Category Archives: Seasonal

Snow White Whistles with the Birds

03 Tuesday Apr 2018

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There are seven of them,
whistling, so pert and happy
while I lie in bed, yawning and sleepy
(maybe even a little grumpy)
at being awakened so early.

Muddled and dopey from sleep,
I shuffle to the bathroom and
bashfully look in the mirror
at my snow white image.
I splash cold water on my face,
as if a Doc “on call.”

More awake now, I make my way
to the east window to let in
the fresh morning breezes.
I close my eyes as I sneeze, only
to find when I open them,

Spring has inhabited the earth.
The disappearance of winter
is like an awakening in me,
I embrace the new day and
find myself whistling a happy tune.

7 birds perching

4/3/18

Welcome Home, Pumby!

02 Monday Jan 2017

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Girl silhouette with dandelion seeds blowing

Pumby was with us
for a few years back then.
Our three-year-old daughter’s
imaginary best friend

graced our table, seated in the
“empty” chair at our tea parties.
At night, she lay under the bed,
keeping the monsters away.

They got along so well. Pumby
was a perfect friend and scapegoat,
accepting her role as the guilty one
when something went wrong.

We were told she moved to
New York City when
the girls were teens, but
she’s baaaack!

Who else could have
let the mouse in,
or shoved the dirty socks
under the bed.

And who else would’ve
lit fireworks past midnight,
then wake me by turning
up the music at dawn?

Welcome home, Pumby,
and Happy New Year!

Shopping Like a Tiger

10 Saturday Dec 2016

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Slow and stealth like a tiger,
I weave through the holiday browsers,
dodging ribboned mines of packages,
children being tugged through the menagerie,
and rivulets of sodas splashed onto the floor.

I am preying upon the store that
advertised the ultimate selection of
gifts for the whole family, and I sense
that I must be quick and agile if
I’m to acquire my targeted gifts and
return to my den unscathed.

Baring Winter’s Arrival

04 Sunday Dec 2016

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I bare sandals as I step out,
half expecting the lawn to respond
like it did yesterday, when
the sun encouraged its green
tendrils to grow plush and wiggly,
tickling my fleshy exposed toes.

But time can change quickly,
and my exposed toes scrunch under,
seeking shelter from winter’s chill
and the inevitable crunch of grass as it
splays frozen and flat beneath the sandal.
Together, we bear the weight of the season.

Sandal feet in grass

Leaving Us

30 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by in Inspiration, Nature, Seasonal

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We met in the Spring
when you first unfurled with life,
But we’re drifting apart,
and it breaks my loving heart.

Bursting forth with song,
I wave as I stroll by;
Your yellowed hands wave back,
and I realize you’re not strong.

Your neighbor’s orange glow can’t
disguise what’s set to come,
For I know that fall’s approaching
and your earthly time’s ‘most done.

I’ll not forget the pleasures
you brought into my life,
Like cooling summer breezes
and filtering days’ harsh light.

In spite of Autumn’s changes,
I’ll continue to live and thrive;
Learning to cope with sadness
is a key to life’s delights.

Following the Cloven Hoof Trail

03 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by in Family, Inspiration, Seasonal

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I followed two-forked tracks
As they skimmed o’er the snow,

And thought, oh what fun
they must have had last night.

I lost the trail
as I neared the house–

what could’ve happened
as I lay sound asleep?

Therein lies the most wondrous surprise,
For right before my very eyes,

As I looked up at the roof’s crusty freeze,
I saw it was broken by cloven hoofs.

Now, it’s said on a very special night,
a sleighful of goodies arrives by flight
filled with candy treats and bazillions of toys
for all the good little girls and boys…

Yet there’s only adults
at this particular house,
Why were they there?
Did I even care?

*****. *****

Days have now passed since
I found the trail, but I’m beginning to see
why he stopped by my way. He left

not a package, but the present he gave
was sharing the secret of spirit with me.

“Be present,” he said,
“enjoy every day,
include friends and family
along the way.”

I now smile with the spirit dwelling within,
I feel blessed he chose me to visit this year,

and yes,
if anyone sees the tracks on my roof,
I’ll tell them the story of cloven hoofs.

 

Extending the Season

01 Friday Jan 2016

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As we close the Christmas season and greet
the new year, wishing all a Happy New Year.

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Glowing lights on houses,
Brightly lit trees in windows,
Excited children fidgeting
As they await Santa’s return.

‘Tis the season for sharing
Warmth and good cheer,
May these peaceful times
Spread throughout the new year.

Above the Crowd

22 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in Inspiration, Life, Nature, Seasonal

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Leaf atop pile

It’s Autumn when falling leaves
either saunter down or
circle with driving force.

Irrespective of their roots, or even
from whose yard they spent their summer,
they gather together.

Nearly indistinguishable from one another,
oak and ash wear charcoal coats of crunch,
lying among tarnished poplar leaves.

A multicolored leaf rests on top,
similar in size and shape, yet different,
the anomaly, standing out.

I finally understand why Mom always said,
“Don’t fall among the crowd;
Be confident; be yourself.”

Returning Home

11 Wednesday Nov 2015

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Fall leaves in motion

I savored the colorful fallen leaves
and the deep, woodsy scent
of maple and oak as I tried to
shape their formation.

The harder I struggled against the winds,
the more the pile seemed to separate,
small clusters encircling my knees,
twirling with excitement as they rose to leave.

And I thought of children, young adults really,
leaving with the anxiousness of Autumn winds.

I know they both will return changed,
some choosing a brief visit,
others remaining among the familiar,
enriching the land and the lives
they touch as they settle in.

With the love of a mother,
I embrace the changes
and look forward to
once again sharing our worlds.

Musical Van Delight

01 Wednesday Jul 2015

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Some vans play rock or rap,
others a country fiddle,
But the van that travels my street
meets halfway in the middle.

Its sound is like a harpsichord
broadcast for ALL to hear;
The now familiar melody
says ice cream is very near.

Nostalgic to us oldsters,
Now common to young alike;
We all clutch our dimes and quarters
in search of cool delights.

Power of a Raindrop book

06 Saturday Jun 2015

Posted by in Animals and Insects, Art, Children, Family, Health, Humor, Inspiration, Life, Love, Mountains, Nature, Philosophy, Seasonal, Weather, Writing

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Power of a Raindrop cover

I’m excited to share that I now have a book of poetry, Power of a Raindrop, published and available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through the publisher. If you order from the publisher, the first 10 to order will receive 15% off the retail price. http://shop.ravenbooks.net.

The New Retail Calendar

30 Sunday Nov 2014

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Did you ever stop to think….

that with Black Friday starting on Wednesday extending through Saturday,
and Cyber Monday starting on Sunday extending through Tuesday,

if this shopper’s week were our permanent calendar,
a week would consist of three Mondays and four Fridays?

Fall’s a Mystery

12 Sunday Oct 2014

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Fall’s a Mystery
(Or I’ve Been Watching
Too Much Crime TV)

Weathervane night
Blustery winds bring seasonal mysteries, like
why once supple flowers turn crispy and still,
why leaves lose color and fall dead away,
why summer’s loud bugs turn eerily quiet,
and why some people fade when the sun disappears.

If I were a detective, I’d capture the flowers
and confine them indoors for, say, 90 days,
after which, if warm, they’d be returned outdoors.

I’d turn the leaves over to the homicide folks
and hope an autopsy could reveal why
once green and pliant, they’re now crunchy and brown;

I’d send my partner on a seasonal stakeout
along with a sensitized listening device
to determine if crickets have Winter sounds;

And for the people, if they’d consider a change,
I’d see them moved to a sunnier place,
and as their sponsor, of course I’d move, too.

Happy Fall!

Changing of the Seasons

05 Sunday Oct 2014

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Seasons change,
it’s nature’s way,
of helping things
to rearrange.

And that is why,
(And I’m sure it’s true)
that women control
the house and skies;

For who else
have you ever known
to rearrange things
that often. I’ll confess,

I’m a woman,
been rearranging rooms
like clockwork,
but that shouldn’t

shock you, as my mother,
and hers before her,
moved furniture
this way and ‘tother.

And I’m sure
if they’d had their way,
seasonal changes would be
ten times a year.

You Would’ve Loved the Day

15 Sunday Jun 2014

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A tribute to my father, who passed away last year.

The church still shone with Christmas,
and personal touches of you were there:
A handmade quilt that you made,
plants and flowers that you loved,
recognition of National Guard duty,
saddened faces of lives you had touched.

You had been called home, and after this day,
I’ll not be able to touch your face,
nor see the twinkle reflected in your eyes
when you smile. I’ll not be able to hear your
child-like excitement as we celebrate Christmas,
the season of your birth and your death.

Yet, I did not protest or fuss;
It was time that your suffering end,
and this day, well,
it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Fifty degrees, the day after Christmas,
plenty of sunshine and blue sky.
It’s as if it were provided for our benefit,
to lift our spirits as your eternal spirit lifted.

Happy Father’s Day!

Blossoming Motherhood

10 Saturday May 2014

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20140510-160219.jpg

Being a Mother is like a blossoming flower;
it starts slowly, growing hour by hour.
Though budding love for the newborn
is threatened by an occasional thorn,
as the years go by and the petals unfold,
the love of mothering grows to measures untold.

Tasting Summer’s Pleasures

03 Saturday May 2014

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Tasting Summer’s Pleasures
   By Absorbing Nature’s Bounties

Absorbing
Tongues innocently lick the mixture of
dripping perspiration mixed with melting
coconut-scented sunscreen as it
careens down sun-drenched faces,
making its way over cheekbones into the
curves of the corners of the mouth.

Nature’s
Subconsciously, hands rise to rub scented pollens
from scratchy eyes and irritated noses, recognizing
too late that instead the mouth inhaled the sensuous
smells of fresh mowed lawns and fragrant roses.
Tastes of nature course through the body as the
nose identifies the delectable aromas of summer.

Bounties
Mouths water as soaked wood chips mix with lit
charcoal briquettes, flames giving rise to a distinct
smoky flavor reminiscent of last summer’s bountiful
outdoor barbecue parties–grill-marked burgers,
chips, dips, relishes, homemade ice cream–
pleasing to palates of all ages, including the family dog.

Modern Day Spring Cleaning

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by in Humor, Life, Seasonal

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Hours I used to spend cleaning
bed springs,
closets, attics and such,

I now spend updating, syncing,
adding, deleting…
all with but a single touch,

Whereas I used to battle heavy lifting,
now I merely sit,
I don’t move my body much,

just a finger tapping, instructing
the electronic gadget
to change or scrub the stuff.