Have a wonderful week. 🌞

Hello, blog friends!

I've two surprises to share. The first is an encounter, and the second is my pumpkin patch.

Last week I walked out of a grocery store and noticed a homeless man sitting beneath a tattered umbrella at the edge of the parking lot. I drove to where he sat, rolled down the passenger window and offered some money. The man, with bright blue eyes and sunburnt face, walked over to the car and stared. This is our conversation.

He began with a question, "You don't know who I am, do you?"

     "No sir, I do not."

"You are a teacher."

     "I was, but now I'm retired."

"You are a teacher. I see it in your aura."

     "Maybe so, thank you."

"Do you understand what is happening in our world right now?"

     "I believe I do, sir."

"You are a reader. I see that. Have you read this book ---?

     "No, sir, I have not."

He then explained the thesis of the book, which involved outer planets. 

     "I will look it up, sir. But now I must go."

At this point, the man took the money and thanked me. Then with a lowered head, he muttered, "You will forget the title of the book."

​And I did. 

I think of this man often and if I ever see him again, I will ask his name and the title of the book.

                                                               ~  ~  ~  ~

The second surprise is my pumpkin patch. With leaves of 10-12 inches in size, it has outgrown my 4' by 8' raised bed. I didn't know that pumpkin vines grow six inches a day. Now I don't know what to do, as the vines have crawled over the siding and onto the rocks. Tucked under the leaves are the blossoms -- and the bees. 

Poet Colleen Chesebro asks contributors to reflect on the season. My poem is a simple Tanka (5-7-5-7-7 syllables). And my seasonal words are honeybees and pumpkin blossoms. In the photos below, you can see the density of the leaves and the beauty of the blossoms (only visible when you separate the leaves). 

I hope you have a wonderful week, dear friends. And if you've had an encounter such as the one above, I'd love to know. Also, if you have any advice about pumpkin patches, please share. 🌞

Hello, dear friends. 

It's been quite a week, right? It seems the entire planet is engulfed in flames - real or emotional. Here in the high desert, I escape from it all when I walk in the early morning. Just as the sun peeks over the mountains, I saunter. It's a quiet and refreshingly cool time of the day. I'm often moved by the miracles I see -- quail families, rabbits, songbirds -- and butterflies. 

The poem below is a response to poet Colleen Chesebro's prompt. It is a simple Tanka (syllables of 5-7-5-7-7), and my topic is a miracle.

Butterflies hold a special place in my heart. They are messengers of Light for me, and I always take time to listen - to their gifted tidings. Do you do the same?

I hope your week is gentle on you and yours -- and replete with miracles.

Hello blog friends!

It's Tanka Tuesday, and I've a poem to share. I wrote it after my husband and I drove to nearby Sedona for lunch. On the way, we encountered an area of 'controlled burn.' There are multiple ongoing fires in Arizona due to the severe drought. I've included a map of the fires and as well, a photo I took through the front windshield. 

Poet Colleen Chesebro invites us to create poetry related to our seasonal experiences. I've chosen to write a three-stanza Senryu (3-2-3 syllables). It's a form very similar to haiku. 

In the photo below, Jerome and Sedona are barely visible. The sky is hazy because of the controlled burning and the wildfires to the north. My poem: 

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. I hope you experience cool breezes.