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Saturday, September 19, 2020

Haze




Orange and golden 

before the sun sets down 

haze in the sky

too high 

no smell of smoke

in the prairie azure blue

gigantic fires rage 

on the western edge 

frantic fire fighters 

do battle against 

ferocious tongues of 

roaring vicious flames.


“Smoke veils the air like souls in drifting suspension, 

declining the war’s insistence everyone move on.”

~ Jayne Anne Phillips, Lark & Termite

Friday, September 18, 2020

Offerings ~ 2




Polished and stark 
against the September sky


Graceful and clean, leaning 

into winds warning of winter


Standing tall above

red-gold leafy brush


At journey’s end from seed and soil

offering beauty to those that can see.

 


“There is no exquisite beauty…without some strangeness in proportion.”

~ Edgar Allan Poe

Thursday, September 17, 2020

A Honking Big Challenge


early morning air
crisp, clean and quiet


until


from the water's edge

the challenge came

to six or seven gulls

pushed aside by 

two big honking geese.


“Geese are friends to no one, they bad mouth everybody 

and everything. But they are companionable once 

you get used to their ingratitude and false accusations.

~ E.B.White

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Weekly Update: Chapter Two, Episode One - A Letter to Digby - Situationally Theirs

Review, Revision, Edit and Update
Introducing my next series of Updates, edits to Chapter Two episodes of Situationally Theirs will be posted each Monday. 

Situationally Theirs started in March with Desperanza Eliot and her sister, Emelina Beaufort on the Beaufort estate. The supporting cast of characters, employees of the estate, are the narrators for Chapter Two episodes.

My characters frequently tell me what needs revising. Martha May Digby, the estate housekeeper, reminded me that she seldom hesitates to speak her mind and yet, in this episode, her reaction about not being told of a letter Digby received, for a whole weekend, was nowhere to be found. Her reaction has been included. 

A Letter to Digby

“Martha, have you noticed anything different lately?” James was drying the breakfast dishes while his new wife scrubbed them clean. Martha May and James Edward Digby’s new kitchen did have a dishwasher, but saved it for during the week when they were both working. Of course, there was the occasional dinner with Elizabeth and Samuel or when Martha’s daughter Joanie and her children came for Sunday dinner. “What do you mean, James? Different here at our cottage? We’ve only been married for a couple of months. Everything seems quite settled in our cottage.” James was quiet for a moment. He put the plate he had dried up in the cupboard and picked up another. “I don’t mean here, Martha dear. Really it’s more up at the Estate. I think. There is also the matter of the letter that came in Friday’s mail.”

“Letter. What letter?” Martha put the last cup on the draining pan and dried her hands on her apron. James sighed. “It’s on my desk. I didn’t want to leave it at work. It’s not a long one but maybe explains the odd sense of quietness I’ve felt.

Martha's face was stern. James put down his plate and tea towel. Martha, please don't be angry that I kept it from you.”

~~~~~
Good morning Digby,

I felt I should send this note to you, as you have managed Beaufort Estate for quite some time. Mrs. Beaufort and her sister Miss Eliot have also been informed of what I am about to tell you.

I have enjoyed each day spent with everyone working for and those acquainted with the Estate. I find that my time has become too compromised to do my previous daily visits the justice each of you deserve. My visits to the Estate will only be once a week from now on. 

Thank you for all the wonderful stories that you’ve given me while we’ve all been distanced these many months of pandemic restrictions.

Please let the others know of this sudden change.
Your Storyteller.

“Oh heavens, I'm not all that upset now that you've read the letter to me. I'm just surprised! My goodness, James. Here we were just always wanting to talk that poor Storyteller’s ear off. Even our little ghost, Sarah. Well, what are we going to do, James?” Martha wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron. 

“Well, Martha” James was all business. “We’ll call a staff meeting for next week to see how we can help. We haven’t had one for several weeks now. Elizabeth can get cooking for a good meal afterwards. Now, let’s get out for our walk. Bring your basket with you. Samuel should have some tomatoes and carrots for us. We’ll stop at the house and tell Elizabeth.” 

“Tell the story as if it were only of interest to the small
 circle of your characters, of which you may be one. 
There is no other way to put life into the story.”
~ Horacio Quiroga, Uruguayan novelist, poet, and short story writer

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Marking Time

Time worn on my wrist
Tiny clicks ticking ‘round

Time hung up on the wall
Hands sweep minutes away.

Time marked in digital green
Announces time to get up.

Time marked on calendars on desks, walls and devices
Set in blocks and squares and on lines

Time marked by sun, moon and stars
On their journey through space

“Time marks us while we are marking time.”
~ Theodore Roethke

Monday, September 14, 2020

Silent Whispers ~ 1



             
            Words
             hidden
             silent

             Ideas
             dormant
             whispers

             Story
             all around
             invisible



“When words don’t come easy, I make do with 
silence and find something in nothing.”
~ Strider Marcus Jones, (Poet)

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Level Ground




To pause
To breathe and breathe again

To rest
To find level ground

To awaken
To the new world around me





“It’s a transformative experience to simply pause 
instead of immediately filling up space.”
~ Pema Chodron

For Jon and Briana

 
Rylie Rose'Marie 
Briana and Jon
(mom and dad)

 

 Joy in each other ~
  Love for one another

  Neither are restricted 
  heart to heart.

  A back yard wedding
  under a tent lit all around for

  family and friends,
  just the right number  

  cosy against the outside chill,
  toasted, laughed and clapped.

~~~~~~~~~~