A new man in town

Steamy, hot, sultry

A new man in town ~ he says:

Hi, my name is Earl.

  

Once upon a time, there was a quiet little village in the French countryside, whose people believed in Tranquilité - Tranquility. If you lived in this village, you understood what was expected of you. You knew your place in the scheme of things. And if you happened to forget, someone would help remind you. In this village, if you saw something you weren't supposed to see, you learned to look the other way. If perchance your hopes had been disappointed, you learned never to ask for more. So through good times and bad, famine and feast, the villagers held fast to their traditions. Until, one winter day, a sly wind blew in from the North... 

Well, the wind that might blow into town isn't Johnny Depp playing Roux in Chocolat, a movie I enjoyed.  The wind that's blowing, weakly, is Earl - Hurricane Earl, that is!   He's made NJ into a hot house and, with the chance of rain this afternoon, will most like ramp up the status of hothouse to extreme hothouse!

I'm not sure if that picture is from Chcolat or not.  Doesn't matter - it's easy on the eyes!  

It's Haiku my Heart Friday - be sure to head on over to Rebecca's place to taste some delicious  morsels of haiku!

Image of Johnny Depp from Photobucket

Haiku my Heart Friday

"

butterfly dancing,

dainty feet tickle flowers....

caterpillar dreams.

I remember reading "Illusions" by Richard Bach so many years ago...one of the passages he wrote went something like this:

"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy.  What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly."

I also recall the Gary Larson cartoon of 2 caterpillars inching along on the ground.  They happened to look  up and saw butterflies flitting about.  One of the caterpillars looked at the other and said, "You'll never catch ME up in one of those things."

Well, change greets all of us, whether we are prepared for it or not....

Me?  I feel as if I'm in my chrysalis, about ready to break through and pump my newly formed wings.  An interesting place to be at this age....

It's Haiku my Heart Friday.  Won't you participate?  To see more offerings, head on over to Rebecca's place.  You won't be disappointed.

Haiku my Heart Friday

Pretty green parrot ~

White eye looks into your soul.

Her sharp beak draws blood.

Ah, Millie - she is a Maximillian Pionus parrot who is sweet sixteen - we've been together since she was 4, when her owner decided to give her up for a dog. Now, I had 2 dogs at the time and couldn't bear the thought of her going to a place she didn't know - or worse, a place she didn't survive.  So, she came to live with me and has done - well, whatever she wants for these past 12 years!

Millie came across country with me on the plane from California - a real trooper, surviving the "inquisitors" that made sure that her little travel cage didn't have explosives - you know, 911 and Code Orange and stuff.  We were separated when my Gypsy jewelry set off alarms and we went in two different directions:  she headed down the moving thingy and I had to be patted down by the security "agents."

Eventually, we were reunited, made the trip to Newark and have survived here since 2003.  She does well with Kylie, the border collie - in fact, she goes "walk about" when I fall asleep on the sofa after a couple of glasses of wine, bypassing Kylie and all obstacles in her way to explore whatever she wants.  One day, she decided to do this while I was doing dishes in the kitchen - when I felt "something" on my feet and let out a gasp, I'm sure she was cackling to herself about scaring her mom!

We've had a tempestuous relationship, but I think it's getting better - we're both older and a bit wiser. Or more tolerant.

Squawk!

For more Haiku my Heart, please visit Rebecca here. You won't be disappointed!

Haiku my Heart Friday

Sultry steam bathing,

cool dressing on exposed flesh ~

Potato Salad!

I have no idea why I cannot write a serious haiku!  All that goes through my little brain on Thursday evening or Friday morning is silly stuff for haiku - today it's potato salad, because I made some yesterday and just had a small bite of it.  The haiku demanded to be exposed!

My recipe is simple and delicious - at least, I think so!  

Steam your favorite kind of potatoes - I used the small California whites, but have done this with small red potatoes or even Yukon golds.  Don't over steam them - you want the shape of the potato to hold up when mixed with the other goodies!  Of course, you can also boil the potatoes if you're more comfortable with that method - I just like steaming them.

After they're done to perfection, let them cool.  You can either skin them or leave the skins on, your choice.  I've done both.

Cut them into chunks, put into a big bowl and salt with Kosher salt, to taste.  Add all of the following to taste:  chopped celery, chopped fresh dill, chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, freshly ground pepper, finely chopped or grated onion, good mayonnaise and a bit of apple cider vinegar.  Toss, chill and enjoy!

It's Haiku my Heart Friday!  For more haiku offerings, head on over to Rebecca's place and enjoy!

Top image is from Photobucket

Haiku my Heart Friday

Biting the apple

New knowledge flooding through me...

iPhone is way cool!

I've been preoccupied with my new iPhone and MacBook - so much so that I feel like I'm in computer class most of the time!  I'm sure this obsession will pass and I'll be back to some sort of routine that isn't geared around these sorts of Apples!

Happy Haiku my Heart Friday!!  For more offerings, head on over to Rebecca's place!

Image is from Photobucket

Haiku My Heart Friday

Morning symphony...

Robin, Cardinal ~ then, Jay.

Mockingbird solo!

These birds are just amazing!  There is one who sits on the antenna across the street and sings. SINGS!  At just about 4 pm daily - every song. The entire repertoire.  So beautiful.  So amazing.  How can this be improved?

It's Haiku My Heart Friday - again!  I hope it is a great one for all of you!  

To see more offerings of Haiku My Heart, go on over to Rebecca's place and check out what everyone is haiku-ing!

In the meantime, I'll try to find the picture that goes with Haiku My Heart Friday.

Sigh.

I know it's here somewhere!!

Image from Cornell's wonderful site about birds.

Haiku My Heart Friday

Sweet Gardenia ~

Foregoing the holiday...

Billie sang the blues.

I just got my computer back from the Apple store and I can't find the downloads file for the Haiku my Heart icon....sigh.  This is what it is this evening...I'll try again in the morning and see if I can figure out what is going on.  Been gone for too long...

To see more haiku, go on over to Rebecca's place and savor the offerings!

Happy Haiku My Heart Friday!

Haiku My Heart Friday

This image made me laugh because I tend to read words backwards just to see if they spell something different.  I blame it on my mother as she used to do that.  For example, Dunkin' Donuts became Stunod Niknuds in her world.  One of my pastimes when riding the bus in NJ prior to moving to California was to pick the longest word on any advertisement and see how many words I could find in that one word.  Kept my mind from being immensely bored or my being bus sick!

I'm reminded how much I love words and spelling.  Which, of course, brought to mind a long lost acquaintance who contacted me via Face Book earlier this year.  We went to school together - grammar school through high school.  We actually lived a few doors down, but I never really got to know him well as he was very quiet and shy.  I did not keep in touch with him, so 40+ years later, I was surprised to hear from him.

One of the memories that he recounted from 8th grade was his loss to me in a spelling bee and being mad about it.  He even remembered the word that he incorrectly spelled, which made me laugh.  So funny and interesting what any of us remembers from the way back time machine!

So without further ado, here is the haiku that was inspired by this Face Book connection:

8th grade spelling bee

You're still mad at me for this

word:  intoxicate.

For more haiku offering, go to Rebecca's site.


Posting early as my computer is going in to the Apple place for replacement of a part that is causing problems and for doing the mind meld from my old Mac.  I'll be off line for a few days - see you when I get back!

Haiku My Heart Friday

Black and white streaks by

Leaps, pounces, growls, spins, then barks

"Throw it again, Mom"

More haiku offerings can be found at Rebecca's place - go visit!

Haiku My Heart Friday

Muchos besos means

rolling in the hay somewhere

A loose translation.

More haiku offerings can be found here.

Image is Klimt's The Kiss.

Don't worry, spiders...

Don't worry, spiders,

I keep house

casually.

~Kobayashi Issa~

Raindrops

Raindrop on a Leaf

Tiny crystal ball

Rests on green baize surface

Foretells a fierce storm.

~poetmaster~

We had so much rain last night - flood warnings out until 10 am.  No walk again this morning.  Poor Kylie!  Between the snow and the rain, she has only gone out to relieve herself - no fun romps in the woods!  The Sun is making an appearance as I type, though, so perhaps later on today, we'll be able to get out into the fresh air.

Looking glass triptych

Mirror mirror

Mirror Reflections
Only with your permission can
Tell a little white lie

~Ken e Hall~

Samhain afternoon

 My electric cauldron in wide open window, 2009 Samhain

kiddies in costumes

warm witchy winds swirling leaves

samhain afternoon

What a gorgeous day we had yesterday!!  It reached 75 degrees here in NJ!  So unseasonably warm; kids parading around in such cute outfits so happy to put their little hands into the big bowl of candy and treats I offered; Kylie loved answering the door - she always thinks everyone is here to see her and play with her Squeaker football!  I still have some candy left, but the juice boxes and treat for Hallowe'en pups were a hit!

And the wind!  It was so special yesterday - like Witches swooping, diving and having fun on their besoms creating the warm wind that swirled the leaves up and around and down.  It was quite a magical feeling...

Such quiet in the neighborhood today...such a different feel from yesterday!  And how wonderful to wake up after the time change - I hate getting up in the dark.  It seems so unnatural.

Kylie goes to the groomer today - she seems to have picked up a flea or two.  Poor little girl is so itchy.  Now, the big chore will be to get rid of those critters naturally - can't use a flea bomb because of Millie and my confined to bed father.  Wish me luck!

Baby pine cone

Click on picture to enlarge it.

I noticed this baby pine cone on the White Pine tree in the back - it's so cute!  I'm going to watch this one grow - they do get larger, unlike the ones produced by the Redwood tree.  Their pinecones are tiny, surprising for such a large tree!

One of the things I enjoy about posting pictures on my little blog is that I get to find poetry about whatever picture I'm posting.  Yesterday, while looking for a pinecone poem, I discovered that our pineal gland, our third eye, is named for the pinecone because it is shaped like one.  Something I didn't know.  That led me to photos of the brain in which I could see where the pineal gland is located and the shape of the area looks like the Eye of Horus.  Of course, that trip led me to Madame Blavatsky and the esoteric movement she founded.

Whew!  My little brain needed a rest, so I let it drift back in time when I was little and the family was on vacation in New Hampshire.  Lake Winnipesaukee to be exact.  Since my father was a photographer, we always had our pictures taken, both individually and the required family portrait.  We were outside for the family portrait and my sister Jane - normally not mischievous - decided to put a pinecone on her nose for that photograph.  I still smile at that memory.

And here is the pinecone haiku that I found - hope you enjoy it!

Pine cone

Scent of forest floor
Shades of brown, new life within
Reptilian scales

~James Dutch~

Fe2O3 - Iron Oxide

autumn catches up the colors of rust behind the shed

~Marilyn Mountain~

Fe2O3 - Iron Oxide. Requirements: iron, water and oxygen. Check!

I love outdoor hangings and ornaments - wind chimes, bamboo, stylized figures, hippie looking things, frogs, faeries and the like. Some of what I have are made made of iron or copper which have rusted over the years of being outside. I took my camera to them yesterday and saw just how interesting rust can be with the macro setting. Click on any of the images to enlarge them.

This figure traveled with me from California. It is cast iron - a petroglyph looking thing with bells on it. She hangs in the California redwood tree growing in NJ - still amazed that it is living in this climate!

Here is the cowbell looking thing that is attached to the petroglyph hanging above. It looks like a woven or felted basket to me in its current rusty state.

This hanging is made of copper and has glass spheres in it. The hanging rusted beautifully and the glass spheres look like they are being embraced by a serpent. You can see the camera in the green sphere if you look closely.

I love the rust color with the rust coiling.

Opaque sphere with a hint of blue on the left.

Floral waterfalls

spray clouds roar beauty
cascades pull all emotions
wonder lost in space

~Gloria Buono~

Gooseneck loosestrife from my garden reminded me of a waterfalls - or a bridal bouquet. Ah, Bridal Veil Falls! Click on image to enlarge it.

Artemis as a child

(Photo by B. Fontana, with thanks. Click on picture to enlarge it.)

sometimes i feel like
a deer in the woods looking
for just the right place

~Author unknown*~

*Note: I grabbed this poem from the internet and could not find attribution given to the author. If you are the author or know the author, please leave a note in the comment section so that I can give credit.

Wings up, Petals down

Perhaps this silent
Wanderer fashions flowers
Dreamy butterfly

~Reikan~

Falling towards the Equinox

austere Zen garden
leaf falls, disturbing order
relief from straight lines

~Petescape~