Channeling @jarredamato On This Post, Post @StoryFestCT. ToMAYto, ToMahto, Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

Funny. Somehow, over the last week while welcoming writers and teachers and youth to southern Connecticut for the Saugatuck StoryFest '19, my tomatoes went on a growing frenzy. I looked out back Monday morning and I was like, "Holy Tomato Sauce, Batman. You've blossomed beautifully!"

You say Jarred AMayto or Jarred AMahto, and he just might get elected to office (that's a little trivia I got from the teaching genius from Tennessee this past weekend).

In all seriousness, though, planting seeds and gardens is all about harvesting the fruit that may one day come to fruition. This is why a gardening metaphor typically works for reading and writing classrooms. His #ProjectLit movement is doing just that - not only in his rooms, but across the nation.

Plant the love of reading great books (that is the fantastic young adult literature being written and published right now) into American classrooms and see a community of active-minds come to life.

How lucky was I to host him this past weekend for his panel? How lucky is any educator to have his excitement and vision shared in your own community?

I am waking up this morning still excited that all the guest writers and speakers and moderators and performers arrived exactly as planned. I'm sort of amazed the whole thing was achieved and am already looking ahead to next year's event.

If you plant it, it will come. What a great book chapter title that would be!

Well, hello, October. Glad to meet you once again.