Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
My Christmases Have Changed
I didn't send cards this year
Or last year
Or the year before
I used to send them faithfully
To everyone I knew and cared about
It seemed important
To remember them all each year
This year, I remember them all
And I miss them
Whose cards were returned in other years
Telling me they had moved
Not to a new address on this planet
But to the mystery
That lies beyond human life
This is the dilemma
That comes with living long
But the good part is
There are new friends
To appreciate and love
New ideas
To make life interesting
And music
To lift the soul
Or last year
Or the year before
I used to send them faithfully
To everyone I knew and cared about
It seemed important
To remember them all each year
This year, I remember them all
And I miss them
Whose cards were returned in other years
Telling me they had moved
Not to a new address on this planet
But to the mystery
That lies beyond human life
This is the dilemma
That comes with living long
But the good part is
There are new friends
To appreciate and love
New ideas
To make life interesting
And music
To lift the soul
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Where Have I Been?
No poems, no posts--shame on me! But I am getting in gear again, and will soon post the rest of the story of Nellie the Night Heron, who made friends with some people in Shell Beach, California.
Also, in addition to the rest of the saga of Nellie, I will be back with some pictures and poems and other things. I've been watching Turkey Vultures when I walk on Bob Jones trail, just south of San Luis Obispo. They roost in tall trees at the end of the day, and sometimes, before that, play in the wind currents, soaring for ever so long without even flapping their wings. I used to shudder at the thought of a vulture, but now I see them in a different way. For one thing, they keep the earth clean, and we shouldn't look down on them just because of the unattractiveness of the important niche they fill. Oddly enough, they have mild dispositions, and never kill anything. They just eat things that are already dead. In situations where they have to be under the care of people, they can become very fond of them, and follow them around like a dog.
Also, in addition to the rest of the saga of Nellie, I will be back with some pictures and poems and other things. I've been watching Turkey Vultures when I walk on Bob Jones trail, just south of San Luis Obispo. They roost in tall trees at the end of the day, and sometimes, before that, play in the wind currents, soaring for ever so long without even flapping their wings. I used to shudder at the thought of a vulture, but now I see them in a different way. For one thing, they keep the earth clean, and we shouldn't look down on them just because of the unattractiveness of the important niche they fill. Oddly enough, they have mild dispositions, and never kill anything. They just eat things that are already dead. In situations where they have to be under the care of people, they can become very fond of them, and follow them around like a dog.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Great Blue Heron in flight
Isn't this a beautiful sight? I've seen Great Blue Herons often near Laguna Lake in San Luis Obispo, but have never had a chance to get pbotograph, so when I saw this shot by Erica Marshall on Flickr I had to grab it.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
I just liked the way it looks
I used to live in Geneva, Illinois, near the Fox River. This is the way the trees looked then from our house. This picture brought it all back to my mind, and caused me to wonder if those magnificent trees could still be there, or has the push of development caused them to be cut down and replaced with houses or condos? As my life unfolded, and I lived in many different places doing different things, the one thing that was always missing was the beauty of those huge elms, and the river in the distance. Part of me is still there.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
1608c-night-heron-black-crowned-bairdphotos.com
I've been looking for a good photo of a night heron, and found this on flickr at Mike Baird's site. Perfect view. Mike is such a wonderful photographer. I think I'll paint this. I love it!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
a room with a view
I love tigers. They are magnificent. I traveled with a smell circus 2 months out of each year for four years, but it was quite a while ago. In the second year we had wonderful lions and tigers. The woman who had that act was from Poland. Her name was Olga. I asked her how she happened to become an animal trainer. Her face lit up, and she said she knew from the time she was a little girl that that's what she wanted to do.
Since she lived in Poland in communist times, she had to go to a state school to learn her life work. Her parents thought she was studying ballet! By the time they found out the truth, it was too late to change. She was very good at her job, and a nice, interesting person. I feel privileged to have known her, as well as her seven lions and six tigers.
Since she lived in Poland in communist times, she had to go to a state school to learn her life work. Her parents thought she was studying ballet! By the time they found out the truth, it was too late to change. She was very good at her job, and a nice, interesting person. I feel privileged to have known her, as well as her seven lions and six tigers.
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