Tag Archives: air

Chase Away the Blues

Chase Away the Blues

Cold morning, sun is breaking
I’m tired, my knees are aching
big stretch, I drag out of bed
clearing cobwebs from my head.

Feel like fifty shades of black
trying to get my mojo back
chock full of mixed emotions
putting the wheels in motion.

Time to chase away the blues
lacing up my running shoes
time to chase away the blues.

Slow pace, body awakens
soon all my doubts are shaken
lungs fill and burn with crisp air
run beneath the sun’s warm glare.

Freed from anxiety’s chains
new blood pulses through my veins
deep within peace and calm spread
set to face the day ahead.

Time to chase away the blues
lacing up my running shoes
time to chase away the blues.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2024
April 27, 2024

Good Saturday morning, everyone! This song was inspired by the rhythm and stanza structure of Radiohead’s song “Let Down.” It reflects my mood of the week, feeling a bit down, tired and blue after the grandkids left on Monday. I was determined to get back into my exercise routine, and I managed to log a 6 mile run twice this week. I prefer late afternoon or evening running to morning running. (If you know me, it is because I am not a morning person LOL!) Plus with my work schedule, morning workouts are impossible. No matter how I feel when I start a run, I always end up feeling fantastic afterwards. I prefer to run alone, as it is my escape time, my “ME” time. I listen to my running playlist, get lost in the beauty of our nature trail around the lake, and release all my stress and anxiety. It is magical.

We had a whirlwind visit from the nuggets this past week, but it was so much fun. I am admittedly exhausted, as they are nonstop fun and energy! We visited a few wineries with Katie and Brenton last Thursday, the kids enjoyed running free and feeding the ducks at Doukenie Winery. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. We took them to dinner at the Country Club and sat outside, right beside an open grass area where they ran and played with some other children. Then we had them solo for the weekend when Katie and Brenton went to a wedding in Richmond. Some of the highlights included playing in the basement with Katie’s old toys,  Chik-Fil-A, my niece’s 18th birthday party, a visit with Nanny Keller, a trip to City Park (my favorite childhood park), swinging and sliding boards, Snow Cones, a crazy ride home full of giggles and Pringles, visiting the cats at Otium, ice cream at Gruto’s, and playing in the pink snow (fallen cherry blossoms). I cherish this time with them, it was so memorable!

I was so busy, focused on being in the moment and enjoying them, that I never even posted one picture of their visit until this morning. I’ve got some catching up to do. They left on Monday morning, and I was back to work an hour later, with a hectic pace continuing the rest of the week. This Nanny Bee is feeling tired, but very blessed and grateful. Life is wonderful! Enjoy your weekend!

Xoxo,
Colleen

Mood: Re-energized
Inspiration: “Let Down” by Radiohead

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 42.15 – Putting the Wheels in Motion
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a movie in which one of the Wayans Brothers appeared (“Fifty Shades of Black”; “New Blood”)
Easy Bonus: Include running shoes

Snow Walk

Snow Walk

in
tandem
we walk through
crystal snow beds
the cold wind in throes
bitter air clears our heads
painting a flush on our cheeks
I bloom in shades of pink and red
coursing through my veins, the passion peaks
sun blazes high in cerulean skies
from here to there, pure love is everywhere
from deer footprints on the frozen lake
to birdsongs floating in the air
purple dusk begins to break
moon rising in the gloam
we make our way home
my heart is true
I vow to
stay with
you

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2024
February 15, 2024

Good morning and Happy Saturday! Today is the 21st Anniversary of my Dad’s passing. As I wrote in last week’s tribute, I am trying to focus on the positive and finding joy in memories of him, instead of being overcome with sorrow. I am grateful to have had such a wonderful father in my life!

This is just a little ditty that I have been adding to for the past few days. It was our 36th wedding anniversary on February 13, and of course Valentine’s Day this week. I had visions of hearts and flowers dancing in my head. But love doesn’t always mean flower arrangements and fancy gifts (though these are nice, don’t get me wrong lol). The most special thing we can do is be together, doing the simple things we love, such as taking a crisp walk around the lake on the day after a big snow.

That’s what this poem is about, as we did exactly that several weeks ago. We took a walk in the cold winter snow! It was so invigorating and comforting just being side by side, observing nature, appreciating the stark beauty of the season, the wildlife, watching the sun begin to set on a cold winter day. This is what brings me peace and joy (there is my 2024 word again)! I would venture a guess that if you tried to become more present in the moment, incorporate some space to just watch and appreciate nature and the world around you, your heart will fill with love. And you’ll find that peace and joy will follow.

So may we all take a walk in the snow (or sand, or mountains, or desert…) and find the key to happiness! Have a great, relaxing weekend, all!!

xoxo Colleen

Mood: Peaceful
Inspiration: ” By the Roes and By the Hands of the Field” ~ Johann Johannsson

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 33.15 – Love is Everywhere
Hard Bonus: Mention doing something in tandem (walking)
Easy Bonus: Reflect your mood in a color (pink, red)

Another Oklahoma Day

Another Oklahoma Day  

It’s just another Oklahoma day,
the blazing sun is dropping low.
The crops are wilting in the fields,
the ominous west wind blows.

Relentless heat is a wall of fire,
draining the life out of my veins.
My lungs struggle to take in fresh air,
bones and muscles racked with pain.

Tired eyes turn skyward, pray for rain,
let it flood the plains and meadows brown.
End this plague and quench this thirst.
Lord, let your grace come tumbling down.

As if on cue, the sky begins to darken,
lightning flickers behind brewing clouds.
Thunder crashes, rattling the windows
as twilight casts its dreadful shroud.

The winds shriek throughout the night,
with a terrifying freight train sound.
The morning sun rises, illuminating
broken wings scattered on the ground.

Take me from this God-forsaken place,
where stormy weather is here to stay.
This red clay prison is breaking me,
but it’s just another Oklahoma day.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2023
June 16, 2023

Hello! We are finally getting some rain this week after a month of drought in Northern Virginia. There were thunderstorm warnings last night, but I only heard a little thunder. I’m actually craving a nice summer thunderstorm – but please spare the power outage, haha!!

For some reason, the topic of stormy weather got me to thinking of the years I lived in Oklahoma back in the 1980’s. I was working for Arthur Andersen & Company, a wonderful job where I made many lifetime friends and also where I met Dan. However, it was also a very sad, traumatic time in my life when I was being forced to make major changes and life decisions for Vince and myself.

I was reminded of the relentless Oklahoma heat that felt like it was sucking the life out of me. (But… it’s a dry heat LOL!) The storms were so very intense there! I do love a good thunderstorm, but there were quite a few tornado warnings that sent me running into the shelter of the bathtub with my pets as one passed over my house. I even got stuck in a tornado one night on Interstate 35 while driving home from my  college classes in Edmond. That was one of the scariest moments ever, to literally not be able to see a thing because the red dirt was pouring down in the dark and pounding the windshield like rain! I had to come to a complete stop on the interstate, and it is a miracle I did not get rear ended. Funny how you start remembering these things from 40 years ago…

After I left Oklahoma in 1986 with broken wings, I vowed I would NEVER go back. Well, never say never…. I did go back, in fact, to reunite with my good friends Joni, Donna, Janell and Dianne years later. We had quite a few meet-ups over the years, but the one to Oklahoma was personal and cathartic. It was very emotional touching down at Will Rogers Airport, and I felt unsteady at first coming back to a place where I’d experienced so much pain.  We stayed at a lovely bed & breakfast in Norman, had wonderful meals together, visited the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial and talked about the good old days. By then, Arthur Anderson had shut down, and many other things in the city had changed. But I had changed, too…. and I was grateful to revisit my past, purge the bad memories and walk the streets of a city that I once knew and loved.

Anyway, that’s my poem for the week. I have a birthday next week, and it occurs to me that I am who I am because of both the wonderful and difficult experiences I have had, the beautiful people I have met, and the different places I have lived. I truly believe that all of this has shaped my life and led me on an amazing path. And … I am eternally grateful for that! So, if you have been part of my life journey, I thank you and I love you! Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Juneteenth to all!

Xoxo Colleen

Mood: Reflective
Inspiration: “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 50.14 – Stormy Weather Ahead
Hard Bonus: Use an onomatopoeia (a word that sounds like the noise it describes) Crashes, racked, quench, tumbling
Easy Bonus: Incorporate the word plague