Friday, February 28, 2014

Six Word Fridays ~ Light



For a few weeks each year,
this short stretch of my evening
commute comes alive with golden light.  


Snowy rooftops, windows, drain pipes and
 telephone wires catch the sun's rays 
until this slice of my ordinary
is transformed. And I am dazzled.




My Memory Art six word fridays

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Valentine Flour


Oh, the weather outside was frightful. It could have been any typical February evening...except that we had a houseful. My brother and his wife were in town. And my son was home. The plan had been to go out for dinner, but the snowy streets left us house bound. I'd left work early, was in my sweats and happy to be settled in for the night. We broke out the wine and cheese, chattered and laughed, and didn't notice the time pass until my husband called to say he was leaving the office. It's our nightly ritual. A phone call to say that he's on his way and to share our day. I didn't linger on the line, but before he hung up he asked if I needed anything. I said no, and told him I'd head into the kitchen to get dinner going.

After few more minutes of conversation, I got up to put the water for the pasta on to boil, and started to chop some vegetables. At some point, mid-chopping, my husband appeared. I remember feeling relieved that he'd made it home easily in spite of the snow. He said his hellos, set down his brief case and went to trade the suit and tie for his sweats and slippers.

With the chopping done, I started to gather the ingredients for the sauce. Milk, butter, seasonings, cheese and flour. Uh-oh....no flour in the canister. Or the cupboard over the stove. In fact, it didn't matter how many cupboards I opened, or how many times I peeked into the canister. There was no flour in the house. I have no idea how many years it's been since that was the case. But here I was. Mid way through the meal prep, and not one teaspoon of flour.

As he was mixing a drink, my husband noticed my flurry of activity. And my sighs. And probably a "grrrrrrr" or two. Being the perceptive individual that he is, he asked what was wrong. I told him, and without hesitation he found some shoes, put his coat back on, and headed back out into the snow to buy me some flour.

It didn't matter that he had asked if I needed anything earlier, and I had said no.
It didn't concern him that he had warmed up. Or put on those slippers.
It didn't even bother him that all the roads were snowy.

Simple. He just went out, to get me what I needed. When I saw that flour he got a big hug. I thanked him and told him I didn't need him to bring me home any roses the next day. Really. No need.

Here we were, in our little kitchen together. Thirty one years after our first shared winter. And on this snowy valentine's eve,  I learned that {cooking-crisis-rescue} flour trumps {cheesy-holiday} flowers.
Everytime.


Linking up with

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Black and White Wednesdays ~ Weeds


I have a new favorite quote.


It would be a wonderful quote no matter who said it.


But the fact that Eeyore said it
{he's my favorite Pooh character}
makes it even more special!


Cause I love a rose or a tulip as much as the next person.
Really, I do.
But of all the thousands of photos I've taken these last few years,
I think it's my photos of weeds that I love the most.
Especially these teeny, tiny, withering beauties
that have become favorite iPhone macro subjects.


Don't worry.
I didn't forget about the quote
.
"Weeds are flowers too, 
once you get to know them."
Eeyore
{A.A. Milne}


Please share your Black & White photos with us here today!
My Memory Art
{I'm also linking up with Communal Global}

Be Still



thoughts swirl
head full 
chasing details, chasing shadows

feelings churn
heart full
gripping worries, catching fears

i seek solace
to empty the vessel
surface drops spilling easily
buckets left
deeper waters

the light
the air
the wind
the quiet

alone
raising my voice
taking shelter
until i am surrendered and

still




Linking up with
Texture TuesdayJust Write and dVerse Poets

Monday, February 24, 2014

Sabbath?


"Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern;
it will come out a rose by and by.
Life is like that ~
one stitch at a time taken patiently
and the pattern will come out alright like the embroidery."
Oliver Wendell Holmes


After a long week, where a bad stomach bug left me with more cabin fever than all these weeks of winter combined, I was able to enjoy a very relaxing weekend. Saturday's sunshine and fresh air lured me to the pond, and Sunday was all about rest. Chosen rest, which is so much more pleasant than the forced-on-you kind of rest. Or rest of the I'm-just-being-lazy variety. I did some light housekeeping, lingered with the second season of  Call the Midwife....and picked up my needlepoint.


I finished all the light green stitching that fills in the outer border, and decided I'd choose the brightest color in the palate for my next stitches. Orange!  So cheerful and warm!


I think it's going to take a good long while to finish this piece ~ it's over a foot squared! But there is a soothing rhythm to the stitching...no deadlines, no goals. Just one pretty little stitch at a time ~ at my leisure.


At my leisure.

Awash in a sea of brilliant color
Floating along with the ups and downs of a lovely, televised tale, told so beautifully.
Finding my own rhythm.

I know there are many who don't have the luxury of a day like I had yesterday.
And I learned {a bit later than some} how to allow myself such a day. But I've learned.
All of which leaves me very grateful.
I don't suppose that true Sabbath keepers would consider my day of rest to have been restful enough.
But I'm growing. And choosing for myself.
And resting.



And thrilled to be enjoying life...one tiny stitch at a time.



Linking up with
The Good. The Random. The Fun.
and
Macro Monday

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Look Around


time
time
time
see what's become of me
as i looked around for possibilities


look around
leaves are brown


look around
the grass is high


seasons change with the scenery
weaving time in a tapestry


won't you stop and remember me


look around
leaves are brown
there's a patch of snow on the ground

Today's post is inspired 
by the beauty around
Horn Pond,
"Hazy Shade of Winter"
by Paul Simon
and by my 
NEW 50mm LENS!!!!

Joining Kathy and friends 
for Song-ography

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Six Word Fridays ~ Twist


Today's sun brought not only light
but warmth! In a "cruel" twist
of fate, I was stuck inside
with nothing but ice water and
a twist of lemon to soothe
my troubled and twisted up tummy.
{really hoping for calmer insides tomorrow}


My Memory Art six word fridays

Fading







As the petals began to fall, the colors of these tulips grew bolder, deeper. The white tulips folded in on themselves. The pink opened wider and wider until the petals fell back and dropped off. The red tulips turned to burgundy...almost purple. And their petals curled tightly at the edges. Some curled outwards and some inwards like a fancy hairdo.

I kept them in their vase a long time, watching this transformation. It seemed that the older they got, the more I saw them as interesting individuals....instead of a bunch of matching flowers. Each bud changed just a little differently than the one next to it. 

It struck me that I've been like that. In my younger days, I sought out a bunch, a group to belong to. A place to fit in. As I've gotten older I feel an ever increasing freedom to discover, be and express myself. I'd like to think my colors are deepening, and that I have a fancy hairdo or two left in me! Whatever the case, it's this philosophising with the tulips that brought a smile to my face this week!






Joining Kim for
LIttle Things Thursday
and linking up with
Mama Kat's


Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Black & White Wednesday ~ Snow Day

When it snows,
some people go skiing or sledding or build a snow man.
My idea of "playing in the snow"
is taking wintery photos.
And playing with fun new iPhone apps!
This photo was taken on our snowy Tuesday of the diner across from my office!
Old school cute, and great food too!

The Waterlogue App                             The Sketch Guru App


This is a favorite macro I took earlier this winter of a teeny, tiny fading flower.
C'mon...
What could be more fun than turning a favorite photo
into a soft, watery painting or an artsy pencil sketch??!!


If you have some black and white photos in your post today, 
please share your post here!
My Memory Art
 I'm linking up with 

Shhhh.....


"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields,
that it kisses them so gently?
And then it covers them up snug, you know,
with a white quilt; and perhaps it says,
'Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.'"
Lewis Carroll


I wonder, as winter digs in her heels, how I'd live the season differently if I were a tree. If my only "work" right now was to rest. If I knew that I was planted right where I belonged. Nothing to hurry towards, no expectation of bloom or fruit. I think I would know that, in this season of shorter days and long, frigid nights, all that was needed was the gathering of strength. And I'd be glad that, as my branches await the longer, warmer, sunnier days to come, my roots can continue to grow in the blanketed earth. The earth that is kept warm. That does not freeze because of the snow that continues to fall.

As I began this year, I chose "tree" as my inspirational word. So I've been watching them closely...and happen to love this time of year when only branches decorate the sky line. I said to my brother the other day that it's not the snow that is a bother...it's that we all insist on plowing right through it and getting on with our "normal" routines. It's so hard to close down, stay in, quiet down and rest. I can be like a toddler who is too busy to be bothered with a nap. Fighting rest, fighting a change of pace. Resisting the quiet. 

Now, I know I'm not a tree. And school, work, travel, fresh air and grocery shopping will continue to be a part of who we all are - even in the dead of winter. But I'm going to take a hint from the trees, and try not to rush the season. I'm going to head outside during today's snowfall and listen to the quiet. I'm going to leave work early if the roads show signs of worsening...and not worry about loosing a few bucks. And, when I wake up tomorrow the sky will be bright blue, the storm will have passed and "my" branches will be snow kissed yet again. Sure...there's part of me (the cold part!) that feels ready for the spring. But I'm going snuggle up under my soft, white blanket...and wait patiently along with the trees.



Sharing today with
and


Monday, February 17, 2014

My Heart is Full


My body is exhausted....but my heart is - indeed - full. I've had five days with my brother! My {Maui dwelling-newly married-soon to be a father} brother! And, for the first time, I can say...I've had five days with my beautiful sister-in-law! They were married in the fall, and this was their first visit with the family since the big day. The mainland treated them to winter weather the likes of which she's never ever seen in her life! And they managed their whole trip (Boulder, Philadelphia and Boston) without one flight delay or cancellation. 


The touristy highlight of our visit was a trip to Fenway Park. Fumie loves baseball, wanted a Uehara jersey to send to her brother in Japan and wanted a tour of Fenway. So we took the guided tour, and got to see Fenway under a blanket of snow! It really was a sight to see ~ I loved every minute of it.


My sun and surf loving brother was a very good sport...and more than earned his keep! He and Jeremy spent a few good hours outside shoveling our driveway after Thursday's blizzard. These two are so much alike...Uncle and nephew...family first, good friends for ever.


To keep us warm, there was a lot of laughter, good food and libations shared by all during their visit. And I brightened up the inside of the house with some beautiful tulips to cheer us all as we looked out at the falling snow! They cheered me from stem to petal!