It's Haiku Monday!

Put the kettle on.
Patient anticipation.
Finally, coffee.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Disaster averted

At times the words flow like melted chocolate,
thick and sweet and smooth,
covering everything.
They dash and
dip along
in and out of
thoughts and touching
emotions sometimes best left
alone to ponder their own thoughts for a while.
And then, with no warning,
they stop. No thoughts, no
words, no attempts to write
will bring the rhythm back.
The world closes in, shuts
the process down with its
demands of life and work.
Nothing inspires, nothing
allows a spark to light the
fire, and nothing blooms.
But one day, the sun seems to rise a little more
brightly. Music travels along with the
pollen and the flowers grow
wild with joy. As the day
moves along
the world smiles.
And the thoughts begin to flow
once more, bringing a relief, a release;
and I write.

We walk together

This is a French Rondeau. I remember it as a favourite form from years ago. Missing friends and family at faire, I wanted to explore Sterling in poem.


We Walk Together

We walk together down a winding lane,
with every step, a step from the mundane.
Greeting friends and family of the heart,
we've waited long for our time to start,
and now we're back where fantasies do reign.

With joy we play in sunshine and in rain,
the reasons we return become so plain
when frolicking doth make our woes depart.
We walk together.

In bodice, bloomers, kilts and maille of chain,
velvet tights do seem to entertain.
We hoist our ale, a toast to health impart,
to rogue and wench, to pirate and to tart.
This is where our hearts do e'er remain.
We walk together.

A bit of nonsense

A Whimsy

If I could catch butterflies on my tongue
and fairy dust in my dreams,
I'd bottle the taste of rainbows and polish
the moon until it gleams.

If I could float with the guardians above
and dance among the stars,
I'd plant a forest of lemon drop trees,
jelly beans and chocolate bars.

If I could play music with the gnomes
and ride upon a dragon's wing,
I'd paint the world with melted jewels
and teach caterpillars to sing.

With angel feathers to pillow my head
and blankets of velvet sky,
I'd drift to a magical world and dance
to a lavendar lullaby.


Sweet dreams! :)

Night Life

A ballade. A very untraditional ballade, but it follows the form. Maybe the result of a combination of Sookie Stackhouse overload and a good dose of allergy medicine. Maybe I really need to move my dreamcatcher. :)


Night Life

Evil sounds find their way
into my dreams at night,
where demons love to play
far from the burning light;
they fill my mind with fright
and draw me close to tears;
it's a bewitching sight
that plays upon my fears.

The spirits rest by day
then dance with morbid might
to music filled with grey.
Upon the starless night
the witches take their flight;
their cries fill frightened ears.
To my savage delight
they play upon my fears.

Lost souls in disarray
descend from unknown height
to where the timid pray
and shiver in the night.
Unholy fires burn bright
and glow in eyes that leer;
unknown terrors take flight
and play upon my fears.

And now, it's near daylight.
Images grow unclear,
'til ghouls again, next night,
will play upon my fears.



side note: For selection of poetic form each day, I am using an updated edition of my old college poetry text "The Book of Forms" by Lewis Turco.

A Monday Haiku

What a great weekend! I do realize that I have not yet posted a poem for Saturday and Sunday. I am working on a "weekend poetry event" that I will post at the end of the month. For today, I have a haiku:

Wake to Bailey's bark.
Blue skies; watch the clouds roll in.
*sneeze* Must be Monday.


I think I am going to focus on a different form each day, but Mondays will always be a haiku.

Ode to Spring

Following in the far distant footsteps of Keats, I present my Ode to Spring. Keats, ironically, died in Rome (not NY but Italy, of course, but still).

To Spring

A spring dawns bright with skies of sapphire hue;
the sun presents itself with watery rays,
a promise of the golden power due
as morning grows into the warmest days.
Windchimes present the saucy songs of spring
with gentle nudge from pollen-laden breeze.
A gust, a snap of winter not yet passed:
a bit of snow to melt, a springtime sneeze.
Just hints of what the season'll often bring:
A pretty bonnet; listen ~ church bells ring,
as we give praise and hope the warmth will last.

On grass so green as to make Ireland proud,
a robin frolics with a mallard duck;
the geese have passed on their return, so loud!
The rain brings worms for early birds, what luck.
The energies abound, they overflow
like streams from melting ice do swell the banks
and lakes and rivers run to swiftly meet.
The first of April brings the happy pranks,
the fun and joyful tease of those who know
that laughter helps the winter blues to go
and smiles in springtime always are so sweet.

It's time to say hello, as days grow long,
to daffodils and tulips on the stem,
to peepers as they sing their morning song;
as we awake, we smile and sing with them.

April is National Poetry Month!

There was a librarian in Rome,
surrounded by books in her home.
When spring rolled around,
a longing she found,
to express herself in a poem.

And with that I am kicking off my month of poetry. I will read and write a poem every day. (They might even get better. We can only hope....)

I hope you enjoy! :)

Success and a Happy New Year!

How wonderful to enter a new year, a new decade on a success! When I started this project, it was almost a lark. I was desperate to get some order in my apartment, and so made a rash decision. About a month into the year, I decided to really dedicate myself to completing the task. I slipped along the way, had two major shopping sprees and a few good jags at bookstores, but I always managed to get myself back on track. I am actually beginning 2010 with at least 365 fewer items in my possession than I had when 2009 began! I had my doubts (as did many others, I know *grin*), but I DID IT!!!!!!

And now, I have for the last entry: 4 days, one new coat, a digital video player and a dashboard mount for my GPS.

Thus, I am getting rid of one coat, one robe, a sweater, a broken CD mount, 2 shawls, and a pair of gloves. Just to be on the safe side, in case I have missed a day or two (or an acquisition or two) I am also getting rid of a few pairs of pajamas and five books.

And so we begin a new year. Be happy, be healthy, and be wonderful!

I'm going shopping....

The very merry Christmas issue

This is exclusively for Christmas Day. There will be another final issue later today.

Yes, I am blessed. I realize that every day, and never more than at Christmas. This year I was gifted by many people with CONSUMABLES! Wine, chocolate, dip, temporary tattoos, cookies and candles. And gift cards, oh wonderful gift cards. And a great set of purple socks.

I also, however, got a lot of stuff.
To be specific, and in no particular order: 2 pint glasses, 2 wine glasses, 2 casserole dishes, 2 sweaters, a t-shirt, a jersey, 3 pair of earrings, 3 books, 1 bread plate, 2 DVDs, 2 CDs, 1 paperweight, 1 foot stool, 1 curling iron, 1 gps case, 1 SU snuggie, a tea towel, 2 sets of napkins, a candle trimmer, a bell, 2 ornaments, a mug, a wine stopper, a wine vacuum set and a scarf.

So, I now have to account for 37 things. We'll call it an even 40, as I most likely forgot to list something. So, I have gotten rid of:3 pair pants, 1 gps case, 2 sheet sets, 3 pair pillowcases, 4 holiday sweaters, 6 pair jeans, 4 holiday fleece, 1 pair boots, 1 glove, 1 curling iron, 2 pins, 2 pair earrings, 8 broken pieces of jewelry, 1 wine rack, and one SU doll. And what wasn't tossed is packed into one old suitcase to give to the rescue mission.

That covers Christmas. And now the strata is done and it's time for brunch. I'll be back this afternoon to finish up the year.

The best intentions....

Ah well, I did mean to catch things up before Christmas. So now I have to do a retrospective up to today, and then I'll post about Christmas.

It is December 27, so I have 27 days to account for, plus I acquired a few things: 2 hats, a DVD, a GPS (her name is Penelope, for Odysseus' wife), a dragonfly window decoration, and 3 new CDs. That is 35 total.

I have gotten rid of, in one way or another, and in no particular order:
3 glasses
a mug
7 tins
3 books
a candle holder
3 mugs
2 shot glasses
6 earrings (not pairs, separates)
3 small glasses
7 cups

That is 36 things (35 plus one, just in case I forgot something).

Stay tuned for the Christmas edition....

One month left!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday; I certainly did.

It has been 16 days since my last post, plus 3 to get to the end of the month. I also bought 4 books, a sweater and a pair of shoes. That's a total of 25 things.

So here's a picture:

It is 11 DVDs, a CD, a mug, a small teapot, a brush, a candle holder, an old sweatshirt, a book, 4 pair of gloves and 3 loose unpaired gloves. That's 25 things.

And I am ready for December!

Sometimes the decision is made for you....

Like today. When Bailey (I love him, I really do) jumped up where he shouldn't have been and knocked over my Galway Crystal Claddagh candy dish. Ok, it's really a votive candle holder, but I have always used it as a candy dish. Ah well. Good thing I am planning another trip to Ireland next spring so I can replace it. So that's the "thing" for yesterday.

For today, I have 2 Lord of the Rings plastic popcorn tubs that have been sitting on top of my refrigerator since the movies were in the theater. I guess I can bear to part with them.

A few days, a month, and two to go....

My last post ended with the words, "See you in a few days or so." I guess a month must count as "or so". I have been keeping up, just not posting, so here's a month in one fell swoop. A boring post, though, as I haven't been taking pictures, just lots of notes.

I did have one more shopping spree, during which I bought a sweater, two skirts, a book and 3 CDs. So, if I add those 7 things to the 31 days I am behind and add in 1 poodle skirt and a pair of cat's eye glasses, I have 40 things to get rid of.

So, here's a list:
7 books, 3 necklaces, 2 candle holders, 1 wallet, 1 tv antenna, 1 radio antenna, 1 broken fairy trinket, 1 computer mouse, 1 cell phone ear piece, 1 pair headphones, 8 useless cords, 1 exercise ball, 1 toothbrush holder, 1 Palm Tungsten, 3 cookbooks, 1 CD player, 4 pair of jammies and 2 night shirts.

That's 41 things. So I'm good through tomorrow.

I am actually beginning to find it a little difficult to find things to discard. I have just under 2 months to go and Christmas is in there, so I'll have to toss at least 60 things. It's going to be interesting....

But there was a sale!

I have been so good; no new clothes or new anything really for SOOOOO long! Well, I just kind of broke tonight. :)

Here's what happened. I stopped in to JC Penny for pillows. I've been meaning to for a while now, and just decided to swing by after work. Well, you have to walk through the whole store to get to the bedding section!! Unfair!! And, of course all of the clearance stuff was 75% off. Double unfair!!

So now it's time to tally it. It's not really that much, but after a drought of shopping, it felt REALLY good. I bought 2 pillows, 2 fall tops, a sweater and 3 skirts. I have also acquired one other thing over the past week. My friends, drinking buddies, fellow rennies and Mischievites, Terrible Musicians, gave me their new CD.



So, with those items and 7 days added together, we have a total of 16 things.


15 CDs (donated to the library)

and

One very floppy, unsupportive neck pillow.

That should do it. See you in a few days or so!

Still rainy, still lazy....

It's been only a few days since my last post, but they have been very busy days. Last night was the first show of our season ~ Avenue Q. It is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. Definitely the right choice for Banned Books Week, too; something to offend everyone! But oh, did we laugh! And I bought a set of small pins. :)

I also took delivery today of my new obsession ~ Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (and the following 3 books in the series). So, that's 5 things for which I have to account, plus 3 days.

So I am getting rid of:

2 dresses, 1 pair of shorts, 1 belt, 2 tank tops, 1 skirt and


One spoon rack. I no longer collect spoons, so this one was actually pretty easy.

That's it for tonight. Next time we speak, it will be October. Three months to go. For now I am going to hibernate with Claire and Jamie. :)

A lazy, rainy Sunday

Well, autumn is certainly upon us. It's grey and rainy and chilly and there is Giants' football on the tv. A nearly perfect fall Sunday. I've been pulling out warm clothes, thick sweaters and flannel jammies; putting away summer clothes, flimsy tops and peasant skirts. It's baking season, crock pot season, mulled wine and apple crisp season. My favourite season of all.

I have just a few days to catch up. It has been a slow week. The only thing I acquired was a new curling iron, and I just made a straight trade ~ the one that died was tossed and the new one was put to work.

I do have 5 things to show you, things that have been waiting patiently, collecting dust, taking up shelf space. A pair of book ends, a bread machine that burns the bread every time, a broken food processor, a wooden paper towel holder and an iron spice rack.


These I donated to the library. They'll look cute in the Children's Room.


I regret losing these two. But I'll get a new food processor someday soon, and I'm thinking about learning to make bread without a machine. I do all my other own baking and cooking. It's past time to start making my own bread, too. Besides, I understand the kneading and punching is great for stress management. :)


I am slowly working towards no longer using paper products in the kitchen. I am moving to only having cloth napkins (not quite there yet), and using kitchen towels and rags rather than paper towels. It's my little bit to save the environment (and it's cheaper, too). So I no longer need this.


The worst place to store spices in in the open light and air. So, this is going. I love it, and it goes with my wine rack and kitchen shelves, but I'd rather have good spices than a pretty spice rack. :)

So, that's it for this week. We're soon moving into October. Happy fall everyone!

Fall and Festivals and Faires, oh my!

It's been a busy few weeks. Last weekend was the Syracuse Irish Festival. What a great time! Wonderful music, great food, tasty ale, and I got to share it with some of my favourite people. And of course, there was shopping. This past weekend was the Niagara Celtic Festival in Olcott, an event I look forward to every year. More great music, more great food, lots of ale and many more of my favourite people. And, of course, more shopping.

I'll post in two sections. First, I have 15 days to account for. It's that time of year, and I have been going through clothes again. I have so many things that I just don't wear! So I am getting rid of 15 summer tops.


Next, I have all the stuff I bought and that was given to me. That includes a sweater, a shawl, a mug, 2 books, 9 CDs and a DVD. Here are some pics of most of the stuff.


This is the mug and most of the CDs (I left 2 at work).


This is what happens when you forget to click the "respond" buttin in the Columbia House email. *sigh* I guess it could be worse.


And here's the sweater, the books and Bailey.

That's a total of 15 more things. So, I'm getting rid of:


2 sweatshirts, 3 sweaters, 1 tshirt, 1 denim shirt, 1 summer top, and 1 chemise

And:


4 skirts, 1 tank top and a dress.

I probably missed a day or an item (or 2 or 3 of each) somewhere over the past few weeks and months, so I have decided to toss a few extras, just to make sure.
So, as a bonus I am adding this stuff to the bag to the Rescue mission:

4 t-shirts, 4 pairs of pajamas, 3 tanks and a skirt.

That should do it for now. I'm almost 3/4 of the way through, and I really think I might make it!

Books, books, books

Well, look at me. It's only been 5 days, and I am keeping true to my determination to stay updated. :)

For five days I have five books:


And so I'm a little bit closer.

Falling back into the routines....

It has been 70 days since my last post. Summer has come and gone. Faire has passed into the past. I have been very neglectful of my blog, and I am sorry for that. I have been a very good girl, though. I have been keeping track of the days and packing stuff up to get rid of. I have also been keeping track of all the things I acquired. It's mostly garb and other faire accessories.

This is going to be a very boring post. No pictures; just a couple of lists. First, the list of things I acquired over the past 2 months. Some of this I made, some I bought, some was gifted:
6 skirts, 1 bodice, 4 pair of bloomers, 3 chemises, 1 capelet, 2 pockets, 1 feather fan, 1 leather mask, 2 flower garlands, 1 mead mug, 2 ceramic mugs, 4 CDs, 3 books (yes, only 3 books!!), 1 camp coffee maker, 1 electric kettle, 1 pair of pewter candlesticks, and 1 wooden claddagh wall hanging.

That's 35 things. Added to the 70 days, and I have to toss (or recycle, donate, etc.) 105 things.

So, here's the list:
9 pair of shoes, 9 purses, 17 plates, 1 sugar thing from a diner, 9 bowls, 1 flask, 2 fancy hair comb sets, 1 pink satin pouch, 4 necklaces, 1 watch, 5 pair earrings, 16 stray earrings, 9 pins, 1 bracelet, 11 charms, 3 glass candle holders, 6 pair capris.

That's 105 things. And I am now caught up. I am going to really try to stay up on the project from now on. I am, after all, 2/3 of the way through. Wow. I might actually make it!