Thought Prints

I awake.  The clock's short hand is reaching toward 11.  Going to bed at 3:30 AM caused that late sleep.  Laying in the comfort of the bed, toes wiggling, slowly the day comes to me.  Thoughts, wishes, hopes, and memories.  Memories laced with joys and regrets.  Good choices, bad choices.  A life that is getting closer to the end.  Will it be this year?  Not likely.  Will I live well into my 90's?  Not my goal. So, having written all of this, I am looking within myself, my future, heck just today.  Really, this moment is all I have. in the distant haze there stands the mighty mountains glaciers retreating thought I was a mountain just sand by the sea petra domina ©

reflection in the mirror of what has been but never really was is it an addiction to fading memories? petra domina

 sadness hidden in the shadows faith petra domina

This summer of 2023 has been brutally hot many days.  The excessive heat has been the second highest in recorded history world wide.  Read more here .  The heat at Camp Mabry, the nearest official weather station to me, averaged the following: June 2023     -   97.9℉  36.6℃  (5 days above 100℉)        historical average - 89℉  31.6℃ July 2023      - 103.5℉  39.7℃  (6 days below 100℉)        historical average - 97℉  36.1℃ August 2023 - 104.9℉  40.5℃  (2 days below 100℉)        historical average - 96℉  35.5℃  prisoners  held captive by sun's blaze oil barons parched lips mouth prayers blessed fall © petra domina

  Carpe Diem Haiku Kai inspiration painting: citrus colored clouds glide across the blue sky grapes ripen © petra domina Visit Chèvrefeuille by clicking on the post title.  Watch for new prompts.

  Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, a new episode: flower market After a long absence our wonderful mentor has returned to challenge us novice haiku writers.  If you will click here , you will see the challenge post for this week. depth of a flower flying away with the bee some mystery (C) Jane Reichhold (1937-2016) On the flower market A mysterious woman selling  - Her broken heart (C) Chèvrefeuille - - - - - - - - - - - - moonflower radiates in darkness taste of death © Petra Domina For more beautiful poetry visit  Chèvrefeuille's blog, Carpe Diem Haiku Kai .

Recently I drove 200 miles to my home town to attend the funeral of a friend.  A man who, along with his wife, rode the elevator with my husband, my hours-old son, and me to the maternity ward.  His birthday was that same day, the day of our only child's birth.   Once the funeral was over, hugs and memories shared with his two adult children, I drove out to a house about 7 miles away.  It was our house. Built to our plans and sold when that only child was two years old.  Not sold before it left a mark on our friends and their children.  Leaving that home for another state our friend drifted away as the currents of life pulled us apart. After the visit to our home, I drove back to the house where I spent my teen years.  During the drive an unusual thing happened to my conscience.  I was not driving a car down a road, I was parking the Falcon in my parents garage.  I was walking toward the oh so familiar screen door.  The smells in my...

  Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #1360: New Life New Life, Spring Is Here I am writing this even though the time to join the Kai postings has passed.  Need to get back into my writing habits! pushing from the womb new life emerges  amid the pain © petra domina May the world emerge with new life as many nations suffer the pains of growth.

 Son gave me the gift of a writing course.  This is an online course and I have never really taken any sort of writing course.  Never.  I am 75 and this course is attempting to teach an old dog new tricks.  Here is the last session's subject.  Description of one's self.  The result is and ASSIGNMENT:  use imagery to describe your personal state of being. The example given was a description written by Frank Kafka.  " A picture of my existence... would show a useless wooden stake covered in snow... stuck loosely at a slant in the ground in a ploughed field on the edge of a vast open plain on a dark winter night." A picture of my existence... would show a dusty whirlwind moving across the cornfield ready for harvest... filled with all it touched... surrounded by sunshine... revolutions slowing down toward its dissipation...  ending as quickly as it began. I read this to Hubby.  He has been at my side for over 55 years counting the time...

  Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #1845 Troiku Challenge: Summertime   Today's challenge from our host is to create a troiku using his own haiku for the primary source. at the seashore wind of summer through my hair the shortest night © Chèvrefeuille at the seashore clamoring sound of gulls punctuate the air wind of summer through my hair taste of salt on my tongue soothing warmth of the sand the shortest night daybreak comes all too soon gulls at work again © petra domina Follow this link to see other contributions to the troiku challenge. Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for hosting Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

Chèvrefeuille is back and I am glad! With a challenge for a new masterpiece on the theme returning back to normal here is my submission. crinkles spreading across faces exposed joy © petra domina   Visit today's post on  Carpe Diem #1844 Returning Back To Normal (I Hope)

nothing to say  nowhere to go  moving toward nothingness

The Cool Air  lookouts of old sitting above the low trees semi-arid landscape Living on one of the highest points in our small city yields a very nice view.  The land falls away down a hill to an ancient trail.  This geography affords a view across several miles.  Sitting in my new favorite chair my gaze is drawn to a distant water tower.   teasing clouds playful dragons mock the earth farmers hope Beyond that tower are more miles of gently rolling earthscape.  Some of the area is sprouting homes, some is still fertile farmland.   Farmland bare following harvest.  Tilled and prepped with the promise of another year's crops.  Winter wheat is already planted needing rain to encourage growth. the blue sky now empty of the morning clouds fall in the cool air Continuing to set new highs for each day, the climate is not cooperating with the farmers.  Clouds form then clouds fly away,  Hope lost for the gentle water to nourish th...

oh the joy jasmine wafts on the breeze soul full That haiku was written in April, 2020.  In this year dominated by a worldwide pandemic the memory of the scent of jasmine brings comfort.  Doing what a mother does so well, nature nurturing. Anjali mudra breathing deeply peace Free write to spill out all the tangled thoughts.  Love, sadness, loss, fear, joy, excitement, dejection, failure, achievement all mixed in the whirlwind called life.  Diaphramic breathing brings prayerful calmness. worries written on parchment dissolve in flames Is the devil in the details or in the worry of things we cannot change?  Things that brush against our lives that leave stains on our thoughts, is that the devil?  Will I let go of the worries in the flames? sunrays in the arms of angels peace   

Three different types of rocks are on this blue orb.   Metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks are the types with the later being formed by the cooling of the liquid center of the earth. trickling waters smoothing the rock's edge languid eyes dreaming of creation rocks hold to eternity © petra domina

sitting in my empire buzzer on a clothes dryer acts like an umpire calling me out at home pray Ruth does not retire though some for that conspire the Constitution is on fire the orange cheeto just brays once reporters could inquire and not be called a liar droves continue to expire government giveaways the crow sits on a tire child's kite flies even higher secret deals still transpire the markets are up today siting in my empire news stations are for hire I'll never call him Sire he's an irritable bowel syndrome © petra domina

Endless searching till I thought I'd die Suddenly into the space my muse does fly.. How I have missed you, my sweet muse. Now I just search for the words to use. Welcome back my muse, my friend. Your warmth and presence inspires to no end. Please, stay for more than a little while. Write me a poem to make folks smile. Will it be about a hawk up in the sky? Just help me be inspired to once more fly How I have missed you, my sweet muse. In this space an embrace I sure could use. © petra domina

Spring storms have passed through the last few days.  Those storms have left behind an abundance of puddles.  Even in the open hallway outside some of the apartments.  The five level parking garage had its share of the puddles.  These puddles are not full of mud though there is plenty of pollen.  Pollen washed from the air and surfaces is just another harbinger of spring. Today is Resurrection Sunday celebrated by Christians.  With the clearing skies and nice breeze my early walk was a celebration of renewed life.  The feeling of childlike joy filled me as I listened to the birds singing.  The feel of the breeze through my hair.  With a Betty Boop face mask I embraced the childlike feelings.  I walked through every puddle that was in my path. spirits splashing in puddles rebirth © petra domina

Today, April 8 is my BFF's birthday.  Reba Jane's grandmother and my grandfather were brother and sister therefore we are cousins.  We have been friends from our days as toddlers.  We wandered creeks together.  We sat under trees in the fence row eating like queens.  Sandwiches made with white bread, plenty of mustard and bologna.  Maybe a cookie or banana for dessert.  On the birthday wish phone call we drifted through a few memories.  We spoke of current events.  Mostly we just felt the love of a lifelong friendship float between us.  Some things do not have to be spoken. gauzy curtains fluttering in the spring breeze soundless wave © petra domina

Carpe Diem #1808 LOVE acrostic challenge Dodoitsu is a form of Japanese poetry developed towards the end of the Edo Period. Often concerning love or work, and usually comical, Dodoitsu poems consist of four lines with the syllabic structure 7-7-7-5 and no rhyme or metre. An example of a Dodoitsu: One Night one night I searched for a star what I found was a full moon now my every day is full of shooting stars © Ben Gieske (2012) R ing on her finger says married O verjoyed with life ahead S urprised by a gift so large E dger not listed! © petra domina Thanks to our faithful teacher, Chèvrefeuille, for new and different challenges to improve and expand our writing skills.  Namaste.