Sometimes

Sometimes you don't know what to write.

Sometimes too much awfulness happens.

Sometimes it concerns your brother

and your sister,

the loves of your growing up...

whom you are losing,

and the disappearance of a beloved cat.

Sometimes it concerns the loves

of your working life..

Twenty three teaching years

in the small town..

Twenty three years 

out of thirty plus

in the classroom.

So much loss in the last few weeks.

I have tried to write about it,

but I just cannot.

It is my story, but not my story.

Many children who were in my classroom,

and most of all

my beloved teaching partner,

have gone through so much.

I don't know what to do,

except be there for them.
I am back in the classroom every Tuesday
to read stories and do art projects.

For me, I pull up photos

that give me comfort,

and I am spending time

with D. in the Grasmere Journals.

I am pressing leaves

and gathering all Fallish things..
knitting mindless things..

I am baking bread and making cheese...

and, I am giving thanks to you,

Dear Readers, for being with me.

And, I am hoping to be back soon.
Oh, and yes and yes...
I saw the otters the other day while crossing the bridge.
Spirit lifting it was.
A reminder that goodness comes
even when times are just so hard.
Love, so much to all of you,
E.

August in the Garden

Candle flame yellow..

our patty pans have been spectacular

Hops that when dried

will be mixed with home grown lavender

and buckwheat hull...

a lovely lulling sleep pillow to make

Fuzzy furry visitor

Proof of an organic plot

We do have tomatoes

but they live somewhere else

and have been quite bizarre this year

with curled leaves and cores

so tough they are hard to slice,

but delicious nonetheless.

Plenty

Bounty

Earthly Goodness

With appreciation and affection,

E.

Hello Sunshine

Wishing all a wonderful week.

E.

The Little Green Jewel

is still here,

although there have been

a few sad days

when I could not find him.

My son has declared,

"You have

separation anxiety, Ma."

Probably so!

Here are a few more

photos from the last few days,

and a new discovery

that probably explains

where he has been.

Are you able to see

the reflection in his eye?

Those are the fir trees

in the distance.

Here he is moving away

as if to say,

"Please grant me

some privacy."

The brownish colored curve

on the left in the photo

is an old wool hat

that I found on the ground

one day and carelessly

tossed up there.

And, here he appears

to spend most of his day,

even in the heat..underneath the hat.

Oh, he has been a most welcome guest

and such a little wonder.

I believe that he is

a Pacific Coast Tree Frog,

aka Chorus Frog.

Chorus Frog is so much more lyrical,

don't you think?

Wishing all a beautiful weekend,

and sending thanks for such thoughtful comments.

E.

A Potted Jewel...

....an unexpected guest

a joy to the eye

a delight to the heart

a gift to my day

found the other day

in a pot of succulents

a darling of design

a gift with a capital G

I stayed and admired

his luminous eyes

that reflected all around him

I wanted to borrow his eyes

that gather the wonders

that surround him

and reflect the beauty

of all he sees

I spritzed him with some 

cooling water

he looked at me and was

still as still

I like to think that

he smiled at me

and said, "Yes,

it's a hot and sometimes

mournful world we carry."

He gave me more

than I gave him

Never underestimate

the power of small

Goodness to all who come here

Ellen. 

Going To The Dogs...

Three guesses as to what this is...

Actually, I should have written,

as to what this was.

Here is a little poem

to help explain,

with apologies to Shelley.

To a Napkin

Hail to thee blithe beauty

Thou who art no more

In the golden morning

I found thee on the floor.

Thee graced the table daily

Thee brightened up the meal

Now thou art so damaged

With holes I cannot seal.

I stitched thee with such pleasure

And pressed thy seams with care

With guilt I do remember

I left thee on the chair.

I used thee with abandon

And dabbed the drops of gruel

The dog she up and ate thee

A fate that was so cruel.

Hail to thee blithe napkin

I'm sad thou art no more

I'll fold thine old companions

And close them in the drawer.

(May be sung with gusto to the very first musical strains of In the Bleak Midwinter, if desired.)

The guilty party is our 

Newfie, Tracker.

We have had her for several months

and she came with a warning label...

"Counter Surfer".

She is all of that, and more.

The bread basket is no longer in use.

Bread is now stored in a drawer.

The kitchen trash can is now 

a plastic bucket kept under the sink.

May I give you a money making tip?

Buy shares in Duct Tape

as the freezer drawer underneath the frig

now has to be taped closed.

I tried putting a heavy weight

and a dining room chair in front

of that drawer,

but she just moved them to one side

and helped herself

to bags of frozen peas,

pasta and blueberries.

The tape, thus far, is working...

when I don't forget to use it.

She is affectionately referred to

as "Speed Bump" as you

can tell by how big she is.

At 128 pounds, she takes up

a lot of space.

She is, however, the sweetest girl,

without a mean bone

in her body.

As is her darling cousin, Rett..

who sits outside as she tells me,

"I didn't do it. Promise!"

We do love them so.

They are such affectionate

and gentle beings

who enrich our lives.

Wishing all a glorious week.

Ellen.

Our Creek

...which is calm

in summer..

raging in winter..

the gift of gamboling

river otters was seen.

Cannot see them in this photo

but the circles

of water

show where they were.

Would that I could

be such a one.

Freedom with my mum

by my side.

Joy in the water

rolling with the current

my brothers

and sisters by my side...

...a joy

to the eyes and heart.

*******

Taken from our bridge

which I cross most days

to get the mail.

Sending love and thanks

for all of the lovely comments

and connection with you.

Ellen