Thought Prints

Carpe Diem #983 Lithuania Some parts of the world have soaring mountains.  Other parts are desert with the moving sand dunes.  Then there are the flat to gently rolling areas.  Rugged, hilly, marshy and the list goes on to describe the beautiful diversity of this blue earth.  Lakes, rivers, oceans add to the beauty.   From the earliest of times humans attempted to modify the shape and texture with all sorts of implements.  Stones to dynamite to giant earth movers lay hills and mountains low.  Other times, humans join countries with tunnels and bridges.  Marshes become shopping malls.  Imagination can be the best modifier. above the lowlands clouds form distant mountains at sunset © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #104 "by the mountain spring" by Goda Virginija Bendoraitienė Walking in the quiet of the forest with hands gently touching.  The breeze rustles the leaves of the silver maple sending flashes of grey and green.  The binary code of the forest.  Words without sounds.  There, near the spring, stands a once mighty oak.  Dead now with a dried up heart.  The two continue to walk in the silence of the words. by the mountain spring we talk about the same things just in other words © Goda Virginija Bendoraitienė the lips say kiss but the eyes speak of revolution! © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #982 Latvia http://weddinginriga.com/surroundings/ waves lap white sand beach salty air whistles through pines perfect companions © petra domina  Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem Tokubetsudesu #84 Back In Time "Carpe Diem Full Circle" distant oasis floating on a sandy sea palmtrees shade camels © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #981 Spain castanet echoes against an ancient wall bull's hoof beats ©   Janice 'petra domina' Adcock Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #980 Ireland The DIL swabbed her cheek and sent the package away for testing.  The results were 31% Jewish.  Some Eastern European and 3% African.  There were  more percentages of Western Europe than she had expected.  Now to quiz the aunts and her dad.  From where did this come?  Do I dare do the swab?  Would it truly be Scotch, Irish and English?  My features, hair, eyes and freckled skin so most assuredly! a reddish fox dancing with leprechauns 'neath the full moon ©   Janice 'petra domina' Adcock Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #979 Hungary When I saw the challenge was Hungary I almost swooned.  Hubby and I fell in love with Hungary , especially Budapest .  The buildings were no older than other places we visited.  Nothing was more ornate.  There was just something that caught our fancy.  Well, part of it could have been Chaba, one of the crew on the river cruise.  Chaba was Hungarian with the best set of calves I had seen since my young hubby's calves.  I do like me some calves!!!  And I cherished getting to know sweet, sweet Chaba.  He hugged Hubby and me on the last day and called us Grandpa and Grandma.  Yes, it was the people we fell in love with in Hungary. buffeted by wars behind a curtain of iron hearts soft as goose down © petra domina Budapest, 4-8-2016 © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI   

Carpe Diem #978 Greece Why does my mind go to the song The Age of Aquarius when I think of Greece!  It could be the rich history.  Maybe Mt. Olympus' gods or the beautiful seas the surround Greece?  As a Jackie O fan I have to think of Onassis and yachts the size of a small town.   Olives, feta and Greek salads all rolled together into a delicious dream that smells of the sea.  It is the dawning of...... sugar cube houses spilled across the mountain face toward the azure seas bleating in the green fields goats need milking . now © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #973 Bulgaria Bulgaria . . . One of the last two countries on the Viking Cruise.  The second half of the Grand European Sojourn, as the total cruise was named, was Passage to Eastern Europe.  All of the latter countries had been behind 'the Iron Curtain" till the late 1980's.  To say this was the experience of a lifetime is no exaggeration.    We spent two days touring Bulgaria.  Day one, Hubby went on the morning excursion to the Belogradchik Rocks.  In the afternoon I visited a local home and learned to make the traditional banitsa bread and traditional yogurt.  There were only three of us on the home visit so it was very personal.   As we arrived  at the home, two women and a gentleman family friend had greeted us in the beautiful enclosed courtyard.  Of course there was a shot of the local brandy/white lightning, freshly baked bread and a dry herb dip.   We were welcomed into a nicely appointe...

Carpe Diem #972 The Netherlands On March 24, 2016, the plane touched down at the Amsterdam Airport which is located on a former lake.  Transfer to the hotel went smooth ac Dutch chocolate.  For the next 4 days areas between Amsterdam and Kinderdijk were explored.  The four tours I had arranged via the web included the 'typical' tourist stops it seems.  As first time travelers to Europe we could not have found a more hospitable land to begin our journey.  Two old greenhorns that knew not a word of any language other than English.  And a little Latin. Iconic architecture The first afternoon the concierge guided us on the use of the tram system. We hopped the #25 and journeyed to the canal tour area.  We merged into a group of people and exited the tram.  After the tour we again used the #26 tram to return to the hotel.  We could not get to door to open and missed our stop at the Mövenpick Hotel. Thinking we would just ride it ...

Carpe Diem 974 Cyprus Snow on an island in the Mediterranean feels more like an oxymora than a reality.  Surely Japan has snow but isn't it further north?  Yes, part of Japan is further north.  It must be the elevation, 1,952 m (6,404 ft).  According to Wikipedia, "Cyprus has the warmest climate and warmest winters in the Mediterranean part of the European Union."  It still has winter temperatures in the mountains to maintain 4 ski lifts.  One just has to love the whole creation and climate thing.....  What fun. snowy nights skis fly in the morning light bikini sunsets © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #102 "the plum blossoms gone" by Ryokan Taigu Here is the "hokku". the first stanza of this new Tan Renga Challenge: The plum blossoms gone, They look older than they are, Ancient cottage eaves.                              © Ryokan Taigu (1758-1831) In the corner eave meets house The swallows tend their hatchlings             © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem Renga Party #3 summer moonlight summer moonlight steals my sleep again I stroll down the lane © Dolores summer moonlight - - - - - response - - - - - summer evening stroll lite by the sliver of moon breeding romance Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI ©   Janice 'petra domina' Adcock

Carpe Diem Tokubetsudesu #82 Milan Rajkumar's "frog on lotus leaf " lifeless for a season pupa inside the ocean spring gives life and wings © milan rajkumar milan rajkumar lives in imphal, manipur india and is a secondary school teacher who teaches fixed and flexible exchange rates while writing haiku. he is so humble that he doesn’t want to use “I” and capital letters Milan also writes sometimes tanka and recently he published a beautiful tanka in response on one of the "Latifa Prayer" episodes. frog on lotus leaf sitting and admiring lotus bloom does it care the snake which looms behind . © milan rajkumar - - - - - response - - - - - Tab Hunter, closeted 1950's heartthrob, co-wrote his own autobiography,  Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star (2006).  In 2015 a movie was made starring Mr. Hunter recounting his life.  I sat watching this story about one of my tween heartthrobs and the life he had to live.  Milan'...

Carpe Diem #971 Luxembourg (The Green Heart of Europe) As the CDHK continues its journey through Europe, today we are visiting Luxembourg. Here is a haiku found by our host.  The author is a renowned poetess that from this small country. portraits nursing their faded past - weary autumn gardens © Anise Koltz* pine scented mountains draw the city dwellers forest bathers © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem Special #209 "ripple in the lake" by Joyce Lorenson the river flows along the city's shoreline caressing her lights © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #970 Italy Today on our tour through Europe we visit and learn of Italy.  Suddenly, as I read the inspiration post, the living room morphs to a classroom, Latin I & II.  The Coliseum , the Appian Way , the Roman Senate  and all that was part of that long ago culture.  The study of the language from which all Romance languages derived. "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears."  To which the 'Mad Magazine' guys tried to pretend they were cutting off their ears.  It was high school hijinks.  We freshman, Latin I students, were the plebes.  There were consuls and patricians.  And the constant awareness of gender as that determined which word was to be used.  And conjugations, endless conjuctions.... amo, amas, amat, amā́mus, amā́tis, amant. I loved it, really, really loved it.  It was the beginning of a love affair with world.  A world beyond the cotton farm and the Collin county line. I st...

Carpe Diem Utabukuro #11 (restarting an old feature) "Wisteria Beans" by Matsuo Basho Today's prompt is to pick a favorite haiku and explain why you chose it.  Also, one is to write a new haiku inspired by the favorite poetry. First autumn morning the mirror I stare into shows my father’s face. © Murakami Kijo a tear trickles recalling that last season memories spool back split second flicks fast-forward arrested in mind’s eye a smile forms on our lips ©Tournesol’16/06/04 - - - - -  response - - - - -  A couple of days ago mon amie in Montreal posted the above haiku and her response.  With two of three sisters that grow to look more like our Mom each time we are together, it hit home.  Another sister and I tend to look more like our Dad's sister.  One sister's granddaughter and grandson have faces, especially the shape and eyes, that look cloned.  A couple of the nephews with a head turned slightly to the side a...

Carpe Diem #969 France Most European countries remain nothing but dreams for me.  France is one of those countries.  I have been to Paris. . . Paris, Texas, that is.  A small town at the edge of the Piney woods geographical region of Northeast Texas. By Jeanne Boleyn (talk) - I (Jeanne Boleyn (talk) created this work entirely by myself. The folks of Paris, Texas, erected a replica of the real Eiffel Tower in 1993.  Later in an effort to make it be the tallest replicas (at the time) a cowboy hat was added at the top.  I promise not all Texans wear cowboy hats.  Just as not all French Parisians wear berets.  No Louvre nor Art Museum in Paris, TX.  Just a yearly arts and crafts fair sponsored by the local YMCA. One of the few times I have visited Paris, TX, was as a sophomore in high school.  There was a yearly football match of the McKinney Lions and the Paris Wildcats.  That is the US football, not the rest of the...

Carpe Diem #968 Germany The country girl and boy had never been off the North American continent.  Then by the grace of heaven and a generous relative the chance arose to visit Europe.  While the choices were many it was decided to do the Grand Tour as the royalty of old would do when they came of age.  While girl and boy were decades beyond coming of age, they settled on the river cruise. young at heart two old turtles set out for a swim remains of Roman wall, Bamberg First The Netherlands and next Germany with Austria, Hungary and the Slavic countries to follow.  All would be seen from the shores of the rivers they had both studied in geography classes so many years ago in school.  Months of preparation and planning added to the excitement of the event.  A plane ride and the two emerged into the land that seemed to be the thing of dreams.  Far away lands that were the stuff of legends, truths and eons of history. walls of stone...

Carpe Diem #967 Belgium - - - - - our host's introduction - - - - - This month on CDHK we will be travelling around Europe.  We will study European haiku poets.  Today we start with the EU member, Belgium.  Herman Van Rompuy, the former Prime Minister of Belgium and the first President of the European Council is a honored haiku poet.  So here are a few of his haiku: Birds in concert, one sings above all others. I don't know its name © Herman van Rompuy In a nearby ditch toads mating passionately inaugurate spring. © Herman van Rompuy Okay a last one to conclude this episode: The harvest is in and the trees are already thinning. Evening nears. © Herman van Rompuy behind every corner the landscape changes and changes again breathtaking beauty © Chèvrefeuille - - - - - response - - - - - old pond overflows  even frogs head for high ground heavy spring rains ©  petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for dail...