Blue Sky Poetry

Azure or cobalt,

sapphire or royal

Wrap around our world blue

save for errant clouds hiding 

in mountains and forests

or traveling carpets of water 

off to parts unknown....

Today at the bus stop I had time to look. 

The clear blue sky, leafless trees reaching 

into the void. Tall office buildings, straight edged, 

diminished by the grandeur of the sky, 

mere cutouts on the ball of dust that we stand on.

The magnitude of the morning sky 

and our tiny lives was not lost on me. 

We have it all arranged in roads and sidewalks, 

squared off fields and plantings. 

The night time sky shows only a hint 

of the myriad of planets, stars and galaxies 

that spin and revolve in the space past the sky

We discuss and plan, build and tear down 

but in the end the beautiful sky is over us all.

“I never get tired of the blue sky.”

~ Vincent van Gogh

When We Were Children

We are all tired 

tired of the day 

the season 

the night 

tired of the work 

that builds our lives 

and yet we continue

to be grateful, 

to laugh

to love

to create families and homes.

Perhaps our energy feels low 

because the life we live 

is filled with so much more than 

the one that we promised ourselves 

when we were children.

Can we not rest easy within this abundance?

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

~ E.E. Cummings

Only Ours

Mending with silken threads

that slip and slide 

through fabric woven of 

many strong lives; 

Mending when no outsider

has been invited in to 

fill the invisible tears and 

‘fix’ what is only ours to fix.

Mending with our own 

strong voices and firm resolve

is to stand together 

against any intrusive outsider.

“There are plenty of other ways to mend a broken heart 

and doing some list full of stuff that you don’t 

want to do doesn’t have to be one of them.”

~ Anna Bell, The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart

Saskatoon 'Berry' Festival in Regina

St. Mary’s Anglican Church at 3337 15th Ave, was a 20 minute walk under the shade of elms. The sun was warm and a breeze played with my hair. Along the way, I met another woman who was on her way. We enjoyed our brisk walk together sharing stories of our love of dogs.

 Saskatoons have played a part in my life since I was a child. As a family, we picked these favourite berries in a community pasture. Empty ice cream buckets soon were filled with the delicious purple fruit and, once in the kitchen, transformed into pies and containers of frozen saskatoons. I don’t recall if mom made jams, or syrups but I have since enjoyed both. When I saw the poster advertising this Festival, I was intent on attending. It’s been a really great busy summer, so I really wasn’t certain until this morning of my timing. I was told there were line ups before the Festival opened at 1:30 pm. Saskatoon pies advertised were sold out quickly. Many were ordered for pick up. I was unable to get there until after three, so no saskatoon pie for me. I was limited to a spread, chocolate covered berries and a saskatoon powder for use in smoothies, yogurts or baking. The last is new to me!

My disappointment about no pie was assuaged by the vocals of the Empire Associates, a married couple who have been singing and performing together for many years. Husband on guitar, they sang in harmony, their voices strong and beautiful. I was told that many of their songs were their original music. They interspersed their performance with familiar Johnny Cash songs. All in all it was a lovely afternoon.

When I arrived I had seen, on the church lawn, a young girl contributing to a large painting set between supports. On my way home, I stopped to look at the painting. The artist introduced herself and explained that she had drawn the original sketch for children to fill in throughout the day. She indicated certain places where she had painted and pointed out the children’s art. Such a wonderful thing for her to provide for the children!

“The Cree name for this plant is ‘mis-ask-quah-toomia’, 

which early white settlers shortened to ‘saskatoon’. Saskatoon berries were 

the most important plant food used by the Blackfoot peoples of the prairies.” 

~ plantwatch.naturealberta.ca ~ Human Uses

Without Forest

 

 Overpowering forest

growing without purpose

 except to shelter life.

“A forest is a living thing like human body…

each part dependent on all the other parts.”

~ Louis L’Amour

Overwhelmed

Come now with me and 

save the forests, 

save the planet, 

save humanity, 

save the animals, 

save the bees and butterflies 

save money 

save time

save lives

no vast organization asks 

to save one individual 

human shoulders grow weary

with all this saving until we

know our own salvation is within

clearing the space around us

as we walk through life

protecting and saving what we can

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those 

little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

~ Bishop Desmond Tutu 

October 07, 1931- December 26, 2021

Movie Review: THE GOOD HOUSE directed by Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky

Taken at Southland Cineplex

Hildy Good, a successful New England Realestate agent, has control over her life. Or at least she believes she does. In the small seaside community of Wendover, Massachusetts, Hildy Good, played by Sigourney Weaver, has been the sole agent until an employee steals her client list and becomes her competition. She is funny, charming and honest. Unfortunately, Hildy’s alcohol use creates problems in her family as well as her business. After an intervention by her family (Emily and Tess) and ex-husband (Scott Good), she had gone to Rehab. However, she only tempered her alcohol use. Frank Getchell (Kevin Kline) is an old crush. Their relationship, reestablished, is mature and tender. Then, Hildy’s business is in jeopardy. Unpleasant family memories begin to surface. Life for Hilary Good is not in control after all. 

As I write this, I’ll admit I am concerned that many will see this as just another story of what alcohol does to a family and community. But Sigourney Weaver and all her supporting cast, show a community with all its foibles ~ not all of them alcohol affected. I found it a very engaging and enjoyable story. A movie I would see again.

“The simple truth is this: Most humans are very much alike. 

The simple and obvious truth is that there are very few variables

 to what a person might do, think, fear or desire in any given situation.”

~ Ann Leary, The Good House (Hilary Good)

Directed by: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky

Writing Credits: 

Thomas Bezucha - Screenplay

Maya Forbes - Screenplay

Wallace Wolodarsky - Screenplay

Ann Leary - Novel

Cast:

Sigourney Weaver: Hildy Good

Kevin Kline: Frank Getchell

Morena Baccarin: Rebecca MeAllister

Rob Delaney: Peter Newbold

Molly Brown: Emily Good

David Rasche: Scott Good

Rebecca Henderson: Tess Good

Kathryn Erbe: Wendy Heatherton

Kelly AuCoin: Brian McAllister

Georgia Lyman: Cassie Dwight

Easier

It would be so easy 

to walk past 

all the gifts of my life.

It would be so easy

to give only a casual nod 

to their presence in my life.

It is always easier

to slow down, breathe

and take time for gratitude.

“Life is a long lesson in humility.”

~ J.M.Barrie, The Little Minister

From a Distance

Reckless and thoughtless!

No care taken, at all,

with others lives!

From a distance

across the ocean

anger froths impotently

In the comfort of homes

supplied with food and water

we are warm and horrified.

“Creators of history always play with our impotence and our ignorance.”

~ Dejan Stojanovic, The Sun Watches the Sun

 

Cycle of Life

Extraordinary. 

Forests stand and fall

breathing with life ~

tiniest of microbes,

deer and their fawns shelter, 

furry creatures scurry about, 

chirping blackbirds, twittering juncos and grand eagles fly in from the blue to build nests and aeries high in the trees

Forests destroyed? ~ extraordinary.

“Forests should not be walked on, 

they should be walked under and through.”

~ Courtney M. Privett, Mayfly Requiem