Writings

JAVA JOY

JAVA JOY

It is early on a Sunday morning of what promises to be another hot summer day. The windows are open and the soft sounds of birds going about their birdy business create a haze of contentment. Normally I would be reading the paper and getting a grip on the outside world, but the paper guy…

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OUCH!!

OUCH!!

Well, I managed to splatter myself face first on a perfectly benign sidewalk. And contrary to popular belief, my life did not flash before my eyes. It was nevertheless, quite a spectacular fall. Due to extenuating circumstances, it is beyond my capacity to relate the entire sequence of events leading up to my pratfall in…

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THE FOUNDATION OF MEMORY

THE FOUNDATION OF MEMORY

After my mother died, I discovered some random photos tucked away in her desk. A small packet of memories carefully wrapped in an envelope worn soft from frequent use, with a little bit of cardboard to keep them flat, they were photographs of my late stepfather’s family. Gerhard kept them handy in case anyone thought…

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GOOD LUCK

GOOD LUCK

Stand Back from the shamrock. It is loaded for bear and aimed at bad luck. I may not be Irish, and green may not be my best color, but I am still in luck. I say this in all seriousness because over the past few weeks I have averted any number of bad news events…

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BIG DADDY KALE

BIG DADDY KALE

I have recently struck up an acquaintance with the Flavonoids … Big Daddy Kale, Momma Parsley, Uncle Edamame, Cousin Red Cabbage, Baby Berries, and all the rest. They are an odd bunch, the Flavonoids. As a family, aside from the name, they are mostly boring as hell. But I have to say I respect them…

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PAPER DOLLS

PAPER DOLLS

I sit scrunched down on the old rough boards of the front porch cutting out clothes for my paper doll. My tongue is curled tense against the corner of my mouth trying to be helpful, as I carefully manipulate the stupid blunt-nosed scissors. My thumb keeps getting stuck in the stupid hole, and the stupid…

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THE TERRITORY OF THE HEART

THE TERRITORY OF THE HEART

This small oil was painted over an older image. The surface texture carries the remains of the earlier work, and creates something I like to think of as the territory  of the heart. We all carry scars both visible and hidden. This work reflects how the heart carries on working over uneven terrain. We all…

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ALL ABOARD!

ALL ABOARD!

My mother loved to say, “She has a loose coupling in her train of thought!”  Mother felt it was such a clever way to forgive someone their rudeness, and would use it when describing the behavior of those who took it upon themselves to annoy her by interrupting and changing the subject. This was usually…

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ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

Wishing you all the joy and happiness of the angels heard on high. May we fall heir to their promise of peace on earth good will toward all. And may their message ring in a new year of love, kindness, good health, and glad tidings.

GHOSTS

GHOSTS

Ghostly images appear before me as I walk. The sidewalk is imprinted with silhouettes of fallen leaves … like small hands waving goodbye. … each one a reminder of the times we shared, and the blessing of living each day amidst such beauty. With every season Mother Nature, so gracious and forgiving, shares her leaves…

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