2002. a new day

 

first song of the birds

brand new magnolia blooms

a new day starting 🦊❤️

I stood on my balcony before the sun came up. The first song of a bird broke the stillness. A Magnolia tree seems to have increased its blossoms overnight. What a way the start a new day. 🦊❤️

2001. really???? socks????

 

we now live in a time

where socks are locked behind glass

what in the world next??? 🦊❤️

I went to Walmart this morning to buy some new jeans and socks. I asked a salesperson where the men’s socks are located. He said, “I’ll take you there, let me get the key”. I thought I misheard him so I said nothing except, “Thank you.”  I was blown away to see every pair of socks locked behind glass. I thanked the salesperson for his help - and then I left without buying socks. Really??? Socks???? 🦊❤️

2000. killin’ time

 

got nowhere to go

nothing important to do

we’re just killin’ time 🦊❤️

Yesterday was my son Kevin’s future bride Hillary’s bridal shower. The men, including my son Kevin had to leave the restaurant and find something to do for a couple hours then return at an appointed time for Kevin to participate the final shower game with Hillary. After eating three pizzas in a local pizza joint, going to a coffee shop for a cup of Joe and cookies and walking in circles through the town, we resorted to standing around a pot hole and looking at it - just like a road crew at a repair site. The shower was wonderful!!! Lol 🦊❤️

1999. mikey

 

mikey’s tuxedo

and tommy’s bright orange coat

they’re real fashion plates 🦊❤️

I just finished Mikey in paper mache. What fun it was tailoring her spiffy tuxedo and sweet face in paper mache. 🦊❤️

1998. hypnotized…

when you look at me

with those big green saucer eyes

i am hypnotized 🦊❤️

My friend’s cat Gypsy has eyes that are too big for her petite body. They  hypnotized me!!! 🦊❤️

 

1997. service with a smile

 

our local wawa

makes no matter how busy

service with a smile 🦊❤️

I love making a morning stop at our little Wawa convenience store in Flourtown. Really nice employees who give service with a smile!  A breath of fresh air…🦊❤️

1996. sun bathing

 

while her master talks

coco enjoys the sun’s warmth

on a cool grass bed 🦊❤️

I love the way that animals can just plop down on rhe ground and enjoy the sunshine. 🦊❤️

1995. gimmi shelter

 

for twelve ninety-nine

get in, zip up and tune out

a cure for world news 🦊❤️

I saw these zip up, fabric clothes closets at Ikea. I immediately thought that they would make a nice cozy cocoon to hide away in every once in a while, especially during world news broadcasts. 🦊❤️

1994. ikea

 

hard day of shopping

and lunch of swedish meatballs

time to sit an scroll 🦊❤️

Today we had a very entertaining stroll through Ikea after lunch. There were lots of interesting people and sights. My particular favorite was a woman camped out in the easy chair section scrolling through her phone!! The smoked salmon platter was delicious and Yulan enjoyed her Swedish meatball platter. It was a fun day. 🦊❤️

  

1993. cedar waxwing

 

on this bitter day

a cedar waxwing has died

its yellow tail lives 🦊❤️

Today I saw my first Cedar Waxwing but sadly it was no longer alive. Yet… its yellow tipped tail was glowing and so very alive. 🦊❤️

1992. disposability

 

put out to the curb

a cozy table and chairs

disposable world 🦊❤️

I am constantly amazed at the perfectly good things that folks dispose of in our neighborhood. 🦊❤️

1991. victorious

 

the marks of struggle

visible for all to see

you conquered the ice 🦊❤️

The last piles of frozen plowed snow have finally melted around the edges of the parking lot. The weeds have won the battle of out lasting the plowed icebergs and are showing the battle scars of their will to win. Soon their bleached out stems will be gloriously green. 🦊❤️

1990. mikey’s mind

 

what goes through her mind

as she sits still, just staring?

anything? nothing? 🦊❤️

I frequently sit just staring at Mikey as she just sits and stares ahead. I find it quite comforting to imagine that she isn’t thinking a single thought as she looks at whatever it is that she is staring at. How wonderful it must be to just take in the scenery with a quiet mind that is not cluttered with thoughts….🦊❤️

1989. “me and mrs. jones”

 

“me and mrs. jones…

we gotta thing goin’ on”

tommy meets willow !! 🦊❤️

I just finished “Willow”. She belonged to my friends Rob and Andrea. Willow only had one eye and that one eye was totally without sight. She lived to a ripe old age and died last year. When I showed Yulan a picture of them together she immediately said, “They have a thing going on! Just like  in the song “Me and Mrs. Jones”  Thanks for the idea for my post sweetie! Can’t wait to give it to Rob and Andrea. 🦊❤️

1988. “duck and cover”

 

a sign from the past

days when we ducked under desks

and held our young heads 🦊❤️

I felt a quiet eeriness as I stood and stared at an ancient fallout shelter sign on the wall of small local post office. I could almost smell the aroma of Thursday spaghetti lunch wafting from my grade school cafeteria.  🦊❤️ 

1987. a spring kick start

 

out of the blue sky

a bolt of magical light

kick starts the tree’s buds 🦊❤️

Today we made our way back into the woods. The aftermath of a spell of harsh winter weather was all around us. Yet the magic of impending springtime more than made up for the fallen trees and eroded trails. 🦊❤️

1986. last vestiges

 

weeks of layered snow

reduced to a dirty heap

by the mighty sun 🦊❤️

This morning we systematically peeled off our layers of  unnecessary winter clothing as we walked in the suddenly warm temperatures. All of the layers of accumulated snow were also suddenly gone. All that remained were the dirty piles of  plowed snow that most certainly will shrink in the coming days. The morning sun was smiling and it felt good as it shined on us. 🦊❤️

1985. red at dawn

 

all of a sudden

a flash of red caught my eye

a card’nal at dawn 🦊❤️

I was sitting in the living room easing into the start of another day. Suddenly a flash of red caught my eye. A plump cardinal perched right outside my window to brighten the gloomy dawn sky. 🦊❤️

1984. bff

 

after all these years

tommy and willey meet up

now they’re “bff” 🦊❤️

Yulan asked that I make her a paper mache edition of her beloved cat Willey like the one I made of Tommy as a remembrance for her. Of course I was more than eager to bring Willey back to life for her. And the best part is that Tommy and Willey are now “Best Friends Forever”. (BFF). 🦊❤️

1983. added value

 

sometimes the shadows

succeed in stealing the show

(…or adding to it) 🦊❤️

We recently visited the Woodmere Museum to see an exhibit of very large ceramic sculptures.  The sculptures were beautiful and their shadows provided tons of added value to the show.  🦊❤️

1982. could it be?

 

up atop the cross

a bird sits watch o’er the land

maybe… holy ghost? 🦊❤️

Birds perching on crosses way up in the air always catch my attention.  I immediately think it is the Holy Ghost keeping an eye on things. One never knows… 🦊❤️ 

1981. rearin’ to rise

 

bright bobbin’ balloon

tethered tightly to a tree

rearin’ to rise up 🦊❤️

We stopped and watched the bright red ballon straining to break free of its tether. Just like all of us… 🦊❤️