One Deep Breath - Weathering/Aging

The haiku prompt for this week at One Deep Breath is weathering/aging.

The first is inspired by my own reflection in the mirror.

White strands sprinkle through
My brown locks like foil
Icicles on tree.

~~~~

Our House

One hundred fifty
Years of daily life under
This old, metal roof


~~~~~~~~

This one is inspired by my cookbook that is falling apart and bulging.

Recipes

Passed down, collected
cooked, simmered, baked, concocted
Savor memories

Poetry Thursday

This week I played with the magnetic poetry set on my fridge. Here's what I came up with:

Bare, pink peach
Cool honey water
Sweet Southern summer

~~~~
new Year
whisper Eternity
into silver-blue wind
sing Time


For more Poetry Thursday click here

Sunday Scribblings

“If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." - Maya Angelou



A few weeks ago I read an article in the newspaper about a church in Kansas that decided together to stop complaining. With the assumption that it takes 21 days to change a habit, they agreed to wear “complaining” bracelets for 21 days. If they complained the bracelet was moved to the other arm and the 21 day count started over.

Two weeks ago my husband, oldest daughter and I decided to try this for ourselves. My daughter made friendship bracelets for all of us. As of today I’ll get to take mine off on January 6, if I don’t have to move it again. This has made us all aware of how prone we are to complain and grumble and gripe about things. We’ve all had to move the bracelets to the other arm but we’ve also had times where we stopped ourselves before complaining.

I can’t say I’ve broken the complaining habit yet but I do seem to have a more positive outlook on things and I can honestly say I’ve tried to cut out the complaining and grumbling. I intend to keep this up even after I’ve made the 21 days and get to take off the bracelet.

Anyone want to join us? We want a complaint free world and are trying to start with a complaint free house. We may never totally purge ourselves of complaining and grumbling, but the effort does pay off, bringing all of us a little peace.

Feel free to leave a comment if you decide to join!

For more Sunday Scribblings on "Change" click here

Poetry Thursday

There was no prompt this week at Poetry Thursday and we were free to do our own thing. I looked back through past prompts and chose "food" because I've been doing lots of cooking and baking the last few days.

Glossy, ebony semi-sweet
Gilds peppermint creams,
Peanut butter balls,
Salty pretzel knots.
Deep, rich comfort,

Sweet, soothing balm

Book List

Karen, who is part of an on-line writing group with me, asked all of us for our favorite books. That inspired me to put together an extensive list, maybe more than what she wanted! Many of the books that I read this year I got from PaperBackSwap.com. It’s a great way to trade in the books you’ve already read for new-to-you books. Like getting a little of Christmas in the mail!

Fiction I read this year:
Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
Like Water for Chocolate – Laura Esquivel
The Kite Runner – Khalid Hosseini
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café – Fannie Flagg
Standing in the Rainbow – Fannie Flagg
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl – Fannie Flagg
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman – Ernest J. Gaines
Girl with the Pearl Earring – Tracy Chevalier
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real – Neta Jackson
The DaVinci Code – Dan Brown
Tears of the Giraffe – Alexander McCall Smith
A Bend in the Road – Nicholas Sparks
The Notebook – Nicholas Sparks
Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth – Tamar Myers



Non-fiction I read this year:
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain – Betty Edwards
Writing Down the Bones – Natalie Goldberg
Overcoming Dyslexia – Sally Shaywitz

Favorite Christian Fiction Authors/Books:
Francine Rivers – especially the Mark of the Lion series
Brock and Bodie Thoene – especially Zion Chronicles series and Zion Covenant series and Shiloh Autumn
Lisa Samson – The Church Ladies and Song Bird
Ray Blackston – A Delirious Summer, fun, easy read
Jan Karon – Mitford series

Other Favorites –
Dorothy Gilman – Mrs. Pollifax series
Debbie Macomber – lots of good books, easy and fun reads
Nicholas Sparks – The Wedding
Some of the books I read this year are new favorites and Fannie Flagg is now a favorite author. I love her style of writing.

Favorite Books on Writing:
Gotham Writers’ Workshop: Writing Fiction
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamotte
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards, even though it’s not a writing book, it does help unleash creativity.

One Deep Breath - Storms

This week’s haiku prompt at One Deep Breath is Storms. Here are four that show what storms make me think of. The first is one that I’ve already shared on here, but it is the storm that rages most often for me.

Migraine
Electrical storm
Shocking, jolting pain in brain
Bring me quick relief

~~~~~~

Rain to sleet to ice
Transforms world into sparkling
Fragile, glass sculptures.

~~~~~~~

Whirlwind twisting house
High over Kansas crushing
Wicked Witch of East

Withered witch’s feet
In rhinestone, ruby slippers
Magic passage home.

~~~~~~~

Storm rages at night
Over Sea of Galilee
“Save us, please!” they cried.

Jesus rose and spoke
The wind and the waves obeyed
The men were amazed

The Creator calms
His creation and quiets
Our storms even now

He cradles His flock
As peals of thunder rumble
And lightening strikes near

Lord Jesus calm me
When winds howl and gust and rage
Hold me close to you.

Sunday Scribblings #38 - Anticipation

The Water Hole

The low rumble of the lion’s roar rolls through the South African night as thunder during a storm. I’ve heard the sound before but never caught a glimpse of the lion On this night the waiting has paid off. The lion pads quietly to the edge of the water hole and drinks long and deep. He stands and waits, listening to the crickets and frogs, listening for the sound of other animals calling out. He walks slowly into the perfect viewing area, his tail swishing from side to side. Moving off into the night, he roars over and over, letting every creature within a few miles know that he is here tonight.

The magnificent, male lion is in South Africa. I am at the computer in my living room watching him via Africam at Nkorho Pan, a natural water hole at the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. There is a certain anticipation in watching the cam, almost like hunting, without killing, of course. Because it is live streaming video it is impossible to know what types of animals will be seen at any given time. I’ve seen nearly all of Africa’s Big Five - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. I’m still waiting to see a leopard and get a better look at a rhino. My favorite animal to watch are the giraffes. Only God could give so much grace to such an awkwardly built animal.

The sounds on Africam are as intriguing as the sights. Hyena cry a “whoop” sound, calling to each other. Baboons have an intense, scary sounding alarm cry. The Square-tailed Nightjar sounds like a laser gun from Star Wars or Buzz Lightyear.

Watching the water hole has reminded me of how amazing God’s creation is. The sight of dawn seeping over the night sky, the power of a storm sweeping in, the variety of wildlife all testify to God the Creator. One night I watched the full moon out my kitchen window and knew that in just a few hours that same moon would hover in the African sky. Amazing.

Moon out my window
Will rise over Nkorho Pan
In only hours.

Reflect in the pond
And brighten the sky tonight
Lion will come drink.

For more Sunday Scribblings click here

Poetry Thursday

The Poetry Thursday writing prompt this week was “streets”. Here are two poems I wrote after pondering that prompt for a while. The first is a memory from my childhood. The second I wrote out quickly and the last line made me laugh.

Barrier
Little girl on this side of the street
And little girl on that side of the street
Looking at each other
Separated by wet, sticky tar
A black, oily smelling barrier.

One stands and places her bare foot
On the street, testing,
Imprinting a permanent reminder of the day
The street pavers kept her from
Playing with her friend.

Direction
Streets curve and veer
Joining and parting haphazardly
I search for order
And make a right turn
On Destiny Drive.

Cheerleading

A friend of my husband was at a ball game the other night and noticed that all the cheers were done in rhyme. He wondered if they could try another style, like haiku. So these are for Chris – thanks for the prompt! I’m not sure that haiku cheers will catch on, but they were fun to write and gave me a good laugh. I picture stadiums with fans meditating, beaming good thoughts to their favorite team. Or maybe they will give up and devise new, non-competitive games that only promote peace. Hmmm….interesting to think about.

Pirates pillage and
Plunder, raid the other team
Win the game tonight


Wildcats attack
Cardinals, true Blue will triumph
Go Kentucky, win!

Containers - One Deep Breath

This week's prompt from One Deep Breath is "Containers". Here are three haiku that I wrote from the prompt.

Humble ziplock bags
Hold long strands of Christmas lights
And homemade toffee


Black violin case
Green velvet within cradles
Mellow memories


Dance bag overflows
With ballet and pointe shoes
Pink leather, satin

More haiku

Composing haiku seems to be addicting. This one came to me as I drifted off to sleep last night.

His arms surround me
Nestled together in bed
Peace covers us both

Haiku

Here are three haiku poems I wrote today. I'm trying to concentrate on poetry during December as a change from finishing Nanowrimo in November.

Migraine
Electrical storm
Shocking, jolting pain in brain
Bring me quick relief


Bare branches against
Blue sky, withered leaves resist
Winter's icy pull


From Mia
Blue magic marker
Scribbles on white paper
Love letter to me