Week of July 29th-August 4th, 2013

July 29th, 2013

~

Minimal Monday

~

Savoring

deliciously

cool

morning

July 30th, 2013

~

Setting sun~ a brilliant burnished disc

sinks into diaphenous veils of smoke

blood orange red surrounds her golden face

she hovers briefly ~then slips over the horizon

richly colored skies glow

spilling deep rose across the valley

Nature's magic transforms

blessing all below

July 31st, 2013

~

They're back again in all their splendor

brought to our backyard by the receeding creek

full of fish~concentrated in ever shrinking pools

the misfortune of one a boon for 
for another~Snowy Egrets feast

******

August 1st, 2013
~
Ming the Adventuress
~
It's August and the mind turns to 
enjoying summer before it's gone
In order to decide which adventures would suit
Ming spend some time exploring her options
Maybe a ride on the ATV?
Or a tear across the lake in the boat?
A climb up on the roof?
Taunting the old cats?
Then again, maybe a mad dash up a tree
and down again will fit the bill. 
So many choices~so little time 

We write
about joys, triumphs and sadness
We write
to share our thoughts
hoping to be heard
We write
to connect with
those of like mind
We write
about deep thoughts
and happy ones
We write 
about challenges and doubts
in everyday life
We write 
about our passions
and our daily joys
We write
mindfully noting 
the little things and the big
We write
sometimes about silly stuff
or our family pets
The important things
aren't rules and regulations
it's the fact that regardless
WE WRITE

August 2nd, 2013

~

Jade Rose

young at her side

Mother Mandala

***

August 3rd, 2013

~

Six Word Saturday

~

Night Zephyr

cooling caress

most welcome

August 4th, 2013

~

Baby lizard ~ Miniature dragon

basking in the sun

tanking up warmth

then full speed ahead

July 22nd-28th, 2013

July 22nd, 2013

~

Minimal Monday

~

Luna~golden face~silver smile

***
I wake confused~is it night or day?

Luna beckons smiling~ leads me into the garden

we walk the paths~bathed in her luminescent light

cool night air stirs~slight breeze caressing the skin

yet sleep nudges~wants me back~reluctantly I listen

bidding Luna good bye~knowing I must rest

she'll return tonight~I drift back to sleep smiling

***

Ode to an "O"

~

Typing~ fingers flying~suddenly disaster strikes

the"o" now stuck to my fingertip

I fumble and fight ~ struggling to re-attach the escapee

but it stubbornly refuses to do my bidding

I am now reduced to typing with a limp

ring finger hitting a soft, squishy peg

not a hard, smooth key whenever an "o" is needed.

I've been taking you for granted all this time

is that why you sprang from the keyboard

as if to say "LOOK AT ME"?!?

July 23rd, 2013

~

Luminous pearl

floating in an abalone morning sky

Luna sets

July 24th, 2012

~

Change of weather

Heavy clouds blanket the sky

kaleidoscopes flicker

to the beat of the music

like night time ferris wheel rides

Aura migraine descends

temples and drums pounding

out the rhythm

July 25th, 2013

~

Charleston Gray

your girth, your shiny splendor

pale gray, nearly white~like a Beluga whale

cutting into your heart~ crimson splendor is revealed

studded with mahogany seeds~ sweetest, succulent flesh

perfect iced on a blistering hot day

Heirloom Watermelon extraordinaire

each juicy bite of you delights the palate

we feast~ chins dripping crimson nectar

July 26^th, 2013

~

The Ming's pajamas

~

Oh heavenly day of freshly washed sheets

Ming, in charge of quality control~ checking each corner

a tuck here~ a tuck there~ until it's just right

she's very helpful~eagerly lending a velvet paw

riding the mattress edge up, up until the corner is snug

then down again~ yes it's taut enough~ I checked she purrs

each piece of the puzzle eagerly inspected

pillows fluffed, duvets stuffed~ she stretches out

now busy tidying and sorting stray hairs grooming

until gleaming~can't slip under the covers without freshly

groomed cat's pajamas, now can we?

Tired from her labors, she slips under the covers.

NAP TIME

July 27th, 2013

~

Lantana blooms

her heart

embraces all

July 28th, 2013

~

It's been a while since you were here, little one

getting bigger~ still wearing your baby coat

nibbling ~ delighted to find fallen fruit

and watermelon rinds on this hot day

we cherish your delightful visits to our hill

Mom stands guard as you munch carefree

she nibbles too~but always alert~ears pricked

listening-scenting~watching~keeping you safe

her tender care of you a joy to see

July 15th-21st, 2013

July 15^th. 2013

~

Minimal Monday

~

Stemmed Sunshine

bright shining face

July 16th, 2013

~

Anxious chukking alerts us

Mother Quail is here,babies at her side.

Already the little ones are scratching and pecking,

emulating their mother, eagerly searching for seeds

first feathers slowly replacing downy fluff

soon babies will wear a curled feather upon their heads~bobbing comically as they peck

DING DING ~like little bells striking the hour

July 17th, 2013

~

Deep summer is here

shrill persistent cicada song

loudly greets the season
*

July 18th, 2013

~

Sprinkler's arc sifts through the branches

setting sun illuminates~transforms

water no more ~now gold dust drifting

blessing the garden

*

Thoughts on ironing

~

Did I ever mention I hate to iron?

Well, I do. It seems like clothing has a mind of it's own

when in my impatient hands. The pieces refuse to lay

the way they need to, in order to receive the heated smoothing.

They fight and struggle, slipping and sliding

not at all willing to be beautified it seems.

Maybe I am too impatient? Maybe I expect perfection?

Would it be best to go for the more relaxed "she didn't sleep in it" look?

Valient husband to the rescue, taught to iron at his mother's knee.

He seems better equipped to deal with this frustrating chore.

My Hero!! Come to save the day, dress does his bidding it seems.

Yet as I was struggling I savored the soothing back and forth motion of the iron

almost meditative, feeling the soft, worn fabric of a favorite dress,

pale blue Burberry, once my Mother's favorite, now mine.

Did she too struggle with it? Or did she take the easy way out

and send it to the Dry Cleaners? I'll have to ask her when next we Skype

No way would her long gone husband, my step dad, have stepped up to the plate

and saved her by ironing that lovely, soft dress into submission. 

July 19th, 2013

~

Ming~ playing by moonlight~stalking imaginary prey

gracefully leaping~bushy tailed-in the moment

savoring the cool night air~slaying moon shadows
*
July 20^th, 2013

~

BBQ scented

summer evening

waxing moon

~

Too hot

so tired

getting cranky

~

Wanting rain

to soothe

my soul
*
July 21st, 2013
~
Sunday morning
scent of coffee 
wakes the senses
~
Cool morning
allows garden time
hurry up~beat the heat
~
After hot labors
an afternoon siesta
will be perfect. 
~
Waking from siesta
languorous and sticky limbed
cold shower and icy melon
bring me back to life again

July 8th-14th, 2013

July 8th, 2013

~

Minimal Monday

~

Lost glasses

writing blind
~
Without glasses
world looks fuzzy
~
Lovely words
mere smudges now
~

There

looking up

they laid silently

waiting to be found

GLASSES

July 9th, 2013

~

Little reader sits quietly

absorbed in his book

suddenly a flash of color

humming bird hovers~wings a blur

sipping Clary Sage Nectar
***

July 10^th, 2013

~

Roaring lawn dragon disrupts the peace

soon the scent of freshly mown grass

and singing crickets will restore tranquility

July 11th, 2013

~

Trio~outlined against an early morning sky

jubilant singing~greeting the new day

ruffling feathers~sorting them just so

ready to take flight

July 12th, 2013

~

Little minnows

silver bellies flash as they twirl and play

casting tiny shadows in the creek bed

joyful leaps draw concentric circles

quivering and rippling~refracting light

For Tanya

~

The dead tree

pared down to a skeleton

still standing tall

useful yet~ even in death

providing perches for birds

and most importantly

HEARTS 
~

July 13th, 2013

~

Last night

golden crescent

embroidered sky

~

Velvet night

Milky Way

flowing above

~

Early morning

deliciously cool

savoring it

July 14th, 2013

~

We walk~the rising sun at our backs~shadows well ahead

We pause and so do they~breathing in the cool morning air~savoring the feel

Then start again, hurrying homeward to beat

the heat already licking at our heels

July 1st-7th, 2013

July 1st, 2013

~

Minimal Monday

~

Flowering ice

hearts shimmer

#2

Ice cold Jacuzzi

Delicious Bubbles

Instant Bliss

July 2nd, 2013

~

Mid-Morning~ already the air shimmers with heat

buzzards spiral up into vortexes until mere dots

in a hazy pale blue sky

~

Squadrons of young dragonflies take

to the air~ testing their wings

circling and bowing in their dance of love

~

They soar above

we endure below

Summer has arrived

with a vengeance

July 3rd, 2013

Delicious scent permeates the air~plums and apricots are simmering

infused with cloves , cinnamon, orange peel & crystallized ginger

a swirl of Agave Syrup to sweeten~maybe a kiss of Grand Marnier

fruit compote is on the menu~generously ladled over vanilla icecream

or maybe simply au naturel in a bowl~ topped with Creme Fraiche

BLISS!!!

~

July 4th, 2013

~

Raspberry Jam sky

with a touch of

orange marmalade

Delicious sunset

July 5th, 2013

~

Watercolor dawn

sliver of moon floats on first light

Robin wakes singing

July 6th, 2013

~

Gorgeous yellow star

honeybee dives deep

#2

She emerges sated

carefully navigating

golden spears

July 7th, 2013

~

Not a small stone~but a boulder

resting mid creek~shaped by floods

years of winter rains created this

small hollow~ carved by water

home for baby willow

sprouting in this most

unusual spot~so determined

to grow and thrive

against all odds