Inky Haiku

January 12, 2024.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Wind’s tongue ice-tippedrock resists and pine trees bow –Winter warmed by ink (Haiku inspired by Seasons Words: Springwater holds warmth.) When sitting up to paint is not an option, I appease my creative urge with ink and paper. Starting with a single line, I let the image appear on the page. This one reminds me of a […]

Tantrums

January 10, 2024.Reading time 1 minute.

The discussion was light, or so I thought. Until I mentioned that one thing that ignites his rage. Doesn’t matter what it is, does it? We all have it – that tender spot of unresolved emotion. There was no more talking to him, so I moved on; finishing a task I had previously started. But now my anger flared. He […]

War Continues

January 7, 2024.Reading time 2 minutes.

I survived Covid, and Christmas, and was preparing to take a breather – maybe work on my memoir, or get re-inspired in the art room – when the first call came: “VJ, there is a situation I need your help with!” The caller lived in a nearby town, and was leaving the country the following […]

Red House on the River

January 5, 2024.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I have many photographs of this red house, interested as I am in the river itself, but also the architectural aspects of old homes such as this. Who lives there, I wonder? What an incredible view they have. Ric and I have often dreamed of living at the water’s edge – an ocean, or great lake – […]

What Children Have Taught Me

January 3, 2024.Reading time 2 minutes.

When I was a teacher, I created a mailbox for each of my students on the bulletin board. It consisted of an envelope, decorated by each child, posted to the board. It was strictly for communication between the individual student and myself. As I taught high school, many of my colleagues doubted the efficacy of such an effort. They […]

These Things are Golden…

December 29, 2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The lights of a miniature Christmas village are golden, but what is really golden is this gluten-free chocolate croissant my husband gifted me for the holidays. Yum! For Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: silver or gold

Currently Learning…

December 27, 2023.Reading time 1 minute.

Reflection, not resolution, is my year end practice. What did the past year bring? What did I learn? What, if anything, was I missing? After so many years of isolation, due to illness, then COVID, we have definitely been thrown back into social interaction. I had come to love solitude. I had surrendered fully and accepted that this is where […]

Well, there’s brown in the sign…

December 24, 2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

…and then dirt… For Cee’s Which Way challenge: with the colour black or brown

White (CFFC)

December 22, 2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

For Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: white

Igniting Wonder

December 20, 2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Health issues have dampened my Christmas spirit. Not that I was ever overly enthusiastic – too many memories cloud the seasons – and this year, there is no energy to decorate the house. Ric’s solution is to call in help, and I confess that even that sets me deeper into depression. How will I manage the commotion? Natasha […]

Expectations

Expectations artificialliving in an urban junglelonging for nature’s calm – time moves too swiftlybarely registerlet alone participate We are guests in our ownexpectation’s dysfunctionlicensed for depression a smorgasbord for abuseintentions mislaid,disappointment unavoidable The ego pretends to be openbut she’s an actress off cueplaying out a sentence – condemned to basicspraying to escapethis dystopian malfunction. (Image […]

Overcast

Water mimics sky,withholds resplendent blue,dons grey overcoat. (Image my own, created from a photograph)

A Mother’s Grief

(Art my own. The drawing and the poem were in response to a documentary featuring a mother’s loss of her child by suicide. Please listen with care.) Sorrow lines her edgesin blue-hued shadowsgrief’s moss overpowering light Lines etched erasableshe is fragmented, hauntedpain a persistent noose She will rally to find orderlend her voice to causespeak […]