth- you don't actually mean that we are floating around, you just mean we need to get our self control back."  Then I said to him, "That's right.  Your teacher will one day be famous for making up idioms.   And they will not be cliche'.  Now, get yourself back to Earth please."  

A face full of swing.

Means having something take you back...throw you off your game so to speak.  A girl chicken wing made this up when she was telling a story about her weekend at the park.  I like it.  We use it.  Maybe one day she'll be famous.  

The diamond does not make you happy. 

Means money can't buy everything.   

All around Robin Hood's barn.

Means taking the long way to get there.  

Use your loaf.

Means use your head.  Think smart. 

He's just talking through his hat.

Means nonsense is coming out his mouth. 

Get down to brass tacks. 

Means to become serious about something. 

We've been watching fireworks on the 4th of July this week while being submerged in the land of IDIOMS.  I sure do love my job.  I sure do love figurative language.  Next up is personification; maybe we'll talk about the grid roads breathing for the first time during the spring thaw after being locked up all winter.  

A twirl and a foot stomp for that!   

If you are wondering what a grid road is, you probably are not spending your days with a Canadian like I am.  My practicum teacher from the college comes from the land of the maple leaf and she says that gravel roads are grid roads.  I told her I would be stealing that.  Grid road.  I like it. 

These pictures have nothing to do with idioms, they are about another love of mine.  Jewelry.  Momma Debi bought that little birdie necklace and tree bracelet for me last Saturday during the crazy busy day and I'm digging them.  I feel as if I have been wearing roots on my wrist and wings next to my heart this week.  

Symbolic about jewelry even?  Someone please help me.