The Poetry Bus Gets Mean

120 Socks is driving this week & doing a fine job I must say. I hope I didn't leave the bus in too big of a mess. She gave us the choice of three prompts & I chose this one: I knew a woman who... You can read the other prompts here. But go here to check out all the riders this week.

Here's mine - yet another blast from my past. This one isn't quite so pleasant though.


I knew a woman who
wore bigotry like
a diamond ring that
she would hold out
to watch my reaction.

My eyes are
more of a window
to my soul
than most –
no secrets here
in these not
really baby browns.

That’s how I
know that
although
our skin was
the same color
and I wasn’t a
jewcatholicimmigrantgay
woman
she hated me
too.

Except for
that horror
in my not
really baby browns –

She loved that.

Thankful Thursday

Do ya feel thankful today, punk? OK, that was lame. I’m not really very Dirty Harryesque. Sorry!

• Well, of course I’m thankful for the love of my life. He did very well this Valentine’s Day – card, flowers, candy. Sigh.
• I know I already mentioned this on my Monday Miscellany post, but I got a clean bill of dental health on Monday. I was very relieved to not need anything extra done to my teeth this time. And yes, I will mention this again on my P365 post on Saturday.
•  Today was ridiculously warm – 60! It was so nice to go out at lunch without a coat.
•  I’m thankful that the Tax Time Pig is finally wearing a new outfit (come back Saturday to check it out).
•  I’m so glad that I’ve handed over the Poetry Bus keys to 120 Socks.
• Dr. M & I switched sides of the bed – I know! Call out the media! As we’ve gotten older we have developed coordinating aches & pains so that switching sides of the bed is more comfortable for both of us. Sweet!

OK, that’s enough. What are you thankful for? After you tell me, go to Greg’s blog to see what other folks are grateful for.

Michael Dodd

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

                                                       Matthew 5:13, The Message Bible

Michael Dodd

When I was in

seminary I knew a

theologian in training

who always looked

at me, bemused.

I was a new species,

unable to talk

about God

without laughing.

Self conscious,

I thought of myself

as marshmallow fluff.

But now, I like to

think that I was

a salty presence,

just bringing out

the God-flavor

of joy to a

somber world.

This is a Magpie and a One Shot Wednesday poem. Please go to those links to check out other stories!

Monday Miscellany

Here we are back at Monday again – how did that happen? Here’s some miscellany, since I’m not up for much more at this point in the week.

• The other night I had a nightmare. I dreamed that Dr. M was planning to plant carrots in our garden. I hate carrots. My dad then informed me that carrots do well in raised beds, which is what we have. I did NOT need to know that.

• Yesterday I went to get groceries just wearing the blazer I had worn to church! No coat! No hat! No gloves! Today is extra breezy, but still relatively warm (in the 40s).

• I guess I sort of knew that the Grammys were on last night, but we were watching a show about American Indian removal instead. Such is the life in a historian’s home :) It was a pretty good show.

• This morning I went to the dentist. They think my teeth are great – no problems today. It’s because I finally started flossing regularly in my 30s – otherwise I’m quite cavity prone. I still get them, but not nearly as often. So, the PSA of today is FLOSS!

• Because it’s so breezy I sometimes had to actually use two hands while driving in to work. I fully expected to see Winnie the Pooh & Piglet flying by at some point.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week. I’m planning to enjoy this (relatively) warmer weather!

Weekly Wordzzle

It’s Wordzzle time! You know, these are a lot of fun to do, and as you can tell, the stories don’t really have to be all that good (although Ardent & Raven write excellent­ stories). I think it’s just a good mental exercise. So, go read the other stories here, and then write your own stories & link up!

Words for the mini: closet, camera, cheese, flagrant, music

In flagrant disregard for her parents’ terror that she might come out of the closet, Sheryl decided to just pour on the cheese. Grinning into the camera she listened to the music and waited for her cue. Hearing the first strains of Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out” she launched into song.

Words for the 10-word challenge: sweetness, soap opera, leather jacket, matches, corn, pregnant, operation, mustache, crib, earrings

Sweetness O’Toole adjusted the collar of her leather jacket and wondered how long she’d be able to zip it. She still couldn’t believe she was pregnant. Her life was a soap opera, that was for sure. She always did fall for a man with a mustache. He was just so pretty, and he had given her the most beautiful sapphire earrings (“Ah, ma petit, this blue matches your eyes exactly…”). What a corn ball. Didn’t he know that his redneck accent didn’t sound the least bit French?

She’d thought about getting the “operation.” But here she was shopping for a crib. And where was Mr. Mustache? Probably back in Little Rock by now. Good riddance!

2011 Project 365 – Week Seven

Note: If you're looking for the Poetry Bus, click here.

Well for heaven’s sake – there are even more pictures this week. For such a gray time of year we certainly do find plenty of things to photograph.

Note: No Tax Time Pig this week - again. Apparently he really likes his coat of many colors, so no new picture. I sure hope he dresses up for Valentine’s Day!

Sunday, February 6^th      

Just some bird pictures. I never used to be so interested in birds until we moved to our house. It’s just so much fun to see what kinds come around. Dr. M took these pictures.

Monday, February 7^th  

Look! I took another picture of a sheep on a hay roll. I wonder how they decide who gets to go up there?

Dr. M took this snowy picture on his way home. Brr!

Tuesday, February 8^th

Dr. M took these pictures – more birds, and some snowy scenery.

This is the State of the Bug picture for the week. I am showing relief that I finally vacuumed & mopped.

Wednesday, February 9^th

Hmm – I’m sensing a theme – bird pictures and scenery. Here Mr. Cardinal and his Mrs. are dining with some very fat sparrows? I’m not sure what these are…

The geese are on the move again…

The name on this barn is Green Acres. Seems like there’s a disconnect there!

Thursday, February 10^th     

I had to snap this picture on my way out of the house Thursday morning – 0.2 degrees outside. Rude! The house was 62.3 degrees with 54% humidity.

Friday, February 11^th

Lots of pictures today. A sunrise on Dr. M’s way to work.

Ducks!

Yes, the furniture is still there :)

I went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner with some friends. AS got the deep fried macaroni & cheese.

Saturday, February 12^th

Today Dr. M & I went to have lunch with a friend. We met at a pub called The Old Bag of Nails. It was pretty good. But of course I didn’t take a picture of E or of the pub or our food. These are pictures on our way home. This house is one of the ones on the Underground Railroad in Mechanicsburg – the safe room was in the attic.

I just loved the sign & the snowy vista.

I took this picture of a pheasant in flight – there were two of them walking across the road, but we startled them.

And, lastly, a picture of a soft drink named after Dr. M! He’s so special. I guess no one would buy a drink named after The Bug, would they?

Go to Sara’s blog here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants.

The Poetry Bus is on the Move...

[Note: To see the prompts & other passengers, go here. Highway Patrol officers go here.]

Did everyone read TFE's lovely biography of me? I'm apparently a shrimp these days (as if being 5'4" isn't shrimpy enough!). Ah well, at least Dr. M is quite tall enough for the both of us until science figures out how to restore me to my correct height.

So here is my effort for Monday's bus. Is it dangerous for the driver to be writing poetry too? You be the judge, but please keep in mind that I was in a very silly mood when I wrote this. I chose the middle picture prompt.

It’s kind of like -

a fish out of water -

a Yankee down South -

a frozen word from

a warm heart.

Your icy phrase

banishes me to the

cornfield until

spring.

I poke my head

around your

study door

and whisper with

great drama,

“Is it spring yet?”



Thankful Thursday

If you're looking for the Poetry Bus Prompt - it's here.

If it’s Thursday it must be time to count my blessings. And you should count yours too – we can go back to complaining tomorrow. And you know I will – death, taxes, the Bug complaining about something – it’s a sure thing.

• So, this week I’m thankful that at my weigh in yesterday I was inexplicably down 2.4 pounds. Woot! I’d like to make this journey a little more of a sure thing than something I’m leaving to serendipity – so some prayers in that area would be appreciated.
• I’m thankful for sheep (so there Ellen!). It’s not dark now when I drive by the farm on my way home & it’s so much fun to see what they’re up to. I got a fairly good picture of one of them standing on a hay roll.
• I’m thankful that Dr. M fiddled with the furnace until it sounds healthy again. It was working but we were afraid it might be in its death throes.
• I’m thankful that no one expects me to sing the National Anthem anywhere at any time. I know you enjoy doing it Daddy, but I’m pretty sure I want nothing to do with such an enterprise.
• I’m thankful that Dr. M surprised me with Anglican Prayer beads last week (thanks for giving him the idea Jayne!). I’ve been using them every night and they are definitely helping me be a little more focused (& let’s face it – AWAKE) during prayer. I’ve been using some of the suggested prayers on the card they included, but I want to write my own. If I ever actually do that I’ll certainly share them here.

OK, your turn – what are you thankful for this week? Remember to check out Greg’s blog to check out other folks’ thanksgivings.

The Bug is Driving the Bus

Here we go again! I'm behind the wheel & being dangerous in the curves - but I promise that you'll all arrive safely. Really!

It's Valentine's Day (or it will be on Monday - stop being so technical!), but you don't have to write any love sonnets or Conversation Heart verses. Unless you want to - go for it if that's what's on your mind. I'm listing three different picture prompts below which should hopefully stir some creative juices. I'm sorry that it's on the heels of last week's picture prompt, but not sorry enough to change it.

1. Our neighbors took this picture of the driveway across the street last week. What do you think is going on here? Make up a story about it!

2. Dr. M took this picture of furniture in the cornfield. Now that seemed extra odd to me. I supposed that perhaps a frigid tête-à-tête was going on. What do you think?

3. A closeup of the chair - I'm not sure why this icy furniture has grabbed my attention, but I would love to see what you have to say about it.

After you post your poem come back here & let me know & I'll post the link on this post. Good luck!

Here are our most excellent passengers:

Jeanne Iris

Me!

Swiss

Jeanne Iris again (don't miss it!)

Doctor FTSE

NanU

120 Socks

Karen

TotalFeckingEejit

Cad

Muse Swings

Enchanted Oak

Niahm

Peter Goulding

Crazy Field Mouse

Emerging Writer

Domestic Oub
Jinksy
Titus

South of Freedom

South of Freedom

There are no footprints
in the snow this night.
Some nights
a candle shines
in the window
calling in the voice
of Lady Liberty
(this was before she
was iron and copper)
“Shh – be quiet!
Creep around back –
there’s a blanket
in the basement
and a little bread.”
A little bread.

But tonight the
window is dark
and there will be
no blanket
and no bread
and I can hear
the dogs
in the distance.

This is a Magpie Tale and a One Shot Wednesday. Please follow the links to read other tales.

Monday Miscellany

In church yesterday I was looking across the choir loft at one of my Facebook friends (hey Kim!) who has been posting Black History Month quotes. Yesterday’s was from Bill Cosby: It isn't a matter of black is beautiful as much as it is white is not all that's beautiful. I think Kim is a beautiful woman (inside & out, actually) and I just really don’t understand why a person with her coloring would ever not be considered beautiful. I looked down at my hands and they were all pinkish looking & I wondered why this skin color was always considered preferable. Apparently the people who care about beauty weren’t in charge.

Lots of stuff to discuss about the Superbowl. Yay Packers! I’m not really a Packers fan, but maybe I will be now. I could use some fair weather. I missed the Star Spangled Banner – apparently it was butchered? But I did hear the little patriotic message read by Michael Douglas, comparing the Superbowl to World War II, JFK & MLK. I was fairly stunned – although I should know by now that the lengths we’ll go to promote this brutal sport are pretty outrageous. I enjoyed a lot of the commercials (LOVE the Detroit one), but others just made me go, “huh?” So really, a normal night of TV viewing. Except that the commercials on the History Channel are getting OLD. I do not want Magic Jack, I do not want it History Channel!

So I drove to work in the snow today. It wasn’t too bad, and apparently it’s supposed be clear (and extra cold) for the rest of the week. Of course, I at long last went through the car wash yesterday. Just couldn’t take it anymore. And, really, if I wait until the weather is clear then it might not happen until spring (probably not the best idea to wash the car when it’s clear, but the high is 20).

This is as much miscellany as I can manage today – I really do have other things to do besides blog. Really!

Have a great day!