Saturday, June 22, 2019

Willow

Our writing word for a while now has been "willow." I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to find time to write up a short post on a tree with long leaves and longer branches, especially since it was my word.



I offered "willow" as a word because of the concept of the "weeping willow." The various political parties controlling and destroying much of the peaceful existence we once knew has thrown many of us into an emotional turmoil, much like a savage wind that wrecks havoc with the landscape. Now is a time of weeping and gnashing of teeth for many.



Our institutions are being ripped apart - healthcare, education, diversity support groups, the list goes on. Soon there will be nothing left of the rich forest that sheltered and protected us. We will live in a wasteland scrabbling to survive.



And then there is the willow tree...weeping, yes, but still standing. Her deep roots anchored to the ground, her dishevelled branches, bruised but not broken. She has survived because of her ability to be flexible, to roll with the punches, so to speak and to come back!



The willow is the image of survival in difficult times. Yes, we must resist these political onslaughts, but we must also survive. We must find a way to stay optimistic, in spite of the oppression. We must weather the storm until peace and tranquility are restored.

The pictures? Trees for all seasons. Must take a picture of a willow.

Have a peaceful day.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

The Power of Wisps!

Our writing word for today is "wisp." To me much of what makes life enjoyable are small "wisps" of "things." I am sitting here beside two pink peonies that are very fragrant. I inhale a wisp of their perfume, from time to time. It is subtle, like the spray of lilac that nods across my window or its scent that infuses my walk up the driveway.



Mundane activities can be raised to the sublime, I think, by wisps. The flash of a red Cardinal across the lawn, while weeding, exalts the moment. A few notes of a song, while shopping, transports the soul, and a wisp of lace or silk, anywhere, enshrines the moment.



Just a shot of sun on an unsettled day raises the spirit, too. Also, a sip of coffee, warm and fragrant, calms a frenzied moment and silence, the complete absence of sound and its companion, stillness, is magical.



These interludes do not happen often, especially in the city. I plant a garden to give me some wisps of Peace. In a crazy world of plastic, concrete, construction and mind screaming noise, I find solace in a fringe of ferns, a cluster of columbines and a patch of primrose, to ease the bleeding heart.

The pictures - my flowers and my lace.

Have a peaceful day.