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.

Flower Song

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I watched the waterfall.
Listened --
to the water
fall.
I saw the bright hibiscus,
the tiger lily
just beyond --
and heard their song.

Susan M. Kennedy

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At the Arboretum last week, one of the features that had me mesmerized was a contemporary styled waterfall ... very elegant and simple. The water fell from two stories high in sheets behind which were beautiful plantings to glimpse beyond and through ...

I mean seriously ... when you think of all the natural elements that conspired to create this amazing visual symphony - water - reflecting the sky and the sun, shimmering in front of flowers and ferns, kissed by the wind ... ???

Mary Oliver said it much better than I ever could - what I was feeling and thinking ... as I listened. I have a feeling that had I been able to stay, I would be one of those listening still.


There Is a Place Beyond Ambition

When the flute players
couldn't think of what to say next

they laid down their pipes,
then they lay down themselves
beside the river

and just listened.
Some of them, after a while,
jumped up
and disappeared back inside the busy town.
But the rest --
so quiet, not even thoughtful --
are still there,

still listening.

~ by Mary Oliver, from "Red Bird"

Unbelievable

Please watch this video and take a stand!!

Koi and Children ... Poetry in Motion

Koi and Children ... Poetry in Motion, originally uploaded by Sparky2*.

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The koi pond at the arboretum was one of the most popular stops for the kids - and one of the last. It was such a delight to see their hot, wilted little bodies become suddenly animated and refreshed ... The koi put on a pretty show for them - leaping over one another for the dragonflies who dared to come too close, slapping tails against the water and chasing minnows that we could see just beneath the surface....

They took in every iota - and I heard questions and comments about their colors, the designs on their backs, their funny eyes and mouths, how they moved. I watched a 9yo neighbor boy we'd brought along lie on his tummy on the rocks, chin in hand and heard him whisper "You're so pretty ... I wish you could be free ..."

excerpt from "Koi"
~ by John Burnside~

All afternoon we've wandered from the pool
to alpine beds and roses
and the freshly
painted
palm house
all afternoon
we've come back to this shoal
of living fish.
Crimson and black
pearl-white
or touched with gold
the koi hang in a world of their invention
with nothing that feels like home - a
concrete pool
and unfamiliar plants spotted with light
birdsong and traffic
pollen and motes of
dust
and every time the veil above their heads shivers into noise
they dart
and scatter
though it seems more ritual now
than lifelike fear
as if they understood
in principle
but could not wholly grasp
the vividness of loss

The Dallas Arboretum Tradition - 2009 Highlights!

Visiting the Dallas Arboretum has become a tradition for the women and children of our family. The last couple of years my daughters have given me a season's pass for birthday or Mother's Day - and I love it - wish I could go more often! This year they had something special ... fourteen juried playhouses based on storybooks and they are awesome, interactive art structures. If you're in the area I highly recommend it! http://www.dallasarboretum.org/




This was probably
the biggest hit:

Peter Pan's Jolly Roger













Here we have:

Alice in Wonderland, The Teremok, The Owl & the Pussycat and Hansel & Gretel.

The heat and humidity were excruciating - so we took a break for waterplay at the Frog Fountains ... always a huge favorite!
Then time for a picnic in the shade of glorious pecan trees - filled with nut-throwing squirrels and bees a-plenty!



After a little rest we were ready for more:

Treasure Island, City Green, Thumblina, The Little Prince and James & the Giant Peach

Of course, in between were stunning flowers (hibiscus as big as dinner plates!) trees, fountains - the photo ops are outrageous here - but this visit was mainly to enjoy the kids. (I'll go again soon, believe me, because I really missed the Women's Garden, the Fern Dell, the Reflecting Pools, etc!)

While I was standing among the giant hibiscus I heard Trey yelling for me - beside himself with excitement ... seems he had discovered the koi ponds! He grabbed my hand and pulled me (he's faster than me!) to the water's edge and looked so deeply I just knew he was about to fall in ... :-) All the kids loved the beautiful koi and turtles and they did put on a nice show for them - leaping and splashing in all their glorious color!

The day was coming to a close - energy was flagging in bodies tall and small and we snapped a few more memory shots and headed for home ... :-)