NPM 2025 (I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud)

I was cleaning house (so to speak) and look what I found in the drafts folder.

Dadgummit! You did again old woman!

Oh well, I will not be deterred. Late— but not deterred.

Thank goodness there’s not a late fee for such oversights.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a *jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Jocund was a new word for me —or possibly one that was stored deep, deep, deep somewhere in the cobwebs of my memory.

Of course, I had to look it up. I’m a good student like that. 

I’m also one that likes to share information so in case you don’t wanna look it up here you go. Complements of Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Jocund

jo·cund  also  ˈjō-(ˌ)kənd: marked by or suggestive of high spirits and lively mirthfulness.

“a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company” —William Wordsworth

Happy New Life (Spring is Here)

I like to believe…

I like to believe that the spring equinox marks the actual New Year. It just makes more sense with all of the new life and new activities going on in nature.

I believe we can find the same newness within ourselves if we let nature guide us.

So cheers 🥂!! Here’s to new life, new growth, and a happy HaPpY new year.

P. S. Speaking of new … I have new book covers in the works. I’m kinda looking forward to these new creations.

The Epiphany

The epiphany has passed –

now gone are the 12 days of Christmas.

The winter sun is setting low; his colors scattered like coals of fire across the western sky. 

Our souls are satiated and hopeful of the things to come and so we sleep.

And we sleep. 

And we sleep. 

I was just pondering, a thing which I do often these days, while enjoying a glorious Texas sunset and these words came to me.

I think it is the first creative thing I’ve written in… well I don’t know how long.

And now, while sharing this with you all, the vexing lines of William Butler Yeats come to mind.

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,   

Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

More to ponder no doubt.

A Pilgrims Prayer (One More Time Around The Sun)

Well it is, once again, that time of year when I drag out this old prose and start making the dressing.

A Pilgrims Prayer

Okay, I didn’t really know any of the original Pilgrims but I did see a few John Wayne movies. John knew a pilgrim when he saw one. He seemed to know a lot of pilgrims.

But allow me to propose that we are all pilgrims, each one of us on a journey of sorts; we are all looking for something. Be it a quest for self-confirmation, for truth, a cure, enrichment, comfort, a friend, a lover, a job, a meal or a place to lay our weary head at the end of another day.

Life is a journey, or at least it should be. I’d hate to think any of us were just flailing through the experience killing time on this giant floating gumball.

We all have one destination though we may travel many roads in getting there.

Hopefully we will choose well.

When we do take a wrong turn [and we will from time to time] I pray that we have enough sense and humility to stop and ask for directions; the sense to know good from evil and who to trust and I pray we have the courage to admit we took a wrong turn and learn from it.

So here’s wishing all of you pilgrims a Happy Thanksgiving and may we all, whatever road we’re on, take the time to look ahead, pause and bow our head in thanks.

My personal prayer:
Thank you Father, The Creator of all things, for this day and all it holds. Thank you for the days past and Father forgive me for my wrong turns. Thank you for the day to come and guide me to make better choices. Thank you for all the persons in my life and the ones who read this prayer. And Thank You Father for the beacon that lights my way.
In Jesus name. Amen.

Autumn Equinox 2024

Summer Adieu

It’s out of the flip-flops, and back in the Reeboks and long pants dug out of the dust

So long to the tank tops, bikinis and cut offs and lawn chairs left lying to rust

Adieu to the sand dune, the pelican and plain loon

My loves, we’ll see you `fore long

Leaves drop as trees swoon, long past the crop moon

With the scent of a sweet autumn song

Let’s all take a big swill to ward off the night chill

Winter’s a season away

Crank up the camp fire; avoid the ole quagmire

With children perched high on the hay.

Poem from Getting Me Back

More about the Autumn Equinox at Farmers Almanac 

Little Rascals (Tuesday’s Tell-All)

Mine’s on the right. Who’d have guessed.

I love this photo for so many reasons. I wonder what those little boys are thinking? What one said that created such an expression in the others.

My 5th grandson started playing baseball this year. He, like my other grandsons, is a rascal on the field and off.

The photo made me think of my other grandsons (their ages range from 10 months to 22 years) and some of the things they discuss/discussed.

I imagine right about now I have a grin like the little guy in the picture as I remember how I busied myself, pretending to be unaware while they talked.

Their conversations ranged from bugs to books and dinosaurs and bikes. Rocks and clouds and robots. …

When the older boys discussions evolved to automobiles and girls I busied myself out of hearing range.

And just for clarification, I don’t consider it eavesdropping if I’m in your presence.