Free Essays on Pond

The Trolley Track Pond The duck pond by my grandfather’s house still holds a feeling of adventure and fun as well as calmness that I have never experienced anywhere else. It has crystal clear water and trees that have grown just so perfect for climbing. When I was younger I would climb these trees, tying to reach as far as I could before getting too scared and returning to the ground. Then there were days I would climb to a spot in my favorite tree, my â€Å"Pooh Tree† as I called it, which leaned out over the water just right. From this spot in my tree, I could sit there and stare at my reflection in the perfect water, looking at my face with a beautiful background and not have a care in the world. For some reason, I could always go to that spot, sit in that tree and be as far away from all the problems I had in my young life at the age of thirteen. The duck pond was originally dug in 1915 when the trolley tracks that connected from what I remember, Albion and Medina. My grandfather Ronald Haylett dug it to supply water to his orchards and it was also a rest stop for the trolley to pick individuals up for travel. There are still rocks and rails from the old trolley track surrounding the west side of the pond, but it is no longer used for anything, except the pond for spraying orchards, and fishing. Even so, my cousin Stephen and I spent countless days adventuring around there. Our days always began with Stephen sprinting out the front door and me following right behind him yelling for him to slow down and wait as he darted through the backyard. Stephen and I were only two years apart, so it seemed natural for us to be spending our summers together. This was the way summer began for us, early mornings and late nights, from fishing to helping grandfather fill the orchard sprayer. The east side of the tracks held lots of entertaining things to do: running through the pond agitator, games of hide-and-seek, and taking... Free Essays on Pond Free Essays on Pond The Trolley Track Pond The duck pond by my grandfather’s house still holds a feeling of adventure and fun as well as calmness that I have never experienced anywhere else. It has crystal clear water and trees that have grown just so perfect for climbing. When I was younger I would climb these trees, tying to reach as far as I could before getting too scared and returning to the ground. Then there were days I would climb to a spot in my favorite tree, my â€Å"Pooh Tree† as I called it, which leaned out over the water just right. From this spot in my tree, I could sit there and stare at my reflection in the perfect water, looking at my face with a beautiful background and not have a care in the world. For some reason, I could always go to that spot, sit in that tree and be as far away from all the problems I had in my young life at the age of thirteen. The duck pond was originally dug in 1915 when the trolley tracks that connected from what I remember, Albion and Medina. My grandfather Ronald Haylett dug it to supply water to his orchards and it was also a rest stop for the trolley to pick individuals up for travel. There are still rocks and rails from the old trolley track surrounding the west side of the pond, but it is no longer used for anything, except the pond for spraying orchards, and fishing. Even so, my cousin Stephen and I spent countless days adventuring around there. Our days always began with Stephen sprinting out the front door and me following right behind him yelling for him to slow down and wait as he darted through the backyard. Stephen and I were only two years apart, so it seemed natural for us to be spending our summers together. This was the way summer began for us, early mornings and late nights, from fishing to helping grandfather fill the orchard sprayer. The east side of the tracks held lots of entertaining things to do: running through the pond agitator, games of hide-and-seek, and taking...

Avoid These 10 Words in Formal Writing

Avoid These 10 Words in Formal Writing Purists may tell you that many of the words in the list below arent really words at all, but thats misleading at best. A few of the words are simply misspellings, and the rest are informal expressions or slang phrases that frequently appear in everyday speech (or vernacular). Nevertheless, according to the conventions of Standard English, all 10 of the following words should be avoided in reports, essays, research papers, and all other types of formal writing. alotAlot (one word) is a common misspelling of a lot (two words). [W]e all may write alot one day, says The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage (2005), but for now keep in mind that alot is still considered an error in print.  and etc.Because the abbreviation etc. (from the Latin et cetera) means and so on, and etc. is redundant. In any case, avoid using etc. in your essays: often it gives the impression that you simply cant think of anything else to add to a list.  anywheresHuck Finn can get away with saying, There warnt a sound anywheres, but on formal occasions drop the terminal s. If anywheres appears anywhere in your dictionary, its probably labeled nonstandard or dialectal.could ofDont confuse this nonstandard form with the contraction couldve. Could of (along with should of and would of) can and should be replaced by could have (and should have and would have). As for coulda, shoulda, woulda, avoid dwelling on them- both in writing and in life.hisselfThis alterna tive form of the reflexive pronoun himself is commonly heard in certain dialects, but in formal writing steer clear of hisself (and theirself as well- though both were regarded as good usage in Middle and Early-Modern English). furtherestThe comparative form of far is farther or further. The superlative form is farthest or furthest. Nothings gained by combining the two forms.  irregardlessThis double negative (ir- at the beginning and -less at the end) may not deserve Bryan Garners label of semiliterate . . . barbarism, but hes probably right that in print it should have been stamped out long ago (Garners Modern American Usage, 2009). Use regardless instead.itsIts is a possessive pronoun (like his or her). Its is a contraction of it is or it has. That leaves nothing for its to do- so toss it.  lets usLets us means let us us. To avoid the repetition, write lets (She lets us play in her yard) or lets (Lets play in her yard) or let us (Let us pray).  nohowIf you have the know-how to write, you dont need to be told to avoid nohow. Instead use in no way or not at all.