The sun rises with crimson and gold flair with scent of lilacs on the morning breeze. Sweet chickadee sings and darts through the air, landing with grace in weeping willow tree.
She is the sunshine that lights up my life, my reason for being, my heart’s delight. Sweet chickadee eases my pain and strife, her radiant smile, a beautiful sight.
As the sun fades to indigo twilight, mystical clouds move on horizon far. Sweet chickadee drifts into velvet night amidst a sky full of moonlight and stars.
All through the seasons of blooms, sun and snow Her heart stays with me, wherever she goes.
Hello from Florida! 🙂 Dan and I are down here babysitting the grandkids while Katie and Brenton are on a trip to Europe for a destination wedding. We are having so much fun with them, but boy is it exhausting, haha! (At least when you’re in your 60’s, it is…) They are non-stop fun, energy and relentless negotiators!! We have been playing, swimming, lunch at Chick-Fil-A, a trip to Publix, made spaghetti dinner, played indoor camping, and are about to make some Rice Krispie treats once Posie wakes up from an unplanned nap.
This sonnet just sort of morphed from a nature poem into a love poem. It’s a bit of a tribute to three radiant, beautiful women closest to me in life – my mother Gloria, my daughter Katie and of course, my granddaughter Posie. They are all my reasons for my being, in different ways! So I guess you could call this is a Mother’s Day poem. The chickadee is one of the sweetest birds in the garden that just seems to radiate love. My Mom, Katie and Posie all remind me of their kind spirit. They are beacons of light in my life. Each one of them touches my heart and lifts me up in their own special way. I’ve never referred to any of them as a chickadee, but maybe I’ll start calling Posie my little chickadee — I think she’d love that.
As for memories of my mother, there are far too many wonderful ones to mention. She has always been my rock, my confidante, my prayer warrior, and my friend throughout my entire life. Mom, I can never thank you enough for the support and love you’ve shown me over the years. I would never be the woman I am today with you, and just so you know — I am becoming more like you every day, haha! I LOVE YOU, My Old Chickadee!! (I say that with so much love, as I am now also an old chickadee myself LOL!) Hope you all had a Happy Mother’s Day filled with family and love!
Xoxo, Colleen
Mood: Happy Inspiration: “Songbird” by Fleetwood Mac
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 46.15 – Wherever She Goes Hard Bonus: Include a song title that mentions something celestial (“A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay) Easy Bonus: Incorporate a memory of your mother
Happy Early Mother’s Day! I hope each of you gets a chance to celebrate your Mom, I am very blessed to have my Mom still with us. We didn’t make any formal plans for a Mother’s Day celebration, but my sister and I decided last minute to coordinate times of our visit to her house tomorrow. We will bring salad, cupcakes and order pizza for linner (late lunch/early dinner).
Since it was Writer’s Choice Week, I just did this off the top of my head this morning. The phrase “vernal wellsprings of my heart” just popped into my head a few weeks ago and fortunately, I actually wrote it down. (Need to do that more often, but often get distracted and forget!) I stumbled on the line this morning and decided to build a Kyrielle Sonnet around that (with a slight tweak to the beginning word of the refraining line, haha!). This sonnet just sort of reflects the rainy and dreary weather of late, and also speaks to the effect PTSD that can happen in life. I think many of us have endured some type of trauma(s) at some point in our lives. Those who know me well, know I’ve been through some traumas in my life that I thought I’d never overcome, but struggled through. Even though one survives it, sometimes certain memories are randomly triggered. It creeps back in and can haunt you. Add that on top of anxiety, and voila! You have a recipe for panic attacks. Writing, music and family/friends’ support has been a godsend in helping me heal and thrive. So if you are part of my inner circle who knows what I’m talking about … know that I am blessed, forever grateful you’re in my life, and that I love you so much!
Have a great weekend, and Happy Mother’s Day to all!
Xoxo, Colleen
Mood: Anxious Inspiration: “Sotto Falso Nome” by Ludovico Einaudi
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 45.15 – WRITER’S CHOICE – Shades of Blue and Black Hard Bonus: WRITER’S CHOICE – Incorporate moonlit skies Easy Bonus: WRITER’S CHOICE – Use the word “vernal”
thick brain smog slowly creeps nudging my dreams into consciousness I sip my cold coffee stuck in rush hour gridlock it’s still two hours until dawn as I ponder the workday ahead full of deadlines, meetings and client calls tired but grateful for our blessings in life looking forward to comforts of home a kiss to take my breath away cats curled up on windowsill sipping wine together watching spring sunset melting into warm comfort of your arms
Happy Saturday! I hope everyone is having a great weekend. This week I wrote a double etheree because it seemed to be my best option for this week’s writing challenge. I really loved the Cleopatra move line “a kiss to take my breath away,” but was having a hard time combining it with the other prompts. This is a reminder to myself that although the daily grind of work life can seem overwhelming, the many blessings make it worthwhile. That’s not to say this old chick has as much spring in her step, I am not quite the Energizer bunny I used to be. After fifty years in the working world, it’s no wonder!
It’s been a good week of work catch up and getting things done around the house. I ran 6 miles last night, cooked turkey tacos, going out to dinner tonight with hubby, and tomorrow we’re hoping for nice weather to go on another bike ride. We went for our first ride last Sunday, and our quads were screaming going up the steep hill on our road. Biking definitely utilizes different muscles than my daily mix-up of workouts! It was so nice and relaxing, riding through the neighborhoods and seeing all the lovely trees in bloom. (Lots of pollen out there, though!)
Feeling positive despite today’s persistent rain and wishing you all a wonderful weekend and week ahead!!
Xoxo, Colleen
Mood: Grateful Inspiration: “Everloving” by Moby
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 44.15 – Rush Hour Hard Bonus: Include a line from the movie “Cleopatra” (“a kiss to take my breath away” Easy Bonus: Reference smog or pollution
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
Greetings everyone! I’m dropping this poem on a Friday, as it has been a busy week and the weekend will be even busier. This is just a quick sonnet inspired by the power, corruption and lies prompt, as all three have run rampant. It feels as if we are teetering precariously on the edge of a cliff. We desperately need a positive change of direction for our country, which has become weakened and destroyed by what is going on of late. I’m pretty sad to see this happen in my lifetime, and it is scary for the future of our kids and grandkids. *sigh*
We are enjoying our time with the nuggets here in Virginia! Katie, Brenton, Posie and Hatcher arrived Wednesday. Yesterday was a beautiful day, we enjoyed sitting in the sun at the wineries, taking in the mountain views and feeding the ducks. We are keeping the kids for the weekend while Katie and Brenton drive to Richmond for a wedding. I Today is rainy, so we stayed local and took the kids to Chik-Fil-A for chicken nuggets and playtime. Later it will be pizza making and a Friday night dance party in the music room. It’s been so wonderful to see them play with Katie’s old toys in the basement, and so much fun doing activities with them. Love it!
All my life I have felt like a jack of trades and master of none, is that a good or bad thing? I have learned to do so many different things: dabbling in poetry, writing, photography, music, website design, coding, accounting, HR, etc. I am content that I have learned much over the years, yet I don’t really consider myself a master of anything. On second thought, maybe that is an advantage. I don’t know, but it is who I am and I have no regrets!
And now my Nanny Bee duties call… I’m off to give the nuggets a bath in the big master tub! Have a great weekend, all!
Xoxo, Colleen
Mood: Awake Inspiration: “Mediate” by INXS
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 42.15 – Jack of All Trades Hard Bonus: Incorporate power, corruption and lies in your blog Easy Bonus: Include a lyric or song title by Gloria Gaynor (“Broken Wings” & “We Can Start All Over Again”)
Ah, behold that first morning cup Hot java with cream, drink it up Wizard potion to start the day… Chase those blues and doldrums away.
Caffeine bolts and jolts through my veins Soaring high, dancing in the rain I’m aiming straight for clouds of gray… Chase those blues and doldrums away.
With one more sip, you’ll be smiling Mind atwitter, eyes beguiling Set to tackle what comes my way… Chase those blues and doldrums away.
Ah, behold that first morning cup… Chase those blues and doldrums away.
Happy Late Saturday afternoon! I hope you’re enjoying the weekend. It is beautiful, but we have been experiencing VERY high winds here in Northern VA the past two days.
This week I was the ultimate procrastinator when it came to writing, but I have good reasons. It’s the final days of tax season, I’m working full-time, and stress is the name of the game this time of year. I’ve also been trying to get the house ready and pantry stocked for my little nuggets when they arrive this Wednesday. Oh man, I can hardly wait to see Posie and Hatcher! I’ve stocked up on hula hoops, frisbees, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, koosh balls, kickballs, magna tiles, Hot Wheels, and of course, all their favorite snacks! As Katie said, they are going to have so much fun at Nanny Bee camp! We plan to take them to parks, to visit family in Maryland, go to Great Country Farms, have a backyard firepit with S’mores, visit the Otium winery cats… and just hang out in the backyard with them.
This was a fun, whimsical Kyrielle sonnet to write, and I really loved the topic this week. Anyone who knows me really well, knows that I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! I do not like getting up at the crack of dawn for work, as I am more of a night owl. I don’t even hit my stride until about 2 pm each day. I can work until 10 at night, no problem. Unfortunately, I have to work a 9-5, but I am quite fortunate that my job allows me the flexibility to start a little later, I just make up for it by staying at the office later than everyone else (which I don’t mind, it’s kind of how I roll). This has been a true godsend for this night owl, lol!
Here is a little advice: don’t even bother trying to start a conversation with me in the morning unless I have had at LEAST my first morning cup. I am just plain slow in the morning. I won’t snap at you, but I am not quite as chipper when I first roll out of bed. In fact, I probably won’t hear, remember or respond much to what you are yapping about. Just ask Dan LOL. Intense, deep morning conversations tend to give me anxiety. Add that on top of the fact that I’m not a big breakfast person – I don’t do breakfast meetings, and I don’t even really like eating breakfast out while on vacation. Why, you ask? Because that means I have to hurry up and get ready bla bla bla to go to a morning event I do not even like, thereby increasing my anxiety exponentially. All I need is my faithful friend – a robust, strongly brewed BIG cup of coffee, or two or three – and a slice of toast to ease me gently into every single morning at home, alone. And yep, I like a lot of creamer and a little sweetener with my coffee. Not to worry, by late morning your girl is ramped up and ready to go!
So that is what this little ditty is about, the NEED for a delicious cup of coffee and my own personal ritual at my own pace to start the day. The best part of waking up is coffee in MY cup! What about you, do you need that first morning cup to even think about adulting each day? Haha, I’d love to hear! Have a great weekend filled with coffee and fun!
Xoxo, Colleen
Mood: Mellow Inspiration: “Cafe 1930” by Astor Piazolla
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 41.15 – The First Morning Cup Hard Bonus: Incorporate a lyric by Van Morrison (“dancing in the rain,” “you’ll be smiling” & “eyes beguiling”) Easy Bonus: Mention wizard potions
My dreams are rudely interrupted as Mom bounds into the laundry room, slamming the door behind her.
“There’s a freakin’ mouse in the garage again!”
“Pffft…..I coulda told you that!” Jordan rolls her eyes from her perch on the couch.
Upon hearing the commotion, Dad bounds down the stairs from his office.
“Relax, I put some mouse poison out a few days ago. Damn rodent, I thought he’d be history by now.”
“Well it’s not working, because it’s STILL out there. I don’t want the damn thing crawling up my car vent and DYING again like two winters ago!”
“Just park outside for now until we catch him. Seems our Mighty Mouse has a bit of a free spirit. Too bad we can’t borrow Raven and put her to work.”
RAVEN!!??!! That damn moocher cat that lives up the street! How dare they insinuate that SHE would be a better mousetrapper than me?
I could feel my inner beast of Bodmin Moor stirring in my veins. It was time to prove my worth. I lift my head, sniffing in defiance.
“Why don’t they just let me at ‘em? I can do the job!” I growled.
“Pffftt…. you’re such a scaredy cat. That mouse could eat YOU for lunch,” cracked Jordan.
“I’ll catch that beady eyed varmint and send him packing on Route 66. Or better yet, Route 666 where he has a date with the devil. Ha! I’ll rip his tail off and show him who’s boss!”
“Sure you will, Tommy. You’re scared of your own shadow.”
Oh yeah? We’ll just see about that. I’ve been known to sneak out into the garage. Perhaps if I prove my manliness, I will be rewarded with tuna and catnip! Maybe tomorrow…
The next morning, Dad runs errands and comes home with a bag from the hardware store. Both Jordan and my ears perked up when he started fiddling with something.
“Remember these old things? They haven’t changed in a hundred years.”
“Ah, good old Victor!”
Victor? Who the hell is Victor?
Intrigued by this strange new name, I jump off the couch and wander into the kitchen. On top of the counter sits a jar of peanut butter and some scary looking contraption made of wood and cheap metal. That’s a strange combination.
“I can’t seem to get the thing latched properly. That’s probably why they’re so cheap. Only a buck!”
“Wait – let’s go watch a Youtube video before you snap your finger off,” suggested Mom. They retreat to her office and huddle by the computer.
Now is my chance! I jump up on the counter and take a closer look, bending my head down and sniffing.
“Peanut butter? What kind of animal would go for peanut butter?”
“Apparently that is gourmet for mice. I’d much prefer a sharp cheddar.”
“Well you do have princess tastes – but I agree with you there.”
“Hey, get down from there.” Mom barks, brushing me off the countertop. I land with a thud on all fours.
Dad carefully pulls back on the metal bar and snaps it in place. “Okay, all set!”
He strategically places it by the ladder in the garage, and then they both leave for the gym.
For some time, I pace around the house restlessly. Then my curiosity gets the best of me. I sneak up to the garage door and perk up my ears.
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
“Listen, Jordan! It’s out there. What the hell is he doing?”
“Pffftt…. Probably out there making baby mice!”
“Here, come boost me up so I can open the door.”
She waddles over and I jump on her back, stretching my front paws around the door knob. I give it a quick jerk and it opens.
SCORE! We’re in!
Jordan sits on the garage steps, watching as I follow the scent of peanut butter to the mousetrap. Suddenly a small gray mouse bolts full steam out of the corner towards me.
“Nanny nanny boo boo!” The little punk taunts me as he raises up on his hind legs. I chase him across the garage, and he ducks into a wooden box. I peer into a hole, glowering at the scoundrel.
“Punk mouse! Why I ought to smack you upside the head, you loser! How dare you take up residence in my human’s garage! You’ve got a whole field to call home up on the ridge.”
“It’s the birdseed, stupid! Your parents have the best stash on the block. How can I resist?”
Suddenly, the automated garage door opens wide, its chains grinding overhead like a helicopter. I freeze in fear, the blood pounding in my head. The punk mouse scurries out of his refuge, running around the floor in circles.
Mom bounds into the garage, catching me in my tracks.
“TOMMY! What the hell …” As she starts scolding, she catches a glimpse of the mouse and shrieks at the top of her lungs.
“AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!”
I lunge towards the little punk, sending him shooting out of the garage and up into the fields.
Dad was standing outside, witness to the whole event.
“Well, Tommy… it looks like you saved the day! You are a mouser in a roundabout way. Raven would be proud.”
“Pffft…. More like a PUNK mouser…” Jordan rolls her eyes in disgust.
Mom snatches me up and hugs me tight. “Tommy, you’re my hero! Come on inside. It’s time for a catnip party!”
YESSSSS!! Catnip!!!!!
As I roll around blissing in the buzz of the catnip, I can’t help but wonder. Could I be a better mouser than Raven? What would it be like to be an outdoor cat? Sinking into a state of relaxation after enjoying a few salmon treats, I realize…. NAHHH, that looks like far too much work. Around here, we don’t really have to lift a finger. We get tuna in a bowl, treats, back scratches, catnip and sleep all day. Yeah, we got it made in the shade!
Until next time, homies…. PEACE OUT and good riddance, punk mouse!
Good Saturday Morning! The Canned Heat song titles led me in this direction this morning, which ended up being a wonderful thing. They inspired this Kyrielle Sonnet which just flowed out of my head. I definitely like when that happens!
Do you believe in angels and in the power of prayer? I sure do! I have my own personal guardian angels that have helped me through countless difficult times in life. Just when I I thought I did not have the strength to continue, something (or someone) gently nudged me forward. I am eternally grateful for those beautiful angels in my life, and strangely, even for the bends and twists my path has taken. It has not been easy at times, but it has made me stronger. Going through those trials and tribulations truly shaped who I am today.
Last week, we had a nice little Easter dinner at our home, hosting Mom, Sarah and her family. It is always so wonderful getting together with family, though I miss our kids and grandkids tremendously. However, in just eleven days, Katie’s crew will be coming up for a visit! She and Brenton are going to a friend’s wedding in Richmond, so we get to have the nuggets all to ourselves for the entire weekend. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate so we can drive to see family in Maryland, take them to some playgrounds or just have fun in our backyard. I can’t wait!
The takeaway this week is to keep looking for your rainbow, even in the darkest days. Just ask your guardian angel for help, she/he will happily help you get there! Have a great weekend, everyone! ❤
Xoxo, Colleen
Mood: Hopeful Inspiration: “Push the Sky Away” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 40.15 – Resurrection Hard Bonus: Include a song title by Canned Heat (Dark Clouds; Looking for My Rainbow) Easy Bonus: Incorporate an angel
Happy Saturday, friends and family! This is a little dark haiku series inspired by some pieces of sad news I got this week. Don’t worry – I’m am doing fine.
First, I found out that a coworker lost her husband suddenly last weekend. We don’t know the details, but he was apparently not sick and just passed quickly. My heart aches for her in this loss – there are no words. The other day I emailed a client that I do quarterly work for. She and her husband had owned a long-time family store in West Virginia, and they recently closed to finally enjoy their retirement. She told me she had bad news, her husband died two weeks ago while attending their last work convention. When I relayed this information to the partner, he called me and told me that there had been some sort of altercation while at the convention. Apparently another man pushed him to the ground, he hit his head and died! This completely struck me to the core and actually made me cry. I’ve never met the clients face to face, but hearing of his tragic death just hit me hard. To think you work so hard all your life, and then your life is cut short just two months into your retirement!
These things were on my mind, as I have tried to imagine how one carries on after losing a husband or partner. How do you find the strength to begin again? It is such a devastating loss, and it’s really been hitting close to home lately. As you get older, it seems there is more death around you. It’s surreal and frightening at times, but I try to break out of those negative, morbid thoughts. Writing is one of my tools to release the overwhelming thoughts and anxieties in life.
Life is so fleeting and precious. I am so grateful for the wonderful husband and family that I have. My plan is to find joy in the small daily things and enjoy every single moment I have with them. Wishing you all a Happy Easter!
Xoxo, Colleen
Mood: Reflective Inspiration: “Leaving Paris” by Craig Armstrong
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 39.15 – Decisions, Decisions! Hard Bonus: Include a lyric from Newfound Glory (“Shadow”; “words of you went through my chest”; “solid ground”) Easy Bonus: Use the word “bumfuzzle”
When twilight comes knocking on winter’s door; The dusk beckons with its deep purple skies. Distant stars burgeon with flaming ardour, The woods come to life in glow of moonrise.
Faeries dance underneath the pale moon’s light; Gold and peach, a daffodil pas de deux. Sweet melody of flutes colors the night, In soft tapestry of jewel tones and hues.
My heart is weary as the night grows long, So I close my tired eyes and kneel in prayer. I take comfort in the nightingale’s song, A sense of hope fills the early spring air.
Awakened from my dreams, I count to ten, And I am wishing for April again.
It’s Saturday again, and I’m not sure exactly where this sonnet came from. Let’s just call it sheer luck, haha! I have been piecing together lines for the last few days, and the poem turned out much differently than how it started. Sometimes phrases just pop into my head, and I have to jot them down quickly, lest I forget. Some lines come to me, but don’t fit into the current poem. They get tossed into my random line pages for using another time. This is just a little whimsical ditty about dreaming of the magic of spring, and the dancing of the flowers (faeries) under the moon.
Yes, spring officially came this week, but it doesn’t seem like it. Today was a dreary, rainy, cold and extremely windy day. We get a wicked west wind that rushes down the street and hits the front of our house dead on. This afternoon when I stepped out in the yard, it felt like hurricane force winds! My poor daffodils and jonquils were bending and brushing the ground – fortunately, they are quite resilient! I guess I’m just wishing for April to get here, as March has never been my favorite month. It’s a most impatient month, even worse than January when you are sort of resigned to it being winter. Right now it is too cold to wear sandals, and even I (who rarely complains about cold weather) am ready to pack away my cable knit sweaters until fall! Only 9 more days….
Until then, I wish you warmth, peace and love!
Xoxo,
Colleen
Mood: Whimsy Inspiration: “The Four Seasons – Spring” by Vivaldi
Ecrits Blogophilia Week 38.15 – Sheer Luck Hard Bonus: Incorporate a song title by Dean Martin (“Deep Purple,” “Dream” & “April Again”) Easy Bonus: Reference faeries
Colleen Keller Breuning 