Thought Prints

We live in Central Texas.  It is the time of year for Cedar Fever.  This condition is similar to hay fever only caused by the prolific cedars in our area. sniffle snort  blow guess that's how this season is gonna go

Carpe Diem #1270 desert travellers (Karunesh) weary camels rest sparks spiral skyward day's warmth retreats  skirts whirl through dreams to the music of the desert ©    petra domina To hear the music that inspired this post click here .  The music is toward the end of the post.  A facinating article about desert nomads making a yearly trek is here . Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1269 reflection I love days that start with a smile.  Today was one of those.  After morning chores I settled into my easy chair to catch up on all the CDHK posts.  There on the patio screen door was a green lizard.  This lizard has been hanging around for several months now.  It has surprised me by skittering across the patio as it escaped the watering bucket's cascade.  Today it brought back memories of a time before grandsons were born.  A time when a gecko was grabbed by the tail.  It ran away leaving its tail in my son's fingers.  His wife screamed not knowing that the tail would grow back.  Thanks, little green lizard, for a smile. from the mist green dragon appears a tale grows ©    petra domina skittering lizard Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1268 shuntoo (spring lantern) harvest moon bright as a shuntoo rice paper scrolls brush strokes tell the story of a summer romance brush caresses the paper thoughts of love skin soft as silk glides beneath one last stroke in a fit of passion ink drops glistening on the desk blackened memory reflecting in the light of the harvest moon ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1267 millionaire What would you do if someone knocked on your door and handed you a cashiers check for one million dollars?  That was the premise of a 1950's TV show that ran for 5 years.  Named simply "The Millionaire" it was entertaining to watch story lines about the effects of sudden wealth.  That check would need to be 9 million to be worth the same amount now.  inflation balloon rises to heaven sun rays of gold ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1266 Koharu (Indian Summer) That killing frost that wilts the blossoms, that nips the buds, that announces the promise of winter.  Yea, that happens in other places.  Neither often nor early nor frequently in subtropical climes.  When the weather forecasts calls for a cold front, most likely you can still wear your shorts.  It is a life from a different place that can be remembered.  The beauty of the leaves, the morning chill, apple orchards dotted in red.  Good times. full moon autumn's chill a summer's dream ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1265 perfume rose petals gathered in the morning dew perfume filled air ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem weekend-meditation #4  Soliloquy no renga (solo-renga):  Celebration celebration finally winter has gone early plum blossoms © Chèvrefeuille delicately frosted by last evening's snowfall morning sun melting winter's breath droplets forming drip, drip, dripping into a light filled puddle each drop spreading the light concentric circles rippling toward the puddle's edge tiny waves on a small sea warmth of sun awakening those hibernating the frog wriggles from the the muddy depths squinting in the bright light raspy croaking searching for the right note to win her heart bringing his deepest tone his bellows filling the air plumb clouds at sunset bring a chill as night falls across the old pond petals zigzags to the pond confetti celebration ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1264 Borealis (Northern Lights) frozen plains alight in dancing colors souls of caribou thundering across meadows once grazed in winter's long night ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1263 neighborhood of colors After living for many decades in locations a little too monochrome in their occupants, I am pleased to be living in an apartment complex populated by a wide spectrum of colors and tones.  What joy to look up while on a walk to see someone who looks nothing like a 70 year old white woman.  To see the young mother in her hijab walking with her children.  To hear the rhythm of a different language floating across the pool.  To see the sun set profiling the gay couple as they embrace.  Yes, I am loving this neighborhood of colors. jewels glisten at sunset ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1262 courtyard blues Courtyard Blues cobblestones echo loneliness ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1261 The Pleasure of Reading The Pleasure of Reading reading by candlelight ice storm heat seeps  from the fireplace ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1260 Winding Road Winding Road swerving through the curves the wind sings of things from long ago ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem Weekend-meditation #3 on the river floating lights on the river lights float to the horizon the dead rejoice © Basho on the river gentle sway canoe floats lights float to the horizon river views leafy hands wave the dead rejoice  as we move into that golden light ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1259 creating beauty Creating Beauty Headed for a life of possible one night stands the formerly abused child meets that one being, gentle giant  remolds using only love ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1258 daily bread Bakery baking day yeasty smell fills the air crunch of crust herbed olive oil dribbles down the chin ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1257 Wisteria Blues (Jonathan Reid) Wisteria Blues © Jonathan Reid (flickr ) bumbling within wisteria cascades busy bees with pollen knickers  they fly away ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1256 Grains of Sand A Grain of Sand Fall seems to be a melancholy time for me.  Is it the shorter days or the sun a little lower in the sky?  The answer illudes me as much now in my septuagenarian years as it did when I was 30. What I do know is my thoughts turn to the past more than to the future.  At this moment in that past there lives the memory of my daddy.  He was a cut-up.  He could create and recite iambic pentameters on the fly.  Most of those poems were just silly little ditties about something happening at the time.  His fun nature brought a great joy to all around him.  So much fun that when he died even his great grandchildren wept at his loss.  But I delight on this September morn as I recall Daddy sitting at the supper table and reciting portions of Longfellow's A Psalm of Life.    My mind's ear hears his voice saying,  "... and departing leave behind us footprints on the sands of time...

Carpe Diem Weekend-Meditation #2 Troiku "a hundred gourds" in my garden starflowers bloom come and see © Chiyo-Ni (age 6) in my garden early morning dewy dampness starflowers bloom with a happy smile welcome the bee come and see gathered nectar  becomes a comb ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1255 City Park City Park (photo by Chèvrefeuille) Fall weather and the thoughts of city parks take me back to the years of my childhood and youth.  Every year for many decades my father's extended family gathered for the Rogers' reunion.  The concrete picnic tables of Finch Park would be ladened with all the wonderful fresh garden foods of the rural families.  Fresh blackeyed peas and fried okra, platters of sliced tomatoes, home made pickles and relishes brimmed over the edges of the dishes.  Some of the women had killed chickens the day before and so the fried chicken was better than anything I taste today.  Pies, cakes and cookies were on the dessert tables.  The old 20 gallon coolers used to hold water in the cotton fields were filled with tea and lemonade cooled by the blocks of ice from the ice store.  These foods were eaten with the plates, flatware and glasses brought from home. September in Texas was still hot and dusty ...

Carpe Diem #1254 stairs of nature Stairs of Nature above green orbs green orbs glaring earth's strata exposed to time stairway for the hind ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1253 Thousand Candles Thousand Candles candles lite in love outshine the torches of hate ©   petra domina   Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI dedicated to the many thousands of people working to rescue and/or help the victims of the mud slides, earthquakes, forest fires and hurricanes

Carpe Diem #1252 New Forest by Jackie Ley New Forest by Jackie Ley in the midst of the smoldering trees lays the new forest ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Challenge weekend-meditation #1 raindrops Our host, Chevrefeuille has given the following challenge: The first haiku to use and create a "Squared Tan Renga" with is one by Kobayashi Issa, one of the five greatest haiku poets: three raindrops a greeting card from heaven... midsummer heat © Issa And here is the other haiku to create a Squared Tan Renga with: flying away following the rainbow into heaven © Chèvrefeuille ___________________________ three raindrops a greeting card from heaven... midsummer heat © Issa do those three drops quench the thirsty sun baked earth? the blue orb seeks the  cooling winds while the lovers seek only loves dew drops ©    petra domina flying away following the rainbow into heaven © Chèvrefeuille children dancing along the way with feet covered in stardust stardust memories sparkle in the minds of the grandparents ©    petra domina ...

Carpe Diem #1251 Bluebells at sunset (by Inguna Plume) Bluebells at sunset by Inguna Plume floating in the pink sunset bluebells letting go of earth spirits floating free ©   petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1250 Autumn Colors Autumn Colors by Kyle Bonallo breath in  the luscious  gold of autumn enrich your life forever ©   petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1249 despair  despair among trees leaves ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI