Microfiction Monday #72 She Dreams of Faeries

She removed her shoes and hobbled down the river bank to soak her aching feet. Spent from her journey; she slept; and dreamt of faeries placing moonbeams in her shoes.

Microfiction Monday is hosted by Stony River; You look at the picture and try to write a little vignette for it in 140 characters or less. Lots of fun! http://www.stonyriver.ie/

Labyrinth walking-Solvitur ambulando

St. Augustine said, "Solivitur ambulando", which  means: 'it is solved by walking.'

I think sometimes;

 and especially when you feel stuck;

it's good to walk.

Walk and pray.

That's the idea behind labyrinth walking.

Labyrinths have been around for centuries.

Probably as long as people have felt that they needed to walk and to talk to God.

I learned about labyrinths from Barbara Brown Taylor's exquisite book, "An Altar in The World."



 So I check it out, and sure enough, there is a labyrinth near my home; at Fairhaven Park.

So I go there

not really knowing

 what to expect.

 At first blush it seems

nondescript.

Just a bunch of stones laid out in a pattern on the grass. 

But then, who would look for God

in a barn?

Or by a well-

Or in a tomb?
"Why not a labyrinth," I ask myself.

Most mortals have their most significant encounters with God in ordinary spots.

Or as Barbara Brown Taylor puts it :

"Earth is so thick with divine possibility that it is a wonder we can walk anywhere without cracking our shins on altars."

 So I stand at the opening and breathe a deep cleansing breath.

I take one step...

 Then another.

 I find myself winding along a path with 180 degree turns every so often.

Labyrinths, unlike mazes; have no dead ends.

I like that.

Because God isn't leading me on a wild goose chase...

only to snicker when I run into a block.

No, though it may be circuitous;

His path always leads

Somewhere.

 I start to see how this labyrinth walk is a lot like my life.

Always moving,

but seemingly not that far

from where I started.

Mistakes

 compel me

to take u-turns.

 I forge ahead anyway

making slow progress.

Sometimes painfully slow. 

Gradually the knots in my brain

 untangle
as I weave my way

back and forth.

 I look over to see my husband wandering along his path.

Sometimes we're shoulder to shoulder. Sometimes far apart.

And I think about how often I worry

about where others are on their journey

instead of enjoying my own.

Sometimes I even judge others

because they're not walking

the same road as me.

And when I do that;

get so distracted by others...

I stray off my own course.

So I resolve

to pay more attention to my own path;

and a lot less to yours.

 Up and back.

Back and forth.

Inching closer to

the Center.

The place of Receiving.

Believing.

Knowing.

 Are you living your dream,

or somebody else's?

How on earth can we inspire

anybody

if we don't live our dreams?

Who's  gonna live my dream anyway?

I think about this as I walk.

 Approaching the center there are colored stones.
Blue for heaven.
Brown for earth.

In the middle

there's a small replica

of the labyrinth I'd just walked
which is a replica
of the life I live
which, I hope
is a replica
of the life of Christ.

.

 I stand in the center for a little while.

Thankful for the way He leads.

The psalmist says His paths are called:

Mercy

and

Truth

 That's all I need.

And when I leave this place

I think I may have

bumped my shin

on an Altar.

*

*

*

Microfiction Monday #71 Honeymoon's Over!

She wanted to book the Marriot on their wedding night. He insisted on driving further. They wound up staying in a dilapidated hotel on the outskirts of Nowhere.


Microfiction Monday is hosted by Stony River; You look at the picture and try to write a little vignette for it in 140 characters or less. Lots of fun! http://www.stonyriver.ie/



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A Few of My Favorite Things

Etsy has so many great artisans-I could spend all day there! From time to time; I like to share some of my favorite things; as they truly are 'whatsover things lovely'!



Strawberry Fields Hat Crochet PATTERN in PDF format From BellaMcBride

This scrumptious hat pattern is by one of my favorite crochet designers, Bella McBride. Her designs are nostalgic; romantic, and always elegant. Wouldn't this hat be just perfect with a ruffled pink silk blouse and a crinkly floral skirt?  Or maybe with some faded jeans and an aqua t-shirt...To view more of her lovely work go to   http://www.etsy.com/shop/BellaMcBride?ref=seller_info.

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Mason Jar Luminaries by Treasure Again

These beauiful luminaries have it all. They are pretty, practical, vintage, upcycled, and just plain magical. I plan to buy some of these for my garden this summer. I can just picture them on a warm summer evening, hanging beneath my fir tree grove in the backyard; with the candlelight casting eerie shadows all along the garden path. Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/treasureagain?ref=top_trail

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A View of the Pacific from an Original Watercolor Painting by Joyce Hicks

Village Charm in Westport from an Original Watercolor Painting by Joyce Hicks

 You all know from reading my life list that I long for a little cottage by the ocean. Joyce Hicks paints what my heart dreams. I can so see myself riding along the roads in these paintings on my cruising bike with the basket full of daisies or wild blackberries. There's a brisk, but warm wind coming off the ocean bringing with it the scent of the sea. My grandchildren are just beyond the picket fence; gathering pails and shovels for a day of building sandcastles and frolicking with the waves.  Can you hear them laughing...I can. Sigh! It will happen one day; I know it. Until then I will feed my dreams with beautiful images as these. You can see more of her work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/JHicksFineArt?ref=top_trail.



These are just a few of my favorite things...and my favorite artists from Etsy!



Saturday Outing



Koda really, really, really wanted to go for a drive today. Kelly and I thought it was a great idea too.

Even though the wind was bitterly cold, the day was clear and sunny.

So off we drove to one of our favorite spots, Boulevard Park on Bellingham Bay.

The water was an icy azure blue with wind-whipped whitecaps

but that didn't deter these hardy sailors!

Sun sparkled water with Lummi Island in the distance. Lummi Island is named for a local native tribe. It's just a short ferry ride from here- the most accessible of the San Juan Islands to our area.

There is a locally owned coffee shop at Boulevard Park called Woods. You can't go to the Boulevard without stopping for a mocha or a hot chocolate. I don't know what kind of whipping cream they use; but it is soooo tasty. So I always ask for extra whipping cream on my hot cocoa. Then I carefully remove

the lid and slurp the whipping cream off the top. I'm thinking about ordering a cup of whipping cream with a little hot cocoa on top. Oh, and Koda asked me to tell you about their doggy treats...she says they're the best. 

Outside of Woods, I spotted something hopeful. A cherry tree in bloom! That just made my day.

Sweets from My Sweetheart

Flowers and chocolates from my Sweetheart...how Sweet!

Love's Mementos

A locket from my true love

                                                   

A message from the labyrinth 



From our wedding cake, a long time ago

Dear Kelly,

I loved you then,

I love you now,

I will love you forever.

Debbie

(P.S. The song by Starship is dedicated to Kelly.)    

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Where Ordinary Meets Sacred

At daybreak

I am alone with my thoughts

and a warm cup of tea,

I open Your Book

and find

that You were here

waiting for me.

The Words on Your Pages

they burn in my heart

like the bush

that burned unconsumed

And now this morning is sacred

because You met with me here.

How often You make

the ordinary

Sacred!

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In Full Bloom

Miss Amaryllis is in Full Bloom.

She's spectacular!

Someday..... Magpie Tales #52

Dear Readers,
Magpie Tales is a host site that helps aspiring writers work at their craft. Every week we are given a photograph and instructed to write a poem or short vignette using the picture featured in this post as our inspiration.  





My poem is dedicated to a little girl named Yesenia. She is a real person. We met one summer when I volunteered in a school for the children of migrant workers. She was 6 years old with tender dark eyes, thick raven-colored hair, and a warm smile to melt your heart. The school was to be run for several weeks; and on the last day we planned to have a big celebration with lots of good food and a brand new book for every child. They were all so excited! Can you imagine how little a migrant child gets to take along when she travels from town to town? But a brand new book; well it could be stashed into a bag without taking much space; and could be read over and over on the long boring rides to who knows where!  But the day before our celebration, Ysenia whispered in my ear that she would not be there tomorrow. Her family was leaving tonight; going to another camp, another field. My heart ached for her. She would not get the book and the food, and the 'class' picture. I  just wanted to take her into my arms and run to the parking lot-to whisk her away from this itinerant life-to give her a house with an address of her own. But I didn't. I gave her a hug and a smile and I told her goodbye..then went home and wept.  Every time I drive past the migrant camp where Ysenia onced lived, I think about her and hope that Someday...


SOMEDAY

My name is Yesenia.
I pick your fruit; my family and I.
We live at the camp
near the raspberry fields
somewhere in Washington state, I think.
Next month we will live
at a camp
near the orchards; or melons; or beans
in Texas or Florida, or was it Tennessee?
It's hard to remember just where I live
or where I am from.
I only know that
Someday...
I will live in a house
with a bedroom upstairs
where my sister and I will play with a new Barbie
instead of the one from Goodwill
whos hair is tangled and hard to brush.
Someday...
There will be a chimney with smoke
and a warm kitchen with food
and mama will sing
as she makes our tortillas.
Someday...
we will have a little patch of green grass
and a tree with a squirrel.
Someday...
in the winter-
instead of following
the sun and the crops
we will stay in our house
and then I will finally
get to see snow at Christmastime.
Someday...

by Debora Rorvig
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Sweet Vintage Valentines

Chris,over at Red Gate Farm, has set my heart a-twitter with her latest Valentine's post. I started searching  the web for vintage Valentines like the ones I used to give as a child. My search led me to a site called Tipnuts. This site is the cat's meow! It's chocked full of great printables, craft ideas and recipes! Here's the link: http://valentines.tipnut.com/. And while you're at it, stop by Red Gate Farm and read Chris's fun post about elementary school Valentine's parties.  http://redgatefarmcuster.blogspot.com/

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An Inexplicable Longing for Pink Sweaters



from Ann Taylor Loft






Every year between January 1 and February 28 I am suddenly gripped with this inexplicable desire to buy pink sweaters. Which is funny; because I'm not what you'd call a girly-girl and I don't usually wear pink. It must be a reaction to all of the Christmas reds and greens coupled by the onset of Valentine's Day. Does this just happen to me; or do you develop strange desires for certain colors during certain seasons?

Microfiction Monday #69: Too late?

His note read, "Let's elope. Meet me under the old clock in front of the courthouse at 2:30 today." 
Now he waited anxiously beneath the clock. It was 2:33...

Microfiction Monday is hosted by Stony River; You look at the picture and try to write a little vignette for it in 140 characters or less. Lots of fun! http://www.stonyriver.ie/

Little Signs of Spring

It finally stopped raining so Koda and I went out to the backyard searching for signs of spring. Well, I was searching for signs of Spring. Koda was looking for signs of the neighbors dog. (They always have a little bark-fest through the fence.) Neither Koda or I were disappointed!



Hyacinth to Feed Thy Soul

Here are two lovely poems by Moslih Eddin Saadi; an early Persian poet. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do...

 If Of Thy Mortal Goods thou art bereft, and from thy slender store two loaves to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole

Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul

     

             Human being are members of a whole,

In creation of one essence and soul.

If one member is afflicted with pain,

Other members uneasy will remain.

If you've no sympathy for human pain,

The name of human you cannot retain!

translated by M. Aryanpoor