Deer

Deer
among the leafless quakies
on top of Boulder Mountain.
First trip, snow melted
the deer already there
enjoying early spring
grass and flowers.
The wind is sharp.
The birds chatter.
I heard a woodpecker
among the tall trees.
Ducks float on the pond,
and the old leaves rustle
as life renews.

Grace

Grace.
Odd name for a pistol-pack'en mama.
But she was both...
Left home at age 14
to make money and support herself.
Married young and had five kids.
Divorced her husband for
'tippen' and 'rov'en'
came home and took care of
her parents until they died,
her mom in a wheelchair for years
and her dad not much better off.
She stayed home with her kids
and raised them right.
lost her only daughter in a car wreck.
Now at 98, she lives at the care center
seems strong...she may live awhile
longer.

Dog Fashions

We did a long dress for Lola
then decided Sid and Bruno
should wear a tux
one each. They slip
over the head.
Lola's wagging tail
threw the dress to one side.
Meadow suggest a tail hole,
but I cut it all the way
then realized she was right
to keep the dress on.
Meadow decorated with beads
and lace. It was lovely.
It was funny.
Drew made belts.
He has learned to tie.
The dogs jumped around
and tried to bite off clothes.
The designers took them home
to keep.

Linda Survived Charles Bukowski

My sister Linda, the woman warrior,
survived Charles Bukowski
as he did her, barely I think.
I am glad she she is 71 and still around,
that she loved Jerry and
had a child named Scott,
that she laughed and loved
jokester Leo...and is still writing
poetry, sculpturing and making movie scripts.
Still vibrately alive!
Her script of knowing, loving,
and living with Bukowski is
as accurate as she could write
full of love and passion and finally,
the very clear need for her to move on.
Bukowski's drinking is legendary.
Violence lay beneath passion.
but his talent is above it all.
His poetry will live, and live
and LIVE.
He touches the heart.
She touches the heart.
Linda is still with us, her
talent will shower us all
as her painting, sculpture,
writing creations grow.
I think she found the truth
of herself and Bukowski
in this script.
He and She are themselves
in vibrant color!
They lived poetry.
Linda escaped Bukowski
to laugh once more.
To be known a poet
in her own right.
Linda the psychic,
the comic, the painter,
the sculptress, the poet
and writer of movie
scripts. I love it!

Marion's Book

My cousin Marion has completed
her personal history.
It is full of pleasant childhood
memories of family and fun
and pictures galore,
a special family keepsake.
Her kids will love it.

I wonder why I remember more
not so fun stuff that happened.
It is clear she decided against
talking about the drinking,
fights, or problems,
She remembers special moments.

I take my hat off for the
writing she did. I know
she found it difficult
to write and struggled with
it since she lost her soulmate
to cancer, needing to tell
their love story.
She is proud of the effort
and I am proud of her!
Bravo, Marion!

The picture was painted by Sister LaRae.
Marion wanted it on the cover.
Interesting choice.

Bare Bones

I saved this picture taken by Robert Wilde
and put on the internet last year
just because it is so unusual.
I like it because it is what it is.
Bare Bones.

It somehow fits this dream about living poor.

I dreamed my sister Marge and I went to Los Angeles to visit Linda and Gerry. Karen, Colette, Cheryl and Camille were also there. (neices) LaRae went down with us or was already there. She seemed on the edges, a spirit.(deceased) Gerry and Linda insisted we go visit a couple of friends the minute we arrived. I went off without my purse and not a dollar in pocket. First we went to a black woman's house who was putting on a one-act play (Gerry's?) in her house. Linda and Gerry both gave her a dollar, but Marge and I had nothing as we left purses behind. I was embarrassed and promised I'd give her some the next day. She said that you give TO the poor. (I have always been impressed at Linda pulling out dollars to give to the homeless at unexpected times, whether they asked or not.) Then we went to the next person we just had to visit that day. This guy was homeless and he visited people on a wire ladder. He had three special chairs. The ladder was laying down, so at the end he had a chair and you brought your chair into visit. Two others sit on the other two chairs that were put on the ladder behind each other, waiting their turn. Linda went first and she laughed and talked. The guy slapped his knee and laughed (like Dean - he was skinny like Dean too). He was sort of Dean, Marge and I were in the chairs in line waiting our turn. Gerry and the girls waited off to the side while we visited. Linda took her chair, gave him a dollar, and left. It was my turn and he turned so sad. Then he got up and went in the bush where he lived. (Doc??) I was wondering if I did something wrong. I told Gerry I really didn't understand the homeless and very poor. I didn't know what they had to do to live. But this wasn't about money, the sadness. Then the dream was gone.

The old remains of moose bones
reminds me to get to the bones of my life
to find that part valid and true.
And try to see appreciate those that
offer me bones...and they do.
I do oral history at the care center.
I touch lives.
I am reminded..
to carry a dollar in my pocket
to give in unexpected ways.

Playing Softball

We are starting the outdoors spring sport,
freezing every game. We do hope one warm day
will come to enjoy. Everyone wears their coat
with hood and brings an extra blanket.
The kids still run and play.
They want to be there. We all look
forward to being outside on a warm, spring day!

Grandson

I'd just love to see all my grandkids today.
Since I can't, I'll let you see one.
This is Drew at the Dog (animal) Park,
on the park bench he made
with his animals having food.
Drew in Jail.
Drew in the Robot house.
Drew with a giant book about Spiderman.
Drew having fun at Grandma's house
where everything sitable is on the floor
or draped into hide-a-ways.
Where you can be anything you can think up
and anything is possible.

Grandma-Mother's day is good!

Best Teacher on the Planet

I have no pictures of my teacher daughter,
so I decided to post an early teacher picture of me.
I do hope someone takes a picture I can have and post.
(I have her a teen in her wild hair days!)
My kids object to my family posting...so what can they say
when I post me????
I'm excited about her earning such a wild award.
(Those TV Planet People have the right idea,
They give a yearly award to a high school teacher,
middle school and elementary teacher...Best Teacher on the Planet!
Teachers should get as many awards as possible as they
constantly put in all those extra hours and time and effort.)
Brian L. wrote a nice letter about her to earn this award.
He and his wife called us to write a letter for the
special book they did during Teacher-appreciation week.
Here is mine...from the above years ago teacher.

Teaching is a difficult job.
It’s endless paperwork
Covering lessons plans,
assignments, and tests…
all created and checked
by you…daily homework.

But…at times everything
Comes together…
A teacher teaches and
Students learn and skills
fuse into a good creative
work, sometimes something
GREAT.

I think those moments
Happen more often than usual
In your classroom…
Because of your interest in the material
Because of your love for the student
Because of your background and training
Because of the dedication to your work,
You are that outstanding teacher!

I am endlessly proud
Of that special person
You are…every day.
May the appreciation you deserve
Come your way.

I didn't expect it so soon!

Band Concert

No telling what one can find to photograph
while going to a band concert.
The wild rose bush all in bloom
that Mala grew from starts taken from
Henrieville.
The two dogs still loving to chew
endlessly on their huge bones.
And Logan, who plays ever better
on her saxophone. The band improved
over the year. She had Shayna both
play piano as well.
Garret needs to find another guitar teacher.
Shayna was still singing, but not that day.
Grandmas the world over love to see, hear,
the games, the music, the dance...
and I am one.

Logan's Sax

Okay, how do you get pictures to go inside of pictures? I first put this rose bush Mala has in her backyard..Isn't it great? The reason the color is off is that I ran out of ink, but decided to use it anyway. Then my brilliant idea was to get the dogs and Logan with her sax infront of the bush to tie my trip into one.
I couldn't get my picture to go within a picture. I'm sure there is a way on Microsoft Word to do that. I thought this picture of the dogs with bones just what they always do would fit too. Call this blog, experimenting! It didn't work.