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Picture taken by my friend Cyndi Leos....thank you Cyndi.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Magpie #79: Day at the Beach...

Undated photo, found in a Missouri antique shop

Photo presented by Tess Kincaid
Hostessed and challenge by Magpie Tales

sardines are we,
six siblings 
one by one
giggling, packing ourselves
into the family car...

mom counting so
none are left behind
dad revving us up
with enthusiasm
for a day
at the beach

keeping the windows down
was our air conditioning
the hour ride seemed
longer as the heat
of the day fills in
any extra space

fighting, boredom, frustration
was solved as
dad drove slowly 
up and down
the street in front
of the ocean
searching for a parking spot

united,
 we begged
and pleaded
for any spot...
"just let us out"
"drop us off"
"pleeeeaaaase dad...."

satisfied we were ready
and grateful
he parked as we
peeled our bare legs
off seats
extricating ourselves
and ran gleefully,
deliriously
onto the warm sand
for a memorable day
of family fun...

~dkb~



Saturday, August 20, 2011

Tree Swing...

Photo from Google.com 
pic posted by Nell Hartz on Pinterest

Who can resist
a tree swing?
A simple time machine
back to one's youth...

~dkb~

Monday, August 15, 2011

Magpie #78: Her Life...


Photo prompt by Tess Kincaid
Hostesses and challenge by Magpie Tales

like old used 
brushes and rollers
in a closet,
her life
lies waiting
without purpose
 unpainted
a project started
 and pushed aside
lacking motivation
to make it all it could be...

her creativity stifled
in what needs to be painted, 
longing for brighter colors, 
better days, 
her mind drifts back 
 when her life had aspirations...

 bittersweet memories
of raising her children
alone in her strength

having worked most
of her life
"it felt right"
occasionally complaining
like everyone else,
but it always 
shot her out of bed each morning
recharged
 keeping her organized, on task
and happy...

was the marriage 
after  the kids moved out,
a mistake?
her doubts began
when he wanted to move away
away from her family and children
knowing they were her everything...

retired now, they both feel regret
him knowing her unhappiness
she, feeling stuck...

growing older
less physically capable
further away to ask for help
less income
 depression
less options
less conversation
gas prices soaring
less travel to visit
buyer's market
fragile economy
government turmoil
investments dropping
bleaker future
less in common

fewer phone calls and face time
as young families get on with living
raising children and working...

life goes on
like a raging river
swim or sink
this isn't how
she thought her life would be

some times
getting older
feels like 
waiting to die...

her spirit needs inspiration
her mind needs goals
her heart needs interaction
her soul needs a purpose...

her hope
like her eye sight
is dwindling...

thinking of the difference
between those with an action plan
and those without
should be as easy 
as "just doing it"
unless one is lying down...

procrastination is a rusty, 
tangled wire wrapping tighter
the more her denial
of her reality
overwhelms her...
she'd drink 
if it were her inclination...

instead, naps are her escape hatch
as her hand slams the closet door shut
pushing it from her mind,
"There will be no painting today."

~dkb~


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Magpie #77: Her Soft Place to Fall...

Edward Hopper, 1947, Summer Evening
Photograph presented by Tess Kincaid
Hostessed challenge by Magpie Tales

it always was sexual
between them...
it was the magnet
which drew them together...

at first,
she reveled in the headiness
of their chemistry,
feeling the power
in his attraction...

knowing his eyes
were always
upon her body,
wanting her...

every woman
needs to feel
this abandon
at least once...

its good.
very good.
but she wanted more...

not a ring...
not commitment...

she knew they couldn't
stay apart long enough
to get to know
one another

she knew he would hold her back
the way men do when you're all they have
he wasn't curious, ambitious or handy
he was her soft place to fall...

~dkb~


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Coyote Walk...



7:45am
ominous clouds over northern mountains
overcast
slight breeze
good walking weather...

eery silence
distant airplane
alternating gait thump
from my walking stick
jingling of Izzy's tags...

peeping of quails
hedge trimmer humming
one street over
clear blue skies boasting
white fleeting clouds
over southern mountains...


complete stillness
breeding strange instincts
as I connect
to the environment...

this Saturday morning
 we walk alone...

hark! a neighbor
and his Burmese,
 dog friendly, cat, Rocky...

the cat greets us
with anticipatory joy
scampering across the street
talking, asking
for attention
Izzy balks, confused,
barks
stands beside me
rigid
with downward tail...

I stroke Rocky's belly
converse and enjoy 
his loud purr...

I inquire 
on coyote sightings...
"none in years"
my neighbor responds...

I share the coyote kill
of almost two months ago
informing also
of the mountain lion kill 
three weeks ago...

just then,

a coyote, with
beautiful large pointed ears
bushy tail
lean body
with camouflage colors
trots in
from the back of my neighbor's yard...

I warn my neighbor
as he scoops up Rocky...

the coyote
sniffs the air
smelling the scent
of Izzy and Rocky
focusing on us
standing its ground

I take my dog whisperer
powerful stance
one arm on my hip
one arm stretched out
gripping my walking stick...

intense
maternal instincts
surge through me,
strengthening me
as I ready for battle...

still,
the coyote stands firm
then moves
closer...

my neighbor remarks
"its not scared is it?"

nope.

flipping my walking stick
I tap noisily on the street...

nothing.

instinctively, we rush forward
stomping our feet
moving toward it...

the coyote
nimbly lopes across the yard
into the back yard
of his next door neighbor
and we watch
as he jumps down
off a block wall
into a back yard neighbors yard

Another neighbor
comes outside
telling us he just saw 
a coyote in his back yard...

we talk
concerned
yet realizing
the reality
living within
and among wild life...

they were, here first...

I call my husband
wanting him to 
regret not walking with us,
 instead
he tells me he
is driving to pick me up...

Izzy and I continue up
the street
a female neighbor comes outside
telling me a coyote
was lying in wait
for her neighbor's three cats
it has happened before
the coyote knows
the cats are there...

I ask my husband
to drive along
while we walk
as another neighbor
walks up with his dog

after telling him
he concludes it is the
same coyote who
killed our neighbor's Yorkie
he said it was a female coyote...

I regret 
not taking a picture
of the coyote
with my cell phone...

yet wonder
if the male neighbor
had not been with me...

outside, the wind now
is whipping about,
dark cloud haze
with stop and start
rain...

perfect weather
for hunting...

~dkb~ 


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

What's Been Goin' On...

Hello dear blogging friends...just a quick update to check in and let you know what has been going on in our house...

My cell phone died the day before I was to pick up my girlfriend Jan, visiting from Missouri, at the airport.  I had to order a new one, and in my haste to hurry up and order one to get it delivered the next day, I dove deep into BUYER'S REMORSE...

Received the new Samsung Revolution the next day, and turned it back in Saturday, unopened.  Traded it for a special offer on a Samsung Continuum, which is just like the Samsung Fascinate, only skinnier and has a ticker display on the bottom of the screen.  So far, I really like it.  My first "smart phone".

Two days after Jan arrived, my sister Holly, girlfriend Bonnie arrived for another Creative weekend.  They drove straight to Barb's house and Jan and I met them there, after we spent three hours at the Verizon store getting my new phone...

Had a blast with all the girls...we went to the MGM and saw the baby lions.  Holly and I had our picture taken with 60lb "Buddy".  We also went to the Bellagio Conservatory and took pictures of the latest display.  Here are a few pictures below...

Buddy, who was fed ground up meat in a bottle in between pics to keep him happy.

Handlers inside the Lion enclosure...

Handler watching as Lion gnaws on plastic ball... (see all the teeth marks?)

These guys are either crazy or very vulnerable...

Pictures below are from the Bellagio Conservatory...




Made of flowers

Parrots inside the bird sanctuary

Koi fish in a pond


Barbs, me, Jan, my sister Holly and Bonnie

We collaborated on our laptops....(did a lot of admiring on Pinterest)

We took pictures of clouds...(can you see the horse?)

We took pictures of sunsets...

We posed for pictures...to imitate a poster...

We designed cups, baked them, but forgot to seal them...so some of us lost our design when we put it in the dishwasher...

We made apple crisp to go in small jars

We made lanterns with coarse salt and votive candles to hang on fences or tree branches...

We mixed colors and made scented bath salts

My sister and Bonnie left Tuesday the 25th of July and Jan left at the end of the month on the 29th.

My husband's friend arrived the evening of the 29th to stay the weekend to celebrate his 70th birthday.  We had a family BBQ on Saturday night.  He drove home Monday morning.  My husband's son was in town on business, so he stopped by two nights to visit and join in on the birthday celebrations...

My Mom and Dad celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on August 4th.  Dad is in a nursing home and Mom has been down with a sore back since April...Dad will be 91 in November and Mom is 84.

Friday, August 5th, 12 of our family caravaned up to Mammoth Lakes, CA for the weekend.  Eight adults and six teenagers.  We met our friends at the  Mammoth house.  What a great time we had!  The house was incredible!  Being among all the pine trees, sitting out on that deck enjoying nature was a masterful, soulful experience.  Lots of good food and laughter...

View from the front window...

From the back balcony...

Fishing up at Mary's Lake...


Up the hill, looking down on the family fishing...

Several of us looking at our pictures on the kitchen table...

No great weekend is complete, without Smores...cooked on the back balcony

We also went to Twin Lakes, June Lake, Convict Lake (had a nice dinner there too) and Silver Lake.  Everyone except for our friends Ray and Lana, Jerry and I, went to Yosemite on Sunday.  They had a great day except for a controlled brush fire, which make their pictures kind of smokey...

We got home Monday in the early afternoon and picked up Izzy from boarding.  I have been busy doing laundry and getting unpacked.

Yesterday, the nursing home called.  Dad was taken to the hospital for some tests as he had been throwing up.  By 5pm, they determined he was fine...only his potassium was a little elevated.  We think he over ate for breakfast.  Apparently he ate a big breakfast and then asked for a large fruit plate...

This weekend we will relax and take it easy.  Next week, my youngest daughter Jodee, her honey Jeff and son, baby Jacob, will be in town.  She is here on business, so Jeff will come visit with Jacob during the day.  We will meet them at their hotel for dinner a couple of nights...I will watch the baby while they go out for a few hours.  I cannot believe Jacob will be one year old next month!

I hope to attempt to catch up and visit some blogs this weekend...big hugs to you all!