In September, I signed Tory up for a class in writing. Every week with much wailing and gnashing of teeth she churns out another descriptive paragraph, revises last week's using the teacher's notes and prints out a final copy. This class has been a stretch for her, but I am incredibly pleased with the progress she has made. Here is her latest addition to her portfolio.

An Autumn Day

Crisp and breezy, the wind blows as I stand outside quickly raking leaves. The chilled air nips my face as I step on the crackling foliage below. I look up at the tree above and see scarlet, amber, and burnt orange leaves jostling in the wind waiting for their turn to fall. The air is scented with the sweet aroma of pumpkin pie. As I turn to look at the house, I see smoke rising from the chimney. It tells me that a fire is burning inside. Finally, I tuck away the last leaf in the pile and run inside. I plop on a chair and warm by the fire as I sip hot cocoa.
Tory, age 12