Tax Time

Setting aside the must do’s and should have’s, there were taxes to be done. April may bring showers, but April 

always brings tax time. Nerves all a jangle, it’s like edging into the unknown! My knowledge of financing an 

entire country is zip. Do we know if the money managers that we hire 

with our votes know what they’re doing? 

I can only assume that they do. 

Listening to political debates 

gives me little knowledge 

of the best person to juggle 

finances with citizens welfare. 

Balancing the budget, 

laws or not, 

is challenged 

by very human opinions, 

beliefs and biases. 

So I fill out the forms, sending them 

into the void that is the tax machine.

“You can’t know, you can only believe - or not.”

~ C.S.Lewis

'Down South'

Original beliefs of my family 

down south, and my years 

working down south have 

almost been tarnished with 

the raucous goings on between 

here and there ~ such a quaint 

couple of words to define that 

big noisy country ‘down south’; 

‘across the line’ another quaint phrase defined that invisible border we crossed when going to see Grandmother and Granddad.

And across my living room 

I see the first piece of furniture 

I bought when I moved there in 1988. It’s a comfortable reminder of 

those years and a place where I seek 

its comfort to rock me into solace. 

I have believed in the goodness of these 

families and neighbours; 

even though the spelling 

of a few words that drop the ‘u’ 

jostles my spelling sensibilities. 

One brother lives and works ‘down south’;

uncles who fought in WW2, and 

cousins, aunts and uncles; colleagues and friends 

make up those original beliefs and memories ~ 

tarnished by today's uproar but only for a moment.

“Have convictions. Be friendly. Stick to your beliefs 

as they stick to theirs. Work as hard as they do.”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

A Quest ~ Harmony ~ Theme for March 2025

Harmony is …….

Agreement comes……

Respect means……

Mending with……

Original beliefs…..

Naivety misses…..

Yearning for……

“Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. 

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

~ Albert Einstein, The Quotable Einstein

Phase-ology 102

I wrote and posted Phase-ology 101 in November of 2014. I am now in the next phase of a long term writing project. When I wrote the second line ‘not too long…but just long enough’ I had no idea it would almost be 10 years for this next phase. There have been many writing phases since 2014 all with the help of everyone who has read my stories, essays, poems over the years.  Finally arriving at Phase-ology 102, I still have lots of work to do.

Phase-ology 101 

New phases, like the phases of the moon, need breathing space

Not too long….but just long enough

Centering, regrouping but more importantly

….remembering.

Remembering each difficult, or not so difficult, task was accomplished with all the same skills

learned over a life that keeps rolling along,

shifting with changing spaces of time and talent,

carrying the vitality of belief and experience into each new phase.

With belief and creativity in mind and heart ~ 

Deep breath, 

Spread out,

Pull back in

And lean into the work once more.

“There’ll come a writing phase where you have to defend the time,

unplug the phone and put in the hours to get it done.”

~ James Taylor

Phase-ology 102 

New phases, like the phases of the moon, need breathing space

not too long….but just long enough and much longer than imagined

fears, insecurities, self-doubt hovering just out of reach ~

centering, regrouping and more importantly

….remembering.

remembering difficult, or not so difficult, 

tasks were accomplished with skills

learned over a life that keeps rolling along,

shifting with changing spaces of time and talent,

carrying the vitality of belief and experience into each new phase.

always with the support and encouragement

       from everyone, anywhere, 

reaching out when my heart is too full,

my mind feels too empty, or my soul too dry

With belief and creativity in mind, heart and soul ~ 

Deep breath, 

Spread out,

Pull back in

And lean into the work once more.

“There’ll come a writing phase where you have to defend the time,

unplug the phone and put in the hours to get it done.”

~ James Taylor

Story Telling

“You’ve dressed me up with finery,

'neath the grandest Story Tree of all, 

yet ask of me to tell you, 

what story to tell this eve. 

Look all around you 

in the home you’ve landed in

and tell me 

there’s no story here at all?”

I listened to the wise old tree

and gave his trunk a hug

for each step I’ve stepped,

fallen and stood up,

each mile I’ve traveled

‘round twists and turns has

brought me to this place today.

The wise old tree nodded as if to ask 

“what more is there to tell?”

A lovely shiver sped down my spine

as memories came to me

of family, friends, and mentors

living many life times with me,

sharing laughter, tears and just a day.

We’ve all come through good times and bad,

letting go and hanging on;

believing in each other when 

everything seems quite done.

As long we keep our steps a-stepping,

keep family, friends, and mentors in our lives 

we’ve stories we can tell.

“My friends have made the story of my life,

In a thousand ways they have turned

my limitations into beautiful privileges.”

~ Helen Keller

At the Ready!

This tiny old gentleman, 

as his ancestors have done, 

protects house and home with 

magic from his little drum. 

Old Saint Nick behind him stands, 

ready to take toys to all the lands 

where children, whether big or small, 

still believe in tales so tall.

“This is, indeed, a place where magic happens.”

~ Amanda V. Shane, Snow Maiden

Chapter Two, Episode 113 - The Problem with Belief - Situationally Theirs

 The Problem with Belief

“Reindeer cannot fly!” Ben was frustrated with his little sister. “They do so. You told me a million times.” Abby was patient with her brother, most of the time. But he was being silly. Just because you’re almost 12 now doesn’t mean you know more than me.” Putting her head down to her work, she picked up the red marker and coloured in Rudolph’s nose. Their mother had brought the colouring kit so she could make a Christmas decoration. She bought them markers with lots of colours. “Isn’t there any gold, mom?” Wanting to put lots of sparkly gold on the sleigh and make the star gold, she was disappointed. But just a little. “You’ll just have to use the yellow, dear. Next time I get to the store, I’ll see if there’s some gold sparkles.” When Ben saw the cutouts he thought they were dumb, but decided to help her anyway. Because he thought that ‘reindeer don’t fly’ she wouldn’t let him colour them and told him to do the trees and the big deer. So quiet settled over the kitchen table as they worked, their mother finishing up the Christmas cookies. 

“What are we going to do for snow? There’s no white in the markers.” Putting the baking dishes in the sink, Martha's daughter, Joanie Richardson washed her hands. “Ben, go get my crocheting basket from the living room. I think I might have something in there for snow.” He groaned. “Where is it, mom?” Drying her hands, she smiled at her cranky son. “Beside my big chair, Ben. Where it always is. And get my white scarf from the coat hook by the front door.” With a sigh, he stood and slumped to the living room. “I don’t know where my pleasant boy went. The closer he gets to his birthday, the grumpier he gets.” Leaning over to Abby and her work, she praised her daughter. “You’ve thanked your brother for helping you?” Abby nodded, still examining her work. She looked up at her mom. “He told me reindeer don’t fly! That’s not true is it.” Joanie’s thoughts went back to the times when Ben had asked her the same questions. What had she told him? “Well, most reindeer can’t fly. Have you ever seen the real Santa Claus?” Her daughter screwed up her face, thinking hard. “Um, no I don’t think so. Those Santas at the mall are just his helpers, right?” Joanie let go a little sigh of relief. “Yes, honey. And I’ve never seen the real Santa. But I believe he’s real. I’ve never seen a real reindeer, except on the Nature Channel. But I believe that Santa has reindeer that fly.” Although that seemed to satisfy her daughter, her precious little face was still troubled. “There’s lots of things in this world that we’ll never see but we believe in them.” Abby brightened. “Like what mom?” There it was. A tougher question to answer. “Well…..” She was stumped. 

“Mom, here’s the basket and the scarf. What do you want me to do with them?” Saved! For now. Maybe Abby would forget the ‘belief’ question and whether reindeer could fly or not. Or, it would give her time to mull it over, talk with her dolls about it and then they could talk it over again. “Thanks Ben.” From the bottom of the crochet basket she took out a wad of white batting. She stacked up some books and spread the white scarf over it all. While she did that, Ben put the pieces of the Christmas display together. Joanie showed her daughter how to arrange the white batting in front of the little woodland scene.  “The cocoa’s ready, kids.” Three Christmas mugs on the cupboard, Joanie poured hot chocolate for them each. Marshmallows on top, cookies disappearing hand to mouth, the little family admired their handiwork. With her mouth full, and a marshmallow moustache, Abby said “Believing is a funny thing, isn’t mom? I guess Ben can believe what he wants.” She took another cookie and smiled knowingly at Ben.

”Grown-up people do not know that a child can give 

exceedingly good advice even in the most difficult case.”

~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot

Activism

Over the top belief ~

Is there really such a thing?

Definitely!

A wrong to be righted

Activism born ~

Speaking out and living loud

Social norms

Reshaped to fit the need

Over the top belief ~

Is there really such a thing?

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, 

Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

~ Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Narrow Vision ~ PASSION ~ Theme for August 2022

Passion!? Whatever do you mean…

Art and the world…..

Serious or spontaneous…..

Seven days of…..

Idea ~ only the germ….

Over the top belief……..

Nerds? Are they ever……..

“A great fire burns within me, but no one stops to warm 

themselves at it, and passers-by only see a wisp of smoke.”

~Vincent Van Gogh

Author's note: After a discussion with a friend about the word 'passion', I decided to look up the definition. My definition was really about romance, not about a deep belief in something ~ even though, in August of 2018, I had written that same theme. So this month, my theme is ‘passion’ ~ again. Just maybe I can learn nuances of this word ~ ‘passion’ and maybe more about myself.

At the Bus Stop ~ Castle in the Air?

It was an ordinary day. Not too hot but hot enough. I hadn’t worn a hat against the brilliant sun so I stepped into the bus shelter to wait. Turned out, it was a longer wait than I planned. So I looked around at the ordinary street scene. Traffic, walkers, nothing special. Glancing up to the clouds ~ I love clouds ~ I was transported into fantasy land. I blinked, cleaned my glasses and looked all around me. It really was only a reflection, but where……..what? I’ve been in many bus shelters on hot days but this effect was absolute magic. I stepped out of the bus shelter - the ‘castle’ had vanished from the clouds. Back in ~ the castle reappeared. 

My bus was coming so I had no time to see which building it was……..but the sense of magic has stayed with me. 

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you 

because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. 

Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.

~ Roald Dahl