1514. long noodles = long life

 

bowl of long noodles

to celebrate my birthday

slurping down more years 🦊❤️

After meeting Yulan many years ago my new birthday good luck tradition is eating “long noodles”. This practice is to hopefully bring more birthdays in the future.  So last night we went to our favorite Pho Restaurant and ate long noodles. Our regular waiter Long brought us a surprise dessert of  steamed rice with nuts and almond milk sauce and sliced papaya after Yulan alerted him to my birthday.  When he asked how old I was I asked him to guess.  Well to my disappointment he guessed correctly… lol.  I was tempted to order another bowl of Pho to slurp down more long noodles… 🦊❤️ 

1513. my best sunrise yet

 

at seventy-three

each day’s sunrise is the best

today’s is pure gold 🦊❤️

Today I am celebrating my 26,663rd sunrise. (That includes 18 extra due to leap years.) I am grateful for each and every one of them.  But… today’s is the best of all. Happy birthday to me.  🦊❤️

1512. feeling warm colors

 

outside my window

a five alarm fire blazes

the chilly day warms 🦊❤️

I have the most spectacular tree in the whole apartment complex right outside my windows.  Today was a windy and chilly day and the warmth of its brilliant colors could be felt. 🦊❤️

1511. today was the day

 

in all my days

i’ve never seen such a sight

today was the day 🦊❤️

Every time I cross the stone bridge I look down into the water to see what there is to be seen.  Today I saw a very large school of Carp swimming in circles.  Included in the school was a very large white and golden Koi.  (Not visible in the photo above ). I was so surprised and delighted that I immediately reached out to Yulan and my son Kevin to report my sighting. Life is good when the smallest of things “flips your switch”.  Today my switch was flipped! 🦊❤️

1510. everybody’s favorite pumpkin

 

fall is on its way

pumpkins taste the year’s first frost

it’s tom-o-lantern 🦊❤️

When the cold mornings arrive and bring frost to the pumpkins, Tommy puts on his pumpkin costume to get ready for Halloween! Boooo! 🦊❤️

1509. haiku… a healthy alternative

 

off in the distance

with thoughts of haiku brewing

she snap - snaps away 🦊❤️

We (Yulan and I) are lucky to have haiku as a focal point in our lives.  It serves as a filter through which everyday things become important and “worthy” of attention.  It is also a practice that has an intrinsic goodness to it that can be shared with others. I like to believe that sharing our haiku serves to neutralize some of the bitterness and division that is so present in both the virtual and real worlds that our lives touch.  I’m not blowing our own horns… I’m just sayin…. 🦊❤️

1508. path

 

a serpentine path

slithers through the browning field

i pause… my mind strolls 🦊❤️

What could be more enchanting than a leisurely trek  along a twisting and turning trail? I say an imaginary stroll that takes you to where ever the mind decides to explore.  🦊❤️