From My Blue Recliner

In this blue recliner, I read.

From this blue recliner, I write.

Things like this:

 

my bucket list includes

humility

quietude

gentleness

patience

simplicity

gratitude

kindness

mindfulness

and wisdom

(rlg, 9-8-2020)

 

...and this is my view

from my blue recliner...

 

Bits of Nothing

 "You should pick up one of those..."

he started to say as he saw me searching frantically for my little spiral note pad.

He was referring to some fancy notebook.

"I actually do better with bits of nothing," I responded.

Indeed, I do.

I've filled up this makeshift notepad, created from a large

envelope someone in the house was going to throw away.

***

I think it's true.

I must have a gift for doing with bits of nothing.

Out of the Closet

We brought an old game 

 out of the closet.

It took awhile to sort through 

our collection of various pieces,

and refresh ourselves with the

basic rules (thanks to the internet)...

 but the game commenced and eventually ended

with sore fingers from the "flicking".

Tonight we may try makeshift cues!

Thursday in Auburn

 

We spent an hour or so in nearby Auburn IN

where various local artists had painted small potting benches

that were placed around the square.  It was a perfect

reason for a summer stroll

under the beautiful, blue sky.

We broke our stroll

to enjoy breaded tenderloin sandwiches

at one of the restaurants,

shaded by umbrellas in an outdoor setting.

Two murals caught my eye along the way...

I was happy to share the experience

with my father and husband.

Life is beautiful.

Picnic in the Park

 Beautiful picnic lunch Sunday

 with social distancing, family, and a beautiful site--

 a local park featuring a rose garden...

...and did I mention "perfect weather"?

Of Poetry and Prayer

yesterday's scene far from the maddening crowd

 

 

 

 

the crowds 

chanted 

and waved

littering the street with branches

as the town shook with excitement

and i wonder

what exactly was accomplished that day

because i know 

where the crowd was

a few days later

After a day of watching noisy crowds all day yesterday, I wrote the above 10 lines as one of many "10 lines" I've written since the beginning of the Lenten Season.  I post them on my Facebook page.  This morning, a person I respect commented that he read my "prayers" and added, "If it were up to me, I would gather them into a collection  But that's just me."  

I thought about that word prayer.  I thought my 10 lines more poetry than prayer.  But then I read these lines from Bodmin Hermit on  Twitter:  "The heart of prayer is not to be found in the recitation of many words but in opening ourselves to a different level of consciousness which the Christian tradition calls the contemplative mind, or the mind of Christ." 

Maybe poetry and prayer.

are more closely related than I realized!

Now THAT'S Better!

 Finished and reset.

And while my husband was applying the protective finish,

I asked him to add it to this puppy

which had set outside and lost its original painting.

I simply sprayed it and added two black spots to the eye sockets.

I'll find a place for him outside.

He already HAS a place in my heart!

It Found Us

A friend moving into an assisted living arrangement

called the other day asking if we'd be interested in buying her

riding lawn mower.

Would we!?!

 Today was its maiden voyage!

After my husband made the trial run,

he acquainted my 93 year old father with its intricacies...

 and then he was off!

 Our yard has never looked prettier!

 It's definitely in its element in the springtime.

 I'm very happy we have this new (used) lawnmower

to make the job faster and easier for my husband.

We knew we needed one, but kind of dreaded the search.

It found us.

Silence

 silence 

can be golden

or guilting

silence

can defend

or defeat

silence

can be private

or public

it's all in the hearing

(rlg, 5-11-2020)

I continue the discipline of writing ten line compositions
almost every day since the beginning of Lent..

At first it was just a way to create during the Lenten season.

Now it has become an almost necessary form

of personal expression.

My inspiration often comes the night before via a scene, experience,

something read, or something heard.

The fire pictured above happened on Mother's Day morning.

The air was conducive to silent fireside contemplation.

The cattle grazing were seen on one of our drives through our rural countryside.

Silence for me is almost always golden...

Tiptoe through the Tulips

short-lived

and concentrated

in beauty

blooming for a season

then yielding place

to other

sturdier stock

till their time

comes again

as it will

(rlg, 5-2-2020) 

Such a sweet time
in the sunshine with some
family at a local, city park
this week.

Unexpected

This morning, 

my husband completed this very vintage puzzle.

From the faded box cover, I never would have expected this

beautiful end product.

(Reminds me of a few other vintage, faded "packages" I know!)