My Boy and His Dog

They were away and returned last night tuckered out.

The move to Athens will occur soon.

BTW, all material (unless noted) posted here is created by me. I do not use stock photography nor other such.

Little Pleasantries

Nothing showy you all, just little things. Firstly, I did not want to go to town (anywhere not in the woods), today. Alex has been visiting his father and left Goobi, the cat, with my dogs and me. Goobi needed food. The city was necessary; I could not allow Goobi to starve.

It was not raining, which I have mentioned we are in the “rainy season.” The Explorer, though somewhat dirty, was not as bad as I expected. Alex and Maui have used it extensively. Mostly there are white hairs and footprints, but I was pleasantly surprised. The tank was almost empty, and that was about $35, but the station was not crowded, and it went smoothly.

I went to Kroger and picked up a few things, then got directed to the cat food. A three-pound bag was almost $12. Then I looked again, the tag said a limited quantity only this flavor was $3.60 per three-pound bag. This was Nutro Salmon and Brown Rice. There were two bags, but one was all the way at the back. My short self tried to reach it, a no-go. I walked up the aisle and saw nothing with length to it, and there seemed to be a shortage of available tall humans. I really like tall humans, they are handy. I keep one when I can. I looked the other way and saw some lint brushes. I was not sure these were sufficient, but anything is worth a try once, almost. I stood on the bottom shelf. You have seen short people doing this. I am sure I do not recommend it, but desperate times… I managed to snag the food. My way of seeing things, God set that up for me.

I went to Dairy Queen for an M&M Blizzard as a truly nutritional lunch. When the owner’s son gave me my receipt, he told me to do the survey, and he would give me a large blizzard for the cost of a medium, which is not what the paper says, but I know some people.

Alex was not with me, so I was not on a mission at Sam’s Club, and I browsed around as I do. Checking stock, checking prices, dreaming over books. I talked to a lady over the grapes. Sam’s likes to move things around and confuse customers. We talked about how their produce is superior to Kroger’s, and she agreed. I had discussed my theory on that with Alex, and without trotting it out, the lady’s experience agreed with my thoughts. We talked for several minutes, and it was delightful. Then when I went to leave, she said, “God Bless You!” I returned it with my own, but it felt so good to have an utter stranger bless me.

Another lady was looking at coffee, and I asked her which kind she liked. She said most anything, just not designer flavored coffees. She walked away, but when I came to the end of the aisle, she told me her real thing was creamers. We talked some more, and we were both smiling and pleased with the conversation.

The thing is I have severe social anxiety, and I am working on it by talking to strangers. It is fun, but the overthinking afterward, I could leave off.

I came home and got over-heated going in and out of a 57-degree house. Then I got cold. Because the propane will not deliver until Monday, I turned the central heat to 65. Then I decided to rock out to Newsboys and had to turn the heat off.

Life is amazing. People are so precious, beautiful.

God goes before us. We are loved.

Keystone

When the windows are all closed,
The locks engaged barring doors,
We must find the keys, or remain
Without entrance to our destiny;
Others can lend us assistance
If we give them an opportunity.
Sometimes we see a closed portal
And turn ourselves away
Because searching for the key
Is hard and locations past
Still hold our interest, rooted,
In comfort zones, we know well.
Growth, change, learning,
Are our reasons to exist,
Walking through the doors
Is what we are made to do;
Our creativity is a boon
Even giving us our keys.
Storm the doors, unlock
The windows – allow the freshness
Inside for the secret of happiness
Lies in the brilliance of accomplishment;
We all have potential we fail
To recognize, but we must
Our strengths, passions, realize,
Knowing within us God created
Talent and ability, vision to achieve
A life full, free, loving, given to shine;
We are placed to nurture the world.
Discover the key, make history!

I know she does not directly relate to the poem. The Wookie is just a part of those gifts that keep me present and moving forward. She does not care for cameras though.

Before the Rain

Day Eleven – 2020 Creativity Project

This birdcage is at least fifty years old, I had a dusty blue parakeet in it when I was very young. We had birds until Mom decided they were nasty. The mess did not fit her fastidious ways.

These short poems are all individuals. None of them is directly connected. Some were written at different times today. Some in my journal, some at the keyboard as I stood here in front of the screen. They are tanka, and of course, a lone haiku.

Some days hold torrents
In a loose embrace, then let
The sky-bound tears fall;
Sympathy for hearts broken
By losses too great to bear.

I could cage myself
Hide all the feelings away,
But emotions tend
To lead me often in life,
I am tender, edge of knife.

Secret reasons why
I keep trying to catch you
With a picture, line,
But you fast escape the ties
I might employ to bind you.

My heart breaks again
With an ache shot through and through;
The long loss of you.

I almost began
To hope for the future again,
But then I recalled
How the fires seared my skin
And things became ashes then.

Pieces together
Fit the pattern of quiet
Built on peaceful days
When all we needed, we found,
Within one another bound.

The rain came, bucketfuls at once, and walking the dogs was a waste of time. We only got soaked. I did walk awhile before alone with the Sony camera. It is nice to photograph whatever I decide.

I hope, as a prompt, you will create something lovely, and with love. All of us need more kindness, comfort, care.

This scene draws me in, and I am uncertain why. I think the stark lines may have something to do with it. Mysterious allure.

God Bless and Keep You and Yours.

Creative Variety

Day Seven – 2020 Creativity Project

Wookie watching Wick

Wookie raptly watching a movie. Edited version.

I have been on the internet since 1991. Creatives are among my favorite people. A baseline normal between creatives, we are all original individuals. Our personalities, gifts, characteristics, styles, spirituality, beliefs, all those, and more make us unusual, and yet we are alike. There is a spark in the room when creatives meet. We chatter, and we immediately find something which we can relate to within one another.

Many of us are introverts, we will find ways to sequester ourselves in privacy. Though we can lay that aside long enough to perform something we believe in. Sometimes, this is almost too hard. What should we write, draw, paint, photograph, what tools use? Is art worthwhile? Is the meaning and connotation of a word correct? Is it perfect, or close enough, no one can see the seams, the erasures? The picture, should it have been edited, or was the original better? Will anyone read, will they care, will someone?

Uncertainty seems to come with the territory, but we can stand loud and proud when we feel we must. Our hearts are open, our minds malleable, our work forever with us. Dreams are waking us to grab tools of record in the dire hours of the night. We study, then find it not enough, and explore more.

When the curtain draws down, we will be begging long enough to get the current work complete. Dame Death can wait…

Maybe I exaggerate, I am a poet who writes stories, essays, and attempts books. I do these Creativity Projects that tax me beyond belief. I believe in making myself work because if I do not commit, I might crawl into a cavern and secret myself away. Figuratively speaking darlings, if I had a cavern, we would have sleepovers on crisp nights.

I did poems today, but I am not satisfied with any of them, then when am I confident of the writing I do? I think it is why I read so much. I can twine my mind in someone else’s creation. Anyway, you are warned.

Down, Upsideways

Touched by the feather
Of a snowy dove named love
My soul reaches up
Toward Heaven way above
Then stretches out and abroad.

I inhale the breeze
Breathing out weighty worry;
Then again process,
Exhaling stores of kindness and joy
Praying health, happiness, prosperity to all.

I hope good fortune
Will find ample opportunity in many lives;
People who shall discover
Grace as comfort always
And fullness of faith as a living fire.

SWAP

Can I be you now?
I know I should not ask,
But you seem self-assured,
Only for today, until
The time day goes undercover
Where we can dream mysteries
We might never encounter if
Our lives did not intersect,
Combine, entwine, meld,
Like no one knows but we
In on the secrets only we two may
Comprehend, understand;
How will our hearts ever beat
Quite the same as prior, after
Sharing who we really are?
Do you realize how precious,
Surpassing grand are the gifts
You within yourself do own?
We might be explorers, ah, home.

Perpetually

Let us live forever
Remembered by generations
Whose opportunity to know
Us is only in the creations
We leave behind in time.
What we share with others
What we release from within,
Those bits and pieces of thought
Captured in any set form
Can transmit over eras
Perhaps helping someone grow
Into a person better suited
To survive whatever may
Become their experience
In living a maximum life.

I hope you found something of worth, I have not felt like I could do this today. The Quits have set in. You know that saying, “You should not be doing this. It is not any good. Give up.” Yeah, my brain has not yet learned, “Never Give Up!” is stronger. Anyway, thank you for visiting. If you wish there is a follow button, or come back when you like.

All the best to you, and keep reaching for your goals, I believe in you. I thank God this marvelous tool brings us together. I hope I did not go over long today. Sometimes, if you knew, I have lots to share.

Wookie watching television, movie. Less edited version.