Mother Nature does Valentines

Feb. 8, 2014

It snowed 

in Mississippi

A car turned around 

in front of our house

Turning wheels

created hearts

Love is all there is

Thanks,  Mother Nature

2014 Red Convertible Travel Series

The Fork's Life

Dedicated to Angela Levkoff whose Grandmother passed recently.

An heirloom
with its own stories
of foods forked

at Grandma's Sunday dinners

Crispy fried chicken

homegrown potatoes mashed and milk gravy
sweetcorn
picked and shucked Sunday morning

 lettuce
wilted with bacon, green onions

and a splash of vinegar

homemade buns

butter and honey

angelfood cake
real cream whipped

sliced, fresh garden strawberries

on top

and the things it heard . . .
the neighbor is in a family-way
markets are going down
so and so's kid stole the boss's tools
will he go to jail

it's job done
washed in hot soapy water
dried with a soft towel
tucked back in her silver chest

Grandma died
the silver chest laid untouched
until a granddaughter
lifted the lid
oohed and aahed
and took possession

the craftsman heated it

 intertwined the prongs
to make two hearts

and bent the handle

to go around her wrist

one more way
Granddaughter
holds Grandma close

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

MS Delta Crud

pollen
pesticide
insecticide
h u m i d i t y
mine for breeze
Hack. Hack.
fever
chest rattle
diaphanous
antibiotics
cough suppressant
etc.
floaty days
spotty sleep
sweaty day and night

Yah for winter!

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2010

Love lives in the light and dark places of our souls. In fact, love is all there is and all that lasts.

Valentine's Day: Flowers and candy. A call from afar. Feeling the love over the line. Warm thoughts of and from those passed. Blessings all.

Wishing you a happy, "I love knowing you," day.

Love's Best

Love remembered

Times shared

Lessons

Love overflowed

Made sacred music

Slowly we grew

To one

Wanting

to trade souls

Just for a moment

To know what each knows

Love connects hearts forever.

2010 Red Convertible Travel Series

PALM SUNDAY 2009

Holy Week begins
Mother Mary's ordeal
even if she knew
the plan
of what
was to become
of Him/Her son
it still hurt

2009 Red Convertible Travel Series

Energy Follows Attention

I was caught up in the blahs of winter's long nights and gloomy days, snow and ice, grief and uncertainty. Follow along and I'll tell you why I put them in past tense.

Sorting files I came across "The Golden Key," a five-page booklet by Emmet Fox (1886-1951), New Thought leader and writer. It is available at http://www.unityworldhq.org/. I made a cup of mint and green leaf tea and sat down to read. My poem inspires sharing what I learned.

The wisdom given

at the lofty peak

included the instructions,

'It's not yours to keep.'

Emmet Fox said, "Stop thinking about the difficulty, whatever it is, and think about God instead."

Practice The Attitude of Gratitude.

Mother Theresa said she would not demonstrate against war, but she would march for peace. She understood energy follows attention.

I was reminded, yet again, to get out of my own way. Putting attention only on God allows Him to go to work resolving my problems. At bedtime I surrendered my boat load of troubles and fell asleep praising Him..

I awoke this morning at peace.

Whether you believe in a Higher Power or not, it works. Go ahead test it, and let us know what happens.

2009 Red Convertible Travel Series

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, LOVE

ABOUT CHOCOLATE

When you're not around

chocolate must do

confidentially speaking

no substitute

for you!

MSN photo

copyright 2007 Red Convertible Travel Series

When my mind travels without the rest of me

Toadstools: small thoughts rest

Picnic table: medium thoughts rest with green tea and chocolate pastry

High Plains of the Midwest: large thoughts move about in the continual breeze

Mountain tops: up reaching thoughts stand on end

copyright 2006 Red Convertible Travel Series

My Giuseppe Zanotti's...

two-strap dancing sandals with painted porcelain heels:

Red
happy, happy
hyacinth for the soul
in case of fire
grab the shoes
shoes

copyright 2006 Red Convertible Travel Series

Thankfulness

I am thankful for the good in my life. That’s easy. I don’t always feel gratitude for the bad and indifferent–until later. Life is tests and lessons–in that order. The ancients used to greet one another with, “…and may you pass the test today.”

My tests lead me to rely more on God and less on myself. The coordination of people, places, and events is unfathomable from my human perspective. I have to let go and let God. Letting go allows me to flow with life. It gets me out of my own way. What I want might be replaced with something better, or not for my good at all. So be it.

I’ve searched the world over
There’s so much to see
My most incredible journey
Getting to know Thee

Today I was reminded to not take myself too seriously when a pre-schooler asked me about my picture ID badge, “Did ja get that in jail?”

coyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series

Ode to Celery

Cleaning out my refrigerator, I found a deceased stalk of celery. And I had such good intentions for its use: coarsely chopped and sauteed with green pepper and white onion in Louisiana gumbo; with green pepper and onion in chowder; in Hoover's potato salad with chopped dill pickles; with apples and walnuts in a Waldorf salad; eaten plain or stuffed with almond butter. Hoover says refrigerator drawers should be called "rotters." He's right!

In honor of all the celery I've sacrificed to the refrigerator, here's my

Ode to Celery

The refer knows
you're the one
that stays
until the end
others couldn't
pass the test
fickle
short-term
friends

copoyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series

Parasail With Me

Minnie and I watched a colorful sunset while we dined by the sea in Mazatlan, Mexico. Assorted seafood for two was cooked on a grill at our table and served with a twist of lime. Delicious. Our waiter suggested we go para-sailing, but before ten in the morning, "Once the wind comes up, it can be hazardous." I had to try.

Fastened in harness

rope tied to boat

to follow their instructions

was foolish hope

With giggles and tickles

sylphs lift me high

to music and angels

not heard below

Cut the engine

slack the line

pull the rope

I try, I try

Yells and screams

far below

pull, come down

before you blow

Oops, in the water

up to my knees

undines delighted

I paid their fees

Pulling the rope to let the air out of the parachute was harder than I thought, but to experience weightlessness was worth it.

copyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series

USA Memorial Day

At Bitburg, Germany we met a man who, as a child, had helped his dad in food service and served General Patton. The General complimented this twelve-year old making a lasting impression on him. He glowed with pride and told us where to find Patton's grave. A fellow from our home community had been on the Color Guard for his burial.

At the American Cemetery and Memorial in Hamm, Luxemborg we stood at Patton's grave not set apart from his men, but with them as he wanted. It was a warm day. From a marble bench we prayed for and thanked them and left puddles of sweat. Our contribution would dry up, but theirs was permanent.

Solemnly we walked above the Normandy Beaches. Posted signs caution against walking below as there are still unexploded mines. This day all was silent, even the visitors. Back at our Auberge our host twisted up his face and said he'd seen more than he could talk about.

At Colleville Sur Mer the 170 acre American cemetery holds the remains of those who contributed their all to the cause of freedom. The American director said the perfectly aligned crosses are set in a trench of concrete.

At Dachau, Germany we spoke with the President of the Survivors. "He said he was there to be sure the ovens were never again lit for that purpose." To our surprise he was not a bitter man inspite of his parents and first wife dying while all were imprisoned. He married again and they had a son. The Press arrived to interview him. He laughed and said to watch him make a fool of himself.

Our bellies in our throats we walked through the crematorium trying not to imagine its horrors. Images surfaced anyway remembering the words of a fellow from our home that was here liberation day. "They were so emaciated we couldn't tell the men from the women. An American soldier threw a piece of candy that landed in the barbed-wire. Naked prisoners dove in risking deep cuts and scratches; anything for a bite of food."

My late husband was a generation older than I and a WWII veteran plagued with nightmares and bouts with malaria. When he passed on I hoped his meeting with the Creator would go like so:

Seen the horrors of war, dear one,

The man began to weep

No more, no more! the Good God cried

I'm granting you Grace and Peace

In death their souls have returned to God to be rewarded and made whole. Grace and Peace to all who have fought, and who do fight for freedom.

copyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series

Knees Worth Noticing

Cedar trees hold branches close
Willow trees hang loose
Cypress trees stand, observe
showing off their knees

At a dead lake outside of Pascagoula, Mississippi, we fished for crappie. Sitting on the bank and looking across, the "knees" took on personalities. (I swear I was sober.) "In medieval garb a mother stood between two short ones. The girl had curls of Spanish moss. A woman with a scalloped cape held a child. The tall one in back had a large cross on its chest - High Priestess? A dozen nondescript ones stood in the middle, foot soldiers, or wet-foot soldiers. Up out of the water you'd think their complexion would improve. It hasn't.

A jerk on my line revealed I'd caught a two-pound crappie on a dead minnow. There's no accounting for some tastes.

copyright 2005 Red Convertible Travel Series