Farewell Sweet Summer

Farewell Sweet Summer, originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

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The last of summer's wildflowers ...

Warm Summer Sun
by Mark Twain


Warm summer sun,
Shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind,
Blow softly here.
Green sod above,
Lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear heart,
Good night, good night.

Traveling along the contours of leaves that have no name ...

Traveling along the contours of leaves that have no name ..., originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

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I finally made it to "my pond" ... spent several hours lost in the world of leaves, birdcalls, spiderwebs, lily pads & dragonflies. As I made my way around the huge territory I left bits of myself - a little angst stomped into the mud at the edge of the pond ... a few hopes and dreams sent drifting across the water. I sent prayers and worries scampering high up into the trees I love so much, washed my hands of disappointment and anger in the quickly moving creek - sent it dashing among the rocks and far away.

Finally it was time to head for home ... and I was amazed at how much lighter I felt without the load I carried when I arrived ... truly I am living at the edge of a new leaf.

The Shapes of Leaves
by Arthur Sze


Ginkgo, cottonwood, pin oak, sweet gum, tulip tree:
our emotions resemble leaves and alive
to their shapes we are nourished.

Have you felt the expanse and contours of grief
along the edges of a big Norway maple?
Have you winced at the orange flare

searing the curves of a curling dogwood?
I have seen from the air logged islands,
each with a network of branching gravel roads,

and felt a moment of pure anger, aspen gold.
I have seen sandhill cranes moving in an open field,
a single white whooping crane in the flock.

And I have traveled along the contours
of leaves that have no name. Here
where the air is wet and the light is cool,

I feel what others are thinking and do not speak,
I know pleasure in the veins of a sugar maple,
I am living at the edge of a new leaf.

Confounded

Confounded

Here I sit, reaching deep into far quarters
for words to bring you something different,
but at the same time recognizable-
a welcome reason to the indeterminate ...
something more than a tossed about phrase
that insists to you
the welcome prettiness
of starlings on snow.

© 2008 by Susan M. Kennedy. All Rights Reserved.


So much "stuff" swirling about at the moment. I wish I could clone about 10 me's so that each area of my life could receive proper attention. I'm seriously craving some creative space ... !!!

Instructions for living a life:

... " 4.

Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.


~ from Mary Oliver's "Sometimes" - found in "Red Bird".


40+ years ago I lost touch with my Best Friend in the entire world. Both being military wives we'd made numerous moves across country - both of our fathers had passed away and our mothers each had new married names ... so conventional searching methods were fruitless. About a month ago I was thrilled to finally find my friend - and especially so to find that she was less than two hours away from where I live!

After several weeks of daily writing/chats we finally met again last weekend - and it was as if not a single day had passed between us. :-) We've written an article together about our experience and whether or not we have success in publication ... it was fun and rewarding to collaborate with my friend. Rest assured - we will NEVER lose touch again! :-)

Jewel

Jewel, originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

.... of a moment. View Large On Black

One that makes you gasp and wonder ... and believe. I've had so many of those personal "jewel" moments over the last couple of weeks. From an extreme euphoric and personal high - to a blinking back tears sad - to a gut-wrenching fear-for-those- you- love.

Translation: I've found my Best Friend after 40 years of searching .... and she's not far away! We're writing an article together and preparing to meet ...

A Flickr friend that I love is in trouble ... what to do? Something... something... working on it ...

A horrible traffic accident ... a step-niece ... she's lying in a hospital close to me ... all I know so far is seven hours of surgery and then ...?

Add to the emotional mix four days of strep - fevers and hacking and pills and sneezing, soup and tissues and ... yuk. Today has been the turning point and I think I'm back from the dead.