Thought Prints

Carpe Diem #1222 Beach Mediterranean Seacoast, Nice, France, 7-2-2017  cool blue breeze skips across pebbly seashore bare skin soaks up the sun's gaze ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1163 geisha, the beauty of Japan source:  google search porcelain warmed her fingers ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1153 Raku, Japanese pottery moist clay sculpted with ivory hands perfect tea ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1152 Ikebana stem's coolness flowers gentle scent simply sublime ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem Namasté the Spiritual Way #2 pilgrimage from the same earth grow all species of trees  at once and as one though some may be taller each grows as tall as it can ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1151 Shikoku Island For just a moment close your eyes and imagine being in a traditional small Japanese boat crossing to the island meditation wasen bobs as pilgrims chant  creaking boards ©    petra domina (Boat photograph courtesy of Mr. Shinsuke Inoue) Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1150 Matsushima Matsushima rising and falling salty waters brush his thighs a floating pelican ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1148 Shinto whispers from the Shinto gods summer breezes ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem 1149 Imagine Fuji Yama Fuji Yama (photo © Vacationio.com) Fuji reflection cherry blossom bracelet adorns ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1147 Ise Shrine radiance guides the search the bee's flight ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1146 Tea Ceremony tea time child pretends to pour geisha dreams ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1145 Emperor descend the holy one from Mt. Fuji stars for a crown sunshine for eyes ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1144 Samurai In a former life a friend's son was an ESL teacher in Japan.  While there he decided to become a sword maker.  He was apprenticed and began learning how to make swords fashioned in the style of the Samurai.  He was unable to make sufficient income with his new vocation and eventually returned to the States.  His mother was greatly relived.  Not a huge market for swords. learned moves flashing sword awaits the samurai writes ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1143 Edo, ancient Tokyo six chimes . . . tofu floats on boiling broth charcoal glows below sparks escape the cauldron bowl morning food extinguished flame ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1142 Honshu, the "main island" land of rising sun emerge as tatsu from sea aglow in the night ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1141 Japan, the journey begins anticipation on cherry tree twig sakura bud swells nurtured by the melting snows of most sacred Mt. Fuji ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI Last year at this time we were preparing for the trip of a lifetime, Twenty seven days on an European Sojourn.   Preparation included study, clothing purchases, and a knee replacement.  Not the usual trip preparation but essential.  From Amsterdam to Bucharest we saw the beauty of the lands.  Names from our days of studying geography in our country school houses became flesh and blood.  We will be ever grateful for that trip.  Grateful for the opportunity to see and touch those lands and peoples.

Carpe Diem #1140 arriving at the right moment sun angles instincts stir within  migration thoughts feathers preened and gullets full one takes flight into the blue warming breeze beneath their wings gives rise yearnings for homeland far brings focus to the flight there below the call is heard and passed along each glides to rest arrive with the sun's last rays it is just the perfect time ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1139 listening a cry at the river's edge only the dove hears ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI Listening to others has always been important to me.  It has been easy to ask a couple of questions and folks will talk.  A sense of ease and for the most part a lack of judgement were sure fire soil for a 'talking garden'.  A place where privacy was respected, joys and sorrows shared.  The aging process is making it more difficult for me to hear not to mention listen.  After a few years of working next to a refrigerator sized CPU I am left with tinnitus.  With aging ears if there is any other sound in the room, forget it.  I will not be able to understand most words.  The world needs listeners at times even more than answers.  Just knowing your voice has been heard . . . somehow that is enough to heal.

Carpe Diem #1136 Imagine this ... spring rains the smells of the earth plowed fields  the valley perfumes rising from below ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1134 beyond control Sounds simple.  Let go.  Just. Let. Go.  The song from the hit movie, Frozen , has filled the minds and voices of little girls that I meet.  My great niece was barely making complete sentences when she could sing and act out the scene from the movie.  'Let it go!' would be followed by a foot stomp.  Too cute! chains binding the dreams of generations held together by my own hands ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on  CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI