2011 Begins

Now with some contrived and essential mark we measure this as a time of beginning, starting over to be met with resolute and refocused living. We stand on the horizon of this day drawing on every clarion call to gather the greatest of forces, the grandest of hopes and the masses of humanity around us - all to establish this elusive passing of time, this moment with the greatest of potential and confidence that now, here and for all that comes our life will be blessed, better, different, improved...

This now is then followed by the somber morning when the debris of the previous is scattered, flittering upon the ground around us and we find this New morning has embraced us, each singularly, and all that we have proclaimed in the midst of our cheering  Auld Lang Syne community - now rest squarely upon our lone shoulders. We know, always have known, that whatever progress this life will find in the day ahead will come only from the first small, solitary steps toward it we take - and then another...  In this each year is built and in this each life is lived, won, lost, blessed and founded. In this singular effort to live a life of value and worth we find, nay create, the illusive reality of community and family of like minded and action folk.

Here's to our New Year. Today I take that step to begin anew and I look forward to traveling with you...

Word Mire



Word Mire

there is too much
written
that only scratches the surface of it
like the cats claws picking
shredding cashmere as if it were
an old rug

too many words
written
that only pretend passion
like roadside clay jars
imitating ancient Greek
vases


there are so many words
written
that define verbosely beauty
 sprayed out like tobacco spit
dried on the edges of a saloon
cuspidor

there are too many words
written
that I must wade through
fighting mundane currents
insipid tidal pools spawning
muck

there are too many words
written
around those few gems, crystals
that find their way through the morass
and glisten delicate hues of
you

there are too many words
written
that must be read
and I have lost
the time
the patience
the heart
to read my way to you
now

Christmas Day Wish



"If I could lay before you the dearest gift this morning, it would be a time of no beginning and no end. It would be life filled with good health,  and peace and inner joy that can only come from the spirit.

You would quietly refine your thoughts and words so that you never draw anything to you but the finest. You would rest deeply and breath in sweet peace. You would know the tremendous difference between the physical and the spiritual - turning from anger and frustration to a safe haven of love.

You would always be the most loyal friend - not to me but to yourself. All the issues of life rise out of the heart - so this is a gift from heart to heart."

-from  "A Cherokee Feast of Days, II."

I have expressed my heart to you. I have nothing to take back. - Chief Joseph (Nez Perce)

Finding Christmas in Volunteering

The ringing is incessant and then becomes a silent part of the constant din of noise – cars starting and driving off, and people hurrying by, captured in constant conversation about the last or next shopping destination. And there I stand, most of the times in the cold – always ringing the little brass bell.

I volunteer through my Rotary Club to ring the Salvation Army bell each year. Each year I hesitate to sign up for a couple of hours of standing in the cold. Each year I think of hundreds of other things I could be doing instead, and each year I sign-up to ring that little bell.

It happens to me every year. Somehow, as people walk by – a variety of faces, ages, economic classes – I see them acknowledge the bell and the bucket and what it represents: the presence of charity in our world. And as slowly and steadily breath brings life into my lungs, each time I speak to the passersby “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” I feel that elusive spirit of Christmas enter into my spirit and I know that beneath and behind all of the trappings of the holiday, people know , need and seek the blessing of Charity.

The ringing of that bell is when I find Christmas, every year and this year, on December 17th, I will did it again. Merry Christmas!

Santa is Doing WHAT!?

Several years ago (I won't divulge how many because I'm not sure if the 'never talk about a woman's age applies to her, yet) my daughter spent a semester studying abroad in Spain (Yes, I believe she was studying). The Christmas that followed her return she presented us with an inappropriate , weird, ...unusual gift.

The photos below show the small Santa figurine, and yes - he is doing what you think he is doing. She claimed that these figures were all the rage in Spain and to her credit, I did find this link (which dates back to about that time).

Kids.


Redneck Ornaments - Two Dixie Cups and a String

Continuing on the Homemade Ornament theme, I also remember what you can make with two Dixie cups and a string.

Make a small hole in the bottom of two paper Dixie cups. Thread a piece of colored yarn through the cups to connect them (tie a knot on each end of the yarn to keep it from pulling through). Then, cover each cup with tin-foil and you now have “Silver Bells” to place on the tree – or on your ears while you run around the house singing Christmas songs – not that I have personally done anything like that – I’m just saying, you could.

Dog Meets Christmas Tree...

From last year…

My wife heard a crunching sound coming from the living room and after investigating caught her dog, Sunnie, (note when he is bad he is her dog) making a snack out of one of the ornaments. Sunnie was chewing on a low hanging Gingerbread Man Ornament – now a one legged Ginger Bread Man ornament. My wife rescued the ornament and re-hung it higher on the tree – leaving the recent Gingerbread Man amputee for others to see and wonder about.

I guess that Ginger Bread Man didn’t “run, run, run as fast as you can” – fast enough…


Christmas Toy Hammer Time

Social Media Me



Twitter
tweets #scream
RTs mark my mind
@slapping my humor
taunting my @attention
Facebook!
look what @she said
funny pictures
another #page to #Like
that should be on LinkedIn, too
LinkedIn!
a mention of my @business
my expertise must be seen
Plz RT!
my domain claimed, reiterate
duplicate, repurpose content
again, repeat
#retweetupdatepost

then
there is no room
nothing left for

reflection
resting
in the arms of con-tem-plation

no room for
being still
stillness, in this place - now
creative

i'm starved
(HEY! i should #tweetPostUpdate that...)

In from the Sea

In defiance of the cold and snow...



In From the Sea

When the wind blows in from the sea you can hear the
crackle of palm fronds breaking free from the heat
hiss of sea oats defiantly bowing inland
whisper of sand celebrating its lofty release from gravity
sputter of foam cascading skyward cut from wave caps
chime of delicate shells dancing across dunes
When the wind blows in from the sea you can hear
The prayers of ancient mariners reaching home