peace full beauty

A mourning dove resting on a backyard deck with a dusting of snow visible atop the wood bench, the grass, and nearby swing-set.

a mourning dove landed on the backyard deck

I spied her through the window and said, “Good morning, beautiful”

the sun is shining

the sky is blue

welcome sights

yesterday’s dusting of snow lingers

the air is blustery cold

a bird from The Lord

for me, a widow

peace be with you

March 19, 2023

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jinxed toast

  
FOR THE RECORD: I haven’t burnt toast this badly in years, at least the smoke alarm did not go off, the toaster was on the correct setting (in the middle) but didn’t pop up in time. I ate one, tossed one and made more toast that was “just right.” I jinxed myself by mentioning my long ago burnt toast mornings at Art Circle on Thursday night. I got cocky. Thought I had making toast figured out. Lesson learned. Humility. 

January 17, 2016

getting unstuck

Sitting at my kitchen table
Still in pjs
Drinking coffee
Blue on guard in the backyard
[quietly]
Boys voices drifting up
[talking over video game sounds]

I took a long hot soaking bath with a light book yesterday
Had a good day but was tired and fried
That helped
A lot
I’ll do it again
I forget to
Best of all woke up early [4:40a] but fell back asleep until 7a
Bliss

[PAUSE]

Dog woofed
He jumped the crooked bent ineffective wire mesh garden fence and got stuck
Out of leash but also the leash clasp was caught around the edge of the fence
Stuck
Unclipped him
Bent fence down enough he could jump
Loved him
He scared himself
For today anyway
He followed me in
Muddy paws which he hates having touched
Got a layer of dirt off
My house is nowhere near spotless
Ever
A little garden dirt won’t hurt

Poured the last of my coffee
Not rushing anywhere today
I am so thankful for lack of rush

October 26, 2014
A diary of my Sunday morning moments that occurred between 8:18a and 8:51a today. I can pinpoint the timing so exactly because this is an excerpt of an email reply I sent to my cousin. On a wild whim decided to share this snippet from my life here too. I’ve been quiet in my public writing spots. Have needed to be. Still do. ~Janean

Spring renewal

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Spring has been extra beautiful this year
maybe it’s because winter was so extra cold and snowy
maybe it’s just because every spring my heart soars as the trees and flowers bud and bloom
daffodils have come and gone
tulips are still tuliping
lilacs are just beginning
magnolias and forsythia fade into redbuds and the white burst of Bradford Pears
oh
Springtime
the sky seems extra blue
the birds serenade with the most melodious of songs
especially this morning
in the quiet stillness
of that moment just before dawn
I heard them through my bedroom window
saw the sun filtering in
heard the dog stir
we walked
few cars
just us and a few other early dogs
thankful for the lack of wind
savoring the sunshine and blue skies
a backdrop for the renewal of Spring
it’s all rather glorious
simple joys
early on a Sunday morning

May 4, 2014

feeling lucky

A little before 10:00am Blue dog and I stepped outside for our second walk of the morning. Temps are brrr cold and we’re walking once again upon freshly fallen snow. We pass by several neighbors shoveling and greet the ones we know. Just a few doors down, is the kind, white haired neighbor man who pauses in his work to smile and say to me, “You sure are dedicated.” Then he adds, “You sure are a lucky dog, Blue.” That made me laugh! Yep. He is. Blue acknowledged the words of his neighbor friend with a happy woof and tail wag. Oh. He knows. We stayed on course, circling around the block. The little one, not one of our longer routes. Back inside now, thawing out with a later than usual hot breakfast, while the dog curls back up on the couch. My lucky canine compatriot. After food, it’ll be time to retrieve my shovel from the garage for digging out the front of the house. For many weeks I kept a snow shovel propped by the front door, only recently returning it to the garage, rather optimistically. Oh well. More snow fell. Winter is still quite “ON.” Thankfully we got less snow than predicted and it is the light, fluffy version of the white stuff. Very doable. Although, breakfast has turned into brunch here. My boys drifted to the kitchen in search of food. Sausage has been cooked and bacon is sizzling now. Evidently breakfast meat is the secret to A Great Sunday at home. Even better is the time we’ll spend in scripture, worshipping at Home Church for awhile longer. Suddenly a day that began with solitude and quiet is filling up with life, love and yes, a bit o’commotion. Good stuff. God stuff. We’re all “lucky dogs” because we have each other. Feeling thankful and blessed. Let it snow.

March 2, 2014

Minecraft lesson #2

Week two of Xbox 360 Minecraft lessons from my sons. My youngest boy was my teacher today. He made, “Blow Crap Up World” and taught me how to use TNT. It is kinda fun… I’m grinning after playing for around thirty minutes, before saying, “Enough.” Cooking up some bacon for two sleepyheaded boys for breakfast next. My incentive to learn how to move better, with the foreign feeling controller, was that if I could track and catch him, I could have a dog. I caught him. Hearts appear. Now I have a virtual canine companion too. Cool. Minecraft has a dragon in a dark portal lair. My youngest son slayed him. Proud Mama here. Said aloud, “I’m not an Xbox Girl.” My sons think there is hope for me though. Well, of course there is. I’m A Hope Full Woman for sure. A long time ago, I played Frogger on Atari. I even remember when Pong was cool. Yes. I’m that freaking old, typed with a smile and a bubbling laugh, because at 42 I feel like I’m just getting started. I am.

January 19, 2014

don’t mind me
one more skyscape
from this morning
because I can’t help myself
even though
my stomach is growling
the sky keeps changing
golden glow
just now receding
to reveal
bright blue sky
with puffy white clouds
today I think
is for painting
all is well

P.S. Blue stopped getting up at the sound of the sliding door unlocking. Dog realized he’s staying inside right now so he went back to zzzz’ing on the love seat. Me?! I’m still doorjamb leaning. Children still sleeping. They need it. They were wound up, laughing, rambunctious Wild Things last night, and we all loved it! Sleep is much needed. So is quiet time, spent watching the rising sun. Today is good. Typed while those white puffy clouds drift off into the distance leaving me with a humongous patch of bright blue sky straight ahead. Soul Balm. All of it. Peaceful and calm. “Island Mellow,” I call it. Much better.

January 19, 2014
7:43am on Sunday morning

first quiet stillness
on a moonlit morn
and then…
THIS
lavender sky
clouds lit orange
from below
as the sun rises
along the horizon
looking out
o’er my backyard
intensity of color fading
softer now
as the sky brightens
so fleeting
it’d be easy to miss it
glad I didn’t
though this time
my feet are in socks
I’m warm indoors
leaning on the doorjamb
opening the sliding glass door
just enough to take photos
*snap*
using my feet to block the dog
who is curious
like a cat
my turquoise wind chimes
catch the wind
such a melodious sound
the sky is bright
the sun is awake
it is officially morning
breakfast and coffee await

January 19, 2014